After a four year hiatus, French pop punks Hype Lights are back on the scene with a brace of singles and a six track EP due to be released in July. So, we fired off 13 Questions.

Following on from their 2016 debut album, Gone to Perdition, French punks, Hype Lights’ star was shining bright, touring France and racking up more than 60 gigs that year on the back of that release.

But, then the band decided to take a break with a view to writing a follow up, a 6 track EP to be called Reckless. That exercise started in 2017, but it will be July 2021 before can get our sticky mitts on a copy.

In the meantime, there’s a teaser track, Something Wrong, available now in all the usual places. They’ve teamed it up with a kind of digital B-side, Fall Away.

We were intrigued to find out more, so 13 Questions seemed like the best way to go.

The band were good enough to dust off their French / English dictionary for this one.

On the basis of the new material – classy and energetic pop / punk, we’re looking forward to hearing the full EP.

Where are you and what are you doing?
Hello there, we are Hype Lights, four friends in love with pop-punk, alternative rock, and metalcore. We are based in Lyon in France.

What is your favourite view?
Jeremy: Seeing people smile, and it’s been difficult these past two years, we really hope everyone will get back to their old habits and we can all go to shows, concerts etc.

What is your favourite swear word and why?
Adrien: ‘Shit’ is one I use pretty often for almost anything… Old habits, I guess.
Victor: ‘Fuck’, hundred times a day for each situation, because I’m rude. (Sorry mum)

What was the first record / cd you bought with your own money?
Adrien: I remember buying Simple Plan’s first album – “No Pads No Helmets… Just Balls”, and I was totally in love with it, and started learning all the lyrics by heart. Today I can still sing the whole record “I’m just a kid and life is a nightmare…”

Louis: Linkin Park “Hybrid Theory” I was 11, nothing more to add, I’ve been listening to this one over and over again. It’s a masterpiece.

Victor: Ramones – “Ramones”. When I heard Blitzkrieg Bop for the first time, I started adding punk Pin’s to my backpack.

Marmite. Yes, or no?
Victor: I tasted it once and puked twice. Amazing experience but definitely no!
Louis: Gotta try it next time I’m in the UK.

If you could go to a gig right now, anywhere in the world, which band would you see? And in which venue?
Louis: I would go back to 1970 and see Led Zeppelin at the Royal Albert Hall. Then Bonzo would destroy me with his 20mins drum solo. Best concert of all time, everything is perfect.

Who are your musical influences?
Adrien: Pop-punk, alternative rock, and metalcore! We love to mix different influences in our songs. Bands like A Day to Remember, Silverstein, Taking Back Sunday, Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!, In Her Own Words, I See Stars, Blink 182, Knuckle Puck, Sum 41 etc are those who have a huge impact on our music.

How do you like your eggs?
Victor: Scrambled, with baked beans, bacon and a large cup of coffee.

Tell us something we don’t know.
Adrien: I’m a huge fan of anime and manga
Victor: I cried when I saw Titanic for the first time.

Which city do you recommend we visit – and why?
If you’ve never been to France, you should visit Lyon. It’s France’s capital of gastronomy. The city always has something to offer. You can start in the morning with the food market of Saint Antoine, have a peaceful walk near the river, play some ‘pétanque’ with friends etc.

What’s your drink of choice?
Louis: Red wine from the Rhône Valley, like Saint Joseph from Chave with a big piece of red meat.
Victor: Yes Louis, your alcoholic grapefruit juice is good, but what about gazpacho?

What band or album do you think we should check out right now?
Louis: You should check out Rival Sons – ‘Feral Roots’.
Adrien : Our good friends from Valence Yvet Garden, and from Bordeaux France Back Garden Light. Pop-punk ain’t dead!

Do you have anything else to declare?
Adrien : We are proud to announce that our new EP “Reckless” will be available on July 16th. You can enjoy “Something Wrong” and “Fall Away in the meantime!