Pop punk is known for its simple, straightforward chord progressions, so drums often play a huge role in giving the songs you know and love their mighty punch. To show some much-deserved drummer love, we’ve compiled this list of 20 of the best in pop-punk history. 

Read more: These are the 25 most influential songs of pop punk

Tony Thaxton (Motion City Soundtrack)

Not only one of the best but also one of the most underrated drummers in pop punk, Motion City Soundtrack’s Tony Thaxton has this unique way of making otherwise simple songs infinitely more interesting. Most MCS fans can agree that there are hardly any dull moments on their breakout album, Commit This To Memory, and it’s thanks in no small part to Thaxton’s drumming. The band as a whole are known for their fun live performances, but watching Thaxton tear it up onstage is truly something special.

Travis Barker (blink-182)

This list would be absolutely incomplete without Travis Barker, arguably one of the most influential drummers of pop-punk. Now coming up on 30 years as a band, blink-182 have earned a special place in the hearts of pop-punk kids everywhere. There are plenty of reasons why Barker is so widely considered to be the GOAT, including his creativity, consistency and stage presence, just to name a few. You’d be hard-pressed to find a younger pop-punk band that weren’t at least somewhat inspired by blink’s massive success. In fact, Jess Bowen and Rian Dawson, both featured on this list, have cited Barker as a major influence.

Jess Bowen (The Summer Set)

A band with ridiculously catchy songs and a badass player behind the drum kit? Yes, please! Jess Bowen’s unique combination of styles made the Summer Set stand out among the more pop-leaning pop-punk bands that emerged in the mid-to-late 2000s. It’s no surprise that other aspiring drummers look up to her, as she’s vocal about being unafraid to shake up a scene populated by men. 

Zac Farro (Paramore)

If you’re anything like us and have listened to Paramore’s Riot! front to back a few hundred times, you know just how much drummer Zac Farro added to the band’s sound. We especially appreciated his creativity on high-energy tracks such as “That’s What You Get” and “Born For This.” Upon rejoining Paramore in 2016, he lent his drumming chops to the hugely successful album After Laughter. 

Rian Dawson (All Time Low)

Thinking about where they are today, it’s hard to believe All Time Low came from such humble musical beginnings. Since their formation in 2003, when they were still in high school, their sound has continuously grown and evolved, with some particularly impressive instrumental moments coming on their more recent albums (if you haven’t already, check out Don’t Panic: It’s Longer Now!). Many of these moments are thanks to Rian Dawson’s incredible growth as a drummer. 

Andy Hurley (Fall Out Boy)

When you heard the beat drop in “Sugar, We’re Goin Down,” you just knew something amazing was about to happen. Drummer Andy Hurley held almost every song on From Under The Cork Tree together with tight, driving rhythms. He has really shown off his versatility and creativity as Fall Out Boy’s style has changed throughout the years. 

Tré Cool (Green Day)

It may sound cliche, but it’s true: Ever since ’94, when Green Day skyrocketed to fame with the release of their pop-punk masterpiece, Dookie, drummer Tré Cool has been hailed as one of the best in the genre. Even as die-hard punk fans criticized the album for being too melodic, Cool’s fills and speed added an undeniable layer of texture to tracks such as “Burnout” and “Longview.” That’s why they’re still among the first songs many new pop-punk drummers set out to master.

Longineu W. Parsons III (Yellowcard)

No pop-punk fan could ever resist the anthemic chorus of “Ocean Avenue.” Pay close attention throughout the song and you’ll notice how the chugging beats in the choruses flow effortlessly into tight fills. Longineu W. Parsons III’s drumming really gave Yellowcard’s early work a distinct style, and it paired beautifully with Sean Mackin’s violin playing. Now a touring member of New Years Day, Parsons is a huge part of the reason why we’re still jamming to Yellowcard after all these years. 

Derek Grant (Alkaline Trio)

Over the years, the members of Alkaline Trio have made some seriously incredible and influential music together, but they’ve also proven their individual strengths in other separate musical endeavors. Drummer Derek Grant, in particular, has built up an impressive resume outside of Alkaline Trio. Fans have praised his work with the Suicide Machines, the Vandals, Face To Face and several other notable acts. Just listen to any of Alkaline Trio’s isolated drum tracks on YouTube and you’ll get an immediate sense of the nuance he brings to every song. 

Cyrus Bolooki (New Found Glory)

We’ve already talked about some of the most influential drummers in the scene but have yet to discuss one of the most dedicated drummers in the scene—New Found Glory’s Cyrus Bolooki. Not too far into his career with the band, he seriously injured himself at a show and was unsure whether he’d ever be able to play live again. Of course, he found his way back behind the kit and has now put out 10 amazing albums with New Found Glory. Bolooki’s raw passion for music shines through in every performance. He plays hard, fast and clean, adding tons of power to classics such as “Hit Or Miss” and “My Friends Over You.”

Mike Kennedy (The Wonder Years)

Mike Kennedy plays with an incredible nuance that other modern pop-punk drummers can’t match. His musicianship stands out in just about every style the Wonder Years have explored across their six-album discography: the punchier tracks on Suburbia I’ve Given You All and Now I’m Nothing, such as “Came Out Swinging” and “Don’t Let Me Cave In,” the quieter sections on The Greatest Generation and everything in between.

Dani Washington (Neck Deep)

The technical elements in Neck Deep’s music have set them apart and earned them both critical and commercial success. Drummer Dani Washington really knows when to amp it up. His style was a perfect fit for the band’s more aggressive sound. On top of being a creative and technically skilled drummer, Washington also makes an effort to connect with fans by consistently recording amazing drum cam videos and has spoken out in support of the BLM movement on his social media platforms. 

Mike Jimenez (Rufio)

In the early 2000s, Rufio completely shook up the pop-punk scene with elements of heavy metal and progressive rock. It may have been the band’s insanely tight guitar work that made albums such as MCMLXXXV so memorable, but drummer Mike Jimenez added a whole new layer of technical excellence.

Bill Stevenson (Descendents, Black Flag)

Hailed as a legend by many OG punk fans, Bill Stevenson laid the groundwork for so many future pop-punk artists. Not only did he help define the Descendents’ innovative sound but he’s also produced albums for tons of well-known bands, including Alkaline Trio, A Day To Remember, As I Lay Dying and more. He’s also known for his incredibly creative work with Black Flag.

Steve Sherlock (Nerf Herder)

Nerf Herder might consider themselves a “nerdcore” band, but there’s no denying their instrumentation makes them sound more like the cool kids. They combine elements of ska and surf rock with pop punk, and drummer Steve Sherlock’s speed and energy make for a perfect blend of all these styles. 

Frank Zummo (Sum 41, Street Drum Corps)

As known and loved as Frank Zummo is for his work on Sum 41’s loud, fast anthems, what’s perhaps most impressive about this drummer is his versatility. He was a founding member of the incredibly innovative and talented group Street Drum Corps and has since played with the likes of Mötley Crüe and Dead By Sunrise. He’s no stranger to our hearts, having taken home the award for Best Drummer at the 2017 AP Music Awards where he performed a medley with twenty one pilots’ Josh Dun and No Doubt’s Adrian Young. You can check out his first solo EP here.

Steve Jocz (Sum 41)

Before there was Zummo, there was Steve Jocz, who lent his talents to classic Sum 41 albums such as All Killer No Filler and Does This Look Infected? Jocz’s drumming, of course, is distinctly pop punk, but he also incorporates plenty of elements from other rock subgenres, which helped Sum 41 craft their identity as a multi-talented band and made their style stronger and tighter over the years.

Ashton Irwin (5 Seconds Of Summer)

5 Seconds Of Summer brought a refreshing mix of rock and sugary pop to the table with the release of their debut album back in 2014. Drummer Ashton Irwin, who’s an absolute pleasure to watch live, proved that there was still a place for high-energy playing in the world of radio-ready pop punk. Watching any 5SOS performance or music video, you can easily tell just how much Irwin loves what he does.

Dean Butterworth (Good Charlotte)

Where would pop punk be without Good Charlotte? After parting ways with former drummer Chris Wilson, the band initially asked Dean Butterworth to fill in temporarily, and the rest is history. Like other pop-punk drummers before and after him, Butterworth’s style can be described as fast and straightforward, but he also knows how to add all the right fills in all the right places. 

Mark O’Connell (Taking Back Sunday)

While Taking Back Sunday are primarily known for their epitome of emo lyrics, we can’t forget about the creative instrumentals that accompanied them. In particular, drummer Mark O’Connell’s strength lies in knowing when to keep it simple and when to add extra flavor. TBS’ music just wouldn’t be as emotionally significant without him. 

“Here at Red Scare Industries, we have many great songs, and when Toby [Jeg, Red Scare founder] told me that for the 15-year comp, he’d like for some of the bands to cover each other, I immediately said, ‘I call ‘All I Hear Is Static’ by the Lillingtons,’” Wandering Bird Kelly says. “It’s definitely in my top five favorite songs in the entire RS catalog, and I knew that if I didn’t act fast, someone else would snatch it up. Keeping your begging blanket as close to the feet of the king as possible pays off sometimes, kids.”

Read more: Blink-182 have a punk-rock pep rally in “Darkside” video

Assisting Kelly on the track is Derek Grant, known to your devices as the drummer for Alkaline Trio. Not only did Grant create the backing track for “Static,” but he also put together the video AltPress is premiering today. Grant helps Kelly fulfill his Easy Rider fantasies on a grid seemingly lifted right out of Tron.

“I knew I couldn’t come close to making a better version than the Lillingtons did, so I enlisted Derek Grant, who has always been the danciest of all the Wandering Birds and told him to go wild,” Kelly says. “He told me he’d get something to me in, like, two weeks, and maybe three hours later, he sent me the track bed as it appears on the comp. I can’t say enough positive stuff about Derek’s bizarre genius. I feel really lucky that we’re able to collaborate in such goofy-ass ways. He also made the video, which, well, he’s a maniac. Fun fact: Both those motorcycling birds in the vid were total divas, and the shoot lasted six days.”

Give these Birds a flip below. And if you want to seek out the Red Scare anniversary rec, you may do so right here, or if you like physical things you can touch, over here. 

Alkaline Trio drummer Derek Grant is one talented Instagram artist—just check out his insane audio-video mashup of Ozzy Osbourne's iconic 1980 single “Crazy Train” with Alk3's 1998 classic “Cringe” down below. All aboard!

Read more: Alk3 hint at new music with vinyl box set

Dubbed an “unfinished masterpiece” by the Vermont-based musician, the so-called “Crazy Cringe” takes Ozzy's singular vocal and late guitarist Randy Rhoads' blistering lead and combines them with elements from Alkaline Trio's hallowed Goddamnit opener. And we're going off the rails just listening to this thing. As to just how “unfinished” the piece is, we're not certain, but Grant says all the rotoscoping was driving him insane. Crazy—but that's how it goes!

So get wide-eyed and cast your bleeding eyes upon the bewildering mashup that is “Crazy Cringe” right here (then relive the originals directly after). Perhaps even Christ himself would cringe at the sight of this monstrosity:

 

Here’s an unfinished masterpiece. Mashing things up in the opposite direction. “Crazy Cringe” @alkaline_trio backing up @ozzyosbourne and the great @randyrhoadsofficial. Rotoscoping sucks and I gave up. #alkalinetrio #ozzyosbourne #randyrhoads #crazycringe #mashups #rotoscopingisforthebirds

A post shared by Derek Grant (@derekdontgram) on Jan 15, 2018 at 7:32pm PST

Watch more: 10 best music moments of 2017

“Holiday Breakdown” – Derek Grant

The first song off of Breakdown is a nice, quick introduction to Derek Grant as a solo artist. His songwriting talents (much different than his drumming style) are straightforward and excel in sounding like they’re from another era. Everything from the vocal effects to the raw recording helps shape his music. It’s not supposed to sound modern and polished, but a song you’d play on a jukebox at a dive bar to fit in just fine with the locals and old punks, alike.

“Lost” – Dan Andriano in the Emergency Room 

The distorted bass and looped drum beat for the first half of this song makes this track stick out among the pack. When it goes back into full-band rock mode, the melody and lyrics hit that much harder when they’re reintroduced in a different, heavier way. The Beach Boys-inspired choir harmonies are just a cherry on top of the already awesome sonic sundae. The taste, the experience, the production and the musicianship is all there. This guy is just really good and ,paired with the right people, continues to do amazing work.

“Good Long Look” – Derek Grant

As a big Ryan Adams fan, this song stuck out to me immediately. Not only is Grant’s voice reminiscent of Adam’s, but the alt-country guitar work reminds me of something right off of a Whiskeytown album. It’s short and catchy enough to play over and over. I think this is the direction his voice was made for, considering it’s much different than his bandmates’ vocal styles.

“She Wolf” – Matt Skiba and the Sekrets 

This song is the epitome of the Skiba sound. Hooky, simple guitar lines, big polished power chords and undeniably catchy choruses. The minor melodies are uplifted with the major payoff in the choruses, while the lyrics are still a bummer in the best way. “Now I’m restless / here in pieces / and I’m waiting for relief / that just won’t come anytime soon for this vampire / twisting in the fire.” If anyone else tried to use that line, it would sound so cheesy, but Skiba has the successful career to back it up and make it work flawlessly.

“Wait” – Dan Andriano in the Emergency Room 

My favorite parts of Andriano’s music are his soulful voice and the expansive melodies that are a nice departure from the four-chord pop punk people are used to hearing. When he sings something, you want to pay attention. When he plays something, you want to pick up a guitar and play along. The ear candy on this entire album is amazing with organs and cool bass lines thrown around tastefully. This track is the best song to showcase that. It’s a similar style, but a bit more modern and actualized version of the Derek Grant songs.

“I Just Killed To Say I Love You” – Matt Skiba and the Sekrets 

Leave it to Skiba to compose what should be the music of a love song that instead slaps you in the face with lyrics about hoping someone dies and meets you in Hell. When read out of context, the lyrics could be used in a death-metal song (I’d love to hear that version), but the oddly beautiful melody backs off the gas and lets his anger sink in an entirely different way. It sounds like it could be a really good b-side from Alkaline Trio’s Crimson, hitting that perfect spot between pop punk and gothy new wave—as he often does.

“My Human Being” – Dan Andriano in the Emergency Room 

The slide guitar lead in the chorus of this song (although incredibly brief) is my favorite moment of the whole album. It just screams good taste and songwriting experience, aw well as a nod to Weezer. (I would be lying if I said that wasn’t the sole reason I’m including it on this list.) Obviously, the rest of the song is already great with the choppy clean guitar intro and fun verses. Party Adjacent as a whole, is great driving music so when I’m cruising around town, this is the song that gets me bobbing my head the most.

“Waiting For The End Of The World” – Derek Grant

The Replacements and Bruce Springsteen come to mind when jamming to this track. It’s definitely the feel-good hit of the album, the something played at the end of your favorite ‘80s movie where they explain what each character is up to these days. Really, imagine it that way and it makes perfect sense: fade to black and the credits roll. The hammering piano, guitar tone and reverb-y sound effects just seal the deal for its rock anthem status.

“Krazy” – Matt Skiba and the Sekrets 

This song has all of the best components of the perfect ‘90s pop song. Thanks to the bouncy, hi-hat-driven beat and simple guitar work, Skiba’s melody is able to flow seamlessly throughout the song from the storytelling verses to every hook. If you imagine the Goo Goo Dolls covering this song it would make perfect sense. It’s apparent that Skiba’s sound, even when he shifts around between sub-genres, is always the closest to Alkaline Trio.

The album is available for pre-order now. You can catch Grant on tour this month in support of the release. (See the full list of dates below.)

1/20 – Chicago, IL @ Reckless Records (free in-store, 6pm!)
1/21 – Normal, IL @ Firehouse Pizza
1/22 – Rock Island, IL @ Theo's Java Club
1/23 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick Lounge
1/24 – Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen 

Derek Grant solo dates:
1/20 – Chicago, IL @ Reckless Records (free in-store, 6pm!)
1/21 – Normal, IL @ Firehouse Pizza
1/23 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick Lounge
1/24 – Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen

INTERVIEW: Scott Heisel

When Songs Only You Know first made its way to me, I was excited because as someone who grew up in the Midwest in the late ’90s, Thoughts Of Ionesco were very well known and respected in my local scene. I didn’t read the rest of the book jacket or anything, because I assumed it would be your archetypal “rock memoir.” I definitely wasn’t prepared for where the book took me. It is such an intriguing account of not only the band but your personal life. How much emphasis did you put on purposely not making the book just about the music you created?
SEAN MADIGAN HOEN: I’ve been studying the art of literature and storytelling, going into that wormhole of “What is literary art right now?” So I was really coming at it from a literary perspective. It never really even occurred to me there would be any crossover with music culture; in early drafts of the book, I didn’t even list the name of my band. [Laughs.] There are a lot of rock ’n’ roll memoirs out there, and they are usually written by people who were much better known than anything I did, but I just really wanted it to be a human story, about why would a young man get involved in this [lifestyle], and tell what this world looked like in the late ’90s, which I thought was very interesting material when coupled with my family story. I was compelled to tell my family’s story, but I wouldn’t have done it without all that musical misadventure in there.

One of the things I was really intrigued by were the amount of commonly known details about Thoughts Of Ionesco that are omitted, like that you had Derek Grant, later of Alkaline Trio, play drums for you for a period of time, or that you had a saxophonist in the final incarnation of the band. Are there other elements regarding Ionesco you purposely omitted?
Ionesco were not in any way essential or important to the history of music, but there was a small community of people who definitely were paying attention to it, and we had experiences together. So I really focused on the most meaningful experiences in that time period, whether they were music-related or personal-related. I was really more interested in the characters than the scene. Derek was in an early draft of the book, but then I realized it wasn’t an essential component to the story, as much as I love Derek.

We were really kind of going for the most extreme sound we could come up with in our basement. How far can we take it; how wretched can we make it sound; what’s the most brutal experience we can get to in performance. I really wanted to convey when that style of music is done truthfully, what is behind that, and what kind of people are driven to make that.

It’s funny you talk about your musical motivation, because there’s been that quote that someone from AP wrote 15 or so years ago, describing Thoughts Of Ionesco as “the ultimate realization of pain through sound,” that is still attached to every single press material about the band online. I think that really still holds up, though. Heavy music is in right now, but a lot of these kids—and they are kids—don’t have anything to say. They don’t have actual life experiences to draw upon to make truly emotionally heavy music; they’re just playing downtuned guitars because that’s what they saw Slipknot do 10 years ago. What’s your take on the current heavy-music landscape? I know you moved on musically, but do you still pay attention as a listener?
The funny thing about me and heavy music is it wasn’t necessarily what I was drawn to first. It’s been almost 20 years since Ionesco made our first record, and I’m kind of perplexed that I still get communication about it, like, “Why in the hell are these records we made in the ’90s for $300, how in the hell is anyone still fascinated by this in any way?” We were truly people who were in pain at that time in our lives, and to certain people, that still translates. Some kind of authenticity is what’s always drawn me to all types of music, some kind of fundamental essence in the music that feels pure to me.

As far as heavy music today? I’m not super-tempted to like the new stuff that’s coming out, but Swans are making records again, Godflesh, Jesu, I can still relate to that on ethereal, self-apocalyptic level. [Laughs.] When it feels right, it draws me in. I dig Metz and Young Widows, too.

It’s interesting you mention the idea of authenticity in the music. In the book, when you reach the point where you start the Holy Fire and things start happening for you—you land a manager, you get signed by the Militia Group, you’re opening for big bands—it seems like you lost the authenticity you once had, that you were just doing these things because they were expected of you, and that threw you off the rails again. Tell me about the experience doing the Holy Fire.
Thoughts Of Ionesco broke up on my 22nd birthday, and that’s pretty young for any artist, no matter what your medium is—you’re hopefully still at the beginning at 22 years old. Then my sister passed, and the violence and the rage had no currency for me anymore as an artistic expression. It felt completely false. Playing with those guys, it was so easy; we didn’t talk about songwriting, it just happened. I naively assumed it would be just as easy to start making this beautifully sad, acoustic, spacey music, that it would come naturally—and it didn’t. I spent four years playing these shows that would get booked because I had been in my previous band, and people were just really turned off by me. And I can understand why: I seemed like a chameleon. But after a while, the Holy Fire started to happen.

A bunch of us went to Toronto and recorded songs before we ever played a show, and then it started happening in Detroit. A lot of people started paying attention to us. It was really quite pure at first. But with drinking and drug abuse and the state of trauma I was in, having lost my sister and my dad in pretty brutal ways in such a short amount of time, I was pretty lost. The whole dream of making a sustainable living playing music became my idea of what would fix everything. And really, it became this really unhealthy, toxic obsession. “Oh, if I could just make this happen, it will fix all my problems.” That is when I began writing songs from a place that wasn’t the pure, primal force that I had been connected with in Ionesco.

That period with the Militia Group, I eventually came to feel like I sold out to the extent that I could, and it didn’t feel well to me. Obviously, there are people who sell out in a much greater fashion. [Laughs.] If you actually listen to the Holy Fire’s music, it’s not exactly geared for Top 40. But for me, I had pushed it too far: “What the hell am I doing? This isn’t even good music.” It was a hard thing. You only have your mid-20s once. But yeah, the Holy Fire were this exercise in trying to sell out, trying to see how pop I could make it, as a sort of last-ditch attempt to have a life in music.

Have you said all you need to say musically, or do you still have the desire to make a go of it and start another band? Or are you focused on writing now?
I write every day, and I’m also a sober guy, so that is where I focus a lot of my compulsion—into this daily writing practice. That’s become an inextricable part of my life, and definitely the foremost objective in my life is to really continue following this writing path. But music, I still play quite often. I just really had to separate my experience from my personal dream about it. I’m not talking disreputably about the music dream, the dream that kids have to get out there and have those experiences. But for me, it was really toxic. So it’s kind of been a process to learn how to enjoy making music. Who cares what happens with it? Try to make it as well as you can and as honestly as you can, and not worry about the other stuff, because that’s the stuff that’s going to get me into trouble.

How often do you revisit your old material?
I did pull up some of the Ionesco stuff for sure, and some videos, quite often, but those experiences are all still very close to me. Playing that kind of music, I’ve never felt anything like it. I truly just would be in some other dimension. It’s strange; I hear that 20-year-old kid’s voice on some of those records, and it’s way more powerful than my voice is now. I can’t physically do that anymore. It almost seems like this other thing, this other person I’m hearing.

Even though Thoughts Of Ionesco have been frequently portrayed as dark, brooding and intense, there was humor in your band, which is something I think a lot of people might not have realized. You let this side of Ionesco show a few times throughout Songs Only You Know. Do you ever think you would do a more conventional, “road stories”-type book?
You know, the original draft was 600 or 700 pages, and 85 percent of stuff that was cut was road antics and yarns. Any one of those stories that made the book, I have another 150 of them to choose from. [Laughs.] That was the fun part of writing the book. We did enjoy making the whole trip an adventure. We were trying to work ourselves up into some state, and we were pretty out there. Were someone out there interested in reading it, I could be very easily persuaded to jot those road stories down.

You pull no punches over the course of the story; you expose a lot of flaws of not only yourself but your loved ones. Were you nervous to relive those experiences?
With someone who’s had the post-traumatic experiences like I’ve had, you’re always sort of still living that stuff, so it wasn’t like I had to go and try to remember it—it was all right there, even if it had happened 10 years earlier. In putting it on the page, and going back to those scenes and trying to see them from different angles, that really introduced me to my past in a new way. That’s what I was looking for. It was really hard; it was a pretty rough four years, but I don’t know if I’ve ever grown so much from an artistic pursuit before.

Have you given your mom a copy of the book?
[Laughs.] That’s been the biggest stress of all for me. She’s been through hell, and here I am throwing this thing out to the world, and people we know can get their hands on it if they want. The whole time she’s said, “Do whatever you have to do.” She hasn’t read the whole thing; she’s kind of picked through it, but it was too much, too soon. We’re working together on that.

A large part of the story not only deals with your personal loss but your romantic struggles between two women, Lauren and Angela. I don’t know if those are their real names, but I imagine if either of them were to read the book now, they would learn things about their own situations with you they wouldn’t have known otherwise. Have you shown the book to them?
Those aren’t their real names, but I still care very deeply for both of those women, and feel so much gratitude for how much they were there for me, despite how much of a mess I was. But the character who’s named Lauren in the book, I know she’s read it. What people take from this book, I’m realizing, is not something I have any control over. They’re going to experience things about it I wasn’t able to predict. Lauren was pretty great about it; unfortunately, Angela, who I was most worried about, I’m not able to be in touch with her at the time. But I really tried to approach that aspect of the book from a place of… I didn’t want to bring any of my resentments into the story. That was not the place to air them. The fact is, most of the faults in those relationships were mine, so I erred on the side of putting that up front.

My last question is one that is super-inconsequential to just about everybody, but do you know what happened to that dude Joel Wick, who ran your old label Makoto Recordings? Because he still owes me, like, $60 from that failed 7-inch series he did.
[Laughs.] The funny thing about Joel is I hadn’t heard from him in close to 10 years, and then he got in touch after hearing about this book coming out. He found me through LinkedIn. People still talk about that 7-inch debacle. [In 2001, Makoto Recordings launched a monthly split 7-inch subscription series, advertised as featuring Cursive, Small Brown Bike, Ted Leo, the Good Life, Q And Not U, the Casket Lottery and many more. Only the first four installments ever came out; Makoto closed shortly thereafter, and no one received refunds. —inconsequential scene-politics ed.]

But like a lot of people from that time, myself included, if you went back and asked them about me, they would have a much different impression of who I am. But the thing about being involved in a music scene, especially one as storied as Michigan’s, is that it does really follow you around. When I first moved to New York eight years ago, I was at a party and someone introduced me as “Sean from Thoughts Of Ionesco.” It blew my mind. I was like, “Really? That’s how you identify me?” So those stories follow us around. That was another reason I wanted to write the book—to put those stories out there in as honest a fashion as I can.

Okay, final-final question, which I have to ask: Do you think Thoughts Of Ionesco would ever reunite?
We’ve probably been asked 10 times over the years, but the music we made was borne of such raw pain and aggression and terror, really, that it would be completely ridiculous for me to try and tap back into that. I have really mixed feelings about the reunion phenomenon; I really think some things are better left as a moment in time—Black Flag, for instance. [Laughs.] It’s not gonna be more true now than it was then, so why do it? alt

They will release their DE III EP on April 15 via Bridge Nine Records. It features guest vocals from Jake Burns (Stiff Little Fingers) and Jeff Pezzati (Naked Raygun). Pre-orders can be obtained from the B9 Store. The EP will follow the band’s two previously released EPs: 2012’s self-titled and 2013’s Dead Ending II—both released via Alternative Tentacles.

Dead Ending is Jeff Dean, Vic Bondi (Articles Of Faith), Derek Grant (Alkaline Trio) and Joe Principe (Rise Against).

Dead Ending will release their DE III EP this April via Bridge Nine Records. The EP also features guest vocals from Jake Burns (Stiff Little Fingers) and Jeff Pezzati (Naked Raygun). Song premieres and pre-order information will be available soon. The EP will follow the band’s two previously released EPs: 2012’s self-titled and 2013’s Dead Ending II—both released via Alternative Tentacles.

Dead Ending is Jeff Dean, Vic Bondi (Articles Of Faith), Derek Grant (Alkaline Trio), Joe Principe (Rise Against).