We were lucky enough to catch up with Tamworth based band PROM NIGHT REJECTS following the brilliant release of their single ‘Circles’. Read the full interview now!
How did you first get into music?
Tom: Got into playing music in my early teens, listening to Green Day and Blink-182. I was hooked and wanted to be making music of my own. Paramore’s Riot album really gave me the kick to start a band.
Dan: Through my brother, Big Indie fan, Oasis etc, and he started playing the guitar. As siblings always do, we would battle against each other, so I chose to play the drums, and I’ve never looked back.
Dave: There was already music in my house growing up, a lot of radio pop. But I got properly into music around 11 or 12 when my brother started skating and listening to green day and blink-182.
What is the first song that captured your attention as a youngster?
Tom: The first single’s I ever bought were ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ by Wheatus and ‘Heaven is a Halfpipe’ by OPM. Pop-Punk has always been my go-to genre. Energetic music that makes you smile. What more could you want!
Dan: Being a huge hip hop fan, I was always listening to Wu-Tang, BIG etc, but for actual playing Linkin Park, ‘One Step Closer is the one song that got my attention to what I could really play on the drums.
Dave: I remember listening to ‘Basket Case’ and thinking… This is the real deal.
Who influenced your latest release, Circles’?
Tom: I think we would be lying if we said we aren’t massively influenced by Four Year Strong! We love the riffy metal elements added to a pop-punk song. That suits our writing style too. Dave has “THE METAL”. I’m the let’s make it more happy sounding guy!
Dan: I would be lying if I said I had involvement from the start. Generally, Tom and Dave bring the first elements to a song to the table, and I just throw my flare onto it. I like to feel the song and understand what drum parts would go well rather than throw in what I want.
Dave: Pretty much, all three of our favourite types of music, I guess. Metal influences, and pop-punk guys like Blink-182, Good Charlotte, and some newer stuff like State Champs, Knuckle Puck, Four Year Strong.
During the lockdown, you recorded several cover videos. Can you tell us more about the project?
Dave: It started when I caught Gary Fu***ng Barlow doing split-screen songs with other artists. Like a musical zoom call! I thought that it would be sick to do something like that but obviously, with some pop-punk stuff that myself and Tom have always bonded over. We have both been around Dan for a long, long time and know how good he is drum wise and a great guy, too, so we just dragged him into the whole thing. He was happy to do it, too, so it all worked out quite quickly!
Tom: Yeah, basically, we started Prom Night Rejects to solely be a pop-punk covers band, and we are going to continue to do that after all these lockdowns finish, and we can start playing shows again! So we thought we would give it a shot, like Dave said, at recording one cover a week and see how they went down. Everyone seemed to love them, which was great, and I think we will probably do some more later this year!
Dan: We wanted to promote ourselves, we thought what better way was than to provide some entertainment for everyone across our socials. They ended up being really fun to do, and we all learnt a lot.
What motivates you to make music?
Tom: It’s the love of making music. We are all Dad’s of 2 in our early 30’s. We have been in bands pretty much all of our adult lives. We are all passionate about making music, and we are all best mates, so it’s just fun!
Dan: I’m arrogant, and I like to listen to my own band’s work, I like to provide music for those that will listen, and I like to show my kids that art matters. DO what you love with a passion.
Dave: Usually shows. You go to a great show, and it kicks you into gear to make music. But in light of recent times and shows not being a thing… I guess it’s just the love of doing it. Tom and Dan are just as enthusiastic, so that helps. We all just love making music.
If you could open for any artist/band, who would it be?
Tom: We will all say differently. I think to suit the style of the band; I would say either Four Year Strong or All Time Low.
Dan: Architects! However, with this style of music, ideally, we would love to open for Four Year Strong.
Dave: Bowling for Soup. Crowds are always awesome!
What’s your favourite venue to play?
Tom: Again, we will all say different things here! Haha! Mine, without a doubt, would be the garage in Glasgow. Big room, nice big stage and every show I have played there has been awesome!
Dan: Easily the Palace in Tamworth. The layout, atmosphere at the time was great. Solid venue for sound, too, but I think the sound engineer played a huge part in this.
Dave: Locally, to us. The assembly rooms in Tamworth. Otherwise, it’s probably Slade rooms in Wolverhampton. Rowdy bunch, haha!
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
Tom: Wow, there’s lots. I think with every industry, there is an element of elitism, whereby if you are not part of that inner circle, it’s very difficult to get in, and anything outside of that inner circle it is very difficult to succeed. Of course, there are exceptions to that rule, but it is few and far between. The music industry has become very throw away over recent years; there’s no classic songs like we had in the ’80s/’90s etc. It’s all released one day and forgotten the next. I don’t have the answer, but I would stop cheapening the industry with silly TV talent shows as well. There’s some from me… rant over! Haha!
Dan: For me, this would be the ever-growing generic shit we see coming out of XFactor and BGT. SO many unsigned bands and artists go under the radar because of shows like this.
Dave: I guess the social media aspect of it all. It’s a blessing and a curse. It’s easy to get yourself out and have a platform, but with so much content, it’s a matter of the attention span of your average music listener. It’s not enough to release an album every couple of years, you have to be on top of your content, and sadly I can imagine a lot of great music has been lost in the machine of social media where people can’t keep up with it all.
What new music are you listening to at the moment?
Tom: I’m loving the new Architects album, and maybe an unpopular opinion, but I really like the new A Day To Remember album too! However, if you are talking about up and coming bands, I’m really digging the “Is It Love” by Elessar.
Dan: Hands down the new Architects album, Easily one of their best. I think their transition from Hollow Crown to now has been so fluid. Also, the new NF tracks are incredible; the guy’s melodies and his way with words are incredible.
Dave: A great band I came across a few years ago called Normandie. Their new album ‘Dark and Beautiful Secrets’ is phenomenal. A little more electronic than their album that turned me onto them, ‘White Flag’, but still very much a great album.
What musical plans do you have for the next two years?
Tom: We don’t in stone is the short answer! We are in the process of writing and recording some more originals, so we will release a few more singles this year, no doubt! And our podcast is great fun, so we will do Season 1 of that and then see where that will take us. Then finally, when the gigging scene returns back to normal, we will get back in the rehearsal room and start picking up all the cover songs again. Always one step at a time for us.
Dan: For me, it is to just stay happy with the podcast and writing material. Ideally, I would like to get out and gig, but as long as I am doing something I love, I will continue to do it.
Dave: To keep doing what we are doing. Dan and Tom are our social media guys, so that will keep running. To carry on writing originals and polish up on the covers that have been neglected whilst we have been working on original material.
FV Music Blog March 2021
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