Recently I was able to schedule a Zoom call with Sam Harris, the lead singer of X Ambassadors, to check in about the band’s latest single called “Alcohol.” I also asked Sam about his creative songwriting process for writing for X Ambassadors as well as stepping out into his recent solo work, and artists in the scene that he and his bandmates admire. X Ambassadors will be finalizing plans for their new album soon.
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Recently I was able to connect with Lily Meola for a Zoom interview to discuss her uplifting new single called “Without You.” I asked Lily about her music upbringing, how she stays motivated as an artist, how she measures success as well as her breakthrough single “Daydream,” and what next year has in store for her promising musical career.
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Recently I was able to schedule a Zoom call with lead vocalist Nathan Willett, of Cold War Kids, to discuss the band’s latest self-titled album that dropped today. In this interview, I asked Nathan about how the band goes about crafting a setlist at this point in their career, the key upcoming album anniversary plans, and Nathan offered some great nuggets of information about the band’s songwriting approach. Cold War Kids self-titled album can be purchased/streamed here.
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Recently I was able to schedule an interview with actor/musician, Thomas Nicholas, who will be releasing an album next year via SBÄM. In this conversation, I asked Thomas about his great, energetic new single called, “Tomorrow’s Gonna Hurt” and the inspiration behind it, his recent collaborations with musicians like Jaret Reddick of Bowling For Soup, and the difference in how prepares for film roles versus making albums.
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Recently I was able to schedule a Zoom call to connect with Story of the Year members, Dan Marsala (vocals) and Ryan Phillips (guitar), to discuss their memories of recording and writing the now 20-year old album Page Avenue. I also asked the band members about other album anniversaries coming up, including In The Wake of Determination, and their plans for celebrating these key milestones. The band is currently touring in support of the 20th anniversary of Page Avenue, and they have released several merch items on their webstore to celebrate.
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Recently I was able to schedule a Zoom interview with the leader of Emo Orchestra, Ben Mench-Thurlow, as well as the bassist from Hawthorne Heights, Matt Ridenour, to discuss the on-going tour. I asked both of them about what challenges this unique concert experience brings to the table, how the setlist came together, as well as what they each love about Emo music. This tour of Emo Orchestra wraps up on November 12th in Anaheim, California.
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Recently I was able to schedule a Zoom interview with the lead vocalist of Silverstein, Shane Told, to discuss the band’s tour preparations for their anniversary tour of their sixth record, This Is How The Wind Shifts. In this interview, I asked Shane about what went into the writing process for they current album (Misery Made Me), the band’s thinking behind doing the REDUX album re-recordings, and some advice he has for young bands navigating the changing music business. Silverstein will be embarking on their This Is How The Wind Shifts tour starting November 23rd in Toronto, and tickets can be purchased here.
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This past week I was able to connect with Canadian rapper/artist, Powfu, to discuss his newly announced LP Gathered By The Lantern. I also asked him about his breakthrough single, “Deathbed (Coffee for your head)” that featured Beabadoobee, his upcoming touring plans and what keeps him motivated as an artist. Powfu will be embarking on a European tour soon.
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Recently I was able to connect with comedian Neil Rubenstein to discuss his recent performance at Adjacent Festival. Additionally, I asked Neil about the best way to deal with hecklers, his favorite bands in the music scene, as well as a preview of his comedy special Have Some Dignity. The special will go live on YouTube today at 7pm Eastern.
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Earlier this month, Chris Farren released his latest full length album Doom Singer. The propulsive power-pop record features Farren’s biggest yet most vulnerable songs ever, as he tackles nagging self-doubts and shortcomings all while the world continually falls apart around us. The addition of Macseal drummer Frankie Impastato and the production from Jay Som’s Melina Duterte, Farren was able to take his soaring choruses and musical idiosyncrasies to new levels, resulting in one of 2023’s best records. Below Chris and I discuss our favorite songs on the record, the making of Doom Singer, the creative process behind his music videos, and Buddy.
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Recently I was able to catch up with Evan Lawrence, better known as 13th Law, to ask him the details behind his great new summer single “It’s Alright.” In the interview, this talented artist opened up about his music upbringing, he explained the differences in writing for Babyfang versus his solo project, as well as what fans can be on the lookout for as the year unfolds. 13th Law’s latest single, “LightRun” is out now wherever you stream your music.
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Recently I was able to schedule an interview with Los Angeles-based duo, John Sinclair and Fil Thorpe, who go by the name of World’s First Cinema. In this interview, I asked them about the style of their music, how they do most of their songwriting, and their plans for touring. World’s First Cinema fit well in the realm of the theatrics of Panic! at the Disco, paired with the hooks of Motion City Soundtrack, but they really have a style that needs to be heard to get the full experience.
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Recently, I was able to schedule a Zoom interview with the band, Letter Kills, to discuss what made them want to start making music again. I asked the band about the memories they had from recording their well-balanced debut The Bridge, why they felt that the record didn’t get as much traction as they had hoped, as well as what went into the writing/recording process of their triumphant new single, “Right Where We Belong.” Letter Kills will also be playing a headlining show at The Observatory in LA with Dead American and Bullets & Octane on July 28th.
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Here I chat with Garret Rapp, lead singer of The Color Morale. After a hiatus of six and a half years, the band is back and fans are stoked. Bolstered by fans craving a tour for the ten year anniversary of the band’s biggest album to date, Know Hope, the band has some big news that fans of the band will be very excited to hear.
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This past week, I was able to catch up with Ryan Key of Yellowcard before he and his recently reunited bandmates embark on their summer tour celebrating 20 years of Ocean Avenue. In this in-depth interview with the lead vocalist of Yellowcard, I asked him about what went into the writing and recording of their new EP Childhood Eyes, the comparisons of the new EP to the sound of Paper Walls, and how he keeps the spirit of Yellowcard alive through various projects and outlets. Childhood Eyes will be released on July 21st via Equal Vision Records, and pre-orders are live.
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