Deploying a vibrant and hook-heavy brand of pop-punk, Cold Weather Kids hone the best of the throwback, 00s incarnation of the genre, with a thoughtful and angst-laced execution that draws on the band's present day contemporaries.

Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.

Ryan Scottie - Singer, Bass

Adam Allison - Guitar, Singer

Erik Williams - Drums

For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to Cold Weather Kids? How long has the band been around?

All members were part of the LA indie pop group “Water District” 2017-2019. After that project dissolved the three friends formed “Cold Weather Kids” as more of a pop punk high energy rock band with a new dual front compared to the previous softer indie project.

Prior to this Adam & Ryan both attended college in Chicago and formed “Glass Castles” as their college performance project.

It’s also worth noting that Ryan is also still an active drummer for Chicago’s “Devon Kay & The Solutions” (AF Records) and has been active with the band for the past 11 years. This past year they released their third full length record “Limited Joy” out on AF Records.

What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?

Cold Weather Kids was a name our drummer Erik had been sitting on and we all felt it was the perfect fit because we all grew up in a place that had very cold winters despite us living in Los Angeles now. Wisconsin, Michigan, and Colorado make up the home states of the members who have many years experience with harsh winters.

Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?

Everyone in this band is a versatile musician capable of playing multiple instruments, so we’re all able to write and record full demos in our own homes. This was how we made our first release “Song’s We Can’t Finish”.

Our new EP “Quarantunes” was headed by Ryan. The three songs on this release are all written by him but the final touches and edits were made as a group for cohesive collaboration. 

What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?

Joyful, a great newer pop punk band from Chicago with a fantastic feel. Less Than Jake's new record “Silver Linings” also brings me back to when I was a teenager and first started to discover live music. It’s Been wonderful to listen to them with something new! 

As for notable artists that influence our sound right now? My Chemical Romance, Pierce The Veil, State Champs, and Stand Atlantic.

Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?

We all grew into live music life in what we call the Warped Tour era. That was the ultimate goal. From past bands that took on a bit more of “hardcore” genre we could name bands like Underoath, Every Time I Die, and Dance Gavin Dance that give us motivation in a darker energetic sense. For more of a fun feel without losing energy? Early Fall Out Boy, Yellowcard, All Time Low, Reliant K, Something Corporate, and Jimmy Eat World are some records we’ll never get tired of listening to.

What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, etc …

I personally like to go through a reminder to myself that my purpose on stage is NOT “to be looked at” but rather: “to help those watching me for that time feel better about themselves” This mentality puts more of my focus on why I love to perform rather than focus on HOW I may or may not perform. 

Besides this mental check and pump up for the rest of the band, Adam and Ryan are certified Yoga teachers and always make a point to get their bodies limber and fluid so that their passion can easily flow!

What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?

Though we're a new name in the pop punk sea of bands we've all had previous experience in other projects and had studio experiences that varied greatly. The highlight for us, so far, has got to be recording our first EP and producing it all in house. Adam worked in partnership with a small Hollywood studio that gave us an opportunity to rehearse and record there. Putting out songs we'd written in our love for pop punk but hadn't previously been released because they didn't "fit" with a previous project we were a part of at the time.

We've taken a similar approach for our next release. We've engineered everything ourselves but the added step this time around is sending our sessions off to Nick Radovanovic (Stand Atlantic, Grandson, Against The Current) for that special mixing touch that he absolutely crushed!

If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?

Early Fall Out Boy, like before "From Under The Cork Tree". Yellowcard after Ocean Avenue, & Senses Failed just because we went to college with someone who's now IN that band (Jason Milbank) and that would be so awesome to tour on that level with him knowing that we did college recitals together. (haha!)

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Covid-19 has thrown a wrench into EVERYONE's plans this year. Before the shutdown we all were going strong as a 4 piece rock group with no plans of stopping. However, our (former) guitarist Chris Avina was forced to move out of Los Angeles because of Covid for lack of work. We would NOT be the band we are without him and we just want to make sure that he's included in all the success we've achieved thus far.

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