Orphan Riot

April 12, 2020
I spy in my mailbox, a fresh new submission via snail mail from a trio of young punkers in Burlington, NC. First things first, thanks Orphan Riot for taking the time to send us a physical of your newest album. This industry has become so impersonal over the years with all of the streaming services available. Don’t get me wrong, I love the convenience of streaming but we here at The Daily Tune still love getting a physical copy along with stickers and pins to help promote the bands that are out there working hard to put out some great music!


Speaking of great music, American Endgame completely shocked me. These kids kick out some classic punk music that you don’t come across nearly enough anymore. Flash back to the 90’s with sounds reminiscent of Green Day, Rancid, Decedents and Face To Face.

“We’re All Fucked” is a great track that starts off the album with a very solid sound that definitely shows that Lars Fredrickson sound that lead singer, Noel Greene seams to hit on a constant throughout the album. Another track that we want to point out is “The Way It’s Got To Be.” This track definitely has a Decedents feel to it. Listen to this track and then switch over to Bikeage from the Milo Goes To College album.



We highly recommend this album and have really enjoyed listening to it, we think you will too! Go check out the Bandcamp and follow on their socials.


Thanks Orphan Riot, now that we know where you live we might have to send you a sticker pack as soon as we get off our asses and print some more!

http://www.orphanriot.com/
https://orphanriot.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/OrphanRiot - The Daily Tune

By Melanie Mae BryanJuly 27, 2020

Recently I sat down with the young punk band Orphan Riot, composed of frontman Noel Greene on vocals/guitar and Ian Horlbogen on bass, following a promo photo session for the addition of their new drummer, Isaac Cisneros. I met up with the band at an abandoned dam in Sanford, NC (does it even get any more punk rock than this?). We took some pictures, discussed their latest album, and what’s next.

What first got you into music?
Isaac: My dad. Just hearing punk music when I was young…punk, hardcore, and emo. And then when I got older, just hearing what I wanted to hear, and sharing it with him.
Noel: My dad as well. I was 7 or 8, maybe, and he came back from an Iron Maiden show in the shirt, and I was like, “What’s that, that’s cool!” So then he played “Run to the Hills,” “Can I Play With Madness,” and “Trooper”. Then I got into metal, and then into punk. I started with Green Day, Rancid, and then just branched out into the guys that were in their circle…bands they hung out with…and then you just keep going from there.
Ian: I would play with all of my dad’s CD’s in his car, and I would just pick one out, “This one! I like this one!” And then I would start picking the ones that I actually liked, musically, and then it all went downhill from there.
Who writes the lyrics for your songs, and what is your creative process like?
Noel: For writing a riff for a song, and then come up with the lyrics around that. Then just keep going from there. And then the latest stuff we’ve come up with, Isaac’s been a real big help with that.
If you could go open a show for any artist in the world, who would it be?

Isaac: 100 Gecs

Noel: Rancid
Ian: I’d have to go with my new favorite band, No Cash.

What is one message you would give to any new musicians?

Isaac: Play what you want to play and don’t worry about convention or what you’re supposed to do, just do what feels good.
Noel: Just keep going for it. If you have a dream, just follow that, follow your heart, keep playing, and just stay active.
Ian: I would say have fun, and just do what you like and enjoy.

What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?

Isaac: Well I go to school for music so that would be a big change, so I feel like I would be going to school for film, if anything.
Noel: Juvenile detention!
Ian: I don’t know, I’d probably just be a boring, regular teenager. It doesn’t excite me, don’t plan on being one.

How do you feel the Internet has impacted the music business?
Isaac: I think it’s allowed for more niche music communities and letting music genres grow, allowing there to be more experimentation. There’s always going to be someone out there that it resonates with, and it’s easier to reach people.
Noel: Back to what Isaac was saying, it’s a lot easier to get discovered, and connecting with a different niche. And it’s a lot easier for people to discover new music because you don’t have to go to the record store anymore, just follow a link on the internet, free.
Ian: It makes it a whole lot easier to discover new music and music you enjoy listening to. You don’t have to go to the record store you hear about bands through word of mouth. Spotify has a little section, “Artists Like This”, so you just start clicking and you can discover more in an hour than you would have in a week thirty years ago.
How has COVID-19 impacted you as a band?
Isaac: No shows.
Noel: We had a busy Spring and Summer plan, branching out into going more into Tennessee, South Carolina, and branching more southeast. But we’ve been doing a hell of a lot of writing, and we’re recording next week (another EP).
Ian: COVID’s a bitch, we could’ve been touring!

What is your favorite song to perform so far?

Isaac: “Ray of Fucking Sunshine”, I guess. I haven’t performed yet.
Noel: On our last release, American Endgame, probably “We’re All Fucked”, the opening track, it’s got a really good energy. And also “Teenage Dipshit” because that was the first song we ever wrote so a lot of the guys that we first started hooking up with in the local scene, that’s the stuff that they know, and they just go apeshit. And the stuff on the new EP, like a lot of the lyrical content, with everything that’s going on now.
Ian: I’d say “Youth Disapproval” or “Ray of Fucking Sunshine”. They’re both fun, fast songs to play.
What is the best advice you’ve been given so far about the music industry?
Isaac: Being personable and being legitimate.
Noel: A few years ago when we first started out, the first shows we started playing with was a Celtic punk band, The Born Again Heathens, and they were really helpful. They got us our first real show that wasn’t a school talent show or some sh*t, and their singer Scott was saying that it’s brick by brick. If you keep going at it, you will see progress, and that’s been really helpful.
Ian: I agree with what Noel said. They don’t really talk to me about that, they talk to Mike (the band’s manager) about that stuff. I get all of the whole “don’t do drugs or alcohol, it ruins your life.”

How would you describe your new album American Endgame, to any potential new fans reading this article?

Noel: Like 90’s-inspired punk with lyrics surrounding topics of today, with all of the crazy shit going on.
Ian: It’s our first real album and it’s us trying to make these points that the world is messed up, and all we can do is shout about it because no one listens to us otherwise. - For The Punks

Orphan Riot: The Young Punks of North Carolina

Known as the “explosive young punk band from Burlington, North Carolina”, Orphan Riot is knocking down barriers for young teenagers in the music industry.

Fast. Fierce. Relentless. These three young punkers may still be in school, but that hasn’t slowed their roll of 23 shows in the last 6 months! The summer of 2017 gave birth to this up-and-coming punk-rooted band, however, upon the first listen you may think that you’re sitting back in the early 90’s hearing waves of notes reminiscent of early Green Day. Orphan Riot consists of 14-year-old Noel Greene (Lead Guitar and Vocalist), 15-year-old- Ian Horlebogen (Bass), and 20-year-old Landon Johnson (Drums).

Regardless of their young age and inability to book shows at venues that only allow 21+, these teens have a non-stop “seek-and-find” mentality to finding an audience. Orphan Riot is also one of the bands apart of the new record label 85splitrecords based out of the Raleigh-Durham area. 85splitrecords is known as a D.I.Y. label for North Carolinian young bands and has a killer line-up of signed talent full of motivation and heart for their art.

Check out Orphan Riot’s newest EP “My Own Worst Enemy” that dropped on March 30 on across all music platforms including Spotify, iTunes and Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Pandora! - Glitter Magazine

Passionate about music: Three area teens make up Orphan Riot
By Jaclyn Bartlett
Times-News correspondent

On the hunt for young talent to support or local performances to attend? Look no further than Burlington, the hometown of the band Orphan Riot.

Orphan Riot is an up-and-coming punk band consisting of 14-year-old Noel Greene; 15-year-old Ian Horlebogen, students at The Hawbridge School in Saxapahaw, as well as 20-year-old Landon Johnson.

The band formed in the summer of 2017 and has performed at several local venues including Main Street Vinyl in downtown Burlington, The Fat Frogg Bar & Grill in Elon and the Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw.

Noel Greene, Orphan Riot’s lead guitar player and vocalist, has been practicing music for eight years. When he was as young as 7, he began gaining interest in bands like Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath as well as Megadeth, Metallica and Nirvana.

“I eventually discovered there was a punk scene in all those places so I sort of gravitated toward that,” Greene said.

Bass player Ian Horlebogen has been playing for a year. Being part of the band has aided him in further developing his talent for music.

Landon Johnson, who plays drums, always had an interest in music while growing up.

“I just listened to music all the time — on the radio, on the way to school — and with my mom and dad,” he said. This inspired him to take up drumming at age 12 and he has been playing ever since.

Despite the band’s young age, they are incredibly focused when it comes to their music, practicing weekly for up to three hours. They have also done four shows in August alone, their most recent one being on Aug. 25 at Backdoor Skate Shop in Greenville, N.C.

Upcoming shows include OSO Skate Park in Charlotte on Oct. 20 and Kaboom Art Gallery in Garner on Oct. 31.

The band mates shared that since they are under 21 years old, they have had difficulty booking local venues. They explained that it is often a challenge for young artists to be taken seriously. This, they said, consequently results in the public’s lack of exposure to dedicated young musicians. Being more open to young performers would also allow for more connections between young people and their community.

In spite of this setback, Orphan Riot continues to share its talent wherever possible.

For more details on Orphan Riot, visit its Facebook page.

Jaclyn Bartlett is a senior at The Hawbridge School and a Teens & 20s writer. - Burlington Times-News