By Tina | FM 2.0 Conversations
In a freewheeling, laugh-out-loud, and surprisingly heartfelt conversation, FM 2.0’s Don and Tina (CEO of Press Play) caught up with Adam Bones of The Manic Standstill. What started as a chat about a quirky music video unraveled into a deeper look at punk roots, songwriting therapy, brushes with Ramones royalty, and how music has always been more about emotion than algorithm. The conversation kicks off with “Reasons Why”—a track full of nervy energy and an even more absurd video concept involving Stockholm Syndrome and band member kidnappings. “The video’s silly, the song’s serious,” Adam says, explaining how the lyrics wrestle with his lifelong discomfort around confrontation. “I wanted to write a song from the perspective of someone who finally could stand up and say what needed to be said. It’s something I’ve always struggled with.” Shot in Silver Lake with a group of friends, the video turned into a homage to a house and a moment in time. “Nobody knew I was going to tie them up,” he laughs. “I just said, ‘Okay, here’s what we’re doing.’” Despite the humor, Bones is a songwriter who channels deep emotion with deceptive ease. Whether it’s the dark catharsis of his past band The Two Tens, or the hook-laced urgency of The Manic Standstill’s upcoming album Moving (due this fall via Wiretap and Double Helix Records), Adam’s work reflects both his inner turmoil and his obsessive love of melody. And influences? He wears them proudly. “Joey Ramone would be my dream singer. I’m a massive Ramones fan. I’ve co-written with Richie Ramone and opened for CJ Ramone—tell teenage me that and I’d laugh you out of the room.” Bones recounts writing three tracks with Richie for Cellophane, noting “he asked me at a restaurant. Just walked up and said, ‘You write, right? Want to write together?’ It blew my mind.” His musical wish list? “Descendents. Bad Religion. The Hives.” he says when asked who he’d want to tour with. A punk trifecta, but Bones isn’t boxed in. “I love Kiss From a Rose by Seal. Duran Duran. Even Stop by the Spice Girls. If the hook’s great, I’m in.” Tina and Don also touched on the launch of Press Play, their artist-centric platform for sharing stories and music. Bones will be one of the first verified artists to join. “I just want people to hear the music,” he says. “I’m not thinking about money first—I just want to play and connect.” That honesty permeates everything from the band's name—"The Manic Standstill"—to their punk yet hook-driven sound. “Naming a band is the worst. But I liked the contrast of manic energy and stillness. It just fit.” Bones’ passion is contagious, his vision authentic. Whether he's reminiscing about seeing the Ramones live, or joking about AI song generation (“I'm not typing ‘punk rock song about summer’ into a computer”), it's clear: this is an artist who believes music is still meant to move you—lyrically, emotionally, and maybe even literally. Watch out for The Manic Standstill’s album release this fall, and catch them live if you can. As Don put it best, “Adam Bones is writing punk rock with heart and hooks—and he’s just getting started.
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