Behind the Music: An Exclusive Interview with POET The Band

Amit Ahuja
Sep 29, 2025
13 min read

I had the opportunity to interview Kevin Razlog, the drummer of Poet the Band. Unfortunately, Aiden Taylor Shaw was unable to join us for the discussion. During the interview, we explored Kevin's background, his musical journey, the formation of the band, and his interests outside of music. I believe you will find this an engaging read.

Amit Ahuja: Let’s start at the beginning — tell us about where you grew up. What was your hometown like, and what kind of environment did you call home during your early years? Was it a small, tight-knit community where everyone knew each other, or a lively city full of movement and change? What are some of your fondest memories from growing up there? We’d love to hear about the people, traditions, or everyday moments that helped shape who you are today. How do you think your upbringing and community influenced your perspective on life or the path you eventually chose?

Poet The Band:

Kevin – I grew up in Rochester, Michigan. It was a nice area, good upbringing. I had a tight nit group of friends where we all knew each other, could randomly walk into each other houses without knocking, locking doors etc. I remember riding bikes with my buddies and spending a lot of time outside, playing street hockey, and more. I feel that it directly shaped who I am today and the path I chose. Her, or a lively city full of movement and change?

Amit Ahuja: "Let’s start from the very beginning of each your musical journey—can you recall a specific moment, experience, or influence that first ignited your passion for music? Whether it was a performance, a particular song, a mentor, or even a personal challenge, what was it that made you realize music would become such an important part of your life? How did that defining moment shape the direction you’ve taken since, both creatively and personally, and how has it continued to influence your evolution as an artist?"

Poet The Band:

Kevin – A classmate of mine, his dada had a full recording studio in his basement. I was noodling around on the drums, and his dad told my parents I had natural talent. This led to them buying me my first drum kit that Christmas, when I was around 5 or 6 years old. I was awful for the first couple of years. I eventually got into a band in high school and never looked back.

Amit Ahuja: What initially drew you guys into the post-hardcore and metalcore genres, both in terms of musical composition and visual or aesthetic style?

Poet The Band:

Kevin – I grew up in the MTV era and there were plenty of rock/hard rock bands. Once Korn started getting traction, I think that easily led my path into those genres when bands started really making more music in that genre.

Amit Ahuja: Kevin, what sparked your interest in drumming initially? Were there any drummers you looked up to—whether for their style, energy, or performances—that inspired you to pursue this craft yourself?"

Poet The Band:

Kevin – I took lessons for a few years, and once I started seeing how good I actually was at it, it became infectious. I started off, like most, idolizing Tre from Green Day and Carter from the Dave Matthews Band. I eventually delved into the heavier side of music, and artists like Joey Jordison and Matt Grenier became huge inspirations for me.

Amit Ahuja:

Can you take us back to the beginning of Poet the band? How did the band first come together, and what inspired you to start this journey?

Poet The Band:

Kevin –Aiden and cody had been in bands together over the years. They eventually wanted to start a new project. They eventually enlisted spencer to be the bass player. I randomly messaged Spencer to see what his band was up to. He said not much but I have this new project. He sent me a track, and I instantly became interested. 2 weeks later we were shooting our first music video.

Amit Ahuja: In the process of creating Poet the Band, what inspired the lead singer to blend various musical genres into the band's overall sound, and how did they approach selecting and integrating those different stylistic elements to craft a unique musical identity for the group?"

Poet The Band:

Kevin – Aiden wasn’t really much of a singer up until 2018 he was primarily a screamer. A lot of it came from inspirations of his and what he was comfortable with doing vocally and who he was inspired by as a singer/vocalist.

Amit Ahuja: What was the original vision for your music when you started?

Poet The Band:

Kevin – We really wanted to just play some metalcore style music that had commercial viability while making music that we generally just want to write and record. Over time it’s changed as we have been trying to figure out our overall sound.

Amit Ahuja: Did you have a different name in mind when you first started thinking of the band's name? What made you guys stick with Poet the band?

Poet The Band:

Kevin – We originally just wanted to have just the name Poet, but we couldn’t trademark just the name poet, so we added in The Band.

Amit Ahuja: The name “Poet” instantly sparks curiosity — it’s bold, evocative, and layered with possible meanings. Could you tell us about the origin of this name? What inspired its creation? Was there a defining moment, a conversation, or a particular emotional experience that gave birth to it? Does “Poet” reflect a deeper philosophy or artistic vision — perhaps a narrative thread or emotional core that runs through your music? We’d love to hear how this name came to represent your identity as a band.

Poet The Band:

Kevin – There were a couple of things that tied into it. As artists, we are basically modern-day poets. We leaned pretty heavily into our aesthetic, imagery, and tried to make everything we do have some cohesion. Aiden originally coined it and wanted it to be a poet, but we couldn’t, so we added the band. We are shooting a documentary called Modern Day Poets, and it goes into our journey as a band, and also includes many industry professionals.

Amit Ahuja: How do you see Poet the Band as a reflection of the band’s artistic identity, your journey as musicians, or the themes you aim to explore? Whether it’s about duality, escape, truth, or reinvention, we’d love to hear how this name captures the soul of the band and the vision behind it."

Poet The Band:

Kevin – That is kind of a long winded one and I also don’t want to give away anything that will be coming in the pipeline as well haha. But ultimately when we started we had a specific look, as we’ve grown and progressed as a band that has changed and we have also incorporated other themes/elements whether its our photos, merch table experience and videos. We are going to be doing an entire rebrand for the next album cycle which will have us looking entirely different than anything we’ve done up until this point. POET will have eras/chapters if you will and they will all have something that specifically design/dress and aesthetic wise will make it stand out as this being whatever iteration of the band.

Amit Ahuja: I’d love to dive deeper into the creative and emotional journeys behind some of your songs. Could you share the inspiration, personal stories, or themes that influenced the writing and production of tracks like What were the ideas or experiences that shaped these songs, and what do they mean to you as a band now that they’ve been released and shared with listeners?" (question for the vocalist)

Poet The Band:

Kevin – Obviously, Aiden has taken his trauma from past relationships, which have tied into a number of our songs like Miss Misery and Sin Eater. I Kevin helped with some of the lyrical content in fall for it. I talked about/reflected on a situation where a friend did me very dirty and the process just happened. When we write, particularly when it comes to lyrics/vocals, we have an idea and discuss it. More often than not, Aiden will do the bulk of this on his own and have something ready, bringing it to the table. We will make tweaks as needed but he provides a majority if not 99% of the lyrical compositions and structure. We feel that our songs are very real and relatable to a large audience of people, and for us, the authenticity and genuineness of it is incredibly important.

Amit Ahuja: Behind every great track lies a rhythm that shapes its heartbeat. From your perspective as the drummer, can you take us through the journey of these songs? What was the first moment of inspiration—was it sparked by a sudden groove you laid down, a jam session that took a life of its own, or something more unexpected? How did your drumming ideas evolve from those early moments through rehearsals, writing sessions, and finally in the studio? We'd love to hear how your beats helped shape the identity of the track from the ground up."

Poet The Band:

Kevin – So more often than not, when I get the songs, they will have basic drums thrown in to kind of get a vibe/feel. There have been a few instances where I actually like the simple and well-thought-out parts, so I don’t have to do much in that regard. However, a lot of the time I need more going on to appease me mentally and physically. Since I have been playing for so long, I can usually hear exactly what I want in my head, and then hop on the kit and see if it works how I imagined, and then tweak it from there. Sometimes I have had happy accidents where I messed up the beat, but it ended up sounding way cooler than how I originally intended. Our writing style and process is probably more common now than years passed. A lot of bands will program drums, and their drummer will get very little to sometimes no input as they’re writing for the song. Fortunately, in our project I get ultimate say on what I wanna do drum wise. Even if the drums are programmed in and I like the beat, I won't change or deviate from it because I do also want them to fit the song and be what is best for the song and our performance.

Amit Ahuja: If you guys had the incredible opportunity to open for any band or embark on a two-month tour, which artists would you be most excited to travel and perform with—and why?"

Poet The Band:

Kevin – That's a tough one because we have so many bands we love and are huge fans of, and some we are great friends with. Eva Under Fire is one that we’ve known, and I specifically, for a very long time. But The Plot In You, The Word Alive, The Funeral Portrait, Nevertel, Keith Wallen, there are so many out there that would make our day.

Amit Ahuja: What inspires you guys as artists?

Poet The Band:

Kevin – Honestly and it sounds cliché but we are businessmen and artists and they go soo close together hand in hand that both need to be done and done consistently, we are 2 very driven individuals and we see direct results from our hard work so its easy to stay motivated. Ultimately, the kind words and messages we get from people are the cherry on top. Knowing our songs have helped people through run spots in their lives means the world to us.

Amit Ahuja: What insights or recommendations do you have for musicians who face rejection or experience setbacks in their careers? Specifically, how can these artists cope with disappointment and use those challenges as stepping stones for future growth?

Poet The Band:

Kevin – That is going to be a constant, not only in music but in life in general. The best thing you can do is take a step back and look at things objectively, and see where you can make improvements. Also understand that the internet is chalk full of haters, so if you’re getting hate, a lot of it will be from jealousy and the fact, you’re doing things many wish that they could. Take the disappointment and use it as motivation to do better on the next song, following its release, the next music video, and the next show, etc. Having a good team of people around you is paramount, and ensuring you align your goals correctly and realistically is crucial.

Amit Ahuja:

Is there a message that each of you hopes fans take away from listening to your music, or do you prefer to leave it open to individual interpretation?"

Poet The Band:

Kevin – 100% on both, really. We don’t need people to take what we say lyrically and think, 'They had to have had this same experience,' because our lyrics can invoke emotions on a variety of levels. If they interpret it differently than how we wrote it, that’s perfectly ok. Music is often subjective, and simply finding a way to connect with someone is special.

Amit Ahuja: What do you do to connect emotionally with the audience during a performance?

Poet The Band: Kevin – We arent just on stage to play music, we are performing. Getting the crowd engaged is paramount to standing out from the sea of tens of thousands of bands out there. Aiden has little monologues that talk about some of the songs that do well, the intro for Miss Misery I get the crowd clapping along with me. Little things like that go along way to have it be special and not just us on stage playing music. More importantly, we are always at our merch table the entire show for pictures, autographs, or to chat with the fans. We have an antique journal with a quill for everyone to sign, which is a huge hit. Most people have never written with a quill so it’s a great interaction and ice breaker for a lot of people especially those who are nervous or reserved in social situations.

Amit Ahuja: Who are three individuals for each of you who have had a significant impact on your life—personally or professionally—and how have they influenced your journey?

Poet The Band:

Kevin – For me, I’d say Josh Balz is one of both personally and professionally, as he’s been incredibly supportive of us and me as an individual. Someone who has gained the amount of experience in the music industry he has has been incredibly eye-opening and beneficial for us—Amanda from Eva Under Fire. I’ve known them for a long time, and I was also their booking agent from the day that project started until they got signed. I’m still very good friends and we talk constantly. Having someone go through that journey and still be the same friend as they were when they weren’t a huge popular band is special. They’re also always in our corner and help with questions and things we have. Lastly as I noted above I was a giant Tre Cool fan growing up. Last year when I was in vegas he actually flagged me down (I was wearing an SJC custom drums hoodie whom he was an SJC drummer for). He walked up to me, shook my hand, and was just such a genuine nice guy. We chatted for a bit and it was just such a full circle moment of learning songs from Dookie and then 20+ years later meeting him and him just being an amazing person. I got a lot of my chops because of him as a drummer and his style of playing.

Amit Ahuja: What kinds of TV shows, movies, books, or podcasts do you all connect with—and what is it about them that draws you in? Is it the storytelling, character development, the themes they explore, or just the overall craft?

Poet The Band:

Kevin – I love Joe Rogan's podcast, murder mystery stuff, automotive, and obviously anything music industry related. As for TV shows, The Office, Bob's Burgers, and Archer. We are often very busy with band activities, so we don’t have tons of time to dedicate to them, but it's always good and healthy to shut your brain off for a bit and decompress.

Amit Ahuja: How do you all define happiness in your life, and how does that connect to your vision of success?

Poet The Band:

Kevin – Aiden and I both agree that if we can perform at the level we want and be able to cover our bills and survive, that is the ultimate goal for us as a band and business. We believe so much in this project that we dedicate our lives day in and day out to it.

Amit Ahuja: "Are there any particular hobbies, passions, or interests outside of your guys involvement with music that really energize or excites you all—things that you love to spend time on or that bring you a sense of purpose or joy when you're not immersed in your musical pursuits?"

Poet The Band:

Kevin – We are both gamers so we def like to try and get some gaming sessions in when we can. When I had more time on my hands, I would get cars from copart and fix them up. I love disc golf and try to do as much outdoor activity as I can, enjoying the fresh air and nature. It's good to try and switch up the routine as well, and then when you get back to the music, you feel fresh and rejuvenated.

Amit Ahuja: Can you guys share your personal experiences with mental health challenges? What coping strategies, tools, or support systems have helped you most? Additionally, what advice or insights would you offer to others your age who might be going through similar struggles?"

Poet The Band: Kevin – We have both struggled with depression, relationship troubles, death etc. Firstly, and most importantly, is having any sort of support system. Whether that’s a family friend, a friend, or someone on the internet, you can reach out to. One thing we do and pride ourselves on is we do our very best to reply to every single comment, message etc., because we know there are people out there who reached out to us because they were in a dark place, and me spending 30-40 minutes chatting with them helped. There are obviously help lines and resources available. Still, more importantly, I feel that most people just want to be heard, especially when they’re dealing with something traumatic or if they’re genuinely struggling. If you’re feeling any way and need someone to talk to, POET The Band is always around!

Amit Ahuja: What message would you share with humanity if you had the world’s attention for five minutes?

Poet The Band:

Kevin – The world can be a dark and cruel place, but there are many of us out there who are good and genuine people. Try to associate with people who build you up, not break you down. Mental happiness is the best currency, and no amount of money can change that. Yes, being able to survive and pay your bills is obviously paramount; we struggle there too, but enjoying your life is something that is special, and I don’t think enough people out there are actually enjoying their lives more often than not. Being a slave to the machine is tough and tough on all of us.

Amit Ahuja: "Do you have any upcoming projects, tours, or collaborations you're excited about? I'd love to hear what you're most looking forward to!"

Poet The Band:

Kevin – Right now, we've taken this year to do festivals and work on our new music exclusively. We spent the last two years releasing two EPs, eleven music videos, and three tours that took us across most of the US. We are using this time to prepare for the next cycle. Honestly, we are most excited about the new music; we think it’s the best we’ve ever written and want to continue showing our fans the best stuff we can.

Amit Ahuja: Any parting thoughts or final words you'd like to leave us with?

Kevin – Mainly want to say thank you for reaching out to us, apologies for it taking longer to get back to you. We appreciate your interest and the time you took to come up with such in-depth and detailed questions, which allowed us to dive deeper into who we are as a band and as individuals. Look forward to your continued success and seeing you grow!

Amit Ahuja: Thank you So Much, Kevin Razlog from Poet The band, for sharing your story with us!