Craic SB:
 Thanks for sitting down with us, lads! We’ll keep it easy, nothing too serious.
And if anything feels off, feel free to skip it, no pressure.

Julian: 
No problem. There's nothing nasty. I've got my lawyer (laughs).


Craic SB: 
Let’s start from the top. Who are you guys, and how did Wheelbite come together?

Julian: 
The Wheelbite came to life in late 2023. I had just quit my old band and was looking for a drummer and bassist. Igor and Ethan happened to be at the skatepark, we jammed, and it was love at first sight.

Igor: For real. Big time.

Ahead of their electrifying live performance at An Spailpín Fánach in Cork on July 25th, Punk/Alt-Rock band The Wheelbite dropped their new single “Aries Girls”. 
We caught up with the band to talk about their journey, their unique vibe, and how
the Cork skate scene shaped their music. 
Grab your board, crank up the volume, and dive into this wild ride of riffs, ollies, and passion!

Wheels, Wires & Wild Vibes:
The Wheelbite Interview

Julian Pisati aka Bill White (singer/guitar)
Ethan Mudge (bass guitar)
Igor Jan Krupa (drums)
Jordan McCaughey Walsh (lead guitar)

Craic SB: Skateboarding clearly runs deep in your world. How does it influence the way you write or perform music?

Igor:
 There’s a certain recklessness to skating that shapes how we play music. No rules, you just go with your instinct. Not even your gut, your whole being. Not to get too deep, but yeah...

Craic SB:
 You’re a quartet now. What’s your usual writing process — does someone bring a riff or is it more spontaneous?

Julian:
 Sometimes it comes from a jam session, sometimes it’s an idea we’ve written at home. We try it out on the spot and figure it out as we go. It’s all very natural and organic.

Craic SB:
 What’s the vibe you aim for in your music? And how does the name Wheelbite tie into it?

Julian: 

To be a skateboarder, you don’t have to fit a mold. Hip-hop, punk rock, whatever. You just have to be a little bit nuts to skate. Same goes for our music. That’s why it’s so varied. Different genres, different vibes. Like skating, our music doesn’t sit in one box.

Craic SB:
 
Has the Cork skate and music scene helped shape Wheelbite?

Julian: Absolutely. If Cork didn’t have a skate scene, there’d be no Wheelbite. We met at the skatepark. If I hadn’t started skating as a kid, this wouldn’t exist. It’s mad how little choices in life can change everything over time.

Craic SB:
 
What do you think skateboarding and music offer to people, especially those who might feel disconnected or unseen?

Ethan: 
That’s how I met nearly everyone I know in Cork. I moved up from Limerick about five or six years ago, and the first people I connected with were from the skatepark. Then through music, the circle grew.


Jordan: Same here. I met so many people through the skatepark when I first arrived. You were one of the first (Julian)! A guy named Patrick came up and was like, “Hi, I just moved here. Any friends?” (laughs). Because of that moment, I’m in the band now.


Julian: The amazing thing about skating is that you’ve got friends all over the world, you don’t know them, but you share the same passion, same blood and sweat. It’s a universal language. A backside tailslide is a backside tailslide, whether you're here or in Japan. It's like maths,
 coding everywhere.

Craic SB:
 
How do you balance skating, band life, and everything else?


Jordan: I’m doing a PhD, so honestly, it’s tough. I have to work extra hard sometimes to make time for the band. I try to dedicate full days to music or research, depending on what’s needed.

Julian: 
I forgot the question...

Igor: 
He’s asking how you manage the balance (laughs)


Julian: Right! I’m lucky, my job gives me the flexibility to set aside at least one day a week to jam with the boys. I just have to be careful not to injure my wrist, since I play guitar. A bad fall can make it hard to strum.


Igor: Yeah, suddenly we’re skating with caution. Before the band, you’d just throw yourself at tricks. Now you pause, you’re part of a new ecosystem, and that comes with responsibility.


Ethan: I actually broke my collarbone skating before a gig last summer.

Photo © Mia Valishvili

Photo © Mia Valishvili

Photo © Mia Valishvili

Craic SB:
 
What advice would you give to someone just starting — whether it’s on a board or in a band?

Julian: 
Keep going. Perseverance is everything. Just like your first kickflip or your first song — it’s probably going to suck. But after a thousand tries, and a thousand hours in the practice room, it clicks.
 Don’t let one bad session or show define your whole path. There’ll always be tough moments — the key is managing them and pushing through.

Craic SB:
 
What’s next for Wheelbite? You’ve just dropped Aries Girls, what’s on the horizon?

Julian: 
Yep, the first song’s been out for about 20 hours now. We’re planning to release a few more tracks and are hoping to drop our first full record by spring next year. 
If we don’t get too lazy...
Or go broke.
 We’ll manage.

Photo © Yohann Walter

Craic SB:
 
If each of you had to pick one genre that defines your personal style or influence, what would it be?

Julian: I’d stick to punk rock and grunge. High energy, raw.


Igor: I’m in the same zone but from a metal side — progressive metal especially. Heavy, technical stuff.

Jordan:
 Mine’s also progressive, but more mathy and clean.

Ethan: Really weird jazz. The kind of stuff that makes you go, “What the hell is that noise?” But mostly grunge lately.


Igor: A lot of funkness, weirdness, and wackiness in there.

Jordan: When I’m jamming with the lads, I try to channel Toe, this brilliant band from Japan.

Photo © Yohann Walter

Photo © Yohann Walter

Photo © Yohann Walter

Photo © Yohann Walter

Listen to Wheelbite on Spotify and YouTube