Getting to Know… Die Tired | Interview 🎤

In the 322nd Q&A in our Getting to Know… series, we get the inside scoop from the Pennsylvania rock band, Die Tired.

“We are a multifaceted band, pulling inspiration from classic rock, grunge, heavy metal, and pop-punk.” Cool beans, 🎙 Die Tired! Please, tell us more! “We deliver alternative rock & grunge influenced guitar tones paired with lyrics that are sure to facilitate an emotional experience for listeners.” Good stuff! Like our many other Getting to Know Q&As, we get the inside scoop on the Pennsylvanian band’s genesis, goals, musical influences, and of course, current, and future musical endeavors. So, without further ado, let’s jump right into 🎤 Getting to Know… Die Tired: Interview No. 322! 

For those who may not be familiar with Die Tired, what would you say makes you distinct or unique? How do you rock the audience’s socks off?   

🎤 We are a multifaceted band, pulling inspiration from classic rock, grunge, heavy metal, and pop-punk. We deliver alternative rock & grunge influenced guitar tones paired with lyrics that are sure to facilitate an emotional experience for listeners. We write about the everyday, relatable human condition; ranging from the internal clashing of thoughts, living free, and pursuing dreams. Our fans find our lyrics to be relevant to a similar life experience or personal story, and the grungy guitar tones paired with the pop-punk influenced drums re-create the physiological emotional experience of those relatable stories for each and every listener. From infectious grooves to dirty bass lines and memorable hooks, we bring high quality alt-rock that you want to crank up with the windows down in the car or over a couple of beers with your best friends at the local watering hole.  

Die Tired is: 

Matthew DeAngelis – Vocals & Guitar 

Sean Boyle – Guitar 

Jamieson (Jim) Lee – Bass 

Brandon Ballantyne – Drums 

Okay, let’s explore some juicy backstories. How did Die Tired form and what were some of the goals or visions you had early on?  

🎤 Originally derived from the old Marines adage: “You can run, but you’ll just die tired,” one might assume that their music has ominous undertones and potentially dark themes. Well, to Die Tired, it is a punk rock way of saying, “Carpe diem!” Being from various parts of the hills and streets of Pennsylvania, the members of Die Tired all bring their own specific flare and personality to the music. Each member has a slightly different taste in music, but in one way or another, these influences blend perfectly to breathe new life into some amazingly addictive alternative and pop rock sounds.  

Guitarist/Vocalist Matt DeAngelis and bassist Jim Lee have been long-time friends and collaborators. After previous projects dissolved, they continued to write and pursue their next band. Second guitarist Sean Boyle was added to the mix after being introduced through mutual friendships at the guy’s barbershop. The trio began writing and putting together the groundwork for what would later become some of the songs to appear in the current set-list. Once this early version of Die Tired started hitting their stride, they knew it was time to bring in a drummer. One day, as Matt was scrolling through social media, he saw a post from a local drummer playing a deep cut from the band “The Used.” Matt quickly shared the video with the other guys, and all agreed we had to contact him. After successfully reaching out, drummer Brandon Ballantyne was added to the mix. This version of Die Tired quickly hit it off and the music was electric. Over a year later and the band was signed to SODEH Records. 

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?   

🎤 We are working on a number of additional singles, an EP, and a full-length album; all of which will be released gradually over the next several months. Previously recorded singles can be found on Spotify, which include 🎵 “Whatcha Gonna Do?”, and 🎵 “New Condition.” We plan to continue to make music that is meaningful and exciting to us. We hope it resonates with our audience and that they enjoy and feel something. In addition to music, we strongly believe in creative branding and collaborations. We see a second music video, a live “In Concert” video, expanding our merch line, and working with talented artists to create unique Die Tired pieces such as concert posters, shirt designs, and stickers in the near future.  

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

🎤 Our influences include but are not limited to Alice in Chains, Silverchair, Thrice, Manchester Orchestra, and Stone Temple Pilots. Particularly those artists from the grunge genre that have come before us, inspire us by giving us artistic ideas of how to write certain interplay between drums and guitar throughout our songs.  

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

🎤 We were playing an outdoor show at a local brewery in the middle of January. The show was marketed to have a heated tent. It was 7 degrees outside and on the verge of an ice storm. The outdoor gas heaters were not strong enough to supply adequate heat. We were freezing. We could barely feel our fingers. We still packed the place. It was a crowded tent of people who were freezing, but all engaged and living in the moment with Die Tired rock and roll. To this day, the show is still spoken about as a night that most will never forget.  

Up until this point in your career, what would you describe as your favorite song you have recorded or performed live? What makes that song special? 

🎤 Our favorite song that we have written, recorded, and performed live is our latest single, 🎵 “Play.” Play is about leaving the things that drag you down behind and pursuing what you love.  Taking the people, you care about the most with you and leaning into the innocence and beauty that can be found in everyday life. This song is about having fun and being free…go fall in love, skydive, travel the world; as long as it’s pure and it’s what you need. The song has landed on the digital airplay charts, landing in the rock top 50 in just the second week of radio promotion.   

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

🎤 Our guitarist, Sean, is a hair-styling professional. He cuts and styles all our hair. So, as you may notice both in photos and live on stage, our hairstyles are on point, the best you will see. Sean does an exceptional job.  

Closing out, what is Die Tired currently working on, or promoting that you can share with us or want us to know about? We love secrets, but there is no pressure.  

🎤 We are now on all major streaming services out there. You can also find our music on our website (https://dietiredband.com/) and YouTube channel. We have a fully functioning web store as well with customizable shirts and other gear. Any items ordered are shipped directly to your address. We also have limited edition merch (such as hoodies or a physical copy of an EP) that are only sold at our live shows for those that love a good collector’s item.  

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

Getting to Know… Die Tired: Interview No. 322 [📷: Brent Faulkner, Darkmoon_Art, Die Tired, luis2500gx, The Musical Hype, Pixabay, OpenClipart-Vectors]