Fastball: The ClassicRockHistory.com Interview

Feature Photo courtesy of Fastball

On June 21st, 2024, Fastball will release their new studio album, Sonic Ranch. Anticipation for the album has been heating up recently because fans have had the opportunity to hear the group’s stunning new single from the album entitled “Rather Be Me Than You.” The single rocks hard, echoing the sound of bands like Rockpile and The Knack, with a little Beatles sprinkled in for good measure. Or maybe you might hear something else. That’s the wonder of the band Fastball; so many great musical artists have influenced these guys as their music is driven by soaring melodies, witty lyrics, and great grooves that are instantly captivating. In the end, Fastball sounds like Fastball. Their own sound has helped them capture a loyal following who have been buying their music and attending their concerts for thirty years.

Fastball first hit the music scene in the early 1990s. The band consists of Miles Zuniga, Tony Scalzo, and Joey Shuffield. The group released their first album in 1996 entitled Make Your Mama Proud. Two years later, Fastball would release the album All the Pain Money Can Buy, which would turn them into a rock and roll household name. The record was fueled by the massive hit “The Way.” Over the last thirty years, the band has constantly released new material every couple of years. The band has released eight studio albums with Sonic Ranch becoming their ninth release. They have infiltrated pop culture via many different angles as their song “Out Of My Head” was recently used in an episode of the spectacular Apple TV Show Ted Lasso. Machine Gun Kelly and Camila Cabello also utilized the song “Out Of My Head” in their track “Bad Things” which helped Fastball reach a new audience.

I sat down with Miles Zuniga and Tony Scalzo of Fastball yesterday to talk about the band’s new album, new single, and a whole lot more. Tony and Miles were a joy to speak with. We covered so many topics about the band, performing, recording and a lot of pop culture mixed in. It became a fascinating interview that fans of the band will absolutely love. This is a really good one!