INTERVIEW WITH BRIAN JOYCE OF MAJOR LEAGUE
By Sean McCall
Brian Joyce is a musician from Mullica Hill who has been involved in the music scene since he was a kid. Joyce has been in a band called Major League, making a name for the South Jersey area for a while. Unfortunately, Major League recently decided to move on and pursue other things for themselves individually. They ended on a great note, and finished with one last tour where they sold out a majority of the shows. I had a chance to meet up with their singer, Brian, and talk a bit more in depth about Major League and what’s next for him musically and personally.
Can you talk about how you first got into music leading up to major league?
My dad always played guitar. I watched him play Boston’s “More Than a Feeling” when I was 8, and it was so cool to me. My first concert was The Eagles and Earth, Wind and Fire with my mom, and it was so fascinating to me. Then I got into all those bands like blink-182 in the early 2000s. I went through all my phases, blink and Green Day, to Brand New and TBS, then I went back to like, New Found Glory, but now all that music led me back to like, Fleetwood Mac and Boston. Those songs are timeless. You had to be talented, there was no auto tune, you had to be great at your craft. I love that musicianship. It was an era where people didn’t want to be in bands like a chore. It was an actual job.
If you could choose one of your favorite memories from Major League what would it be?
There’s two that always stick out in my head. One — the first time we went to Japan. We just got done our first US tour, and this guy from Ice Grillz, a record company, asked us to come play Japan. He flew us out to Japan and booked the flights and everything. It was such a culture shock, honestly. We’ve been there 4 times, and it’s such an unreal experience. The first time there was the first international thing we ever did, so it was surreal.
And then another time, we were in England, caught in a snowstorm. We were staying on a bus with Have Mercy, and we were all talking like 14-year-old girls in the freezing cold in our bunks with the curtains closed, just talking about whatever until 4 in the morning.
Whats the craziest experience or story you’ve had with a fan?
We were in Palatine, Illinois, and this fan came up — very sweet, very cool — but she came up and gave me a note. I put the note in the cup holder of the van so I could read it later, and I woke up the next morning, I opened it up and razor blades fell out of the note. She said the last time she listened to Montreal was the last time she self harmed – it was powerful in so many different senses. Very strange to get that, but at the same time powerful. It was weird. The note was cool, but some things just did not need to be included.
How long have you been making music?
I think the first thing I did making music, I was 13, and my dad bought a cassette recorder. That was the first thing I had, and I was making songs that sounded like Anti-Flag.
You’re filling for the band capsize. how did that opportunity come about?
I met up with those guys in Chicago, and they needed a bass player. Major League was kinda coming to an end, and I was moving to California in the summer. They said before you do that, do you wanna play warped tour with us, so I’m excited to branch out and play a different style of music live — a little heavier, a little different.
Talk about communion and what’s to come for you personally?
Communion is myself and Kevin Burke. We’re taking things slow. We’re writing, seeing where it goes. We're doing a full-length and releasing it later this year. We want to take our time branding-wise. We’re actually passionate about this music, so I think it would be healthy to take our time with it. We’re on this hype of this new sound, so we want to make sure it's right before we release it.
About the Writer
Sean McCall is a Music Business Technology Major studying at Rowan University with a Minor in Theatre. He has been attending shows and events since he was in middle school and has had his own band he’s been involved in for about 7 years called Breaking Tradition. He has been actively involved in the music scene since he was young and holds an overall passion for all types of music. He has an ear for music and tries to pick up as many instruments as he can. Sean has sung in multiple competitive honor choirs throughout the country, ranging from All-State Honor Choir to as far as All-National Honor Choir, and plans to take off in the Music Industry in as many ways possible. Sean also recently helped book a show in Glassboro with his friends, Alex Lavallee and Alex Bradley, and plans to book many more independent shows in the near future. With a passion for music, bands, and the overall scene, he is adding music journalism to his resumé to contribute even further into this talented area we call home.