After 15 years, 7 studio albums and consistent world touring, Maryland pop-punks All Time Low are still as hopeful and fresh-faced as they were in 2003.
For their latest record, 2017’s ‘Last Young Renegade’, the band started writing in secret and turned to the warm embrace of childhood nostalgia to create an album that reflected their journey as a band so far.
“Every time we start out writing a record we don’t always have a specific creative goal in mind, that usually comes together a little bit later in the process,” frontman Alex Gaskarth says.
“But we knew we were going into something new with a new label and a new opportunity to break expectations, and go beyond expectations and do some things that people haven't heard All Time Low do before.”
Their first record to be released on their new label Fueled By Ramen, Alex says 'Last Young Renegade' was a chance for All Time Low to prove their musical versatility, if not to listeners but themselves.
“We took some chances and made a record that I think still sounds like All Time Low but shows that we can do a few different things, and that was probably the most important thing going into it; was just to show we're not a one-trick pony after fifteen years; we can do it all, or at least we're learning to, which is great,” he says.
All Time Low are in Australia in December to headline Good Things Festival alongside legendary punk rockers The Offspring, who will be playing their 'Smash' album in full. “I'm really looking forward to it,” Alex says of their Good Things appearance.
“We've never had a bad time in Australia, whether it was coming over headlining or whether it's us playing festivals or whatever it's always been such a blast. People take really good care of us over there and we give it back in the shows, so I expect nothing less. I think it's going to be a really exciting tour.”
All Time Low will also be performing a side show for Good Things Festival at the Coolangatta Hotel (Gold Coast) where Alex says he and the band will be able to connect more intimately with their devout fans. “That's going to be pretty exciting, we've never actually played a show outside of the major cities so to come and do one on the Gold Coast is great,” he says.
“Every time we've been there for a festival and we know there's not as many meet-and-greet opportunities or ways to see the fans directly or close up, we've always tried to throw in at least one side show that's much more intimate and brings the personal touch, so to speak.
“That's going to be a wild one and I think it's a pretty intimate venue from what I've heard, so it'll be fun to do a show in that context.”
All Time Low play Coolangatta Hotel (Gold Coast) 11 December.
Good Things Festival 2018
Fri 7 Dec - Flemington Racecourse (Melbourne)Sat 8 Dec - Parramatta Park (Sydney)
Sun 9 Dec - Brisbane Showgrounds
