The Warhawks Release Their Highly Anticipated Dreamy and Exciting EP ‘This Ain’t Art’

Dynamic indie rock band The Warhawks finally released their highly anticipated and dreamy escapist EP, ‘This Ain’t Art’ on 12th March which offers a nostalgic early 90’s rock feeling while bridging together a multitude of emotions.

This Ain’t Art is a 6 track EP with a simple definition of fun, play and loss at the same time. One can feel the energy and time The Warhawks put into creating this lovely piece, bringing together an indie and alt-rock experience that is to die for in this day and age.

While listening to This Ain’t Art, you will find yourself falling for tracks like The Spirit of Mechanicsburg, On My Way, which has a sing-along vibe to it, Roll and Rock, and Through, to mention but a few. The album is a combination of edgy, catchy choruses and driving beats coupled with a punk-rock style and orgasmic guitar sounds.

Given how short the EP is, The Warhawks delivered an exciting 6 track album that kinda ends quite quickly and yet leaves you replaying it over and over again as you jump and dance to the catchy choruses from tracks like On My Way, Through, and The Spirit of Mechanicsburg which were my personal favourite.

“This Ain’t Art” is without a doubt the best record we have made to date. These songs showcase the evolution of us as songwriters and musicians. Written and recorded during the COVID pandemic, this record is the most important thing we have created as a band. Love, loss, truth, sadness and hope are some of the themes found in the words and sounds on the record. We are so proud of this one.” – The Warhawks

This Ain’t Art was written by The Warhawks band members John Bilodeau, Patrick Bilodeau, Tom Lipski, and Matt Orlando. It was recorded at Gradwell House, produced by Dave Downham and mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound.

This Ain’t Art EP Tracklist:

1. (I Wanna Go to) California

2. On My Way

3. The Spirit of Mechanicsburg

4. Through

5. Roll and Rock

6. Reruns

This Ain’t Art Is One of the Best Recordings from The Warhawks

Comprised of brothers John and Pat Bilodeau, cousin Matt Orlando and close family friend Tom Lipski, The Warhawks are a dynamic, blue-collared indie rock outfit from Gloucester City, NJ.

Following a string of DIY releases, the band released their debut LP ‘Never Felt So Good’ in January 2019. Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Dave Downham (Into It. Over It.) at Gradwell House Recording, the album consisted of nine soaring punk alt-rock anthems that explored themes of love, hope, and desperation.

‘Never Felt So Good’ would go on to earn the band several accolades including 93.3 WMMR’s “Band of the Month” that following March, steady rotation of their song “Miracle” on top indie station 88.5 WXPN, and live appearances on WRFF Radio 104.5.

Through their relentless efforts, the band has toured the entire United States, all the while cultivating a large, passionate fan base at home in the Northeast. They have also earned prominent opening slots for bands such as White Reaper, Sticky Fingers, July Talk, The Menzingers, Off With Their Heads, and Curls among others.

In the fall of 2019, the band returned to Gradwell House to record their six-song EP Stardust Disco. After its release in February of 2020, the band toured throughout the Northeast and Midwest before being halted by the pandemic.

After months of isolation, the band returned to the studio to record a live album called ‘Live From Lockdown’ released for free at the end of 2020. Following the album, the band continued to write and record new material which later led to their newly released This Ain’t Art EP.

Our team reached out to the band to find out more about what they are up to and what they have planned after their current release.

1. While working on the This Ain’t Art EP, what experiences excited you the most as a band?

This record is special because it was written during the most extreme quarantine phase of 2020. During this time of isolation and apocalyptic chaos happening all over the world, it was the most exciting thing to just get together and play music as a band.

With so much negative uncertainty around, writing music and playing together was an escape. We rediscovered the positivity and magic that is rock and roll.

2. What is your creative process like? Anything exciting you would like to share with your fans?

Our creative process is probably different from most bands because of our intensity and attention to detail. We are all songwriters and singers, so there are constantly a lot of ideas to cycle through and work out. Only the best songs make it through the gauntlet.

Usually, one of us will write something and bring it in to show us the basic idea and vibe of the song. Once we understand the soul of the song, we work together to arrange and create the final version of it. Ultimately, every part of the band and our creative process is collaborative.

3. Is the band already gearing up for something new in the next few months or years for the fans beyond the recently released EP?

Yes, we have a lot planned for 2022. The biggest thing is we are going over to tour in the UK for the first time in May. Being an internationally touring band has been a dream of ours for a long time. In addition to the UK tour dates, we plan on touring all over the United States in support of our new EP. This will be the most extensive touring we have done to date.

4. How did everyone in the band meet? And what’s the history behind the band’s name, “The Warhawks”?

One of the best (and worst) parts of the band is that we are a family band. John (guitar) and Pat (drums) are brothers, and Matt (guitar) is their first cousin. Tom (bass) has been our closest friend since we were kids. We all grew up together and we always hung out.

Before we started playing music, we would write and record films together, or go to rock shows in the city. When Matt was twelve he got an electric guitar. That changed everything. Shortly after we all got instruments and started playing music in his basement.

Eventually, we started calling ourselves “The Warhawks.” It was one of those things where the word coincidentally kept popping up, like deja vu or something. ‘Warhawk’ is a term that has been found throughout history, and has been used in different cultures to reference someone or a group of people who are not afraid of a fight. To us, rock and roll have always been a kind of metaphorical war.

The world is a dark place, and it will always try to bring you down. Rather than surrender our spirit, we fight back with our music. We are the soldiers of rock and roll.

5. Are there bands/artists you would love to collaborate with?

We would love to collaborate with any of our major songwriting influences including Julian Casablancas, Frank Black, Liam Gallagher, Alex Turner, or Damon Albarn. Also, Pat has a mild obsession with Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys. A Warhawks/Brian Wilson song would be great.

6. How has the pandemic impacted your music? Has it influenced your current projects in any way?

The pandemic had a huge impact on our music. In addition to all the quarantines, lockdowns, and massive changes in society, the music industry was basically shut completely down. No touring, no shows, no audience interactions.

The pandemic forced us to remember why we are songwriters and musicians in the first place. We wrote lyrics and music that would allow us to escape the hopelessness, and dream of better days. All we could do was cling to these dreams. It gave us a kind of hyperactive focus on our songwriting.

The songs that were written for “This Ain’t Art” saved our lives in more than one way. And now, as the worst of the pandemic is (hopefully) over, it seems everyone wants to forget about all the suffering and pain in the last couple of years. Although the pain may fade and the world may return to some form of “normalcy”, we will never forget what these songs did for us. This is the most important record we’ve created to date.

7. What do the band members usually do for fun in their free time when they’re not creating music?

When we’re not creating music we all have fun ways to occupy our time. Tom can be found in the kitchen, usually making a fine gourmet meal. JB can usually be found spending time with his family or creating graphic design art for local bands and companies.

Pat is probably reading some old fashioned book or trying to smoke every strand of THC available to society. As for Matt, it is still uncertain, after a lifetime of knowing him, how he spends his free time.

8. What is the one misconception that people have about your band or you as individuals?

We get along with everyone we meet. I think a misconception people have about us is that (like most bands) we put on this act like we are shielding something from our fans or the people we meet. The truth is, we are the same people off the stage that we are on camera or on stage.

Although we are aware our music is great and our shows are wild, we don’t act like we are better than anyone in any way. We are normal guys who like to make people laugh, like to entertain, and like to have a good time with EVERYONE.

9. After being in the industry for quite a while now, what would you describe as the band’s biggest challenges or failures faced in the last few years and how did you overcome them?

The biggest challenge we have as a band is to constantly stay motivated and enthusiastic in an industry that honestly doesn’t care about rock and roll anymore. The industry is only focused on what “sells.” Everything is based on trends, numbers, or social media presence.

This capitalist-driven mindset has all but destroyed the real sense of creativity and truth in music. The soul of Rock and Roll music has always been the rejection of trends, the challenging of authority, the breaking of routines and laws. We, The Warhawks, are rebels against the modern music scene. We are going to change the face of popular music.

10. What message would you love to give to your fans?

People keep saying ‘Rock and Roll is dead’… Fuck that. They must have not heard of The Warhawks. We have the best shows and music and fans in the world.

Stream the This Ain’t Art EP across all DSPs today here. You can also stay up to date with the band’s upcoming announcements by visiting their website.

 

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