For as much as the world has changed since Real Friends first emerged in 2010, the band’s mission hasn’t. The Illinois quintet continue to bleed without apology and write songs that make it okay to feel everything: the ups, the downs, and anything else in between. Rather than shy away from emotion, the group run right towards it with distortion cranked and hearts opened, tightening their careful distillation of pop and punk on each subsequent release. When the band—Dave Knox (lead guitar), Kyle Fasel(bass), Eric Haines (rhythm guitar), and Brian Blake (drums) —welcomed vocalist Cody Muraro in 2020, the goal stayed the same as they crafted new music for Pure Noise Records.
Over the years, Real Friends have forged and strengthened a deep connection with fans. The group’s 2014 full-length debut, Maybe This Place Is the Same and We’re Just Changing, marked a turning point. Rock Sound named it one of the “Top 50 Albums of the Year.” 2016’s The Home Inside My Head maintained this momentum with further acclaim and sold out shows. In 2018, Composure incited applause from Music Connection, Alternative Press, Substream Magazine, New Noise, and Billboard who described it as “raw.” To date, they’ve also amassed over 100 million streams and counting. In 2021, they turned the page on a new chapter with the singles “Nervous Wreck” and “Storyteller.”
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In the fall of 2010 bassist Kyle Fasel "wasn't happy" with the music he was working on and wished to start over. Fasel called lead guitarist Dave Knox and the pair soon started talking about the goals they wished to achieve. Fasel didn't expect it to lead anywhere. Vocalist Dan Lambton, who was friends with Knox, received a call from Fasel, asking if he would like to join him and Knox. They were soon joined by drummer Aaron Schuck. The band recorded its debut EP, This Is Honesty, in the spring of 2011. Following the release of the EP, the band began playing shows around the Midwest. The group soon realized that it "didn't feel right, playing the songs they currently had. Almost forcing ourselves into sound." They had a meeting and came to the conclusion to start over. During this period of change, Fasel and Knox were playing in The Fastest Kid Alive. Shortly afterwards, Schuck was replaced by Brian Blake. Blake had emailed the band after he found out they needed a drummer.
Real Friends didn't have a permanent second guitarist, often having their friends to substitute. Eric Haines soon joined as a rhythm guitarist. Until Haines joined Fasel and Knox would typically write the songs and they didn't have "another guitarist's opinion", according to Fasel. Shortly after the release of the Everyone That Dragged You Here EP, the band's popularity increased and the audience at their shows also increased. The band later released the Put Yourself Back Together EP. Reviewing the EP for Rock Sound, Andy Biddulph said noted that he would not be "surprised" if the band was "mixing it with the big boys in a year's time". In November, the group supported The Wonder Years on their UK shows, included UK Warped Tour.
Fearless signed the band in December 2013. The band were initially hesitant to sign to a label but called Fearless "different. They made it feel more like a family." The group "still wanted full control of our band" while Fearless would help with marketing and distribution, according to Fasel. The band recorded their debut studio album in February with producer Seth Henderson. The band released its debut studio album, Maybe This Place Is the Same and We're Just Changing on July 22, 2014. The album sold over 10,300 copies, charting at number 24 on the Billboard 200. The band played on the 2014 Vans Warped Tour supporting the album's release, appearing on the Journey's Stage. More Acoustic Song EP was released for Record Store Day in April 2015. One of the tracks, an acoustic version of "Late Nights in My Car", features Kevin Jordan from This Wild Life.
Fearless Records announced that a new Real Friends record would be released on their label in 2016, through a post on their official Twitter account, which was made on December 22, 2015. Prior to the Fearless announcement, the band had made several references to the recording of a new album throughout 2015 on their Facebook and Twitter pages. Real Friends finished recording their second full-length album on the road, in February 2016. Prior to the album's announcement, the band began to play a new song entitled "Colder Quicker" during their live sets. On April 1, 2016, the band announced the title of their new album as being The Home Inside My Head, along with the album's release date, cover art and track listing. Additionally, on the same day the band released a music video for "Colder Quicker". The album was released on May 27, 2016.
On November 16, 2017 the band released a single entitled "Get By". On June 18, 2018 the band announced the new album 'Composure' set for release on July 13, 2018 to their home town fans during an RSVP Acoustic session. It was preceded two weeks prior by a single entitled "From the Outside", which was accompanied by a music video.
Style and influences
Real Friends has been described as pop punk and emo, as well as emo pop punk. Punknews reviewer said "If American Football went totally pop-punk, Real Friends would be the result." Vocalist Dan Lambton has been described as a cross between The Starting Line's Kenny Vasoli, The Wonder Years' Dan Campbell and The Dangerous Summer's AJ Perdomo. Bassist Kyle Fasel has cited American Football, Dashboard Confessional, The Early November, Jimmy Eat World, The Promise Ring, Saves the Day, The Starting Line, Spitalfield, Taking Back Sunday and Thursday as influences.
Bassist Kyle on the often used phrase "sleepy eyes and bony knees":
I think there’s something that needs to be explained on our end here. We released a new EP on June 4th titled “Put Yourself Back Together.” There are some references in the songs that mention sleepy eyes and bony knees. There have been some negative comments regarding the amount of times we mention those two things. I want to make this post to explain the detailed meanings of both of those subjects. I assure all of you out there that we would never put something in multiple songs that doesn’t have a great amount of meaning. These songs are my life summed up into some verses and choruses. These songs are my therapy, and that goes for the four other dudes in my band too. So here we go….
Sleepy eyes refers to a time in my life in 2011. I was going through a very messy break up which then lead to a love triangle and that lead me to be depressed. The girl that I was in love with since I was eighteen had found someone else that she grew to love. She told me that she still loved me as well though. This lead to lots of sleepless nights and some weight loss as well. Thirty pounds of weight loss to be exact. Listen to our song “Floorboards” for more details on that whole situation. Well anyway, this situation and some other ones over the past few years have led me to not being able to sleep at night. I had resorted to sleeping pills in 2011 when I was depressed. I also consider myself a night owl in general. I haven’t gone to bed before 2 am in years. But mainly sleepy eyes is something that I think we have all been through in life. It’s about those nights when you’re so overworked and have so much going on that you can’t fall asleep, even if you are physically tired. Not only do I write these songs for my own therapy, but I would hope that some of you could find some peace in them. So of course I’m going to reference this subject multiple times. And that is sleepy eyes.
Bony knees is a subject that pops up in a lot of our songs as well. I will keep it general at first here. I in fact do physically have bony knees. But I will surely say that there is a way deeper meaning behind these bony knees. It kind of all dates back to my depression in 2011. Like I stated before there was some weight loss, which made these knees a little more bony than before. I also found myself physically and mentally down on my knees while going through depression. Even after 2011, after I started feeling better, I would still find myself down and out on my bony knees physically and mentally. We all go through dirt in life and lot of times it makes us fall on our knees for awhile. I can easily say that dirt has put me on my knees more than I want to say. But the beautiful part about falling on your knees is getting back up. And that’s the main point of the bony knees reference. You have to get up in life and move on. We have all been there and we will all be there again. When I write bony knees in a song it reminds me of how I put all of the bullshit behind me and moved on. And that is bony knees.
I just wanted to clear this all up. I don’t want anyone to ever think that we are using this as some sort of gimmick or something. We keep things real and it will always be that way. I hope you can all now find deeper meaning and connection with sleepy eyes and bony knees.
Basement Stairs
Real Friends Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Til the sun comes up
Listening to sad songs
We spent our time with smiles on our faces
I know it sounds selfish but I'll miss those days
I know it sounds selfish
Honestly, as time goes on
But as I start to feel that change
It all becomes a wall that blocks my mind
The Fall leaves flying through the driveway
Keep triggering these memories of you
I'm torn apart with how our lives are changing
I'm sure it sounds selfish, I'm just being honest
I know it sounds selfish
But I'm trying to be honest
Honestly, as time goes on
Change becomes a fence that I can't climb
But as I start to feel that change
It all becomes a wall that blocks my mind
Let's go back to when thing weren't complicated
Let's go back to all those old dashboard songs
Let's go back to smoking on the side of my old house
We can never go back, we'll never go back
We'll never go back
Honestly, as time goes on
Change becomes a fence that I can't climb
But as I start to feel that change
It all becomes a wall that blocks my mind
I know it sounds selfish
I'm just being honest
The lyrics of "Basement Stairs" by Real Friends evoke feelings of nostalgia and longing for the past. The first verse reminisces about happy times spent together, sitting on an old couch, listening to sad songs until the sun rises. The lyrics express a bittersweet sentiment, admitting that although it may sound selfish, the singer will miss those days and the happiness they brought.
The second verse delves deeper into the theme of change and how it can be difficult to navigate. The metaphor of change becoming a fence that the singer cannot climb suggests that they feel trapped or hindered by the changes happening in their life. As they try to adapt and come to terms with change, it morphs into a wall that blocks their thoughts and emotions, further complicating their struggle.
The mention of Fall leaves flying through the driveway triggers memories of someone significant in the singer's life. These memories serve as reminders of how their lives are evolving and becoming more complex. The singer acknowledges that their feelings of longing and resistance to change may come across as selfish, but they are simply being honest about their emotions.
The chorus reinforces the theme of longing for the past and the impossibility of returning to those simpler times. The singer yearns to go back to when things were uncomplicated, when they listened to old dashboard songs and smoked by their old house. However, they come to the realization that going back is not possible, resigning themselves to the fact that they can never return to the past.
Overall, the lyrics of "Basement Stairs" capture the conflicting emotions of nostalgia, longing, and resistance to change. The singer grapples with the complexities of life moving forward while simultaneously yearning for the simplicity and happiness of the past.
Line by Line Meaning
I still see us sitting on that old couch
I can still vividly imagine the moments we spent sitting on that old couch
'Til the sun comes up
We would stay there until the sun rose
Listening to sad songs
We would listen to melancholic music together
We spent our time with smiles on our faces
Despite any personal struggles, we managed to find joy in each other's presence
I know it sounds selfish but I'll miss those days
I am aware that it may seem self-centered, but I genuinely long for those days
Honestly, as time goes on
In all honesty, as time passes
Change becomes a fence that I can't climb
The process of change feels like an insurmountable barrier blocking my progress
But as I start to feel that change
However, as I begin to experience the effects of change
It all becomes a wall that blocks my mind
It transforms into an impenetrable obstacle that hinders my thinking and emotions
The Fall leaves flying through the driveway
The image of autumn leaves blowing across the driveway
Keep triggering these memories of you
Continuously evoke memories of you
I'm torn apart with how our lives are changing
I am deeply affected by the way our lives are transforming
I'm sure it sounds selfish, I'm just being honest
I understand it might sound self-centered, but I am simply expressing my genuine feelings
Let's go back to when thing weren't complicated
Let's return to a time when everything was simpler and less complex
Let's go back to all those old dashboard songs
Let's revisit the music we used to listen to together
Let's go back to smoking on the side of my old house
Let's reminisce about the times we would smoke on the side of my previous residence
We can never go back, we'll never go back
We are unable to recreate or relive those moments, they are forever gone
I know it sounds selfish
I am aware that it may come across as self-centered
I'm just being honest
But I am merely expressing my honest emotions
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: KYLE FASEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dvoki
[Verse 1]
I still see us sitting on that old couch
'Til the sun comes up
Listening to sad songs
We spent our time with smiles on our faces
I know it sounds selfish but I'll miss those days
I know it sounds selfish
[Chorus]
Honestly, as time goes on
Change becomes a fence that I can't climb
But as I start to feel that change
It all becomes a wall across my mind
[Verse 2]
The Fall leaves flying through the driveway
Keep triggering these memories of you
I'm torn apart with how our lives are changing
I'm sure it sounds selfish, I'm just being honest
I know it sounds selfish
But I'm trying to be honest
[Chorus]
Honestly, as time goes on
Change becomes a fence that I can't climb
But as I start to feel that change
It all becomes a wall across
a wall that blocks** my mind
READ MORE
my mind
[Bridge]
Let's go back to when thing weren't comlicated
Let's go back to all those old dashboard songs
Let's go back to smoking on the side of my old house
We can never go back, we'll never go back
We'll never go back
[Chorus]
Honestly, as time goes on
Change becomes a fence that I can't climb
But as I start to feel that change
It all becomes a wall across my mind
I know it sounds selfish
I'm just being honest
Dvoki
[Verse 1]
I still see us sitting on that old couch
'Til the sun comes up
Listening to sad songs
We spent our time with smiles on our faces
I know it sounds selfish but I'll miss those days
I know it sounds selfish
[Chorus]
Honestly, as time goes on
Change becomes a fence that I can't climb
But as I start to feel that change
It all becomes a wall across my mind
[Verse 2]
The Fall leaves flying through the driveway
Keep triggering these memories of you
I'm torn apart with how our lives are changing
I'm sure it sounds selfish, I'm just being honest
I know it sounds selfish
But I'm trying to be honest
[Chorus]
Honestly, as time goes on
Change becomes a fence that I can't climb
But as I start to feel that change
It all becomes a wall across
a wall that blocks** my mind
READ MORE
my mind
[Bridge]
Let's go back to when thing weren't comlicated
Let's go back to all those old dashboard songs
Let's go back to smoking on the side of my old house
We can never go back, we'll never go back
We'll never go back
[Chorus]
Honestly, as time goes on
Change becomes a fence that I can't climb
But as I start to feel that change
It all becomes a wall across my mind
I know it sounds selfish
I'm just being honest
Justin Rubin
This song brings back the old Real Friends sound. Especially at 1:50 - 2:15 I love it ❤️
Gabriel Monteiro
simplesmente pfto
David idk
Favorite song on the album
Judy Howell
took me awhile to actually like this band real friends and now i can't wait to buy there albums as soon as I have money to spend
Gaby M
reminds me of a song from their put yourself back together ep... I love it
Jay Anthony
Favorite album released this year tbh
BB Hogan
Just booked tickets to see these boys for a couple dates in december👍🏼👍🏼
ThatLilyGirl
Just bought four tickets to see them the day after my birthday ☺️☺️
Leslie Rodriguez
Rad. So happy for you guys!