www.facebook.com/breakoutday
From: Roslyn, NY
Sounds like: Pop Punk
1. How did you get started with music and how did you develop your sound? Who thought of the name “Break Out Day” and is there any meaning behind it?
Andrew and Jason: We were introduced to most of the music we listen to through our older brother, Jeff. When we were 13 years old, he showed us Angels & Airwaves’ album We Don’t Need to Whisper and it changed our lives. From that point on we started getting into a lot of pop-punk/rock bands. The band that had the most influence was blink-182. They made us want to play guitar, be in a band, and live that lifestyle.
Perry: Music has been a major component of my upbringing since I was about 4 years old. My mom would tape PBS concerts for me on VHS and my grandma would take me to see symphony orchestras at Queens College. I started taking formal lessons when I was 5 and got my first drum set when I turned 6. Since then, I’ve developed an appreciation for all musical styles and genres, having played in numerous jazz, funk, rock, and metal groups.
Brandon: Growing up in Wisconsin, I’ve been going to Summerfest for as long as I can remember. My parents started taking me when I was very little so music has been a part of my life since the beginning. Seeing so many artists perform made me want to become one myself. From there I knew that someday I would be playing guitar for a rock band and now I’m even singing in one.
Band: Our band’s sound was greatly inspired by blink-182 and other similar bands. As we began writing, we developed our own sound that incorporated ideas sparked from listening to major pop-punk bands. The name “Break Out Day” was thought of when Jason noticed a song titled “Break Out! Break Out!” by All Time Low and thought that was something we could play off of. While Jason and Andrew were discussing the name and potential use of “Break Out” in it, Andrew experimented with adding another word to it and thus “Break Out Day” was born. There isn’t necessarily a special meaning to the name, but we knew we wanted a name that could be taken seriously and have some “star power”.
2. What do you want listeners to take away from your “The Nights That Made It” EP? What’s the word on new music?
Band: There are a lot of things we want listeners to take away from our debut EP “The Nights That Made It.” We wanted to release something that showed people we were a legitimate band that wants to be taken seriously. Because it was our first release, we wanted to make an everlasting first impression on the listeners. With that in mind, we pushed ourselves to write the best songs possible. The songs are fun, fast, and relatable. It was also important to us to show some diversity on the album and let people know that we can take our music in different directions while still remaining true to our sound. New music is coming very soon! We have a new single titled “The Party’s Over” that is just about ready to be released to the public and we are working on a music video for the new track as well.
3. What can people expect from your live show?
Band: We like to show our personalities and have a great time while on the stage. Moving around, interacting with the crowd, interacting with each other, and just being ourselves. Our goal with every show is to put on the best performance we can and give the crowd something to remember.
4. What’s your favorite track to play live?
Andrew: Bittersweet Memory – It’s the last song we play in our set. It’s an energetic and fun closing song.
Jason: Bittersweet Memory – This song has some very fun guitar parts to play and I especially love when we get to the bridge of this song because it has such power to it. The outro we add to this song because it’s our closer makes it even more enjoyable.
Perry: Your Halo – Not only is it an absolutely rocking head-banger throughout, but it has arguably the catchiest chorus out of all of our originals. It’s gotten to the point where our friends have made a habit of singing parody versions of it (i.e. “You might think you’re an angle, soon you’re gonna be obtuse”) at our shows.
Brandon: Too Bad You’re Lying – It’s generally our opening song that I really enjoy playing and singing. To me, it sets the tempo for the rest of our performance.
5. Who are three bands you’d like to tour with?
Andrew: blink-182, All Time Low, and Fall Out Boy.
Jason: blink-182, All Time Low, and Simple Plan.
Perry: A Day to Remember, Balance and Composure, and PVRIS.
Brandon: Sum 41, A Day to Remember, and PVRIS.
6. Any crazy show stories?
Andrew: In July of 2012, we played the Amityville Music Hall, which at the time was called the Broadway Bar, for the first time. For much of our set, the stage lights weren’t on all the way. We looked like shadowy figures moving around on stage because of how dark it was on there. Eventually, they made the right adjustments and we could play our last three songs with the proper lighting.
Jason: There are times during our shows that Andrew and I will do the same rock moves during a song without planning it. I guess it’s because we have “twintuition”. Afterward, we give each other a look and start laughing about it.
Perry: Before Brandon joined the band, we played a show at The Revolution down in Amityville in which the lead singer of the band who performed right after us (who bore a striking resemblance to the late Kurt Cobain) proceeded to smash his guitar onstage at the conclusion of their set. His mother didn’t seem too pleased with him afterwards. Brandon and the twins have also been mildly electrocuted by their microphones numerous times onstage, which, as the only non-singing member of the band, is something I suppose I’ve taken for granted.
Brandon: Not really a crazy story but my very first show with Break Out Day was actually my first time ever singing/playing in a band on stage. I also once stopped playing mid-bridge of a song to cheers with the crowd and have a shot before rejoining with the band.
7. What’s your take on the current state of Pop Punk?
Band: It’s pretty interesting to see the wide variety of what’s considered “Pop-Punk.” From bands like In Her Own Words to blink-182 to Modern Baseball to even A Day to Remember (some may consider). It has a lot to offer and blends many different genres into this overall theme we see as “Pop-Punk” today. It has always been a growing genre but now it seems to be even more revitalized with Pop-Punk giants blink-182, Good Charlotte, and others returning. However, there also seems to be a trend of some “Pop-Punk” bands using more “Pop” themed music styles. Guitars are starting to lack sound as a more electronic emphasis takes over.
8. What’s the current music scene like there in New York both locally and state wide?
Band: The music scene on Long Island is fairly diverse. Geographically, the north shore of Nassau County, Long Island hasn’t been a live music hub since the 70s and 80s. Back in those days, Roslyn was a stopping over point between Queens and Huntington where up and coming artists would perform primarily in clubs and other small venues like My Father’s Place and Fern’s. Nowadays as the north shore became increasingly more residential, most of those shows have shifted further south starting in Brooklyn and then extending out on the island across towns like Amityville, Long Beach, Patchogue, and then out into The Hamptons. We’d love to bring live original music back to the north shore because we all know how powerful and influential of a force it can be. Obviously New York City attracts major artists and there’s never a week where we don’t see a band we’d like to see come through. Statewide, there seems to be a lot of bands to check out.
9. What’s your take on legal/illegal music downloading?
Band: As great as it would be for us for people to still buy music the way they used to, it’s not realistic. As a young band, it’s important to get your music heard by as many people as possible. The music will speak for itself and hopefully that translates to more fans who are loyal, dedicated, and passionate. Exposure is huge for a young band and we don’t mind that people illegally get music. You just hope that the listeners come out to your shows and support your band in other ways as well.
10. What’s next for Break Out Day?
Band: Soon we will be releasing our new single titled “The Party’s Over” as well as a music video to accompany it. We have new ideas for merchandise that we will be getting ready to roll out too. We’ve been writing a lot and have plans to record our second EP sometime this summer. The new EP will consist of “The Party’s Over,” two other brand new tracks, and an acoustic rendition of “Too Bad You’re Lying” from our debut EP “The Nights That Made It.” Another main priority of ours is to continue playing shows and we would like to some touring in local areas/neighboring states, and grow our fan base.
11. Any shout outs?
Andrew: I’d like to give a shout out to my family who have been supportive of Jason and myself since we started. Also, thank you to my close group of college friends who truly support the band and believe in us.
Jason: To every person who has ever given us a chance.
Perry: I’d like to give a shout-out to all of our parents who’ve put up with us making loud noises in their basements over the years (and through the nights) as well as to all of our other family members and friends who’ve been coming to our shows to see us play since the very beginning.
Brandon: I would like to give a big shout out to all my friends and family back in Wisconsin; especially my parents Jeff and Elaine. They all supported my decision to move to New York and pursue my dreams. I would also like to extend a special thank you to my bandmates and their parents for housing me when I first moved and was still searching for a job. I would not have been able to make this possible without any of them.
