American rock n’ roll band Ace Monroe is getting people up and dancing all across the country with their swingin’ gritty guitar riffs, soaring vocals, and an electrifying larger-than-life show.

                                                                          -Ace Monroe bio

On WXCI 91.7, I (rock enthusiast DJ Riff Randell) interviewed the Nashville-based rock band Ace Monroe in anticipation for their new single “Summer Heat.” The group consists of Robbie Dylan (lead vocals), Josh Alfano (lead guitar), Jack Kaiser (rhythm guitar, vocals), Jonathan Tatooles (drums), and Erik McIntyre (bass guitar). They are five guys who truly dig the 1970s aesthetic, everything from the time’s musical style to the fashion to their website and logo, which feature the earthy tones people loved back then. They even showed up to the interview with perms and aviator sunglasses. The musicians eagerly joined the me for a prerecorded chat that was later aired on my program, Rock Your Heart Out.

 

Q: How would you describe your sound?

DYLAN: Rock and roll.

ALFANO: We’re a rock and roll band that focuses on the “roll” part. It’s like that funky blues thing that makes you want to get up and dance.

 

Q: What kind of artists inspire you?

MCINTYRE: There’s a wide variety.

DYLAN: It’s all over the place. I’d say The Rolling Stones

KAISER: Boston, probably.

TATOOLES: Led Zeppelin 

MCINTYRE: Etta James.

ALFANO: Aerosmith for me. 

MCINTYRE: Me and Josh got tickets [for Aerosmith’s farewell tour] sitting at our dining room table.

KAISER: We were sitting in the Ticketmaster line for a long time.

 

Q: When did you first pick up your respective instruments?

ALFANO: I was seven. My dad was a guitar player growing up, so he got me into it very young. I started taking group guitar lessons after school.

DYLAN: The first time I ever performed live singing was when I was seven. I think I was singing before, but let’s say seven.

 

Q: What did you sing? Do you remember?

DYLAN: “Bring It On Home To Me” by Sam Cooke in the school talent show.

 

Q: Can we get back to the musical origin stories?

MCINTYRE: I started on drums when I was eleven, then started playing guitar when I was twelve. And then I played guitar going into college. I started doing session work, and that’s when they [Ace Monroe], “Hey, we need a bass player. Can anyone play bass?” I’ve been playing bass professionally since I was eighteen.

TATOOLES: I started playing the drums when my dad made me a drum set out of paper plates when I was three. I would watch a Rush in Rio live concert DVD. I would pretend I was Neil Peary. I’ve started taking lessons in middle school.

KAISER: I didn’t start picking up guitar until freshman year of high school. I just got really into it and started getting into rock and roll a lot more.

 

Q: What about the 1970s aesthetic appeals to you?

MCINTYRE: I think that a lot of our heroes are from that era. You watch Led Zeppelin at Madison Square Garden in 1977 and are like, “Woah, I want to look like Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, maybe John Paul Jones without the bob haircut.” These guys look cool. For me, everything has gotten bland and colorless, and the 1970s was such an era of vibrant colors and patterns. That just makes you happier and walk into a space and want to dance and have fun.

ALANO: I think in the late 1960s and early 1970s, clothing became a personal statement.

 

Q: You’re currently touring the country for the Summer Heat Tour. What is it like being on the road?

ALFANO: A lot of people, very small car. At this point, we’ve gotten into the groove of going on the road.

TATOOLES: It’s not glamorous at all. It’s an SUV pulling a trailer so we’re all cramped, but it’s been really fun, and I’m happy that we’re doing it this way. It’s our first big tour and going to a lot of different places. Hopefully we get to grow and that means that as we keep going, we get more opportunities. Maybe a van. We won’t take it for granted.

 

Q: Are there any Ace Monroe fan accounts out there?

ALFANO: I think Jack has one.

KAISER: There’s some stuff on that one band account that’s like, “Alright, Joel on, how’d you guys get that?” [laughs].

TATOOLES: I got a birthday card from some fans.

 

Q: Your new single “Summer Heat” is coming out May 19. Any juicy details you can give us?

DYLAN: It’s going to get stuck in your head.

ALFANO: I think the thing about “Summer Heat” is that everyone was in on it from the start. It feels like an Ace Monroe song fully formed with all five of us dialed up to eleven.

KAISER: We all have something to contribute on this song. It’s us.

TATOOLES: That’s a juicy detail!

DYLAN: It’s very collaborative.

ALFANO: Our early stuff [their debut album Shelter in Place] was written through quarantine. It was mainly me and Robbie for a lot of it, and everyone came in for their pieces. This, from day one, has been everyone in on it.

 

Q: How does it feel to know that you have a year-old album?

DYLAN: It’s weird.

ALFANO: That was a year ago already.

DYLAN: I don’t like time. It’s going too fast.

 

Q: What are your favorite songs from Shelter in Place?

ALFANO: That’s like picking a favorite kid, but I’d have to say “Gospel.” It was the first one we wrote together. There’s something special about the “first” song.

TATOOLES: I concur.

KAISER: “Ghost” for me. What’s Robbie going to say?

DYLAN: “Jaded.”

MCINTYRE: I’m going to say “Jaded” too. It’s an underrated song off the album.

ROBBIE: What’s your favorite song?

 

Q:“Burnin.” The minute it started, I knew I was in for something good. With that being said, can we expect a new album?

ROBBIE: If you like “Burnin’,” hold on.