Today we are thrilled to bring you the premiere of the new album by Seattle-based punk rockers Dead Bars! The album is called All Dead Bars Go To Heaven and features ten tracks full of anthemic choruses that are perfect for singing along to. We caught up with guitarist and vocalist John Maiello, guitarist C.J. Frederick, and bassist Jon Oddo to hear the stories behind each of the tracks. All Dead Bars Go To Heaven will be out everywhere on March 21 via Deathwish and you can pre-order it right here. Listen to the album and read the track-by-track breakdown below!
All Dead Bars Go To Heaven Track-By-Track Breakdown
1) “I Wanna Be A Ghost”
A reflection about the past, present, and future. Music is the conduit that links us to other people and places. Time moves on. Sometimes you can’t explain it, but it’s just right. This song went through a few different versions and we almost abandoned it at several points during the writing process. Oddo championed it and when we brought it back, it revealed itself as the perfect opening track. - John
2) “Last Call Alarm”
When you need one more but the timing ain’t right, set your last call alarm and you might have a chance. As with most of my songs, this comes from real experience (yes I actually did have a last call alarm) but also has deeper meaning about not missing out. You always need that reminder to keep you going. - John
3) “I Live Here Now”
What doesn’t make sense in the moment sometimes tells the perfect story of who you were at the time. The ghost theme shows up again because we can be unseen by the world. The band wrote the perfect chorus. Own who you are. Put your head down and keep it moving is the only way forward. - C.J.
4) “Wait So Long”
Why don’t we do the things we know we need to do? Why do we wait so long to make the positive changes we need to make in order to move forward? This is about getting your head straight better late than never. - John
5) “Underground”
Diss track or pop song? Or both? You decide. We use a phaser in this song, I think. This is kind of the sequel to our song “Sinkhole.” Below a sinkhole, there is just underground. Our engineer, Evan Foster (The Sonics, Boss Martians) ripped the surf guitar solo at the end. - C.J.
6) “Valentine Heart”
A song about love and loss. It’s about a specific moment in time that has come and gone. Probably the only breakup song I’ve ever written. When I showed it to the band, it quickly became a favorite to play. I love the fade-out at the end - John
7) “Bad Life”
This shit is raw. It was written while driving a rental car from Detroit to Pittsburgh. I’m glad the narrator in this song is still OK. I wrote it, Oddo arranged it, and John sang it. A true collaboration of a band that trusts each other. Our friend Henry played violin and viola on it. It’s one of the more unique songs we’ve ever done. - C.J.
8) “Missed Connection”
Being too afraid to take a chance and the pain of never knowing the answer to “What if?” In 2010, someone wrote about me in the “I Saw U” section of the local weekly Seattle paper The Stranger. I always wondered what would have happened if I answered the ad. Recently, I posted my own “I Saw U” searching for another missed connection. Hopefully next time, there wont be any “What ifs?” - John
9) “Give The Metalhead A Hug”
It’s about finding community in an unlikely place. I worked a at a metal bar/venue in Seattle and got to hang with metalheads in a way I never got to before. It was awesome. The metalheads believe in each other. The metalheads take care of each other. I wrote this song for them. Thanks for letting me into your world. - John
10) “Be Me”
This is about radical self acceptance. Coming to terms with your true self and finding ways to move forward positively. It’s about hope. It’s about the future. “If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love someone else”. - Oddo