21 Aug 2026 04:00
Ep. 289: Gatsbys American Dream w/ Nic Newsham
Gatsbys American Dream is a Seattle-based rock band known for blending pop-punk, post-hardcore, progressive rock, and emo into a sound that rarely stays in one lane. Formed in the early 2000s, the band built a devoted following with albums like Ribbons and Sugar, Volcano, and their self-titled 2006 record. Their songs are packed with unusual structures, sharp hooks, literary references, and the kind of unpredictable shifts that made them stand out from the mid-2000s scene. Despite never reaching the mainstream level of many of their contemporaries, Gatsbys became a cult favorite and influenced plenty of bands that followed. After years of sporadic activity, the band reunited and released Modern Man in 2025, their first full-length album in nearly two decades.
I got Nic on the Zoom and this is what we chat about:
- There's a song out there where he's auditioning for Chiodos
- Playing short sets on purpose
- Acceptance band
- progressing their sound on the 2nd record
- Getting made fun of by Goldfinger fans
- Kane Hodder
- Fearless Records
- Their $40,000 music video
- Playing with Katy Perry on Warped Tour
- Flipping their van
- Pranking on the road
- And a ton more
Check out their shows in Austin and Chicago in Nov and Seattle in Dec.
