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LA rockers The Bites have just released their sophomore (and self-titled) album via Earache Records, and we caught up with drummer Mark Hylander to talk about the album and the quartet’s visit to the UK a few years back.
A self-titled album that is not a debut album is often seen as a statement of intent: is this the case with “The Bites”? And was it always going to be self-titled?
We actually had a short list of other titles that we were set on for quite a while during and shortly after the recording phase. But as we sat with it, something started feeling off about the title, and we all sat down to discuss. Pretty quickly we realized that going the self-titled route was the right idea, because as you said, it was a statement of intent. This album is who we are after the tests of releasing our first album, touring all over, and growing, not only as artists and a band, but as people, and learning that these songs were our most vulnerable and collaborative efforts. It felt right to make it a self-titled once we sat down for just a few minutes.
The new album came out almost three years to the day since the debut “Squeeze” was released; in what ways has the band grown since then?
I’ve said countless times that we’ve each lived 100 lifetimes since the writing and release of Squeeze. Love, loss, love again, loss again. New places, new friends, old friends in new places. There are a lot of challenges you need to rise and face once your first album comes out, and even more when you tour as heavily as we did. With Squeeze, we were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, chasing a sound of music we loved and wished we still heard on the radio and streaming services. With the new album, we wanted to pull all our influences into the mix and create something that’s distinctly us in the year 2026. There are a lot of modern licks and tricks on the album, but we didn’t sacrifice who we were while pursuing that.
What was the gestation period of the album like? How quickly did it come together? And did any track in particular prove to be tricky to get down?
We had started writing songs and ideas pretty much immediately after Squeeze came out. Our touring schedule was pretty heavy shortly after that, with only a few weeks in between tours at home most of the time, so we got as many ideas out during the downtime as we could. Once we had a slight break, we really came together and started writing the remainder of the album, and it all happened pretty quickly. We’re lucky because no song proved tricky in any way; they all flowed naturally, and we pressure-tested them in rehearsal (and in some live scenarios) to see where we could tighten things up. Once we got in the studio with Keith Armstrong, everything tracked really quickly and smoothly. It was a lot of fun writing this album and trying out some new things.
“Aftertaste” was the lead single from the album. When you are just about to release the first single off a new album, are you nervous, excited – both?!
I can’t speak for everyone, and recent bias is showing from my trip to Italy, but it’s very much like being in your seat in the airplane on the runway. You want to get going because that immediate rush is going to fill you with adrenaline and relief the second the wheels go up. It’s something we’ve heard 1,000+ times between rehearsals, recording, mixing, and mastering, and we just want everyone else to hear what we’ve been up to, what we’re proud of, and who we are now.
“Whenever You’re Ready” is a fantastic, hook-laden way to open the album. What was it about this one that made it the perfect choice to open the album?
For exactly the reasons you said. We knew that was one of the quintessential songs to define the sound of this new album while kicking down the doors as we do. There’s the classic elements of The Bites, but there are also new sounds, FX, and hooks that really set the scene for what the rest of the album is about to be.
Likewise, it feels as if “Tattoo?” is the only track that could close the album. So much going on there! Sabbath, The Who, Thin Lizzy, Van Halen – amazing! Was it always five minutes in length, or did it grow legs in the studio and you just ran with it?
Jordan [Tyler, vocalist] had the skeleton of that one when he brought it to our writing session one day. I believe he said something to the tune of, “Okay, we can’t get away without having a five-minute opus on the album, so this one is Tattoo? – with a question mark.” So we wrote the rest of the lyrics and melody together, and then started really finalizing the arrangement before we took it into the studio. That song came out of the gate swinging; we just focused it as a team.
You play out of your skin on the album, as if you had been on a diet of raw meat and dynamite!
We’ve joked from the first pass of the songs in the studio that this was a drum record. We were honored to record at the legendary East West Studios where countless hit records were made. As for my playing, I definitely gave it my all to live up to the reputation of that room and the drum kit I used to record. I tracked all of the songs on my vintage Ludwig kit (26, 15, 16 sizes) that was toured on and owned by Bobby Chouinard, the drummer of Billy Squier. From the room, I could see everyone either sitting back with their eyes closed, listening as I pounded away, tracking 15 songs in two days, or actively dancing (which you can find a video of on our socials if you dig a bit).
Have you had the opportunity to road-test the new songs yet?
We road-tested a few, particularly at Stonedead, on our tour with The Dead Daisies, and on the Monsters of Rock Cruise, just so we could make sure we had things flowing the way we wanted. I have to say, it was a helpful experiment to know how we could punch things up a bit.
In the UK, you made your mark opening for The Dead Daisies back in 2024. 12 shows in total. How was it?
I won’t name names, and I won’t cite locations, but one show was a bit challenging because they didn’t have the sound system by the time we had all our gear loaded in. They were setting it up during The Daises’ soundcheck. Everything got pushed back, and I think we ended up getting a five-minute soundcheck as people started to trickle in, which kind of ruins the mystique of it all, right?
But we’re professionals, and we roll with the punches. We did what we could, waited for our set, and pushed that late-to-the-party sound system to its limits.
Were you able to stop and take everything in on that tour, or did it all pass you by in a flash?
It comes in waves, honestly. Some of it blurs and whips by you where it feels like you woke up in another part of the country a week later, and other moments feel like time stopped and you can see everything at once. KK’s in Wolverhampton was a blur because we were at our merch table with a line that didn’t stop until the night was over. And then there was a moment in Holmfirth where I was alone before the show, walking to get a coffee, and it felt like I had lived there for a decade. It’s a strange phenomenon.
What do you think is the role of a good support act?
That’s a fun question. I think a good support act is meant to win the crowd over and get their excitement levels up for the headliner. You’re usually on the back foot since people are skeptical of openers, but once you win them over and get them chanting and applauding, your job is done, and the headliners can go out to a hot crowd ready to keep the party going.
When you played Stonedead Festival in 2024, it was part of a very strong bill that also included such veterans as Saxon, KK Downing, and Ugly Kid Joe. What do you take from an experience like that?
Everything you can. We know to watch and listen to everyone, especially the greats who came before us, to see what we can glean and borrow to enhance our performances going forward. Maybe it’s a moment of crowd participation; maybe it’s how they go from one song to another; maybe it’s just a quick move that gets the people cheering. There are always things to learn, no matter how long you’ve been doing this thing of ours.
Touring is very expensive at the best of times, even more so now with the insane cost of fuel, etc. Will you guys have the chance anytime soon to reacquaint yourselves with UK audiences?
We’re always ready and willing to tour, anywhere and anytime. We’re surprisingly prodigious planners when it comes to touring to keep costs at a minimum to keep ourselves chugging along, so costs may have gone up, but we’ll find a way to make it work every time, because we’d rather be on the road seeing all of our fans, friends, and whoever new comes into this circus with us.
While recently opening for AC/DC, Dave Grohl said from the stage, “Welcome to the childhood dream of mine”. Which band would be your childhood dream to open for?
I can hear Jono [Richer, guitarist] screaming Guns N Roses from a few blocks away (he’s our neighbor). Foo Fighters would be a big one. If Jeff Lynne ever did another tour, I would go on a reality TV show for a chance at that opening slot. There are tons of incredible bands out there who we’d love to share the stage with. The 1975, Turnstile, The Band Camino, 5SOS, Def Leppard, and so, so many more.
“The Bites” is available now via Earache Records.
Connect with the band HERE
Portrait photo credit: Dustin Genereux
All live images: Dave Jamieson
