“They say youth is wasted on the young, but being young won’t be wasted on us,” rings the fading chorus on the closing track of Macomb, Michigan pop-punk outfit The Directive’s new EP "I Hope This Helps". Indeed, the five-piece have wasted no time since forming in late 2011, with two EPs under their belts and having cultivated a strong local following. “The new EP is about dealing with the loss of innocence through negative experiences and longing to reclaim that innocence,” states vocalist Tyler White. With a sold-out release show and attention from several established publications upon its March 2013 release, the EP has certainly piqued the interests of listeners. “These are the most organic and honest songs we have ever created,” adds guitarist and second vocalist Evan Earle, citing artists such as Brand New, Blink-182, and American Football as influences. “Our craft is very important to us. We’re extremely driven and we see ourselves as being accountable for our music, and pushing ourselves and each other to new musical boundaries,” expands percussionist Nick Ventimiglia.

2013 is braced to be a huge year for the band, with extensive touring planned, as guitarist Armando De Jesus III explains; “Our greatest goal for this year is to reach as many ears and impact as many people as possible with our songs and live performances.” And as bassist Brandon Bidleman explains, staying true to why they play music is at the forefront of the band’s priorities; “We make music because we love it. We want to be successful in the industry, but we’ll never lose the artistic qualities of our music, and we hope our musicianship is never looked over or deemed secondary like with so many mainstream artists.” The band will be touring extensively in the Midwest and on the East-Coast this summer.

Tyler White - Vocals
Armando De Jesus - Guitar
Brandon Bidleman - Bass
Evan Earle - Vocals & Guitar
Nick Ventimiglia - Drums