Spring Break
Bouncing Souls to play at Riot Room
Casey Osburn
Issue date: 11/2/09 Section: Culture
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"I don't think there's any real secret," bassist Bryan Kienlen said. "I think it's just a matter of doing what you love. … If we didn't have fun we wouldn't do this."
The Bouncing Souls have been on tour all year with Bayside to celebrate their 20th anniversary. In 2009 alone, they've played more than 180 shows.
Being on the road that long may get tiring to others, but not these guys.
"We've done it our entire adult lives," Kienlen said. "It's probably really weird when you sit down and think about it, but we don't. It's just sort of natural I guess."
Along with the tour, the band has released a new song at the beginning of every month. Later this year, they'll release the album Ghosts on the Boardwalk with all 12 songs on it. There's no official release date yet, but it will be out in time for their third annual Home for the Holidays show. Every year between Christmas and New Year's, they perform four nights in a row in their home state - New Jersey.
Releasing songs one at a time was a way to keep the celebration going and get fans excited to see what will be next.
"We just wanted to shake things up, shake up the routine a little bit," Kienlen said. "It sort of extends the celebration."
The Bouncing Souls started out with the help of the Ramones' easy-to-learn songs.
"Ramones are actually not only a huge influence, but I think they were like a door opener," Kienlen said. "Because they wrote these songs that made you want to pick up an instrument and play because they were so easy."
Other influences include 7 Seconds, Youth Brigade, Agnostic Front, The Cure and many other bands around during the '80s.
Kienlen, guitarist Pete Steinkopf, vocalist Greg Attonito and drummer Michael McDermott make up the band. All but McDermott are original members; he joined in 1999 after their release of Hopeless Romantic.
After two decades of playing music together, the Bouncing Souls haven't really changed their sound.
"I guess in 20 years we've gotten a tiny bit better at playing our instruments," Kienlen joked. "It kind of evolves."
Writing music is a group effort for the band. And with 120 songs recorded, making up new ones gets tough.
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