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Congrats on winning the December 250! Tell us a bit about Never Home, who you are and where you’re from!
Thank you so much! We truly appreciate the support. Never Home is a rock band from Charlotte, NC, inspired by artists like Jimmy Eat World, Anberlin, and The Dangerous Summer. Our sound sits somewhere between pop-punk and emo. After a five-year hiatus, we’re thrilled to be back with our new EP, Beautiful Years, releasing January 17th. The band consists of Nick Klock (vocals), Devon Stone (guitar), Gage Owens (guitar), Garrett Odell (bass), and Rob Hendley (drums).
You released your first EP in 2018, followed by a single in 2019. What’s the story behind these releases? Were you planning on releasing another EP in 2019?
I (Nick) began writing what became our self-titled EP during my college years in 2014. At the time, I didn’t have a clear plan to start a band—I just wanted to write songs that felt personal to me and maybe find others to jam with. In 2016, I decided to take a leap and shared the demos online to find like-minded musicians. That single decision changed my life.
In 2018, we recorded our self-titled EP at Sioux Sioux Studios in Charlotte, NC. That release opened doors for us to perform with bands like Trash Boat, Broadside, Stand Atlantic, and John Nolan of Taking Back Sunday. It was an unforgettable time.
In 2019, we released a single titled "Landslide." This was originally planned as the lead single for a second EP, but shortly after, we went on hiatus. Fun fact: "Landslide" is the only song in our catalog written by our guitarist, Devon. Everybody go tell Devon to write more music!
What have you been up to for the last 5 years and what bought you back together?
At the end of 2019, life threw each of us into different challenges—health issues, demanding careers, and starting families. We never formally decided to put the band on hold; it just naturally happened as we focused on navigating those personal struggles. Then COVID hit, and like many other bands, it felt like the road back was unclear.
But time has a way of healing. As the pandemic eased, we reconnected and began discussing what a return for Never Home could look like. We dusted off the cobwebs with a few practices, started sharing demos, and slowly rekindled the creative spark.
By the end of 2022, we received an offer to headline a punk/alternative festival in Charlotte. Having a concrete goal to work toward reignited our fire. We started recording Beautiful Years in early 2023.
The festival - our first show in four years - sold out, and hearing fans sing along to our songs was an emotional and affirming experience. It reminded us that people still cared, and we still had something meaningful to share.
Your brand new EP, Beautiful Years, is set for release on the 17th Jan, tell us a bit about the inspiration and meaning behind this EP!
In many ways, Beautiful Years is the other side of the coin to our self-titled EP. While the self-titled explored the struggles of early adulthood, this record reflects on the lessons learned and the growth that comes with time. It’s a story of healing, closure, and moving forward.
Musically, it’s a level-up for us. From songwriting to production to instrumentation, we poured everything we had into making this our strongest release yet. After a long hiatus, we knew we had to come back with something that truly represented who we’ve become—and we believe Beautiful Years does just that.
Shout out 3 up-and-coming bands that would fit right in at YoungPopPunk!
Frontside, knifebloom, and Weymouth.
Tell us something we don’t know about Never Home!
During the recording of our self-titled EP, Adam Lazzara from Taking Back Sunday sat in on a few of our sessions. Having one of the voices who inspired me to start singing in the room while I was tracking vocals was absolutely surreal. At one point, it was just the two of us in the booth while I was laying down a scratch vocal. When I finished, he casually said, "That sounded killer, man." It might have been a small, offhanded compliment to him, but for me, it was an unforgettable moment. Adam was shadowing to pick up some production and engineering skills, and having him there was a huge honor.
Thanks for taking the time to get to know Never Home! Keep an eye out for their new EP, available 17 Jan ‘25. In the mean time, listen to their singles now and give them a follow on Insta!
