Defend Pop Punk Podcast Mixtape

Check out Man Overboard's Defend Pop Punk Podcast from back in October. Hopefully they'll do another one soon.

http://manoverboard.bandcamp.com/album/defend-pop-punk-podcast-mixtape-fall-2010

Anderson Mesa- The View From Here (2010)

Quality pop punk from the Midlands in Ireland.

http://andersonmesa.bandcamp.com/

http://andersonmesa.tumblr.com/

http://andersonmesa.bigcartel.com/

The Braces Interview

I recently interviewed Zack from The Braces.

PPND- First off, thanks for joining me for this interview.

The Braces- You're welcome, thanks for having us.


PPND- How would you describe you music to someone who has never heard it?

The Braces- Punk Rock with Pop without being pop-punk or punk-pop.


PPND- You just released your new EP "First World Problems", how did that album come to be?

The Braces- By the time we finished our full length "I'm Telling Everyone" I had already begun writing new songs, over that period of time things happened to us emotionally as a band and as people. We wrote about it.


PPND-What band is the song "Inspired by true events" about?

The Braces- haha... a shitty hardcore band.... That doesn't quite narrow it down that much at all does it?


PPND- How's the Pop Punk scene in Thousand Oaks, California?

The Braces- Growing every day. When we started, we were the only punk band in the area. Now there are more bands than I will be able to remember, but a few that are really fucking shit up in a good way are our buds in The Sheds, The Bogarts, Blackout 101, Make Your Day, Game 21, and Blind Awakening. These guys are all really talented and it is because of them that there is now a scene for this kind of music here.


PPND- What bands are you guys really into right now?

The Braces- We are eternally into: Most bands on a punk-o-rama compilation from the 90's - early 00's, most bands that have ever been on Fat Wreck.

Kyle (lead guitar) - is a student of DC hardcore and post hardcore and knows more about music than anyone else I know.

Justin (drums) - against me, the lawrence arms

Fern (bass/vocals)- hip hop, punk rock and broadcasting

Zack (guitar/vocals) - The Clash, Elvis Costello, Harry Nilsson, Bad Religion, Hostage Calm


PPND- What has been your favourite place to perform?

The Braces- Kyle's garage when we shot the music video for "I'd Rather Be Hot" it was a tuesday night on a schoolnight and somehow a bunch of kids came out and made it something special.


PPND- Do you have any plans on playing in Canada?

The Braces- Sure, know a good booking agent?


PPND- What was your favourite album(s) of 2010?

The Braces-

The Flatliners - Cavalcade
The Wonder Years - The Upsides
Hostage Calm - Hostage Calm
Bad Religion - Dissent Of Man


PPND- What’s your favourite movie of 2010?

The Braces- We all saw Inception together but Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World was better.


PPND- Do you have any final comments for your fans?

The Braces- Don't worry about being punk or hardcore or metal, just be yourself and you will be way more punk than anyone in a studded jacket with a discharge patch sewn on the back. Come see us when we go on tour and download the EP for free and share it with everyone you think would like it.

Sky Harbor- Stronger Than Ever EP

Pop Punk from Jersey.

http://www.mediafire.com/?kv94ekc3mwnd95c

http://www.myspace.com/skyharbornj

Hear The Sirens Interview!

I recently interviewed Scott from Hear The Sirens.

PPND- Thanks for joining me for this interview. I’m an insanely huge fan of Hear The Sirens. In 2007 I used to go to your Myspace everyday to listen to Anywhere But Home. Rebel Hearts Lost is one of my favourite albums of the last ten years.

Hear The Sirens- Wow! Thank you so much


PPND- How is the new material coming along? Musically it seems like your sound has matured with your new track “Some Sort of Stability”.

Hear The Sirens- I'm really excited for the new material and it's coming along great, we decided to record it ourselves and take our time writing and tracking. Just finished drum tracks yesterday and they sound awesome! I would say some of the songs our different and more mature, but other songs we just decided to write fast punk anthems again. It's a good mix of everything we have done!


How’s the scene in your area of California?

Hear The Sirens- The past few shows I've been to whether it's big bands, small bands, touring bands, or local bands have all been a lot of fun. It seems like everyone is more pumped on going out to shows and I run into the same people all time time, good times.


PPND- What is your favourite song to perform live?

Hear The Sirens- My favorite song to play live is probably You're A Fucking Ghost. It's slow and fast and people seem to have a good response to it. We usually play it last, I'm pretty drunk by that point so it's probably not as exciting as I think


PPND- When I first heard the song “Silence Will Keep You Alive” I thought it was a Straight Edge anthem. Could you explain what that song is actually about?

Hear The Sirens- Funny story about that song, our guitar player at the time did the artwork for the record and misplaced "Thank You David" and “Silence Will Keep You Alive” on the tracklisting. The acoustic song is “Silence Will Keep You Alive” and the ridiculously hard song is "Thank You David"

If you are talking about "Thank You David" then that song is about people who live privileged and comfortable lifestyles but still find a way to complain about their lives, when there is way worse stuff happening to people through out the world. We were young and angry screaming at the world. David from All Teeth does that guest vocal part and he was wasted so that elimates it being a straight edge anthem!

If you are talking about “Silence Will Keep You Alive” then that song is about going into a situation where you thought you were going to belong and still feeling out of place, basically me going to college.


PPND- Lyrically which song of yours is the most important to you?

Hear The Sirens- I really enjoy the lyrics to "Lets Say All The Things We Never Said Before" it's basically me telling myself to stop being a cynical asshole, I've just recently started taking my own advice.


PPND- What has been your favourite place to perform?

Hear The Sirens- We recently played our first show in 9 months in Santa Rosa, every show in the North Bay is always a lot of fun. Portland has also been a great place to play.


PPND- What was your favourite show that you’ve played?

Hear The Sirens- My favortie shows have been the All Teeth record release weekend. Both shows were packed and everyone went wild for every band. Dead To Me played both of the shows too, so seeing them two nights in a row was fun.


PPND- What was your all time favourite show that you went to see?

Hear The Sirens- Fat Wreck Tour 2005 two nights at Slims in SF.

Against Me!
Smoke or Fire
The Soviettes
The Epoxies

It was right when Searching For Former Clarity came out and my dad drove my friends and me to the shows and bought a us a bunch of beer for the drive out there.


PPND- You guys are definitely my favourite band that I’ve never seen live. Do plan on ever playing in Toronto?

Hear The Sirens- I would love to, after we are done recording we are for sure going to be hitting the road hopefully we can make it up to Toronto. I really want to go to the hockey hall of fame and drink maple syrup whiskey!


What bands are you guys really into right now?

Hear The Sirens- Frank Turner, Bedouin Soundclash, Dead To Me, The Hold Steady, The Flatliners


What was your favourite album of 2010?

Hear The Sirens-
Against Me!- White Crosses
Hostage Calm- Self Titled
The Flatliners- Cavalcade
The Riot Before- Rebellion
Make Do And Mend- End Measured Mile


What’s your favourite movie of 2010?

Hear The Sirens- Star Wars episode 1-6


PPND- What band do you dream of sharing the stage with?

Hear The Sirens- NOFX


PPND- Do you have any final comments to your fans?

Hear The Sirens- Thanks for all the support, can't wait to put out the new record! Hopefully we can tour soon.

The Braces- First World Problems (2010)

Pop Punk from California. For fans of Borderland.

http://www.mediafire.com/?4z466zv0r6m8jct

http://thebraces.bandcamp.com/

Rust Belt Lights- These Are The Good Old Days (2010)

Buffalo Pop Punk/Hardcore. Catch them on tour with Kid Liberty.

http://store.paperandplastick.com/products/6634

http://www.mediafire.com/?qa3qnxdxvt67cuy

http://www.myspace.com/rustbeltlights

Crucial Dudes- 61 Penn (2011)

Amazing Pop Punk/Melodic Hardcore from Jersey. Donate.

http://jumpstartrecords.bandcamp.com/album/61-penn

http://www.mediafire.com/?o7m088ulxxx4ad2

http://www.myspace.com/crucialdudesnj

The Glenn Robinsons - Lava in the Living Room (2011)

Old School Pop Punk from Rhode Island. For fans of The Ergs, The Mooks.

http://www.mediafire.com/?b5ewdpoc5w767bv

http://www.myspace.com/theglennrobinsons

On Call Heroes- Brotherhood (Sampler)

Pop Punk from Victoria, BC.

oncallheroes.bandcamp.com

http://www.mediafire.com/?8gkyz0l287fic0p

www.myspace.com/oncallheroes
www.facebook.com/oncallheroes
oncallheroes.bigcartel.com