Dead Poet Society's Jack Underkofler Discusses Upcoming Album and Creative Process

He described the challenge of discerning whether their creations matched their expectations, stating, "There's a feeling in your gut when you're writing that is really easy to ignore... your gut is like, 'It's not,' but it's really easy to ignore that and be like, 'No, it's good.'" From the outset of working on *Monarch*, Underkofler and his bandmates committed to heeding these instincts, even when it was difficult.

"I think everybody really tried to just listen to that no matter how painful it was to listen to that," he said. The result, he believes, is an album that truly reflects their identity as a band.

Underkofler also discussed the collaborative nature of their songwriting, noting that one of his favorite songs, "Lost," came about through input from the band and producer Paul Meany. He recalled a moment in the studio where he had to advocate for his original vision of the song. "I was like, 'Look, I wrote this song this way for a reason... trust me, just go with me on this. It's going to turn out awesome.' And so he did," Underkofler shared.

Looking ahead, Underkofler expressed the band’s desire to excel as a live act. "We just want to be the best live band out there... our comfortability on stage kind of skyrocketed, going through a bunch of high-pressure scenarios." He mentioned that they feel a responsibility to ensure their live performances align with the album's themes and aesthetics.

Listeners can find the complete interview on Loudwire Nights, which airs weeknights at 7 PM ET and is available on various streaming platforms.