Interview: Take It Or Leave It (Written)

Punk rockers Take It Or Leave It released their debut EP ‘Tunnel Vision’ last year and have been busy ing it with live shows, while also working on new music. In this interview, we get to know them a little better.

1. Hello! Thank you for taking the time to chat to us. First things first, tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started.

Hey thanks for chatting with us! We are Take It Or Leave It, a punk rock band that formed in 2021 in Rockland County, NY, after a mutual friend introduced Mario (rhythm guitar) and Craig (bass and vocals). The two hit it off and quickly realized they had something special, so they brought in lead guitarist Zach and drummer Devon to complete the lineup. Once the band was set, we hit the ground running. We spent our early years refining our sound and what emerged was a mix of all our favorite punk rock subgenres. A little new age pop-punk, a little old school gritty-punk. Soon after, we started performing regularly and dropped our debut EP Tunnel Vision in November 2024.

2. Someone comes to you and asks you to sum up what kind of music you play – what do you tell them?

We say punk rock because it covers everything: our sound, our attitude, and our energy. That said, if someone calls us pop-punk, we won’t argue as we definitely lean into the poppier side of the genre. But we’re not big on labels, we’d rather let the music speak for itself. So when you come to a show, expect high-energy performances, big singalongs, electrifying guitar solos, and a whole lot more. And if none of those genres quite click, our fans lovingly refer to us as Pasta Rockers, since TIOLI kind of sounds like RAVIOLI. We take the music seriously, but we’re also a bunch of goofballs.

3. What’s currently keeping you busy? A new album/EP/single release? A new video? Playing live, or planning ahead?

Everything is keeping us busy, and that’s a good thing! We released our debut EP ‘Tunnel Vision’ last fall and we are working on a live performance music video for the opening track “Run,” which should drop in May. We’re also playing live regularly because we think that’s the best way to connect with both current fans and potential new ones. On top of that, we’re in the early stages of working on a new EP (more on that later this year). There’s always a chef in this kitchen cooking something up!

4. What is about this current period that is particularly exciting for you?

We’re a driven bunch, so even during slower stretches between gigs, we’re grinding behind the scenes. With our own in-house studio, we’ve been hard at work recording demos for our next EP. The current political climate only adds fuel to our fire. It’s frustrating, sure, but it gives us something real to write about. Being in the middle of all this chaos is actually kind of exciting from a creative standpoint. We’re channeling our frustrations into something meaningful, and that’s keeping us fired up to make music with purpose.

5. Tell me about the work that has gone into making it a reality and what it means to you.

All four of us have stepped up to make this dream a reality. As we mentioned, having a home studio has been a game-changer, and everyone contributes to each step of the process in a big way. It feels incredible not just to have music out in the world, but to see it resonate with people. We were definitely in over our heads when we started out, but we learned so much from writing and self-recording our first EP. Now, we’re better prepared and more efficient. Playing live has also been paying off. We’re landing bigger and better gigs every month. It’s been a fulfilling ride and we remind each other constantly that the hard work is paying off.

6. Making music and being creative can be a very positive experience and can be very good for the mind. In what way has making music had a positive impact on your mental health?

Performing music is like speaking a language only the band understands. At first, it feels like you’ve mastered it when you’re alone in front of a mirror. But playing with others adds complexity, and over time, a kind of shorthand develops. Eventually, we don’t need words. A look or a nod says it all. That unspoken connection is what helps us decompress and after every practice, our mental health feels recharged. There’s always someone who walks in after having a rough day, but by the end, we’re all laughing and feeling energized. Everyone needs music. Simply put, it’s medicine.

7. It can also be incredibly challenging, more so in the modern times. What have been some challenging aspects of making music and how have you overcome them?

Recording Tunnel Vision was a bigger challenge than we expected. The name actually came from having to rein ourselves in. Focus on the goal instead of rushing ahead. We were using multiple recording softwares at the time, which made even simple tasks more complicated. Eventually, we outsourced post-production and divided remaining responsibilities based on our individual strengths. That shift helped with both productivity and communication. We stopped trying to split every task evenly and instead focused on where each of us thrives and that made a huge difference.

Another big hurdle was figuring out how to connect with fans who couldn’t be there in person. Thanks to Mario’s background in video production, we pulled off two livestream performances on YouTube, including a full EP release party. It gave us a way to interact with fans in real-time, no matter where they were, and opened the door for more creative ways to share our music.

8. How do you handle the online aspects of being in a band? Having to put out content constantly, promoting across several different social media platforms, and having your success measured in likes and follows?

Content is king, and there’s no escaping it. Luckily, we’ve got a pretty technical crew. Zach leads the charge on audio production and Mario handles all the video editing. Devon and Craig? They can build just about anything. Devon led the install of a hitch on our tour car for our trailer and Craig’s been making stage props like light boxes since day one. So generating content isn’t the hard part because we have plenty of ways to do it. It’s sorting through all the footage, editing it to be viral-ready, and getting the captions/hashtags right, that’s where it gets tough. But at the end of the day, we do it because we love playing and we try not to let metrics (likes and follows) get to us. We focus on the music and everything else is secondary. So you can take it or leave it but no matter which side of the coin you choose, we aren’t going to stop.

9. How do you make this part of things enjoyable, and fulfilling, for yourself?

We always say this is a business, but the truth is, it’s a group of friends. We want to be here. It never feels like work, even when there’s a ton to do. Like we said earlier, we speak our own language. No one else sounds like us or gets us the way we get each other. When we crush a rehearsal or play a great set, it’s a high that’s hard to describe. All those little moments are what make it worth it.

10. Speaking directly to listeners – what would you ask they do to help you?

Since success these days is measured in clicks, every like, comment, follow, and share really helps us more than we can say. But online engagement is just one part of it. We’d love for people to come out to shows, stream our music, share it with friends, and grab some merch. If you’re vibing with us, the adventure! Ride shotgun, sing loud, and be part of this with us.

11. Outside of music, what do you like to do to relax?

Although we all went to the same public schools, Mario, Zach, and Devon’s friendship really took off when they worked at GameStop together in the 2010s. Craig’s also a gamer, so the four of us love to play games together, online or in person. We’ve also gotten back into Magic: The Gathering and usually squeeze in a game after practice. Plus, we’ve all got band pets and who doesn’t love spending time with our furry friends. When we’re not gaming or jamming, you’ll probably find us grabbing a beer with friends and catching up on life.

12. Where can people find you?

You can find everything in one place, our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/music.takeitorleaveit. That’s where you’ll find all the streaming links like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, Bandcamp, SoundCloud, the works. We’re also on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Bluesky, wherever you like to scroll. Plus, we’ve got merch up there too, so if you’re feeling the vibes, grab a shirt and rep us at the next show!