REAL FRIENDS are:

Dave Knox  |  Kyle Fasel  |  Eric Haines  |  Brian Blake

For as much as the world has changed since Real Friends first emerged in 2010, the band’s mission hasn’t. The Illinois quintet continue to bleed without apology and write songs that make it okay to feel everything: the ups, the downs, and anything else in between. Rather than shy away from emotion, the group runs right towards it with distortion cranked and hearts opened, tightening their careful distillation of pop and punk on each subsequent release.  When the band—Dave Knox [lead guitar], Kyle Fasel [bass], Eric Haines [rhythm guitar], and Brian Blake [drums]—welcomed new vocalist Cody Muraro in 2020, the goal has stayed the same as they crafted new music for Pure Noise Records. “It’s really still the same mission,” affirms Kyle. “We write songs you can connect to. We want those songs to be a part of your life as much as they’re a part of our lives. This band is everything to me. We’re all so invested in every aspect of this that we couldn’t stop. I’m more grateful than ever for Real Friends.”

Over the years, Real Friends have forged and strengthened a deep connection with fans. The group’s 2014 full-length debut, Maybe This Place Is the Same and We’re Just Changing, marked a turning point. Rock Sound named it one of the “Top 50 Albums of the Year.” 2016’s The Home Inside My Head maintained this momentum with further acclaim and sold out shows. In 2018, Composure incited applause from Music Connection, Alternative Press, Substream Magazine, New Noise, and Billboard who described it as “raw.” To date, they’ve also amassed over 100 million streams and counting. In 2021, they turned the page on a new chapter with the new single “Nervous Wreck”.

In the end, you can rely on Real Friends. “When you listen to this, I hope it still sounds like Real Friends,” Kyle leaves off. “We’re moving in the same direction, and we have a common vision. The spirit is still there.”