Pennsylvania-based rockers Don’t Panic have just released the wonderful Setting Up To Fail. The self-released LP has been winning fans over since its release last month. To celebrate the record, singer/songwriter Ted Felicetti has joined TGEFM for a Roll of the Dice. Check out what he says about the album, sibling rivalry and what’s next.
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Congrats on the release of Setting Up To Fail. What can you tell us about the songwriting process on these tracks?
Thanks so much! The process wound up being about the same for almost all of the songs this time around. It almost always started off with an idea, usually that I find myself humming in the shower or when I wake up. I would grab my phone and record a quick video either singing the melody, or guitar part, or whatever it is that came to me so that I would not forget. Next, I’d head down to my basement and do a quick demo track on Studio One with my guitar and some (poorly) programmed drums and I’d send it out to the rest of the guys. A lot of the time Anthony (Drums) or AJ (lead guitar) would have additional ideas, or suggestions for changes and I’d go back and re-record the idea. Once we felt like we had a solid foundation, I’d start messing around with melodies. Lyrics almost always came after we actually started tracking the songs in the studio. Although there was definitely the occasional time where I’d have a few saved on my phone in my notes that would sort of spark up ideas for song concepts. So, everything would almost be built like a house in a way. Foundation up.
What album or band or significant singles made you go “Yeah, this is what I want to do” Not just an influence but who or what was the catalyst?
I think that that answer has changed over the years. Because, I have had a lot of ‘Yeah, this is what I want to do’ moments. Unwritten Law‘s Black album was certainly one of those. I remember seeing Bigwig play for the first time in 2000 in a local firehall. That absolutely sparked a desire in me to want to tour and play shows live and be a part of the punk rock ‘scene.’ In 2011 I was losing a bit of my drive, and then Foo Fighters released Wasting Light which absolutely blew me away. It was like the most intense spark that brought me back from the edge of quitting playing music all together. And in more recent years watching and listening to Bayside release song after song that I absolutely cannot stop putting on rotation has helped me really focus on that ‘this is what I want to do’ goal. If I can even be half as good as those guys are at songwriting, I’d be happy.
Ted’s brother Rob is a member of Bowling For Soup. That’s a band that casts a pretty large shadow, but also one universally known to be extremely supportive of the artists they tour with. Is there a sibling rivalry when you tour together? What’s the most important thing you’ve been able to take away from their success?
I’m not sure if the ‘large shadow’ is a pun, but we actually view those guys as our bigger brothers in an almost literal sense (although Rob is my younger brother.) He and I have never in all of our years of life have had any sort of sibling rivalry I can honestly say. We dunk on each other, like any brothers do, but we have always always supported the other’s career goals and lives. We started our musical journey together almost 25 years ago with our very first band. So every forward step made by the other has always been cheered on. And whoever is a few steps ahead has always helped pull the other one forward. I think the most important thing I have personally learned from Bowling for Soup‘s success is… NEVER let them count you down and out. People like to say when someone’s time has come and gone… but those guys if anything continue to show those people that as long as the passion is there, the success will follow.
We’ve all got a few, what is your biggest regret? A gig you turned down, advice you didn’t take, what one thing do you wish you handled differently as a musician?
Man, I have a ton. But I also literally wrote a song about this saying that regret is a terrible roommate. Something that is just really crappy to live with, so let it go. I’ve signed bad record deals, wasted tons of money on ideas that just were not worth what I put into it, been bit in the ass for bad choices that made me lose an opportunity at playing Warped tour one year, and often would put my trust in the wrong people.. instead of myself. I think above all that would be something I regret most. Not trusting in my own gut and instincts and doing what I knew was the right or smart move. Even when it was the harder one
The scene, and music industry in general, has changed dramatically over the last 5-10 years or so. What has been the most difficult to adapt to and where do you see things heading over the coming years within the industry and scene?
For me, the hardest thing to adapt to is how important social media is with promoting your music and your “brand” as a musician. I feel like every time I FINALLY have a handle on a platform, it becomes unimportant and people move to the next one. I’ve got the hang of Facebook and now Instagram, but those seem like ancient tech compared to TikTok, which I ABSOLUTELY just do not understand. The music industry has always been cyclical. Streaming is super important. Social media is super important. I wouldn’t be surprised at all honestly if in the next few years… physical media and live shows are what really really matter to people again.
Don’t Panic took a break before returning in 2019. What brought about the return at that time and is there anything different regarding the chemistry or productivity of the band this go-round compared to back then?
Yea we (Don’t Panic) toured a ton after our inception in 2009 and released a bunch of music. This was off the heels of being in a band before this for almost a decade. So after a few years I got a little tired and wanted to focus a bit more on work and my career and we took a little break for touring and recording, which turned into a few years of not doing a whole lot. During that time, my. brother joined Bowling for Soup and became quite busy with it. He invited me in the summer of 2019 to go on tour with them to hang out and drink their beer (I happily obliged.) While out there, Jaret (BFS’s singer) heard my older music and asked why I wasn’t actively making more. He then urged me to get back at it full speed ahead. Who was I to argue? Honestly, if anything, the chemistry has only gotten better. We all work together so much more efficiently. Probably because we are in our late 30’s, actually have money in our bank accounts, and are truly doing this for the pure love of it. If you have followed along, especially in the last four years, we have been extremely productive. Released 3 full length records, an EP and have done well over a dozen tours. Not too shabby!
One of our obligatory questions in these interviews also tends to be the one I have found most important on a personal level. Who are some bands on your radar that TGEFM readers may not know about, but you think they should know about?
If you have not heard of the band White Reaper, go do so. They are amazing. There is also this great band from Boston called Driveways. They are going to absolutely blow up over the next year or so. Our buddies in Keep Flying and Eternal Boy always deserve a shout out as well. Awesome live bands. Honestly, this question makes me think I need to spend more time finding new smaller bands to listen to
Now that the world has its hands on the record, what’s next for Don’t Panic?
Well, we just released the brand new music video for our song ‘The Long Way. So the first thing you should do is drop everything and go check it out. One thing I can say humbly is that we are quite awesome at making good music videos. It’s a point of pride. This October we are heading down to Florida for a short tour culminating with our appearance at this years ‘The Fest’ in Gainesville. A couple random headline and regional northeast US shows in the winter, and then we are heading out to the United Kingdom next March for a headline tour. After that… I guess we will see where the wind takes us
Was there anything I missed that you’d like to share or dive deeper into with our readers?
Just, keep supporting smaller bands on their way up. Even if it is not ours; your friends, or ones you discover at small clubs or opening for bigger shows. Buy merch, stream their music, share their stuff on social media. It’s a very tough and flooded market out there and a lot of amazing and great artists are getting buried and you might be missing out on some incredible music!
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Roll of the Dice is a short interview format with a variable amount of questions. A pair of dice is rolled and the total, between 2 and 12, is the amount of questions we can ask. All questions are given to the interviewee(s) at once, and no follow-ups are allowed. The interview may be lightly edited for content and clarity.
Bad Dad (occasionally called Ed) has been on the periphery of the punk and punk-adjacent scene for over twenty years. While many contributors to this site have musical experience and talent, Ed’s musical claim to fame comes from his time in arguably the most punk rock Blockbuster Video district in NJ where he worked alongside members of Blanks 77, Best Hit TV and Brian Fallon. He is more than just an awful father to his 2 daughters, he is also a dreadful husband, a subpar writer, a terrible dresser and has a severe deficiency in all things talent… but hey, at least he’s self-aware, amirite?
Check out the pathetic attempts at photography on his insta at https://www.instagram.com/bad_dad_photography/
