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Sleeping With Sirens' Kellin Quinn: The 10 Songs That Changed My Life
From Paula Abdul to Fall Out Boy, Sleeping With Sirens' Kellin Quinn reveals the music that made him.
- Words:
- Emily Carter
- Photo:
- Joshua Halling
Sleeping With Sirens vocalist Kellin Quinn puts his musical DNA under the microscope to examine all sorts of much-treasured moments…
The first song that I remember hearing…
Paula Abdul – Opposites Attract (1988)
“It’s the one with the freakin’ cat in the music video – it’s so funny and random. I was just a kid watching the video on TV, so I was enamoured by that. I thought it was so cool that there was this cartoon cat in a music video dancing around. It was definitely the video that appealed to me more than the song.”
The song that made me want to be in a band…
The Used – A Box Full Of Sharp Objects (2002)
“It’s just a badass song, and it’s got so much awesome energy. I love watching Bert [McCracken] onstage, because of his persona, and the way that he can control an audience. You can’t help but be enthralled by what he’s doing. He’s been a huge inspiration for me.”
The first song that I ever crowdsurfed to…
Fall Out Boy – Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy? (2003)
“This is not a cool brag at all. I actually went to the gig to see the headliners New Found Glory, and this was while Fall Out Boy were first coming up. I love crowdsurfing still, though. People always ask me, ‘What’s it like?’ And I’m like, ‘I don’t know, you feel like you’re at one with the crowd.’ It’s this big moving thing, and you’re a part of it.”
My favourite song to play live…
Sleeping With Sirens – Agree To Disagree (2019)
“Recently it’s this, because I didn’t expect it to go off so hard. As soon as this song kicks in it’s fucking total chaos, and I actually wish that was the first song we played [in the setlist] because it sets the bar so high for the rest of the night. Leave It All Behind is our current set opener, and that goes over really well too, but Agree To Disagree is in the middle of the set and it’s on another level. I really like the way we have our setlist now, but it could change.”
The song I always listen to when I'm in a good mood…
Oasis – Live Forever (1994)
“Oasis are so good, man! Any time you want to be in a good mood, or you’re out celebrating, they’re perfect. We were in Leeds recently and there was this little pub across from the venue we were playing where they had a karaoke night, and as soon as Oasis came on everyone sang. I recently watched Liam Gallagher performing live with Coldplay, and there were all of these celebrities on the side of the stage watching on in awe. I think if you’re in a good mood, why not listen to the most inspiring artists? I really like Liam’s solo stuff, and I think Noel is a great songwriter too, but I don’t think guitarists-turned-singers are ever as good as straight-up singers! It’s just this completely different thing.”
The song that reminds me of my first love…
The Starting Line – Best Of Me (2002)
“When I’m dating somebody, I feel like I always put my music taste on them and it becomes a thing. The Starting Line were my favourite band at the time of my first big relationship. I actually loved anything on Drive-Thru Records – all those bands were massive for me. Best Of Me is a winner, for sure!”
The song that I can nail at karaoke…
Sublime – Santeria (1996)
“This is always my go-to karaoke jam. I think it’s because I know all the words, so I kill it every time. If you go up in front of people and you have to read the lyrics from a teleprompter while you sing, it just doesn’t come off the same way. But if I throw on Santeria I’m like, ‘Bring on the spotlight!’”
The song that always makes me cry…
Fleetwood Mac – Landslide (1975)
“It’s a great song, and a really good story about life, and the trials that come into it. I first heard it with my grandma, actually – she’s a massive fan of classic rock, so I get a lot of that influence from her. Is it sentimental for me? Yeah. And I love playing her our music now, because she comes from a generation who can appreciate it. She’s a sucker for good lyrics.”
The song that I wish I had written…
Goo Goo Dolls – Iris (1998)
“We cover this live sometimes. It was quite random how this cover even came up for us. We were actually doing a different cover – Fuck You by Cee Lo Green for the Punk Goes Pop series – when we did this for the first time. I had no idea it would go down so well with our fans.”
The song I want played at my funeral…
AC/DC – For Those About To Rock (We Salute You) (1981)
“This would be so good. I don’t like going to funerals and being upset – I’d rather celebrate the person’s life. So I hope that’s what people would do when I pass on. I want to have whiskey onstage, so that people can go up, take a shot, salute me, and then send me off!”
