Charlie Mock talks to the New Jersey pop punk crew about defending pop punk.

You can ignore pop punk all you like, but New JerseyÔÇÖs Man Overboard – along with their ÔÇÿDefend Pop PunkÔÇÖ mantra – are making sure that itÔÇÖs one genre that wonÔÇÖt be disappearing any time soon. At least, not on their watches.

ÔÇÿThroughout the years itÔÇÖs always been thereÔÇÖ vocalist Nik Bruzzese says, ÔÇÿno matter the different types of music that come up, pop punk was there the whole timeÔÇÖ. And heÔÇÖs right. Whether itÔÇÖs The All American Rejects that take your fancy or We Are The In Crowd with their synth-fuelled spin on the sound, pop punk has been successfully churning out bands for nearly two decades. That doesnÔÇÖt mean to say it hasnÔÇÖt evolved, though. ÔÇÿBlink kind of set the way for live bands. You watch their shows and you can tell how many bands rip them off in their own, weird way; youÔÇÖve just got to find your own niche.ÔÇÖ And Man Overboard have done just that. Honing their catchy hooks and pop melodies, theyÔÇÖve mastered the chorus and created a live show that holds its own without want for ÔÇÿfunny dick jokes.ÔÇÖ

But, like their contemporaries, Blink 182 must have been a huge influence. ÔÇÿOf course! Them and a big list of all the other pop punk bands out there. We never thought that weÔÇÖd get to where we are so we thought, yeah, letÔÇÖs call ourselves Man Overboard.ÔÇÖ What better way to pay homage to the pop punk pioneers themselves? ÔÇÿI should probably try and learn that song thoughÔÇÖ Bruzzese admits sheepishly about the track that gave them their name. ┬á

You donÔÇÖt need to look very far to see that Man Overboard have come a long way in just a few years. Having made it to the Top 10 in the Billboard Independent Albums chart with their 2013 release ÔÇÿHeart Attack,ÔÇÖ theyÔÇÖre only dreaming bigger. The pop-punkers have worked with Steve Klein (of New Found Glory fame) on several previous releases and they arenÔÇÖt planning on stopping there. ÔÇÿWe always talk about different people that we would love to have produce songs. The other day we were talking about Rivers Cuomo. If Rivers was like, ÔÇ£Yeah, I like your band!ÔÇØ weÔÇÖd be freaking out.ÔÇÖ

Working with big names and selling out shows hasnÔÇÖt gone to their heads, though. ÔÇÿFast forward and weÔÇÖre like, oh my God!ÔÇÖ Nik says about the bandÔÇÖs recent success. TheyÔÇÖve not long finished touring with veterans on the scene Mayday Parade and are back out on the road for a US tour with All Time Low and Handguns later this month. For Man Overboard, staying in one place for long just isnÔÇÖt an option.

So, whatÔÇÖs coming up next for the band? ÔÇÿWeÔÇÖll be in the studio when we get home. After this tour weÔÇÖve got six weeks off so weÔÇÖll sit in my studio, hanging out, figuring life out!ÔÇÖ If the self-proclaimed pop punk defenders are planning to carry on at the rate theyÔÇÖre going now, figuring life out might just get that little bit harder.