While Kevin Day has been playing in bands for over 25 years now, I didn’t discover him until I heard his band, Graduation Speech. For the uninitiated, they have a rock backbone with folk, indie, and emo leanings. Filled with intricate guitar melodies, it’s a joy to listen to the wonderfully crafted songs. Day is also in a band called ERRTH that leans harder on the orgcore, melodic punk side of the spectrum.
Boasting multiple songwriters and singers, ERRTH has a dynamic sound.
They will be appreciated by fans of The Lawrence Arms, Jawbreaker, The Menzingers, Hot Water Music, and The Weakerthans. With the new album’s release date looming, the band wanted to share their latest single, “Streets Don’t Sing.” It’s a direct criticism of the destruction of all our old haunts and neighborhoods in the name of capitalism and “progress.”
Day also answered some questions about the band, the album, and what it’s like to be part of a band with multiple singers and songwriters. Give the interview a read, and then check out “Streets Don’t Sing.” I’m confident that ERRTH will become one of your favorite punk bands of 2025.
ERRTH’s debut full-length comes out in March. As a newer band, what can folks expect when they listen to the album for the first time?
I think they’re going to find something that is familiar in a comforting way that also feels fresh. We’re certainly not reinventing the wheel in the realm of punk, but some of our influences are maybe so old that you just run into it less with current bands. This is code for us just being old.
If there’s one song that encapsulates the energy and essence of ERRTH, which one is it and why?
Oof. That’s really tough to say because there’s three different songwriters in the band. My gut is saying “Unwanted,” but it’s really hard to pick one song. “Unwanted” seems to have all of the right ingredients for what we’re doing, and there’s this really energetic bridge that I never get sick of playing. Also, when we all played that bridge together for the first time, we all just lit up.
When I listen to the new album, I’m immediately reminded of bands like Lawrence Arms, Menzingers, and Alkaline Trio because of your brand of melodic punk with two singers. Are there any challenges with having two singers during the creative process?
Internally, it’s not a problem at all. It’s actually been a nice change of pace for both Eric and me because we’re lightening the load for each other. Externally, I think it’s inevitable that people end up having preferences, so hopefully they buy the whole package because that’s ERRTH.
“Streets Don’t Sing” is the next single from the new album. What’s it about?
It’s about watching neighborhoods be torn down and replaced with condos, apartments, and commercial buildings that all look the same and that are entirely too much money. It’s just crazy to see the character and charm stripped out of these places, and once it’s done it feels impossible to bring that back. And I have to ask, “Who is this for?”
For the new album, you joined up with Mike Sosinski and Uncle Style. What’s it like joining such an esteemed roster of bands?
I’ve known Mike for well over a decade now. My band Aspiga used to play with Kill Lincoln in various restaurant basements, houses, etc. when we were both cutting our teeth, so it’s great to be working with a friend. Mike has always been extremely hard working. I think anyone that was close enough to him and Kill Lincoln early on could tell that the band was destined for big things because of how much work they put into it. Mike has channeled that same mentality and energy into Bad Time Records/Uncle Style Records. He has created a very special community that we’re stoked to be a part of.
You’re also in Graduation Speech. Is it challenging to be part of more than one band, especially when one is about to release an album and play some shows?
Absolutely, but I’m making it work. Graduation Speech was going pretty hard the last three years, especially since we released a new EP last year. I knew this year would be a bit more geared towards ERRTH and that I’d like to spend more time writing for Graduation Speech than playing shows. My old high school ska band is also gearing up for a 25th anniversary show in October, so I’m currently juggling all three, but it’s great. It almost feels like I’m going back into my youth with the amount of time I’ve been spending on music over the last couple of years.
Do you have to approach songwriting for both bands differently? Or are there enough parallels between them both that you can treat each band the same creatively?
Whether I’m writing for Aspiga, ERRTH, or Graduation Speech, I think they are all going to sound like me. I usually have a pretty good idea of what band the song will be used for, and there’s usually just enough slight differences in the feel to neatly place them in each category. However, the people that I’m playing with also help dictate that. I might have written a song for ERRTH, but the rest of the band makes it an ERRTH song because they all bring something different to the table.
What’s the biggest lesson you learned with Graduation Speech that you used with ERRTH? Has ERRTH taught you anything about approaching your other band?
Every band that I’ve been a part of has informed me to some degree. I’ve been playing live music for 25 years now, and you learn a lot along the way. At this point in time, the most important driver for doing any of this is to have fun. Also, every band is different, and it’s not worth the energy comparing yourselves to anyone else.
One takeaway that I’ve learned over the years is that bands work best when there’s clear communication and goals. Someone in the band might want to tour for months on end and someone else might have no desire to at all. It’s important to address that stuff along the way so no one is harboring weird feelings. Celebrate the wins. Your goal can be whatever you want it to be. Want to just release a single in a year? Cool. Do it, celebrate that win, and move onto the next goal.
You just finished up some shows and have more coming up surrounding the album release. What’s an ERRTH show like?
As of the last couple of years, ERRTH shows have been about 20 minutes of loud, fast, and cathartic punk songs. It’s actually a little bittersweet that the album is almost here, because for the last couple of years, the only way to experience ERRTH was to go to a live show. There was a bit of mystery to the name, you know? But I’m excited that people will have the opportunity to digest the songs on their own and hopefully come back to sing with us at a show. We’re also seven songs deep into another release so those songs will start being sprinkled into the set.
Are there any songs in particular that you can’t wait to play live?
The ending of “Absolution Spells” gets me pretty amped.
2025 is already shaping up to be a big year for your band. Is there anything in particular that you’re most excited about?
We’re just excited that anyone cares at all. As I mentioned earlier, we’re certainly an older group of guys. We had no idea what to expect with any of this, so the fact that our debut album is coming out on Uncle Style and that we’re playing all of these shows is a real win for us. It’s going to be great to finally hold the album and celebrate all of these songs that we’ve worked hard on for the last couple of years. We have other shows booked that aren’t announced yet, and we’re hoping to get more on the books.
Any last words?
Come to a show. Buy the album. Support the ERRTH movement.