Pop-punk act Patent Pending have always prided themselves on being quirky, wacky and all for having a good time. At this year’s Slam Dunk Festival we spoke to frontman Joe Ragosta about the band’s performances at Slam Dunk, playing with their heroes and why the band decided to make a documentary about a fake band.
So it is the final day of Slam Dunk, how has it been for you?
Joe: This is it guys! They said it couldn’t be done but we did it! It has been incredible, the crowds have been insane! Like they are nuts, they have no respect for their own personal safety, they just jump around and punch each other and it’s the best because they are all friends. So it’s good! It’s been amazing!
So is that been the same with today’s performance then?
Joe: It was crazy! I couldn’t find the place as it was in the bottom of where we are and like one minute before we played there was no one in there, but by the time we hit the first note, it was full! It was great!
Slam Dunk has a lot of big bands on the bill, was it intimidating at any point for you?
Joe: It wasn’t intimidating, it was awesome! The stage we were on, the Desperados Stage, has Goldfinger, Reel Big Fish and Zebrahead and the first show I ever went to was Goldfinger, Reel Big Fish and Zebrahead. So it was just the best! To be there with your heroes and then you have Taking Back Sunday, You Me At Six, The Wonder Years, there are so many good bands here! So it’s not intimidating, it’s more like what an honour!
So your EP, Mario and the Brickbreakers, so you are a massive fan of Mario then?
Joe: So I don’t know if people know that that is a joke, in your country it went on the charts, do you know that?! It’s so dumb! So we have a song called Hey Mario, it’s on the album called Brighter and we had a video for it. To make this short, we made a documentary about a fake band that never existed called Mario and the Brickbreakers. It’s a full movie, it’s on YouTube, and it is hilarious! It’s the only thing I’ll ever be cocky about, it’s the funniest thing I’ve ever seen!
What even caused you to make that?
Joe: My brothers thought it would be a good idea so we did it and because we shot five terabytes of footage, which is like all the footage, and it took eight months to make. So we made this movie about this fake band that had a 30 year career and they were the biggest band on the planet. So obviously that band make a greatest hits album, so we made a greatest hits album of joke songs! There’s a song about Mario being addicted to mushrooms called Boom Boom Pass the Mushroom, there’s a song about Princess Peach being a little risky called Up In My Tower, and Mario loses his mind and becomes really cocky so there’s a song called Money Maker. There’s also a love song called Rainbow Road, so if you like Mario then this is very funny! So we made this fake EP and I think some guys thought we were really weird but then we are like yeah we are but it’s funny and you should know that!
So with that, what kind of people are in the Patent Pending fanbase?
Joe: Psychos like me! We are really weird people, it’s like a second family. We have this community of people around our band it is just a bunch of weirdos like me! We are just misfits who like having fun and don’t want to judge people and just hang out! That’s what we do!
Are there any plans for a new studio record then?
Joe: Let me answer your question right now, are you ready?! Here it goes, on July 31st we have an album coming out called Armageddon, it’s an EP, and it will have a song on it called Brighter on it from the album Brighter as a single. There’s a new video for the single coming out in a couple of weeks. July 31st, Armageddon, four new songs and Brighter and then in November we will be back here for a very big tour! And in between that we are recording more and we will see how that goes. It’s going to be the most fun! If you like having fun and you can tolerate us, then you should definitely get involved because it’s going to be so fun!
Well thank you very much for the interview!
Joe: Thank you Rock Sins!
Check back with Rock Sins for more news about Patent Pending’s forthcoming release Armageddon – a Rock Sins Slam Dunk piece of breaking news! You can also follow Patent Pending on Twitter at @PTPGOfficial.
