Arcy Drive: From Long Island to the Big Stage

From Northport, Long Island, Arcy Drive is an indie rock band consisting of members Nick, Austin, Pat, and Brooke. After a brief interview at Coca-Cola’s Sips and Sounds Festival, here’s what we learned!

The Influence of New York

Being based in New York has shaped Arcy Drive in more ways than one. “Work ethic… the Northeastern attitude… we work hard,” they emphasize. “We kind of come from a blue collar background, I feel like it’s instilled in us. Everyone moves so fast, there’s also the pressure, like the city pressure.”

“In terms of music, I feel like all of the bands I love and look up to are all New York-based—The Strokes, Moldy Peaches, Talking Heads… so it’s sick to be part of that culture.”

The band also credits Long Island’s rich musical taste as an influence. “A lot of old-school stuff… just good music that people are throwing on whenever we’re hanging out with friends. It definitely influenced us.”

The Origins of Arcy Drive

Three out of four members of Arcy Drive met each other through proximity. “We all grew up in the same town, like us three [Nick, Austin and Pat] lived like five minutes away from each other, we all went to middle school together, but she [Brooke] moved here in 10th grade.”

Despite their passion for the band, none of the band members initially came from musical backgrounds. “We didn’t start playing music until college; we all played sports before that.” Playing music was once just a hobby, but it quickly turned into something more. “It came together very naturally—we originally just wanted to mess around and play at our local bar.”

The Creative Process

Songwriting for Arcy Drive starts with a simple idea and evolves into something bigger. “I’ll [Nick] sit down with an acoustic guitar and get an idea with basic chords and lyrics, then I bring it to the band, and we all add our own tastes and flavors.”

What We Can Expect From Upcoming Album: The Pit

Arcy Drive’s upcoming album, The Pit, is a collection of diverse sounds and emotions. “A lot of different types of songs, a bunch of different influences… Some songs are from three years ago, some are brand new. It was us just deciding we wanted to take some time and create a full project.”

This album will be the best the band has put out yet. “Our playing has gotten a lot better over the years—we basically started at ground zero when we formed this band.”

Arcy Drive promises fans that The Pit will have “different vibes but definitely be cohesive. A little something for everyone, you know?”

Advice for Aspiring Indie Artists

For musicians trying to make it big in the industry, Arcy Drive has some advice:

“Just don’t give up. It’s cliché, but just keep going.”
“Seth Rogen has that classic line: ‘If you stop doing what you’re doing, you’re not going to make it, but if you keep trying, you might make it.’”
“Don’t succumb to the norms of today’s music. Just do what you love.”
“Don’t let people in the music industry push you around. People will try to change your sound or alter things—know your vision and see it through. Trust your instincts.”
“Being comfortable with yourself, getting older, gaining experience—it’s all part of learning how to express yourself musically.”

What’s Next for Arcy Drive?

The band has an exciting year ahead, with a headline tour in the works and an upcoming run with Florida band Flipturn. “We have a UK tour in May—our first time going there. That’s gonna be f***ing amazing. That’s been a dream.”

In addition to live shows, the band is already thinking ahead musically. “We’ve been making new music… The Pit is done, and we’re releasing it, but we’re already onto the next.”

Although we are still anticipating an album release, Arcy Drive feels that their best work is still in the making. Nick says, “I feel for the first time the new songs are something I’m truly proud of, not this album truthfully. I love this album to death because I think it's like a culty cool thing, but I feel like we're creating something bigger now in real time.”

Keep an eye out for “The Pit,” releasing April 18th, and catch them on their upcoming tours!