Up & Coming Pop Punk Bands | Moving To Ashbury

Moving To Ashbury, who hail from Sweden, have recently released their first full length album 'What Happened to Rock 'n' Roll. The album is filled with infectious, fast-paced and vigorous songs, perfect for fans of Sum 41, Billy Talent or The Offspring . We spoke to vocalist Mathias about the new album, how he came up with his band name and who he would play his dream show with ... 

WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

Mathias - As a band we're from Västerås, Sweden, just 100km outside Stockholm!

Personally, I'm from Surahammar, a little Village just 30km from Västerås, where I grew up until moving to Västerås at the age of 15, that's where I met Viktor (the drummer)

HOW DID YOU FORM?

Mathias - We have played in different constellations since 2005 before taking a break where we didn't meet or talk for a couple of years. Then in 2009 I got the idea, the concept of Moving To Ashbury. That's when I started recording by myself for a while before calling Viktor and that's when we really got the ball rolling.


HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH YOUR BAND NAME?

Mathias - I came up with the band name on an interesting conversation on a New Years Eve with my family, actually, it originated from my brother, sister and her husband.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEW ALBUM 'WHAT HAPPENED TO ROCK 'N' ROLL...

Mathias - It's an album with a lot of different faces. It's got the poppy songs, the ballads, and the more rock orientated songs. I kind off like the idea of an album where you can dive in and explore different sides of you, looking at it from different angles and perspectives while maintaining the suit you have as a band. I'm very pleased with it, we all are. We were working on a budget and had to turn down some really interesting opportunities production wise, but I am really happy about how it turned out.

It got some really personal lyrics on it, and that's one reason of why it so close to my heart. We got some great reviews as well, it's awesome!


WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SONG FROM 'WHAT HAPPENED TO ROCK 'N' ROLL AND WHY?

Mathias - "Untitled", it's my favorite because of the meaning of the song. Besides that, Go Off The Grid has been a personal favorite for me as well ever since I wrote it.


DO YOU PREFER RECORDING OR PLAYING LIVE?

Mathias - It depends, when I am recording, and going into full recording mode, that's the only thing that's on my mind during the recording process. I get really manic about it and my girlfriend has to listen to me going on and on about lyrics, different chords settings, and so on, haha.

As for playing live, that is great too, we have so much fun when we're out playing shows together. I mean, that's why we do this.


IF YOU COULD PLAY A SHOW WITH ANYONE WHO WOULD IT BE?

Mathias - Blink-182, they have such a great energy on their live shows, I would like to be able to touch the atmosphere they've have on their shows, sadly, it seems like it can't 
happen now.


WHAT ARE TOP FIVE FAVOURITE POP PUNK ALBUMS?

Mathias - Besides What Happened To Rock 'n' Roll you mean? Haha, no but, hmm... Without ranking and on top of my head:

Blink 182 - Untitled

NOFX - Wolves In Wolves Clothing

No Use For A Name - Hard Rock Bottom

Bad Religion - True North

Millencolin - Pennybridge Pioneers 

What Happened To Rock 'n' Roll is out now. Check it out below:

Moving To Ashbury's Facebook | Youtube | Bandcamp

The Story So Far Release Second Album Teaser

The Story So Far have released a second teaser for their upcoming album. Check it out here:

Up & Coming Pop Punk Bands | Late Nights & Long Drives

Exeter based band, Late Nights & Long Drives, are mix of emo and pop punk; reminiscent of bands like Hindsights, Basement and Brand New. They have been taking the alternative scene in Exeter by storm with their energetic and buoyant live shows. We asked them a few questions so you guys could get to know them a bit better...

WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
Exeter, Devon.

HOW DID YOU FORM?
Alex (vocals), Frankie (drums), and Sam (guitar) all met at uni, and we met Joe, our bassist, after about a year, just through the local scene, going to gigs etc. 

DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND IN FIVE WORDS FOR SOMEONE WHO'S NEVER LISTENED TO YOU BEFORE...
Pop-Punk but angry and sad (Pop-Punk is definitely one word yes?). 

WHEN ARE YOU NEXT LAYING LIVE AND WHERE?
We are playing at Exeter Cavern on March 12^th.

DO YOU PREFER RECORDING OR PLAYING LIVE?
Definitely playing live, it’s just the most fun because we can just completely let go and jump around and do whatever the hell we like. Sometimes we get injured because we end up bashing into each other, Sam once split his hand open, that was pretty weird. Recording is still fun, but we haven’t had the best recording experiences so far. Frankie says he prefers recording because he doesn’t like people.

IF YOU COULD PLAY A SHOW WITH ANYONE WHO WOULD IT BE?
Alex and Sam would definitely say Brand New, I don’t think we’d be able to do it though, we’d just collapse from the sheer lack of believability in the whole scenario. Joe says NOFX because he’s punk af. Frankie says Alkaline Trio. We can dream. 

WHAT ARE YOU TOP FIVE FAVOURITE POP PUNK ALBUMS?
Difficult question, most of our favourite bands aren’t 100% Pop Punk, and so in order not to cause controversy here’s a relatively mild list:
Your Favourite Weapon – Brand New
Goddamnit – Alkaline Trio
Dude Ranch – Blink 182
Funtitled – Spraynard
Last Stop Suburbia - Allister

Listen to Late Nights & Long Drives' EP 'Sleeping Pills' here:

Late Nights & Long Drives Facebook | Bandcamp

Up & Coming Pop Punk Bands | Thank The Academy

Birmingham based Thank the Academy, have just released their debut EP 'Worth a Try' which reached the height of no. 9 on the itunes rock chart. Their sound is filled with gigantic, energetic riffs and catchy choruses. They've also played some impressive shows including pre-performance support sets for You Me At Six and All Time Low. We asked them a few questions about their new EP, their dream show and their favourite pop punk albums...

WHERE ARE YOU GUYS FROM?
We are from a small town outside of Birmingham, UK.

HOW DID YOU GUYS FORM?

We met at High School and Joe (Vocals) was singing a choir and the rest of us where in various bands so we got in touch and found that we had pretty much the same music taste. Then Joe suggested Jamie as a guitarist and everything sort of fell into place and before long we'd churned out an EP.

HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH YOUR BAND NAME?

Well, we were throwing about a couple of names when Joe was watching the movie 'Fight Club' and we just though "yeah that works" and went with it. We also get a lot of accidental tweets when the Oscars are on so it's all good!

DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND IN 5 WORDS FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S NEVER HEARD MUSIC BEFORE...

Is Pop-Punk one word? If yeah then...Cheerful Pop-punk with some breakdowns.

IF YOU COULD PLAY A SHOW WITH ANYONE WHO WOULD IT BE?

It's got to be Neck Deep or A Day To Remember they just have an ace attitude toward the whole thing.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEW EP 'WORTH A TRY'...

Well this EP was really four tracks of us trying to find our sound. We experimented with the 'Pop' side of Pop-punk in our single 'Dear Caroline' and also played more of our favourite style in 'Intro' and 'Head Straight'. We are ridiculously proud to say that it reached Top 10 in the iTunes Rock Charts and we're currently writing again to get another EP out this summer focused on what we enjoy playing!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SONG FROM 'WORTH A TRY' AND WHY?

That's like trying to pick a favourite child...not that any of us are parents but collectively, 'Head Straight' or 'Dear Caroline' always sound incredible live and seem to go down very well so yeah, probably one of those two.

WHAT ARE YOUR TOP FIVE FAVOURITE POP PUNK ALBUMS?

We'll Do one each...

Joe (Vocals) - While I Stay Secluded - Knuckle Puck
Joe (Lead Guitar) - Homesick - A Day To Remeber
AJ (Drums) - Sports - Modern Baseball
Ellis (Bass) - Enema of The State - Blink 182
Jamie (Rhythm Guitar) - Wishful Thinking - Neck Deep

Worth A Try is out now! Check it out here.

Thank The Academy's Facebook | Twitter | Webpage | Youtube 

Hit The Lights Release New Song

Hit the Lights have released a new song, 'No Filter'. The song comes from their upcoming album 'Summer Bones' which is out March 24th. Check it out below:

Up and Coming Pop Punk Bands | Dora Nadine

For today's up and coming pop punk bands post, we're bringing to you Dora Nadine who hail from North Wales. The band have just released their second EP 'Summer' which is a mix of catchy, upbeat riffs and poppy vocals. The six track EP definitely lives up to its name with every song making it the perfect summer soundtrack. If you're a fan of Hit the Lights, Cartel or A Loss For Words, check these guys out. We asked vocalist, Dewi Thomas a few questions...

WHERE ARE YOU GUYS FROM? 

Isle of Anglesey, North Wales

HOW DID YOU GUYS FORM?

Well originally it was Tomi and Osh who started jamming and writing songs together back when they were in college. Members came and went during these early stages and eventually in 2012 Dora Nadine was formed. With everyone living on the island (Anglesey), and influenced by the same taste in music, it was only a matter of time before we crossed paths. Dewi and Matt joined soon after and put their own stamp on the band. And Tomi’s younger brother Karl was the last piece of the puzzle, joining the band in October 2014  

 HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH YOUR BAND NAME? 

It was a bit of a joke to be honest. Someone came up with this joke “in welsh’ in rehearsal and since then it has just stuck. The Welsh speakers might get it, but for everyone else it's just a name.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEW EP 'SUMMER'...

Well it’s our second EP and we feel it has a more varied, warmer sound than its predecessor. We hope there is something for everyone on this record. We tried to keep it up-beat and fun, but at the same time wanted to show what we can do musically. We are really excited for people to hear it. It’s taken us a while to get to this point, but we are proud of what we have achieved so far and how it’s all sounding. We tried to add some variation in this EP. There are feel-good, fast paced tracks at the start, but there are also more reflective/build up moments in there too. So hopefully there is something for everyone. We hope it’s the kind of EP you'll have blasting in your car on sunny summer days!

 WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SONG FROM 'SUMMER' AND WHY?

 My personal favourite is Save Your Breath. I wrote the song quite a long time ago and showed the band an acoustic demo of it. They seemed to like it and got to work changing a few things and writing new parts for it. Then when we recorded it and they played it back to us at Ferlas Studios, it just sounded massive! I wasn’t too keen in using it for the band as I didn’t think it was the right sound for Dora. But the boys did a great job and I think the transformation has been a great success.

DO YOU PREFER RECORDING OR PLAYING LIVE? 
That’s a difficult one. We really do love both. The last few months have been all about recording, and it's something we really enjoy. It’s a great feeling

when you hear all your ideas played back to you as they unfold. But at the same time, there's nothing quite like the buzz of playing a good gig to an amazing audience, and all the fun you have after the show too. We are all good friends and enjoy each other's company so it makes sleeping in a cramped van for a week a lot easier.

IF YOU COULD PLAY A SHOW WITH ANYONE WHO WOULD IT BE?

 I would have to say New Found Glory. They have been in the game for so long and were one of the first bands I went to see live. They have a loyal fan base and always entertain when they are on stage. I’m sure we would learn a few things from them.

WHAT ARE YOUR TOP FIVE FAVOURITE POP PUNK ALBUMS?

New Found Glory - Catalyst

Brand New - Your Favourite Weapon

Blink 182 - Enema Of The State

Taking Back Sunday - Tell All Your Friends

Green Day - Dookie

Dora Nadine's new EP 'Summer' is out now (Check it out here). You can also watch the video for the title track below:



Dora Nadine's Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp | Youtube

Milestones | Equal Measures | Track By Track Guide

Averaging an age of just 18 (17 when they wrote and recorded Equal Measures in 2014, with former Bring Me The Horizon / now All Time Low sound guy Phil Gornell), Milestones have meticulously constructed five songs that positively belie their young age and relative inexperience. The EP is the glorious, compelling sound of raw, natural talent put to the test. Tracks such as anthemic single ‘Nothing Left’ offering up simple but soaring melodies that tingle the nape of your neck and leave you totally hooked. Here vocalist Matt Clarke guides you through each of the 5 tracks…

Track 1 - More To Me:

More To Me focuses on the first theme of the EP: losing family and friends. MTM is focused on a personal time for myself, of when a loved one was terminally ill. It shows my frustration of the lack of support I received from those who I'd been giving it to for years. We recorded MTM aside from the rest of the EP. We'd only practiced together a few times before we headed to the studio in September. It was a load of fun because we hadn't learnt how best to budget ourselves, so we got a hotel and had a load of fun being a band. Although we don't regret it one bit, because it created a great initial vibe of recording with Phil and Sheffield as a city.

Track 2 - Equal Measures:

Equal Measures was probably the easiest recorded, it was the least changed and the quickest to create. Lyrically it focuses on how changing certain aspects of your life can turn you upside down. The term "Equal Measures" is about regaining balance and composure.

Track 3 - Nothing Left:

Nothing Left is probably the most honest track on the EP, it focuses on the second theme of the EP: losing love. I recall finding it particularly hard to record "I didn't think that you'd leave me on this day, when the car drew up I refused to feel the weight" because those lyrics were probably the most personal I'd ever written... It's a direct train of thought I had on possibly the worst day of my life. I really shocked myself when I made it through all of that, but I suppose I have my band mates to thank for that!

Track 4 - Counterweight:

I personally wrote acoustic track Counterweight before the band was practicing, with Drew helping to later adapt it once we decided to use it. It's a great little sing along that I feel has a good impact on the EP, allowing the dynamics of the record to really show.

Track 5- Sleepless Nights Are Put To Bed:

I suppose this track is self-explanatory. It seemed fitting to put this one at the end due to the entire EP's journey lyrically and musically, coming to a resolving end on this track. This one is probably the harshest side of our sounds; the most aggressive for sure. I believe that after a certain time you should stop allowing yourself to be upset and just draw a line. That's what this song was, the line for me, and I've never looked back.” 

Equal Measures is out the 6th of April. Watch the video for 'More to Me' below. You can also check out the video for Nothing Left here. 

Milestones' Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp | Youtube