John O'Callaghan on Building The Maine Without a Label & Staying Independent!

The Joe Vulpis Podcast

Joe Vulpis

Film Interviews, Tv & Film

4.9 • 4.6K Ratings

🗓️ 21 April 2026

⏱️ 94 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

John O'Callaghan is the frontman and primary lyricist of The Maine, known for his charismatic stage presence and emotionally honest songwriting. Since forming in 2007, he's helped build the band into one of the most respected independent acts in alternative rock, cultivating a loyal global fanbase without major label backing. His work blends introspection, storytelling, and an evolving sound that has kept The Maine relevant across multiple eras of the genre.

Episode 436

Welcome to THE JOE VULPIS PODCAST official YouTube channel! Hosted by Joe Vulpis, also known as "Ugh It's Joe" and "The Joe". My guests range from rockstars and actors, to hit reality show stars and the largest influencers on the planet.

Joe achieved internet notoriety with his unique witty Vlog style videos and passion for food. Amassing a total of more than 3,000,000 followers across social platforms, 500,000,000 Youtube views across his channels, and averages more than 100 million monthly views across all socials!

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GHOST TAGS: John O'Callaghan, The Maine, The Maine band interview, John O Callaghan interview, The Maine singer, alternative rock interview, emo revival bands, indie rock artists, The Maine 8123, John O Callaghan podcast, The Maine new music, Arizona bands, rock band interviews, pop punk interviews, emo music podcast, Warped Tour bands, The Maine history, American Candy album, Lovely Little Lonely album, XOXO album The Maine, independent bands success, The Maine fanbase, 8123 movement, John O songwriting, rock frontman interview, music industry independence, touring band life, The Maine live shows, emo nostalgia, pop rock band interview

Transcript

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0:00.0	This tour that we're on right now, on paper, is the best-selling tour as a headliner that we've ever had.
0:07.4	So there's always first, and I think that so long as those firsts keep happening, I think those are what you'll then look back on in five years and be like, do you remember that?
0:27.3	I think it was when I first moved to L.A.
0:29.3	And it was the first L.A. show for the main that I went to.
0:31.8	And I walk in and I just see Halsey just sitting right there.
0:33.1	Very cool moment for me.
0:34.2	Very wild for us.
0:37.2	Have you guys ever thought about doing a collab with someone like her? Oh, I mean,
0:38.2	it wouldn't even be a thought. It'd just be like if you wanted to do it, do it. Yeah.
0:44.8	I mean, that would be, there's so many that we would be like floored if they, I mean, even the
0:52.6	even the fact that like Adam, TBS, like, when that even
0:59.3	that even being friends with him, I was still like, are you serious?
1:05.5	Taking back Sunday in the main?
1:07.2	Crazy.
1:08.5	So, I don't know.
1:09.4	I mean, I think those things have to kind of happen organically.
1:13.7	That song took off as soon as it came out.
1:16.0	It was so much fun.
1:18.4	I can't tell you the joy that we felt like being in the studio and hearing him on the song.
1:26.8	We had had him do a feature on a cover song.
1:33.1	And that was for, I think Cindy Lopper, girls just want to have fun. The cover albums. Yeah. And he was on
1:42.9	that. And I felt the exact same way hearing his voice on our songs. And he was on that, and I felt the exact same way, hearing his voice on our songs.
	...

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