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photos: Moe Horta

Known for their catchy hooks and infectious riffs, Canadian pop-punkers Bearings have proven they’re committed to keeping their fans swaying. Fresh off the release of their third full-length album, The Best Part About Being Human, the up-and-coming act has found a way to hold true to their roots while also introducing fun new elements.

In support of their new record, Bearings has hit the road with pop-punk powerhouse Neck Deep alongside hardcore noisemakers Drain and Higher Power. While on their 23-date trek, The Noise had the chance to catch up with Bearings guitarist Ryan Culligan to discuss the band’s new album, tour, and more. 

To see what Culligan had to say about recording Bearings' new record at an Airbnb, how the band paid tribute to blink-182, as well as what’s next for the Pure Noise signees, be sure to read below. Afterward, don’t forget to pick up tickets to see Bearings on the Neck Deep tour and you can stream The Best Part About Being Human here. 

With a few shows under your belt now, how is tour going and what’s the experience been like playing with such a mixed lineup with bands such as Higher Power and Drain?

RYAN CULLIGAN: The tour is amazing so far. We’re honoured to be a part of this lineup. Watching all the other bands each night is awesome and makes every show a highlight. I’m a massive fan of hardcore and pop punk so this bill is right up my alley. 

Did you think that Bearings would ever share the stage with hardcore bands & would you like to play more mixed bills in the future?

Yes! We toured with hardcore band in our early years and would always go to hardcore shows. It’s one of our favourite genres, if I wasn’t playing pop punk I truly think I would be in a hardcore band.

Last year, Bearings released their third full-length album. When discussing the songwriting process, you’ve mentioned the intention was to be able to play each song live the way it sounds on the record. Now that you’ve been able to finally play some new songs live, would you consider playing the album in full at some point in the future?

It would be a lot of fun to play the full record live. It’s definitely something we’ll talk about when the album has been out for a longer period of time, whether that be some anniversary shows or album celebration shows. Each song on the record rocks.

The Best Part of Being Human was recorded in an Airbnb as opposed to a traditional studio. What was that experience like and why did you guys choose to go that route?

It’s just what made most sense for us at that time. Our producer Sam had the idea and we were stoked on it. We got to live there and record each day and night. It helped us be engulfed in the entire experience. We would be watching a tv show and then think of a guitar riff and go record it. It was one of the most fun months of my life. 

The lead single “Scenery” features a callback to blink-182’s "Mutt" - how has blink inspired your songwriting and who are some other artists that inspired this record?

Blink has always been our biggest musical influence as a band I’d say. We all grew up loving them so it shines through in our songwriting for sure. Other bands like Turnstile and The Story So Far have also had a big impact on us.

You’ve started branching into other creative outlets such as fashion and photography - how do you feel that exploring other creative avenues has impacted your overall approach to Bearings in terms of aesthetic, merch, etc.

I’ve always had a strong passion for fashion and photography and I love pursuing those avenues outside of the band. It’s something for me to chase personally and I believe helps me improve creativity. Taking photos behind the scenes helps with content for the band as well. I think it’s super healthy to have outlets outside of your main focus to help you stay sane haha.

What’s next for Bearings in 2024? Any final words?

Right now we have new music in the works and we’re planning plenty of shows for 2024. We’re going to keep the ball rolling and try to push this new album as much as we can. Shoutout to anyone who supports us, it means the world.