Only On Weekends writes alternative rock anthems that will have you singing along by the time your first listen is over. The four-piece from Philadelphia, PA displays this ability proudly on their latest release, Light Years and Heavy Lifting, a five song EP produced and engineered by Fred Mascherino (Terrible Things, The Color Fred, Taking Back Sunday).

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

- Harry Rose (Vocals / Guitar)
- Anthony Dandrea (Drums)
- Jes Clark (Keys / Vocals)
- Chuck DelRoss (Bass / Vocals)

For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to Only On Weekends? How long has the band been around?

Harry started Only on Weekends a long time ago, but we started getting serious in 2011 when Anthony joined.  He used to play drums for No Regrets.  Jes joined Only on Weekends in 2012, and she used to sing in Dolly Parton RIOT.  Chuck joined in 2014.  He used to play bass in The Mad Splatter.

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

Before we were called Only on Weekends, we were called Blackout.  When we were in high school, our former bassist, Kenny, came up with the name Only on Weekends.  He's not in the band anymore, but we paid him $1 to let us use the name.

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?

Harry used to do all of the writing, but on our new EP, Light Years and Heavy Lifting, Anthony contributed lyrics to a couple of songs too.  A recurring theme in a lot of our songs is drifting apart from someone that you used to be close to and determining whether that person is someone who you should try to hold on to or just let go.  It's something that a lot of people go through as they get older and their lives take them in different directions.  I'm sure these themes won't always dominate our songs, but it's where we are in our lives right now.  Maybe one day we'll write some happy songs.

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

Some of the bands that people compare us to are The Get Up Kids, Jimmy Eat World and Weezer.  It's very flattering because these are some of our favorite bands.

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

Ever since I (Harry) was a little kid I loved music.  I would always put on my parents' Beach Boys records and sing along to all of the words, and I'm sure that sparked part of my desire to perform in a band and make music of my own.  I took piano lessons in middle school and high school before teaching myself to play guitar.  The whole 90's alternative rock wave was probably what inspired me to start writing some songs of my own though.

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

I drink a lot of water before we play so I can sing my best.  I also stretch a little bit so I don't hurt myself.  We used to all put our hands in and shout "Whoa Bundy!" before our sets.  I don't know why we stopped.  We should probably bring that back.

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

The biggest highlight so far has been working with Fred Mascherino (Terrible Things, The Color Fred, Taking Back Sunday) to produce our latest EP, Light Years and Heavy Lifting.  It was really cool getting to work with someone who has written some of our favorite albums and songs.  Not only does he know a lot about making a record, but he’s also one of the nicest people we’ve ever met.

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

Saves the Day and Say Anything are my two favorite bands, so I would love to tour with them because I would get to listen to their music every night.  Also, I think that their fans would probably like our music as well.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

We are really excited to be releasing Light Years and Heavy Lifting on May 30th.  We have an EP release show at The Barbary in Philly that night.  Then we'll be heading north in June to play some New York and New England shows.  Come check us out if you're in the area!