When I Say Jump, inspired by the 2000's alternative scene, takes scathing, witty punches at toxic relationships and vices, often through a queer lens.

For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to When I Say Jump? How long has the band been around?

Jordan Atkins (Drums): Jarrod Atkins (Bass) and I have been in and out of bands since Sophomore year of high school, but most of these bands couldn't get off the ground in any form really. Jarrod and I decided to pull John in on a project we were working on at the time, which was much heavier than what we do now. After that dissolved, the three of us decided to stay together, but make a genre change so we could be more creative. That’s pretty much the foundation of where this all started. Adding Brennen to the fold upgraded our songwriting, which led to Separation Anxiety. Adding Lucas was a big part of filling out the sound and definitely added a new layer to what we could do, which definitely came out in King of Thessaly!

Brennen Monk (Guitar/Vocals): The band has been around for 5 years but we consider Separation Anxiety to be our debut in 2019. Prior, it was all about figuring out what wanted the band to be and what direction we wanted to go in. It took a lot of time and lively debate but I think we are all very happy with what we're doing now. Especially with King Of Thessaly and the album that we're writing around it. Before When I Say Jump, I was in a band as a teenager called Cicero that really taught me a lot about myself and the world, in a way that… I don't think I'd be so equipped to be in a career band now without it.

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

Brennen: "When I Say Jump" represents taking a leap of faith to better yourself, no matter how scary and unfamiliar, and it represents the bond all of us share as friends. It comes from trust building exercises, like a trust fall!

John Davis (Vocals): It came from a brainstorming session with Jarrod, Jordan, and I's last band. I loved it, wrote it down, and waited til no one could veto me. We've kept it ever since. It's like a promise I aim to constantly keep.

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?

Brennen: John writes the majority of the lyrics while I write second to him. Usually the twins will have pieces of a song that will absolutely blow me away and I'll work them into a fully realized song. Lucas recently had surprised me with great compositions and I'll sit down with him and fine tune them. I would probably say that I do at least 60% of the music writing and generally I will be the one to figure out how to make each part of a song transition into the next. It's 100% a collaborative process, but as the producer in the band I tend to have the last word. I look at every single piece of a song as part of our overarching story and make sure the direction all makes sense. Jarrod described me once as "quality control manager", ha ha!

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

Brennen: For me right now, Rebecca Sugar and Oliver Tree are big influences! It's more-so film, TV, and video game scores that inspire my compositional mind, like Halo, Kingdom Hearts, Swiss Army Man, Legend Of Zelda, DOOM, Adventure Time… I could spout off my favorite compositions and soundscapes for hours. Beyond that, I'd say The Front Bottoms, AJJ, My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco, Ghost, and various pop punk, screamy bands, and folk artists have inspired me a great deal with my lyrics, vocal melodies, and guitar technique.

Lucas Daprile (Guitar): One thing I like about When I Say Jump is that everyone seems to have their own set of influences. And I like that the music that inspires us changes, which keeps things fresh. For me, at the moment, I’d have to say Converge, Full of Hell, The Body, Tyler, The Creator, Wicca Phase Springs Eternal, Grimes, Earl Sweatshirt, Sun Ra and Street Sects.

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

Brennen: Growing up, it was Black Sabbath, Jimi Hendrix, AC/DC, all the classics that made me want to chase life as a rockstar in some way. My expectations and ideas of success are much more mature and sincere now but those big dreams gave me the boost I need to be where I am now. In high school, All Time Low, Avenged Sevenfold, Escape The Fate, Never Shout Never, MCR, FOB, those guys were making the impact I wanted to make on the world. I remember seeing A Day To Remember and Rise Against live when I was 13 and I just couldn't see myself doing anything else with my life from that point on.

Jordan: Jarrod and I have always leaned into music, ever since we were little kids. Our dad would take us to concerts every year and I remember having an awesome time every single time we went. I guess I just want to be able to recreate that feeling for other people as best we can.

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

John: Stretch. Always, ALWAYS stretch before a show, and usually practice. It loosens you up and makes performing less strenuous.

Brennen: I absolutely can not sing without pitch matching and vocal exercises. The times that I've performed without warming up before, I was punished by my body greatly. I also make a point to run through at least the most difficult half of our set on guitar and throw in some finger exercises.

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

Lucas: One of the best moments we’ve had as a band was shortly after we released Separation Anxiety and began hearing from fans how much it meant to them. For years, these songs meant something to us alone, and now they mean something to other people, I mean, complete strangers who would relate to a piece of themselves in our music. It’s really incredible. We had someone message us to say they binge listened to Dishonest Love while they were trying to get off meth. That blew me away. We’ve all had songs be "there for us” when life absolutely sucks, and it was really special to hear that our music was there for someone when they needed it.

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

Brennen: Oliver Tree, anyone from SideOneDummy, My Chemical Romance (BIGGEST DREAM), Billie Eilish, Tyler, The Creator… Wow, any of those would be so much fun.

John: Secret Band, Grandson, Never I, Twenty One Pilots, Palaye Royale, Dance Gavin Dance, Florida Man, Christian Fitness. They're some of my favorite bands, putting out some of the best rock music around these days

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Yes! Our music video for King of Thessaly comes out Friday, Dec. 13. The whole thing was our first huge production and it’s directed by Jaiden Frost. We’re so happy with how it turned out and would love it if you could check it out!