Musicians reveal the bands they're most thankful for this year

November 23, 2017

[Pictured clockwise from top-left: Sum 41, The Word Alive, Waterparks]

To celebrate Thanksgiving 2017, we reached out to a bunch of our favorite artists and asked them which other acts in the alt music world they are thankful for. We’ve always felt a strong sense of community and charity in our scene, and based on the responses we received, we weren’t wrong.

So, which pop-punk legend loves Frank Turner? And which former AP coverstar is thankful for the time Creeper took him candy shopping? Read on to find out.

SEAWAY are thankful for… SIMPLE PLAN

“One band that I am especially thankful for is Simple Plan. Growing up, they shaped my taste heavily and inspired me to make music. Years later, after getting to tour with them, my respect for the band grew even more after seeing how hard they work on the road and how dedicated they are to their fans. I really learned a lot from them.” —Ryan Locke, vocals

SUMMER WARS are thankful for… THE STARTING LINE

“The Starting Line were hugely influential on me growing up. Say It Like You Mean It came at the perfect time for me and quenched my thirst for shimmery pop punk in the vein of Blink-182. But it wasn’t until their second and third full lengths—Based On A True Story and Direction—that I really fell in love with them. Those two albums showed me how a band could grow; the songs were more layered and atmospheric, while staying somewhat in line with their pop-punk roots. Direction especially has informed so much of how I write songs.” —Tripp Rowe, vocals/guitar

NOAH GUNDERSEN is thankful for… CATALDO

“Healthy competition can be a positive creative motivator. When I first heard Cataldo's new record Keepers before its release, it was a kick in the pants. The bar had been raised in the scene. I think we all started making better records after witnessing Eric Anderson's unrelenting dedication to his craft and vision.”

BOWLING FOR SOUP are thankful for… FRANK TURNER

“I am thankful for Frank Turner. I was introduced to him by Diesel Dave from Diesel Boy (USA). I got one album, then two and then I got them all. I haven’t stopped listening since! Frank is, in my opinion, this generation’s musical poet. ‘I Knew Prufrock Before He Got Famous’ changed my life, literally. I am so happy to have gotten to see him several times and to be able to call him a friend. I may be stretching that as far as he is concerned, but I know his phone number! Thanks for the music, Frank.” —Jaret Reddick, vocals/guitar

ICARUS THE OWL are thankful for… DANCE GAVIN DANCE

“We are thankful for Dance Gavin Dance. For starters, they invited us on their Mothership play-through tour, which we are forever grateful for. In addition, they play interesting, complex but still catchy music and are extremely successful at it. They pave the way for bands like us, and because of that, we will always be extremely thankful for their existence.”

ALEX DELEON (BOHNES) is thankful for… PANIC! AT THE DISCO

“I’m thankful for Panic! At The Disco. They gave me a chance when no one else would. They signed me to my first record deal when I was just a high school kid with braces in Las Vegas, helped me get my first platinum song as a songwriter and, most importantly, gave me incredible music to be a fan of.”

GATHERERS are thankful for… THURSDAY

“We couldn’t be more thankful for the 20 years the band Thursday have put into our scene. Their catalog of music over the years is truly unparalleled, and their material has time and time again proven to be a case study for our own band and the way we think about songwriting. Seeing them live is such a kinetic and inspiring experience. They are a treasure of the music scene and our home state of New Jersey.”

WATERPARKS are thankful for… CHAPEL (plus CREEPER and ALL TIME LOW)

“I'm gonna say I’m thankful for Chapel because I love touring with them. They’re doing next-level stuff, and I get to hear a show I’d pay to see every night for free. But also Creeper; they’re so sick, and they brought us to a candy store when we were in the U.K. And All Time Low, because they’ve taken us to so many sick places this year. I’m super-thankful for that.” —Awsten Knight, vocals/guitar

VEIL OF MAYA are thankful for… BORN OF OSIRIS (plus AFTER THE BURIAL, PERIPHERY, VOLUMES and CHELSEA GRIN)

“As a band, we’ve had the pleasure of touring with many bands and building relationships that will last forever. From labelmates such as Born of Osiris, After The Burial and Periphery, to bands associated with different labels, like Volumes and Chelsea Grin, the list is endless. Touring wouldn’t be what it is without the bond that is inevitably created amongst all of us. It truly is a family that continues to grow throughout the years. We are grateful for everyone we’ve had the pleasure of touring and working with.”

KEVIN DEVINE is thankful for… JULIEN BAKER

“I’m thankful for Julien Baker: for how much she cares and for so tastefully and singularly communicating her probing, exploratory songs with unflinching openness and confrontational patience.”

THE HOMELESS GOSPEL CHOIR is thankful for… FRANK TURNER

“This year, I’d like to express my gratitude and thankfulness for my pal Frank Turner. Not only did he grace me with his beautiful voice on my new record, Presents: Normal, but his hospitality and kindness have been a constant reminder that punk rock is the great magnet that draws us weirdos together. He has radically changed my life, not just with his music, but with his expression of care. Thanks, Francis!” —Derek Zanetti

SUM 41 are thankful for… THE MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES

“On tour as a young band in 2000, [vocalist] Dicky Barrett constantly reminded us of the work we had to do as a band. From, ‘Don’t fuck with the vaudeville,’ to being scolded for smashing bottles in our dressing room, to rolling dice in their bus and being called ‘gooches’ for leaving after winning their money, we are thankful for the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and everything they taught us about how to be a successful band the right way.” —Jason McCaslin (bass) and Dave Baksh (guitar)

SPEAK THE TRUTH… EVEN IF YOUR VOICE SHAKES are thankful for… THE HOTELIER

“Their album Goodness got me through some difficult times and completely knocked me off my feet, erasing the cynicism I was feeling at the time with the music industry. It’s amazing to me that a group of friends can still go make records that totally transform things for listeners.” —Daniel Wonacott, guitar/vocals

CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE: SLEEP ON IT, MILK TEETH AND MORE

LIMBS are thankful for… UNDEROATH and SAOSIN

“Both Underoath and Saosin have looked out for LIMBS on multiple occasions. In 2016, UØ offered us the opening spot for their sold out, 2,000-cap comeback show. Soon after accepting, Saosin offered us a tour that conflicted with it. UØ literally made us accept the Saosin tour instead. Those groups have definitely influenced our development as a band. We’re so thankful to them both.” —Jordan Hunter, guitar

SLEEP ON IT are thankful for… STATE CHAMPS

“We are thankful for the fine fellows in State Champs. They brought us out on the Road To Riot Fest tour this past September. In addition to co-producing our album Overexposed, Derek [DiScanio, vocals] has also designed some merch items for us, as well. The whole band have been very cool and supportive toward us this year, and we are thankful for that.” —TJ Horansky, guitar/vocals

LONG TIME are thankful for… CONVERGE

“Boston is undoubtedly a fantastic scene for independent music. It feels built on sweat and tears, from the ground up, without compromise. While it’s hard to pare it down to a single band, there are few that continue to inspire Long Time like Converge. Their work ethic is astounding; accomplishing everything internally, from writing and recording, to artwork and label work, they do it all. And they’ve been at it for over 20 years at this point; still pushing themselves and their art how they see fit.” —Thomas John Cadrin, guitar/vocals

HOPESFALL are thankful for… COUNTERPARTS

“We love passionate, melodic, heavy music that reminds us of our earlier years spent in our local music scene. That’s why we are incredibly thankful for the band Counterparts—we love them!”

COLDFRONT are thankful for… SEAWAY

“We wanna send a sincere thank you to our buds in Seaway. They paved the way for ourselves and several other Canadian pop-punk bands who are now getting a lot of great opportunities thanks to the hard work they put in. Love you, boys!” —Michael Kelly, drums

MILK TEETH are thankful for… JOAN JETT

“I’m thankful for Joan Jett. She was one of the earliest pioneers of women both playing the guitar and not having to fit a gender stereotype. She led the way all those years ago, and that allowed women like me to step up and take the torch.” —Becky Blomfield, vocals/bass

PALISADES are thankful for… ONE OK ROCK

“Taka [Moriuchi] truly inspired me as a vocalist and a performer. Just watching what he does, and he’s so professional and so flawless about it. He taught me you don’t need to go on stage and always go crazy and hype up the crowd. Sometimes just performing the song in its emotional entirety and just being true to the song is what really connects to people, and that’s what I’ve really taken away from this type of band. I think on this next album we’re gonna push ourselves to delve deeper into that whole emotional spectrum that when people from the show or from the album are gonna listen to it, [they will] be like, ‘Fuck, I feel this in every ounce of my soul. I’ve never connected with something like this.’ That’s all we want to. I’m very thankful that I’ve toured with such great musicians this past year that’s really helped me.” —Lou Miceli Jr., vocals

KNOCKED LOOSE are thankful for… COUNTERPARTS, LEFT BEHIND, ACACIA STRAIN, STICK TO YOUR GUNS, EVERY TIME I DIE

“Counterparts caught us early on. Took us on our first real tour and gave Knocked Loose the opportunity to play in front of a lot of people. I feel like we owe a lot to them. They took us to Europe for the first time. But on the same hand, Left Behind, we’ve been friends with since our first show. We’ve gotten to grow side by side. The Acacia Strain. Vincent [Bennett] has become one of my really good friends, and he’s constantly somebody that I try to learn from because he has so much experience under his belt.

“Same with Stick To Your Guns. I became really good friends with the singer of Movements [Patrick Miranda]. I feel like I got really close with him really fast, and that’s always kind of a scary thing, but I think throughout our friendship so far he’s taught me a lot about myself. We have the kind of friendship that’s very mutual: He learns a lot from me; I learn a lot from him. I know that I needed a friend like him. I just didn’t know I needed it. I just really look up to his outlook on things and the way that he handles himself. But to sum all that up, I think that I just try not to take for granted the opportunities that we’re given. We’ve gotten to tour with a lot of bands that we were previously fans of. We’ve become very close with Every Time I Die, which is a band that I’ve looked up to since I was in middle school. Their singer, Keith Buckley, is one of my personal heroes. I refuse to take for granted these opportunities, and I try to use it as a learning curve to really grow as a person through all the friends I’m making while doing this.” —Bryan Garris, vocals

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE are thankful for… METALLICA

“I don’t [think] it will come to surprise anyone that knows me and the history of the band, really, but Metallica. The reason I wanted to pick up a guitar eventually, the reason I wanted to play in a band and be a rock star, since I was 14 years old. Because of that band, my life is what it is. It’s black and white. If that band didn’t exist, I’d probably wouldn’t be speaking to you right now.” —Matthew Tuck,lead vocals/rhythm guitar

WHITECHAPEL are thankful for… ARCHITECTS

“You know what? Architects. From the U.K. They’re great friends of ours, and we’ve known them for a long time. We don’t get to tour with them that much, but I look up to those guys like a lot, and I love their band. I’m a huge fan of it. And you know what, when they lost Tom [Searle], their guitar player and everything, it was just, you know, it was, you felt it. Just because they’re good dudes, and he was such a talented guy. I’m thankful they got to release that last album, Lost Forever // Lost Together. That album was killer, and they deserve it all, man. They just work hard, and they went through a tough time, and I think it’s just more because they’re good people.” —Zach Householder, guitar

THE WORD ALIVE are thankful for… ASKING ALEXANDRIA, PARKWAY DRIVE

“Just the bands that have taken us under their wing the most and really supported us—Asking Alexandria are one of those bands. Parkway Drive are one of those bands.” —Telle Smith, lead vocals

I PREVAIL are thankful for… LINKIN PARK

“Well, Linkin Park are my favorite band, and Hybrid Theory was the album that was a window into a different way of making music for me. There’s so much uncertainty now, and it’s such a sad thing. It’s heartbreaking. But the benefit concert was super-cool. If they do decide to continue on and just keep playing that music—I think they might take the approach that it might be what Chester [Bennington] would’ve wanted. Their songs are so important to people, and their band brought so many people to the rock world that normally wouldn’t have been there. That band is a band I’ll always give major props to.” —Steve Menoian, lead guitar

AVATAR are thankful for… THE BEATLES

“It’s the Beatles and will always be the Beatles. Aside from any band my king’s been in, I think they’re the greatest band ever. I actually just had a discussion about it with Ryan [Van Poederooyen] from Devin Townsend Project the other day, and we talked about how, as much we love metal—and maybe a side effect from being a dedicated metalhead—you don't think all metal is that great all the time. Again, when we talked about Cannibal Corpse, as extreme as they are, as brutal as they are, you listen to songs; they’re songwriters and that quality is always the most important thing no matter what genre you’re moving [toward]. No matter how extreme you try to be or how fast you try to play, it has to be a great song first, and that’s of course something that, more than anything else, came from becoming such a huge Beatles fan at such a young age as I did.” —Johannes Michael Gustaf Eckerström, vocals

CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE: MAYDAY PARADE, MARMOZETS AND MORE

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