Interview with To Write a Riot!

To Write a Riot! is a 5 piece powerpop band from Connecticut. Members of the band are: Zack Fulton (vocals), Adam Lopez (drums), Matt Alongi (guitar), Shaughn Adamski (bass), and Corey Martel (guitar).

Now to the interview!

How did To Write a Riot! get started?

To Write A Riot! started out with the idea of trying to do something different musically and also trying to send a positive message to kids. All 5 of us have always been good friends in different projects musically, but we finally wanted to come together and do something as a unit. We wanted to do something more serious then anything we’ve pursued in the past.

Where did the band name come from?

The band name came from the desire to write music much like our biggest influences (The Beatles, Michael Jackson) in the sense that we really wanted a name that helped portray the music we play. We write music in hopes to stir things up a bit. We’re not your normal poprock band and we feel that people can immediately tell upon first look at our name.

What bands have had the most influence on To Write a Riot! ?

Like I said before, we’re all into a lot of different music.  We like everything from hardcore to contemporary pop and we feel the list of bands that has influenced us is endless. Musically, we’re like a giant melting pot and we hope to convey that through our own sound.

Why did you decide to cover “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”?

We decided to cover “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” because there are a lot of bands out there doing contemporary covers. We just wanted to do something timeless and it was also a lot of fun to put the song together from a male perspective, with a little bit of an edge.

How would you describe the band’s music in one word?

“Refreshing”

Who writes the songs in the band?

Everyone has their hand in the process but it usually starts off with our guitarists (Corey and Matt) as well as our singer (Zack). When it comes time to put it all together, we all have our hands very deep in the final product.

What are some of the challenges that To Write a Riot! has had to deal with?

We deal with a lot financially as well as in our personal lives. However, we never lose sight of the task at hand, whether it’s something like writing new music or doing our best to reach out to establish new relationships with fans.  We stay very focused through it all.

If the band could tour with any band dead or alive, who would they choose?

The band that made music what it is today, “The Beatles.” We wouldn’t be here without them. We would also like to do some kind of tour package featuring Kanye West and Taylor Swift.

What are the bands future goals?

Our future goal is to simply make music as long as the fates will allow us to. It’s not about selling millions of records or riding around in a multi-million dollar tour bus, it’s about writing music that makes peoples lives better and instills emotion. The right song can brighten anyone’s day, and that’s our main goal.

Is there anything about the band that most fans don’t know?

We are very friendly guys, so please never hesitate to come say hello or give us a hug or even a hi-five. We play music for you guys and we’d love to meet every single one of you!

How can you not want to listen to To Write a Riot! after that interview?

Thanks again to the band for the interview!