A Dirty Dozen with STEVE ROVERY and BRYAN FLOWERS from AMERICAN TELEVISION – September 2025

According to a recent press release: “American Television is delivering a punchy dose of melodic punk rock to the Smartpunk Records roster with the announcement of their upcoming EP You Are Not Alone coming out on September 19. The skate-punk inspired anthems are driven by resilience and resistence that emphasize the transformative power of music. American Television is a melodic punk rock band hailing from the Washington D.C. area. They merge a classic skate-punk sound with infectious melody to deliver anthems of resistance and resilience. The band follows up their previous Smartpunk Records release SCARS with a high-powered, six-song EP featuring songs written to create a sense of community in these dark times, to empower those who feel unseen, and to serve as a reminder for us to work to live, not live to work. American Television’s band members include Steve Rovery (vocals, guitar), Jerred Lazar (lead guitar, backing vocals), Edwin Wikfors (bass), and Bryan Flowers (drums).” We get Steve & Bryan from the band to discuss new music, influences, and more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

Steve: You Are Not Alone is a 6-song EP that explores some things we’ve gained from a lifetime in the punk rock scene. Community, sharp political perspectives, and a bit of a cynical take on the patterns we fall into as humans – at work and in life. As far as hidden nuggets, the first line of “You Are Not Alone,” “I took my lumps with my morning coffee” is a call back to an old Bugs Bunny cartoon I used to watch when I was a kid. Bugs would ask, “how many lumps do you want?” Referring to sugar cubes to be added to a coffee. He’d then bop them over the head that many times with a hammer. That bit has stuck with me for so long, so I was excited to incorporate it into a song!

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

Bryan: Might be cliche, but it was when Nevermind by Nirvana came out. I had just moved to a new state and had made a few friends. I remember Jon Ryan and I decided he would learn bass and I would learn drums since it would be easier to find a guitarist. I had mostly listened to metal before then, which seemed inaccessible for some reason, but the simplicity and power of Nirvana’s songs seemed more achievable to our teenage minds. We were very wrong of course.

Steve: My sister and I used to go 50/50 on CDs and cassette singles. We discovered bands like The Cure, Hole, Violent Femmes, and Green Day together. We were young, and when she got into High School she got more into hip hop and just gave me all the albums we amassed. As far as what really tipped the scale for me to take me from listener to player – my friend Shawn shared a whole world of underground music with me. We went to our first shows together, and I was immediately taken by the community at these small local shows. Kids ran the door, made zines, took photos, played music – it was eye opening to see all this was possible – and I wanted to be part of that community in as many capacities as I could.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

Bryan: Fugazi is always the answer to this one for me. They provided such an inspiration on what it means to be an independent artist. Plus they absolutely destroyed live.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

Bryan: Mike Patton. With his vocal range, he could sing anything. Or just do a guttural scream and it would still sound cool.

Steve: I’ve been digging Karen Dió lately. Her voice is awesome, all the songs I’ve been listening to are both poppy and edgy. I think we could get some really cool harmonies going.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour?  What do you like to do to unwind?

Bryan: I am a huge Baltimore Orioles fan. Baseball is such a great game to unwind with. Whether watching on TV or in person, it’s my happy place. It’d be even more happy if they won more often.

Steve: I get outdoors – mountain bike, hike, drive out to the ocean. It helps me clear my head to breathe fresh air and “touch grass” as my son would say.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

Bryan: We simply say that we’re melodic punk. Pop-punk can be varied and somehow less specific. I tell most normies that we sound like Green Day, just as something they can connect with. On a show announcement, someone called our band “aggressive hardcore” which couldn’t be further from the truth.

Steve: Someone said we were like Bowling For Soup because we made a comedic music video early on. They’ve always kind of felt like the Disney Channel version of a punk band to me – they don’t really write about any meaningful shit, but I guess that “1985” song continues to pay the bills.

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks, who gets the drinks in, and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Steve: I’ve cooked for the band the most – food on the grill, snacks on the table. Whatever it is. If they’re coming over the odds are we’re going to eat. Shit, now I’m thinking I need to do a Grilled Cheese party with these dudes soon!

Bryan: Chris is probably the answer for the other two. Though as the sole vegetarian in the band, the cooking (or more realistically picking the restaurant) usually falls to me when we are out on the road.

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

Steve: I’m a big comedy nerd and Conan O’Brien made a cameo at a comedy thing I was at. I typically don’t get starstruck, but in that moment I couldn’t get my phone out for a photo fast enough.

Bryan: I played in a pick-up softball game with some DC area musicians and music-adjacent folks, and Adam from Jawbreaker was there while they were in town. I’ve always been a huge fan of his work, and it was a surprise that he was there!

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

Bryan: None of the four of us do this as our main source of income, so maybe musician is our dream job! I’d love to do something baseball related, but maybe it would make me hate baseball…

Steve: Park Ranger at a pretty low-key state park. I don’t think I could deal with bear, moose, or the idiots who want to pet them at national parks.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

Steve: If one of your songs were to be in a movie, which song would it be, and in what context? I think “Bittersweet” is our most cinema-worthy track. It’s why we made that music video more focused on a character instead of the band. I could see it being used at the end of the film when a guy is walking into his boss’s office to quit.

Bryan: I wish we would get asked what our baseball walk-up music would be. Mine would be “For Whom The Bell Tolls” by Metallica. We’re happy to answer any questions if people are interested in our band!

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

Steve: Honestly. Learning from experience. If you’re playing a bigger show, have a backup guitar, snapping a string on stage with no plan in that setting suuucks.

Bryan: We’ve had to turn down a few shows just because of work or family life. Obviously, those things are more important to us, but we have missed a few cool opportunities.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

Steve: Probably Rage Against The Machine – Evil Empire. That album is flawless. Between Tom Morello’s insane guitar playing and Zack’s vocal flow and delivery. I’d be slack-jawed.

Bryan: I’d say Angel Dust by Faith No More. Another flawless record made by some complete characters. One of my all-time favorites.

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Category: Interviews