Perth alt-rockers LATE 90s have been steadily building their reputation on raw honesty, electrifying live shows, and songs that hit with both grit and heart. With over two million digital streams under their belt and support slots alongside international heavyweights like Neck Deep, State Champs, and Taking Back Sunday, the band is making serious waves outside of their hometown. Their latest single, Low, might just be the track that captures everything LATE 90s are about: vulnerability, heaviness, and the relentless push between self-love and self-loathing.
I recently had the chance to sit down with frontman Stephen Loreck for a deep chat about the band’s evolution, the Perth scene, and the making of Low.
From Goonstains to LATE 90s
Stephen took me back to the very beginning, explaining how LATE 90s truly came together in late 2019. Three childhood mates were already jamming, and when Stephen joined, the final piece clicked into place. At first, their sound leaned toward a surfy punk vibe, but everything shifted when they started pushing into new sonic territory.
That evolution came full circle with the release of their 2025 EP Silk.
And about that band name? Originally, the crew went by the cheeky title Goonstains, before finding a more permanent identity. Inspired partly by the film Mid-90s and the members’ birth years, LATE 90s stuck, and it fits perfectly with their mix of nostalgia and modern heaviness.
Between Metal and Indie
Trying to pin down LATE 90s’ genre is like catching lightning in a bottle. They’ve got the weight of post-hardcore, the hooks of pop-punk, and the grit of grunge. “We kind of sit in this spot between metal and indie bands,” Stephen laughed, acknowledging the band’s unique position.
The influences run wide — from punk urgency to the melancholic wash of 90s alternative, through to the emotional punch of modern emo and post-hardcore. It’s no wonder fans of Deftones, Basement, and Paramore are flocking to their sound.
Perth’s Tight-Knit Scene
As anyone in the west knows, being a band from Perth comes with its own set of challenges. Stephen described the city’s music community as tight-knit and supportive, with mixed-genre bills being the norm. But there’s no ignoring the elephant in the room: Perth’s isolation.
“Touring outside of WA is expensive and tough, so it’s a huge milestone when a Perth band makes it over east,” Stephen explained. Still, when LATE 90s hit the road with acts like Neck Deep and State Champs, they were blown away by the camaraderie. “Those bigger bands were so welcoming — it made us feel like we belonged there.”
The Battle Inside: Writing Low
The heart of our chat turned to Low, LATE 90s’ visceral new single. For Stephen, the song came out of a particularly rough patch.
“Last year I was really struggling with self-loathing and finding it hard to take care of myself,” he admitted. “Low is about that internal monologue — wanting to be better but not knowing how, and then beating yourself up for it.”
That vulnerability bleeds into every second of the track, balancing grit with an undercurrent of hope. It’s heavy, but it’s real.
DIY Spirit in the Studio
One of the most exciting things about Low is that it marks Stephen’s first time producing a LATE 90s track. Recorded at Perth’s Emerald Room Studios, the song was a crash course in DIY obsession.
“I retracked the vocals three times, and we even did bass twice just to get it right,” Stephen said with a grin. “Some of our favourite parts came from experimenting in the studio and just trying random stuff.”
With mixing handled by their live sound engineer Emmett Carroll and mastering by Brodie Stewart, the single is proof of what can happen when a band takes the reins of their own sound.
Looking Forward
As for the future, Stephen hinted that Low is a good taste of what’s to come. The band is already shaping new material that continues to blend the energy of pop-punk with the weight of post-hardcore. Fans can expect an EP on the horizon, one that builds on the lessons learned while crafting Low.
Before wrapping up, Stephen shared some of his musical firsts — from the first band he played in, to the first time he heard his own music on the radio, to the dream collaborations he’d love to chase down the line. It’s clear that while LATE 90s have already achieved a lot, they’re only just getting started.
Final Thoughts
LATE 90s are the kind of band that reminds you why supporting your local scene matters. They’ve built their identity on honesty, community, and a willingness to push themselves creatively. Low is more than just a single — it’s a snapshot of a band finding their voice, wrestling with demons, and coming out stronger on the other side.
If you haven’t yet, go spin Low loud, support LATE 90s on socials, and keep an eye on what’s next — because Perth’s own are ready to take this sound nationwide.
👉 LATE 90s’ new single Low is streaming now on all major platforms. Follow the band on Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | triple j Unearthed | TikTok to keep up with new music and tour announcements.
