Chris (Rational Anthem – bass/backing vocals)
SPB: How do you determine who sings in a given song?
Chris: These days Noelle sings all of the songs. Chris does harmonies and backups. We split writing duties but since Noelle has the stronger voice we let her sing all the songs these days. We used to toy with the idea of going back and forth but realized we should just be utilizing the strongest singer’s voice so the songs can shine.
There is a specific kind of velocity associated with the name Deniz Tek. To the aviation world, he was a flight surgeon and a pilot in the cockpit of an F-4 Phantom. To the medical world, he was the calm in the center of the ER trauma ward. But to … Read more
Alexandros Anesiadis (Tear It Down, Crossover, New Wind – author) Was there a particular record or moment that inspired the genesis of Tear It Down, about crossover? It wasn't the day I first heard the opening track on side two of the Cro-Mags' The Age of Quarrel. It wasn't when … Read more
Denny Bartlett (The Drolls – guitar/vocals) SPB: You’ve been in multiple bands. What is the origin story of The Drolls? What was your radioactive spider? Barltett: I hadn’t played live in almost 20 years and other people I knew from back in the day were getting back into it and … Read more
That's right: we're halfway through 2026 already, although whether that means this year is a glass-half-empty or glass-half-full kind of year... well, the jury's out. But we'll let you know in December. Despite another six months of chaos, war, conflict and uncertainty, one thing in life remains static and reliable: … Read more
Shane (The Mistakes) SPB: What is the most tiresome stereotype about punk rock? I think for me the biggest stereotype about punk rock music is that it's simple music for with one core message of Anarchy, but it's so much more. Punk rock is where people can get an education … Read more
It’s been a long time since the last Rational Anthem record, Emotionally Unavailable in 2014. The band is still similar but what jumps out the most to me with It’s Only Permanent is the clean, big pop hooks. The band has always been peppy and focused on those singalong moments, but this record is downright anthemic from start to finish. … Read more
I can’t figure out just who The Rational Anthem remind me of, but it’s poppy on the clean and crisp side, with a lot of backing harmonies and a fun sound that counters what is generally a lost at sea mindset. In other words, it’s Midwest-influenced pop-punk that would fit great on a comp with bands like Dear Landlord, The … Read more
Alexandros Anesiadis (Tear It Down, Crossover, New Wind – author) Was there a particular record or moment that inspired the genesis of Tear It Down, about crossover? It wasn't the day I first heard the opening track on side two of the Cro-Mags' The Age of Quarrel. It wasn't when … Read more
Denny Bartlett (The Drolls – guitar/vocals) SPB: You’ve been in multiple bands. What is the origin story of The Drolls? What was your radioactive spider? Barltett: I hadn’t played live in almost 20 years and other people I knew from back in the day were getting back into it and … Read more
Shane (The Mistakes) SPB: What is the most tiresome stereotype about punk rock? I think for me the biggest stereotype about punk rock music is that it's simple music for with one core message of Anarchy, but it's so much more. Punk rock is where people can get an education … Read more
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