Melted on gambling, Dr. Pepper, and playing shows in crack houses

Corona, California's Melted is a ripping, garage punk band that likes to drink Dr. Pepper. They worship thee power of thee mighty riff, but also slip surprisingly earnest revelations in their lyrics- "25 Years" is about kinda, maybe, crashing your car on purpose…

The band is embarking a short tour before playing the Vegas segment of Punk Rock Bowling. (We're sponsors!) So, Punknews' John Gentile spoke to Melted frontman Justin Eckley about good gamblin' tips, playing Punk Rock bowling, Dr. Pepper, and that time the band played an actual crack house.

Talking about being an adult with Steven Rawles of Belvedere

Time has a weird way of flying by so quickly sometimes, it really is the case for Canada’s Belvedere. It has been long 12 years since they have has put out a new album. The band has returned with 12 new melodic punk tunes and is excited to share them with the world. The band is releasing their fifth full-length titled The Revenge of the Fifth on May 5th, 2016. Editor Samantha Barrett spoke to Steven Rawles about the new album, growing old and being an adult.

PEARS are seeing stars

There is no question that PEARS took the punk scene by surprise with 2014's  Go To Prison , and with the Fat Wreck Chords release of the musical behemoth that is  Green Star earlier this month, they've made it clear that they're here to stay. But between non-stop touring and trauma Down Under, it is up for debate whether or not they've had a moment to celebrate -- they don't stop for much. Even when confined in a van headed toward Florida to kick off a co- headlining tour with Such Gold, catching up with not only Zach, Brian and Jarret, but manager Dante and brand spankin' new bassist Erich Goodyear, is much like herding conversational cats, if you will. To tackle the task, Punknews editors Stevie Navarre Allen and Ricky Frankel teamed up to check in with PEARS and hear more about the release of Green Star, the insanity that took place before and during their first Australian tour and much more.  

Photo Credit: John Paul Allen

Ara Babajian gives us bowling tips and tells us what's up with the Slackers

Ara Babajian has drummed for punk legend after punk legend- The Slackers, Leftover Crack, World/Inferno Friendship Society, Ari frickin' Up! (Also, he was in a band called "Das Booty.")

In fact, the Slackers just released their new album. It's self titled and has a killer opening tune called "The Boss." On top of that, the Slackers are playing Punk Rock Bowling this year (We're sponsors!)

So, Punknews editor John Gentile called Ara up and asked for some bowling tips. Oh, yeah, they also covered the 5,407 bands that Ara has been in, working with THE Ari Up, and the new Slackers record.

Mike Kinsella on American Football, Cap'n Jazz, and Owls

If you were to ask Mike Kinsella, de facto leader of late 90s quintessential emo band American Football, to play “Never Meant” at an Owen show – the moniker for his solo project post-Football – he would ignore you. No matter whether it is rude – or endearing – to ask an artist to play from the catalogue of their former band, for Kinsella, American Football represented another time and place – one which he was miles from.

But times change. People grow older. Things find a way of coming full circle. After the reissue of their only full length – the eponymously titled genre-standard bearer – in 2014, American Football are busier now then they ever were during their first time around, performing nationally and abroad to fans that never thought such a reunion would happen.

Punknews contributor Matthew Bentel spoke with Kinsella before a recent show in Seattle in late February, where they talked about the evolution of the reunion, the changing of ethics within the alternative music scene, the next step for Owen, and living the life of a character in a Judd Apatow movie.

Jared Hart of The Scandals on tour life and Punk Rock Bowling

So many great bands coming out of the great state of New Jersey. Bayonne’s The Scandals is definitely on its way to being one of them. The band have been together for 12 years and have been churning out great tunes in small doses ever since. Editor Samantha Barrett Spoke with guitarist and vocalist Jared Hart on one very snowy day about tour life and Punk Rock Bowling.

John Marullo of Protagonist talks new EP and tour of their home state

Boca Raton, Florida’s Protagonist has been working on churning out the best punk rock for 17 years. They have paved a way for themselves into the Florida scene. They have released their latest output, titled Jean Jackets in June, on the newly revitalized SmartPunk. Editor Samantha Barrett spoke with guitarist John Marullo about the new release and their tour of Florida.

Trever Keith talks about 25 years of Face to Face

Not many bands these days can learn to remain active and keep producing great music these days, let alone reach the 25th anniversary. Well, So-Cal’s Face To Face has entered into its 25th year this year with a new release titled Protection. The record is said to hark an earlier sound from the band. Protection will be released on March 4th on Fat Wreck Chords. Editor Samantha Barrett spoke with Trever Keith about the new album, turning 25 and Punk Rock Bowling.

The ever-continuing odyssey of Off With Their Heads

If you are an Off With Their Heads fan, a listener of the Anxious & Angry podcast, or both, you know just how much the band’s lead vocalist and guitarist Ryan Young has gone through. He was in a dark place and turned it all around in the past two years.

Not only does he do a weekly podcast where he and a guest give advice to people who call or e-mail him, but he also moved from Los Angeles, California to Dixon, Illinois, he and a friend rode their bikes from Minnesota to Colorado to raise awareness for mental health issues, he introduced PEARS to the world and put out Go To Prison on vinyl, he has his own online record and t-shirt store, and he now has his own shirt printing shop called 4th Shift Printing.

As if that wasn’t enough he has been working on not one, but two Off With Their Heads records as well as touring a fair amount (including playing Punk Rock Bowling later this year). With all of these different ventures and all of these changes going on in his life, news editor Ricky Frankel talked to Ryan to ask him about all of his endeavors and to see how he’s been doing since starting a podcast that really seems to be resonating within the punk scene.

Philly's Posers on punk, drugs, and John Cale

Posers have been igniting the Philadelphia punk scene for the last year or so. Although the band is charged by an O.G. punk aesthetic- snappy three chord riffs, frantic live performances, several songs about how much they hate you- there’s something undeniably fresh about the band.

If you stare at them, and listen to them, and watch them, there is a lot of “Standard issue punk” there. But, something is off- something that you can’t quite figure out- something that makes them different…

Because they are out-of-step with the general punk scene the band has gotten some love, but they’ve also gotten a lot of hate. To get the scoop on this happening crew, Punknews’ John Gentile met up with Jade Anna and Rory Cain of the band where they talked punk, drugs, and fitting in.

Photo by George Abruzzo

Harley Flanagan on his new album and punk rock history

Harley Flanagan’s new album sounds really pissed off. It runs for 24 minutes and pretty much every one of the 12 songs is about how he hates someone. But, the weird thing is, he seems to be in a really good place right now.

Flanagan is one of the architects (or maybe the architect) of New York hardcore. In the famed Cro-Mags, he forged a new sound with his bass -- a rumbling, heavy-as-hell, bullish charge that hurdled the band ever forward. But, after the band released the seminal The Age of Quarrel album, they fractured and the ill-will between band members became more and more vitriolic.

In fact, it all sort of came to a head in 2012 when Flanagan was involved in a conflict and then faced possible criminal charges. Eventually, the rap was dropped and since then, Flanagan seems to have moved on to a better head-space. Meanwhile, he responded to the whole situation with his new album, the cheekily titled Cro-Mags. So, Punknews spoke with Flanagan about the new LP and his punk rock history.