About this interview
In a 2009 interview with Ryan Minic of Ryan’s Rock Show, Kelly Nunn of Maylene and the Sons of Disaster talked about the band’s relentless touring schedule, their reputation for pulling crazy pranks, working with WWE, and how they ended up bringing in He Is Legend’s Schuylar Croom to fill in for Dallas Taylor.
Nunn reflected on how quickly things moved after he joined the band in October 2007, right after Maylene had wrapped up a tour with Underoath. With a major lineup shift happening at the time, he was one of the first new members to join. The transition was fast-paced, and before he knew it, they were deep into nonstop touring.
He described the challenges of balancing life on the road with personal responsibilities, particularly as a father of a young daughter. While the constant travel was exciting, it came with emotional ups and downs. He admitted that being away from home so often was difficult but said that keeping communication open and having a strong support system made it easier to manage.
The conversation took a wild turn when they started discussing Maylene’s reputation for pranks and dares on tour. Nunn confirmed that they pushed the limits of tour antics, often taking things way too far. One of the most infamous stories involved a drinking dare with members of A Day to Remember and Outcry Collective, where they lined up shot glasses filled with urine and actually drank them for money. He laughed about how a member from A Day to Remember initially negotiated the price down before deciding to go through with it.
Another insane prank involved Dallas Taylor getting into a feud with Every Time I Die over mustard—something he absolutely hated. After one of Every Time I Die’s crew members squirted mustard on Taylor, he retaliated in the most disgusting way possible by grabbing his own feces and throwing it at them. The situation escalated to the point where the bands had to be separated.
Nunn also shared how Maylene pulled off an elaborate gear sabotage prank on The Devil Wears Prada by hiding all their equipment on top of a three-story scaffolding right before their set. It took the entire band and crew to lift their drum cases and amps up onto the structure. When The Devil Wears Prada returned backstage to get ready, they were completely lost—until they looked up and saw Maylene pointing and laughing.
Beyond the chaotic tour life, Nunn discussed Maylene’s unexpected involvement with WWE. Their song “Step Up” was chosen as the official theme song for WWE’s Bragging Rights pay-per-view event, and they also recorded the entrance theme for Chris Jericho and The Big Show. He admitted that it was surreal seeing their music used for such a massive platform, especially since he grew up watching wrestling. The band was even featured in WWE video games and TV promos, which helped introduce their music to a whole new audience.
The interview also touched on Taylor’s temporary departure from touring and how Schuylar Croom of He Is Legend stepped in to fill his role. Nunn described Croom as having a different presence on stage—where Taylor was more aggressive and interactive with the crowd, Croom had more of a rock-and-roll swagger that drew people in. He also mentioned that some fans at shows actually didn’t even realize it wasn’t Taylor because their voices were so similar.
Looking ahead, Nunn was excited about Maylene’s growing fanbase, particularly the fact that their music was resonating worldwide. He reflected on playing in Australia, where fans were singing their lyrics from start to finish, calling it one of the most rewarding experiences of his career. He also noted that no matter how crazy their reputation got, at the end of the day, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster were focused on making music that lasted, rather than just chasing trends or mainstream success.