Feature / One Question Interviews
Lawrence Arms

Words: Loren • March 2, 2014

Lawrence Arms
Lawrence Arms

Brendan Kelly (Lawrence Arms)

SPB: Does your child listen to your music at all? What does s/he think (sorry, I can't remember if you have a son or daughter--or both)?

Kelly: My kids like to listen to my music in the car. They also like to listen to it on occasion in the house if it's a recording. They HATE when I play the guitar.

SPB: What Slapstick song holds up the best for you 15ish years later?

Kelly: The Slapstick song that holds up the best, to me, is probably “Broken Down.” It's just a cool, simple pop song.

Loren • March 2, 2014

Lawrence Arms
Lawrence Arms

Related features

Scene Point Blank's Favorites: Year End (2014)

Music / Year End 2014 • January 7, 2015

It's been another strong year for music in 2014 just gone – we've seen comebacks, unexpected debuts, strong follow-ups and soon-to-be classics from old and new bands alike. In this, our annual sitewide list, we've averaged and assembled our individual contributor's best-of-2014 lists into one superlist, amalgamating all of our … Read more

Sundowner

One Question Interviews • December 16, 2013

Chris McCaughan (Lawrence Arms, Sundowner) SPB: I take it by the multiple baseball references in your songs that you're a fan. What are your thoughts on the recent doping scandal? McCaughan: Hold up! There's cheating and steroids in baseball?!! C'mon. Are we really so surprised by all this? It's certainly … Read more

The Lawrence Arms

Interviews

If you're a fan of punk music, then you are likely a fan of The Lawrence Arms. Scene Point Blank corresponded with vocalist/guitarist Chris McCaughan about the current happenings with the band as well as the events of this year's Fest. Scene Point Blank: We're a little bit late, but … Read more

Related news

Riot Fest relocates

Posted in Shows on June 16, 2024

Lawrence Arms are back with Skeleton Coast

Posted in Records on May 28, 2020

Related reviews

The Lawrence Arms

Skeleton Coast
Epitaph (2020)

When a band is releasing its third new record since 2006, you’d expect some inconsistency. The Lawrence Arms seem to be timeless though. With Skeleton Coast they pick right up where they left off Metropole (2014). Take the opening stanza of “Dead Man’s Coat” as an example. Beginning with Chris McCaughan’s soft and wanting melodies, it’s unmistakably The Lawrence Arms. … Read more

The Lawrence Arms

We Are the Champions of the World (A Retrospectus)
Fat Wreck Chords (2018)

The excitement of We Are the Champions of the Word (Retrospectus) is supposed to be the five new songs at the end of the 29-song collection. It probably is, but given how bands often release a Best Of before they breakup, this record feels more worrisome than celebratory. That’s just a personal feeling that views this as some kind of … Read more

The Lawrence Arms

Metropole
Epitaph (2014)

When The Lawrence Arms released Oh Calcutta! back in 2006, it was billed by the band as a collection of songs utilizing the back-and-forth, high octane punk they enjoy listening to—a conscious decision to switch-up their sound for a record. Then, life happened and the group took eight years for a new album. 2014 brings Metropole, and even with the … Read more

More from this section

Sacrosanta Decadencia Occidental

One Question Interviews • April 16, 2026

Maria (Sacrosanta Decadencia Occidental – vocals/artist) SPB: The artwork of your album took over a year to make. What was this long experience like for you? Maria: If I were to put it shortly, the first thing that comes to mind is a long and winding road: exhausting but exciting … Read more

Brux

One Question Interviews • April 14, 2026

Brux SPB: You choose to skip English and sing in your mother tongue. What are the pros and cons of this choice for you? Brux: Our songs are mostly in our mother tongue (spanish / catalan), we just have a few in English. Pros: they sound more natural, the link … Read more

The Goons

One Question Interviews • April 13, 2026

Serge (The Goons - vocals) SPB: How did writing the new material compare to when you sat down and started work on your last record – 19 years ago? Serge: The old stuff was written more collaboratively than the recent songs. These days we don’t get together as often as … Read more