San Francisco punk outfit M.U.T.T. is back with the title track off their upcoming album, Toughest Street In Town, out June 20 on Quiet Panic Records.
Formed by members of the critically acclaimed Culture Abuse, M.U.T.T. delivers raw, unfiltered punk rock rooted in the chaos and spirit of their San Francisco streets. The new album serves as a gritty tribute to the city that raised them—equal parts danger zone and inspiration.
“I don’t fear my neighborhood—I’m inspired by it,” says frontman John Jr. “You gotta have a tough presence and a tough mind to survive here. Some people wouldn’t last a week. That’s why I love it.”
M.U.T.T. includes John Jr., Matt Walker, Isa Anderson, and Shane Plitt—four seasoned punks with a DIY ethos and zero interest in slowing down. Their 2022 debut, Bad To The Bone, turned heads in the underground for its stripped-down, snarling punk energy. Now, Toughest Street In Town cranks the volume even higher, carrying their story forward with sharpened teeth and bruised knuckles.
Already supported by CVLT Nation, New Noise, No Echo, Idioteq, and Faction Punk Radio, the band’s no-frills approach and streetwise swagger have landed them features on podcasts like The New Scene, Songwriting Malpractice, Laugh Now Die Later, and Hidden Track.
From the swagger of The Flamin’ Groovies to the soul-battered honesty of Jawbreaker, San Francisco has always nurtured its own breed of punk. M.U.T.T. is the latest to carry that torch—loud, defiant, and fully dialed in.
The band emerged in the wake of Culture Abuse’s sudden split, with John Jr. initially exploring solo demos and short-lived side projects. A creative breakthrough came after reconnecting with Matt Walker, leading to sessions at Jack Shirley’s Atomic Garden Studios—and eventually, a full lineup of Culture Abuse alumni ready to hit the gas.
Fast, dirty, and hooky as hell, M.U.T.T. blends Ramones-core minimalism with California sleaze, channeling the reckless charm of early Joyce Manor and the unhinged energy of Amyl and the Sniffers.
They’re not reinventing punk. They’re not trying to save it.
They’re just playing it the way it was meant to be—loud, fast, and straight from the gut.