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ARCY DRIVE
WEDNESDAY 2ND JULY 2025
WORDS BY LEAH MCEWAN
Already boasting more than 600,000 monthly Spotify listeners. Arcy Drive have quickly established themselves in the indie-rock scene. The Long Island four-piece, who self-describe their sound as “attic rock”, combine a DIY approach with an exceptional talent for anthemic storytelling. Their music blends sun-soaked melodies with an underlying rawness, creating a sound that feels comfortingly familiar, yet distinctively fresh.
Their growth really stands out in an age dominated so heavily by algorithm-driven discovery, achieved instead through a loyal following, word-of-mouth promotion (fuelled by an authenticity so magnetic that fans can’t help but shout about them) and a relentless dedication to being on the road. This momentum will no doubt continue to reach new heights following the release of their debut album, The Pit, a record that embodies the urgency of youth and the warmth of returning home.
Arcy Drive have just wrapped up their first-ever UK run, and what a way to make an introduction. After supporting Cassia on tour, they sold out a headline show of their own at London’s Camden Assembly. We caught up with the band to discuss recording the album, their musical influences, and what it’s been like introducing their sound to a new audience.
Take us back to the beginning. What can you tell us about those early days? How did you all meet, and then ultimately decide to become a band?
We all grew up on Long Island. The guys all played sports together growing up, and Brooke moved here when we were in high school. The band started after college, kind of as a drunk joke. Austin and I were listening to a local cover band at our favourite bar, and asked the question, “what if we were the band playing?” We then heard that Brooke was a drummer, so we went over to her at the bar, and she was all in. Austin and I could barely play guitar I actually played a RH guitar at the time because I didn’t have a lefty one yet. But the next day, we actually met up and fell in love with it from then on.
Growing up in Long Island, did your individual musical journeys mirror each other or were they completely different?
They were pretty similar all of our friends listened to classic rock together. That united us but individually we all had different taste.
Who are some of your biggest musical influences and why?
Nick - Nirvana, I loved Kurt’s energy and style, it was so loose and chaotic at the same time, and the writing was always real. But equally, I’d say Neil Young as well, all of his stories hit home for me. Always have been a lyrics guy.
Brooke - Catfish & The Bottlemen. She always says they are the reason she got back into playing the drums. Specifically, that 7 album.
Austin - Introduced early Kings Of Leon to the band it has definitely influenced our listening and playing a bunch. Again, very Americana, story-driven music.
Pat - Patty loves Kurangubin, if that’s how you spell it, he loves a good groove
You’ve recently released your debut album ‘The Pit’. What did it mean to finally put out a full record, and how do you think it reflects where you are right now as a band?
I think it’s a great representation of where the band is at right now! It’s got a bunch of different flavors musically which we like because we have so many different influences. But the writing portion I would like to say is a nice throughline. We’re all super proud of how it turned out! It’s young brash and innocent
You recorded The Pit in Woodstock, which is obviously so full of music legacy. Did the town’s history influence your process in any way?
It definitely felt good to record the project in New York, we definitely took pride in that. But yeah with Big Pink being around the corner we definitely felt the presence of Woodstock!
You also worked with Angelo Petraglia who has previously collaborated with some iconic artists such as Kings of Leon and The Black Keys. What was it like working with him to produce the album?
Angelo is a Rock & Roll genius there’s no other way to put it. We were so happy when we connected with him initially and were more than pleased with the results coming out of it. He pushed us harder than we’ve ever been pushed! Also he was such a good time in the studio. He was making us laugh the entire time!
He has an insane wealth of knowledge we really got so much out of the experience!
Tell us more about touring the US in an old school bus. How did the idea come about and what was that experience actually like day-to-day?
Man that’s all Patty and Austin. It was their idea to get a school bus (without any music out) and tour the country. It’s amazing to see how much she has changed over the years, it seems as though with each new city we’re in she collects a piece of lore. She holds the best memories the band has to offer. And we love her. Jenny
You’ve recently hit UK stages for the first time supporting Cassia, alongside your own headline at Camden Assembly. Have you noticed any differences between UK and US audiences so far?
Our headline show in Camden was collectively our favourite show thus far. We never thought we’d be able to make it across the pond, let alone hear people singing our words (in accents) it was a lovely experience!
Are there any British bands or artists that you are into at the minute, or any growing up that you were influenced by?
Yeah I mean there are so many, we all love the Beatles. As of right now Wunderhorse is a band that comes to mind. They rip!
What can we expect from Arcy Drive for the remainder of 2025?
Writing more songs. We also have a tour in the fall that we’re extremely excited about. We love playing live, can’t wait for our headline.
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