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.
Pittsburgh-based pop-punks Midnight Lights agreed to a quick chat with us following the release of their new single “It’s Not Me It’s You.” We were able to discuss dream tours, the ever-changing music industry and, of course, what’s next for the band.
1. Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Congrats, in
advance on the release of “It’s Not Me It’s You.” Could you tell us a
bit about this track and how it came about?
Of course, thanks for reaching out! This was actually one of the first songs we wrote together in the early days of the band in 2020. There was a lot of frustration and stress going on in everyone’s lives at the time and, like everything else, relationships were tested by the pandemic and cultural climate of the time. We all related to the idea that if you feel stuck in a bad relationship, despite your best efforts, sometimes you just have to say “it’s not me, it’s you” and move on. We took that idea and put it to music that you can use to get your frustrations out in the mosh pit!
2. The Pittsburgh area has always seemed to have a strong tie to
political punk. As a decidedly pop-punk act, what affect, if any, have
the cultural and political landscapes of the last few years had on your
music?
Although we don’t consider ourselves to be a very “political” band, we’ve certainly experienced a lot of challenges in the last few years. We hope that by sharing our experiences through music we can help bring people together in such divisive times.
3. What is it about music that you are most passionate about? What
motivates you to keep writing?
For us, there’s no bigger rush than getting up on stage and playing music for an audience. We love the energy of a live crowd and the bond that’s created at shows between the band and the audience sharing that moment with us.
4. What’s the best piece of advice, music or otherwise, you’ve ever
received?
PRACTICE. A LOT.
5. The obvious follow-up, of course, is what’s the best piece of advice,
music or otherwise, you can give?
Have fun and chase your own happiness, whatever that might be. Life is short, so don’t waste your time on things that are bringing you down/holding you back.
6. The music world has also changed a lot over the last few years. What are some of the biggest changes you’ve come across in your time within the scene?
The biggest change we’ve noticed is the emphasis on releasing singles and shorter EPs as opposed to full-length albums. It seems like a lot of listeners have a shorter attention-span for releases than they did even a few years ago.
7. If you could book your own tour with three other bands, who would
they be and what venues would you want to hit up?
Blink-182 would have to be the headliner… duh. And we’d probably want to round out the tour with Sum 41 and Simple Plan. We’re super influenced by the early 2000’s pop-punk era, and these bands have perfectly bridged the gap between that era and today’s pop-punk sound. As far as venues, we’ve always dreamed of playing Red Rocks Amphitheater, there’s just nowhere else like it.
8. 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?
We really love the Unsigned Pop Punk Playlist on Spotify. There are so many great artists that get featured on there. More locally, The Middle Room is a great Pittsburgh-area pop-punk band and we really dig Goalkeeper from the other side of our home state (Philadelphia-area).
9. Beyond the release of “It’s Not Me, It’s You”, what’s next for
Midnight Lights?
Now that “It’s Not Me, It’s You” is out, we’re about to head back into the studio over the next few weeks to work on another set of releases!
10. Was there anything I missed that you’d like to share or dive deeper
into with our readers?
If you like what you hear, be sure to find our socials and catch us at an upcoming show!
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/
