Cosmic gumbo go getters' TYKIN have had quite the journey when it comes to their formation. Releasing countless material, with newer creations in the works, including the band playing live for the next couple of months. The band discusses formation, recent releases, and future plans.
1. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.
TYKIN originally formed with just me, my cousin David (drummer), and Zakk (lead guitar). We started the band after a fallout with the previous band that David and I were in together. At first, we were writing what we'd jokingly call "DDR" (Divorced Dad Rock), but we quickly realized we couldn't quite crack that code.
After bringing Jake (rhythm guitar) and Vogel (bass) into the project, we finally found our sound and started playing music that truly reflected who we are and our actual musical tastes.
I've been singing since 2018 in various bands, but it wasn't until TYKIN that things really started getting serious. This is David's second band, having only previously played with me in Mount Hope, an alternative punk band that lasted about two years before fizzling out due to internal band drama.
For Jake and Vogel, this is their first real band. Vogel had only played in a few online projects before joining TYKIN. Zakk, on the other hand, has been playing guitar since he was 12 years old and has contributed a lot to the Rochester metal scene since moving here.
He started in his high school band, B.A.S.H. (based out of Buffalo), before joining the thrash metal band Nuclear Winter. After that came the high-speed symphonic thrash band Polybius. Alongside writing and performing with TYKIN, Zakk currently also plays guitar for the high-energy NWOTHM kung-fu heavy metal band Dysplacer.
2. What’s the origin of the band’s name?
The origin of the band name was actually an idea I had (Tyler English, lead vocals) for a few years. Originally, I thought I had made the name up myself. It wasn't until about a year after forming the band that I discovered TYKIN is actually a Finnish word meaning "gun" or "cannon." Once I found that out, I decided to fully embrace it and bought a giant Gatling gun fog machine to serve as our unofficial mascot.
3. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
We're currently based out of Rochester, New York. Unfortunately, the local music scene tends to lean more toward death metal, metalcore, and indie music. One of the few bands we've found that shares a similar style to ours is Spirit 66. We've played with those guys a few times—they sound great and are always a blast to hang out with. For many of our shows, we play alongside Ready To Strike, a band based out of Syracuse. We've become really close with those guys and have some exciting plans in the works for the future.
4. How would you describe your style?
Our style is best described as a mix of Judas Priest's flash and flair with the grit of Motörhead. Call it a cosmic gumbo.
5. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?
So far, we've released four singles, one full-length album, and three music videos. People can expect hard-hitting riffs, leather jackets, and plenty of headbanging material.
6. Do you have any new music in the works?
We currently have two new songs finished that we've already started performing live: "Highspeed Love" and "Finding My Way Home." Once we finish one or two more songs, we'll be heading back into the studio.
7. As far as shows and touring, what is on the agenda?
We'd like to start playing outside of New York more often, beginning with neighboring states. Ideally, we'd love to hit the road and tour alongside our friends in Ready To Strike.
8. What else do you have planned for the rest of this year?
The next big thing on our schedule is playing the first-ever New York City Glam Metal Festival in Brooklyn on June 27th. After that, we're incredibly excited to be opening for Kuarantine (Chris Jericho's KISS tribute band) on August 8th. Beyond that, we'll continue writing music and playing whatever shows come our way.
9. Where can we find you online, listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
All of our current music is available on every major streaming platform. Our full album is available on Bandcamp, and we also have our own website featuring a large selection of merchandise: TykinBand.com.
10. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?
If someone listens to our music for the first time, I'd want them to remember the hooks. Our goal is for people to leave our shows with our songs stuck in their heads, even if they don't know all the words yet. More than anything, we want to make music that makes you feel like the main character in your own movie.
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