John Ryan from East Coast punk band Keep Flying gave us the latest insight to their EP Revival, how they formulated each song, and what we can expect from them next.
BTS: How did your band form? How do you all know each other?
Ryan: KF kind of forms from the ashes of former bands. Everyone in the current lineup of the band was the person in their old band that didn’t want to stop creating and so formed almost a super group of DIY guys who just wanted to keep touring. All our old bands used to either play shows together or crossed paths in some way. Also, we all were based in NY/ NJ/ PA at one point which helped.
BTS: What inspired your EP Revival?
Ryan: Revival was birthed from the idea that we are an unsigned band and we can do what we want so why not try something different. We are all influenced by different genres of music so this was something we could really spend time on and enjoy. The other reason we wanted to do this is to continue to feature songs from Survival which we felt didn’t get the attention they deserved due to the record coming out during the pandemic.
BTS: What was the process like for “Firesale (Revisited)”?
Ryan: Henry brought his idea to the band and we jammed it out and recorded little notes on an iPhone live. We switched some vocals for horns and vice versa, as well as took on almost a John Mayer rendition of the original tune.
BTS: What about “Candy Cane Forest 2”?
Ryan: “Candy Cane Forest” we were looking to emulate more of a Mumford and Sons sound/ country gimmick. We wanted one song that translated with a ton of other instrumentation, plus the lyrics of the bridge really made this feel like the one.
BTS: And “Fashion Statement Remix (ft. Greg Rivers & Murf)”?
Ryan: This is a rap song. Greg and Murf took the stems and made it into the beast it became. This might be the most wild one of the mix for sure.
BTS: How about “Clarity”?
Ryan: “Clarity” is the one new song on the record that isn’t found anywhere else in our catalog. It originally started as an acoustic song but we, with the help of Dom Maggi, ended up turning it into more of a pop anthem/ tracks song that felt more like Bieber. This one is cool for being brand new!
BTS: What about “They Never Lie Down (Revisited)”?
Ryan: Again we used a lot of cello with the sax to try to make more of an indie rock sound and easy listening. This is a crowd favorite amongst the parents and grandparents.
BTS: And last, but not least, “L.T.D.A.”?
Ryan: This is the last song on the record and our campfire version of “Live Together Die Alone”. We added more horns, made it a little lighter, and much more sing along-able. Can’t wait to make a video for this one.
BTS: How would you describe your overall sound?
Ryan: As a band, when it comes to the normal music, we bill ourselves as a punk band with horns. Kinda off the Tony Hawk soundtrack.
BTS: How have your childhoods/ personal lives impacted your music?
Ryan: We all still can agree that Looney Tunes is the top tier content and that is a blessing that we can all agree.
BTS: What can we expect from you next? What are you most excited for?
Ryan: We have just finished another record and it is currently being mixed. We have a few more tours being built for 2022 and then we have the big release show for Revival at AMH on Long Island’s New Years Eve celebration where we play the record front to back. Hope people can make that!
BTS: What final message do you want to send to fans and listeners?
Ryan: Two things I would like to end with are both lyrics from Revival: Life can’t be about just trying not to die. They don’t lie down, we don’t lie down!
We can’t wait to keep cheering for Keep Flying! East Coast represent.
Stream Revival now!
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