Alex Gaskarth (lead vocals/ guitar)
Jack Barakat (guitar)
Zack Merrick (bass)
Rian Dawson (drums)

One of pop punk hottest new bands, All Time Low flew in to Sheffield on their sold out UK tour. We caught up with them at the O2 Academy for a quickie with lead singer, Alex Gaskarth.

Welcome to Sheffield – have you been here before?
No we haven’t been to Sheffield before, but we are here now! Got here at some ridiculous hour in the morning, it’s pretty cool though but freezing cold.

How do the UK audiences differ from that of the US?
One thing we all notice is the energy of the crowds; everyone seems a little bit more passionate over here. We can vary the tour a lot more over in the UK with a wider range of music (support groups) as people have more of an acceptance to different genres.

How is the tour going so far? You’ve had to add extra dates so it must be going well?
Amazing! We started in Belfast; it was our first time in Belfast which was a great way to kick of the tour. I don’t think we have ever had a bad show over here, you are always really welcoming, and the crowds get bigger and bigger every time we come back which is cool. It’s a pretty cool feeling to come to Sheffield for the first time and sell it out.

Do you change the show slightly depending on where you are?
We will sometimes change it up a little bit but most of the time we stick to the same thing, but we never say the same things we keep it fresh and mix it up a little bit and be spontaneous.

What’s your last thought before you go out on stage/ any rituals?
“Oh shit, here we go again”… We don’t have any rituals per say but I think it’s just a typical thing - let’s just listen to good music and have a good time. It’s the highlight of our day to go on stage.

You picked up Best Live Act at the 2011 Kerrang Awards – how did this feel and what are your plans for 2012?
It was a big thing for us as it was the first award that we have really been recognised for. It is really important to us. Plans for 2012: “We are going to end the world as per the Mayan calendar; we are going to go out with a bang”.

You formed back in 2003 back in high school – how has your style progressed since then?
Our biggest evolution is that we’ve just gotten better, better musicians and tighter as a band. We’ve always been based in the pop/punk scene, growing up with this and it’s what we fell in love with, so I think we’ve always had that sound.

Where did the name, All Time Low come from?
It’s from a New Found Glory song, ‘Head on Collision’. We were listening to this record a lot at the time and it stood out. We were looking for names and it kind of rolled off the tongue.

What’s been the biggest all time low of your life?
Well, erm, I’ve never really had an ‘all time low’, not really hit a rock bottom or anything. But I think maybe my lowest low was when we were writing the last album. It felt like I was being worked to the bone, I just needed a break and I freaked out a little, as I’d been away from home for a year. Everything was non stop but it was worth it.

You’ve got a pretty dedicated fan base – what’s been the weirdest thing you’ve ever received from a fan?
From the US we have got lots of dildos and a stipper pole once! They are the weirdest things. Someone did give us Gameboys once, which were pretty cool. From the UK we get a lot of those giant cookies. Millie’s Cookies.

What inspires and motivates you to write and make music?
Everyday life, all our music is inspired by real experiences. We’re really inspired by watching other band do it and we wanted to live out that dream. In particular, Blink 182 have inspired us a lot.

Quick Questions