Neck Deep

Neck Deep, a Welsh pop-punk band, formed in Wrexham in 2012. The band began with vocalist Ben Barlow and former lead guitarist Lloyd Roberts, who posted their first song “What Did You Expect?” online. This initial release quickly garnered attention, leading to the expansion of the lineup to include rhythm guitarist Matt West, drummer Dani Washington/Abasi, and bassist Fil Thorpe-Evans. Their early work included the EPs *Rain in July* (2012) and *A History of Bad Decisions* (2013). These early releases paved the way for their signing with Hopeless Records in August 2013, marking a significant step in their career.

Following their signing, Neck Deep released their debut album, *Wishful Thinking*, in January 2014. The success of this album prompted the band members to commit to the band full-time, leaving previous jobs and university courses. They embarked on extensive tours in the UK and US, including appearances on the Vans Warped Tour. In 2014, they won the Kerrang! Award for Best British Newcomer. Their second album, *Life’s Not out to Get You*, released in August 2015, debuted at No. 10 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales list. The band experienced lineup changes during this period, with Sam Bowden joining as lead guitarist in December 2015.

The band continued to evolve with their third album, *The Peace and the Panic*, released in August 2017, which debuted at No. 4 on the US Billboard 200. This album involved collaboration with producers Neal Avron and Mike Green. Further lineup changes occurred, including the departure of bassist Fil Thorpe-Evans in September 2018 and the official inclusion of Ben’s brother, Seb Barlow, as bassist in February 2020. They released their fourth album, *All Distortions Are Intentional*, in July 2020. In 2022, drummer Dani Washington departed, with Matt Powles taking over. Their self-titled fifth album, *Neck Deep*, was released in January 2024, produced and engineered by Seb Barlow.