When I heard Walkney, a Pop Rock/Alternative band from Altoona, Pa., was added as an opening act for The Weekend Riot in Philadelphia, I knew I had to be in the crowd that night. I never imagined I would also have the opportunity to sit down with frontman Derek Mrdjenovich and drummer Aaron Porta to talk about their new music as well as their band name.
Walkney has had a huge year. They headlined a show at the Jaffa Shrine in their hometown, jumped on two back-to-back tours and released two singles plus a music video. When we sat down, I couldn't resist but ask the boys about their new music. With only two singles, I knew fans would be eager to hear about whether or not they would be releasing anything else anytime soon.
Well, Walkney fans, be prepared. The boys are in the process of recording their first full length album. And not only are they hoping to wrap that up before the year is over, but they are also preparing to release their next single in the near future.
Fans know Walkney was not always Walkney. They are formerly known as The Big Time, but as the band evolved, they began to realize they were outgrowing their name and wanted something else that had more meaning behind it. They decided on "Walkney," the maiden name of Derek's mother who passed away when he was a teenager.
"I wanted people to know that we are changing our band name, but it's not for no reason," Derek explained. "We wanted something that was just a word to anyone who didn't know, but to the people who do know, they're like damn that means something."
The boys wanted their name to have meaning, and they definitely achieved that goal. But although they had their name picked out, like many bands, Walkney went through a period of time where they hadn't quite pinpointed their identity. They knew they wanted to sound different from The Big Time, but they didn't know what approach to take when creating their new sound. They eventually found their way, though.
"We went through a lot of stuff during that recording process, and we kind of came to the conclusion, after a while, that we want to be a rock band. Not so much pop punk or pop," Derek said. "You know there is always going to be those overtones, but we just want to have fun and make music we love and we finally feel like we have found that."
Not only does the band feel like they found their sound, but they look like they have as well. When they're on stage, there is no denying they are doing what they love.
You can check out the whole interview below:
This band is changing music for the better. From the passion in their eyes to their passion on the stage, Walkney is living their dream, and they welcome you to be apart of it. If you ever get the chance to attend a show, do it. I promise you won't be disappointed at all.
You can check out Walkney on iTunes, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
