Matthew Morgis

Pop punk seems to be a genre of music that is in high demand. From reunions like Blink 182 and Yellowcard recently coming about to new wave bands like Four Year Strong and Title Fight sweeping the nation, it’s tough to make a name for yourself with so much competition. All Time Low has had no trouble getting its music out for everyone to hear, and it shows no signs of slowing down.

All Time Low — a name taken from a line in a New Found Glory song — is currently headlining its own “Dirty Work” tour, which is coming the Crocodile Rock in Allentown Wednesday, May 4. On Tuesday, June 7, the band will release “Dirty Work,” the follow-up to 2009’s “Nothing Personal” and ATL’s first release on Interscope Records. Lead singer Alex Gaskarth caught up with the Weekender to talk about all of this “Dirty Work” and explain why he thinks this new album will be an astronaut.

WEEKENDER: What exactly is dirty work?
GASKARTH: It’s that feeling of when you spend two and a half years traveling the world and partying, and when you get done, you need to take a shower. 

WEEKENDER: Tell us a little bit about the new record.
GASKARTH: It’s definitely a step forward for the band, and the next chapter in our life. We’re ready and itching to start playing these tunes live. We feel this is the best work we’ve done, and like I said, this is just the next story for us and we’re excited to see where it takes us.

WEEKENDER: The group formed when you guys were in high school. What were the goals of the band when you started playing?
GASKARTH: We never thought it would get this far. It was just something to do and to have fun. At the time we always dreamed of being able to continue playing, but we’ve been very lucky for that to actually happen. 

WEEKENDER: How has having the same four members helped the band?
GASKARTH: We’re all really close at this point; we’re all brothers. On stage, we just know what to expect for the most part which really helps. 

WEEKENDER: What was it like working with Interscope Records on this album?
GASKARTH: They are very supportive of our band and what we’re about. Writing with them was a very good process. They weren’t trying to change us at all. To have a label stand by you and help you grow is a great feeling. 

WEEKENDER: “Nothing Personal” was very well-received in the press. What’s it like to have people say such positive things about your work?
GASKARTH: It’s very flattering. We just like having fun writing and playing music. Being in a band, we’re more interested in what our fans have to say about our music. It’s great to get positive reviews, but we really don’t pay too much attention to them. We care way more about what our followers have to say.

WEEKENDER: Have you been playing any of the new songs on tour?
GASKARTH: Yeah we’ve been playing a couple. “I Feel Like Dancin’” and “Time Bomb,” two singles we released, we’ve been playing, and it’s going over really well. It’s just fun to implement some of the new stuff. They’ve been very well-received; we’re actually opening with a new song, and the people are just going off.

WEEKENDER: And what has the set list been shaping up to be?
GASKARTH: It’s a mix of everything. We’re playing a lot of old stuff, a good mixture from our back catalog. Basically songs we think people want to hear. We throw in a few new ones because it’s the “Dirty Work Tour,” and we’re preparing for the record to come out. But everything is just really fun and high energy. We’re playing big theaters that are selling out every night; we get packed houses, and you can’t really ask for more. We’re playing more songs than we’ve ever played, too, which is really cool. 

WEEKENDER: You said in 2009 your last album would grow up to be a soccer player. Sticking to that same analogy, what will “Dirty Work” be?
GASKARTH: It’s going to be an astronaut. We want everyone to know about our band, and hopefully another step in that direction would be great. Our goal is to just have more and more people listening to us, but hopefully with this record it’s at a whole new level.