An Interview with The Get Up Kids — Ahead of their 25 Anniversary ‘Something To Write Home About’ Australian Tour this September

The Get Up Kids have announced their long-awaited return to Australia, set for September 2025. The four-show run will celebrate the 25th anniversary of their beloved sophomore album Something To Write Home About, with the band performing the record in full at every stop.

Originally released in September 1999 as the follow-up to their 1997 debut Four Minute Mile, Something To Write Home About went on to become a cornerstone of the second wave emo movement—praised for its emotional depth, melodic urgency, and enduring influence on a generation of alternative music. While the band last played the album in its entirety at Riot Fest in Chicago back in 2014, this anniversary world tour marks the first time since then they’ve revisited the record front-to-back.

This Australian run also marks The Get Up Kids’ first visit since their 2019 national tour in support of their sixth studio album Problems. That tour introduced new keyboardist Dustin Kinsey and marked the return of bassist Rob Pope, who rejoined the band full-time after departing Spoon.

Touring through the late ’90s alongside bands like Green Day and At The Drive-In, The Get Up Kids were quietly building a legacy that would go on to shape the future of emo, pop-punk, and indie-rock alike. With Something to Write Home About, they didn’t just release a beloved record—they helped define an entire movement. Lauded by Kerrang!, Spin, NME, LA Weekly, and Vulture, the album remains a touchstone for fans and bands alike, cited as a key influence by the likes of Coheed & Cambria, The Wonder Years’ Dan Campbell, and many more. It helped establish Vagrant Records as a powerhouse label, paving the way for acts like Dashboard Confessional and Alkaline Trio to find a home. Even today, as the band returns to play the album front-to-back 25 years later, it’s clear Something to Write Home About wasn’t just ahead of its time—it helped set the time.

We caught up with Guitarist/singer Jim to talk all things Australia, Community, Something to Write Home About marking 25 years since release

You’re heading back to Australia this September to celebrate 25 years of Something to Write Home About. What does it feel like to revisit this record a quarter of a century on, and is this the first time you are back in Australia since 2019?

There have been a lot of emotions. It is really hard to believe it came out 25 years ago. Time moves very fast. I am just happy it resonated with people, and that our fans still care 25 years later.

This album has meant so much to fans around the world. How has your own relationship with the songs evolved over time—both musically and emotionally?

This record completely changed our lives. It gave us the opportunity to travel the world and make a living playing music. That is pretty much all I could ever have dreamed of. I have really enjoyed playing these songs and the response at the shows has been incredible. If anything, the songs sound better than ever. We are much better musicians than we were when we were literally teenagers.

You last played Something to Write Home About in full at Riot Fest in 2014. What made now the right time to bring it back for a world tour?

We have never done a tour of this album and it is obviously our biggest. 25 years just felt like the right time.

You were touring with bands like At The Drive-In and Green Day in the ’90s, and yet you were helping shape a sound that wouldn’t fully hit the mainstream until years later. Did it feel like you were ahead of the curve at the time—or was it just about making music that felt honest?

When this album came out alternative radio was Nu-Metal and Mall Punk. I don’t think we thought we were ahead of any curve. We just thought we made a great record and hoped people would hear it.

You’ve seen a whole new generation discover your music in recent years. How does it feel seeing young fans turning up to shows, singing along to songs that came out before they were born?

It’s been pretty amazing. We love seeing the kids of our fans knowing every word! It is keeping our legacy alive.

What’s it been like performing Something to Write Home About live in full again? How have the songs evolved on stage over the years, and in 2025, are there any tracks from the album that have become unexpected favourites to play?

I have really enjoyed playing the “deep” cuts. A lot of these songs are always in the set so mixing it up is nice as a musician. When the crowd sings back every song it makes our jobs a lot easier.

After wrapping up the Something to Write Home About anniversary tour, what’s next for The Get Up Kids? Are there any plans for new music, more touring, or other projects on the horizon?

Once this tour ends we will have been touring on it for over a year. We have slowly been writing new music but I think we are all ready for a little break.

After decades of playing together, how important is community—to the band, to your fanbase, and to keeping this whole thing going?

The punk scene has always been good to us and we have never forgotten that. Like I always say, we are a very important to a small group of people, but to those people we are VERY important.

Are there any up-and-coming artists/bands or creatives from your community back home that you'd love our readers to check out?

I am honestly out of the loop on cool new bands. I usually just ask my kids what the good new bands are haha!

Hope to catch you at the Sydney show, and hope the tour goes well mate