Formed from the ashes of several Rhode Island and Massachusetts bands, Northernmost is five-person rock band who released their debut, self-titled album in 2014, followed by their new “Pinedale” EP which dropped this past September. While still short of mainstream stardom, that was never the goal according to the band, “The goal is to have 1 kid anywhere we play who connects with something [we’ve] created in a way that inspires him to take the mic or sing it back at me. That’s [our] definition of ‘Making It’.”

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Mike O’Keefe: You guys are based in Massachusetts, describe your hometown a little. What would you suggest a first time visitor to see?

Northernmost: Well, we are all kind of from different places so I guess we should say what our collective hometown is. We all meet up in Tauton, which is the usual ground because that’s where our practice spot is. We have played a lot of shows here. We have actually had two different practice buildings in Tauton, so I guess that’s the band’s hometown. But, don’t go here, it’s not a great place. It used to be, they called it the “Silver City” because there were a bunch of silver factories in the area. Then, they all shut down, and as we have seen all across America, when that happens there’s just a lot of violence and a lot of people that are left really poor, unfortunately.

Photo courtesy | Emmanuel Huybrechts

MO: Are you guys close to Boston?

Northernmost: Yeah, we’re about an hour or so from Boston. It’s is definitely a place to go to. I live in New Bedford right now, which is like 30-minutes south of Tauton and that actually has some pretty cool history. There’s more tourists there than you would imagine. Massachusetts used to be huge on whaling and textiles. It used to be one of the biggest industries. Both of them primarily came out of Bedford, which is further down. You read stories like Moby Dick about ships that are out of Bedford.

MO: Yeah, it’s cool. What would you say are some of your favorite US locations to visit?

Northernmost: I like Long Island definitely — Cleveland and Long Island. Honolulu is up there for me. San Francisco is great too.

Photo courtesy | Sudheer G.

MO: Yeah, that would be awesome. Describe your excitement leading up to releasing your EP. Where did the musical inspiration come from?

Northernmost: I think the biggest bit of it was that we had been in the process of writing a second album for a while and we had several songs that were kind of a littler happier and more upbeat. We didn’t know if they would make the final cut onto what would probably be a little bit darker of an album. But we really wanted to get them out there because we thought that they were awesome songs so that formed into the EP. I think ever since we got on a call together and that first band practice we decided to do it, we were so excited to show people the songs. Then, once we got back, like three or fourth months ago, it was really, really hard to sit on those and not show anybody.

MO: Where did the musical inspiration come from? Is it just from seeing everyday things or does traveling play a part?

Northernmost: Yeah, I would say some of it does. I would say travel plays a part because a lot of stuff that influenced comes from playing with other bands. Like, one of the bands that we met in Long Island became really good friends of ours. We would have never met if we hadn’t gone on tour.

MO: Was being involved in music something you always wanted to do or was it gradual?

Northernmost: I think I was a little bit later of a bloomer than everyone else. I didn’t start playing music until I was like 14. Other than the recorder in elementary school, but I don’t think of that as instrument, more of an irritation device. I started playing guitar when I was 14 and ever since then I always knew that I could do it in some aspect, I guess. I’m still holding on to if I can make that my whole life decision, my big boy job or whatever.

MO: Yeah, it’s the best when you can find something you like to do and stick with it. It usually has the best result.

Northernmost: Yeah. I started the cello when I was six or something, because I wasn’t good at sports. So I decided to play music instead. And then I stopped that and played the trumpet. I didn’t realize that I actually wanted to be in a band until I went to my first concert. I saw the White Stripes when I was 12 and that was the best moment.

Photo courtesy | Gerry

MO: Cool guys. What is the first thing you try to do when visiting a new destination?

Northernmost: Get good coffee. Find the closest burrito place or the closest skate park. You need to rank pizza on there too depending on where in the world we are. There is a phenomenal place for brick oven pizza in New Bedford that is relevant for travel. If you go to Massachusetts and find yourself in New Bedford, you need to go to Brick Pizza.

MO: Delicious?

Northernmost: It’s the best pizza you’ll probably have in your entire life.

MO: Wow! I’m definitely a pizza fan. So, Every country has a festival or celebration that stands out, where’s one that you would like to go to?

Northernmost: I want to go to Download Festival in the [United Kingdom]. It’s metal. I’m the only one in the band that super into them. There’s another one called Soundwave Festival in Australia. That would be cool. I would definitely recommend that. The whole country is only like the size of Texas.

MO: Yeah, that’s great. I also heard there music scene out there is pretty awesome too.

Northernmost: I didn’t get to look at it too much because I was with family, but the next time I go back, I’m definitely going to look more into that.

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