Quite rightly reported to be Hollywood’s hottest new band, The Bites’ debut album Squeeze is simply the most infectious record. It brings together a sound which reflects everything that was great about LA’s 80s excess: the big choruses, gang vocals, big riffs and crunching rhythms but with modern twists. Add to this the band’s incredible performances, their huge sense of fun and their ability to hold the crowd in the palms of their hands, The Bites represent the very best of the new breed. We catch up with Jordan Tyler (vocals), Mark Hylander (drummer), Zakk Currier (bass) and Jono Richer (guitar) following perhaps the best band performance at the Stonedead Festival 2024. In the salubrious surroundings of the backstage hospitality, we are keen to dig deep into the music. With a nice cold beer our conversation begins…

The Bites are creating a massive stir here in the UK and it’s no surprise given that your debut album Squeeze is absolutely incredible. For me this is a high energy album that brings the best of Sunset Strip excess together with Johnny Thunders pounding rhythms and big choruses. Selfishly, it’s the album that represents the musical DNA of my 19 year old self – I wanted it then and I love it now. Who has influenced you as a band and what sort of conversations took place to agree the kind of band you wanted to be?

Mark - I don’t know that we have ever had a conversation about it. I think we just grew up loving the spirit of rock and roll. We found a group of other guys who sort of enjoy the same lifestyle, the same fervour and the same passion for music and it just sort of came about organically through that.

Jordan - It’s always just kind of been a part of us even though we all have different tastes. We all stand underneath the same umbrella and I think that works out

Zakk - All of us as teenagers found it through different means whether it was through friends, family or like Guitar Hero. Honestly, Guitar Hero is self-discovery in some capacity

Jono - That’s how I got into music!

Well let’s talk about the music and your debut album Squeeze,  and I’d like to focus on the opening track Knockin’ On The Door. Right from the drum intro and driving guitar rhythm, this is such an amazing track. All I wanted to do is play along.But it’s the lyrics I just want to focus on. With lines such as ‘Won’t you follow me? Come on and follow me!’ and the title lyrics of ‘Knockin’ on the Door’, This just seems like a band making a massive statement of intent. A sort of ‘Here we are! Let’s enjoy the ride together’ sentiment. To what extent is this the essence of Knockin’ on the Door?

Jordan – Yes in terms of the way it starts off the album like ‘Knock knock, The Bites  are here!’ but to be quite frank with you, the song’s about having sex in the restroom at one of our shows (laughs!) But you are absolutely right that it is very much a statement that as a group we are here to provide timeless rock ‘n’ roll and it doesn’t matter what music you like or listen to, we are about having a good time.

I wonder if I’ll ever be able to walk past a restroom door without knocking on it… That’s what I’m worried about! (Laughs!). The next track I just want to pick up on is the absolutely amazing and incredibly infectious Heather Leather. One of things I particularly like about this song is the gang vocals. The whole band are involved in bringing the lyrics to life in this song and for me it really felt like we were all a big group of friends (the band and fans) going out on a big night out, and that sense of release and escapism is just wonderful. What, or who, was the inspiration for this track?

Jordan - It’s funny that you mentioned ‘who’. We finished writing that song early 2022 and we put it out in the middle of 2023 and it was about no one. Honestly it was just about the proverbial LA girl, the standard LA rocker chick. She’s probably out on the Sunset Strip, she’s at On The Rox (West Hollywood bar – Ed), a place we hate! (Laughs!) A place we truly detest! And then she’s going to Desert 5, our favourite spot! She’s going to be at both places. When we put the song out, one of our Instagram posts about the song, somebody tagged this one girl in and her name is Heather Leather. She’s a totally gorgeous 80s rocker chick, like with the big hair and the sexy outfits. We became friends after that and she’s still one of our friends. We had no idea that this Heather Leather existed! And now she’s a homie!

Jono - it just happened to sound good at the time!

Mark - We were absolutely chuffed to know that she exists.

Zakk - She’s also an ambassador of sorts for the Monsters of Rock Cruise which we are playing in March 2025 so that’s pretty sweet! She should be a part of that.

Jordan - Oh yeah, she’s going to come up, absolutely! Even if we have to drag her up onto the stage!

Even though you are from Hollywood, you signed with the UK label Earache Records. So many artists are turning to Earache and having fantastic success. What is it about Earache that attracted you and that in general creates such successful partnerships?

Jordan - Earache slid into our DMs a couple of years ago, Right after we put out Knockin’ On The Door which we released initially independently as a single in 2021. They loved this song, they discovered more of our stuff and we sent them all of our stuff. But I had a conversation with the label rep in at the states, Aldos – a great guy – and it was very much a time where everybody was kind of in doom and gloom. It was the middle of the pandemic and everyone was just kind of sad. Nobody could go to shows and you couldn’t even go out to the bar or anything and it was kind of this sad state, and he was like “You guys are the light, you guys are the fun and you guys are the energy in this kind of dark and solemn time, so that’s what we see in you!”. And another thing that they bring to the table is that they want to start careers and take bands to the next level. We were just an LA local band and at times we still feel like that but we’re doing what we can to get to the next level and Earache is really lifting us up by our jackets!

The great thing for fans is that you’re going to be back on the road in the UK in September opening for the incredible Dead Daisies on their Light ‘Em Up tour. It’s an incredible billing with The Treatment on too. How much are you looking forward to the tour and what can fans expect from these 12 shows?

Jordan - When we were here in the summer for our headliner, we were playing pubs and little clubs. ‘Little’ sounds demeaning – these were such fun shows! We were in a different place for the first time for most of us and we had a lot of people singing our songs back to us and wearing our T-shirts – and we’d never stepped foot in the country before! It was really, really humbling and flattering and it felt great. Having those same people come to see us at Rock City and  Shepherd’s Bush, these amazing huge venues, it’s going to show them a brand-new show that they will be familiar with, because they know us, but it’s just going to be a whole new experience.

Mark - I think something that one of us brings up in an interview when we get the chance to is that when we were here in November and December, we had singles out at that point but we were playing a full set that included other songs on the album that weren’t released a singles and people were still singing those songs back to us! That was 9 or 10 months ago and they’ve had the chance to sit with those songs for another 9 or 10 months. So we are really, really excited to get back on the road with The Treatment and The Dead Daisies and to see what people can bring to the table as far as energy goes because we are as sure as hell going to bring it when we are on stage!

Jono – Piggy-backing on that we’ve got some new stuff that’s not even out yet like Fire In Hollywood and we’re are excited to play that material all across the UK.