Interview by: Allison Hade
Words by: Allison Hade
MAKEOUT are a pop punk band which started with the two remaining members of Trophy Wives, Sam Boxold and Tyler Young. The reason for the change? When they “were writing this album, we were pulling out more pop punk, lighthearted music.” This is in stark contrast to their darker, heavier music like Four Year Strong and A Day to Remember. With that much of a shift in music you’d have to ask yourself, is this Trophy Wives anymore? The answer was no and from there MAKEOUT was born.
Boxold’s excitement over the new music was palpable when we started to talk specific tracks off the new album, The Good Life, which is set to be available for download on September 29, 2017 via Rise Records. His favorites are “Clockwork” and “Childish”, both bringing more context to the records overall message.
“These songs are on the deeper side of thinking, more poetic and they hit a lot closer to home for me,” Young said.
Young, who just so happened to be driving the car that they are riding in during the interview (talk about multi-tasking) chimed in by saying his favorite song off the album is “Openminded” but is favorite to play live is “Salt Lake City.”
Starting off with a catchy single, “Crazy” and it’s entertaining music video features balloons and confetti while Boxhold runs around reminding Becky that we have had enough of her Sephora addiction.
“’Crazy’ was definitely crazy to film, you can’t see in the video but the ceiling started leaking right where [Young] was playing and the floor was smooth, so we were sliding around in the video right after the bridge you can see that I knock [Young] right on the floor. He is smiling on the way down, I don’t know why someone would be happy falling – especially on to a concrete floor – but he was [happy].”
“Hell yeah,” Boxold exclaimed as his first response to Opening for Blink-182 on a few dates of their recent tour. Experiencing the green rooms and being on stages like that was a surreal experience for the band.
“I don’t think anyone of us were really aware of what was happening until it was over,” Boxhold said.
“Where we are now is the most solid, close knit family we have ever been,” Boxhold said. “Everyone talks to each other pretty much daily, something that we never really had before.”
Helping bring the “family” together, John Feldman of Goldfinger helped produce the record as well as other heavy hitters like Panic! At The Disco, The Used, All Time Low and 5 Seconds Of Summer. Boxhold’s reaction at first was, “oh my god this is John Feldman – he is talking to us?” Yet, after working with him for a while on the record, Boxhold said Feldman fit right in.
“Now, we have been working with him for a while he is just like a member of the family, involved with everything and he cares about where we are taking the band,” Boxhold said.
After touring, everyone must have their favorite places to play and Boxold’s favorite venue is Whisky A Go-Go in Los Angeles because the green room was far enough away from everyone else that it provided a calm place to get ready for the show. Mentioning a midwest favorite, The Rave/ Eagles Club in Milwaukee, Wisconsin because it is an old building with a haunted pool.
“You’re really selling it – I definitely want to go to a haunted pool.”
