Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew Kelly.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Pop punk was emerging in the late 90s and we all played in different bands. We crossed paths and formed a band called PVK, playing Vans Warped Tour in 2002.
We carried on with PVK for a few years, but as our writing matured, we wanted to venture out into different styles, which led to the following band, Cityview. We may not have realized at the time, but we ended up becoming more Indie/Post Punk. We were very active in the local scene and released a couple of EPs, one notably with the legendary producer Ed Rose (Get Up Kids, Motion City Soundtrack, Man Alive).
Eventually, life, kids and careers got in the way. Fast forward 15 years later, our drummer Matt Bell was looking to start a new project and started reaching out to some familiar faces. He and our bass player Matt Kuczaj started writing music and quickly found a familiar chemistry. They eventually reached out to our singer/guitarist Andrew Kelly. At the time Andrew was in a band called Big Useless Brain, which were nearing their end, and came to a few rehearsals, then Mean People was born. After we started writing together, we came to an agreement that we didn’t care about fitting into any type of genre an we wouldn’t settle, everything had to have soul.
We leaned on all of our prior experience experience to ensure that the album was done right. Finging the perfect studio, producer, artists etc.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We’ve all been in different bands, but we got our chemistry back right away. For a while we tried out a couple of lead guitarists, but couldn’t find anyone that fit. At this point, we are all on the same page and know exactly what we want. There is no thinking, just write what comes out.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
We specialize in the art of songwriting. We take pride in knowing when to leave space and what sacrifices to have to make for a song to be noteworthy. As a band, we feel the most proud of our upcoming album. It’s a blend of all of our experience and maturity.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Early on for us it was physical media.
Horror films, comic books, etc. We wanted an album that would bring you back to putting a cassette in your Walkman but with a modern touch.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meanpeopleband
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Pqgr7RgCS/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/IJNXSLjDyYM
