MANSFIELD — Most bands would completely crumble when their lead singer leaves (even the Beatles did), but Hit The Lights have come back stronger than ever since the departure of original lead vocalist Colin Ross left the band in September 2007. Since then, former guitarist Nick Thompson has stepped up to the mic and Hit The Lights recruited Kevin Mahoney to play axe.
The Ohio based rockers are playing all of Warped Tour 2009 after getting off the AP Tour supporting The Maine and 3OH!3. Mahoney and drummer Nate Van Dame hung out with Blast in the press room of the Warped Tour before their set to discuss the weather, writing and the pina colada song (yes, the pina colada song).
BLAST: How has the tour been for you guys?
Kevin Mahoney: Couldn’t really be more happy with Warped Tour.
Nate Van Dame: I would say catering is pretty awesome.
BLAST: Have there been any low points for you guys on the tour?
NVD: The rain.
KM: Not being able to shower and now I’ve been walking in mud and I’m really miserable.
NVD: Yesterday I got to take a shower three times in my own shower, just because I could, and slept in my own bed. It was awesome.
BLAST: You just released a new EP, where can kids go to get it?
NVD: It’s only on Itunes right now actually. It is going to be available on Itunes or on tour only.
KM: It’s kind of like a reward, for the real fans you know? It’s our way of giving back to the people that actually come out to shows. Now they can get something special and it’s going to be cool looking.
BLAST: What is Hit The Lights doing after Warped?
KM: Kiss each other a lot. After Warped we are gonna sit around and write at home and shower as we god will please. Then we will do a full US headline tour in October/November.
NVD: We also just recorded a cover of the Pina Colada song for Taco Bell.
BLAST: Like the Jimmy Buffet song?
NVD: JImmy Buffet actually didn’t write that song. It was some random guy, but everyone thinks it was Jimmy. I can’t remember who it was. Nick [our lead singer] knows.
KM: That song is the worst in the world but we covered it for Taco Bell for their new Pina Colada drinks. We got sponsored by Taco Bell for winning this battle of the bands thing, we beat Paramore and Four Year Strong. Us, Underoath and someone else all won.
BLAST: So you guys have jumped on the Twitter trend as well. Do you dig it?
KM: It was actually our management’s idea and I thought it was lame at first but whatever I’ll do it and yeah, now everyone uses it. There’s like 3 million bands on twitter.
NVD: And you can tell when it’s really late and we’re all really drunk. It’s just all inside jokes back and forth.
BLAST: Is there anything you want to make sure readers are aware of when they read this interview?
KM: You can tell them that Kevin from Hit the Lights is really good looking. I just wanted the world to know, in case there is any confusion.
Hit The Lights released their ‘Coast to Coast’ EP mid July which you can purchase on Itunes right now.
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