The Rise Of The Planet of Pop Punk

They say that everything comes back into fashion at some point, be it shoulder pads, crop tops or Noel Edmonds. But right now it’s the turn of pop punk. There is no denying that since the return of pop punk titans Blink 182, the genre has experienced a sudden surge in popularity. From Jimmy Eat World’s triumphant album shows which saw fans singing along to every single word of 2001’s smash hit ‘Bleed American’ to New Found Glory’s packed out Reading & Leeds warm up gigs championing their new T-Shirt slogan ‘Pop Punk’s Not Dead’, it is clear that these 90s icons are as popular as ever.

And talking of Reading & Leeds, this year’s line-up is scattered with more pop punk bands than ever before. Gone are the days when pop punk’s finest were restricted to Slam Dunk Festival alone. With New Found Glory, Jimmy Eat World, Panic! At The Disco, The Offspring and Decedents popping up across the weekend, 2011 seems to be the year pop punk creeps back into the mainstream. Even headline act My Chemical Romance could be considered inductees into the realm of pop punk with their latest, more upbeat, release Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys.

This year has also seen an unashamedly summery pop punk record from the sugary Simple Plan, featuring collaborations from Rivers Cuomo and Natasha Bedingfield no less, and a packed out tent for ‘popcore’ pioneers Four Year Strong’s headline performance at this year’s Sonisphere Festival. And it’s not just the old stuff making a comeback, with the relatively new kids on the block All Time Low and You Me At Six playing bigger and bigger shows across the world, its certain that there is room for fresh faced pop punkers on our stages too. You don’t even need a pair of Dickies and a blonde mohawk to listen to them either.

Why pop punk ever went out of fashion still remains one of life’s unanswered questions. Much like ‘why do Jedward exist?’ We’ll just never know.

But ‘why has pop punk suddenly wormed its way back into our hearts and onto our iPods?’ is slightly easier to consider. It could be that warm and fuzzy ‘getting drunk down the skate park’ nostalgia that listing back to classic records like Blink’s ‘Enema Of the State’ or Sum 41’s ‘All Killer No Filler’ brings? Or it could be that the genre is just generally a big ol’ barrel of fun? And who, apart from Alan Sugar, doesn’t like fun? Whatever the answer, let’s hope that the infectious hooks, huge sing-a-longs and teenage angst of pop punk continues to park its behind in the world’s festival lineups and iPod playlists for a while longer. New Found Glory for Glastonbury 2013! Just me? Okay…

Interview: Innerpartysystem

With a bottle of Jack Daniel’s in hand, electronica trio from Pennsylvania, Innerpartysystem, set up a spectacular light display for their set supporting 3OH!3 at The Old Fire Station, Bournemouth. I caught up with two thirds of the band before the show and sparked a small disagreement about the degree at which their sound has changed…

This is the first date of the UK leg of the 3OH!3 tour, are you excited for the next couple of weeks?

Jared Piccone (drums): Definitely. It’s kind of like a home away from home for us so it’s nice to be in familiar places. And the shows are definitely gonna be bigger because I think we do better in the UK than the rest of the continent.

Kris Barman (programming, guitar, synthesizer): Yea we don’t draw much anywhere other than the UK.

Jared: We’re still like a new band. A lot of those places we hit for the first time on this past tour. Like Paris, Amsterdam, Marseille. There was definitely a handful of places we’ve never been so it’s nice to come to places where we definitely have some fans.

What can the UK expect from your live shows?

Kris: Well I think this is probably the best set we’ve ever put together. It’s super energetic. It just punches you in the face right after every song. It just flows into each other. And we have a really cool light set up this time

Jared: Yea we kind of spent all the money we had running these video tubes but it’s worth it. They look pretty cool.

What do you guys need to survive on tour?

Jared: Wi-Fi. I’m addicted to the internet.

Kris: Toothbrush, floss,

Jared: New socks and underwear because we just throw them out. We don’t wash them or anything. So a pretty steady supply of that stuff. And anything that when I lose it, it’s huge. Headphones are definitely one of those. If I don’t have headphones, I freak out. I’m so snobby about the sound too. It needs to have a lot of low end. Even certain headphones won’t do. I’ll have headphones but I’d rather just not listen to music if they’re not loud enough.

You played at Madame JoJo’s in London a little while ago, how was that?

Jared: It was perfect because we did a smaller venue than we should have, on purpose. So it was really full and hot.

Is the reaction you get from UK fans noticeably different to the reaction in America?

Kris: Honestly, it varies from city to city. It’s so hard to say ‘America vs UK’. I mean UK people do seem to be crazy in every city, but people are really crazy in certain cities of America too.

A few people have been saying that the new EP, Never Be Content, has more of an electronic dance music sound compared to your previous punk-rock sound. Would you agree with that?

Jared: Yes.

Kris: I honestly disagree a little bit. I don’t think it’s that much different. But I can see how some people think that.

Jared: It’s different. It’s definitely different.

Kris: It’s not a 180⁰.

Jared: I wasn’t gonna say it’s a 180⁰. Don’t be so defensive dude.

Kris: I’m just sayin’.

Jared: I think he was prepared for it, because we get that a lot.

Kris: It’s more of a 45⁰.

Jared: Yea, well put.

You are now working with Red Bull Records, do you think a lot will change?

Jared: A lot has changed already. It’s a more laid back atmosphere. It’s not major label syndrome where because nobody is buying records anymore, every major label is looking for quick ways to make money. It’s nice because Red Bull has another form of revenue than music so they’re not totally worried about us grossing millions of dollars immediately. It’s great not having that pressure on you because it gives you time to make great music.

You’re coming back to the UK to play Sonisphere festival this summer. What are your festival essentials?

Kris: At festivals they kind of give you everything you could possibly need.

Jared: The hospitality at festivals always rules. I love playing festivals.

Kris: They’re just throwing stuff at you. You get all the free stuff you could possibly imagine. And the food is always awesome. It’s the best thing ever.

Jared: And its summer so the weather is usually great. And you never have to worry about the venue not being adequate because it’s this massive outdoor thing. And there are a lot of bands that you usually want to see. So it’s awesome.

Better than tour?

Kris: Yea, that’s why some bands just do festivals!

What are your other plans for the rest of the year?

Kris: To finish off the new record and keep touring.

Jared: And a new light set-up. The light set-up we rented here kind of sparked us to build a whole new deal. We’re probably gonna axe the lights that we have been using and do something new. Probably more video oriented. I’m not sure how we’re gonna set-up yet but it’s definitely gonna be the Innerpartysystem style, D.I.Y., crazy scattered looking something or other. But we haven’t figured it out yet.

Interview: Rise To Remain

When you have the son of Iron Maiden front man Bruce Dickenson in your band, you’re bound to draw in the crowds. But metalcore five-piece Rise To Remain have still managed to hold their own.

The band formed in 2008 after two different acts merged. “Pat (Lundy, drums) and I we’re in a band called 12 Ton Method and Will (Homer, rhythm guitar), Austin (Dickinson, lead vocals) and Ben (Tovey, lead guitar) used to play in Halide. They were the two bands that collided and quite a few Halide songs are on the ‘Bridges Will Burn’ EP” said bassist Joe Copcutt.

Pat feels that this has helped to shape Rise To Remain’s sound. “I think everyone in the band came from separate musical backgrounds and had different upbringings as well. We definitely have a mix of everyone’s best bits. There’s always something new and fresh on the table. It does take a bit of consolidation but it’s good for the writing process.”

Rise To Remain’s debut gig was a somewhat daunting set at 2008’s Download Festival.  “I’ve never been so nervous before a show. We were all pooing it” said Joe. It took a whole month of rehearsals to make sure the band were ready for their opening slot on the third stage. “We had about 4 weeks to get tight. I was only 17 at the time so we really had to get our act together and step up a bit” said Pat. “It also taught us a lot because we saw all of our favourite bands that weekend and we were like “shit, so this is how it goes down”. So it made us just knuckle down all through 2009 and 2010 and its made for a pretty good 2011 hopefully, fingers crossed.”

Since their debut gig, the band have supported some pretty big names including Whitechapel, Hatebreed, Bullet For My Valentine, Trivium and, of course, Iron Maiden on the Indonesian leg of their world tour. “It’s funny because loads of the bands that we’ve had the privilege to tour with were our favourite bands when we were growing up. They were all a massive influence and it’s great because we get to learn a lot from touring with them” said Joe. But it was the band’s support slot for Korn on their UK tour last year that really sticks out for Pat. “Korn got us in the biggest rooms that we’ve ever played in the UK so that was a bit of an eye opener”

Rise To Remain have recently finished recording their debut full length album which is due to come out at the end of the summer. “We got to record with Colin Richardson (who has worked with Machine Head, Bullet For My Valentine and Slipknot amongst others) which was a dream come true” said Joe; “We also recorded it in Chesterfield which was really peaceful. We’re all from London and it’s a bit hectic there, so it was nice just to get in the middle of nowhere and zone out for a couple of months. We’re really proud of the outcome and we think it sounds great. We just hope everyone else does, but we’ll find out soon enough.”

Some of the new material has been aired during their stint supporting Funeral For A Friend on their UK tour, with new single ‘The Serpent’ – currently available as a free download – being used to open their set. “It’s been nice to play some of the new stuff and we’re really looking forward to playing a whole set of the new album” said Joe. Pat adds; “It’s nice to change it up a bit. We’ve been touring the EP for a long time so when we do our headline tour, getting to play the majority of the new material is gonna be great for us.”

A busy summer awaits for Rise To Remain as they will be playing various European festivals, including Download and Sonisphere in the UK, where the band are becoming regulars on the line-up. “I love festival season” said Joe; “every time it comes around we always get really excited because the weather is always nice and you get to meet up with loads of mates from different bands and stuff which is always a good laugh”. The boys are now festival experts and have some top tips for the festival going public. “Bring baby wipes, its gets messy” said Joe, while Pat believes the best advice is to pace yourself. “Just stay hydrated. If you’re at a festival and you start to feel a little woozy, it can make for a pretty shit evening. Just take an hour off drinking and have a water. You’ll blow out at about 2:30pm if there’s a heat wave at any English festival. You’ll be stuffed”

Festival season will be followed by the band’s next headline tour for which the dates are yet to be announced. Or course, the lads are pretty used to travelling the world now and list ‘company, music and a positive attitude’ amongst their tour bus essentials. “We just listen to music and Pat chugs barrels of Lucozade” said Joe.

So with a high-powered set of brutal metalcore anthems – and the DNA of a metal legend – Rise To Remain are sure to continue to climb the festival bills in 2012.  

Live Review: Sonisphere Festival hosts legends of metal

With Rammstein and Iron Maiden as headliners, it was hardly going to be a dull weekend at Knebworth...

Friday

The Saturn stage on Friday is a very European affair. Dutch symphonic metal band Delain provide a rather dull kick off to proceedings. Each song sounds like the one before and front woman Charlotte Wessel’s warbling begins to grate after a while. They sound distinctly unoriginal and judging by the excitement from the male members of the crowd, the attractive lead singer appears to be their only selling point. It’s up to Finland’s Turisas, kitted out in their fur and war paint, to truly get things underway. Their Viking folk metal and lead man Mathias "Warlord" Nygård’s ramblings about beer get everyone in the party mood. Unfortunately they decide not to play their famous cover of Boney M’s ‘Rasputin’, much to the crowds disappointment, perhaps as an attempt not to become affiliated with only one song. Something which Swedish 80’s metal band Europe know a lot about. However the ‘Final Countdown’ rockers put on a surprisingly good set. It may sound a little old fashioned but their classic rock n’ roll delivered by accomplished musicians is hard not to like. Gary Numan however, is not as easy to warm to. His brooding pouting look gets old quite quickly, as does his music. There is no doubt that he is good at what he does and his electronic sound creates a powerful atmosphere, but it soon becomes clear that many are only there to hear ‘Cars’, which Gary looks a bit pissed about. Alice Cooper puts on an incredible show. The American rock legend brings his Theatre Of Death to end the night in outrageous style. Not only does Alice manage to get away with beginning and ending his set with ‘School’s Out’ but he also ‘dies’ a spectacular four times on stage in a number of inventive ways. As well as being hung, poisoned, impaled and decapitated, he also finds time to strangle a stripper, slice the head off of a baby and share a passionate kiss with a blow up doll. Just another night for Mr Cooper. He drives the crowd wild with all of his classic hits and throwing beads and money into the crowd didn’t hurt either. Unless you got it in the eye of course.

Saturday

Fresh faced newbies Futures deliver a decent set in the Bohemia tent on Saturday afternoon. Their pop punk sound fails to attract much of a crowd, but considering this is technically a metal festival, that’s not much of a surprise. That doesn’t stop lead singer and pretty boy Ant West looking a little disappointed though and one can’t help but wonder if his decision to remove his shirt half way through is a desperate attempt to attract more attention. Nevertheless their upbeat and catchy tunes are sure to bring them success elsewhere. The comic relief of the day comes in the form of crazy haired comedian Tim Minchin. The Aussie’s clever brand of musical humour, as well as the fact that old has-beens Good Charlotte are on main stage, help to pack out the Bohemia tent. Tim performs some of his classic songs along with his brand new and wonderfully explicit Pope Song. Unfortunately he only sticks to the music, with next to nothing in the way of stand-up material but the crowd seem perfectly content to sing along. Back on main stage, Papa Roach deliver some furious rock anthems with a set that is somewhat unremarkable and easily forgettable. Unlike Placebo, who put on a mesmerizing show. The crowd are given a rare treat when the band open with ‘Nancy Boy’, a song that they never usually perform live. Many other of the band’s greatest hits follow although, sadly, ‘Pure Morning’ and ‘For What It’s Worth’ do not appear. Nevertheless, Brian Molko and co are a stunning orchestra of rock to behold. Over at the Bohemia Tent, London punk rockers Gallows put on one their most eventful shows to date. A very appreciative Frank Carter dedicates every single song to someone or other - including a guy in a wheelchair who crowd surfs to the front - and seems genuinely grateful to the fans who have turned up. The tent is not as full as expected but Carter makes the most of the space, prompting a truly enormous circle pit that sees fans run out of one side of the tent and back in the other. Later on Frank also does his trademark crowd surf to the back of the tent. The set is temporarily disrupted by Lee from Trash Talk who steals a guitar from the stage and is chased by security and Carter along the barrier. But all is soon forgiven and Trash Talk and Rolo Tomassi join the band on stage for a furious finale of ‘Orchestra Of Wolves’. Then it’s a sprint across the arena for main stage headliners Rammstein. The controversial German industrial metal band are known for their lavish stage shows, and tonight they certainly don’t disappoint. It is rumoured that they arrived at Knebworth with nine trucks full of pyrotechnics and the chance of any fans down by the barrier leaving with their eyebrows intact is very slim indeed. It is easy to see why this group have become so popular in the UK although it is slightly surreal to see so many English speaking people chanting in German. The finale of controversial single ‘Pussy’ is spectacular, with a foam cannon ‘ejaculating’ over the audience and a snow storm of confetti filling the night’s sky. Keyboard player Christian "Flake" Lorenz, dressed in a sparkly suite, also sets sail across the crowd in a rubber dinghy, which is amusingly hijacked by a sneaky fan. To everyone’s confusion, the band leave the stage for the final time half an hour earlier than expected. Rumors include a misprint in the stage times and a misbehaving fan but one thing is for sure, we all wanted more!

Sunday

Walking towards main stage on Sunday, many festival goers are stopped in their tracks when they hear the Beatles. No, John and George haven’t come back to life, this was The Fab Beatles. A tribute act sharing the same stage as Bring Me The Horizon and Iggy And The Stooges is a little unorthodox, however the sizable crowd have no problem singing along to Hey Jude and prove just how widely popular those Liverpudlians were. Something wonderfully original then erupts on main stage when Skindred bring their refreshing fusion of reggae, metal and punk to Sonisphere. Charismatic front man Benji Webbe’s crazy anecdotes are a little off at times but it’s hard not to warm to that Welsh accent. Pendulum’s set is a little off their usual standard to begin with as the distinctly metal crowd appear not to be fans of the new material. MC Ben Mount even comes across as a little desperate when commanding some movement amongst the fans. However, when the band launch into early hit 'Tarantula', the crowd don’t need telling twice. The old classics receive an explosive reaction and although their pyrotechnic display has nothing on Rammstein’s efforts from the previous night, the circle pits are definitely something to behold. On Saturn Stage Iggy And The Stooges prove they’ve still got it, even inviting fans on stage at the beginning of the set. Iggy’s energetic stage performance also goes some way to explaining how the 63 year old is so fit for his age. Main stage also plays host to some rock music veterans for the Sunday headline slot. Heavy metal legends Iron Maiden transport the enormous crowd into a galaxy far far away with their Final Frontier stage show. Despite the band’s worldwide fame, front man Bruce Dickinson comes across as incredibly down to earth. By Bruce’s own admission, the set mainly consists of the band’s more recent material with disappointingly few of their much loved classics that the less hardcore fans will recognise. However, an appearance from Eddie and Bruce’s relentless cries of ‘Scream for me Knebworth!’ conjure excitement from both young and old and the crowd leave knowing that they have just witnessed something incredibly special.