While the recent revival of the Vans Warped Tour has sparked nostalgia for pop-punk’s golden era, The Pretty Reckless vocalist Taylor Momsen is looking back on the traveling festival with anything but rose-tinted glasses. In a candid new appearance on the “Zach Sang Show,” the singer dismantled the romanticized image of the tour, describing her time on the 2010 run as a chaotic and sanitary nightmare that she has no desire to repeat.
Momsen did not mince words when asked about her experience on the legendary punk rock roadshow, admitting that her perspective might not align with the industry standard of praising the institution.
“You’re probably not supposed to say that, but, like, it was super f**ked up,” Momsen confessed (as transcribed by Ultimate Guitar). “It’s like a very gross band summer camp. It was our first tour, too, our first real tour. In one way, I think it was good for us that the grind of that tour is ridiculous, so it put you through [multiple shows a week].”
Beyond the physical toll, Momsen shed light on the behind-the-scenes politics that dictated the daily lives of the bands. She criticized the arbitrary nature of the scheduling and the punitive measures taken against artists who didn’t play the promotional game.
“And they also don’t tell you what time you’re playing till the morning of. You get punished if you don’t go to a press tent, and you get a sh**ty slot,” she revealed. “Like there was the whole dynamic to Warped tour that I thought was a bunch of bulls**t, but, you know, whatever, but it put you through the wringer of what touring is like in the most extreme circumstances – heat, tour buses breaking, and no bathrooms – all the grossness of the road in one place.”
While she acknowledged that the grueling conditions helped harden the band for future touring, Momsen ultimately found the environment incompatible with her professional ethos. For a musician who prioritizes the performance above all else, the festival’s legendary reputation for partying was a drawback, not a perk.
“So, in one way, it was good. And the other way, it is completely unprofessional and not what touring is like at all,” Momsen explained. “You know, I take touring very seriously. I take the show very seriously. And that is not what that environment is. That environment is a rolling party of bands with no rules, mayhem, debauchery.”
Despite the tour’s return for its 30th anniversary in 2025 and plans for another run next year, it seems unlikely that The Pretty Reckless will be found on the lineup poster anytime soon. Momsen concluded that while the audience likely enjoyed the chaos, her personal takeaway was far less positive.
“I think the fans probably had a really great time. I think the bands had a really great time. I did not have a really great time on Warped Tour. It was just an experience, one that I wouldn’t want to do again.”
