The Bites Turn Infatuation Into Anthem on “Tattoo?”

When it came time to name their second album, The Bites didn’t need to brainstorm for very long. They went the self-titled route because The Bites is exactly who they are, and it’s exactly how they want to be seen and heard. The album isn’t a change of direction, it’s an evolution. A bold step forward from a band whose debut album made it fun to celebrate rock and roll again. There’s still plenty of cause to celebrate, but there’s also so much more.

“We always want everything that we do to be fun, but as artists, sometimes you need to challenge yourself to do things that are a little deeper, and that’s what album two is for us,” explains guitarist Jono Richer. “What’s the point of being an artist if you’re not expressing yourself? Fun is a big part of our expression as The Bites, but the human experience is so much more than that.”

To be clear, The Bites haven’t stopped being fun. If anything, they’ve ramped the enthusiasm up a notch or two on the new release. They’ve just broadened their scope, if you will, and dug a little deeper. If their debut album was about the Squeeze, it’s follow-up enjoys the juice of their efforts. The debut album cracked the Top 40 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart. For the new album, the sky’s the limit.

“Having grown so much in the span of a year-and-a-half, we drew on the experiences from our first album and pushed ourselves to be more honest and vulnerable with our new material,” says drummer Mark Hylander. “It wasn’t always comfortable to be that open with ourselves and each other and talk about these things, especially when we’re writing lyrics, but the results are undeniable.”

First single “Aftertaste” drives that point home, a modern rock explosion that flips the thrill of the chase upside down and leaves it turned around. In one form or another, we’ve all been there. Where their debut album was inspired more by the bright lights of the storied big city they call home, The Bites speaks a universal language that transcends Los Angeles. In a lot of ways, you might even argue that it defies Los Angeles.

“When we were only playing shows on the Sunset Strip, it was like we were looking at the world through a paper towel roll,” the drummer continues. “It seems like we’velived about a hundred different lifetimes since we wrote and recorded that first album. We’ve traveled the U.S. several times now, we’ve been across Canada, gone to the U.K. twice, we’ve even been to the Caribbean. Getting to travel around and meet all these different people, it’s like we are looking at the world with both eyesnow, not just one. The blinders are off and we can see all around us. We hear what other bands are doing, and where we used to think of it as competition, now we have the perspective to say, ‘Hey, that’s really cool…’”

“We took ourselves out of the non-stop party, and expanded our vision beyond thesex, drugs and rock and roll thing that paved the way before us,” adds vocalist Jordan Tyler. “It was fun, and there’s a time and a place for it, but we’re getting into more personal experiences now. We’re still writing good, fun songs, but hopefully they’ll resonate with some people, as well as being able to dance and sing along to.”

“We’re not a retro, niche, throwback thing,” continues Richer. “We met fans and made friends from all over the country, all over the world, and from all different demographics. Gaining that influence really helped us realize that this isn’t just nostalgia. This is modern and this is current.”

With that in mind, The Bites weren’t afraid to stretch beyond the confines of their comfort zone. Nothing was off limits, and no inspiration was left unturned. “The four of us love ‘70s and ‘80s rock, but we all listen to other music, too. Whether it’s pop-punk or indie rock or alt-rock, we weren’t afraid to embrace it all,” adds bassist Zack Currier. It made the writing process for the album a journey of discovery – blues, pop and acoustic all leave their mark on The Bites.

Recording in Los Angeles with Keith Armstrong [Bon Jovi, Green Day] and mastered by Matt Hyde [Megadeth, Seether] drums were laid down in the same iconic East West Studio where Red Hot Chili Peppers committed some of their greatest hits to tape. Hylander bashed out 15 songs in three days, the others watching, dancing along, and bringing him coffee and beer. “It was seriously impressive,” Currier recalls. “Mark would just get into the room by himself and we were all watching him like he was a zoo animal!” Lather, rinse and repeat for each member of the band.

“Keith’s mastery and knowledge not only made this record sound amazing, but he also created an atmosphere where we could experiment and have fun,” says Tyler. “It was as if everything happened for a reason – we couldn’t be prouder of this album, and we wouldn’t change a thing about it if we could. When it came time to give it a name, The Bites was the only name that made sense. This is who we are, and we can’t wait for people to join us on the ride!”