We’re stoked we had the opportunity to talk with Locals Only! From The Office to personal influences to touring, these dudes are worth a listen (or a lot of listens, honestly). Check out our Q+A with Craig, Mikey, James, and Joey to learn all about the band:
Can you introduce yourselves for people who don’t know you?
Craig: Hey! I’m Craig! I play guitar in Locals Only. I’m really into music and fitness.
Mikey: Mikey and I play drums.
James: My name is James, I’m 26. I like anything that’s fast and loud, photography, and the outdoors.
Joey: Joey Scott, singer for Locals Only.
Favorite place to go in New York (venues, hang out spots, etc.)?
Craig: Hm… that’s hard. I know this one bar in Brooklyn that gives you a personal pizza when you order a beer. It’s tight. There are a lot of great venues in New York though. I happen to love Webster Hall, not because it’s the biggest or the nicest, but I’ve just seen so many great shows there that it stands out to me.
Mikey: Favorite venue is the PlayStation Theater, or whatever it’s called now… it used to be the Nokia Theater.
James: This great hidden dive bar Welcome to the Johnson’s. It comes up as a deli if you look it up on maps and it’s decorated like your grandma’s basement. 2 dollar PBRs—can’t beat it.
Joey: My hometown of Warwick, NY.
How would you describe your sound?
Craig: Well, the EP is definitely very pop-punk, but I think it has a bit more texture than the average pop-punk band. With the ambient bluesy leads, the choir, and Joey’s raspy vocals, it’s definitely pretty different. The newer stuff takes a big step away from pop-punk though. It’s more of a rock sound than anything… but you don’t know that yet!
Mikey: Pop-punk with a little more attitude.
James: Explosive. I think we’re a super high energy band both on the record and on the stage. What I like most about the sound is the way so many of our diverse influences peek through.
Joey: Pop-rocky with a little “groove.”
What message are you trying to get across in your music?
Craig: Honestly, I don’t have a particular message in mind, personally. I’ve always written whatever felt most honest to me. Just want to do what comes naturally. At the end of the day, it’s all about the energy and having fun. I don’t have a big role in lyrics though, I’m just talking instrumentals.
Mikey: As a drummer, I don’t really have a message, nor do I write any of the lyrics, but when you listen to our music I want you to feel the emotion behind it.
James: For me, it’s always been about having fun and sharing your experiences in life with other people. The real magic is when they connect and can relate to what you’re saying, even if it’s in a different context, or whatever it may be.
Joey: I kinda just write about whatever is consuming my mind at the moment, hoping that someone can relate and we can help them get through their own situations. There’s no sole message that we’re aiming for.
Favorite song you’ve reimagined on the Acoustic EP?
Craig: Agh! That’s hard! “The Loop” was our single, and I thought it would be interesting to make the heaviest song on the EP the softest song acoustic, and I think because of that it became very accessible to people… but I actually think my favorite acoustic track is “Footsteps.” It has a folky vibe to it that I love.
Mikey: This is a tricky one for me. I mixed this EP so I have a connection to each one. They all have their own identity but I would probably go with “Decent.”
James: I’d love to say the entire EP. They all just remind me of our summer on the road, meeting new friends, breaking down multiple times, and the entire state of Kansas. Those memories are so connected with all those songs, especially the acoustic versions, so it’s hard to pick….but if I had to, I would say “The Loop.” Taking a totally different spin and direction on it is just so sick to me. We also made a really good friend on the tour that happened to be a stone’s throw away from where we all live, and getting him involved in the project by dancing in the video really tied everything together.
Joey: “The Loop.”
Who are your collective or personal influences (music related or not)?
Craig: My grandfather, actually. He wanted me to be a doctor or something, and I remember when I was young being nervous to tell him I wanted to focus on music. And to my surprise, he told me that if music was my passion, I had no choice but to follow it to the end. That gave me everything I needed.
Mikey: I’m a huge Underoath fan, so Aaron Gillespie is probably my number one influence on my drumming.
James: I’m sure a lot of people can relate when I say there must be a million. First, I would probably say my family. While they don’t understand what I do sometimes, they’re still my biggest support system and have always encouraged me to play more. Second would be all my favorite bands growing up. Title Fight, New Found Glory, Brand New, Tigers Jaw, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and so many others that pushed me to learn more about music and taught me to blur the lines, and to not just stick to what everyone else in the genre is doing. Break out, stand out. Always loved that.
Joey: There’s too many to name. I feel like I’m influenced by new artists every day whether it be skateboarders, singers, rappers, actors. I wouldn’t even know where to begin.
If you could cast yourself into any show (currently on air or not), which one would it be?
Craig: The Office. I’d 110% steal Jim’s girl and not even feel bad about it.
Mikey: The Office.
James: MXC, you guys remember that? You’d have to do these ridiculous obstacle courses to win like, no money haha. They made another version called Wipe Out but the original overdubbed Japanese version was so much better.
Joey: Shameless.
Why should people come see you on tour?
Craig: I think we’re one of those bands whose songs make more sense live. It’s dynamic, it’s explosive, and it’s loud as shit. We feed off of your energy just like you feed off of ours, so we NEED you there! It’s a super fun show though, for real.
Mikey: We put on a high-energy and fun show, and we just genuinely love what we do. It’s raw emotion.
James: It’s pretty simple to me. We throw bangers. Our goal has always been to put on a show for the people who watch us play. Flipping guitars, jumping all around goin’ nuts, it’s a good time.
Joey: We knock. We have fun. We love just kicking it with everyone at our shows. It’s always a fun time no matter what city we’re in.
Any final messages to those reading this?
Craig: This band has been through quite a bit, and if it weren’t for you supporting us, we wouldn’t be anywhere at all, so we TRULY appreciate every single one of you. Also, absolutely feel free to hit us up on social media. We love meeting and talking to you all. Oh, and definitely come to a show. Thanks!
Mikey: Thanks for reading, and hope to meet you all!
James: I couldn’t be any more thankful to those of you who have continued to show us support. When you’re in a city that you’ve never played before and there’s someone singing your lyrics, for me, it hits me right in the feels. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.
Joey: If you listen to our music, I appreciate you greatly. Come hang at a show!
Check out Locals Only’s website to stay up to date and jam their newest EP:
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- EP Review: Michigander’s It Will Never Be The Same - March 31, 2023
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