Voice & Verse Podcast

Photo credit: Alex Liscio (Twitter | Instagram) On Episode 029, John O'Callaghan, frontman for Arizona-based rock band The Maine, stops by. The Maine formed in 2007 and quickly became one of the hottest young acts in the late-00s pop-punk/emo scene thanks to a mix of unbridled energy and sugary hooks. That formula landed them a major-label record deal, which, as you'll hear, forced the band into some uncomfortable collaboration situations. Undeterred, The Maine have been a fearless DIY force since leaving Warner Bros. in 2011. They've released three albums under their own 8123 collective – the newest of which, American Candy, was released this past week and finds the band melding the spunk of their early days with mature, socially aware lyricism to create their best work. I called John to chat about his songwriting evolution through the years, how a very unlikely source inspired the sound of American Candy, his reaction to Zayn leaving One Direction, and much more. Plus, stick around until the end of the sh