Talinda married L.A. County firefighter Michael Friedman around New Year’s Eve 2019.

Read more: This new leak may have just revealed the entire ‘Spider-Man 3’ plot

According to TMZ, Talinda filed her divorce petition this Wednesday, Jan. 27 in L.A. County. Then, earlier this week, Talinda confirmed that she and Freidman were parting ways. The couple got engaged in September 2019 and were then married at Turtle Bay Resort in Kahuku, Hawaii.

“I am ready to announce that Michael and I have decided to move forward with our lives as friends,” she says on Instagram. “Divorce is never easy, but in our case it was for the best. We have remained good friends and he continues to be an important part of my children’s lives. Love and loss is part of life and it’s even harder when you have to do it in the public eye. Thank you for your love and support and respect for our privacy at this time.”

Read more: Elon Musk is backing Reddit’s GameStop stocks ploy again—here’s why

Since Chester Bennington’s death back in 2017, Talinda has been an advocate for her late husband’s work and mental illness. Back in 2018, she participated in a suicide prevention PSA alongside Linkin Park‘s Mike Shinoda. More recently, in 2019, she debuted the 320 Festival which was created to benefit mental health awareness.

Then, in 2020, Talinda forged a partnership with Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman for the 320 Summit. The 320 Project is a non-profit dedicated to addressing the mental health problems facing our communities.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the 320 Festival still went ahead as scheduled. However, Lyman and Talinda took the entire event virtual. A slew of artists were involved in last year’s event including YUNGBLUD who opened up about his own struggles with mental health.

In a move straight from our wildest dreams, the Mayday Parade and Yellowcard frontmen have partnered with Cardio Sport to co-host and DJ a pop-punk-fueled, emo night-style fitness class. 

Read more: Fans think Hayley Williams is teasing a new solo album with these clues

Cardio Sport is founded on a mission to develop sport-centric exercise methods that are grounded in purpose rather than repetitive motion. The company is notably music-inspired, featuring high-energy tracks from a number of our favorite Warped Tour alumni. In fact, festival founder Kevin Lyman is among their partners. Others include Bayside, Our Last Night, Senses Fail, Silverstein, Sleeping With Sirens, State Champs, Underoath and We The Kings.

The livestream event, which includes a Q&A with Key and Sanders, will take place Friday, Jan. 29 from 8-9 p.m. EST. Tickets for the stream are available for $11 here. For each purchase, $1 will be donated to MusiCares to fund artist relief. Be sure to sign up ASAP because the first 250 people will be entered to win a virtual meet and greet. Alternative Press readers will also be entered to win one of two custom record players valued at $120. Just enter promo code “ALTPRESS” at checkout. 

Read more: These 15 albums from 1991 laid the foundation for punk as we know it

In addition, Cardio Sport is offering a special promotion to those who subscribe to the program. For $14.99 a month, members can access a suite of on-demand workouts soundtracked by their favorite artists. Sign up by the end of January and you’ll receive a free equipment package valued at $50. 

Key and Sanders caught up with Alternative Press ahead of their livestream event to talk about their participation with Cardio Sport and personal workout routines. If you’ve been in need of motivation to kick-start that New Year’s resolution, look no further.

You’ve recently signed on as official Cardio Sport partners. Apart from the obvious inclinations toward our favorite genres, what was it about the program that really captured your interest?

RYAN KEY: My fitness journey has been good but spotty. I’m very on-again, off-again when I get busy. I’m not super great at maintaining a routine. I’ll kill it for a month or two, and then I just get distracted. So that’s always been my workout regimen. I was very fortunate and inherited some pretty good genes, I think. Both of my parents are in their late 60s and early 70s, and they look amazing. I can’t really take any credit for that, but I’m very grateful for it. [Laughs]. 

Read more: QUIZ: Are you really as emo as you think you are?

Back in 2007 or 2008, I hit a wall. Mental and physical health-wise, I was not really doing great. One of the things I wanted to do was get in shape for the first time since I was a kid and [participating in] high school athletics. Once I joined a rock band, that all went out the window, and I was a touring, drinking, partying mess for about eight years. So, I decided I wanted to gain some weight because I was skinny—unhealthily skinny. I got a trainer and got in the gym, and it was amazing. It changed my physique, my energy levels and everything forever after that. 

I’ve always exercised since then. But with that said, I’ve always hated the gym. It’s the most boring form of exercise to me. I know some people love it. My sister’s a gym rat, and she’s obsessed with it. But unless someone’s standing over me and screaming, which gets really expensive, I just don’t really like the gym. A lot of the workouts I’ve done post-2008 have been on-demand style. So, when I heard about [Cardio Sport], I was like, “That’s exactly the kind of stuff I like to do.” And I think fans will really be stoked because it’s all based around Yellowcard and Mayday Parade-style bands and music.

DEREK SANDERS: Yeah, I love the premise. It’s kind of obvious, you know? It’s like, “Why hasn’t this been done before?” So yeah, I’m stoked to be a part of it.

Read more: Here’s why Raven, the Acid Bath Princess, is revealing her identity now

KEY: [Cardio Sport’s director Hilary Hartman] said something to me early on about how much people are missing going to shows right now and how much exercise you get if you’re the kind of person that gets involved at a show. People are missing running and jumping around together. I think something like this is going to give you a hardcore workout but distract you by the music in a good way. It lets you forget what you’re doing. It’s obviously not going to replace a show, but it might replace some of that energy for you. It’s a good outlet.

If you don’t mind me asking, what does a standard workout look like for you day to day? 

SANDERS: I’ve been trying to take exercising more seriously lately. I don’t usually do a workout at one time, but I do different things throughout the day. I do pull-ups and a lot of yoga, planks, sit-ups, crunches and squats. It’s really just a hodgepodge of things. If I’m making dinner and I have five minutes, I’ll try to do some exercise. I have these [daily] goals. I’ll [aim to do] 40 pull-ups, 60 sit-ups, and plank for a total of four or five minutes. It probably makes more sense to do an hour of exercise one time, but I’ve just never been good at doing that. I spread it out. I feel like you have to do whatever works for you, and this is what’s been working for me.

Read more: 10 pop-punk albums from the ’90s that set the path for the genre

KEY: My [routine’s] got to be in and out and kind of gnarly. I’ve been a Beachbody workout person for a long time. I started with P90X and Insanity, but those are so long. In the original P90X, the yoga part alone was 90 minutes or something. But the guy who started Insanity, Shaun T, has a program called T25. It’s 25 minutes, and it’s so gnarly. It feels like I have a trainer there that’s getting me into a full-flop sweat. 

Last year during quarantine was the most I’ve ever stuck to doing it every single day. I probably made it through four or five months. I’m totally off it now because I moved in December, but I got pretty shredded. I felt good. I need that half-hour in and out. I can’t do 90 minutes a day with everything else I’ve got going on. So in the same way that Derek’s just trying to squeeze it in when he can, I’ve got to get up, get some protein, do it and be done for the day. 

It sounds like the Cardio Sport workouts are similar. They’re a half-hour to 40 minutes and kicking your butt for that entire time. Again, going to the gym, I’m like, “Meh, this is boring.” I have trouble working myself up into a full-on raging workout on my own. So having coaches or a guided workout is always really beneficial for me.

Read more: 10 unsigned emo bands to keep an eye on in 2021

What genres and artists do you tend to listen to while working out?

SANDERS: Honestly, it could be [anything] from stripped-down chill to extreme hardcore. It depends on if I’m doing yoga and wanting to listen to more chilled-out stuff or really going for and [in the mood for] aggressive music. Like Ryan said, whatever you’re listening to is just something else to focus on. It’s something to take your mind off the physical pain that you’re going through, [so you’ll] make it a little bit further than you would without it.

KEY: If I’m doing a guided thing that I’m watching on TV, it has the worst cheesy, terrible workout music known to man. It’s like MIDI guitars, and it’s just really bad. But there’s a trainer, so it offsets that. It’s funny that Derek likes chill music [because] when I’m on my own, that’s it. I don’t listen to heavy rock or metal or anything. Even if I’m getting a pump on, I’m listening to Hammock or Explosions In The Sky. I just like to zone out no matter what, and it accomplishes just what Derek said. Ambient electronica and post-rock are what I’m really into anyway. It just takes my mind off what I’m doing, and before I know it, I’m like, “Wow, I’ve been here for an hour.”

Why do you think so many people gravitate toward pop punk for cardio workouts?

KEY: Derek, do you guys have one of these on any of your records? [Beats his hands rapidly against his chest.]

SANDERS: No, we don’t do much of that, but there might be a touch of it in the new stuff we’re recording.

Read more: 10 ways Maggie Lindemann is keeping emo alive in a whole new way

KEY: [Laughs]. I love it. Yeah, so that’s why. Yellowcard had a few. We got away from it on the last couple of records when we considered ourselves old and midtempo. But our early records have that punk, Foo Fighters-style beat. It’s so driving and upbeat. I think the whole genre really lends itself to physical activity. As you can tell from our shows, everything is nutso. 

SANDERS: Right. The energy is natural with pop punk. We talk about those shows being so energetic, so of course it translates to [exercise] as well.

If you can mosh to it, then you can run and lift to it, right? It’s funny, these things really go hand and hand, but we rarely see crossover in terms of direct artist involvement. What do you think opened the door for an event like this to occur?

SANDERS: [Cardio Sport] is the first organized attempt to make something like this happen, at least that I’m aware of. If I had been asked about something like this years ago, I would’ve been like, “Yeah, that’s cool. Let’s do it!” This is just the first attempt to bring the artist into it, and it’s really smart.

Read more: 10 underrated songs from 2000s bands that are just as good as their hits

KEY: I think we needed the team at Cardio Sport to say, “This is our idea we’re going to execute it.” And no one’s done that [until now]. But I also think there’s something cool about this that correlates with our music scene as well. I think that the Warped Tour scene of bands is such a broad spectrum. There’s a sense of community, and everyone can be a part of it. People considered it to be a place for outcasts, but it’s not exclusive to that. It’s a place where outcasts and popular kids meet in the middle. All different walks of life were following these bands. 

From what I get, the vibe of Cardio Sport is the same. You don’t have to be The Rock to do this workout. You can modify it and do whatever. They’re encouraging the community like, “Come jam to the music and have fun. It’s chill. If you can’t keep up right now, that’s fine. You’ll get there.” It’s the same way we talked to fans, encouraging them to be themselves and follow their dreams. I think they work really well together. 

Read more: QUIZ: Can you tell if Taylor Swift or an alternative band sang these lyrics?

You’ve both done DJ sets in the past via Emo Night. What differences have you observed in putting together the set for this livestream in comparison to those?

SANDERS: This was the first virtual DJ set that I’ve done, so it was definitely uncharted territory. I wasn’t sure how to approach it. Ultimately, I just did the same thing I would have done at an actual Emo Night but by myself in front of a computer instead of onstage. That’s just what felt the best and most natural. It was more fun than I expected. It really made me miss doing actual emo nights in front of people so much. I just tried to channel the same vibe and energy into this.

KEY: I had the same experience. Actually, I think Derek had a little more fun than I did because I had a bad cable going to my camera. I would get like four songs in, and it would just go black and I’d have to start over. I finally rigged it to where it would hold, and I only got one little blip in the whole set. If someone had been outside of my window watching in here while I was doing that by myself, [it would have been] the most awkward thing ever. [Laughs]. 

Read more: 10 acoustic songs from heavy artists to bring it down a notch

Do you often lean toward the same music when building the setlists?

KEY: Yeah. The songs are the songs, right? It’s just, “Which ones are you going to do, and which am I going to do?” I always send the courtesy email before any Emo Night thing like, “These are the songs I’d like to do, but if I’m taking too many bangers just let me know.”

What are your staples for those setlists? Are there any songs that you have to include no matter what?

SANDERS: A lot of My Chemical Romance, for sure. It goes over better than anything else. But there are a lot of songs. It’s such a cool thing. Who would have known back in the 2000s, when a lot of this music came out, that it would still be this impactful? People talk about how it’s not just a phase. These are grown-ups listening to these songs still, and it’s a cool thing.

Read more: 50 most anticipated albums of 2021 in alternative, metal and beyond

For sure. It’s funny because emo used to be perceived as derogatory, but now it’s this point of cultural nostalgia. 

KEY: I think that emo night can still be a little odd and polarizing for people. It’s definitely more accepted now, but when the two main brands started having success, there were bands that weren’t cool with it. There were problems around it. I’ve probably done 200 shows with the Brooklyn guys. It’s honestly been a huge part of my ability to carry on career-wise. Just that little extra help along the way without having Yellowcard in my life has been awesome. I didn’t understand it at all when I first heard about it. I just had this bad connotation in my mind of playing other people’s songs on a laptop. 

Even up to doing the first show, I think I was still a hater. But I’ve gotten in debates with people about it. I’m like, “Look, some of the shows I’ve done have had 2,000 people. You get up onstage and look out at them losing their minds and having the ultimate experience of their life together while singing, crying, hugging and dancing. If you have a problem with that, then you’re the problem.” 

Everybody is doing nothing but sharing positive vibes and energy, and the world needs so much of that. I’ve realized over the years that Emo Night is such a wellspring of positivity. The nostalgia is tangible. It’s real. I really enjoy doing them, mostly just from the experience I get. Watching people watch me jump around like an idiot really makes me happy.

Read more: 20 debut albums that took metalcore to the next level in 2020

Do you think these Cardio Sport livestreams could be feasibly translated into in-person, emo night-style events in the future when it’s safe to do so? 

SANDERS: God, I hope so. I look forward to any kind of gathering of people and singing songs together in person. I just miss that so much right now, and I would love for the chance to do that.

KEY: I think it would translate really easily in the studio where workouts are happening. I know that they do a lot of stuff on college campuses, so those classes might be bigger. There’s definitely room for us to integrate it.

What other artists would you most like to see leading a group workout in this capacity?

KEY: Honestly, out of everyone I’ve done it with in all the hundreds of shows that I’ve done, I’m doing this one with one of my favorites. I would say my other bud that I love doing them with is Jordan Pundik from New Found Glory. The three of us just have the same alter egos when we get up there. We let go and lose our minds with the crowd. It makes you feel more comfortable getting up there, being an idiot and jumping around. It takes a certain level of, “OK, I’m getting over this hump because it’s just music playing through the speakers.”

Read more: 10 long scene songs that were worth the extra storage space on your iPod

When I do a long set, I do some DJing per se, but not anything that would qualify me as a DJ. You find out that fans really don’t enjoy when you manipulate the songs too much. The concept behind going to the emo night shows is hearing the song played all the way through, just as if the band were playing it. We’ve blown sound systems at these shows. So you get over that hump of, “OK, this could be really uncomfortable, or I could just let go and lose my mind.” I found that Derek and Jordan are able to get over it too and not just chill behind the computer.

I imagine that your participation may pique the interest of some fans who otherwise might be inexperienced in the realm of fitness. What encouragement or advice do you have to offer to someone who might be on the fence about joining the Cardio Sport livestream or maybe even committing to a long-term workout routine in general?

SANDERS: Ryan touched on this earlier, but it’s not “all or nothing” with exercise or physical activity. I feel like a lot of people don’t take care of themselves very well. Just starting and hopefully building into something more serious is a great thing. You’re never going to regret the fact that you tried to move in this direction. Anybody can build toward something great.

Read more: 10 artists’ most and least streamed Spotify songs that might surprise you

KEY: It’s definitely never too late to start. My own journey with it is so off and on that I feel like I’m starting over every year. I’ll reach a point where I’m like, “Dude, it’s just 30 minutes of your day. Just get up and do it.” Starting my own little community in Patreon, something I’ve noticed on a more acute level is [fans’] interactions with each other. When I’m doing the Q&A or shows, I’m reading the comments and seeing how many of them are making friends with each other. If [the Cardio Sport livestreams] catch on the way we’re all hoping they will, I think the sense of community will help motivate people. You’re going to have people communicating with each other, saying, “Don’t slack. If you need motivation, I’m here.”

What advice do you have for people to live their healthiest and happiest lives, especially in light of pandemic-imposed limitations?

SANDERS: Well, there’s no excuse now. There are so many things that we are limited by and things that we can’t do. Now’s the time to take those steps to begin your journey toward your physical wellness.

Read more: 10 rising Australian pop-punk bands you need to hear

KEY: It’s another constant battle for me. I was doing really well last year, but I moved again, and I was so exhausted. For the last eight weeks, I’ve been eating like crap. I’m totally settled now and about to get back on the path to light. I know we’re here talking about a workout program, and exercise is really important, but you’ve got to eat right. If you put a bunch of crap in your body, you’re not going to get any good results. Hopefully [the Cardio Sport] community will be something that will help with that motivation too. You’re feeling good, and you’re getting fit, but you’ve got to get the Pop-Tarts out of your life. You’ll be amazed how you feel, especially if you’ve been someone who hasn’t eaten like that as an adult. It just changes your whole experience on Earth.

Don’t forget to sign up for the Jan. 29 livestream and subscribe to Cardio Sport On Demand. Key and Sanders will be taking questions for their Q&A in advance via social media and during the event.

“Just about” is a rather significant caveat, though. While the vast majority of active scene artists made a Warped appearance at least once in their tenure, there were a handful who never signed on.

Read more: Did the Used just confirm that My Chemical Romance tour rumor was true?

Read on for 10 bands you won’t believe never performed on Warped Tour.

twenty one pilots

twenty one pilots are the pinnacle of alternative eclecticism, exemplifying a good bit of everything the Warped Tour scene had to offer. Therefore, it’s extremely surprising that this popular outfit never got involved with the festival. It’s not like they didn’t have a decade of opportunity following their debut in 2009.

Slipknot

Rest assured, Kevin Lyman did manage to get his hands on Slipknot… For Mayhem Festival. It’s fitting, we know. But our hearts still break for all the obsessed scene kids who never got to see them on the Warped main stage, sandwiched between much lighter acts. Because, really, what do metal fans like more than bands who aren’t metal?

Panic! At The Disco

Panic! At The Disco skyrocketed alongside other icons such as Paramore and Fall Out Boy. Despite existing largely in the same scene, though, the band never appeared on Warped Tour alongside their peers. Honestly, it might be for the better. There’s only so much swooning we can do in extreme heat before passing out for real.

Read more: This moment at Warped Tour led to YUNGBLUD’s powerful song “mars”

Tokio Hotel

Did anyone go through their scene phase without adding Tokio Hotel to their iPods? If you did, you’re missing out. Sort of like the band missed out on the Warped Tour experience… Although, we can’t imagine that Bill Kaulitz‘s signature teased hair would hold up well in the humidity.

The Medic Droid

The Medic Droid were in prime standing to be Warped Tour staples. Granted, the same could be said for any synth-pop act who had a semblance of a following in the mid-2000s. It’s honestly disappointing that we didn’t see them on the tour, though. They would have accompanied acts such as Cobra Starship and Metro Station so well.

Stereo Skyline

Stereo Skyline were only active in the scene for a short while, but damn if they didn’t capture our hearts. Given that they were a beacon of the neon pop-punk movement popularized by Warped Tour, we’re honestly shocked that they never made it on. That’s all the more reason for a comeback… From both the band and the tour.

Read more: 10 rising Australian pop-punk bands you need to hear

Evanescence

We’ll admit, Evanescence probably aren’t the first outfit who come to mind when you think of the Warped Tour vibe. But given their popularity among the alternative crowd, it seems a little strange that they never even made an acoustic appearance. That said, they did headline the Nintendo Fusion tour on its first run in 2003.

System Of A Down

Yeah, we were shook by this one too. System Of A Down were way too big in the scene to have never had a Warped Tour debut. But alas, the world is full of surprises. We doubt they’re too torn up about the missed milestone, given the long list of other festivals that they’ve played worldwide.

HIM

We wish we could justify this notable Warped Tour absence as the result of being a foreign band. However, the festival had a pretty global reach and even did some European runs. So it really just seems like our luck fell short when it came to HIM. We’re trying hard not to be upset about it.

Read more: 10 rock auditions from ‘American Idol’ you need to see

The Veronicas

Wait, what? The band who’ve shared stages with the likes of Boys Like Girls and the Academy Is… never stepped foot on Warped Tour? We’re not able to believe this one. The Veronicas were far too much of a neon staple to have never had that honor.

Which bands were you surprised to learn never played Warped Tour? Let us know in the comments!

Eminem‘s been on a roll with the tactic. The rapper made headlines after taking a jab at Machine Gun Kelly on his 2018 album, Kamikaze. Now, on his latest record, he’s throwing some shade at Billie Eilish (although it’s softened by his wishing her a happy birthday).

Read more: Here’s the real reason Halsey is still hiding all of those clues for her music

Such antagonism is hardly limited to rap and pop stars, though. In fact, it’s quite prevalent (albeit usually more subtle) in alternative music. Read on for 10 of our favorite diss tracks to come out of the scene.

“Dead Horse” – Hayley Williams

Lyric: “Oh, I stayed with you too long/Skipping like a record, but I sang along/A shitty, never-ending song”

Hayley Williams reportedly wrote this track on her debut solo album, Petals For Armor, from the standpoint of self-reflection. However, that didn’t stop her from taking some digs at her ex-husband, Chad Gilbert (New Found Glory), in the process. In case the target of the song isn’t made abundantly clear by the context, her reference to the affair that started the relationship certainly seals the deal.

“Whoa On The Whoas” – NOFX

Lyric: “Between AFI and the Offspring/I don’t think we need anyone else to sing/Any more whoas”

It’s not like NOFX to hold back, as we’ve all come to learn. The punk-rock outfit have been turning heads since at least the ’90s, when they took aim at Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill) for her feminist stances (“Kill Rock Stars”). “Whoa On The Whoas” is a lighthearted track by comparison, calling on bands to stop incorporating “whoa”s and “na na na”s into their lyrics. Of course, AFI and the Offspring were ripe to make examples out of in this regard.

“Warped Summer Extravaganza (Major Excellent)” – The Lawrence Arms

Lyric: “This Kevin or that one, it all seems the same/Exploit the avenues, fix all the games”

Sure, Warped Tour remains a popular point of nostalgia for the alternative scene, but that doesn’t mean everyone’s crazy about it. The Lawrence Arms made this abundantly clear in their aptly named track “Warped Summer Extravaganza (Major Excellent).” Calling out the festival founder Kevin Lyman wasn’t enough, though. The band went on to subtly reference bands, including AFI, Hawthorne Heights and Yellowcard, throughout the song.

Read more: QUIZ: How normal are your emo opinions compared to everyone else?

“Starfuckers, Inc.” – Nine Inch Nails

Lyric: “Starfuckers/Now I belong, I’m one of the beautiful ones”

Nine Inch Nails‘ famed ’90s track “Starfuckers, Inc.” could easily stand as a generalized diss toward the music industry. However, Marilyn Manson confirmed that Trent Reznor wrote the song about him. In an appropriately representative display of their historically tumultuous relationship, Manson actually went on to co-direct and appear in the music video.

“Something Personal” – Bright And Early

Lyric: “Never looked good in high tops or camo/Never had a fake fur-hooded coat/I won’t strike a pose like All Time Low”

All right, this may be one of the lesser-known diss tracks out there, but it’s definitely worth a mention. While the attempted shots at scene favorites such as All Time Low and Green Day have us rolling our eyes, the digs are kind of hilarious. One thing we can get on board with is the apparent support for Cobra Starship. “Isn’t it time that Gabe filled his pockets?” Why yes, Bright And Early, yes it is.

“My Girlfriend” – Guttermouth

Lyric: “God please help me/Bad Religion in her brand/Brett is back in the band”

Guttermouth take a pretty unconventional approach to dissing bands in their track “My Girlfriend.” Rather than addressing any one band directly, they just pick apart this poor (hopefully fictional) girl’s music taste. Between Bad Religion, the Offspring and Pennywise, nobody seems safe. Side note, ladies: Don’t let anyone give you hell for moshing.

Read more: 10 emo songs from the 2000s that sounded surprisingly upbeat

“Blacklist” – Bring Me The Horizon

Lyric: “We built an empire and you took the throne/But you built it from bayonets and sat there alone”

This heavy, rage-filled Bring Me The Horizon track was written in response to Curtis Ward leaving the band. The guitarist reportedly hated performing and hadn’t contributed much to the band’s sophomore album, Suicide Season. As a result, animosity was high around the time of his departure. Ultimately, they were able to put differences aside, and Ward even joined the band for their 2014 performance at Wembley Arena.

“Sometimes It Ends” – Asking Alexandria

Lyric: “I’ve spent too many years in this house of pain/If you can’t find the words, read between the lines”

When it came to his anger toward former Asking Alexandria vocalist Danny Worsnop, guitarist Ben Bruce knew he had to get it out and move on. And thus, one of the scene’s most legendary diss tracks was born. However, rather than leaving fans to speculate on who the lyrics were aimed at, Bruce spells it out during the spoken-word intro.

“You Bet We’ve Got Something Against You!” – Black Flag

Lyric: “We know/You stole our song/You were there/Every touch in wrong”

There’s no way you could write this one off as being generic punk angst. Black Flag weren’t going to take the subtle approach when they called out former vocalist Keith Morris for ripping a song. At the time, Morris had re-recorded the group’s song “I Don’t Care” under his new outfit, Circle Jerks. Unsurprisingly, his previous bandmates weren’t thrilled.

Read more: 50 rising pop-punk bands you need to hear from every state in the US

“I’ll Stick Around” – Foo Fighters

Lyric: “I’ve been around all the pawns you’ve gagged and bound/They’ll come back and knock you down/And I’ll be free”

Of course, no list of alternative music disses is complete without mention of Foo Fighters‘ notorious jab at Courtney Love in 1995. The feud between Dave Grohl and Love was well known. They were quite vocal about their contempt for one another following Kurt Cobain‘s death in 1994. However, Grohl only publicly admitted that he’d written the song about Love in his 2011 biography. Even with that dig out in the open, the pair reportedly reconciled in 2014.

What are your favorite alternative diss tracks? Let us know in the comments below!

The tour’s founder Kevin Lyman is finally speaking out on whether or not he thinks the iconic summer festival could make a return in the future.

Read more: Frank Iero teased the new Future Violents EP for longer than you realize

Since the final run of Warped Tour last year, Lyman has been dropping major hints about other festival plans. Earlier this year, he hinted that a Warped Tour replacement may be in the works. After a fellow emo kid expressed concern over what event is going to fill the Warped Tour-sized hole in our hearts, Lyman had a brief, and cryptic, response.

It might just be called something else.

— KevinLyman (@KevinLyman) May 9, 2020

Now, due to the ongoing pandemic, it’s possible that some of Lyman’s plans have changed. However, he told All Punked Up in a recent interview that possible plans to bring Warped Tour back are still fresh in his mind. In fact, he’s already envisioned just what the tour may look like if it does make a comeback.

Read more: These classic films on Disney+ will help you get into the holiday spirit

“You never want to say never, you know? I’ve got some ideas, but they may be more towards the charity side of stuff we were doing,” he says. “I did that big punk festival, the It’s Not Dead Punk Festival, out here that was super fun. You know, I don’t want to say never. You never want to. I think there may be a moment that [we] want to get a reunion together maybe on the cruise ship again or something. That was a lot of fun.”

Despite the potential future plans, Warped Tour fanatics probably shouldn’t hold their breath. Back in August, Lyman noted that it may be a while before the live industry as we know it returns back to normal.

Following the massive COVID-19 outbreak at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally this summer, Lyman said that it’s these types of unsafe events that are further hurting the industry. According to the Washington Post, over 260,000 coronavirus cases have been linked back to the event.

This is one more reason we will not see shows in the near future, or any future if it keeps happening. Sets the whole business back every time it does. Every time this happens it messes it up for those who want to do it right. https://t.co/jxOKT1YDPG

— KevinLyman (@KevinLyman) August 10, 2020

Read more: Black Veil Brides guitarist Jinxx tests positive for coronavirus

For now, it looks like Lyman is keeping the Warped Tour door open. Although he doesn’t reveal when the tour could make a return, there’s still hope that the punk rock-filled summers of our youth aren’t memories of the past just yet.

Elsewhere in the All Punked Up interview, Lyman opens up on how Warped Tour got its start, how he’s staying busy during the pandemic and what other projects he has in the works.

His full All Punked Up interview is available to stream below.

Do you want Warped Tour to make a return? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Much like during the pop-punk heyday of the 2000s, our favorite bands feel like an extension of who we are. So, naturally, we have to question which modern vocalists are most representative of our personalities.

Read more: Relive Waterparks’ ‘FANDOM’ era once again with this “[Reboot]” live video

Take the quiz below to see which iconic alternative 2010s vocalist you best align with.

More on 2010s alternative music

While many associate alternative culture with mid-2000s pop punk and emo, the scene has continued to thrive throughout the past decade. This comes partially by way of the continued progression of early rooted artists such as Panic! At The Disco, Paramore, and Fall Out Boy. However, the rise of newer bands with diverse influences and sounds has also contributed significantly to shaping the modern scene.

Largely, the alternative genre shifted over the 2010s to include more electronica, hip-hop and indie elements. Genre-bending bands such as Neon Trees and twenty one pilots rose to the forefront, dominating radio waves.

Read more: Here’s how Meet Me @ The Altar are changing the landscape of pop-punk

Though it would seem that pop punk in particular lost its mainstream appeal in the 2010s, recent trends have given hope for a new spotlight on the genre. In September, rapper Machine Gun Kelly released his pop-punk album, Tickets To My Downfall, which has since topped various charts. Other notable artists, such as YUNGBLUD and Halsey, attribute their success largely to their pop-punk foundations.

Perhaps the best evidence of alternative music’s perpetual hold on us is the continued success of the final Vans Warped Tour. The eclectic festival celebrated 25 years in 2019, drawing in thousands of fans with acts including the Used, Four Year Strong and blink-182. Although Warped Tour as we know it appears to be in the rearview, a tweet by Kevin Lyman earlier this year suggests that we may see a new incarnation in the future. 

What the creative mind behind Vans Warped Tour says can happen, however, is the exchange of ideas and the expansion of networking opportunities within the industry.

And that’s exactly what Lyman and Dynamic Talent International CEO Trevor Swenson are aiming to accomplish with the virtual ADAPT Conference: a one-day event geared toward bringing an industry, which Lyman says is seemingly always in “competition” with itself, together.

Read more: Apparently blink-182’s new songs will sound like these classic albums

“In March, when this started, the rug got pulled out [from under] so many people,” Lyman says. “There was a lot of panic in the business. There was a lot of fear in the business. And how do you overcome that fear? It’s going to show that it takes cooperation to make this business go forward. There’s no one on their high horse in this business anymore. Everyone got knocked off.”

The conference, which Lyman hopes feels more like a seminar, features sessions on how artists can break through during the pandemic, how drive-in concerts and livestream events could be the future of touring and how decision-makers can address the lack of diversity in the touring industry, among other topics. The event features several “teachers,” ranging from Good Charlotte vocalist and Veeps CEO Joel Madden to Twitch’s Director of Premium Music Content Brian Rucker to recording artist Tessa Violet.

Outside of its learning opportunities, ADAPT offers a 50% discount on tickets, normally $149, for those who may have lost their jobs during the pandemic. The discount puts attendees’ names on an “open to work” database, hopefully bringing them closer to employment.

Read more: Wendy’s has some things to say about pop-punk and the new MGK album

“Everybody right now is down,” Swenson says. “So why not get all the people that are thriving [to teach]? We’re getting the teachers that are helping people make money. And now, you can come and see how they’re doing it.”

Alternative Press caught up with Swenson and Lyman about the importance of bringing the industry together, how the conference came to be and what they hope the experience can mean for young people trying to navigate the music industry during its most turbulent period.

Let’s take it back to when this all began. Obviously, the ADAPT Conference is a direct response to those working, or struggling to work, through the pandemic. At what point did the two of you join forces and start considering this as a real possibility?

KEVIN LYMAN: We were talking about it in [Trevor’s] backyard, about the direction of the business. Luckily, for the first summer in 28 years, I didn’t have a big summer plan. So I’ve been talking to a lot of people, bouncing ideas off [them]. Trevor’s been doing his thing, talking to a lot of people. We thought there were people doing some pretty cool stuff, but there seemed to be a lot of people paralyzed, on the side of the fence, not really jumping in with their artists.

TREVOR SWENSON: We just realized that there was definitely a need for teaching people about other means of income because it’s hard right now.

LYMAN: And we found people that are willing to teach other people and give them tips, maybe on some of the roadblocks that they had hit in their business and then how they got around them or over them, and are willing to send people home with some actual tools to work through this… And so I just think it’s gonna be a good teaching lesson. I think we’ve connected with a lot of students and young people across the country. From looking at the ticket purchases, to be honest, I was looking at it as we’d get more industry people. But what we’re seeing [is] a lot of young people taking interest in it. [They’re] gonna be the future of the business anyhow.

Do you think the best way for others to learn right now is through those who are experiencing all of this themselves?

LYMAN: Absolutely. It’s interesting, too, because we’re having Noelle Scaggs and Jerome Crooks talking about their Diversify The Stage program. Everyone rushes in and goes, “We have to fix this problem.” It’s an inherent problem, but it doesn’t get fixed overnight. When I saw that it was Jerome Crooks behind it, Jerome was the first tour manager at Warped Tour. In 1996, he came out here. So I know that they’re into it for the long haul. They’re not just saying, “Oh, we can fix this overnight.” It’s going to take some education, tools and support to do this.

SWENSON: Getting these people that are teaching these classes is incredible because there’s such a niche amount of people right now that are actually thriving in the music world. Everybody right now is down. So why not get all the people that are thriving? We’re getting the teachers that are helping people make money. And now, you can come and see how they’re doing it. They’re gonna tell you exactly what they’re doing.

Bouncing off that, instead of using the term “panelists,” you refer to those teaching ADAPT’s sessions as just that: teachers. Can you describe the idea behind this?

LYMAN: I’m a full-time professor at University of Southern California now. I teach five classes there. When we approached the teachers, we said, “We’re looking for people who want to teach in a classroom, almost a classroom setting.” Presenting powerpoints and guidelines and giving people notes so they can go back and say, “Maybe I can implement some of this stuff into my own business.” So as this comes down to a micro or microcosm of society as a whole, we as an industry have to pull together and not be in competition, as we always seem to be all in competition, and work together to bring it back.

SWENSON: We’re definitely music-focused on this. You can tell that we’ve got the big labels coming in with Elektra, and we’re talking about the label aspects of things too, which could help even new indie labels develop their product and get this stuff up. Because the old model isn’t working anymore. It’s not, “Set a release date, set a tour, release the record, go tour.” It’s different now… We have the Director of Premium Content [Brian Rucker] from Twitch teaching one of these classes. You can go on there and create your own show for comedians, [or] you can create your own show for dance. There’s so many different things you could learn from this just by setting up content creation and then generating revenue off YouTube or Twitch or Veeps or whatever streaming service you use. There’s so much more opportunity on this to learn how to do that stuff.

There are some pretty exciting names joining you: Mike Easterlin, Tessa Violet, Joel Madden. Were most teachers excited to share some of the insight they’ve learned over the last seven months?

LYMAN: I think some people are like, “Wow, you want me to teach?” There were a couple of people that were like, “I haven’t ever really sat on one of those big panels, but you want me to come in and teach?” There’s a couple that I had come into my classes at USC to pre-teach just to get them more comfortable in the setting. And they did great.

SWENSON: I think it’s interesting that we have more teachers than we allotted for. Like, we were originally only going to have maybe one teacher per class. And now it turns into all these people that are doing well [and] want to teach it together. So you’re not getting just one point of view. You’re getting multiples in these classes of different aspects of how they’re doing different things in different markets or different styles.

And there’s no better way to learn from others than to network. When did this idea for the “open to work” database begin to take shape?

SWENSON: We need to give Kat [Cody] full credit on that because Kat came up with that idea. We were trying to figure out a way because we understand that $149 for an unemployed person is crazy expensive. We just wanted to make sure we’re not going to give the information away for free but at a 50% discount. And then what she thought of was, “Why not have a live job board?” So if you buy a ticket to the show, all these attendees that are going to be there are looking for jobs. People that might be hiring or even the speakers might want to increase their staff. Here’s a live job board that costs the exact same amount with a ticket of 50% off that it would list yourself on Monster.com or something like that. 

I’m also curious as to how much ground you aim to cover with this conference and what your ultimate goal is in terms of the number of sessions you’re offering?

LYMAN: It’s just to move things forward. It almost felt like an obligation in some way. If we’re observing something and seeing [the effects of the pandemic], why not give it a shot and see if we can pull it together? It is painful every day in this business to talk to people. There are a lot of people out of work. Trevor has worked a long time. I’ve been at it for 40 years. The pain that people are going through right now, it hurts. It’s also a sense of keeping busy. You want to keep busy. A lot of people are talking in our business like, “I’m working harder than ever. I don’t know if I’m getting anything done, but I’m working harder than ever…” I hope you wake up one day, and it’s all back to what it was, but for right now, I think people have to figure it out, and then you can carve out a little niche for yourself in this business in a different way.

Like you said, attendees will be joining you at ADAPT for a variety of reasons. What do you hope the biggest takeaway for them is?

SWENSON: To not sound as cheesy as possible, because this is actually a real statement, I think hope and inspiration [drive people] to go and try something new. Hopefully, people learn something new out of this thing to where it’s going to drive them to want to press for the industry because there’s a lot of people that are going to pivot away from the industry. People are gonna go find different jobs in different industries. So maybe this will inspire people to create new revenue sources in this industry and maybe think of something new. In times of turmoil, innovation is usually the best thing that happens, so hopefully people will be innovative after this.

Online registration is available at Vote.org and the HeadCount website. You can also check your status if you’re not sure whether you’re registered or not. If you’re not old enough to register today, you can still take the pledge to do it when you come of age. Remember, registration not only allows you to vote for the United States president but your state and local representatives as well. 

Read more: H.E.R. is making history with her new signature Fender Stratocaster

HeadCount will be hosting 40 in-person voter registration drives across the country throughout the week. Venues will include record stores and community centers. Locations and more information on the registration drives can be found here.

Spotify and SoundCloud have partnered with HeadCount and have their own special online registration hubs. Eventbrite also tweeted out their link along with the Recording Academy (Grammys).

Election Day is only 43 days away, and your vote counts. Register to vote today and check out these voter education events: https://t.co/ugbheRJCRN #VoteReady #NationalVoterRegistrationDay @CivicAlliance @NatlVoterRegDay @HeadCountOrg pic.twitter.com/z5WtSfXgqU

— Eventbrite (@eventbrite) September 22, 2020

In this election year, we must make sure every voice is heard at the ballot box. #VoteReady #NationalVoterRegistrationDay https://t.co/zLH0FTk8No

— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) September 22, 2020

Fans have a chance to receive rewards for checking their registration status through Global Citizen’s Just Vote campaign. Prizes include a signed vinyl, hoodie and T-shirt from Billie Eilish, an exclusive performance from the Dave Matthews Band, a guitar signed by Taylor Swift and more.

Wallows are also partnering with HeadCount for a “Get Ready To Vote” initiative. The group provided their own special link to register that will also give you the only unreleased track from the Nothing Happens sessions, “Bad Remake.”

are you registered yet? it’s national voter registration day so we partnered up with @HeadCountOrg to make it extra special. go register, check your status, or make a pledge to vote to receive the only unreleased song from the nothing happens sessions https://t.co/0G2ZRzOrUa pic.twitter.com/f26kTxVkjH

— Wallows (@wallowsmusic) September 22, 2020

Read more: Joe Biden’s merch is a nod to concert shirts and Kamala Harris’ Converse

Taking Back Sunday, the Maine and the Menzingers are participating in ASCAP Citizen, which is the partnership between the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers and HeadCount. The campaign encourages ASCAP members and their fans to vote. You can also text VOTER ASCAP to 40649 to register, verify or update your voter registration. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Well, I know you know that you need to register to vote! Thanks @thejohnnolan of @takingbacksunday. LINK IN BIO TO REGISTER VIA #ASCAPCitizen x @headcountorg #NationalVoterRegistrationDay #VoteReady

A post shared by ASCAP (@ascap) on Sep 22, 2020 at 10:04am PDT

The Umbrella Academy’s Justin H. Min (Ben Hargreeves) also took to Twitter to remind everyone to vote and stated that there are over 50 million people eligible to vote in the U.S. He also shared the voter registration deadlines for each state.

#NationalVoterRegistrationDay. up to 50m eligible voters in the u.s. are still unregistered, so if you’re not yet registered, please do so today. if you’re already registered or ineligible this year, please encourage those around you to register.

link: https://t.co/YORl2d2NxT pic.twitter.com/kh0cWXctgY

— Justin H. Min (@justinhmin) September 22, 2020

Read more: 10 modern musicians keeping the political conversation alive

Others in the scene, from Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman and punk rock’s Anti-Flag to Paramore’s Hayley Williams and her company Good Dye Young, are also encouraging fans to register by saying that their vote counts. 

Voting makes you hotter.

— Ryan Scott Graham (@RyanScottGraham) September 22, 2020

ANIMALS!! It’s #NationalVoterRegistrationDay!! text VOTER to 40649 or go to https://t.co/pNgIlLYI17 to register to vote or to verify ur status ?? @HeadCountOrg pic.twitter.com/k8uliSzwSI

— kesha (@KeshaRose) September 22, 2020

It’s #NationalVoterRegistrationDay!
Register to vote or check your status now at https://t.co/mUw28nJstz #VoteReady @HeadCountOrg pic.twitter.com/7AyCRXeHVj

— Anti-Flag (@anti_flag) September 22, 2020

Today is National Voter Registration Day, your vote does count. @HeadCountOrg #TheFutureIsNow #VoteReady pic.twitter.com/Edu6UcLb8P

— KevinLyman (@KevinLyman) September 22, 2020

it’s cool to have colored hair, it’s even cooler to vote!

register to vote here https://t.co/KlfZHhQXmi

— Good Dye Young ? (@gooddyeyoung) September 22, 2020

it takes literally 30 seconds to check ur voter registration status! check ur status and register to vote in the most important election of our lifetime here: https://t.co/GnO2xXKHyv pic.twitter.com/qPJ6YLMBlL

— Emo Nite (@emonitela) September 22, 2020

Early Friday, the Commerce Department ordered a ban on the distribution of TikTok and WeChat through U.S. app stores. Trump’s executive order, which goes into effect Sunday, will restrict users from downloading the apps onto their phones. Those who have already installed the apps may continue using them without penalty but will not have access to updates. 

Read More: Here’s how MGK came up with the new ‘Tickets To My Downfall’ album art

Discussions surrounding the TikTok ban started in July when Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the consideration over “security concerns.” The app threatened legal action against the administration in August after Trump signed an executive order banning TikTok and WeChat transactions. 

Though the company filed a suit against the government to overturn the order later that month, the administration is unrelenting. 

Read More: You could be buying merch directly through TikTok soon​

Users of the app have been quick to express their disapproval of the order on Twitter. Many are calling out the administration as having skewed priorities as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on.

https://twitter.com/sxcialera/status/1306974758261723138

Others are challenging the ban as a violation of First Amendment rights.

https://twitter.com/Taekmk/status/1306956606140289025

https://twitter.com/RiverWinebarge2/status/1289569488250142721

However, Lyman has found what appears to be a silver lining to the order.

“We have been trying to get influencers to get involved with get out the vote campaigns, but most of them want to be paid,” he tweets. “Maybe taking away [TikTok] & WeChat will wake them up, to the importance of this election.” 

This wouldn’t be the first time that TikTok influencers generated political sway. The app is widely reported to be responsible for the unimpressive turnout at Trump’s Tulsa Rally in June. 

Read More: Here’s why YUNGBLUD says he was “nervous” to go out on Warped Tour

In an effort coordinated through the app, users encouraged people to register for the free event and not show. In the days leading up to the event, Trump tweeted that almost a million people had requested tickets, while the actual turnout was significantly lower than the auditorium’s 19,000 person capacity.   

What do you think about the Trump Administration’s ban on TikTok and WeChat? Let us know in the comments below.

Get more information on voting and upcoming elections from one of the below online resources:

HeadCount (Campaigning and registration information)
Vote.org (Absentee and early voting rules for each state)
Rock The Vote (A nonpartisan nonprofit making democratic participation more accessible)
Turbo Vote (Election reminders, voter registration and absentee ballot applications)