Hello Rockstars! Today’s Artist of the Week is Punk Band We Might Die!
Here’s their story in their own words!
Also, don’t forget to save two very important dates!
Their debut album “Hate You” is available on 8/29, so check out all the details on their Website and also get ready for their amazing We Might Die Birthday Show at Eagle Aerie Hall on 8/30!
You definitely don’t want to miss this amazing new evolution of We Might Die! xoxoxoxox
All Photo’s Courtesy of the amazing Tiffany Salerno. 🙂
VMS:
When did you start writing and performing your music.
What’s your backstory and current lineup.
We Might Die:
Liv- I started performing music when I was 9 at School of Rock however I didn’t start writing my own music till I was in this band.
Travis- I didn’t start performing anything I wrote until this band. I started playing guitar very seriously about 5 or 6 years ago. I started taking lessons for everything I could about 2 years ago. Guitar, Bass, Drums, Keyboards and vocals. I got to know Chance through School of Rock where I was taking lessons and he contacted me about a project he was working on. Black Heart Emoji. We all kind of clicked during the first few practices. Then the original project didn’t work out and we decided to start a new project with Chance, Olivia and me. We’ve been working together for about a year now on this band.
Chance – I started writing my own music when I was 14. Started playing shows with my first serious band when I was 15. I’ve been either playing drums or guitar for bands ever since.
VMS:
What artist or bands inspire you and your sound.
We Might Die:
Travis- I’ve had a difficult time with listening to music for like 10 years. I’ve been dealing with mental health issues for a while and for the most part I find most music to be emotionally exhausting. I was into hardcore punk since I was 12 years old. All the 80’s bands like Dead Kennedys, Minor Threat, G.B.H. and really anything from around that time. I started really getting into post punk bands more recently. Gang of Four, Bauhaus, The Chameleons. I like the new darker post punk sounds over the past few years. I can appreciate most things except new country music. Bro, your truck is not a good subject for a song and saying “I’m country” is so ambiguous that it ultimately means nothing.
Collectively, I think we’re all inspired by a bunch of the modern punk-ish bands like Turnstile, Scowl, and Lambrini Girls.
Liv – Heavily inspired by Pierce The Veil, Scowl, and Destroy Boys.
VMS:
What’s your writing process and inspiration for your lyrics.
We Might Die:
Our writing process is done largely from an individualistic point of view and then it gets brought to the group. Like, any of us may write an entire arrangement and then bring it to the group where we add the finishing touches. Sometimes, it starts with just a single riff and then we collectively write the rest of the song. We don’t really stick to a solid method.
Liv – The inspiration for lyrics are all the assholes I encounter and stuff that makes me mad. Also any emotions I am struggling with.
Chance – I never write lyrics but am good at writing entire song arrangements.
Travis- I wrote lyrics for “This Fearful Tulpa” and “Raise the Dead”. They came from a deeply personal place. Probably so much so that they might not even be relatable on first read.
VMS:
I love your songs “Knew Me” (It’s So good and just came out today July 4th!) “Bloom (I Still Hate You)”, “Get Outta my Scene” and “B.I.T.B” What is the inspiration or story behind these songs.
We Might Die:
Liv – “Knew me” is about an old friend I had that never actually knew who I was. They barely knew any aspects of my personality but they bragged about being my “best friend.” They always had this idea of me that I was constantly trying to fit into. “Bloom” is really about all the people I’ve had crushes on or dated who didn’t ever give me the same effort or respect that I was giving them. The song is about me learning from their mistakes and learning how to be a better person based on how I was treated.
“Get outta my scene” is about one boy who had raped my friend but flaunted to everyone how “punk” he is. The song is a huge fuck you to everything about him so it’s me telling him to get out of my scene. Really this song can be related to anyone who brags about being punk or looks punk but doesn’t follow any of the punk ideologies. “B.I.T.B.” is about a hard lock down we had at school that turned out to be false and for weeks after that kids started leaving bullets in the bathrooms and classrooms as a “joke.”
Listen to We Might Die on Spotify:
VMS:
Tell me about your upcoming new Album! What was the inspiration and process of writing it and what can we expect for the evolution of We Might Die.
We Might Die:
Our album “hate you” was largely a collective effort between the 3 of us. All three of our creative voices are present on the album. The album almost reads as a vindictive love letter to toxic people and experiences.
You can likely expect more aggression, anger, and intensity from the band as we continue to write music after this album. Mainly due to the current socio-political climate in the US at the moment. Also for Liv, New School = New Assholes to write songs about. We have 2 new songs in the works. One calling out faux punks like the people who claim to be right wing or conservative punks. Overall: Louder, faster, angrier. 
VMS:
Which local artist would you like to work with and why.
We Might Die:
Out of the 30+ shows we’ve played in Vegas since we started playing shows last year in August, we have had the opportunity to work with pretty much every band we wanted to work with. We love working with The Scumbag crew for shows and really enjoyed playing with Terror Attack back in June. Super stoked to play with Snarl for our birthday bash on August 30th. One bucket list band for us to play with here in Vegas is Body of Filth but it will be tough to end up on a show with them since the genres are so different.
VMS:
What’s your overall theme or message of your music.
We Might Die:
Common themes in our music center around trying to live with so many issues like extreme anxiety and dealing with toxic people.
Liv – How awesome I am.
VMS:
Do you have a favorite song that you like to perform.
We Might Die:
Travis- I really like “Knew Me” and “Raise the Dead”.
Chance – I love to play “Raise The Dead”. It’s such a fun song to start a show with. “Knew Me” is one of my favorites as well. The drum parts just flow really well and I really enjoy playing that one.
Liv – My favorite song to perform is “Rotting” and “Get Outta My Scene” because I think those are some of my best vocal performances. “Get Outta My Scene” is fun because everyone in the scene knows us for that so it’s always very fun.
VMS:
Do you have any crazy or interesting stories from working in the music scene.
We Might Die:
Just the normal Vegas craziness but we expect more stories to come after our tour in August.
VMS:
What does the future hold for We Might Die.
We Might Die:
Touring
Festivals More touring Regional shows Louder, faster, angrier music
VMS:
What have been your personal pros and cons of being a band here in Las Vegas. What do you think the scene could improve on and what are your hopes for the future of the Vegas Music Scene.
We Might Die:
Being an original band in Vegas with an underage member has its many challenges. There are few venues who will allow us to play due to Liv’s age so we end up having to play a lot of shows that are outside. This first year as a band we took any opportunity possible so this meant a lot of sets in the brutal sun and heat. I think we all agree this is a major con. We also are disappointed with the lack of all-ages venues and spaces because we strongly feel kids should be included in the scene and the youth is what makes any scene thrive. We often have to travel to LA just so Liv can see her favorite bands perform, so hopefully this is something that changes for the future.
The number one con for being a band in Vegas is there are too many entertainment options going on every single in the city. It’s hard to pull any kind of draw to your show when there are ten or more other shows going on at the same time. Despite having so many challenges with being a new band, and a punk band (there are so few punk bands here!), and having an underage singer, we have met the most amazing people in the scene. We seriously have found our second family and have been overwhelmed by the support here. We are beyond grateful that so many promoters, other bands, and show-goers have shown up for us or have given us opportunities.
Our biggest advice to ANY new band, in any genre and at any age, is to go to shows. Go to as many shows as possible. Meet people in the scene for the sake of building a community and connections. Support your local scene, and your local scene will support you. And stay for the entire show!!! Whether you are playing a show or going to one, stay for the entire thing. Those connections will happen organically if you stick around and have conversations with everyone between sets and after.
For the future we would love to see more safe spaces for kids to be included in the scene. More all-ages venues. More mixed genres lineups would be cool too. It gives bands exposure to fans that they wouldn’t have access to if they were only booked with similar bands. Coming from a small town, all of our shows were mixed genres and those were some of the best shows we’ve ever been to. The best thing about music is that anybody can be a fan of yours. There is no need to gatekeep bands and hoard fans or opportunities. It just doesn’t work that way.
VMS:
What do you want your audience to feel and experience at one of your live shows.
We Might Die:
Liv – Angry but safely angry
(NOT PEDOPHILES 
)
A safe space to let their emotions out. We want everyone to come away from one of our shows feeling elated and excited.
VMS Thoughts:
What I love about We Might Die, and what I have always loved about them is how not only are they absolutely killer musicians, who have an insane chemistry together, but I love that their music is raw, honest, and not afraid to talk about some incredibly hard and personal topics such as lost love, betrayal, fake mother fuckers, overcoming obstacles and keeping the music scene toxic free, which honestly those are incredibly real issues. I love Vegas, but there are definitely some toxic mother fuckers here in this city lol.
With Lead Singer Liv’s intense vocals and sick bass playing, Chance’s commanding drums that have a mind of their own, and Travis’s Guitar that brings an amazing raw, gritty energy to the mix, I am always constantly impressed with each new release how harder, faster, and louder they get every time. They are not afraid to push themselves musically and are always constantly evolving as a band, which I think is amazing. Shit, I remember seeing them for the first time a couple of years back and already being impressed at the time by their incredibly strong musicianship and songs.
So I am happy to report that they seem, for me, to get better and better each time, and constantly always surprise me. I am so incredibly proud and inspired to see this band becoming such a huge force to be reckoned with in the Vegas music scene, and I cannot wait for their new album to come out on 8/29. I just know it will be a wonderful new step in the right direction for this already incredibly sick band. If you are not listening to We Might Die right now, you better fucking start today!
To get the full experience of their intensity, I strongly encourage you to come to their show at Eagle Aerie Hall on 8/30! It’s going to be a night you truly don’t wanna miss! I am so incredibly proud of We Might Die, and I truly can’t wait for the next chapter of their experience. I just know that no matter what they do, they will always keep it real, raw and honest. And I personally wouldn’t have it any other way! xoxoxoxoxoxo
For More Information about We Might Die, visit their Website!
—VMS