Formed in 2015, The Split Seconds exploded onto the DC music scene with their unique style of no-frills classic pop-punk. Frontman Drew Champion sought to put together a project combining the energy of late-70’s Punk with undertones of 60’s pop and garage rock. Joined by drummer Sean Peterson, bassist Stephen Parsons, and guitarist Alex Massi, The Split Seconds brought their sound to enthusiastic audiences at DC-area punk clubs including DC9, The Velvet Lounge, The Electric Maid, The Sidebar, and house venues. Hailed as “top notch punk rock” by Jonathan Goodwin of the Deli NY Magazine, The Split Seconds’ music has been featured on Punknews.org, PureVolume.com, BlankTV, WMUC Third Rail Radio, WAMU’s Bandwidth, and DC’s Hometown Sounds Podcast.
In this interview, we chat about influences, the newest project and more.
Full Q&A, links, and streams below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7U2MC4MkHbo
What attracted you to this genre(s) or style(s):
Punk rock is fundamentalist rock and roll, and that’s what’s so appealing about it. Good songs, stripped down to the essentials, and played fast and raw. So we really like that kind of no-bs style and energy. And then we’re able to then add in other elements of other styles into that punk rock base. So we bring in reggae and jazz and classic pop and garage and stuff.
How long have you been creating and sharing your music with the public?
We’ve only been around since 2015! We call ourselves a toddler band.
Who or what influences your playing and/or writing? Also, what motivates you to keep going?
The great songs and great delivery of the 77′ punk bands like The Buzzcocks and The Clash are something that we love and aspire to. The influence of those groups inspires us and keeps us going.
Were you trying to accomplish anything specific on this new project? Creatively or otherwise?
We wanted to make a pop punk record in that old-school style that has been largely abandoned by bands of our generation. And we wanted the songs to be really catchy and also have musical and lyrical depth.
What was the last song you listened to?
I heard Shake it Off by Taylor Swift on the radio just now.
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
Vinyl is the best. I don’t know the technical reason, but it really does sound better. And with vinyl there’s the ritual of choosing a vinyl record, and pulling it out of the sleeve, and listening through an entire album that makes listening on vinyl more of a experience.
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
We’re totally indifferent.
Other than the digital era overwhelming us with access to an abundance of music, what are one or two of the biggest challenges you face when trying to attract listeners to your music?
We don’t really have a problem with this new music environment. It’s allowed us to connect to a lot of people around the globe who really like what we do, and we never could have done that before.
Do you gig, tour or perform? Do you ever live stream? Where can music lovers see you live?
Yeah we play a lot of shows. We’re mostly focused on DC and the mid-Atlantic now. But check out our website for upcoming shows and tour dates.
Where is the best place to connect with you online? Discover more of your music?
All of our online proceeds are donated to Lucky Dog Animal Rescue in DC. So buy the LP on itunes or amazon or listen to us on spotify and help some dogs.
Any last thoughts? Shout outs? Words of wisdom?
Drew is going to be putting out a solo record in the next few weeks so keep an eye out for that!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzAm1cye90M
