Meet ALEX MELTON - Country to Pop-Punk YouTube Sensation

If you're into pop-punk music and have been on the internet within the last decade then you've probably stumbled across South Carolina-based multi-instrumentalist Alex Melton, known for his renditions of Punk Songs as country-influenced songs on YouTube and vice versa.

Alex has spent over the last decade dishing out interesting versions of pop-punk tunes in the style of country songs and country songs fitted in a pop-punk outfit with a bunch of other genre-crossing songs in the mix as well such as his rendition of Panic! At The Disco's "I Write Sins..." arranged as a full-blown top 40 country hit (WATCH HERE) and Yellowcard's "Only One" as a gospel/worship song (WATCH HERE) to a version of Free Fallin' by Tom Petty in the style of blink-182 (WATCH HERE) and most recently a cover of Luke Combs' "Beer Never Broke My Heart" (WATCH HERE) taken straight from his new album "Southern Charm" set to drop on January 23rd, 2023 via Pure Noise Records.

Southern Charm is made up of two halves, amped-up versions of country classics and Alex's trademark alternative spin on punk and metal tracks. The album synthesizes all of Melton’s influences, from the country staples played on a loop in his childhood home through scene icons like blink-182, The Starting Line, A Day to Remember, and Four Year Strong. The first half of Southern Charm includes covers of Tim McGraw’s nostalgic “Something Like That” (ft. Ryan Scott Graham) and Garth Brooks’ “Friends In Low Places'' the second half offerings come from The Story So Far, The Amity Affliction, Stick To Your Guns and more.

I had a chance to talk with Alex and chat about his newfound relationship with Pure Noise Records, how he chooses his songs, possible tour, and more!

THE POP PUNK DAD: I’ve been following you for quite a few years. I’ve always wondered what

got you into recording and posting videos on YouTube? Specifically covers.

ALEX MELTON: I think a lot of my inspiration came from channels like Pomplamoose back in 2010

when I was in college and learning about home recording and just devouring all

kinds of art on Youtube. I was in the process of getting my music degree and

learning Pro Tools, and loved the process of exploration. The concept of one person

sitting down at a computer and making a full production by themselves was very

new to me, and I was just absorbing and learning all the time. Youtube was a way

for me to highlight the fact that it was just one guy in a bedroom, there are no

barriers to entry anymore. We can all just make stuff!

TPPD: I remember your Island (The Starting Line) cover and was just blown away

by the innovation of using random objects around the house. Would you

ever wanna do another cover similar and if so what song?

ALEX: That video was a blast! I sometimes can lose perspective on projects like that. It

seems almost “too basic” of an idea for current-day me, but I think as long as it’s

creative and fun and comes from the heart, there is a definite possibility that I

could revisit the concept. Understanding sound design so much more now, I tend to

think “of course, that random object could be a kick drum if I filter it this certain

way and shape the waveform a specific way” but if you go out of your way to make

it fun and find interesting objects, then it becomes a lot more creative.

TPPD: How do you choose your songs?

ALEX: I have a notepad in my phone that I will jot quick ideas in when I’m going about my

day. I’ll hear a song in a restaurant, or I’ll have a song come up on a Spotify

playlist, or somebody will make an interesting request. Sometimes my manager will

request a song, but it’s mostly about what I’m most interested in on any given

week.

TPPD: You do a lot of what I call “crossover genres” where you do a pop-punk

song in the form of a country tune. Is there any genre or genres you

haven’t touched that you’d like to do and what songs would you wanna try?

ALEX: I seem to keep finding new niches to get into, and I love the fact that I can switch

things up from week to week. It keeps things fresh for me, and when I’m feeling

burnt out on a certain style I can just abandon it until I become interested again.

It’s a very freeing way to create, so you’ll definitely be seeing more and more genre

ideas as the channel progresses.

TPPD: You recently got signed to Pure Noise Records. What’s that relationship

been like and how did that come about?

ALEX: Pure Noise just messaged me on Instagram one day a couple of years ago, and I

was completely brand new to the entire world of “The Industry” - I was very excited

that people of that caliber were paying attention to what I was doing. They were

very respectful about letting me do Youtube how I’ve been doing it, and they’ve

given me some really cool experiences and opportunities in the process of making

this album for them.

TPPD: I also saw you were working with the Four Year Strong guys, what was that

like?

ALEX: Alan Day from FYS produced and co-arranged the back half of the album - all of the

Pure Noise songs that were turned country. We rented out a studio in MA and took

a couple of weeks to do everything from scratch. I had zero demos or ideas for

anything, and it was very special to build every song from the ground up with Alan,

including a Four Year Strong cover. He’s great at writing parts and shaping the vibe

of a song. I definitely learned a lot watching him work.

TPPD: If there was someone that you could collab with who would it be?

ALEX: I would love to write and perform a song with my wife one day. We sing silly songs

to our cats all the time, and she has sung on my channel a few times, but it would

be special to create a song together.

TPPD: You do a lot online. A lot of people have probably asked this. Is Alex Melton

ever going to do a tour?

ALEX: I have a very hard time conceptualizing what a live show would look like. For

somebody who plays all the instruments, does all the post-production and mixing,

and enjoys the holistic process of DIY, just being a frontman to a covers band

sounds pretty underwhelming. I’d love to create some type of live experience that

more accurately depicts me as an artist, but I currently don’t find much artistic

fulfillment from the traditional format of a live show.

TPPD: The internet and "music biz" has changed so much since you first started

posting online. Is there any advice to aspiring musicians that you wish you

had known to give yourself when starting out?

ALEX: I’ve been posting videos online since 2012, but only in the last year have I made it

my full-time job. I never even thought it was possible for me to make a living on

youtube so I never really tried. I didn’t pay attention to any of the business stuff or

the marketing stuff, or social media. I just liked to make art and share it with people

who wanted to see it. That being said, I know the advice of “just make stuff

consistently and don’t worry about social media” probably seems wrong to people

these days, but it worked for me I think. But you truly have to be doing it because

you enjoy the process of creation, and not for the prospect of success.

TPPD: Lastly what’s next for you moving forward end of 2022 going into 2023?

ALEX: Everything I make basically gets released the moment I finish making it, so I’m still

in the dark about what will happen next too! I’m excited to see what 2023 will bring

for the youtube channel and for my growth as an artist - the only real thing I have

planned for 2023 so far is this album that Pure Noise is putting out on January 27.

It’s been a really fun and rewarding experience working in different studios in

different parts of the country, pushing myself out of my comfort zone, and creating

some really cool music with other people to create this album. I’m excited for

people to be able to hear the product of the process.

ALEX MELTON is set to release his new album "Southern Charm" on JANUARY 23rd, 2023 via Pure Noise Records. You can check his latest single/cover of Luke Combs' "Beer Never Broke My Heart", tracklisting and pre-order to "Southern Charm" plus more below!