Things don't come easy in this world, and maybe When Thieves Are About effort is about to pay off as they seem to be nearing the edge of something huge.
Already playing alongside Man Overboard and We Came As Romans this band are destined headline Vans Warped Tour, and on the way will become your new favourite band.
"We play music you don't like in places in you don't visit."
New Jersey seem to be abundant in great bands, who mainly seem to fall under the pop punk genre, whether it be in the past, present or future. When Thieves Are About are the future. The band who may carry on one of the states most iconic sounds.
When Thieves Are About are made up of Alfredo Diaz, Ryan Struck, Michael Green and Joshua Smith, a melodic hard-core/pop punk from New Jersey, USA.
I could write forever about this band, but I think its better for one of the bands lead singers, Alfredo Diaz, to explain everything about When Thieves Are About, mainly because its his band.
SBLM - Who are When Thieves Are About?
Our current line up is me, Alfredo Diaz, as one of the lead singers/songwriter/rhythm guitarist. Ryan Struck as the other lead singer/songwriter/bass player. Michael Green on lead guitar and Joshua Smith drums.
SBLM - Every band have a story. Some are quiet interesting whilst others aren't. What is When Thieves Are About's story ?
Well where should I start. Ryan and I (Alfredo) have been playing music together since 2002. We met in High School and decide to start a band with other friends from school. We started a band called Bio-FeedBack. A hardcore punk rock band at the time. At first, Ryan couldn't play the bass for his life, so I had to teach him how to play. Little by little he got great and then took his playing to a different level.
With practising non-stop and many great shows, the band was taking off. The crowds started to get bigger and bigger every weekend, and we started to get known but the name wasn't sticking with us well. People kept thinking that we were like a metal band and that our name was biohazard (which got really annoying). Also, the music started changing and maturing compared to the older stuff we had. So the band as a whole decided that we should change our name to something that fits us better and that will catch fans better (wasn't overnight thing though).
One day Ryan and our friend Joe were looking through a book that Ryan received one year for Christmas that had a whole bunch of newspaper clippings from when the Titanic sunk. One of the headlines read "thieves are about" which Ryan brought it up to us at our next practice. I said thieves are about can be taken wrong. Like thieves are about... stealing or thieves are about... being bad. So I thought it would be a great idea to put "when" in the front of thieves to make the meaning of the name more clear. "When Thieves Are About" like out and about or around.
SBLM - You say that your music started maturing and changing, so what genre would your music fall into right now and who are your influences ?
We're considered melodic hard-core/pop punk. Our influences are bands such as NOFX, Such Gold, Lifetime, Set your goals, Comeback kid, Dagger mouth, A Wilhelm Scream, Title Fight, Basement, Leftover Crack, Thursday, Boys Night Out, Glass Jaw, Thrice, Bigwig, Rufio, Greenday, Blink182, Sum41, Weezer, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Dead Kennedy's, the Descendants, LagWagon, New Found Glory, Minor Threat, Saves The Day, The casualties, PMX, Dust box, Deftones, Brand New, Taking Back Sunday and Good Riddance.
SBLM - We're barely into this new year, so looking back what was 2015 like for you as a band ?
We released our newest EP called "Senescence" at the end of December/beginning of January 2015. We played a couple weekends which was fun. We had the chance to do a weekend with Such Gold and then played with them a few months later again in our home town of NJ.
SBLM - Its the new year now but, so what have you got planned for the year ahead ?
We're in the middle of writing a full length under our new record label called Manic Kat Records. We will be taking a few weekends here and there while we're writing/recording and plan on touring more once the full length is out to support it.
SBLM - Talking of touring, what has been the best date you've played so far ?
There are way too many to name. We've got to play with Senses Fail, Set Your Goals, I Am The Avalanche, Comeback Kid, The Swellers, Man Overboard, Transit, We Came As Romans, Crime In Stereo, A Wilhelm Scream. The list goes on and on. I'm just honoured to play with bands that have influenced me in this path that we've taken with music.
SBLM - If you could play with anyone, any band at all, who would it be ?
Nofx. We, as a whole, love them to death and they are our biggest influence hands down.
SBLM - Nofx are your ideal band. What would be your ideal festival ?
Warped Tour. Its always good time.
SBLM - Alot of huge acts play at Warped Tour and its earned a sense of community unlike a lot of other festivals. Social media is always covered in fans writing about how bands have helped them or how they can relate to lyrics or just that they like their music. What has been the best thing a fan has said to you ?
"You're the
reason why I'm alive today."
"You're the reason why I
picked up the guitar again."
"Whenever I'm having a
horrible day, you guys brighten it up with your music."
"You're
the biggest influence that we have in this band we started"
SBLM - Music has a profound effect on peoples lives for sure. Is being a band all that you thought it would be, given it has became your career ?
Yes, being in a band is all what I expected it to be. Don't expect anything just land in your lap. You really have to bust your butt to get far in this business. Always take that extra inch.
SBLM - What advice then would you give to bands who are just starting out ?
Practice your ass off. Promote like crazy, to the point that it's being shoved down peoples throats. Don't let anything stop you. If you want it that bad, go get it. You are your worse enemy and your the only person who will hold you back from your goal.
SBLM - If you could tell your fans one thing what would it be ?
YOU!!! GUYS!!! RULE!!! Thank you SOOOOOO MUCH!!! It really means the world to us! :) The fans are what make this band who we are today. You guys got us here with the love and support for the band. So we can't thank you enough. We are nothing without you guys! You rock!
SBLM - There probably is readers coming across your music for the first time, so what would you like to say to them ?
Thank you for giving us your time and checking us out!!
Our first EP "Challenger" features the song "Like Tidal Waves."
Our NEWEST SINGLE is "30 Stones" taken from our newest EP 'Senescence.' Hope you enjoy :)
I really, really like this band. I think they would be great to see live on tour in the UK, bringing new blood into the pop-punk music culture we already have here in Britain.
All the bands social media links are below, which I suggest you check out all of them because a few things may surprise you.