First coming into the public eye in 2009 on Disney Channel’s N.B.T. (Next Big Thing), Allstar Weekend primarily caught the attention of many tweens across the country. They quickly escalated to a fan base that currently ranges from ages 5 to 18 with the help of their infectious pop tunes and of course, their good looks.
“Next Big Thing was one of our first big breaks. What it did for us was take our music from San Diego, California to all of the United States and we got thousands of fans from it. We actually didn’t win [Next Big Thing], but because of the recognition we received, we ended up showcasing events, which eventually ended up getting us signed to Hollywood Records,” Cameron Quiseng, bass, states during our interview that took place downtown at the Rave where they performed that night.
In the past two years, Zach [lead vocals], Cameron, Nathan (lead guitar), and Michael (drums) have come a long way from where they started. From shooting a homemade music video for “Journey to the End of My Life” to sharing a stage with Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez in London, the boys have just begun their journey in the music industry, quickly learning that it is not as easy as you may expect it to be.
“If you want it, you can do it, but it’s a lot harder than what you think it is. You really have to put in the time,” Cameron explains. “We work seven days a week. We don’t have days off. We wake up around 8 or 10 in the morning, and we don’t get done until 11 at night. But if you want it, and you really enjoy doing it, it’s not really work; it’s having fun all day.”
Despite the hard work that goes into everything the 20 year olds accomplish, you would never have guessed how stressful the job really is. “It’s one of those jobs, where no matter if you’re in a band or work for a label, you’re working all the time. It isn’t a 9 to 5 job, sometimes you work until 3 a.m.,” Zach then pipes in.
Throughout the interview and their performance, the guys were jumping and joking around letting their bright and true personalities beam. “This [interview] means more to us than what you may know,” Cameron told me as we were saying our thank you’s and goodbyes to one another as the extremely energetic interview came to a close.
“We are very lucky and grateful for what have,” Zach says, as all the guys nod their heads, agreeing with the front man. Make sure to catch Allstar Weekend this spring, as they come back to Milwaukee with the Ready Set and two other bands on the Glamour Kills tour.