Joyce Manor has unveiled 'I Know Where Mark Chen Lives,' the opening track from their seventh studio album, 'I Used to Go to This Bar.' The SoCal pop rock band draws on early-aughts emo influences and personal memories in this blistering new release. Accompanied by a black-and-white video, the single highlights the group's ongoing dive into nostalgia.
Joyce Manor continues to evoke the past with their latest single, 'I Know Where Mark Chen Lives,' released as the lead track for their upcoming album I Used to Go to This Bar. Announced in October, this marks the band's seventh studio effort and their first since 2022's 40 Oz. to Fresno. The song title pays homage to Mark Chen, the singer and songwriter behind the lesser-known screamo bands Summer Vacation and Winter Break.
Lead singer Barry Johnson shared insights into the track's inspiration. 'Mark Chen was a singer and songwriter for the bands Summer Vacation and Winter Break, which didn’t get quite as popular as they deserved to,' Johnson stated. He added, 'I just love Mark’s songwriting and voice.' The lyrics stem from a casual hangout with bandmate Chase, involving drinks, weed, and reflections on the early days of weed clubs. Johnson described the scene: 'Lyrically, the song was inspired by Chase and I hanging out, drinking and smoking weed and laughing about stuff, and we were talking about how when weed clubs first started, they’d give you a free dab and the budtender would do a dab with you.' He noted the chaotic era: 'Dabs are insanely gnarly... That’s the imagery of the song: Those early days when weed was still not super fully legal. It was like the Wild West, a little bit. And yeah, that just gave me a chuckle because it’s really dark and brutal.'
The accompanying video, directed by Jason Link and Rowan Daly, captures the band in a black-and-white performance set in a cramped space reminiscent of their early practice days. Looking ahead, Joyce Manor plans a U.S. tour this spring to support the album, with a performance slated for Coachella 2026.