Driveways talk about their latest EP, influences, creative process, and more! -Interview

Are you looking for a band with a genre-defying sound, limitless creative attitude, and down-right audibly pleasing music? Look no further, because your new favorite post-hardcore band from Saugus, Massachusetts is here for you!

Driveways consists of three members, Pat Finnegan, Ryan Passariello, and Derek Serino. All three founding members have grown up with the dream of making their way through the airwaves with punctuating sound and a workspace with unlimited growth. So far, they’re making themselves known with their work.

All Punked Up had the opportunity to talk with Driveways about their latest EP, future endeavors, and sound creation:

Q.  Hey guys, hope you’re doing really well!

A. We’re doing great thanks for taking the time to do this interview!

Q. I know covid-19 has taken its toll on a lot of bands lately, but you’re all seemingly doing well during this difficult time. How’s this quarantine been treating you?

A. I think it’s been going as well as it can.  Derek and I (it’s Pat typing) are high school teachers so we worked from home from March until June.  Ryan has a real job so he’s been working every day but he’s doing fine.  We finished recording our most recent EP right as quarantine was starting in Massachusetts.  Since then we’ve been trying to take advantage of the time at home by writing and recording new music.  Obviously covid-19 is horrible but it’s given us a ton of free time to work on new music which is kind of a silver lining. 

 Q. You’ve recently released an EP “Epilogues”, which is some of your best work in my opinion. Tell me a little bit of the backstory behind that EP and which tracks you liked the most.

A. Thank you!  We had an idea to write an EP of sequels to some of our older songs last year.  We always liked our older tracks Chaos, Sirens, and 345 so we decided to write some songs that were kinda like spiritual successors to those songs.  I started working on some demos and sending them over to Ryan and Derek in the winter.  We tried our best to connect the songs to each other lyrically and musically.  Thirteen Years Later came together in the studio and is supposed to be a sequel to our song Ten Years Later.  I like Chaos Again, Derek likes 456, and Ryan likes Sirens III.

Q. What was the biggest inspiration/influence behind the EP and your creative process?

A. I think the influences for this EP were all over the place.  We all listen to different music but the most recent Counterparts record was something we all listened to a ton this past year. All of us are big hip hop fans which explains songs like 456 and Thirteen Years Later.  Ryan and I recently got into some synthwave projects like Timecop 1983 and The Midnight and we tried to incorporate some cool synth stuff from that genre into this EP.  The songwriting was also influenced by the older songs and using musical elements and lyrics from them while still trying to write solid original music.  

Q. Tracking down your sound has been the best thing while following you for the past few years. To me, it’s li+ke Nothing,Nowhere, ADTR, and New Found Glory had a baby and it turned into a bigger star than any of them. What would you say your biggest influences are In general?

A. Haha that’s a sick description thank you!  I think one of our biggest influences growing up was Blink 182.  I would have never picked up a guitar if it wasn’t for Tom Delonge and I don’t think Ryan and Derek would have started making music either if it wasn’t for Blink.  Some of the other bands that influenced us growing up were Saves the Day, New Found Glory, Taking Back Sunday, Saosin, Boxcar Racer, Thursday, As Cities Burn, Unearth, The Forecast, Death Cab for Cutie, and The Receiving End of Sirens.

Q. Your take on sound is much different that most bands today. Some would even say most new bands have a “cookie cutter” sound, where it sticks to one general setting. How did you all sit down and figure your signature sound out?

A. I think our sound kinda developed naturally over the past few years.  Ryan and Derek were in heavier post hardcore bands growing up and Ryan and I had a few projects before Driveways that had pop punk elements.  We’re always trying to blend pop punk with post hardcore and balance the heavier elements of our music with catchy melodies.  I’m not the best singer in the world especially when it comes to singing long drawn out stuff.  I’ve always been a huge hip hop fan so I try my best to write fast interesting verses to compensate for the fact that I can’t sing.  

Musically we’re a three piece so a lot of our songs are built from arpeggiated guitar riffs and stuff that sounds good when we play in a room together.  Derek brings a lot of the heavier elements into our music and Ryan’s drumming always shapes our sound especially on our past few releases.  We’ve been working with the same producer Tom Ianello since our first EP and he’s helped develop our sound too.  He brings out the best in us creatively and always has sick production ideas in the studio.

Q. You’ve covered XO TOUR Llif3 before, are there any other covers fans can look forward to

A. Haha we don’t have any covers that we’re working on right now but we’re definitely always talking about what the next one will be!

Q.  How about new music in the works? Again, you recently released an EP but from your track record, you all seem to love making music. Is there anything fans could expect soon?

A. We started working on a full length right after we finished Epilogues.  We started writing in April and started recording in late May.  We don’t have any specific date in mind for a release yet but we’re definitely trying to put out the album in October and the first single in late summer/early fall.  

Q.  If so, can you give us a little insight on your ideas right now?

A. This is our first real full length and we’re just trying to write the best music we can and expand the sound of the band.

Q.  If you’d like to, say your final thoughts here and add whatever you feel is necessary! Thank you for taking the time for this interview and I hope to keep in touch!

A. Thanks so much for reaching out!  Hope you’re doing well and staying safe! 

Go check out their latest EP, “Epilogues” on Spotify today!