Interview: Stickup Kid

Having recently released their latest EP ‘Nothing About Me’ and currently on a US tour with fellow Californians The Story So Far, Stickup Kid are the latest up and coming pop punk band to be tipped for big things and rightly so. Their new EP is a collection of concise, straight-up pop punk songs that have all the right ingredients; catchy hooks, edgy guitars and pounding drums.

Already Heard recently spoke to vocalist Tony Geravesh who discussed how Stickup Kid’s sound has developed on ‘Nothing About Me,’ how they joined both Adeline Records and Disconnect Disconnect Records, the California music scene, playing The Fest 11 and more.

Already Heard: Let’s jump straight into it. You’ve recently released your new EP ‘Nothing About Me.’ What should new and old fans know about it?
Tony Geravesh: I think they should know that it is a transitional EP, kind of a bridge between our first record and the next.

AH: How has the bands sound changed since your full-length ‘The Sincerest Form Of Flattery’ on the new EP?
TG: Well physically we added another guitarist (Curtis Wallace), which is going to add an entirely new element to this band vocally and musically. Sound wise, I think we’ve started to grow into our roles in this band, we’ve all found our strengths. This EP was still a fast EP, but it’s a lot more polished than TSFOF in every aspect of it.

AH: For new listeners, who would you compare your sound to?
TG: I’d say we sound like Lifetime or Shook Ones. Those bands are some of our favorites and had a big influence on us for sure.

<a href=“http://stickupkidca.bandcamp.com/album/nothing-about-me” data-mce-href=“http://stickupkidca.bandcamp.com/album/nothing-about-me”>Nothing About Me by Stickup Kid</a>

AH: How has the feedback to the EP been so far?
TG: It’s been cool. It’s different between release 1 and release 2 though. When we release TSFOF, everybody was stoked on it and had nothing bad to say, even though we all cringe when we hear certain songs on that record haha. But with our latest release, people are starting to dive deeper into the music. They have an expectation for us now, which is really cool.

AH: Are there any particular songs fans have connected with?
TG: I’d say “The Weather Outside is Weather”, just because that’s what I see most people talking about.

AH: US Pop Punk is insanely popular right now. What makes Stickup Kid stand out from the crowd?
TG: We’re five honest guys, following our dreams. It’s as simple as that. We’re not some jaded dudes that stop talking to their friends because we play in a band. What makes us different is that we don’t care about anything other than making music and making friends.

AH: For this release you joined Adeline Records in the States and Disconnect Disconnect Records here in the UK. What drew towards each label?
TG: What drew us to Adeline was the the very constructive approach they had to releasing this record. Our mentality as a band is very aligned with Adeline’s mentality as a label: the music comes first. Eddie (Kitaoka -Adeline Records) has been a dear friend and has been helping us out every single day since we signed with Adeline. Seriously we talk to Eddie almost every day on the phone, whether its about our record, or just to talk about life. Everyone at Adeline rules, Pat, Marta, Eddie, they’ve just been so kind to us and made this experience fun.

Disconnect Disconnect is a label we’ve always loved. We’ve always wanted to work with them on a project and on this we were finally able to make it happen. John is a great dude, doing great things in the UK and we want to be able to get over there and hang with him, and play some shows.

AH: This summer you’re playing a run of shows with the likes of The Story So Far, Turnover, Citizen and others. How would you describe a typical Stickup Kid show?
TG: We show up, we hangout with friends, we set up, play our set, watch the rest of the bands, go eat with friends, talk about the show on the way home, then go to sleep!

AH: With yourselves and bands such as The Story So Far hailing from California. What is the overall Pop Punk scene like in California? Any up and coming bands you would recommend?
TG: The scene is cool. A lot of people come out to support shows, but i’d say there are a shortage of DIY venues, which is a problem for hard working bands and touring bands alike. Check out Point of View, Caps, Leer, Stateside, Troubled Coast, Seahaven, and Hard Girls.

AH: Later this year you’re playing The Fest 11 with the likes of Anti-Flag, Lagwagon, Frank Turner, The Menzingers, Polar Bear Club and many more. Why should festival-goers come and see Stickup Kid play?
TG: Come see us because we’re going to tear it up, and you’re not going to want to miss it.

AH: What bands are you looking forward to checking out at Fest 11?
TG: Pretty much every single band. Especially A Wilhelm Scream, they’re one of our favorite bands.

AH: Besides those summer shows and The Fest 11. What else do you have planned in the coming months? Can we expect new material or even a possible UK tour?
TG: We are working on both new material and we’re in the process of getting pitches to tour Europe. As of right now our biggest priority is getting adjusted with Curtis (Wallace), making sure he finds his role in this band, then starting to write new material with him involved. We don’t know how this band will sound after adding him to the consistent formula we’ve had for the last two years, but we’re all excited to see where it takes us.

‘Nothing About Me’ by Stickup Kid is available now through Disconnect Disconnect(UK)/Adeline Records (US).