Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with We Were Sharks

Since 2011, We Were Sharks has captivated the recording industry and music lovers with their tenacity, grit, catchy vocals, and stellar guitar riffs. The five-piece band has dedicated their lives to their craft and put in the long yards. In 2012, they released their debut EP, Highways, laying the foundation for a loyal and growing fan base. Since then, they’ve amassed millions of streams on Spotify and continued their momentum with their 2015 release Not a Chance and 2018’s Lost Touch. Next year, the band writes a new chapter in their already impressive career with their highly-anticipated LP. Pop Culturalist chatted with front man Randy Frobel about the upcoming album.

PC: How did you discover your passion for music?
Randy: It was in elementary school. I remember seeing the Backstreet Boys and I was like, “Man. Look at all these girls who love them. Maybe I need to learn how to sing.” [laughs] That’s when I gave singing a try, and I really fell in love with it. Then I remember hearing “Dammit” by Blink-182. I was like, “Whoa. What is this?” That’s when I got into punk rock and pop funk.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Randy: I have to go with the first time that I heard Blink. That changed how I saw music. I wasn’t a big fan of ’90s rock at the time. Then I heard Blink and started listening to Bad Religion, the Clash, the Ramones, the Descendents, and I was like this is cool. Then I heard New Found Glory, and it changed what I thought about everything. I’m going to say those bands had a major impact.

PC: We Were Sharks has been a band since 2011. What’s been the key to all the success you guys have had?
Randy: We just like to have a good time. We love to make new fans and meet new people, but at the end of the day, we’re having an absolute blast whether we’re playing in front of one person or a thousand people. We’re going to go out and do the same show.

PC: You guys are getting ready to release some new music in 2020. What can you tell us about this new collection? What do you hope to say with it?
Randy: We went into the studio not too long ago to demo some of the ideas we had. They went from super-fast pop funk to a rockier kind of style. Then we found out that we were working with Paul Marc Rousseau, from Silverstein, who did Lost Touch. And he was like, “Boys, when I come up, let’s get those juices flowing.” It’s hard to say what it’s going to sound like. I know every band says it, but it’s definitely a more mature level. It’s going to be a little more mature while staying true to our roots. We love what we’re doing, so we’re not going to change too much.

PC: How does this new collection of songs differentiate itself from that LP?
Randy: That’s a good question. It’s going to show growth. We just want to show growth on the next one.

PC: Of the songs that you have released, if you had to choose one song that best encompasses you all as artists, what would it be and why?
Randy: I think it’ll be different for every member, but I would say “How to Lose Your Cool.” In all the bands that I’ve been in, this one hits home. When people ask what We Were Sharks are about, I usually go to that one. That’s not to say that I don’t love all the other ones because I do. There’s something about that song. When we first wrote it, I was like, “This is cool.”

PC: What’s one thing you know now that you wish you knew when you started?
Randy: Not to start a band. [laughs] I’m joking. Honestly, how much work it was going to be. No matter how long you’ve been a band, there’s so much work that goes into it. The more that we do it, the more work we need to put in. When you’re younger, you think that you get signed to a label and it’s all uphill. But it’s not like that. You have to continue to put in the work.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Randy: The Zac Brown Band

PC: First album you bought?
Randy: It was Dude Ranch by Blink-182.

PC: First concert you attended?
Randy: Backstreet Boys

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
Randy: New Found Glory’s self-titled album. That album from front to back was pure punk pop gold.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
Randy: Madison Square Garden

PC: A must-have on the road?
Randy: Baby wipes

To keep up with We Were Sharks, follow them on Twitter and Instagram. Pick up or stream Lost Touch on Amazon Music, iTunes or Spotify.