By: burgundy bug
Wave Break bassist Ken Knightly and vocalist/rhythm guitarist Kelly Barber resting casually on the arms and back of a cushioned chair. Photo by Anthony Vito.
Source: Anthony Vito
New Jersey-based alt-rock band Wave Break has made waves with their energetic sound in the past, but they’re on the verge of unleashing a tsunami with the release of their single “Out of Breath” on Feb. 7th.
Recently, we reached out to vocalist and rhythm guitarist Kelly Barber and bassist Ken Knightly to learn more about the band, their upcoming single, and their passion for performing live.
How would you sum up your band and your music in just three words?
Unapologetic, fierce, and resilient.
What sparked your interests in music?
Listening to our favorite bands and artists growing up, which include Avril Lavigne, Paramore, My Chemical Romance, and Blink-182.
We saw a little bit of ourselves in them and their music. It inspired us and made us feel like we could be musicians, as well.
What inspired you to come together as a band?
We joined forces in Wave Break because we both have similar musical aspirations.
Wave Break
While we both find it fun and enjoy playing together, we think of it as a bit more than that and want to eventually make it our careers too.
As we touch on in our upcoming single “Out of Breath,” it’s extremely hard to come by other people who feel the same way.
What have you learned from playing with one another?
We’ve learned that performing music is a lot of fun, but playing with good friends is even better.
Wave Break
It’s always a lot of fun when we’re writing music or playing shows or on tour together. It’s not easy if you want to take it seriously and make it a career because there will always be bumps in the road.
But it’s a lot more worth it if you’re doing it with some of your favorite people.
Currently, you’re gearing up to release your latest single “Out of Breath.” Could you tell us a little about the song?
This single was inspired by the hardships we’ve faced trying to nail down a permanent lineup for the band.
We’ve had a few lineup changes over the last one and a half years since our EP release in 2018 because it’s extremely difficult to find like-minded people. Sometimes you hit it off with people for a while, and then all of a sudden priorities shift and it’s not working anymore.
What does “Out of Breath” mean to you, as the artists behind the song?
“Out of Breath” refers to having a hard time keeping up with setbacks in your career. It refers to a state of desperation where you’re just looking for anything that can bring you back on your career path.
Each time we went through a lineup change, we had to spend time finding a replacement instead of writing new music, which was very difficult in and of itself. It got exhausting after a while, and we decided we’re not going to bring someone else in again until we’re 100 percent sure they’re right for the band.
Could you give us a behind-the-scenes glimpse of what it was like to write and produce “Out of Breath?”
We recorded with Ryan Weil at Weilhouse Productions, a friend of ours who has a very underrated knack for producing and who we knew would put his all into the song. We’ll be recording our next EP with him as well.
We started recording within a month of the last lineup change, although it wasn’t announced yet, so the subject matter was still fresh. We took our time with it both because we wanted it to come out perfect and because we were also both going through some of our own personal issues that we had to schedule around.
At the same time the band kind of went into hiding because we knew we had to focus on getting this right.
We wanted our return to be as strong and impactful as it could possibly be.
Wave Break
On February 18th, you’ll be releasing a music video for “Out of Breath.” What was your favorite part of shooting the music video?
We filmed it at a cool warehouse-type location in New York. We loved filming it because we had never filmed at a place like that before.
We also loved working with Kris Khunachak who directed it, and our friends Dan Synn (from the band Highwind) and Ryan Weil again (who plays in the band P-Funk North).
It felt like a big hangout with our friends because we got some sick shots, got some food afterward, and the whole thing was super relaxed and fun.
Did you run into any challenges while producing the single or creating the music video?
We actually didn’t have many hardships getting this release together, other than the scheduling! It was just a long ordeal getting the song done with the video and all the planning of the release, but it was definitely worth it.
You also have a few shows coming up in March. What can fans look forward to at your upcoming performances?
Mainly the fact that these will be our first few performances with “Out of Breath!” We’ve been a band for two and a half years now and we’re finally getting to play some new music.
There will be more coming over the next year or so as well. We’re also trying to arrange some other surprises for these shows, but we can’t say what yet.
What’s your favorite part of performing live?
Getting to connect with all of our friends and fans and just have a ton of fun with them. Shows are such a great way to bring people together and we love getting to be a part of that.
How do you like to unwind after a show?
Usually what we end up doing afterward is get food together somewhere, and it typically ends up being Wawa or a diner if we’re in or near New Jersey and going home that night!
Where are some of your favorite places/venues to perform at?
There are a lot of venues we still have yet to play at that we’re trying to soon, but out of the ones that we have played at thus far, we love the Asbury Park Brewery, The Clubhouse of Toms River, and O’Brien’s Pub in Boston. They’ve always treated us well.
How do you hope to impact your listeners?
We want to inspire them and make them feel like they can do anything. That they can get through whatever hardship life throws at them, or that they can achieve their dreams.
If we can do it, anyone can do it. We’re all in this together.
Wave Break
What are your overall goals and aspirations as a band?
Ultimately, we want to get to the point where music can be our job. At the end of the day, if that doesn’t happen but we’ve inspired people and impacted their lives, we’ve accomplished something.
What are you most looking forward to this year? Do you have any additional music in the works or any other shows planned?
Right now, we just have those few shows in March planned but we’re going to be planning a lot more in the near future.
Hopefully hitting a bunch of new cities, as well. New music is in the works too! We’re going to start recording a new EP pretty soon.
Do you have any additional comments or final thoughts to share?
Stay tuned for our upcoming single “Out of Breath” on Feb. 7th and the video on Feb. 18th! There will be more new music coming after that, but for now, we can’t wait for you all to hear this one.
Also, come out to a show if you’re nearby! We love meeting you all.
Give Wave Break a listen on Spotify and Apple Music.
Be sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube to keep up with their upcoming music releases!
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