The High Flying Pop Punk Sounds of Neverkept

The High Flying Pop Punk Sounds of Neverkept

Neverkept is an exhilarating pop punk collective ready to land into the big leagues, especially if their brand new single Vertigo is indicative of high flying glories ahead.  Featuring Dorian Enrique from Broadside on inspiring lead vocals and a cast of absolutely dynamic musicians, Neverkept is sure to captivate the senses of all who venture upon their spirited reveries.  Highwire Daze Online recently caught up with Neale DiMento of Neverkept to find out a whole lot more about this exciting new band on the rise.  Read on…

Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Neverkept, and how long the band has been together.
My name is Neale and I play bass in Neverkept. We have been writing and touring together for a few years.

Where is the band based out of and what is your local music scene like there?
The five of us are spread out around the country, it sounds inconvenient but it is a lot of fun bringing all of our different styles together. The core group of Pete, Jay, and myself are originally from South Jersey, right outside of Philadelphia. We get a good blend of everything but we grew up going to punk and hardcore shows in DIY venues. It still holds true to that.

Is there any overall story or concept behind the lyrics to the Neverkept single Vertigo?
The song itself is a fun, upbeat tune about breaking out of your comfort zone and trying new things. We wanted to contrast that with a video that was darker and a little more serious. Charlie Anderson and his crew did an amazing job directing a really beautiful video of two brothers doing just that but with an emotional ending. We wanted it to be a little ambiguous, check it out on YouTube and let us know how you interpreted it.

Select any other Neverkept song and what inspired the lyrics.
I think one of the best facets of our lyric writing is that a lot can be up for interpretation. If I had to take one though I would probably pick our song Best Wishes (currently unreleased). The lyrics hit me pretty hard personally, basically takes the narrative of opening up to someone and feeling guilty about it but coming to terms with the fact that it is 100% okay to let yourself be vulnerable and talk to someone when you’re dealing with depression, anxiety, etc. That’s a message I can’t stress enough. Don’t ever be afraid to get help.

How close is Neverkept to writing and releasing an EP or full length?
I would say we are very close, some would say we’ve been very eager to get our sound out there, but we are definitely sitting on a bunch of material. We really can’t wait to release some more music, I know every band says it but I firmly believe we have something for everyone. Between Aaron, Pete, Jay, Dorian, and myself we all have different influences and styles that I think got captured really well in our writing/recording process.

How did Dorian from Broadside become involved with Neverkept?
Our old bands used to tour together about six years ago, and we became like family with those guys. Richmond, VA has always felt like a second home to us from both the fans and friends. I specifically remember Dorian and I both bonding over episodes of Archer, we all got along instantaneously. We’ve been very good friends ever since.

Would Neverkept and Broadside ever want to do a tour or any shows together?
We would be ecstatic to tour together. I think we would mesh really well in a live setting. Best part of tour, in my eyes, is making friends within any capacity. You really get to know people on the road and I think we would have a lot to learn and to teach each other. It would be an experience for sure.

What could one expect from a live Neverkept show?
Well if there is anything I want anyone to have at our shows it’s a good time. Always wanna see smiles out there in the crowd. We are a very energetic band and even if some of the subject material is heavy, I assure you it is not a somber show. We take a lot of pride in having an animated and passionate live performance and I’m always trying to make some people laugh and make sure people are moving and having fun. We engage the crowd just as much as we do ourselves. Crowd surfing is encouraged!

If Neverkept could open for any band either now or from the past, who would it be and why?
I think we would be a great opener for a band like The 1975. Bands that have a pop element to them but a rock background are great fits for us, but again, I genuinely feel like we could open for anyone and not stick out like sore thumbs.

What are your impressions regarding the Vans Warped Tour coming to an end?
It’s definitely odd to think about. When I was a teenager I couldn’t imagine a summer without a Warped Tour. Kevin Lyman is a smart guy though, I don’t think he would just shut it down without having a plan in place to cater to that audience long-term. It’s always been a goal of ours to play Warped so that’s a weird one but you never know what the future will hold. Dorian and Pete will be out on it this summer as well so look for them if you’re attending.

Any favorite Warped Tour memory?
I didn’t really realize how special it would be until a few years after the fact. Being lucky enough to see Hot Rod Circuit, The Starting Line, Thursday, and mewithoutYou in the same day is something I look back on and wonder “how the hell did that happen” … but that’s Warped Tour in a nutshell. Our drummer Pete followed Warped one year dressed as a hot dog handing out CDs. Literally one of the funniest things I’ve seen in my life, that guy is fearless.

What’s up next for Neverkept?
We have a lot of things in the works behind the scenes right now. Working on dropping another single and another video among other things I can’t really talk about at the moment. Really excited to share everything with everyone sooner than later but as much as I want to pretend it’s 2002 and I’m dropping a burnt CD of demos recorded in a bathroom we have to stay focused and do what’s best for us as a band.

Any final words of wisdom?
People hear what they see. Don’t do anything that would misrepresent you or your project. Patience is everything. Travel often with an empty cup, by that I mean learn as much as you can from the people you meet. Also, honestly, don’t trust anyone with a spiral staircase in their house. Seriously, they have to be hiding something, right? Anyway, hope that helps, thanks for letting me ramble on a bit and be sure to keep an eye out for us in the near future – got a lot of things planned and we can’t wait to get it out there!

Neverkept is:
Dorian Enrique – Vocals
Jay Miller – Guitar
Aaron Mong – Guitar
Neale DiMento – Bass
Pete Adams – Drums

(Interview by Ken Morton)

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