A rockin' bar, alright! Mill Valley, CA's 2AM Club was already the historic location where Huey Lewis and the News shot the iconic cover of their 1983 disc, Sports, (paying attention American Psycho fanatics?) and it still features Charlie Deal's famed "toilet seat" guitar behind the bar. Now, six-piece pop band 2 AM Club has gone ahead and named themselves after it. But why? Well, Usmagazine.com met up with the group — made up of singer Marc Griffin, MC Tyler Cordy, guitarist Matt Reagan, keyboardist Dave Dalton, drummer Ian O'Neill and bassist Matt Warshauer AKA "Sauce" — at their Highline Ballroom concert in NYC August 24 to see just what's in their name — and give them a little challenge concerning their new single, 'Worry About You' (off their debut album, What Did You Think Was Going To Happen?).
UsMagazine.com: How did you get the name 2am Club?
Marc Griffin: 2AM Club is a bar in my hometown. When we were looking for our name, we would find ourselves there getting drinks. My girlfriend at the time suggested it as our band name and it stuck. It's random, but it's always seemed perfect.
US: How did you meet?
Tyler Cordy: Dave and I know each other from Seattle, Marc and I met in college and he had been playing with Matt since they were kids, so we all just came together.
US: You been compared to Maroon Five. How do you feel about that? Do you agree or is there someone else you would compare yourselves to?
Ian O'Neill: Yup. It's a great comparison because they are one of the greatest bands out there right now, live doing their thing. That's not exactly who we draw from, but they are a part of the influence. It's always an honor to be compared to a group like Maroon Five.
US: What would you say your sound is? What do you draw from?
IO: It's definitely a mix: dance, pop, rock, and soul. Intelligent pop music is what we are kind of going for. As far as influences, it's across the board, and it depends on who you ask. We leave it up to the people. As long as it is good and happy, it is what it is.
US: There is a line of excited screaming girls outside. How is dating on the road. Have you met anyone special?
TC: A lot of the subject matter in this new album is about that. We've been traveling a lot these last two years. You gradually begin to break the bonds of your hometown lifestyle, old girlfriends, old friends in general. Whether it's what we do, which is run around and play in a band, or what many other people do, which is relocate because of school or work or whatever, you kind of go through the phase in your life post-high school, post-college where you kind of start to develop a new thing, sometimes a new personality and a new life. I think it's been hard. A couple of us have been in and out of relationships, which has correlated to being on the road. Some of us are smarter and more psychologically sound then others.
US: You said smarter. Which of you hasn't been smart?
TC: I think smart as in being able to keep a relationship. I haven't been able to keep a relationship. I fall into the other category, but there are people who really can. Dave Dalton, for one, can successfully navigate what we are doing and have a healthy relationship. But it's hard to give yourself 100% to music and a relationship.
US: You've been on the Early Show and Pretty Little Liars, has your rise been a slow climb or does it feel sudden?
Matt Warshauer: I don't think it will ever stop being gradual. The whole thing is to keep working, keep doing this, and never really settle. Putting this thing together has never been about achieving anything quickly.
TC: In addition, I think some of the artists we respect have long term careers because they built something over the course of years and years and years, and built a platform so that it's not just, 'I'm going to have one song, one idea, one publicity stunt that's going to put me on the map, whatever.' I think those are the acts that come out and fade quickly and what I hope to do is create enough of a foundation for ourselves for the next 10, 20, 30 years.
US: Do you worry about success being fleeting, knowing the track record of other male pop groups?
TC: I don't know. It's only pop if people like it, and a lot of times we talk about pop music because we hope to make music that is popular between young and old, rich and poor, people from all around the world.
US: You don't think you'll turn out like Britney Spears and all shave your heads?
TC: We could definitely all shave our heads!
US: You should start a head shaving bet tonight! What's it going to be?
MG: If we sell a million singles of 'Worry About You,' we will shave our heads. Not even just shave it, but military style!
US: Will you agree to that on record? One million singles and your hair goes?
MR: Yeah!
TC: You heard it here first. One million singles. Look he's terrified. I like this guy, that means he believes in this band.
US: How long have you been growing those locks?
MR: About three years.
US: Is there anybody you've been psyched to meet because of where you are now, as actors and musicians?
MG: Alicia Keys. We were lucky enough to record in her studio. I just think she is one of the best pop singer/songwriters without trying to be pop and writing really great songs and singing them well. Her recordings just sound natural. So if we could work with her that would be phenomenal.
US: Did you actually meet her?
MG: We worked with her engineer, Ann Mincieli. So six degrees of separation, but we are getting closer.
TC: A lot of us grew up listening to Boys II Men and two nights ago we were out in Atlantic City, and a couple of those guys were out there and that was kind of like a dorky fan boy moment.
MG: It was funny because he (Tyler) said I've been listening to you since I was 10-years-old. They (Boys II Men) asked how old he (Tyler) was. He was like " oh no!"
US: How old are you?
TC: 24-27 age group.
US: You live in New York, where can you be spotted?
TC: East Village and Brooklyn. But right now it has been so much traveling, hopefully we can keep doing that, because the more we travel, the more we work and the better things feel. What's next on the tour? We have a couple more dates at Six Flags Amusement Parks, which is amazing because we get to ride roller coasters!
Want more of the guys? Visit: http://www.myspace.com/2amclub
