Exclusive: The Fight Night Interview

The Fight Night is a Pop Punk/Easycore band from Chicago, IL who are also good friends of ours. I like to think of these interviews as long, centralised, and condensed status updates, from the band, through us, to you, so I really hope you're still enjoying reading them as much as I am posting them. The band's 2010 EP, Wanna Fight About It? and their cover song, Fuck You! are also available for download right here.

Let's start off with introductions.

Mike: I'm Mike and I play guitar.

Josh: I slappa da bass (Drew: and da balls…).

Pat: I play guitar.

Drew: And I'm Drew and I hit drums.

Mike: Jon couldn't be here today because of prior engagements.

So give us a little background on yourselves - how did you guys meet and form the band? Where does the band name come from?

Mike: Well, me and Drew knew each other for a while and we decided to start a band with a couple of friends. We didn't have a name until about October of 2008, and there were basically a ton of changes in the line up before our first show. The band name just kind of popped into my head during one of my classes senior year.

Josh: I was introduced to the band by our former singer, and had to take a 2 month leave from the band in the summer due to personal issues that needed to be worked out. I actually joined the band only 2 weeks prior to the first show.

The band has gone through a number of line-up changes over time, how difficult has this made it to release new music or play shows?

Mike: Well, me, Drew and Josh have been in the band since we started playing shows, so that was never a problem because as long as us three and the singer could, we would play the show. As far as making new releases, we were wrapped up in some issues while in the studio recording our E.P., and when Jon joined the band we were able to re-track all of the vocals no problem. So it kind of worked out in the end.

Was it a challenge keeping the band steady with 6 members? Under the circumstances, did you ever doubt the band's future?

Josh: It was really tough to get everyone at practice at the same time.

Mike: I enjoyed being a 6 piece, but it was really hard to keep everyone focused during practice. I never really doubted the bands future, but I feel we are a lot more solid now, as a 5 piece.

Have you held auditions for members or have they been existing friends of yours?

Mike: They have all been existing friends. I think we have only had 2 real auditions, were there was no prior friendship involved.

Pat: I had been friends with Mike for a while, but there was still sort of a try out. I came to a few of the practices and jammed with them until they decided I was the right fit.

I understand you guys have been writing for your new EP - what can you tell us about this? When can we expect it to be released?

Mike: Well, our new E.P. is actually a concept E.P., so there will be a cool story line. We have had a ton of ideas musically, but we really find a style that we love. Expect a bunch of fun and powerful songs. We want to have this released by this fall!

Josh: There will be blood… and I am not referring to the amateur gay porn our own guitarist Patrick Kane starred in…

You recently also released a cover of Cee Lo Green's Fuck You! - what made you choose this song in particular, to cover?

Mike: Haha my Mom had actually been telling me to have the band cover it for awhile and then we were at practice and we played with some ideas for it. We basically had the whole cover written in the one practice!

The scene looks to be pretty strong in your state, with bands like This Is Our Year, Knockout Kid, and Weekend FM - who've been your favourite bands/friends to share the stage with?

Mike: We are actually good friends with This is Our Year and Knockout Kid. Some of our other good friends play in Ship Captain Crew, From the Sidelines, and These City Skylines. We always love playing with any of those bands.

Aside from the EP and cover, what else do you guys play live? Are there any other songs you've covered?

Josh: We have the whole Backstreet Boys album Millennium down just in case we have some extra set time.

Mike: Haha, but seriously we do…

What are your main musical influences when writing? What do you guys listen to in your spare time? Any guilty pleasures?

Mike: My musical influences vary from New Found Glory and Saves the Day to a bunch of newer Pop Punk bands. As far as things I listen to in my spare time, I like almost everything… To name a few: Between The Buried And Me, Periphery, Protest The Hero, Fireworks, Childish Gambino, Katy Perry, New Found Glory, Veil Of Maya, Ke$ha, Hit The Lights, I Call Fives, and With the Punches… No guilty pleasures.

Josh: As for me, my musical influences are more of a Taking Back Sunday and Comeback Kid kind of setup. I listen to everything from Dubstep to Metal to even some Country music. Specific bands would include Close Your Eyes, Kingdom Of Giants, Lil Wayne, T.I., Crazy Lixx, Ke$ha, and plenty of others. As far as guilty pleasures go, Dixie Chicks all day everyday =p

Drew: My influences are Protest The Hero, Veil Of Maya, From The Shallows, Saosin, A Thorn For Every Heart, Elitist, The Faceless, Four Year Strong, Papa Roach, Cypress Hill, and August Burns Red. Basically I could go on forever… I'm just going to stop now…

That's quite a diverse range of artists right there. You guys should totally cover a Katy Perry song.

Aside from the upcoming EP, do you guys have any other plans for the rest of the year?

Mike: Playing a ton of shows, getting a lot of new merch, and hopefully some more out of state shows.

Pat: Get a van and trailer… Haha.

Josh: Possibly doing a split E.P. with a band most of you kids on the Easycore site would know.

To end on a light note, what's the funniest/craziest moment you've experienced in the band?

Josh: When I first joined the band, I thought I had a new move to show the guys, when I went for it, the move ended up being me diving face first into the ground.

Mike: I remember when Jon tried to tell us he was known for having no vibrato in his voice. After we laughed at him, we started calling him Jon no-vibrato Del Prado. There was also a stabbing at our first show, but I feel that it kind of takes the back seat to the no vibrato thing.

Drew: We played Congress Theater in Chicago over the winter, it was probably one of our best shows.

Pat: Mike and our friend Cameron paid me 2 dollars to eat a lady bug so I could afford cigarettes.

Would you like to add anything else?

Mike: I'd just like to thank all of the people who have supported us so far! And give a shout out to all of the dudes at the Easycore blog for being as awesome as they are! I'd also check out our merch store because we got some shirts up there and if you're already here, you know where to get our songs!

Josh: Get pumped 'cause we got a lot of good things coming this year!

Drew: It is possible for a bladder infection to transfer into your mouth and infect and inflame your tonsils.

I'm hoping you didn't learn that the hard way! Thanks again, guys.

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