www.facebook.com/atlwasteland
From: Pittsburgh, PA
Sounds like: Emo/Alternative/Pop Punk
1. How did you get started with music and how did you develop your sound? Who thought of the name “Atlantic Wasteland" and is there any meaning behind it?
Ausinette & I attended Grove City College together from 2012-2016. We met through some mutual friends & began playing music together at coffee shops in 2014. Our sound is kind of a mixed bag. We both grew up loving pop-punk bands like New Found Glory, Green Day, Mayday Parade, Yellowcard, etc. Personally, I've always been a fan of music that challenges the status quo. Something that stands out, you know? I'm a guitar player at heart, and I love jazz/blues guitar. Stevie Ray Vaughan is my favorite guitar player, & so I think those jazz/blues tendencies absolutely find their way into our unique spin on alternative rock.
As for the band name, Ausinette came up with it. I wish there was a deep, metaphorical meaning behind the band name haha, but there isn't. We literally just thought it sounded cool, so we went with it. Take it or leave it, but I feel like that happens more often than you think with a lot of popular bands.
2. What do you want people to take away from your music?
Honestly, I feel like this is a totally open ended question. I write songs about my personal experiences. I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel here, and I know that there are millions of other people on this earth that have probably experienced similar events. It's the subtle specifics that make not just our, but anyone's music exceptionally special. A lyric that uses someone's name, or one that mentions a specific place & an event that transpired at that place is just special. Someone can hear that and although the hyper-specific details may be different in their own experiences, they can almost always relate to the overall experience in some way. I think that's awesome.
3. How would you describe your sound to the average listener?
We've unofficially branded our genre as Alternative/Emo/Make-You-Feel-Something Rock. It's quite goofy sounding, and it's supposed to be haha. But it makes sense. We don't like to be put in a box. And my hope is that when someone listens to our music, they in fact feel something...whatever that may be. Music elicits different emotions to different people for different reasons. If our music can be an aid in someone's personal introspection, then I thank that's pretty amazing.
4. Who are three bands you’d like to tour with?
Can I list The Wonder Years 3 times? If not, then I'd say The Wonder Years, Being as an Ocean, or Real Friends. TWY are my favorite band, and they're sick as hell so touring with them would be a dream come true. Being as an Ocean has been a huge influence in expanding my musical tastes. And Real Friends just seem like a bunch of hilarious dudes that would be so fun to hang out with.
5. What are your three desert island albums that you'd never get tired of listening to?
Damn, this is a great question. I'd have to say From Under the Cork Tree (Fall Out Boy), Sam's Town (The Killers) & Kill 'Em All (Metallica). FUTCT is just an anthem from start to finish. Sam's Town is an absolute sonic journey. Kill 'Em All was the first metal album I was exposed to as a child and I never looked back hahah.
6. What’s your take on the current state of Rock?
Rock certainly isn't dead. There's just so many other popular genres out there that the mainstream has gravitated towards, but that doesn't mean that it's going away. Just because something isn't in the mainstream doesn't make it any less wonderful.
7. What’s the current music scene like there in Pennsylvania both locally and state wide?
We live in Pittsburgh. The scene is OK here...there is a ton of potential but there seems to be a lack of initiative from the "important people who make all the decisions." There are tons of communities that are working to better the Pgh music scene, including a small non-profit collective that we just joined called Wicked Pittsburgh Records. They have a serious vision to reunite the Pittsburgh music scene and we are ecstatic to be a part of the movement. I can't really speak to any other scenes outside the city as we haven't done any extensive touring yet.
8. What’s your take on legal/illegal music downloading?
No one really buys music anymore. Everyone's guilty of this, myself included. It's all about streaming right now, which bands are only making a fraction of a cent off anyway. I stray away from "illegally" downloading music these days, and I try to support bands that I personally know by purchasing their music. Currently, the band is not any of our full-time sources of income though, so I am not sure that my opinion on the matter holds as much weight as someone who's sole source of income is their music.
9. What’s next for Atlantic Wasteland?
We're constantly picking up steam. New music is on the way and more shows too. We're just a couple of kids trying to make a living doing what we love. I try not to stress about the future, I know God's got his plan for me I'm just doing my best to live that!
10. Any shoutouts?
Thanks to Mike from FTD for reaching out to us about this! We're excited to be working together.
