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Starting off your week with an interview from directly across the pond with Manchester, UK based pop-punk sensations Best Years. The lovely lads have been making some noise as of late, with their new music video for "Overrated" starting to turn heads left and right with the Brits strutting their stuff all while performing in just their underwear which definitely illicits a few positive responses from all over with their handsome bods. The amazingly nice chaps were gracious enough to sit down to do a quick interview as we get to know more about them, plus their experiences in recording their new EP "Drop Out" which will be out at the end of the month. Here is the transcript from our chat:
Give us your names and roles in the band?
Joel - Vocals
James - Guitar
Ed - Guitar
Josh - Drums
Josh - Bass
How did you all meet and where did the name 'Best Years' originate?
The original four of us all met at high school, then we met Ed through other people and through life and then he joined the band. The name 'Best Years' was just one of about 1000 that were brainstormed and it had the best ring to it.
What were the musical acts that inspired you when you were younger that made you want to start a band?
Good Charlotte. That is all.
Do all of your musical influences make it easy to put songs together or is there a challenge in it as well?
It's pretty easy, we like to write songs as naturally and as quickly as possible so we don't overthink them.
- How would you characterize the state of the UK pop-punk scene right now for those here in the US?
It's oversaturated that's for sure, it's full of an insane amount of bands but there's also an insane amount of potential fans so the good bands succeed and will succeed.
Take us behind the recording process of your upcoming release "Drop-Out" and what the whole experience was like for the each of you?
It was just a blur really, it all happened so fast and then it was done. Check out our Rockumentary on YouTube, it's called A Month in The Life of Best Years, it'll cover it all for you.
Describe how fun it was to shoot the music video for "Overrated"? You guys definitely looked good showing off some skin! What were your thoughts of performing in your underwear and showing off some nudity for the camera, did you all enjoy it?
Haha, the Overrated shoot was hilarious, the underwear jam took a lot of convincing, everyone was a bit against it but they finally came round and it's now probably the defining part of that video! Everyone keeps talking about it.
For fun and games, what do you guys like to do in your spare time when not making music together?
Complain at each other, play/watch football or both at the same time.
What's coming up next for you guys, planning to visit the US sometime for some shows or are you mostly staying in the UK?
We'll be staying in the UK until someone say's 'hey here's loads of money' to do it pretty much... Sorry!
Lastly, what has being in this band meant to each of you personally?
If there's one thing we all agree on, it's that if we hadn't started this band, we would've all lost the plot long ago.
Thanks once again to the fellas of Best Years for lending some of their time to do this interview. As you can gather, they're really goofy and fun loving guys who truly enjoy making music together for a living, and definitely know how to get people's attention for sure with their indelible antics! For more on Best Years, please 'Like' them on Facebook over here and follow their travels on Twitter at this spot here. Keep an eye out for their "Drop Out" EP which should see the light of day on August 28th.