Kareem Rahma & Tiny Gun: Big Heads Just Want to Have Fun

New York-based band Kareem Rahma & Tiny Gun brought a healthy dose of calculated chaos and grimy rock to Outside Lands ’25, later sitting down with Atwood Magazine to discuss big-stage songwriting, rock’s rebellious spirit, and their refusal to shy away from politics.

“Baby I Could Never Win” – Kareem Rahma & Tiny Gun

“Fun is my first priority,” Kareem Rahma says into the microphone. “It’s also my second. And my third is also fun. Fun, fun, fun.”

In the crowd, Palestinian flags are held high, as well as crudely made “What’s your take?” posters. Few suspect Rahma, best known as a comedian and internet personality, of frontmanning a band. However, this development has been quite a few years in the making.

Kareem Rahma & Tiny Gun was born of Rahma and guitarist Tyler McCauley joining forces to write songs. Eventually, the band was joined by guitarist Joe Tirabassi of Darlings, drummer Dale Eisinger of YVETTE, and bassist Matt Morello of Mr. Dream. The result is a raw, physical, sleazy, sound that is, for lack of a better adjective, very New York. Every track features pounding drums, distorted guitars, and Rahma’s droning vocals.

“No Worries If Not” is a dejected rock ballad devoted to the art of pretending you barely care. The band sways on stage as Rahma pointedly sings, “I asked for the truth, and you said why not.” This track stood out as their strongest during their set, garnering quasi-headbangs from the audience. After the performance, the band lets me into their green room behind the Duboce Stage, a hideaway between tall cypress trees and psychedelic mushroom decor.

As Rahma half-shouts his final lyrics into the microphone and the amps hum in the background, it is clear that this band is not here to play it small.

They combine humor, pertness, and noise into a not-so-neat package that is as inviting as it is provoking. Whether it is poking fun at internet culture or calling out global injustices, Kareem Rahma & Tiny Gun are committing to the bit. The band delivers their all with the same commitment to their self-declared top three priorities: Fun, fun, and more fun.

The band sat down with Atwood Magazine after the show to discuss their love of rock and roll, their current writing process, and their refusal to shy away from what matters.

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:: connect with Kareem Rahma & Tiny Gun here ::

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“New Year, New York” – Kareem Rahma & Tiny Gun

Kareem Rahma & Tiny Gun © Embla Sveinsdottir

A CONVERSATION WITH KAREEM RAHMA & TINY GUN

Atwood Magazine: Can you tell me a bit about what is going on in the band right now?

Kareem Rahma: We are on a writing process tour/assignment. We are playing new music while also writing new music. We are focused on writing something comprehensive and cohesive. We are playing shows whenever they arise.

Did playing these songs inform your current writing process?

Tyler McCauley: We played Webster Hall a year ago, and it was a bigger stage. So we were like, “Oh, what if we wrote bigger songs for a bigger stage?” So now we are focused on what we can share in a specific environment. The rooms inform the type of music we want to have.

Kareem Rahma: Bigger songs for bigger people.

How can your fans become these so-called “bigger people”?

Kareem Rahma: You need a big head. A big head means a big brain. A big brain means you absorb a lot of information.

Outside Lands is an interesting festival because it incorporates a political element. This place, more than other festivals, invites that sort of talk. You guys do not shy away from your opinions.

Kareem Rahma: Some of our songs are political. I like to think that rock and roll and punk-adjacent music are inherently anti-shit. It feels good.

Matt Morello: I would like to think we are principled people in nature. I don’t think the political nature of this festival inspired our speech, because we already do that.

Dale Eisinger: It was nice to see Palestinian flags in the mainstage. It’s different from Glastonbury, which was a wack response to expression.

Tyler McCauley: Some people who are in the cabanas should be voting against sending weapons to Israel. I don’t think they got the message.

Kareem Rahma & Tiny Gun © Justin Belmondo

Kareem, I’m gonna direct this last question at you first. I’m Persian, and I grew up loving rock because it was anti-rules and anti-institution. As an Egyptian-American, what drew you to rock?

Kareem Rahma: I just thought it was fun. I wasn’t joking on stage when I said fun is my first priority. It is also rebellious. My parents did not let me have a lot of fun. I remember going to rock and roll shows, like Linkin Park and Stone Temple Pilots.

How about the rest of you?

Tyler McCauley: I am from the Bay Area. I’m from Santa Cruz. Writing songs is the best thing in the world. Everyone should be spending more time with their friends writing songs.

Dale Eisinger: I grew up in Boise, Idaho. I thought punk music was a way out of there, which drew me to it. It opened a window to a world I wasn’t aware of. The political aspect made it more intriguing once I realized how backwards the world is.

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