This week our Lehigh Valley connection to the stars Janel Spiegel caught up with Drew Katsock from Reverse Order. Reverse Order is currently on a 25 week U.S. tour in support of their government certified non-profit “Reverse The Trend” anti-bullying initiative speaking to, and performing for, thousands of students a day.
How did you all meet and how did you get involved in music?
Well John and Cruise are brothers, so they’ve known each other for their entire lives. Their parents always took them to concerts when they were young and then they started playing together on little toy drum sets and guitars. Eventually they joined the School of Rock, started performing in their own band, and the rest is history.
I (Drew) started performing in the second grade in my school’s concert band, and after performing all throughout high school I came across a flyer in a music shop, played a few shows with the brothers, and joined Reverse Order. I guess you can say we were all pretty involved in music for as long as we can remember.
What was it like stepping onto the stage for the first time? Do you remember?
I know that even though I was no stranger to the stage, the first few times I performed with Reverse Order I was very nervous. I was playing bass, I had just learned all the songs the night before, and I had only met John once. It was nerve wracking but it paid off in the end. John and Cruise were also pretty nervous their first time on stage largely because they started off as a guitarist and drummer, respectively, and were randomly thrown in front of the mic. It turned out to fit them both perfectly.
Who inspired each one of you musically growing up?
While John and Cruise were going out to concerts with their parents, I stayed inside listening to my parents’ old records. We grew up on different sides of New Jersey, but we all grew up listening to all sorts of musicians, from Bruce Springsteen to KISS. As we grew up artists such as OneRepublic, Fall Out Boy, and The Killers all became and remained huge inspirations for us.
What would you like to say to the fans and what can they expect from your music?
Fans can expect not only powerful music, but also powerful lyrics that they can connect with. While we have your basic songs about girls, we also talk about serious issues such as personal struggle (Nothing Left to Give), trying to reach someone who’s been lost to their personal demons (Call My Name), and we have an anti- bullying / suicide prevention song (Not Alone).
At a live show, fans can expect a high-energy performance, something they can and will be singing along and rocking out to. We give every show 110%, and we promise it will be the night of your life!
Tell us about the new tour! We just finished up our 9-month, nationwide tour with Reverse The Trend, an anti-bullying / suicide prevention nonprofit founded by the members of Reverse Order (us!) On the tour we perform concerts in schools and teen centers across the country, and speak to the students about overcoming bullying and following their dreams.
The next time we hit the road will be on the Van’s Warped Tour. The tour invited our nonprofit Reverse The Trend to be a part of this year’s tour. We hope to make a positive impact on the thousands of people who attend the tour each day, and we look forward to channeling this experience into more incredible things for both Reverse Order and Reverse The Trend.
Chose any singer and songwriter the three of you would love to work with or collaborate with?
I think if we all had to settle on one songwriter to work with we’d pick Ryan Tedder from OneRepublic.
Where did the name Reverse Order originate? Is it unique and kind of makes you think about when you are listening to music and how you listen to some songs from the starts and then switch it all around and just skip through and listen to random songs?
Nope! The name comes from when John was home schooled. The boys were preparing for a show and couldn’t decide on a name. Their father saw “Reverse Order” written on a white board with some math problems and said, “That’s your name now stop arguing!” Sometimes we wish there was some deeper meaning or a better story, but the truth is just as ridiculous!
Who are some artists that each of you are listening to now?
Well I just started listening to Weezer (I know) so I’m pretty hooked on their White Album, and I’ve been listening to a lot of Tonight Alive lately too. John is never too far from a Sum 41 album, and he’s super excited for the new release. Cruise has been listening to a lot of The Story So Far and Dream Theater.
Are there any instruments you would like to learn besides the ones you already play?
I know John has always wanted to learn how to play the violin, and I’ve always wanted to learn how to play the drums. Cruise always says how he wants to learn how to play more than just “Wonderwall” on the guitar!
Where can everyone find you guys and your music?
You can find everything Reverse Order and Reverse the Trend on all of our websites:
Twitter @reverseorder
Instagram @reverseorderofficial
And you can find all our music on iTunes, Spotify, and wherever music is found!
Click here to check out more from Janel Spiegel on The Valley Ledger
