Episode 180: Free Friends

On episode 180 of March Forth with Mike Bauman, Mike chats with Free Friends! Comprised of Ben DeHan (vocals/guitar), Lauren "Lo" DeHan (vocals/cello), and Gil Perez (drums), Free Friends is a pop punk/emo trio from Baltimore, Maryland that formed in 2023. Since their inception, Free Friends has captured the attention of pop punk and emo fans with their own unique blend of emotion, energy, Lo's cello, Gil's chops on the kit, and Ben's lyrics and riffs.  From releasing new singles, making music videos, and playing live gigs, Free Friends has been on the grind since first forming back in May, 2023. Over the years, the band has collaborated with the likes of Makeout, Hit The Lights, glimmers, The Dangerous Summer, Pine Creek Academy, The Great Heights Band, and High Wire, among others. In 2024, Free Friends dropped their debut EP entitled Sweet Nothing, which was produced by Matt Malpass (Blink-182, Magnolia Park), Eric Taft (The Great Heights Band), and Bryan Czap (The Dangerous Summer). Their latest single entitled "Toxic Trait" with Pine Creek Academy just dropped on May 28th.  This August, Free Friends will release their debut, full-length album. Prior to that, they're going to hit the road July 25-27 for "The Poolside Maintenance Tour" with Pine Creek Academy, and August 14-23 for the "Now That's What I Call Pop Punk Tour, Vol. 1" with Mighty Vices and Break Out Day. In this episode, Ben, Lauren, and Gil talk with Mike about forming Free Friends, persevering through the challenges of being a band in the modern-day music scene, making their upcoming LP, hitting the road this summer with their friends, not quitting on your dreams, and more. This episode also features the song "Toxic Trait" from Free Friends and Pine Creek Academy, available where you get your music! Follow Free Friends on Instagram @freefriendsrock. To stay up-to-date with Free Friends and go see them on tour this summer, visit https://freefriendsrock.com/. Follow Mike on Instagram @marchforthpod. To stay up-to-date on the podcast and learn more about Mike, visit https://linktr.ee/marchforthpod. If you or someone you know needs mental health resources, please visit the following links: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us; https://988lifeline.org/ Thanks for listening! If ya dug the show, like it, share it, tell a friend, subscribe, and above all, keep the faith and be kind to one another.