"Patience Is the Game": Tired Radio on the Long Road to "Hope in the Haze"
Brooklyn punk band Tired Radio talks about their new album, rare gear, hard-won lessons, what comes next, and more.
Brooklyn's Tired Radio deliver music that's raw, melodic, and relentless. On their new album Hope in the Haze, released via Red Scare Industries, the band channels years of touring, writing, and refining their craft into a collection of songs that balance grit with clarity. The album reflects long stretches of doubt, persistence, collaboration, and the determination to keep moving forward.
Part of what makes Tired Radio's sound so distinct is their thoughtful approach to gear, which offers insight into their tone and approach to performance. Their live and studio rigs read like a manifesto of tone-hunting:
Bass - Live:
Fender Aerodyne 5-string (Japan), Mike Lull T5, Gallien Krueger Fusion 800, Verellen Meatsmoke hybrid, Orange preamp and pedals.
Bass - Studio:
Mark Hoppus P-Bass, Fender Aerodyne 5-string, Fender Bassman 800 Head, Fender 4x10 bass cabinet, Fender Bubbler Chorus.
Rhythm Guitar - Live:
Squier J.Mascis Jazzmaster, custom P-90 Telecaster, Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, Fulltone OCD, Boss Flanger, JHS Pedals Whitey Tighty.
Rhythm Guitar - Studio:
Squier J.Mascis Jazzmaster, Fender USA Fat Telecaster, ’73 Fender Telecaster Deluxe, Gibson Les Paul Classic, Fender Twin Reverb, Marshall JCM 800 Reissue 2203, Marshall MR4100 - JCM 900, Vox AC30 combo.
Live, they chase a loud, bright, booming punch; in the studio, they deconstruct everything, layer by layer, chasing articulation and emotion over sheer volume. The contrast between the two worlds and their collision is part of what gives Hope in the Haze its pulse.
In our conversation, Tired Radio open up about the gear that defines them, the years-long journey behind their new record, the emotional toll and triumph of making it, the community that carried them, the reality of modern music blogs and submit platforms, their dream collaborations, and why DIY touring continues to be their most powerful driving force.
Chris Roditis, Musicngear: Hi, Tired Radio, welcome to Musicngear! You mentioned some seriously unique pieces in your live rigs - from the Verellen Meatsmoke hybrid amp to the Japanese Fender prototype and Mike Lull T5 bass. What drew you to these particular instruments and setups? What kind of sound or feel are you chasing live that these rigs help you achieve?
Hello, and thanks for having us! The gear you mentioned in particular belongs to our bassist, Jay, so we'll let him take this one.
Jay: "I like boomy, and I like bright. It can be a delicate balance between the two, but over the years, I've found that these two basses paired with my live rig really help me ride that line and grab the tone I'm chasing. Once I started playing five-strings, I just kept chasing a certain growl. The problem with five-string basses is that they tend to look too metal or prog rock. These two caught my eye because they look like traditional Fender and Gibson Thunderbird basses. That's what initially draws me to a bass - "Does it look like a 4-string?" Then, of course, the tone and feel.
I like to call the Verellen Meatsmoke an SVT on steroids. It has a gorgeous, clean channel and an overdrive channel that most doom players would kill for. It feels like a piece of art or commissioned furniture with the hand-burned Verellen logo in the walnut wood enclosure. It's a hybrid amp, so it only weighs 30lbs.
My main bass is the Japanese Fender five-string Aerodyne Jazz. These were never sold in the US, and have been incredibly difficult to find. They don't make five-string versions here, and they don't make them with the jazz pickup configuration (Aerodynes in the US have the PJ configuration).
I've since upgraded the pots and wiring harness, and Josh at RIGHTEOUS SOUND Pickups built me split coil P-bass pickups inside of the jazz enclosures, so I can really get those clanky P-bass mids. It's my pride and joy, and only weighs about 8 pounds. That clanky Fender tone is perfect for Tired Radio.
Fender Aerodyne
Bass pedalboard
Verellen Meatsmoke
Mike Lull T5
Musicngear: There’s a clear difference between your live and studio gear, for example, using the Fender Bassman and Vox AC30 in the studio versus the Meatsmoke and Fender Deville on stage. How does your approach to tone differ between recording and performing?
Recording and playing live are two completely different animals, so some stuff just isn't going to work as well in certain environments. You never want to fall in love with a piece of gear to the point where you're shoehorning your favorite live amps into situations that aren't optimal for a recording project. We've learned that early on.
Tired Radio is very raw and loud live. We love our gear for live situations, but we take a much different approach in the studio. Articulation is so much more important in a studio setting. You also need to consider leaving a little space for the engineer to work their magic.
We gravitated toward these amps at Sound Acres Studios because they gave us the tones and sheen we were looking for, and gave us a solid foundation. You can afford to be a little more unchained with your amps in a live setting. Our sound in the studio, however, requires lots and lots of layers. These amps just worked really well with our approach; we loved the tones we wrangled from them. And it makes sense; they're timeless pieces of gear.
Hope In the Haze does mean a lot to us personally and represents so much hard work and drive. It makes us love and appreciate each other as brothers
Musicngear: With such a strong live sound, how do you translate that energy in the studio? Do you prefer capturing the raw live feel, or do you experiment more with layers, pedals, and tones when recording?
Tired Radio is a push and pull between that raw live feel and sweet studio magic. Our hearts live in the raw. But there’s a saying that the studio is where you go to make your songs sound larger than life. That’s the goal. And I think there’s something to that.
There are a lot of emotions in the studio that float to the surface when we’re working on something, and I think naturally that’s where we’re at our most creative. That’s how we translate that live energy. But the layering with a more cerebral or experimental approach, that’s the fun part.
I think we see both avenues as two essential sides of the same coin. One of our rawest moments comes in on our title track, “Hope in the Haze.” There were never any plans of having a guitar solo in the bridge, but the stress of the studio created this raw feeling of panic. What came directly from that was that blazing tap solo. You can listen to that and think, “Oh, that’s what a panic attack feels like.”
That pent-up energy reared its head in the studio and took that song to another level. It was something we would've done live, but not in a session. But that time it worked.
Musicngear: What’s one piece of gear you’d never part with and one you’re currently obsessed with or saving up for?
I think we're all obsessed with our guitar player's SG. Not only does the guitar sound incredible, but it is one of a kind and holds a lot of sentimental value, plus it looks really cool. I guarantee you've never seen a Gibson like this.
Chris' dad bought this guitar from a pawn shop in 1992 with his friend simply because it was a Gibson SG, but it was literally in pieces. Fast forward 20 years, he rediscovered it buried at his friend's house, still waiting to be brought back to life. They gifted it to Chris, and he literally had the thing rebuilt.
After some research with a local luthier, Chris learned that this guitar was some sort of prototype between Gibson and Steinberger. (Yes, the same company that made those small black box guitars in the 80s.) Everything about this guitar is bizarre, down to the fret inlays, which we have never seen before on any other SG.
It only had one knob and a Steinberger bridge. It seemed like no luthier could find a solution to fixing the bridge, so they brought it to a guy who makes guitars for Keith Richards, and he knocked it out of the park. The only other modification was getting a Custom Seymour Duncan pickup installed.
Not only has it helped further the sound of Tired Radio, but this is an heirloom passed down from his father. It's like passing the torch from one generation to another. We're so lucky we were able to use it on these recordings to capture its sound, story, and bloodline forever.
Musicngear: Hope in the Haze feels like a big moment for the band - your debut on Red Scare and a step forward from Lousy, Thanks. What does this album represent for you personally and as a band? Was there a particular moment in writing or recording it where you felt, “yeah, this is us”?
On the contrary, we've felt less "this is us," and more, "this sucks and we should scrap it," several times throughout writing and mixing. But that's always the creative process! That back-and-forth of hating it and loving it and wondering if anyone will even listen to it or just ignore it completely. That's the artistic drive.
Tony, our songwriter, wrote these songs with us when he was at a particular time in his life. A darker time. We also began recording these sessions back in 2021 or 2022. That's a LOT of time to overthink it. Some of these songs we started writing before our first-ever show in 2020.
This is all just to say that we have moved forward in our lives as well, and it's a special time we look back on as a band and where we were creatively. But we're onto something new creatively already, and our sights are fixed ahead on our next one.
But Hope In the Haze does mean a lot to us personally and represents so much hard work and drive. It makes us love and appreciate each other as brothers. We are very grateful, and we feel that we've accomplished a lot during and since recording - and eventually releasing - these songs.
The fact that Red Scare liked it enough to pick it up, and that fans have been screaming the lyrics back at us, is amazing. We were really floored by the reaction.
Streaming is a tough game. Everyone fakes their numbers. Like, everyone. It's wild
Musicngear: What’s one of the biggest challenges Tired Radio has had to overcome, and what advice would you give to artists who might be going through something similar?
Being in a band is a challenge in so many ways, especially at this stage in your life, where you have to balance responsibilities, family, and so much more, and still make everything work with the schedules and lives of 3 other artists in your group.
When it comes to growth, I think the best advice is to just be patient. And that's so hard to say, because I'm not. But patience is the game. It took us 4 years to release this album. It took us 5 to start making a mark. And it'll take many more to get to where we want to go.
Also, be outgoing! It will improve your local scene. Be cool with everyone without being fake. Don't take ghostings personally. Be the first band to introduce yourselves when you roll up to the show and meet the other bands.
I think almost all of our success has come from this. We've made many friends and contacts just because various local punk scenes have put on for us and pushed us upward. So many other bands have championed us as if we were their own. It's absolutely incredible to see that in punk rock, and I think it's the only genre that does that.
Musicngear: What are your goals for Hope in the Haze? Are you focused on building momentum through streaming and coverage, booking shows, or connecting more deeply with fans? How are you planning to make it all happen?
All of the above. We're going to stay the course and just keep doing what we're doing. We've been lucky that connecting deeply with fans has become incredibly natural, and I think that's due to how much these songs resonate with people going through tough times in their lives.
There have been so many times that people come up to us and tell us how a song got them through something difficult, and it's so mindblowing to hear it. It's very rewarding as an artist.
Streaming is a tough game. Everyone fakes their numbers. Like, everyone. It's wild. We let things roll on their own. It's the shows that we're hoping to build momentum with overall. DIY touring has given us the best ROI in terms of growth, and we want to keep that going.
We've played in 5 countries, and it's amazing that all over the world, some people listen to our songs. We're planning more shows in Europe for the summer.
It’s the quiet heaviness on someone’s face, or the way two friends burst into laughter, or someone staring down at their shoes like the whole world is sitting on their chest. I relate to that. I write from that.
Musicngear: When you’re not making music, what’s something completely outside of it that inspires your songwriting? A book, a movie, a random life habit, or just something you geek out about?
Tony: Honestly, when I’m not making music, the thing that inspires my songwriting the most is people-watching. That sounds simple, but it’s true. I get a lot from just sitting in a bar, or on a train, or walking around my neighborhood and overhearing half a conversation, or catching the way someone looks when they think nobody’s paying attention.
There’s something about those tiny, throwaway human moments — the stuff that never makes it into anyone’s highlight reel — that hits me harder than any book or movie. It’s the quiet heaviness on someone’s face, or the way two friends burst into laughter, or someone staring down at their shoes like the whole world is sitting on their chest. I relate to that. I write from that.
I also have this habit of replaying memories — even the dumb little ones — until they turn into songs. A moment from years ago will just stick, and I’ll chew on it until a lyric shakes loose.
Musicngear: If you could collaborate with any artist or producer in the punk/emo/alt scene right now, who would it be and are there any dream venues or festivals you’re hoping to play?
Tony: If we’re talking dream collaborations… honestly, it would probably be with John Rzeznik. The Goo Goo Dolls were a huge and early reason for starting to take songwriting seriously. Those first few albums just cracked something open in me. So the idea of sitting in a room and chasing melodies with the person who lit that spark — that’d be wild.
I’d also love to work with someone who just gets emotionally heavy, melodic guitar music on a deep level — someone like Paul Westerberg in his prime, or Mike Kinsella — not even for a feature, but just to pick their brain about writing honestly without drowning in it.
As for producers, anyone who can create that balance between grit and clarity — someone who won’t polish the edges off, but also won’t let me bury myself under noise — that’s the dream.
Venues/festivals: I’m not picky in the “bucket list” sense. There are a lot of really awesome and huge festivals that we'd love to play in Europe. We are actually playing the Farewell Youth Festival in Dresden, Germany, next summer. We'd love to play more of those. I think most of us dream of playing Red Rocks one day. That's definitely one of them for the rest of the guys, too.
We're a big Fest band. Like most of the bands that play there, we look forward to The Fest every single year. That weekend feels like magic. To play on that big stage at Bo Diddley Plaza, that's the dream, too.
Musicngear: What’s your take on the role of music blogs today, and how do you see it evolving, especially with platforms like SubmitHub, Groover, Musosoup, and Wallstream that connect artists with curators and writers?
I'm not sure where it goes from here. It feels like a broken system. We've explored all of those avenues and have seen little to no return on the pay-to-play sort of structure.
Even going back several times, trying a new strategy or approach, the results were never really in our favor. Writing, blogging, and music all seem to be in a weird spot these days.
Conceptually, those companies have a great system, but more often than not, we've received boilerplate rejections that don't really apply to us or what we'd shared. So you're left wondering where the disconnect is.
That said, there are some great writers and bloggers through those channels, and we've actually become good friends with a couple of them. I credit them for keeping music journalism alive.
We've found more luck with direct personal outreach. But it's a numbers game. We've sent out literally hundreds of emails to outlets and blogs. Hundreds. LOTS of ghostings. LOTS of ignored follow-ups. It's tough out there! It beats you down.
Musicngear: To end on a lighter note: Your biggest hit is now a Netflix series. What’s the plot, and which celebrity/ies randomly show up as a guest star?
Our biggest "hit" to date is probably our song Old Keys. So let's go with that as the Netflix series.
If Old Keys became a series, it’d follow a guy stuck in the wreckage of a breakup, dragging around all the “old doors” he can’t stop trying to reopen — the memories, the regrets, the places he keeps revisiting even though they don’t lead anywhere anymore.
It’d be a kind of slow-burn, emotionally messy story about figuring out how to let go when you’re addicted to the past.
The show would drift through late-night bars, empty apartments, cross-country escapes, and those moments where you swear you’re finally done repeating yourself… until you’re not.
And because it’s Netflix, Tim Robinson would randomly show up as a burnout bar musician giving the main character uncomfortable and awkward unsolicited life advice. And then maybe Phoebe Bridgers would cameo on a subway platform singing something soft and sad that sends him spiraling all over again.
The emotional through-line is about learning that you don’t have to be “fixed” to move forward — you just have to keep going.
Musicngear: What’s next for Tired Radio after Hope in the Haze?
We're looking forward to a big year in 2026! We'll be closing out the year in Chicago at the famed Metro with the Lawrence Arms on December 6 for the annual War on Christmas show. It's a dream come true, and we couldn't be more excited.
Stay tuned for big European plans this summer. We've also got a handful of new songs and hope to be back in the studio by the spring.
Connect with Tired Radio
Facebook / Instagram / YouTube / Bandcamp / Spotify
About Chris Roditis
Chris Roditis has been an active musician since 1995 in various bands and projects across a variety of genres ranging from acoustic, electronic to nu metal, british rock and trip hop. He has extensive experience as a mixing engineer and producer and has built recording studios for most of the projects he has been involved with. His passion for music steered his entrepreneurial skills into founding MusicNGear in 2012.
Contact Chris Roditis at chrisroditis@musicngear.com
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