During times of discomfort and uncertainty, people tend to retreat back to the familiar. No matter how bad things are, reminiscing about the “good ole days” feels like a warm blanket for your soul. Listening to Wasting Time, the debut full-length from Denver punk’s Record Thieves, is like stepping back in time to a happier era when melodic punk reigned supreme. If the album came out back in the mid-’90s, it would definitely go toe to toe with the likes of Face to Face, No Use For a Name, and Millencolin. Luckily for us it didn’t though, because we really need it right about now. Listening to it just warms my soul and makes me feel happy, which is pretty damn important in 2020.
While the band has been around for a few years, they took their time with their debut. What results is a well-polished sonic treat for your ears. Featuring members of punk rock heavyweights like Authority Zero and Allout Helter, Record Thieves have the talent and experience to hit the ground running.
Recently, guitarist Allen White sat down to answer some questions about the band, the album, the state of punk rock, and since it was one of my interviews, his favorite ska band.
Your debut full-length is probably one of the tightest collections of tunes I’ve heard in a long time. I know that you all have plenty of experience in other bands, but this just hits differently. How did the recording process go down for this album?
This is such a surreal situation for me, it’s almost comical. I have zero experience releasing any albums – let alone good ones, where the other guys have done it multiple times. I think this one “hits differently” because that was the intention. Jim, Mike and I were a little frustrated with the traditional band approach. Five dudes with full time jobs and careers and kids getting together maybe three hours a week and jamming is not really conducive to writing a quality record, which is what we wanted to try to do, so we decided to take a different approach. We decided to really take our time. Ideas being recorded and sent back and forth allowed us to do it on our schedule.
No rush. No pressure. Just ideas and refinement over and over. For me, the real magic happened when Fred and Chad came into the picture. The songs were pretty good. Good enough to pique the interest from members of one of Denver’s most prolific bands. They came in and just glued this shit together man. Without them the thing was good, but with them it is great.
When I listen to your album, I feel like I’m being transported back to the good ole days of melodic skate punk. With how weird this year has been, there’s something comforting about that. Was that a stylistic choice, or just how things worked out?
I’ve actually heard this feedback multiple times and I have to say for me this is the greatest accomplishment within the record. When Jim, Mike and I decided to really go at this thing, inside I was like, “I’m going to make this sound like the ‘90s. I’m going to make this sound like music that I grew up on.” Fortunately, we also had our secret weapon, Mike, on our team. The dude just embodies that feel in his vocal performance. Fred and Chad are easily the most versatile guys I have ever played guitar with. They heard these ideas and jumped in without skipping a beat. I’ll add a little anecdote – my brother is a casual music fan, at best. He heard these songs and was like “man this makes me remember when I cared about music” and I was like yep. We are on the right track.
What are some of your favorite tunes on the new record?
“Wasting Time” and “Work It Out” mean a lot to me, lyrically. “Transmission Clear” isn’t one of the singles, but I really like that song.
If you had to pick one song to hook someone to listen to your new album, which song do you choose and why?
Tough question but probably “Sacrifice.” I think that song encompasses everything we do as a band and the chorus is just powerful.
I’m sure 2020 has made it a bit challenging to have the traditional album release and support plans. What are you doing to make the best of it?
It actually kind of has a silver lining. We have time to talk about plans for merch and videos and shit like that. We are also already working on new songs that we may have not had a lot of time for before. We want to play a damn show at the end of the day.
Where do you see punk rock going in the next few years?
Wow. Where to begin. This is a multifaceted topic but I will try to keep it efficient. Unlike the other members of the band, I have basically just been a fan my whole life. I’ve played in many bands but certainly not any of note. So I really have just watched and listened for the last twenty years. At the end of the day, the most difficult thing for any artist on any platform is to get people’s attention. We live in a day and age where kids are introduced to super produced, super polished sounding music at a really young age. I think punk has done a really good job of evolving to accommodate some of this while holding onto its core. It is easier than ever to record quality sounding music. I think bands put a lot more thought into vocal harmony and melody then in previous eras.
Even harder, more rough around the edges bands are incorporating some of this. I really think this helps catch the ear of someone who may have just been a casual listener. There will always be a place for punk and all sub genres associated. I feel like there is a bit of a resurgence happening and I’m pretty excited to potentially be a part of that, at least in Denver. Ultimately, no matter how popular or unpopular our music becomes it will always be a place where kids and adults alike can go to feel a little different. To hear meaningful lyrics. To feel the power of those guitars. To feel like they belong. To stand up for something. No matter where punk rock goes, as long as it holds those ideals we are going to be just fine.
Are there any other bands out there that you think need a signal boost? Who’s got your attention these days?
I will always answer this with one name. Belvedere. Nobody knows who these guys are down here, but they are incredible. I also really like Counterpunch and again I don’t hear as much noise about them as I should. They’re definitely on the radar. I just think they deserve more attention.
I’ve read a lot of media outlets refer to you as a supergroup of sorts. How does that make you feel?
It makes me laugh and also feel very lucky. I laugh because I have never done anything notable and now I’m in a supergroup. I’m like alright, fuck it. I’m in a supergroup. Lets go. The lucky part comes in because I have searched my whole life to find a situation like this. If this all stopped tomorrow I would still consider this my greatest achievement musically. These dudes are a supergroup without a doubt. I’m just the rookie.
I’m known as the ska guy at BGM, so I’m kind of obligated to ask this next question. Who is your favorite ska band?
100%, without a doubt Call Me Malcolm from London. Their last two albums will be in my rotation until the day I die.
If folks want to find out more about your band, where should they go online?
At this point, we are building our presence. Instagram, Facebook. Anything we can do. The best thing for us right now is for people to hear us so I encourage people to go listen. We are on all major streaming platforms.
Any last words?
All I can say is I can’t believe I made some music that people want to listen to. I have immense gratitude to any one that helped us make this happen and anyone who gives it a listen.