Interview conducted with lead singer and guitarist Joe Maddox
JM: Hey!
Continental Lovers are:
Joe Maddox- Lead vocals and guitars
Ben Webster- Lead guitar
Kerri Kaysen- Bass guitar
We are currently between drummers, however our fantastic original drummer, Rokket Rik is behind the kit at the moment. Previously we had Ace Carlton, who is still part of the gang, but doing his own thing for a bit.
Earning our keep?! We do a lot of things, really. Helping others out, making things, playing music….
I am a massive Joan Jett fan!
Shock Treatment: I love that you guys have a song about Dale Arden! What kinds of things typically inspire your lyrics? Do you have any more songs about sci-fi heroines I don’t know about!? Maybe a secret Princess Leia song?
JM: Haha! To be honest, I have very little interest in sci-fi or comic books. That song exists because I was asked to write for a potential Flash Gordan animated TV series that I am guessing never got off the ideas board!
I thought it would be fun to write about someone other than Flash, and Dale Arden is pretty cool!
Shock Treatment: You guys played Rebellion Fest last year! Tell me how that went?
JM: It’s the second time we have played it. It’s a great festival- very welcoming and friendly. I suppose we are your traditional punk band in a sense, but it’s fun to walk around it dressed like we do as there’s not many folks there that look like us.
We aren’t playing this year, but we’d love to come back in the future.
Shock Treatment: What does 2026 look like for Continental Lovers?
JM: Mainly writing and recording with tours planned for September and December. We will pop up with a show here and there, to keep busy.
However, we’ve played a lot over the last two years and have neglected getting in the studio, so that’s the main thing.
We released two new songs at the end of December last year and already have another recorded, so perhaps we’ll have something out by the Summer.
Shock Treatment: Where can people go to listen to your music and buy your records?
JM: Everywhere! Most good online music stores will stock us- in the UK, Europe, US and Japan. Our record is out on Cadiz, so we have international distribution.
Of course you can always stream our stuff everywhere, too!
Continental Lovers are:
Joe Maddox- Lead vocals and guitars
Ben Webster- Lead guitar
Kerri Kaysen- Bass guitar
We are currently between drummers, however our fantastic original drummer, Rokket Rik is behind the kit at the moment. Previously we had Ace Carlton, who is still part of the gang, but doing his own thing for a bit.
Earning our keep?! We do a lot of things, really. Helping others out, making things, playing music….
Shock Treatment: How did you guys all meet and decide to play music together?
JM: The band was originally a bit of a solo project for me. I wrote a bunch of power pop songs with no real intention of putting a band together, but there was a lot of interest in them and, after a few early line up changes, Kerri, Ben and I have been together for three years. We’ve played well over
100 shows together in the UK and Europe.
We share similar music tastes, get on really well and just really enjoy being creative together. It’s worked well so far!
Shock Treatment: Tell me about the Continental Lovers sound! Did you guys have a particular direction when you started or did it just kind of form after you guys started playing together?
JM: Most of the songs I write are quite short and fast, but also very melodic. Think of bands like Cheap Trick and you’ll get the idea.
We are renowned for our big hooks and sing along choruses. I guess we have a good ear for a melody. For a rock n roll band, I like to think I write some interesting lyrics too. I love words!!
Shock Treatment: If I’m not mistaken, the band is currently based in Nottingham, England. How does your town treat you guys? Do you enjoy playing in the area?
JM: We haven’t played Nottingham for over a year! That’s probably because we played it four times within 12 months and we thought that was too much. We really do like to get out there, though. We’ve toured Spain and Scandinavia and have more European dates in the pipeline for this year.
Nottingham is alright. We should probably play it again soon. It’s always had a pretty decent rock scene.
Shock Treatment: You guys released your debut full length last year, which I really dig! Can you tell me a bit about the making of it?
JM: It was recorded in bits, really. It’s more of a compilation of singles released 12 months or so prior. I love to write songs as if I am writing for the Top 40.
Over half of the record is mostly me and Rik, with our mate Jonesey playing guitar as well. I ended up playing a lot of bass and other bits too.
Kerri, Ben and Ace then play on the other half of the record, so it’s a bit of a mongrel album.
it’s gone down very well and I love the songs on it, but now we are working on new material, so that’s exciting too.
Speaking of the album, can you tell me about the song St. Joan? I have a guess about who it’s about but I could be totally wrong!
JM: St. Joan was one of the first songs written, and is a homage to Joan Jett. The lyrics are full of Joan references, so it’s not too hard to spot.
JM: The band was originally a bit of a solo project for me. I wrote a bunch of power pop songs with no real intention of putting a band together, but there was a lot of interest in them and, after a few early line up changes, Kerri, Ben and I have been together for three years. We’ve played well over
100 shows together in the UK and Europe.
We share similar music tastes, get on really well and just really enjoy being creative together. It’s worked well so far!
JM: Most of the songs I write are quite short and fast, but also very melodic. Think of bands like Cheap Trick and you’ll get the idea.
We are renowned for our big hooks and sing along choruses. I guess we have a good ear for a melody. For a rock n roll band, I like to think I write some interesting lyrics too. I love words!!
Shock Treatment: If I’m not mistaken, the band is currently based in Nottingham, England. How does your town treat you guys? Do you enjoy playing in the area?
JM: We haven’t played Nottingham for over a year! That’s probably because we played it four times within 12 months and we thought that was too much. We really do like to get out there, though. We’ve toured Spain and Scandinavia and have more European dates in the pipeline for this year.
Nottingham is alright. We should probably play it again soon. It’s always had a pretty decent rock scene.
Shock Treatment: You guys released your debut full length last year, which I really dig! Can you tell me a bit about the making of it?
JM: It was recorded in bits, really. It’s more of a compilation of singles released 12 months or so prior. I love to write songs as if I am writing for the Top 40.
Over half of the record is mostly me and Rik, with our mate Jonesey playing guitar as well. I ended up playing a lot of bass and other bits too.
Kerri, Ben and Ace then play on the other half of the record, so it’s a bit of a mongrel album.
it’s gone down very well and I love the songs on it, but now we are working on new material, so that’s exciting too.
Speaking of the album, can you tell me about the song St. Joan? I have a guess about who it’s about but I could be totally wrong!
JM: St. Joan was one of the first songs written, and is a homage to Joan Jett. The lyrics are full of Joan references, so it’s not too hard to spot.
The solo even mimics the melody from “I hate Myself For Loving You!”
I am a massive Joan Jett fan!
Shock Treatment: I love that you guys have a song about Dale Arden! What kinds of things typically inspire your lyrics? Do you have any more songs about sci-fi heroines I don’t know about!? Maybe a secret Princess Leia song?
JM: Haha! To be honest, I have very little interest in sci-fi or comic books. That song exists because I was asked to write for a potential Flash Gordan animated TV series that I am guessing never got off the ideas board!
I thought it would be fun to write about someone other than Flash, and Dale Arden is pretty cool!
Shock Treatment: You guys played Rebellion Fest last year! Tell me how that went?
JM: It’s the second time we have played it. It’s a great festival- very welcoming and friendly. I suppose we are your traditional punk band in a sense, but it’s fun to walk around it dressed like we do as there’s not many folks there that look like us.
We aren’t playing this year, but we’d love to come back in the future.
Shock Treatment: What does 2026 look like for Continental Lovers?
JM: Mainly writing and recording with tours planned for September and December. We will pop up with a show here and there, to keep busy.
However, we’ve played a lot over the last two years and have neglected getting in the studio, so that’s the main thing.
We released two new songs at the end of December last year and already have another recorded, so perhaps we’ll have something out by the Summer.
Shock Treatment: Where can people go to listen to your music and buy your records?
JM: Everywhere! Most good online music stores will stock us- in the UK, Europe, US and Japan. Our record is out on Cadiz, so we have international distribution.
Of course you can always stream our stuff everywhere, too!
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