Energetic ska-punk/rock band Stacked Like Pancakes are back with their first single in 3 years. “So Close Yet So Far” is an anthem for normalcy amidst a global pandemic. We sat down with the band’s vocalist Kellen McKay to talk about their new single, their creative process when writing new music, ska as a genre and lots more. Check out our conversation below.

Why do you think ska is popular in your opinion?

Kellen McKay (KM): Ska is an odd genre. Those who know what ska is and love it, REALLY love it. But there are still plenty who don’t know what ska is. When I talk about my band with strangers and coworkers, I’d say about 75% of the time I need to explain that ska is a genre of music and what it entails. That being said, ska has been certainly growing in popularity since the 90’s and I think it’s because the music is just so damn fun. It has a lot of emphasis on the ‘off-beat’ at higher tempos,  which usually makes it very high-energy dance-able music. From my personal experience, I really liked ska music when I was introduced to Reel Big Fish in middle school, like a hundred years ago or whenever that was. But when I went to my first ska show, that was a game changer. Experiencing ska live is everything.

How excited are you to be releasing your first single in 3 years?

KM: It’s a huge relief, to say the very least. Nick, Stephen and I have been working on this for months and all of the preparation was so worth it. I put a lot of pressure on myself for this release, most of it probably wasn’t necessary, but it kind of opened the gate for me mentally and emotionally. So ready for this next chapter of SLP!

Who would you say are some of Stacked Like Pancakes’ musical influences?

KM: Obviously Reel Big Fish. They were the first ska band I was introduced to and my admiration for them ultimately led to the creation of Stacked Like Pancakes. So it was a dream come true to tour with them when they invited us back in 2016; would love to do that again. Other influences include Green Day, Paramore, Cage the Elephant, Foo Fighters, twenty one pilots, Less Than Jake, and Streetlight Manifesto.

Did you always know that music was something you wanted to pursue?

KM: Yeah, I really did. When I was super young (around 7-8 years old) I started a “band” with some neighborhood friends. We were called Icebreakers. I have no idea how I came up with that or what inspired it. We put together like one and a half songs, and recorded one of the songs on a cassette recorder which is at this point nowhere to be found. I was the drummer for that band after my parents got me my first kit. But I also picked up and messed around with the guitar and bass. I was drawn to every instrument I could get my hands on and tried to make noises that sounded good. Actually, that’s all I really do to this day – haha.

What is your favorite song to perform live?

KM: “SFDD” hands down. We played the final Warped Tour in Atlantic City on the beach and witnessed two giant circle pits converge into one. It was incredible.

Can you describe the band’s creative process when you’re writing new music?

KM: It’s hard to narrow it down because every song comes together in a unique way, but usually a song starts with a very simple, singular motive or idea and kind of blossoms from there. With our new single “So Close Yet So Far,” the first idea I head was the vocal melody and words that happen in the pre-chorus, “Some cliche about the stars; we’re so close, yet so far…” I didn’t know when I first started hashing it out that it would be the pre-chorus, but I knew it was going to kind of feel ‘open’ and ‘ominous,’ so it kind of came naturally to have it open up right before a hard-hitting jumping chorus. The verses kind of fell out of my brain organically, encompassing a lot of emotion and feelings I’ve experienced during the pandemic.

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