Left to right: Ross wears **ONITSUKA TIGER** jacket, shorts and shoes. Rocky wears **ONITSUKA TIGER** pants and shoes.
So often, we fall into the habit of trying to force our lives to go a certain way. We’ll force ourselves to endure hour-long commutes, to be vegetarian when all we want is that burger, hell, we’ll even force our relationships, battling to convince ourselves that we’re happier with this other person. Interestingly enough, one of the few times when we might relinquish control, forgetting to force ourselves one way or another, is during the creative process. The creation of art_,_ whether it be poetry, choreography, music.
For brothers, Ross and Rocky Lynch, also known as alternative-pop band The Driver Era, music has never been forced. Since their childhood, where the pair’s older siblings would make them imitate NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys in their living room, music has existed as an innate part of their lives. “There’s a lot of different moments growing up that I think got us on this music kick,” reflects Rocky, “because we used to go to this karaoke bar when we were really young. And the guy that ran it was in a dope band... we thought he was like the coolest guy ever.” Ross, the younger brother by a year, interjects, recalling how annoyed the other bar-goers must’ve been having to share elbow room with a group of little kids. “My mom would show up with like these five kids… I was probably four or five,” he laughs. Picture that. Couples on dates, drunken college kids, this dope musician-slash-bar owner… and then a crew of small blonde children. Definitely standing out. And yet, clearly they weren’t _that_ out of place, given their eventual career choice.
Left to right: Ross wears **ONITSUKA TIGER** jacket, shorts and shoes. Rocky wears **ONITSUKA TIGER** jacket, pants and shoes.
The Driver Era was born in 2018, while the brothers were touring with their former group R5. Now, three years and a global pandemic later, the band celebrates the release of their sophomore album _Girlfriend,_ written and produced by Ross and Rocky in their LA-based home studio. When it comes to creating music, The Driver Era is all about embracing where they’re at in the present, taking that energy in the studio and letting the music find itself. In a way, this approach mirrors the pair’s dynamic as brothers. Never fake. Never forced. Always playful. “In our nature, we both like to have fun, and we both understand that the purpose of life is to enjoy it,” explains Ross.
In their home studio, as they test out beat after beat, riff after riff, this mentality seems to carry. For them, it’s music first, lyrics second—no restrictions. The freedom to explore, to pick any sound under the sun, experiment, listen, tinker, adjust, and then, _and only then_, put words to the feeling.
Left to right: Ross wears **AMIRI** jacket, **KOLOR** shirt and **FEAR OF GOD** pants. Rocky wears **AMIRI** jacket, **SANDRO PARIS** top and pants.
As an album, _Girlfriend_ displays that freedom with a patchwork of songs ranging from 2016 to now, each one with its own sound, its own story. “There are a lot that are inspired just by our individual journey, what we’ve been experiencing these last couple years,” explains Rocky. Rather than falling under the umbrella of a single idea or theme—think the quintessential “breakup” album—_Girlfriend_ acts more as a playlist as the pair navigates life in their twenties. That being said, there is, of course, that distinct vibe running through each track, leaving the album feeling cohesive. This vibe, I would argue, falls somewhere in between groovy and funky… but neither of those words is _it._ No, that’s not right. The Driver Era’s sound, more than anything, can be described as nostalgic. Yes, _nostalgia_, in the most basic sense of the word. Like looking back at a photograph or listening to that one particular verse, each song offers a distinct memory, a time capsule of the brothers’ life. And with musical influences from older artists like Prince and Bruce Springsteen, how could it _not_ be nostalgic?
Ross wears **ONITSUKA TIGER** jacket and shorts.
Rocky wears **ONITSUKA TIGER** pants.
Despite this affinity for the past, the band now looks to the future with The Girlfriend Tour, which begins in Minneapolis on November 15th. After having to postpone their tour in March 2020, Ross and Rocky are more than ready to escape L.A. and embark on their world tour with dates in Europe and both North and South America. “I’m really excited for new cities everyday… it’s really impactful as musicians because our day-to-day, it’s not like we’re seeing a lot of people,'' says Ross. “But on tour, every single day you’re meeting people who,” he pauses, thinking aloud, “I’m tryna say this in the least dramatic way I can… you’ve kind of changed their life, ‘cause your music is soundtracking their life,” he concludes.
Left to right: Rocky wears DSQUARED2 jacket, top and jewelry. Ross wears SAINT LAURENT jacket, top and jewelry.
Left to right: Ross wears **SAINT LAURENT** jacket, top, pants and jewelry. Rocky wears **DSQUARED2** jacket, top and jewelry.
But it makes sense, Ross, it’s not entirely so dramatic. Going on tour and seeing those fans in that concert space, where they know you care, and you know they care—that’s a special connection that can’t quite be replicated with a run-in selfie on Melrose. Especially given how long it’s been since artists and their fans can come together in a space like that. “Ever since our first tour was cancelled because of the pandemic… it feels loopy… it feels like a weird twilight zone,” says Rocky. “Now the tour is like ‘Alright, it’s scheduled,’ you know that first day is happening in Minnesota, and to me, it almost feels like the start of a new chapter.”
And even with the start of this new chapter only a few days away, I can assure you that The Driver Era won't be switching out their old ways anytime soon. Creating music is in the very fibers of this brotherhood, from their karaoke days to now. Never fake. Never forced.
Left to right: Rocky wears **FEAR OF GOD** blazer and pants, **SANDRO PARIS** top, and **GOLDEN GOOSE** sneakers. Ross wears **OUR LEGACY** sweater, **ETRO** turtleneck, **MARKS STUDIOS** pants, and **ONITSUKA TIGER** boots.
Photographed by [Max Montgomery](https://www.instagram.com/instamaxmonty/)
Styled by [Edwin Ortega](https://www.instagram.com/edwin.j.ortega/?hl=en)
Groomer: [Michelle Harvey](https://www.instagram.com/groomedbymichelleharvey/?hl=en) at Opus Beauty using Boy De Chanel and Amika
Written by [Olivia Novato](https://www.instagram.com/olivianovato/?hl=en)
