In my eyes Trouble Bound out of NY’s Hudson Valley are an extremely underrated band who should be household names in the realm of punk rock households… Granted they came out of a long hiatus not too long ago but have ramped up operations over the last 12-18 months which included the “Broken Ribs & Bloodclots” album that came out in October of 2024. The Hudson Valley knows what they have in Trouble Bound, the goal here is to help spread their music and message even further with this interview that took place at a recent band practice with all 3 members; Johnny (vox/guitar), Dan (bass/vocals), Brian (drums) responding. For fans of that gritty Rancid-y style of punk rock with an edge… make sure to check out what Trouble Bound is serving up the next time you get the chance. Lead photo by: Face Photo.
IE: Hey guys… where exactly are you right now and what would you usually be doing at this time of the day if you weren’t answering these questions?
Johnny: We are at band practice right now. We typically practice at least once a week. If I weren’t here right now, I would either be watching the Rangers game or “Rambo First Blood”.
Dan: I would be hanging out with my son, Patrick.
Brian: I would be watching You Tube videos, particularly the Papa Meat channel or watching videos of people in the woods building things out of pallets. I wish I could do that.
IE: We here at In Effect have been following your band for a couple of years now and obviously know you are a punk band from the Hudson Valley region of NY state. For those reading this and just hearing about the name Trouble Bound for the first time can you give us a quick “Wiki-like” informational backstory as to what you guys are all about?
Johnny: This is unity music. Always has been, always will be. I started forming the band the day I graduated high school. It spawned from a misunderstanding that I already had a band and someone said “great, you’re on the show… it’s in a month.” I wrote a bunch of songs about my observations of society and life as I knew it. Had a few lineup changes and a few hiatuses over the last 26 years. In November of 2000 Dan approached me at a show and wanted to get together and jam. He said he liked the songs I wrote… we’ve been together more on than off for a long time now. But we’re back firing on all cylinders again since early 2022 with Brian now in the band on drums. We’ve known Brian for over two decades. Our bands have played together for years. We’ve have always just written music that was driven by our anger and frustration with society, government, heartbreak, working dead-end jobs… all the different things that affect us. We’re glad that there have been people out there that can relate and have identified with our songs and our struggles.
IE: “Broken Ribs And Blood Clots” came out about a year back and when initially listening to it I recall the range of styles Trouble Bound incorporates into your sound. Although asking a band their musical influences can become a super cliché type of question I think it takes a better turn here as I think back to songs in your setlist like “Squares Beware” in particular…
Brian: We all listen to punk as a whole, but we incorporate our own personal tastes into our song writing. We all also understand the music we are trying to make and have a lot of core similarities. Often times, Johnny writes the bulk of a song and Dan and I add our parts to it, so our individual influences seep in.
Johnny: Yeah, what’s great is that we all listen to many different styles of music, and have a lot of core favorites in bands we love. But each of us have different tastes and bands that influence us which leaves us each bringing different spices into the mix. I’ll bring some of the 50’s rockabilly that I grew up on into a song like “Squares Beware”, Brian might bring some pop-punk or some Los Crudos into a song and Dan will bring some hardcore or Motorhead or what have you. But it all seems to mesh really well together.
IE: The title of your last album that we just brought up… “Broken Ribs And Blood Clots”… How did that title come to be? Always seemed like there could be a crazy back story to it… Can you give us the details?
Dan: We recorded January and February of 2024 and then April 21st, I had some serious medical issues that landed me in the hospital for quite a while. I had blood clots in my lungs and heart and a big one in my leg. During recovery, I took a photo of my chest where I had had surgery and they seamlessly stitched my chest back up without marring the large chest-piece tattoo that I have there and sent it to the band group chat.
Johnny: Holly (our manager) saw the photo and thought it would make a good album cover and immediately started designing it. She showed me and I said we should call the album “Broken Ribs & Blood Clots.” Everyone liked it… it kind of was like an ode to the victory of Dan getting through what he’s gone through and our experience with it. It kinda perfectly captured what was going on with us at the time, seemed very fitting.
IE: One of the last times I ran into Johnny you seemed excited about the reissue of the band’s 2005 album “Here To The End” on Mild Chaos Records. Can you give us some backstory to how this came about and when can people expect it to be out?
Johnny: At the beginning of this year it one day hit us that “Here To The End” was turning 20 years old. I also realized that the album, which has been out of print for like 15 years, had never been on vinyl before… my favorite format. So we toyed with the idea of raising the funds and putting it out. Did a poll on social media to see if there was interest and got a good response. Two weeks later, Marc from Mild Chaos Records made a post on Instagram that said if there were any bands out there from the 90’s or 2000’s that never got their record on vinyl before the vinyl resurgence… hit him up. We sent him the streaming link. He liked the songs. So we started talks about making it happen. There were 300 pressed on translucent purple vinyl with yellow splatter. Holly and I worked on the poster inserts and used some of the old photos and added some new ones from that era. Lyrics are in there too (which we always like to do) with an updated thank you list and a little note from us about the release. It was released on October 24th, 2025. You can order them from MildChaosRecords.com where we did a limited number of signed copies from everyone in the band or get them from our Bandcamp or at the shows of course.
IE: Before last year’s release Trouble Bound was on a hiatus that lasted for about a 10 year stretch. Was starting back up harder or easier than you initially thought it would be and what were some of the things that changed as far as being in a band from 10 years prior?
Dan: Getting together was easy. There was no pressure, no expectations of playing shows. We just wanted to have some fun and see where it goes.
Johnny: It felt natural to play together again. We decided we wanted to start officially being a band again and needed a drummer. Brian was the first person that Dan and I thought of to call.
Dan: We called Brian and asked him to come to practice. Turned out, he liked us.
Brian: I was already familiar with the songs from playing shows with Trouble Bound with my other bands for years. As far as things being different, it is a little easier to send new songs and ideas through voice memo for recording and rehearsal. It helped out a lot in putting together the songs we just recorded for the new album which we recorded a few months ago.
Johnny: Yeah, the group text definitely has made it easier for booking practice and shows. Instead of waiting by the landline for a call back like back in the day.
IE: On a more personal level does this latest go around or “version” of Trouble Bound hit harder or mean more to you than it has in the past? I read an interview once where Johnny described the time away from being in the band and having a sense of just something missing in his life. Is there more appreciation for the band now?
Dan: (Enthusiastically) Yeah! Definitely appreciate it more now, being able to play again. Playing in other bands just never fit or felt the same.
Johnny: Dan had been my songwriting partner for years. Like, we always read each other’s minds. I don’t have to tell him what I am thinking for the bass parts, he just knows what I am looking for. Having him back in the band feels like how it’s supposed to be. And with Brian now, this just seems like the most natural version of the band. I feel more like myself again.
Brian: This is the version of Trouble Bound that I remember, except now I’m in it.
TROUBLE BOUND @ SNUG HARBOR, NEW PALTZ, NY. NOVEMBER 8, 2024. PHOTO BY: FACE PHOTO
IE: What are the pros and cons working as a 3 piece band? Having never been in a band I can see having less schedule conflicts as the biggest positive. I would guess that some or all of you have been in bands where there were more than 3 people involved and can give us some good insight.
Brian: A ska band, that was a nightmare. Going on tour in two cars. A lot of different schedules. A three piece band is easier. Bands are always easier to schedule when everyone in the band is invested, though.
Dan: There’s less stupid ideas to work off of too. Less egos.
Johnny: Just easier to mobilize. And playing the smaller clubs is more comfortable, as well. Less equipment to haul around. Being a 3 piece has certain limitations but for the most part I think it’s easiest. Less conflicts in scheduling and what not. When there’s a backline sometimes we can all travel to a far away gig all together in one car. Which is nice. The drive home usually ends up with us all singing along to one of our favorite albums word-for-word, in that case.
IE: In more recent years hardcore and punk music have become increasingly regional where bands can be “big” in their home area but virtually unheard of maybe a few states over. What kind of feedback or correspondence are you getting from listeners or fans that don’t live in the Hudson Valley and do people still actually contact bands to let them know they are appreciated (or suck)?
Johnny: Well, it’s been pretty cool that people have discovered us through the streaming… I imagine… and found ways to reach out and let us know what they thought about us and what our music means to them. A fan from Switzerland found my email somewhere, maybe on one of the old websites perhaps… but a fan from Switzerland named Theo reached out and said that he heard our music and that we were “his type of music.” He says he blasts our music so his neighbors will know Trouble Bound and when we tour there, people will know our music because he has our stickers all over his guitar and bike has been spreading the word about us. He has encouraged us to apply for Rebellion Fest which happens in August in the UK every year, so he can see us play. A lot of flattering stuff. And whenever he picks up some merch from our Bandcamp he always has something nice to say about it and has been very supportive… sends us extra for shipping cuz he knows it’s a lot these days. Really great guy. We stay in touch. He’s cool.
Dan: We have another fan that discovered us, who’s from San Diego. Erika. She reached out to us one day on Instagram and we’ve also stayed in regular contact with her. She’s so sweet and wonderful and always posts with our shirts or stickers telling people to: “listen to Trouble Bound or you’re missing out.” She also says to let her know when we’re out in California so she can catch a show. We’ve also had people drive from states away to see our shows which is always pretty crazy but awesome.
Brian: There’s been a number people that have reached out whether it was to say they “loved our Those Unknown cover” or just that they listened to our stuff and really dug it which is always a good feeling.
Johnny: Yeah, we just had someone from Denmark ask if there was any way they could order the new “Here To The End” vinyl to Europe. He said that he had the album on CD for years but would really LOVE it on record. I followed up with Marc from the record label (Mild Chaos) and he made it happen. Things like that have been happening which are pretty amazing!
TROUBLE BOUND @ REASON & RUCKUS, POUGHKEEPSIE, NY MAY 31, 2025. PHOTO BY: @PUT.OVER.PHOTO
IE: How far has Trouble Bound traveled to play a gig?
Johnny: We played this Oi! Fest down in South Carolina. I know the Broken Heroes played it. A bunch of bands. They put us up in a cheap roach-ridden motel. It was great that they paid to put us up but cockroaches are not my favorite species to hang out with by any stretch of the imagination… let’s just say that. I remember I slept in the room with my friend, Tara. She had the other bed, opposite of me. She was creeped out by the roaches skittering everywhere. I told her we would sleep with the lights on. I slept with my boots on, fully dressed, keeping watch to make sure neither of us got invaded by the “Palmetto” bugs. I don’t know if I slept even a single wink that night. Haha! Saved that for the car ride home.
IE: How many shows would you guess the band has played dating back to the start?
Johnny: Well, that’s an easy one… I have a logbook, which is a marble notebook that I’ve kept track of all our shows in since the first one. All the stats are here. Who we played with, where, when, how much we got paid. What shirt I was wearing (just kidding about that one). We just played our 250th show and the “Here To The End” vinyl release at The Wherehouse in Newburgh, NY in a few weeks will be #251!
IE: What about biggest show?
Johnny: Club 201 NY in Middletown, NY with The Beltones 6/27/2004 was pretty big and pretty wild. The place was the size of like Roseland Ballroom or some of those decent sized NYC clubs. If there wasn’t a thousand people there, it certainly felt like it. It had to be close. That’s the show that those wild crowd-shot pictures from the “Here To The End” album are from. It was a benefit show and EVERYONE showed up. The Blood Stained Kings played. Tombstone Brawlers. Shock Nagasaki. A bunch of bands.
Dan: CBGB’s was really cool. We played there like 4 or 5 times, but there was this one time in August of ’04 we played with Demob and The Krays and Skeptix which was really rad.
Johnny: Then there was The Chance/The Loft/Club Crannell complex in Poughkeepsie, NY. From like 2002 to 2007 we were on all the big street punk shows there. We played with The Casualties and The Unseen, several times. The Virus. River City Rebels. The Murder Junkies. You name it. A lot of pretty well-known bands at the time. The place would always be packed and we’d always play right before the headliners. Crazy thing was is lot of times half the crowd would leave after we played! Not that I’m condoning leaving and not watching bands but it was just amazing how loyal the fanbase was and is. Blows us away still to think about it. They used to make us sell tickets for those shows and we’d never bother to sell them, until the day of the show. Dan would stand out on the corner of the venue and all the kids and punks would find him and buy tickets. All of our tickets would be sold in like a half hour Haha!
Dan: Yup. Fuck that pay to play bullshit. Haha!
TROUBLE BOUND @ REASON & RUCKUS, POUGHKEEPSIE, NY MAY 31, 2025. PHOTO BY: @PUT.OVER.PHOTO
IE: And finally in this category can you tell us what you remember from the first ever Trouble Bound show?
Johnny: Well, we’d have to go back to last century for that one. It was July 24th 1999 A.D. at the Thorne Building in Millbrook, NY. I had a couple of practices with the members I had recruited. We ended up having our first practice, (all of us together) at the “venue,” a few hours before the show started. Overall, I think we pulled it off pretty well from what I remember, especially for having written all the songs and formed the band inside a month. I was pretty nervous but kept my cool the whole time, surprisingly and no one seemed to really tell we had only been playing such a short amount of time.
IE: We love the backstory to a good nickname and your guitarist/singer goes by Johnny “No Keys”. Can you tell us the story behind this?
Johnny: Well, when I was a wee teenager, I used to come home late and I would never think to tell my parents where I was. Never usually had a quarter to call either. So I would come home knocking to get into the house. Eventually my dad got tired from being woken up so he gave me a key to the house. I never remembered to bring the key with me when I went out because I never was used to carrying keys. So one night after knocking on the door well past 11pm for the umpteenth time, my dad, who always had to get up early for work, answered the door and said; “Johnny No-Keys strikes again.” When I told my bandmates, at the time, that story they thought it was funny. Now when we had band practice we only had the one song that I wrote, really. A song that would later become a Trouble Bound song; “Hand-Me-Downs.” Now I had taught myself how to play guitar and I hadn’t really figured out how to tune a guitar yet. So after one really gnarly version of “Hand-Me-Downs”, the drummer sat back on his throne and said “Wow, Johnny No-Keys strikes again.” We all laughed a bit and it just became a nickname that stuck with me and always kind of reminds me of my early skateboarding/guitar-slinging days.
IE: Outside of the “usual” music stuff can you give us three social media pages that have you hooked in?
Brian: I would say: The Phantom A.D. who is a substitute teacher that makes music with an alter ego kinda like Sceamin’ Jay Hawkins. Papa Meat and Catatonic Youth… it’s pretty much a museum of what NOT to do as a band… Haha! Basically if you’re like this… things aren’t going to go well.
Dan: People to follow… I don’t know… I watch cat videos all day and laugh at terrible jokes.
Johnny: Basically, just a bunch of 80’s and 90’s stuff. Films. I dig most of the movies from that era. Movies in general… Comedy, action, horror, Sci-Fi… you name it really. There’s one page I like of a custom guitar shop in NYC. @cindyguitars They just handmake guitars out of old wood and doors and things in NYC which is pretty cool to see them making the guitars from start to finish. They come out looking really cool. Also, there’s this guy that looks like a middle-aged Italian guy with a huge dark mustache that makes pizzas and then slings the dough at different objects like targets… like he’s some sort of pizza-making ninja in a training course and the dough is his only weapon. @luigiprimopwr
IE: If you could punch a celebrity dead square in the face without any repercussions who are you choosing and what have they done to piss you off so much?
Dan: John Travolta… cuz he’s a cunt and I wanna fix that butt chin. David Attenborough… because it’d be awesome if he narrated it as he was getting hit. Eugene Levy… cuz I bet his eyebrows look hilarious when being punched.
Brian: Who’s the guy that wrote “Try This In A Small Town”? That guy deserves a punch for every dumb syllable that comes out of his fucking mouth.
Johnny: Kid Rock. That guy just oozes douche-baggery into everything he does. Never liked him from day one that he stumbled into the spotlight. From his early days of making terrible music to the time where he was pretending he was a cowboy and hanging out with Hank Williams Jr., to all of his song-sampling… to this contrived song about “Ain’t nobody gonna tell me how to live”… the video where he’s riding a giant dildo through sky. He just has one of those punchable faces. The urge is there every time ya see his rat-faced ugly mug.
IE: What’s next for the band? I heard you guys were working on a video and when can we expect new Trouble Bound music?
Johnny: We have the first single off the new album coming out November 15th 2025. A song called “The Only Way I Know.” We shot a music video for it ourselves, DIY style with one of Brian’s cameras. As of now the plan is to release a second single in December and a third in January 2026 and the whole album will be out on streaming shortly after that. We will be looking to have a physical release as well. We got asked to do a tour in August or some long weekends with The Preps so we’ll see how that plays out. We’re still working out the details. Basically, we’ll be looking to get out of state more as much as we can and keep making music videos as much as we can cuz they’re fun. Thanks, Chris!
TROUBLE BOUND @ SNUG HARBOR, NEW PALTZ, NY. NOVEMBER 8, 2024. PHOTO BY: FACE PHOTO
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