Los Angeles based punk band Runaway Kids is composed of four talented musicians. Gage Armstrong fronts on vocals, Sean Chamilian leads the charge on guitar, and the rhythm section is comprised of Korey Keeton on bass and RJ Shankle on drums.
Runaway Kids formed in 2014 and their first EP, Better Days came out in 2015. There are only five tracks on it, but those five tracks are pretty great individually and as a whole as well. In order, the songs are:
- Afraid
- Take Deep Breaths
- No Direction
- I Remember (Easily my favorite)
- Better Days
I probably wouldn’t have heard of Runway Kids if I hadn’t gone to see Pennywise when they came to Portland in October 2016. Pennywise is my favorite punk band and an obvious influence on Runaway Kids. I’ll remember that show as much for Runaway Kids as I will for Pennywise. That’s how good they were and how much of an impression they left on me. Since that show I have been able to stay in touch with some of the guys and recently reached out to them to ask if I could interview them for EarProtein. Below are the questions I asked and the responses given back to me from Gage.
1. Exactly when and where did your band form? We had about 3 or 4 band names that we couldn’t choose from, so we all went to eat dinner and decided to pick one out of a hat and the rest is history!
2. Where did the name “Runaway Kids” come from? Is there a really interesting story with it? Unfortunately there is no cool story behind it. I think it just popped into one of our heads one day.
3. How long have you all known each other and where are you all from? Sean and I (Gage) have known each other since 8th/9th grade from going to shows and touring in other bands together. That is how we met RJ and Korey later on in our early twenties. Sean and I are from Los Angeles, RJ is from Nashville, Tennessee and is currently living in LA, and Korey is in Bakersfield (gross).
4. What are some musical/band influences for the band? Man that’s a broad question. For the sound of our band I would say it ranges from The Offspring, Rise Against, Pennywise, and older stuff that we used to listen to as kids. The current bands that keep us stoked are bands like Turnstile, Angel Dust, and the Bronx. Too many to name really.
5. Who writes the songs? Sean is the mastermind. He whips up super rough demos and sends them to me to put lyrics on and vocal patterns. Then we all whip up the real magic in the studio with the help of our buddy Dan producing.
6. What would you say is the largest challenge about being in a band? Keeping the grind going and staying on the same page with all of our hectic lives.
7. You have one EP out, Better Days, with a full length album on the way. When does that second one come out? So soon. So very soon!
8. What is your website and what are your social media accounts in case folks want to learn more about you? The official band site is www.runaway-kids.com and we have a YouTube channel. On Twitter it’s @RunawayKids and on both Facebook and Instagram we are runawaykidsofficial.
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