Real Friends (band)
Real Friends is an American pop punk band from Tinley Park, Illinois.[1] To date, the band has released seven EPs and three studio albums. Previously signed to Fearless Records, the band is currently signed to Pure Noise Records.
Real Friends
Tinley Park, Illinois, U.S.
2010–present
The Fastest Kid Alive
- Kyle Fasel
- Dave Knox
- Eric Haines
- Brian Blake
- Cody Muraro
- Aaron Schuck
- Dan Lambton
History[edit]
Formation and EPs (2010–13)[edit]
In the fall of 2010 bassist Kyle Fasel "wasn't happy" with the music he was working on and wished to start over.[2] Fasel called lead guitarist Dave Knox and the pair soon started talking about the goals they wished to achieve.[2] Fasel didn't expect it to lead anywhere.[2] Vocalist Dan Lambton, who was friends with Knox, received a call from Fasel, asking if he would like to join him and Knox.[2] They were soon joined by drummer Aaron Schuck.[3] The band recorded its debut EP, This Is Honesty, in the spring of 2011. Following the release of the EP, the band began playing shows around the Midwest. The group soon realized that it "didn't feel right [playing the songs they currently had]. [...] almost forc[ing] ourselves into [a] sound."[2] They had a meeting and came to the conclusion to start over.[2] During this period, Fasel and Knox were playing in The Fastest Kid Alive.[4] Shortly afterwards, Schuck was replaced by Brian Blake.[3] Blake had emailed the band after he found out they needed a drummer.[2]
Real Friends didn't have a permanent second guitarist, often having their friends to substitute.[2] Eric Haines soon joined as rhythm guitarist.[3] Until Haines joined, Fasel and Knox would typically write the songs, and, according to Fasel, they didn't have "another guitar[ist's] opinion".[2] Shortly after the release of the Everyone That Dragged You Here EP, the band's popularity and the audience at their shows increased.[2] The band later released the Put Yourself Back Together EP.[5] Reviewing the EP for Rock Sound, Andy Biddulph noted that he would not be "surprised" if the band was "mixing it with the big boys in a year's time".[6] In November, the group supported The Wonder Years on their UK shows, including UK Warped Tour.[7]
Style and influences[edit]
Real Friends has been described as pop punk,[30][31] emo[32] and emo pop.[33] Punknews reviewer said "If American Football went totally pop-punk, Real Friends would be the result."[34] Vocalist Dan Lambton has been compared to The Starting Line's Kenny Vasoli, The Wonder Years' Dan Campbell, and The Dangerous Summer's AJ Perdomo.[30] Bassist Kyle Fasel has cited American Football, Dashboard Confessional, The Early November, Jimmy Eat World, The Promise Ring, Saves the Day, The Starting Line, Spitalfield, Taking Back Sunday and Thursday as influences.[35]
Side projects[edit]
Lambton joined with Knuckle Puck members Joe Taylor and Ryan Rumchaks to form Rationale. Taylor and Lambton both serve as guitarists and vocalists, alongside Rumchaks as drummer and Tyler Albertson (clockwise) & Nick Casasanto (counter-clockwise) as rotating bass guitarists. Rationale's single "Hangnail" was released on December 5, 2015, and their debut EP Confines followed four days later.[36]
Current members[37]
Former members
Timeline
Studio albums