The title of Sleigh Bells’ recent album, Bunky Becky Birthday Boy, is silly-sounding on its surface (in a press release, they give permission to laugh at it), but it’s actually emotional and meaningful: The first two words are in honor of Alexis Krauss’ beloved dog who is no longer with us, while the latter two are in reference to Krauss’ young son. The combination of terms ultimately represents life and death.

The album itself isn’t all doom and gloom, though, as songs like the relentlessly upbeat and entertaining album opener “Bunky Pop” show. It’s a mission statement for the album, too, full of in-your-face guitars, sugar-sweet hooks, and exciting rhythms.

Following the album’s April release, Sleigh Bells’ Krauss and Derek E. Miller sat down with Uproxx to talk about tornadoes, George Michael, AI, and more in our latest Q&A.

What are four words you would use to describe your music?

Miller: This is aspirational but: hopeful, ecstatic, sparkly, blue.

It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

Miller: I’m going to resist the urge to say, “It doesn’t matter; In fact, NOTHING matters,” and be sincere. It would be rad to be remembered as a band that pushed themselves and the creative process as far as they could, loved it completely, and went about the business side of things in an honest and fair manner.

Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?

Miller: There are a few answers to this question… Alexis, H/D/H at Motown, etc., but I’m gonna go with George Michael. I used to sit with my legs crossed in front of the TV watching MTV, waiting for “Faith” to come on. The second the first shot of the jukebox appeared I would do a handstand and shout. “Faith” is so lean and tough in none of the obvious ways. And pretty. Old and new… a Bo Diddley rhythm with drum machines! All sorts of contradictions happening. Spicy adventure. The best of the best. He was scared but did it anyway… truly fearless and inspiring and that’s why I love him. We salute you, George. RIP.

Where did you eat the best meal of your life and what was it?

Miller: When I was about 6 or 7, I was playing tag with some neighborhood kids near my friend John S.’s house. We went inside for a snack… his mom gave us Capri-Suns and a bag of Sour Patch Kids. I ate a red one, my first ever, and lost my mind. I am still looking for it. Transformed me. Backup answer would be hot wings Dale style at Sports Grill in Miami. My favorite wing spot in the world.

Tell us about the best concert you’ve ever attended.

Krauss: Oof, this is tough. I have to say it’s a tie between the first time I saw LCD Soundsystem when we opened for them, and then Fleetwood Mac at MSG. I really couldn’t believe how incredible they were so many years into their career. The chemistry on stage was ineffable.

What song never fails to make you emotional?

Krauss: “Nothing Compares 2 U” by Sinead O’Connor.

What’s the last thing you Googled?

Krauss: Definitely something baby- or bird-related.

Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?

Miller: This isn’t necessarily weird, but a handy thing back in the Poison The Well days was volunteering to sleep in seemingly undesirable spots while secretly liking those spots. Like beneath a bench seat in a 15 passenger van… I’d lay on top of a sleeping bag for extra padding/comfort and of course have a warm blanket and pillow. No dice if you’re claustrophobic, but I always loved it. It was dark and quiet and I could use my “sacrifice” when negotiating for other things like where to stop for lunch. Couple guys want to go to Wendy’s, I want Taco Bell, and since I suffer sleeping on the floor while you people sleep comfortably on the bench seats, we are getting tacos today! Only downside was sometimes the floor heating vent would be blasting you in the face. If you had a cold, which was common ’cause you’re forever loading in and out of a venue in the middle of a blizzard somewhere in the Midwest, your mouth would be open while you slept and the heater would blow directly into your lungs. Like sleeping with a blow dryer in your mouth. It hurt me.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform and what’s the city you hope to perform in for the first time?

Miller: Massive fan of Chicago: shout-out Metro! Love a big city without the uppity factor. Shows are always high-energy. Great stuff. I’m pretty much down to play anywhere and everywhere as long as there’s a decent sound system to handle the subs/volume without dying and an excited crowd, big or small.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

Krauss: Not to care so much about what other people think of me.

What’s one of your hidden talents?

Miller: I’m a pretty OK cartoonist, not great, but it was the first thing I truly loved. Haven’t been surfing in a long time but I was dedicated, surfed competitively in the ESA and always made the final heat. Once when I was a kid, I was in the water at the same time as Kelly Slater at Sebastian Inlet. Seeing a human being move on the water like that with my own eyes was nuts. S/o Kelly the goat.

If you had a million dollars to donate to charity, what cause would you support and why?

Krauss: This would take a lot more than 1 million dollars, but free healthcare and quality public education to all kids.

What are your thoughts about AI and the future of music?

Miller: I feel AI should be used to advance education, engineering, science, medicine, etc. I do NOT support the use of AI as a writing tool. As a fan, I want to see people do a hard thing well because they are madly in love with it. This does not include entering prompts or however it’s done.

You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location it would be held.

Miller: It would be held in my backyard and my dream lineup would look something like The Funk Brothers feat. Levi Stubbs and Martha Reeves, Deftones, George Michael, Janet Jackson, and Madonna performing The Immaculate Collection in its entirety. And if somebody had to cancel, maybe Nirvana or Public Enemy could step in. Or The Clash or Salt N Pepa or Burial???!????

Who’s your favorite person to follow on social media?

Krauss: I’ve been a big fan of Ilana Glazer since Broad City and I love following them now, especially since they’ve become a mom. I also love learning about wild edibles from Alexis Nikole. Oh and I just discovered a guy who sings songs to curious animals and it absolutely melts me: @plumesofficiel.

What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?

Krauss: I was 19 and it was really important to me to get tattooed by a woman in NYC, since at that time there weren’t that many women tattoo artists, especially women shop owners. I got a pretty big traditional nautical style backpiece by Michelle Myles.

What is your pre-show ritual?

Krauss: Jump around a lot, run up and down stairs, drink water.

Who was your first celebrity crush?

Krauss: I was equally obsessed with Claire and Leo in Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo And Juliet. Oh my goodness, and that soundtrack just destroyed me. Still does.

You have a month off and the resources to take a dream vacation. Where are you going and who is coming with you?

Miller: I’ve had the privilege of traveling for work/touring since high school; Sometimes home feels like a vacation for me, so I’d like to spend some time just hanging around my town with Adam Yauch if he was still with us. I didn’t get the chance to meet him, but I love Beastie Boys and Adam underwent such a radical transformation in his lifetime…knucklehead in the Licensed era to compassionate human being, all while maintaining his sense of humor and making amazing art in multiple mediums along the way. Boss.

What is your biggest fear?

Miller: Outside of friends, loved ones, and just people in general getting hurt, I’m both attracted to and terrified of tornadoes. I’ve been in two. The first was a water spout when I was 12 or 13, the second was on July 13, 2022. It was an EF1, so not super crazy, but it tore right over my house/through my backyard while I sheltered in my scary-ass basement with all these spiders trying to crawl into my ears and lay their evil eggs. It’s a miracle me and my neighbors were unharmed: A big tree came down behind my house and took out a bunch of fences. But we lived!

Bunky Becky Birthday Boy is out now via Mom + Pop. Find more information here.