Knox sprints into summer with “Treadmill”.

Photos and Interview by Shauna Hilferty

The Taylor Swift treadmill workout can take a much needed break as Knox’s new single has cardio covered. His latest single “Treadmill” is bouncy, upbeat and fun, and perfectly kicks off the summer season. The song details an uphill romantic chase, both literally and metaphorically, to instrumentals reminiscent of early Bleachers and a sound of Knox’s very own. 

Along with his latest single, Knox will be hitting the road for most of the summer, playing to sold out shows across the United States in his very own Varsity Tour, as well as supporting fellow Nashville’s The Band Camino’s Taking Shape Tour. The Music Enthusiast got the chance to chat with Knox about Lollapalooza, Asian Zing Wings and more!   

Shauna: Let’s talk about Hangoutfest! Can you tell me about performing? How did that feel?

Knox: Yeah I got to do the mainstage where all the big headliners play and dude it was so crazy. The biggest–the most people we’ve ever played in front of and I was honestly mind blown by how many people showed up for our set. I figured there would be a lot of people cause we were right before Chapel Roan, so obviously we definitely had her fan base there but when I asked the crowd – we were like halfway through – and I was like “Hey, who here’s heard my music?” and I mean it was like thousands of hands went up. It was really crazy. And it was on the beach, biggest stage we’ve ever played. It could not have been a better first festival experience. It was awesome, it was really fun! 

Shauna: It looked amazing, especially that video of you performing “Not The 1975”, holding the mic up and you always have that moment as an artist where you wonder “Are people going to know the words?” But then you hear it, It’s like they practiced! 

Knox: It was sick. There were like random songs that people knew like, it’s funny it’s the one song I keep telling my friends, it’s the only song I put out that I’m completely over. I’m just over it. But my song “I Don’t Wanna Know” it like, ripped. When I say it went crazy, it went so crazy! Which is such a random song. But it was great, I’m mind blown, I still am. I still don’t even think it’s real. 

Shauna: It’s like a pinch me moment. 

Knox: Yeah exactly!

Shauna: I love the outfits, who came up with the matching sets? 

Knox: This was our first show we’ve ever done where we had severe technical difficulties onstage. Like nobody out in the crowd knew but we were dealing with, on our side, I was dealing with a bunch of shit that was going on in my headphones and stuff. 

Related to that question, we always have a neon flamingo onstage that we put in front of our drum kit. It’s such a stupid thing, we got it from a gas station. Every show we’ve ever played, like our Vevo sessions that we did, we have it in there. And so, we always have this thing with flamingos and so before that set, our front of house guy was like “Dude we should get flamingo outfits” and we did! But I think the technical difficulties happened because we wore those outfits, and we forgot to put the neon flamingo on the stage. For the first time ever, we’ve never forgotten that. And I think that’s why things went wrong. We didn’t have our mojo. 

Shauna: You didn’t have your good luck charm. 

Knox: Exactly. But that’s why we got those outfits, because of that. It was cool we got a lot of compliments on them. Everybody was like “Those are sick”. They either meant it or they were making fun of us. I’m not sure. 

Shauna: I hope it was the first one. 

Knox: Oh yeah, me too. 

Shauna: The last time that we spoke, we talked about musical influences being like The 1975. We also talked about The Band Camino. They just announced their Taking Shape tour, can you tell me how it feels to be supporting one of your musical inspirations? 

Knox: Dude, it’s awesome! Honestly, I’m just glad that I get to do it again. I got to tour with them, I did like seven shows with them, it was very small, like college shows. This was right when I put out my first song. It was my first tour I ever did. But that was such a special tour cause it was the first one, their crowd was like amazing they were so receptive to me and my songs. Cause at this point, I didn’t have any music out. So I was just playing songs that nobody had heard, and I was onstage being like “Hey! You don’t know me but here’s my EP, it comes out eventually, I hope you like it,” but I just remember how fun those shows were and like I said, how receptive the crowds were. It’ll be fun to do that again, but this time it’s like twenty one shows, maybe it’s like like seventeen or something. It’s a lot of shows and this time, people know the songs. I think it’ll be fun. And I just love those guys so much it’s so cool to be able to call them my friends. We’re all Nashville guys so it’ll just be like a happy family. 

Shauna: Have you listened to their EP that just came out? 

Knox: It’s so funny cause if they knew how big of a fangirl I was of them, they would clown me. But it was like 10:53, after rehearsal, like seven minutes before the EP was coming out. I was like “Dude, I gotta get in my car and listen”. If Jeff knew I was freaking out like that, he would definitely make fun of me. 

Shauna: Speaking of listening to music, I want to do a little thing that I thought of on the way here, actually. What is your daylist today? 

Knox: Oh wow! I don’t know, let me see! Mine is “makeout hipster Thursday afternoon”. 

Shauna: What are the first three songs? 

Knox: The first one is Sex The 1975. I’m feeling wild today. Rose Colored Boy by Paramore Seven by Catfish and The Bottlemen, Greek Tragedy by the Wombats. 

Shauna: That’s a good one. 

Knox: Rollercoaster by Bleachers, She’s American by The 1975. I don’t know a lot of these songs but apparently I’m feeling freaky today. 

Shauna: Rollercoaster’s a fun one. That’s a fun summer one.

Knox: Man I’m feeling crazy! 

Shauna: You ready for mine? 

Knox: Okay. 

Shauna: “country love songs cowboy Thursday afternoon”

Knox: You were listening to Morgan Wallen. 

Shauna: The first song is You by Dan and Shay, then little Little Things by Kelsey Ballerini and Missing You by Hunter Hayes. 

Knox: That’s so funny. 

Shauna: I listened to that song from the Hannah Montana movie, Dream, yesterday cause I want a Miley Stewart summer. And I think that’s why my daylist is like this. 

Knox: I love how you said “Miley Stewart summer” that’s amazing. 

Shauna: So going back to festivals, you did Hangout, you’re doing Lolla. What is your preparation for festivals like these? 

Knox: Honestly, it’s just doing other shows. I think the best preparation was just doing our headline tour and just getting really comfortable onstage and getting really comfortable with the songs. I actually think that at Lollapalooza we’re going to be so much more prepared than we were for Hangout Fest just because the Camino tour leads right into it. We’re going to have 17 practice shows, if that’s what you want to call it. I’d say if those are your practice shows, then we’re in pretty good shape. Lollapalooza’s gonna be sick. 

Shauna: What is your favorite way to prepare for tour then? I guess the question might be a little similar because you’ve got them back to back. 

Knox: Honestly, it’s taking care of your body before tour and waking up and going to the gym. Before the first half of my east coast tour, I hadn’t been going to the gym or anything and I really had been kind of lazy before that tour. I’d been smoking again and drinking with my friends. You wouldn’t believe how much that stuff matters! And then I got to the show, next day, and halfway through you’re exhausted. On the back half, on the west coast shows, I made sure, even in the mornings on tour, like waking up and going to the gym at the hotels, stuff like that. That, and drinking water dude. You wouldn’t believe how much that helps, it’s crazy. 

Shauna: You should try the Taylor Swift treadmill workout.

Knox: Oh does she sing on it? 

Shauna: It’s a viral thing where apparently, she sings her entire setlist while running. 

Knox: I run with my girlfriend every morning, we go run and I can only get a verse or two out but after that it’s like, I can’t breathe. So maybe one day, I’ll be as fit as Taylor.

Shauna: You’ll work up to it. Then maybe one day you can wear boots covered in crystals. 

Knox: I’ll get there, I’m working my way. 

Shauna: So there’s this podcast to listen to, if you’ve got the spare time, it’s called Don’t Shit On The Bus. It’s with Adam Elmakias, he’s like one of the OG concert photographers and he tours with A Day To Remember. 

Knox: Sick, they were at Hangoutfest.

Shauna: Oh sweet! I didn’t even know! Adam was probably there too! He created this podcast and Don’t Shit On The Bus is essentially etiquette for when you’re touring, right. He mentioned something that I found really interesting, called creature comforts. They’re things that you don’t need, like a water bottle, or a laptop, but it’s something that, when you’re on the road, it makes you feel like you’re at home. So what are a couple creature comforts you’re going to take on tour with you? 

Knox: Oh, wow, I’m trying to think of what I do take…I’ve never been asked this, that’s a good question! Honestly, it’s not so much what I take, it’s what I eat. 

Shauna: So comfort foods!

Knox: Yeah! So my ultimate comfort food for when I’m missing home is like, and so many people make fun of me for this. But I swear, when I was growing up, the cool thing to do after basketball games with your friends or football games or whatever was go to B Dubs and get wings. So anytime, if I just want to feel just like normal, we go to Buffalo Wild Wings and just watch sports and eat the same wings. I would say it’s more so food.  

Shauna: The best flavor is the Asian Zing.

Knox: Oh the Asian Zing is dope. I’ve had B Dubs so much I literally get something different every time. 

Shauna: Do you go on Thursdays?

Knox: Oh yeah! Bogo wings on Thursdays! 

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