POP EVIL's LEIGH KAKATY: The Pre-Show Meet-And-Greets With Fans 'Really Affect Us These Days'

In a new interview with Ronni Hunter of the 99.7 The Blitz radio station, POP EVIL frontman Leigh Kakaty spoke about how some of the band's recent experiences will serve as an inspiration for the group's upcoming music. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think the [pre-show] meet-and-greets [with fans] really affect us these days. 'Cause since coming back from the pandemic, you see these people that are just so, so loyal to the band, they follow your brand, they're responding and being very active on your social media pages. It really resonates. You can hear stories from what your fans. That's the cool thing about these meet-and-greet experiences. If you wanted to tell your favorite band how these songs have touched or affected your life, you can in that moment. And, of course, when you're, in the middle of the day, listening to your fan stories about how the songs have influenced them, it really starts to resonate with you. And as you dive into the next album, not only are you thinking about the new live set and how these songs are gonna affect your live show and how you can make your live show better, but at the same time, you're thinking about the stories that you heard along the way that, 'Oh, wow, this song is not just gonna help me or us anymore. This song is gonna make a difference for our fans.''

He continued: "I think when you're eight albums in, there's an expectation and a responsibility that you have for your fans to create music that can hopefully help them make a difference. And you think about the times in life when doctors, teachers, parents, couldn't be there for you, the one thing that always usually stays steady for people and for someone in their life, it's the music. So it's so important to us to really create some music that can really make a difference. We're just one band and [it's] just one song sometimes, but to help one person get through that situation in life that really feels like they are in that storm, it's very rewarding to us now. And that's the true goal. When you've had the successes we've had, you have to really kind of shape and shape your mind and remind yourself what you're doing this for. And you can really make a difference in someone's life. That's the true beauty of this, and everything else really doesn't matter. No one's gonna remember any of it years and years from now, but those people that can get through that hard time, they're gonna remember, and they're gonna remember how that music has just helped someone in a positive way. And at the end of the day, man, that's the true beauty of what we do. And I think it's so important for… And we're rockers, right? We're blue-collar people. So it's those little things that really matter to us. And we're definitely fighting for more opportunities to create music or albums for our fanbase. And we're stoked about 2024 and getting in there and really challenging each other and trying to come up with better music and top the last album."

POP EVIL recently released the official visual for the band's newest single and title track, "Skeletons". Directed by longtime friend Johan Carlèn, the video depicts a supply run in the wastelands of a dystopian future going wrong. A striving man finds himself face-to-face with death. It is a relentless fight between human and machine.

Last month, POP EVIL kicked off a 19-date U.S. headlining "Flesh & Bone" tour, with special guests FAME ON FIRE and LYLVC. The trek will wrap up in the band's hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan on November 22.

POP EVIL's latest album, "Skeletons", arrived in March.

In an interview with Holland Sentinel, Kakaty called the LP "by far the best record" of the band's two-decade-long run.

"It's almost like a fresh start," he said. "This album especially felt like we're kids again — all these new dreams ahead of us. The sky's the limit. We're having fun again."