How does a band stay together—with the exact same lineup—for over 25 years? Dustin Kensrue of Thrice gets into the shared values and mellow personalities that have kept the band a drama-free constant for fans since 1998. He discusses why Thrice has always prioritized making music for themselves, not for trends, and gives a look inside their writing process, from organizing over 400 voice memos in Asana to how re-recording 'The Artist in the Ambulance' brought old instincts back into their new music.
"We've always had the same kind of values in why we're doing this. That alignment, I think, helps the steadiness and longevity... The music comes first. Music is about itself. It's not, at least primarily a means to make a living."
Dustin Kensrue of Thrice on the shared values that have kept the band's lineup intact for 25 years. He discusses their unique writing process using Asana and 400+ voice memos, and how re-recording a classic album influenced their new sound.
For over two decades, Thrice has been a constant—a pillar of the post-hardcore scene that has not only evolved with each album but has kept its original four members intact. We’re joined by frontman Dustin Kensrue to discuss how they’ve managed one of the most incredible feats in rock music: staying together. Dustin details the band's practical creative process, revealing how they use project management tools like Asana to organize hundreds of voice memos into the powerful songs fans know and love. He also explains how revisiting their classic album *The Artist in the Ambulance* allowed them to reconnect with old instincts in a fresh way, directly influencing their new material. This is a conversation about legacy, integrity, and what it takes to put the music first, always.
"We've always had the same kind of values in why we're doing this. And that alignment, I think, helps the steadiness and longevity... The music comes first."
"I have no idea how we would write a song to work on TikTok... it's just not on our minds. There's enough juice flowing... the hardest thing is narrowing down what ideas we wanna chase because there's so many."
"Doing both of those [re-recordings] was a process of kind of reintegrating a lot of old instincts and ways of thinking... those instincts can be reappropriated by us in a fresh way, that feels authentic and organic and not forced."