New SNOT Album Is 'Almost Done': 'It F***ing Rocks', Says MIKEY DOLING

In a new interview with the We Were Loud Once podcast, SNOT guitarist Mikey Doling spoke about the reactivated Santa Barbara-based metal/punk rock hybrid's long-awaited new studio album. The upcoming effort is being recorded with producer, engineer and mixer Chris Collier and will mark SNOT's first release with new singer Andy Knapp, who made his live debut with the band in January 2025 in Anaheim, California. Mikey said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "For Andy to jump into SNOT, he really had to be brave to wanna do an album with us. Sure, [it's one thing to] go out and tour and sing [songs from SNOT's debut album] 'Get Some' — he kills it; he fucking kills it — but to actually record an album with us? That's a lot of pressure on him. And he jumped in. And there was a lot of emotions with him. He was very confident, but at the same time, it was scary for him too."

Doling went on to say that the new SNOT album is "almost done. We're really close right now," he revealed. "We're pretty much almost there. And [Andy is] now very confident and stoked because he killed it, man. I'm telling you, it's amazing."

Elaborating on the pressure Knapp felt trying to fill the shoes of late SNOT singer Lynn Strait, Doling said: "Him and I had a lot of conversations before we started the album, and then, of course, recording the record, me and him together, we would drive to Las Vegas to work with Chris Collier, the producer who's producing the record, and we would drive from my house in Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario area. It's by Riverside in California. It's about a three-and-a-half-hour drive, and we just had a lot of conversations on the way down to the studio. And we talked a lot about the music, the lyrics, how he felt about it, the undertaking he had, the challenges he had. And we almost called the album 'Long Drive', 'cause it was a long drive to record vocals. But it's not called 'Long Drive', but we talked about it. And all the way up to the very end of the record, which is kind of right now — we're really close to being finished — he finally kind of looked at me one day. We were listening to the album on the way back home from Vegas, and he's, like, 'Dude, this is good.' I'm, like, 'I know. It fucking rocks, dude.' And I could see it on his face, a relief. Like, 'Fuck, we did it.' And I'm happy for him. I'm happy for us. Me and the band, we're so stoked."

Acknowledging the obvious comparisons between Strait and Knapp, both in terms of their vocal delivery and overall stage presentation, Doling said: "Well, Lynn Strait was Andy's hero. Andy wanted to be a singer. Andy's 10 years younger than all of us. And when we put out 'Get Some', he fell in love with that record and literally started singing because of Lynn Strait. And he was just a fan all these years. I mean, that's why he sounds like him. His style's there. He emulated Lynn back in the day in his local bands at home in Ventura. That was his hero. And he was literally in Ventura the whole time, and we didn't even know. We were looking for a singer, one that fit us, for many years. For 15 years, we were just kind of looking around. We came across a couple of guys. It didn't work out. All due respect to those dudes. But when we found Andy and we performed with him, I just knew, 'This is the fucking dude right here. This is it. We finally fucking found him.' And also, like I said, he's from Ventura, which is the 805 where we're from, Santa Barbara. Right in the backyard, dude. He was there the whole time."

SNOT is considered one of the most influential cult bands to emerge from the late-'90s heavy music explosion.

The group's upcoming LP, which is due in the summer of 2027 via BLKIIBLK, the heavy metal imprint of Frontiers Label Group, will mark SNOT's first collection of new material in nearly three decades.

SNOT never played by anyone else's rules. Originally formed in Santa Barbara, California, in 1995, they featured the charismatic Lynn Strait on vocals, guitarist Mikey Doling, bassist John Fahnestock and drummer Jamie Miller. The band forged a sound that blurred the lines between hardcore, punk, funk, groove, and metal with an attitude that refused to fit neatly into any scene. Built around the unforgettable presence of frontman Lynn Strait, the unmistakable guitar work of Mikey Doling, and a rhythm section that balanced precision with swagger, SNOT created music that was as infectious as it was uncompromising.

Released in 1997 through Geffen Records, "Get Some" has become one of heavy music's defining cult classics. Its explosive combination of crushing riffs, undeniable groove, raw humor, and fearless individuality helped shape the emerging nu-metal movement while standing apart from it entirely. Decades later, the album continues to inspire generations of musicians across metal, hardcore, punk, and hard rock, earning its reputation as one of the era's most distinctive and enduring releases.

Although Lynn Strait's tragic passing in 1998 brought the band's original run to an abrupt end, SNOT's legacy only continued to grow. In 2000, the surviving members honored Strait with the acclaimed tribute album "Strait Up", featuring an extraordinary roster of guest vocalists, including Jonathan Davis (KORN),Corey Taylor (SLIPKNOT),Fred Durst (LIMP BIZKIT),Serj Tankian (SYSTEM OF A DOWN) and many others. Meanwhile, SNOT's members went on to help shape bands including SOULFLY, BAD RELIGION, AMEN, LO-PRO and CHANNEL ZERO, extending the band's influence across multiple generations of heavy music.

In 2025, SNOT returned with powerhouse vocalist Andy Knapp, ushering in a new era while honoring the spirit that made the band a cult favorite.

Since returning to the stage, SNOT has experienced an overwhelming resurgence, fueled by passionate fans and acclaimed performances at major festivals, including Welcome To Rockville, Sonic Temple, Inkcarceration, Louder Than Life, Aftershock, Download, Graspop Metal Meeting, Alcatraz and Motocultor, alongside sold-out headline club shows throughout North America and Europe. The response has firmly established SNOT as one of heavy music's most celebrated comeback stories.

In April 2025, SNOT recruited Doc Coyle (GOD FORBID, ex-BAD WOLVES) as the band's touring guitarist after the group's split with Sonny Mayo.

When SNOT's longtime drummer Jamie Miller is unable to tour with the band due to his commitments with BAD RELIGION, he is replaced on the road by Chris "Seven" Antonopoulos, who has previously played with OPIATE FOR THE MASSES and CHANNEL ZERO.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Lynn died in died in a car accident in December 1998 as he attempted to drive across Highway 101 in Mussel Shoals, California. The 30-year-old singer died instantly after his 1992 Ford Tempo was broadsided by a southbound full-size pickup truck about noon. Also killed was Strait's small bulldog, SNOT's mascot Dobbs, who adorned the cover of the band's debut album, the 1997 Geffen Records release "Get Some". Strait, a Santa Barbara resident, was crossing the highway after visiting his girlfriend in the community. Lynn apparently pulled into the path of the truck, which was going about 65 mph. The impact sent Strait's car spinning into the center divider where it stopped, a California Highway Patrol officer told the Los Angeles Times at the time.

Current SNOT lineup:

Mikey Doling - Guitar
John Fahnestock - Bass
Jamie Miller - Drums
Andy Knapp - Vocals

Touring member:

Doc Coyle - Guitar

Photo credit: Adriana Torres