Q&A: UT band Study Break talks new album progress

Playing a mix of covers and originals, UT-based band Study Break took to the stage at Koko’s Bavarian on Tuesday night. Continuing to perform gigs around campus, including shows for spirit organizations and fraternities, members AB Brown (singer/guitarist), Max Kinser (singer/guitarist), Layton Thacker (drummer) and Nevin Varghese (singer/bassist) promise a new album is just around the corner. The Daily Texan sat down with the indie rock group to talk about their future plans including producing their next project.

The Daily Texan: How did you guys become a band? 

Layton Thacker: Initially me, Max and Nevin wanted to make a band because we thought it’d be cool. None of us knew (how) to play any instruments, so we picked (them) and started learning. We played for about four or five months together, just in our apartment. We met AB who wanted to join (in August 2025), and we were like, “Yes, please,” because she’s incredible. That’s where we’re at now.

DT: What is the goal for the band in the future?

Max Kinser: In terms (of) chronological goals or having a tangible thing when (me, Layton and Nevin) graduate, I don’t even know what I’m gonna do when I get home. I think that’s a healthy mindset for all of us to have. What’s supposed to be will be, what isn’t gonna be won’t be, and it’s helped us really enrich our music and our experience in the present because we only have what’s right then, and then it’s not super goal-oriented or there’s a way we could fail (if) there’s a deadline. (We’re) just seeing what happens.

AB Brown: There’s no answer basically, and I like it better when we’re not planning all these photo shoots, like we’re gonna be some huge band. I like it more when we have shows, we practice together, we write together, we have fun. And if that goes somewhere, it does. If it doesn’t, whatever. But, they’ll all graduate and we can decide then.

DT: So, a lot of albums from the greatest artists, they have stories (around) them. Is there a story in y’all’s next album? What’s it about?

MK: It’s gonna be called Dirty Dog. (It’s) the idea of a dog, the idea of college or the idea of baseball. There’s things that are very classic, based on institutions in America. We are a band because we met at college, at a public university. We had an interest and we just did it. Basically, we’ve all made our own mistakes, and we’ve all persevered through them and worked to create something that sounds cohesive. … It’s also acknowledging where we have been, trying to showcase the fun part of being in a band with your friends, which isn’t always perfect.

DT: What do you think makes Study Break different or unique compared to other local Austin bands? 

MK: We’ve always been really authentic. When we try stuff and it doesn’t work, we take it on the chin. Usually, it’s in front of a live audience. The stuff we write, we don’t really bar ourselves from hiding stuff. Usually, when we do write, it’s like one of us has some emotion and like we process through it and then we turn it into something. Typically our stage presence is very funny, brain dead, interacting with the crowd, and this has taken time too. I really don’t think we’re trying to be anything that we’re not.

Editor’s Note: Max Kinser was a Daily Texan staff member in fall 2025.

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