Getting to Know… Borderline Natives | Interview 🎤

For Interview #53 on The Musical Hype, Kevin Barry and Bobby Groesbeck provide insight on the Nashville pop-punk band, Borderline Natives.

“We have a certain energy in our music and live shows that everyone catches on to,” Kevin Barry, the lead vocalist and rhythmic guitarist of Borderline Natives asserts. Right on! In addition to Barry providing The Musical Hype with some info on the Nashville, Tennessee pop-punk band, bassist Bobby Groesbeck also gets into the mix. In fact, Groesbeck delivers one of the most colorful moments of the 53^rd interview in the Getting to Know… series: “A drunk girl stumbled on stage once and sit on the floor right next to the drum kit and just stared off into space…” We’ll leave it at that – no need to spoil the rest of the story! Want to know more about this compelling band? Well, get to reading the intriguing Getting to Know… Borderline Natives – Interview #53!

Brent Faulkner, The Musical Hype (Faulkner): Let’s get this started off right. For those who may not be familiar with you, what would you say makes Borderline Natives distinct or unique? How do you rock the audience’s socks off?

Kevin Barry (Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar): Borderline Natives is one of the best things I’ve been a part of. We have a certain energy in our music and live shows that everyone catches on to. Live shows for us, are all about connecting with the audience there, making it feel that everyone is a part of the show and that its ok to be yourself.

Faulkner: Okay, let’s explore some juicy backstories. How did Borderline Natives form and what were some of the goals or the visions you had as a band early on?

Kevin: Well, it was really a ‘friend of a friend’ type of thing. With the exception of our drummer, who answered an ad, Bobby [Groesbeck] knew a former drummer of the band and Ivan’s (Lead Guitar) other band had and I had opened for us previously. Once this group got in a room, we knew we had something. 

Bobby Groesbeck (Bass): When I moved to Nashville, I found a post on Facebook about the band looking for a bassist, and in the video, I noticed the old drummer was a good friend of mine from back in Colorado who lived out here before me. So, I sent a message and was in. All of the pieces just fell into place naturally, we actually did our first show with only like ½ of a rehearsal and we had all just met each other. That show went so well that I think we all saw a potential for this to grow into something cool.

Faulkner: Let’s talk more about goals.  Have your goals or your perspectives changed since first starting out? What do your aspirations or goals look like now?

Bobby: I moved to Nashville in 2019 to play music full-time. You obviously expect to be playing country music here, but I landed in a pop-punk band without playing a single country song in this city. It’s a cool place where all kinds of music can be found, and we just want to make good music that people like. If people love it, we can’t ask for much more.

Kevin: I thought it would take way longer to get to the level we are at. We still have a way to go but we are really working toward a greater goal. We are putting out our first full length album this year along with a cool Live EP that was a blast to track. It’s cool to be in the middle of it all.

Faulkner: Everybody is influenced by somebody else. Who would you consider some of your biggest musical influences and how are they influential?  

Bobby: I grew up listening to old Motown and golden oldies music, so I’ve got a lot of soul and rock and roll in my blood, but the first 2 records I bought myself were Blink 182’s Enema of the State and Metallica’s Black Album. Those were game changers for me, and I’ve been in love with modern styles of rock as well. I also really enjoy funk, gospel, pretty much anything with compelling bass playing in it.

Kevin: I grew up on Beatles records my family was and still is completely obsessed with the fab four. but I can’t hate on that because I’ve always been a huge fan of Paul McCartney in particular Wings Over America, Sgt. Pepper, Abbey Road, Venus and Mars. to name a few. More current influences would be Blink-182, All Time Low, State Champs. I’ve always loved writing about darker topics but keeping the music energetic.

Faulkner: Ah, the fun stuff.  What’s your craziest tour story or the wackiest thing that’s happened during a performance?  Feel free to be creative.

Bobby: That’s happened already? Had a drunk girl stumble on stage once and sit on the floor right next to the drum kit and just stare off into space. She then left the club and got her car stuck on the concrete wall of the parking lot she was parked in. Come on people, Uber is a thing. I am about to play a couple shows on a cruise ship for a “clothing optional” cruise this year… so ask me this again in 2021!

Kevin: Bobby broke the input on an amp at a show that I bought a week earlier and I’ll never let him live it down. We’ve also played some sketchy venues. I’m not gonna name names but if you know you know.

Faulkner: Definitely crazy stories! Up until this point in your career, what would you describe as your favorite song you’ve recorded or performed live? What makes that song special?  

Kevin: “Coming Home” is one that has always been great live and we recorded on the new Live EP to capture that. A lot of the new songs of the album have been fun to play. “Real Ones” is a band favorite I would say. Personally, “Sweetie” was the first song I wrote that I was proud of.

Faulkner: Is there anything else awesome, cool, or left of center the world should know about you? Secret talents or surprising tidbits?  

Bobby: Let’s see… I’m left-handed, my love language is sarcasm, and I have the most useless talent of being able to see a random person and go “Wow, if John Stamos and Seth Rogen had a baby, it’d look just like them.”

Kevin: I’m pretty sure I know all the Blink-182 facts that exist in the world. I’m right-handed but I play drums left-handed because my dad plays left-handed. I can play music by ear and I have synesthesia which helps when we are writing and arranging music.

Faulkner: Closing this thing out, what Borderline Natives currently working on or promoting that you can share with us or want us to know about? We love secrets, but there’s no pressure.   

Borderline Natives: Our new EP, Live at Common Man, comes out March 3rd, 2020; Our new album will also be out sometime this year; We have a single out currently called “Two Rivers”; Follow Us @borderlinenatives on everything to stay up to date. 

Faulkner: Thank you so much for sharing taking the time to answer these questions, and best of luck moving forward.   

Photo Credits: Brent Faulkner, The Musical Hype, Borderline Natives