AceShowbiz
 
 
Neck Deep Biography

news-detailsNeck Deep emerged from Wrexham, Wales in 2012 as a potent force in the modern pop-punk scene, quickly ascending from online demos to international stages with their energetic sound and relatable lyricism. The band's origin story is a quintessential tale of internet-age discovery, beginning when vocalist Ben Barlow and guitarist Lloyd Roberts uploaded a song titled "What Did You Expect?" online under the Neck Deep moniker. The track's immediate positive reception spurred them to formalize the project, recruiting rhythm guitarist Matt West, drummer Dani Washington, and bassist Fil Thorpe-Evans to complete the lineup.

Capitalizing on their early online buzz, the band independently released the "Rain in July" EP in 2012 and the "A History of Bad Decisions" EP in 2013. This DIY success captured the attention of Hopeless Records, who signed the group in August 2013. Their major label debut, the album "Wishful Thinking," arrived in January 2014 and served as their commercial breakthrough, compelling all members to leave their jobs or education to pursue the band full-time. They solidified their status with the August 2015 release of "Life's Not out to Get You," a critically acclaimed album that resonated deeply with the global pop-punk community. During this period, Lloyd Roberts departed the band, and guitarist Sam Bowden, formerly of Climates and Blood Youth, joined as his permanent replacement.

The band's momentum continued to build with their third album, 2017's "The Peace and the Panic," which debuted at an impressive No. 4 on the US Billboard 200, marking their highest chart placement to date. Following the September 2018 departure of bassist Fil Thorpe-Evans, the band continued as a four-piece, enlisting touring musicians for live shows. In 2019, they reached a significant milestone by securing the opening slot on a North American summer tour with pop-punk icons Blink-182. By early 2020, longtime collaborator and bassist Seb Barlow was announced as an official member, and the band unveiled their ambitious fourth album, "All Distortions Are Intentional," in July of that year.

Neck Deep entered a new chapter with the January 2024 release of their self-titled fifth album, "Neck Deep," which they promoted as a confident and energized return to their core sound. The band maintains a prolific touring schedule, consistently headlining large clubs and festivals worldwide, and remains a prominent and influential voice in contemporary pop-punk, celebrated for their anthemic songs and dedicated fanbase.