Originally formed in 2018, Panic Problem is vocalist/guitarist Neal Page’s plan to merge his love for high energy 90’s Pop Punk with his desire to bring awareness to mental health issues. The energy and the positivity of the genre perfectly balance the heavier lyrical content, in signature singalong format. Digging into his own experience, his lyrics aim to chip at the shame culture surrounding mental issues, in a rockin’ package! Teaming up with veteran musicians Tom Gilhuley and Jeff Brigman, their new album Just Calm Down is out now and available through bandcamp and their website.
Name five songs that you consider “perfect songs” and explain why or what they mean to you.
Neal Page (vocals, guitar)
BOUNCING SOULS –True Believers. Why: Start to finish, this song sums up the band’s vibe. Perfect sing along song. From the first note to the end this song screams: Bouncing Souls, Fun Punk and having a blast.
THE CLASH – Complete Control. Why: In my opinion, this song became a blueprint for Punk. This song is a kind of litmus test. If it speaks to you, you’re going to like punk. If you’re not smashing everything in sight with a smile on your face, then stop here. Do not pass go. Punk is not for you.
BLITZ – New Age. This song has such a velocity. If you can’t dance to this, you’re not alive. I still cannot understand how they made everything so gigantic on this song. I need everyone to know this band existed and put out amazing songs that feel so apocalyptic and have an atmosphere that is so relevant right now. They might be more relevant now than when they were around.
MRS. MAGICIAN – There is No God. This song/band is one of my personal favorites. What a gateway drug to get into trippy weird Surf Psych Rock. Just pure perfection and uniqueness. It’s not quite one thing and that’s probably my favorite thing about Mrs. Magician. When dude hits the high notes on the choruses of this song you can hear that little push / distortion on the microphone. PERFECT.
MADI DIAZ – Let’s Go. This song kills me. Ugh. I love this song. It’s perfect. The use of negative space in this song really freaks me out. The layering. I mean everything is so straight forward but so tenuously and delicately put together BUT IT’S HUGE. What a killer song. If you don’t have some kind of emotional response by the end of this song you are most likely an asshole or something.
Tom Gilhuley (drums, vocals)
This was a tough thing to choose (as I’m sure most of these questions will be), but I did a few that came to mind.
NO USE FOR A NAME – International You Day
I believe this is one of the best love songs ever written. Getting to know Tony Sly back in the day and how much he loved his family, you can just hear the anguish in both the lyrics and music he experienced being on the road. It has this dark, somber feel in the intro and bursts into this intense verse of pain that drives into a beautiful chorus of pure emotional release. I love the music, the arrangement, the lyrics … honestly, it’s a little hard for me to listen to it without tearing up. It’s so fucking good.
KEN BOOTHE – Everything I Own
Yeah, I know this song was originally written by those damn hippies in BREAD, but the version that Ken Boothe recorded is another love song classic in my book. I guess I’m a sucker for a good love song … probably because I’ve never been great at writing them. It’s such a simple straightforward song. It’s a Rocksteady groove, so it bounces along with lightness while delivering these heavy vibes through the lyrics. It’s sad. It’s touching. It’s fucking great. Man, I love Ken Boothe.
BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS – War
That’s right, it’s a fucking Bob Marley song. You have a problem with that?! Haha. This one is so easy. The words of Haile Selasie, Emperor of Ethiopia from a speech he gave to the U.N. General Assembly in 1963. Power. Protest. Love. Leadership. It’s all that brought to you with the power of Bob Marley’s voice over the classic roots sound of The Wailers. If you don’t get chills listening to this song, there’s something wrong with you. It is perfect.
Which music genre do you listen to the most? List your five favorite albums in that genre.
Neal
I listen to a TON of classical music, then I listen to Punk, Reggae, Shitty Dirt 70’s Butt Rock and songs I find funny and shit. I also have a kid so she likes Oi and really crazy Reggae and stuff.
Here are my favorite 5 albums period (Just kidding they change every five minutes. What kind of slug limits their shit to like 5 or something? Whatever. Here. Here are five albums I will not hit skip on):
- AARON COPELAND – Rodeo. I love Western Movies. This Ballet / Songs makes me want to kick some butt western style.
- SUPERTRAMP – Breakfast In America. I don’t know why I like this album and I don’t know why I like this band. By rights, I shouldn’t but there it is. I think I just have a lot of nostalgia about hearing this music and there ya go.
- GREEN DAY – Dookie. See below. There are going to be a lot of people that try to bullshit their way our of liking this record but this record rules. Period.
- NEIL DIAMOND – The Bang Years. Holy shit this record slams. Neil Diamond Rules. Fuck you.
- KID DYNAMITE – S/T. This album is so god damned amazing. This album makes me want to rip off my face and spin kick back in time to the late 90’s. Hell yeah, lets get sweaty.
Tom
Punk rock I suppose. It’s always in the mix at least. That and reggae for me. This changes all the time though, so for now it’s those two, next week it will be Soul and Hip Hop. Then, maybe it’s Polka and Bossa Nova…well, maybe not those. I would listen to that though.
Anyway, five favorite albums right now in each genre in no particular order Punk:
THE COPYRIGHTS – North Sentinel Island
DEAD BARS – Regulars
HOT WATER MUSIC – Exister
THE BOUNCING SOULS – The Bouncing Souls
NO USE FOR A NAME – More Betterness
Reggae:
CULTURE – International Herb
ISRAEL VIBRATION – The Same Song
BUJU BANTON – Inna Heights
JACOB MILLER – Killer Miller
YELLOWMAN – Mister Yellowman
Jeff Brigman (bass)
Punk, Reggae, Prog, Metal and…the rest are all over the place.
Your five favorite rappers of all time? Name one song that best exemplifies what makes them great. (Alternate: list your five best guitarists, bassists, drummers, producers, etc)
Neal
Here are my five favorite Fantasy Authors:
- Robert Jordan. Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time Series is SOOOOO GOOOODD!! AHHHHHH!!!!! When the show comes out, I’m gonna flip!!!!!!
- J.R.R. Tolkien. Duh.
- Joe Denver. His Lone Wolf series in the 80’s or whatever was a trip. I loved how it was ½ a book and ½ a game. So tite. Everyone cheated though I know it. Years later, I hunted the books back down and I have them. I’m also playing the Switch Game. It’s so much fun and I love how it’s like reading one of the books. Solid move game making nerds that did that. Well done.
- Kenneth Grahame. The Wind in the Willows is cool as hell. That was the first book I read to my kid. I love how older authors had really strong adult motifs in their works but laid it out in a way kids could digest.
- David Peterson. Mouse Guard is so good. What a lovely body of work. Such an immersive world. I hope that the movie can come back into production.
Tom
Here are my favorites right now…again, this could change tomorrow and these are not in order:
BLACK THOUGHT
NAS
BEASTIE BOYS
KRS ONE
KEITH MURRAY
Jeff
There is nothing quite as special as a Rap fail.
WILL SMITH – Wild Wild West – Wow?
BLONDIE – Rapture – Zing!
MELLE MEL – I Feel For you (Chaka Kahn) – Cringe!
DEE DEE KING – Funky Man – Ouch!
DAVE SMALLEY – Rap Song? – I swear I heard one, may have dreamed it.
What’s the album you’ve listened to the most in your life? Do you still listen to it?
Neal
GREEN DAY Dookie. I have bought this album on every format. If I said anything else, I would be a fucking liar. This album is also perfect and anyone who says otherwise is also wrong. You don’t like it that’s fine go listen to something else but for me, this it. This is the album that got me into Punk. It probably also solidified that I wanted to be in a band and do all of that.
Tom
VAN HALEN – Fair Warning … and fuck yes, I still listen to it!
Jeff
A four way tie –
YELLOWMAN – Mr. Yellowman
BLACK UHURU – Red
THE TALKING HEADS – The Name Of This Band Is
ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT – The State of Art Is On Fire
What are some of your favorite song lyrics? Lyrics that have been important to you or that had an impact on you?
Neal
“They said, fly to Amsterdam. The people laughed but the press went mad.” – The CLASH.
Tom
See my answer about International You Day… it’s the whole damn song. I don’t really know if any girl would really appreciate that as a love song since it’s a fast west-coast style Punk tune, but for me I can’t get over how much the lyrics illicit an emotional response in me. Tony Sly was and forever will be one of my all-time favorite songwriters.
Do you have an absolute all time favorite band or musical artist? What makes them so special to you?
Neal
No. It depends on my mood. My musical tastes change over the years. Sometimes I fall in and out of love with artists and their works.
Tom
Again, this sort of thing changes over time, but my favorite band growing up was VAN HALEN. I can’t listen to that shit with Sammy Hagar, it’s fucking terrible. But the DLR records are hands down some of my favorites and I can listen to everyone start to finish in one sitting and still be stoked. I just wish I was lucky enough to see them back when Dave’s voice wasn’t shot. Their reunion tours do not do the music justice.
Jeff
No. More of a top 10 or 20. It would be hard to say just one. I don’t like the thought of being confined to one or two artists or albums.
What are your ten favourite albums of all time (all genres)?
Tom
Geez, I’ll do one, but 10? I’ll let Neal and Jeff handle these since they’re probably bigger music nerds than I am.
Did someone say, VAN HALEN’s Fair Warning? I did. That’s the one man. Fucking killer from start to finish. The one standout track? Too difficult to choose one, but if you can’t get fired up when the needle drops and you hear the intro to Mean Street, we probably shouldn’t hang out. Hahaha.
Jeff
Here are a few:
THE SPECIALS – S/T
THE BEAT – Just Can’t Stop It
THE JAM – Sound Effects
STEEL PULSE – True Democracy
BLACK UHURU – Red – I love 80’s Sly and Robbie
ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT – Scream Dracula Scream
BOWIE – All of them through Let’s Dance
GRANDADDY – Sophtware Slump
BRIAN ENO – Here Come The Warm Jets
TALKING HEADS – The Name Of This Band Is…
THE CLASH – S/T
THE JESUS LIZARD – Goat and Liar
YES – Close to the Edge
JAY REATARD – Blood Visions
Do you remember the first time music had an impact on you?
Neal
I don’t. I think it’s always had an impact on me. I vaguely remember bopping around when I was like three or something to GEORGE HARRISON songs with my parents.
Tom
Yes, and I know this is going to sound repetitive, but it was VAN HALEN. I was in Brooklyn at my cousin’s house…I don’t know maybe five or six years old? He was already in his teens and was blasting that record from his basement bedroom. I came down the stairs and was amazed at what I heard and he showed me the record and some others. That shit blew me away and ever since then I kinda had the bug. Side note, he also introduced me to the music of TRIUMPH. Let’s just say, they were not exactly Van Halen.
Jeff
No. It was always a part of my home and social life. My parents and siblings were always listening to music.
What were you listening to in elementary school? then in high school? How much of that music is still a part of your playlists today? How have your musical tastes evolved since?
Neal
Yeah, I mean look back at my Top Five all time albums. All of that is a mix from Elementary to High School to today. Yeah, I still listen to it all but again sometimes it’s referential or nostalgic.
Tom
Goddamnit! Of course I’m gonna say VAN HALEN. I’m either super cool, a loser or just your everyday moron who glommed onto one band and stuck with them. I will admit, I did have the Sammy records even though they were terrible. Those albums actually got worse with age. I can only listen to them for making fun of the band now.
High school, yeah, some Van Halen for sure, but then lots of 90’s Hip Hop, some of the Grunge shit, my early exploration of roots Reggae and Dancehall, and most likely some other terrible music I can’t remember.
In terms of playlists, I still like a lot of the music I grew up with. I still listen to the old Rock bands from time-to-time, I always have a 90’s era Hip-Hop playlist somewhere in the mix. Reggae, Dancehall, etc. it’s all around in the playlists.
One thing that’s kinda funny is that I didn’t really get into Punk Rock until later in life. I listened to it a bit in junior high and high school, but it was never at the forefront. I learned about bands like BLACK FLAG, CIRCLE JERKS, DEAD KENNEDYS, THE RAMONES, etc. and dug all that, but I never got way into it until I was in college. Now, I listen to it all the damn time! Oh, and Hardcore. I never really listened to Hardcore much and now I kinda love it. There’s a ton of great stuff out there both new and old, and its another genre I really dig listening to now.
Jeff
Middle school – Skate Punk / Hardcore / Reggae – Dead Kennedys, CJ, Judge, Token Entry, Gorilla Biscuits, Angry Samoans, Steel Pulse, UB40, Marley, Yellowman, The Police, Clash, The Jam, Misfits, Specials, Beat,
Highschool – Post Punk / Reggae – All things Dischord, Amrep, Lookout, Revelation and of course Mighty Diamonds, Culture, Black Uhuru
Now – anything I can get my hands on – so much to choose from. There are so many great new bands and the old stuff is getting easier and easier to get your hands on. Obviously, it grows more and more eclectic. I have an unhealthy record and stereo equipment buying habit.
What beloved music do you share with your parents (or children if you have kids)? Any specifics memories?
Neal
So with my parents its Classic Rock stuff like FOCUS, LED ZEPPELIN or THE WHO. With my kid it’s (right now) The Ewok Song from Return Of The Jedi and THE CHATS.
Tom
I don’t have kids and my parents are boring, so there’s not much we share musically. When I was a kid there was terrible music at my house and I couldn’t stand listening to it. Terrible? Yes, terrible. I’m talking LEE GREENWOOD, MITCH MILLER, LINDA RODSTANDT (I have no idea how to spell her name because I don’t care), KENNY ROGERS (like the real shit Kenny, not like The Gambler)…I don’t know…just fucking awful. I hated it so much. Oh, and always some Christian Christmas bullshit during the holidays. I am not a fan of most Christmas music.
I will say the one thing my father and I connected on was Jazz. I took drum lessons as a kid and always worked with Jazz drummers. They taught me about all the old Be-Bop greats and some of the newer weirder stuff. My dad really enjoyed that stuff and still does even though he was never really a “music guy” or a collector. He did eventually wind up going to see a bunch of the greats over the years, so I guess I had a hand in driving him out of the Pop bullshit my mom listens to and into some serious sounds.
Jeff
BEATLES, STONES, BEACH BOYS, WHO…all the classics.
What are some of the most memorable shows you’ve ever seen? What makes them stand out?
Neal
I saw The DAMNED play one year. It was at the NYC stop of the Warped Tour. I was on the tour with my old band. The stage was just covered with people watching them. Like every member of every band on the tour was checking them out. Dave Vanian took a sip of water threw his water bottle up in the air. When the bottle hit the stage, they played Ignite. No Count. Right in. Perfect. It was chilling. I’ve never ever seen anything quite like it. Fucking magic.
My wife and I just saw the CHATS a bit ago. It was amazing. They were perfect and people were going ballistic. Those guys are like ½ my age and are killing it. What an amazing show. The energy was intoxicating. Best yet was there were parents with their kids there. So rad.
Tom
Two that I can think of right now:
BURNING AIRLINES, DISMEMBERMENT PLAN and THE PROMISE RING – NYC…I can’t remember the venue or the year (2000 maybe?), but seeing those three bands in a row was phenomenal. I love all three of those bands and at the time I was listening to their records nonstop. Every one of those bands killed it and was like the day before Thanksgiving or something, so I got good and hammered. Great stuff. Great show.
Warped Tour 1998 at The Reading Festival – this is a bit of cheating since it was a show I got to play, but it was one of the best moments of my life. First off, we’re at the Reading Festival … the fucking Reading Festival! All I knew was that back in the day bands like the ROLLING STONES, JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE, OTIS REDDING, etc. tore that place down with this music. It’s always had a very high place in my mind as far as music festivals go. And, we’re on the Warped Tour and they gave the tour like our own tent … it was kinda like this giant circus tent sorta thing. We opened the show and I swear I saw what had to be like 15,000 people. Having never played anywhere outside of North America, we had no idea what to expect. Well, not only was it a huge fucking crowd, they went off! I mean, everyone was dancing, jumping up and down and shit, I even saw some kids that knew the lyrics to one of our songs. Crazy shit. Anyway, awesome moment in life that I will never forget.
Jeff
PORTISHEAD @ Pukkelpop – Got to see this one from onstage thanks to Joe Sib/Kevin Lyman and the Warped Tour
JAY REATARD – Ottobar – It was fun and messy
JOHN REIS – Every time – We ran into ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT on a day off in Berlin (maybe Hamburg?) at a Burger King and got to see them later that night.
Is there any band that you’ve always wanted to see live but never had the chance to catch them? Any classic show that you wish you could have experienced?
Neal
I would have loved to see RAMONES and The CLASH and all that stuff. What a neat time to check stuff out. I mean, I guess it’s always cool to see things on the way up. There are plenty of shows I’ve seen though. Who knows maybe in 30 years people will care about the shows I saw? I guess that’s how time works.
Tom
PRINCE…He played Baltimore a few years back and for some reason, I didn’t want to go because tickets were super expensive. Well, guess what Tom? You fucked up.
Other than Prince it would be JOE STRUMMER. I know plenty of people that saw him on those MESCALEROS tours and said it was amazing. I didn’t go. I’m a moron.
What is the most impressive band you’ve toured with? The one that you just had to watch every night? Did you learn anything from them/by watching them?
Tom
I’m going with three: NO USE FOR A NAME, THE BOUNCING SOULS, LAGWAGON. I never wanted to miss any of those guys when they played. This is like 1990’s era for these bands, so it was just fucking awesome to see kids go-off in the crowd and the way the bands played so damn well while jumping around, making it look easy. I learned how to be more confident watching those bands and others. I grew up a pretty shy person, but when I watched these guys go out and kill it night after night without worry? I knew I had a goal to do the same.
Jeff
So many pros and road warriors
22 Jacks – Joe Sib is the gold standard.
All – Karl was extremely helpful in improving my arm posture and so encouraging.
Mike Watt (PRK) – so many takeaways
Bad Religion
The Specials
Deftones – They oddly really grew on me after 20 plus shows
The Pietasters – Todd, Tom and Steve could really write a song
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones – Joe showed me how to craft songs
Lagwagon
Bouncing Souls – Brian taught me to treat my bass and strings right
No Use For A Name
Swingin’ Utters
Is there any classic / universally acclaimed artist that you missed out on when they first came out and discovered way later? Any artist that you didn’t like at first and learned to appreciate over time?
Neal
Yeah oddly enough Neil Diamond. I find him so weird. I mean the dude wrote tons of songs for other people and had a career of his own. It’s just so weird. I mean like who were his fans? What else were they into? I guess it was top of the charts stuff but his sound is just such an odd intersection of a lot of different musical things and cultural things. I accidentally ended up with like 12 different Neil Diamond albums and I listened to them and got blown away. There’s some really weird and wild stuff on those records. I always had him pegged as the “Sweet Caroline” dude but there’s a lot more depth and strange stuff than just that. He’s definitely not a one trick pony.
Jeff
TOM PETTY – absolutely wanted to murder this man when the world caught Full Moon Fever.
Do you have an artist that you love in a genre that you don’t usually listen to? What makes them stand out? (e.g. I don’t like Country normally but love Hank Williams)
Neal
Eh. I don’t know if I’m a genre person. I’m usually a hook person. If your songs got it or if I can laugh my ass off to it, I’m probably in.
Tom
STURGILL SIMPSON – I like the old Honky Tonk type Country (if that’s what you call it), like your example of HANK WILLIAMS. I can’t stand the new Country, or what I like to call, Pop-Country. It’s soulless and pure shit. However, when I first heard Sturgil Simpson I was like, “Damn! This is Country? I’m definitely down with this dude.”
Jeff
DWIGHT YOAKUM – Love his approach and style.
Do you have any unpopular music opinion that you would like to defend? Something that you love and yet can hardly find anyone to agree on how great it is?
Neal
Yeah I think that some of the things sonically in EDM and the like are really unique and cool. I think everyone that plays guitars is really freaked out by it all but I think there’s some really rad stuff in there. There’s bullshit too but that’s everything.
Tom
I’m going to go the other way on this question…I fucking hate MORRISSEY and THE SMITHS. I don’t get that shit at all. Whiny-ass, boring music. Long drawn-out moaning. I truly hate Morrissey and everything he has to do with. Fuck that guy. And yeah, almost everyone I know is a big fan. He’s the worst.
In terms of defending it, probably my unrelenting love of old VAN HALEN. I worshipped that band and still love them, but I think there’s probably a lot of people who just see that as old cock-rock and not worth listening to other than to make fun of it.
What band or artist do you believe has achieved the most flawless sequence of 3 records in a row?
Neal
I don’t know. I don’t know if there is one.
Tom
The BOUNCING SOULS (Maniacal Laughter, The Bouncing Souls, Hopeless Romantic, How I Spent My Summer Vacation). Okay, so it’s four, but they’re fucking rad…every damn one! I dare you not to sing along to that shit. Flawless. Hilarious and flawless.
Jeff
Good question. Quick answer I will say the CLASH first three or HOT SNAKES first three.
Can you think of a band or artist that put out only one fantastic release (album, EP or demo) and then disbanded? One that you really wish would have kept going?
Neal
KID DYNAMITE. All Day Long. I prefer them to LIFETIME. Everyone gives me shit for that but fuck that first album KILLS. Fuck I love that Band.
Tom
There was a band called WHIPPERSNAPPER, from Texas I think. They had one record if I’m correct and it was fucking great.
Jeff
Too many to count. Tragic ending though.
THE EXPLODING HEARTS
WILL SMITH
OISON
What albums have been on heavy rotation lately?
Neal
Oddly enough it’s been more playlists. I’ve definitely been checking out newer Pop Punk. A lot of it is shit but some new bands are killing it.
Jeff
The new BANDAID BRIGADE Record
THE PRIMALS
The new PEARS Record
JOEY CAPE Solo Stuff
What are some up and coming artists that you would recommend?
Neal
OK DRAKULAS get enough attention but they rule so listen to them. Also for people that like Drive Thru Records and later Pop Punk shit I think that FAYENCE DREAM dude is cool.
Tom
END IT – If you haven’t heard this Hardcore band from Baltimore, go find it. Listen to them now!
TRUTH CULT – yep, another Baltimore band that kicks ass.
DEAD BARS – I don’t know if they’re really “new” but they were new to me as of last year and I love that band.
Jeff
END IT – Baltimore Hardcore
THE LOVING PAUPERS – DC
Is there a band that you’ve discovered live recently that blew you away?
Neal
Yeah. I was in Santa Cruz and I saw a Sea Shanty band. I don’t know their name, but they killed it. I was pumped and my kid had a blast. Well done.
Tom
END IT or TRUTH CULT…I’m telling you, those bands are fantastic.
Jeff
I had the pleasure of seeing BEACH RATS play in a basement in New Brunswick. Too cool.
What are you listening to right now, while answering these questions?
Neal
The HOUSE BOAT Radio on Spotify. It’s rad.
Tom
Radio by KEITH MURRAY…it’s on one of my Hip-Hop playlists on Spotify.
Final thoughts?
Neal
Please please please go listen and buy our New Album, Just Calm Down. You can buy it digitally on our bandcamp: www.panicproblembmore.bandcamp.com or you can buy a Hot Pink copy of our album on www.panicproblem.com
We will tour eventually. When we do come to our shows and freak out with us.
Most importantly. Check in with your friends. ALL of them. This is a tough time right now. People need to know that people care about them. And don’t forget yourself. People care about you too.
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