America Part Two are a punk trio originating from New Jersey, consisting of Alex Fabio on vocals and guitar, Fred Rainville on additional vocals and bass, and Sam Weingarten on drums. The band have stated that they have one ultimate mission with their music; to “Perpetuate Love // Fight Hate.”

Since the group formed in 2017, they have gone from strength to strength with their music. The music video for their first single ‘Split’ managed to gain over 17,000 views. They are now set to release a full-length studio album called Price Of A Nation. The tracks discuss some critically important social and environmental issues.

They have previously supported musical acts on tour such as The Moms and A Will Away. The Covid-19 pandemic looks like it has changed the group for the better, coming up with unique ways to interact and connect with their fanbase during this difficult time. They also signed an exciting record deal with Revival Recordings.

With the new album set to be released on March 12, we had a chat with America Part Two via email to discuss ‘Price Of A Nation’, the challenges of connecting with fans during an ongoing worldwide pandemic, their musical influences, and more.

Where did you get inspiration for your band name, and how do you want it to represent you as a band?

 Hi, thanks for having us. 

The name America Part Two came about as a song title before a band name. When we were forming our band back in 2016/17, Fred wrote ‘America Pt. II’ in the front yard of the grindhouse. Oh, what a fuckin’ time that was. Several band names were thrown around, and Jake (who we started the band with) said something along the lines of, “yo… America Part Two…”

The next day, after sleeping on it, we had realized the power behind such a name. It’s an ever-evolving thing, but to us, it doesn’t just represent us as a band; America Part Two is a mindset. If you’re living in the ruins of what used to be, with the mind and attitude of tomorrow, you are AP2.   

Your music is a mix of different genres blended together to create one unique sound. Who are your main musical influences, and why?

Every single moment is an influence. Some musical artists would include: Bad Brains, Enter Shikari, The Beatles, Datsik, Robert Johnson, My Chemical Romance, Gillian Welch, Say Anything, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Biggie, All Time Low, Slipknot, The Moms, Born Without Bones, Sublime, Beethoven, and The Homeless Mustard.

Why? I guess they just hit right. 

Your song ‘Glaciers’ is inspired by critically important environmental issues. Do you feel like musicians could do more with their social platforms to discuss issues like these? Contrastingly, do you feel like the US could be doing more to help combat these issues?

 Everyone can do whatever the damn well they please with their creations, and that’s fully respectable. In our case, we’re talking about the things that matter to us, like what we hear/see/feel in our daily lives. We’re so proud that our record discusses important topics like the destruction of the environment at the hands of our own society. We don’t care much about what anyone else is doing.

The US seems to be a key perpetrator in most global atrocities nowadays, so… yeah, more can be done.

How did you find shooting the music video for ‘Glaciers’ considering the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic? Did you face any challenges?

We were lucky enough to get away to a shack in the woods for a while. Thanks to our disconnect from society, we didn’t run into too many problems shooting the ‘Glaciers’ video. We were just chillin’ in our own lil’ bubble, makin’ tunes, startin’ fires and grilling every vegetable known to humankind!

You have expressed that your music captures what life is like as a young adult in America today. What would you say that life is like in the US right now?

 Life in the US right now feels…. complicated. It sort of feels like everyone for themselves at this point, to be honest. But at the same time, it feels like, because of the tumultuous fuckpool, we’re on the verge of something absolutely gigantic. Everyone is more aware than they were just a few years ago.

I love the album artwork for ‘Price Of A Nation’. What was the driving force behind the artwork? Any main influences?

 Thank you! The main photo of the angel was taken on film and edited by Sam at Barbershop Studios, where we made most of the record. Bella Ybarra took a photo of that photo covered in flowers, coins, twigs, etc., that we found in the Rainville’s yard. She then created the borders and achieved Photoshop magic by putting everything together in a somewhat presentable manner. Then Fred cut out the album title Price Of A Nation from some old 1940’s Time magazines, then Bella scanned them and put them into the image just right. Thanx Bellz ❤

It’s hard to cite the main influences for this because it was just a hodgepodge of all our ideas, and we just tried everything.

I heard about your recent drive-in show in New Jersey, so innovative! How have you found connecting with your fans during the pandemic?

Thanks! The drive-in was such an amazing way for us to touch base with our people. Connecting has certainly been hard this past year, but the internet has helped us have some sort of interaction, even if it’s only driving us further apart in the long run. Our scene seems to be less represented on social media, so once shows were gone, it felt like it was just kind of dissipating. On the flip side, many more people got the chance to create a lot more often last year, and it feels like so much sick art is coming out from all kinds of new perspectives. When shows DO come back, they are going to be absolutely bonkers.

We’ve been creating a lot more visual stuff, so we hope to connect with more people who are into all kinds of art, not just “underground” music or whatever.

Your single ‘I Don’t Wanna’ is a real guitar-driven belter of a song! What was the lyrical inspiration for this track?

Fuck yeah! The lyrics in this song were inspired by being sick and absolutely tired of hearing the same stories of sexual abuse echoing throughout the history of our species! 

When will it end???

You have said that your band has one mission: to Perpetuate Love and Fight Hate. What do you want people to ultimately feel when they listen to your music?

Yes. Perpetuate Love // Fight Hate. 

“We want people to take from our music exactly what they need. Let it be medicine if we suit your ailment. Think for yourself; the answers are all inside you.”