When it comes to Sad Snack, a ska punk band hailing from San Francisco, CA, the phrase “Good things come to those who wait” is appropriate. While they aren’t a new act, their debut album has been three years in the making. Finally releasing in December 2025 through Sell The Heart Records, Vending Machine is wonderful. The record overflows with songs that have been shaped by the band’s experiences and changing winds of our society. As the United States becomes more fascist, the music is essential listening for anyone trying to survive this current timeline.
Sad Snack chose to premier the title track, “Vending Machine,” at Bearded Gentlemen Music ahead of the official release on Friday, November 7th, 2025! Also, Ilan Moskowitz, Josh Frees, and Noelle Philbrick took some time to answer a few questions about the album, live music, today’s political climate, 924 Gilman Street, and more!
After a few years of being a band and releasing singles, your debut full-length is almost here. What are your emotions about it finally being released?
Honestly, a little strange because we’ve been living with these songs for around three years now! We started recording “RVIVL” and “Kiss Me Thru Yr Mask” at the same time as our first big single “No Children,” then tracked the rest of the album piecemeal as it was written. As we added members and instrumentation, the record grew into its final form kind of organically.
The timeline meant we had to deliberately keep from releasing these early songs. In the end though, that created the rich, full, powerful versions that we’re very proud of as a group. It’s been such a pleasure to work with each other and Ryan Perras over at District Recording in San Jose. Now they they’re out in the world, it’s been inspiring to hear people sing with us at shows and remember the names of our songs.
How have you changed and evolved as a band leading up to recording and releasing Vending Machine?
Over the three years this album took, we’ve gained and lost (and regained) members. Our drummer/vocalist, Ilan Moskowitz, and guitar goofball/vocalist, Josh Frees, have been holding down the creative fort as the band has endured these changes.
Sean Choate, our beloved bass player and vocalist, moved to Tennessee, where he is currently making incredible music as Frog Bath. Noelle Philbrick, our sax/vocalist, moved to and back from rural Ireland where she earned an MFA in art & ecology. Sad Snack also gained Hunter Cross (known colloquially as Skunter), an invaluable band member on the sax/vocals, and finally we snagged a trombone player in crowd and band favorite, Kirk Silver!
The album also features Alejandro Lara-Agra on trumpet, who also performed some shows with us, as well as Esteban Flores on keys throughout. Esteban appears courtesy of Matamoska and his many other projects, but hasn’t performed live with us (YET)! We’re still on the hunt for a full-time Bay Area bass player, so more change is yet to come.
The first single for the album is essentially a love song set during a protest that turns violent. What is it about the current state of affairs in the U.S. that inspired you to write this song?
That’s a reductive view of the song. “Love” here is about the dichotomy of trying to find empathy and connection in a hyper individualistic country. Especially when isolated by a poorly handled pandemic which was being played for political power against the people. This is in conjunction with decreased access to social services, food, healthcare, the barest essentials for living. To talk about “love” in this context is to illustrate absurdity.
The issue isn’t so much about a “protest turning violent” either. Most protests now are met with the increased militarization of law enforcement and their support of violent white supremacist militias.
The lyrics to the song were first written in Portland, OR, in 2020 when the federal occupation, weaponized white supremacists, undercover police arsonists, federal troops, COVID, and wildfires were sweeping the city as it simply cried out for human rights. The police are consistently protecting these white supremacist meetups and villainizing any other kind of 1st Amendment gathering with chemical weapons, which are illegal in warfare due to the Geneva Convention.
Since the song was written, this has become so commonplace that 4th of July celebrations near us in San Francisco are getting tear gassed by riot cops.
What other singles or goodies can fans expect leading up to the album’s release?
After the album’s second single, “Vending Machine,” today’s punchy ska ballad from the perspective of a fed-up and empowered snack dispenser, personified, we’ll have one more single called “Story Doesn’t End!” For the full album release show in December, we’re honored to work with San Francisco’s Whack Donuts for a snack collaboration. Plus, there will be some other vending machine treats!
For this release, you’ve signed with Sell The Heart Records. How did that relationship come about and how stoked are you to work with Andy?
We met and bonded with the Tsunami Bomb crew at SPI Fest in 2023, when we provided horns for a few of their songs. This was a dream for us Snackers since first hearing “Take the Reins” on a Warped Tour compilation in 2002. Andy and his label’s roster, especially our local friends Middle Aged Queers and One Armed Joey, have been a supportive, wonderful crew, and Andy has provided some seasoned punk wisdom for a newly touring band like us.
You’re wrapping up some shows right now. How are the crowds reacting to the new songs so far?
We have folks at each of our shows who have the lyrics to even our newest singles memorized. It’s surreal. We are writing about our deepest insecurities and fears. Seeing that resonate with people is unbelievably powerful. Seeing such a safe, wonderful space in a supportive community gives us hope that we will overcome these dark times and look out for each other.
For the uninitiated, what’s a Sad Snack show like?
We’re an earnestly goofy six-piece that likes to run into the crowd and promote safe spaces at our shows. On top of circling between four different lead vocalists, the band consistently finds the saddest snacks at the dollar store to throw into the crowd. If you’re a queer weirdo and/or an ally, you’re one of us. The horns are rad, too.
In your humble opinion, what is the saddest snack in existence?
The saddest snack is SNAP benefits being cut. Folks can donate to Feeding America.
Did you know Gilman did Best of Awards prior to being named Best Ska Band of 2024? How did it feel to get the news?
Actually, no! We think it’s only the second or so time they’ve done it. We found out about the awards when the Gilman volunteers announced our nomination, and it felt incredible to know that our community cares about what we’re doing in a way that translates to being listed alongside other noteworthy bands at this legendary venue.
Gilman is a bucket list venue for me to see a show at. What makes it such a special and important place to you?
There aren’t a lot of safe spaces for teen bands to play their first shows and learn how to book, tour, work sound, etc. alongside national acts. The venue is special to us because the volunteers running Gilman when we first got started went out of their way to add us to concert lineups. They also helped us grow our connections and voice in the national artistic conversation in a way that bigger corporate venues would never. For all its status, Gilman is still accessible to book for all bands, runs affordable shows every night of the week, and anyone interested can volunteer and learn valuable skills at any show.
Do you have any additional shows planned or booked to support the new release?
Our album release show will be 12/11/25 in San Francisco at Bottom of the Hill. We’ll be playing with Matamoska and Omnigone, both of whom have cameos as musicians (Esteban Flores does keys on our whole album) and spoken word jokers (Adam Davis joins IDOS podcast cohost Aaron Carnes to provide a mid-song skit).
Grab pre-sale tickets if you’re in the area. It’s going to be a hell of a show.
Any last words?
Ska’s good.
Trans rights are human rights.
Fuck ICE.
Pre-order Vending Machine on Sell The Heart Records. Follow Sad Snack on Facebook, Instagram and bandcamp!