bio

The band is made up of Brett Conlin, Chris Whitacre (Karat's Gold), Gary Nass (he's been in every band in the Illinois Valley), Skyler Leeds (The Recombinants) and Ian Sheridan (Wet Tail, Karat's Gold). Blending the swagger of rock and roll, the hook-driven choruses inspired by their heroes, and the lingering energy from their days as punk and metal kids all culminates into their own unique sound. You can easily hear the influence from bands like The Gaslight Anthem or Drive-By Truckers, and still catch glimpses of punk, emo, and classic rock showing up where you least expect them. The band released their debut self-titled EP on October 29th, 2021 via digital streaming and a 10" vinyl. The 5 songs that make up the EP are a window into Conlin's own life, and a testament to the band's talent to bring a rock song to to its full potential. A few chords and catchy melodies provide the soundtrack to the carefully crafted words that are equal parts cathartic and nostalgic. Witty and wise social observations, the increasing value of friendship, and the helplessness of outliving your youth are all abundantly present in these songs. 

Like many of his songwriting colleagues, Conlin started off playing in punk rock bands and slowly evolved into the self-reflecting persona he holds dear today..He spent his high school years and a few beyond playing in CRACKS, a hardcore punk band from Northwest IL. He formed another short-lived a band, Lost City Gamblers, shortly after that. Although it was his first attempts at songwriting and fronting a band, it didn't last long. "It just wasn't meant to be, I guess." says Conlin, "We did some recordings and a bunch of cool shows, then we lost one of the guys and the momentum just died". After things fizzled out for him in the punk scene, he took to the usual ex-punk route and fell heavily into the Americana and Country scene, releasing an album "Glad To See You Go" in 2015. With some mild success, the album put Conlin into the thick of the alt-country phenomenon that had created its own eclectic clique. Touring and one-off shows became the norm, while his mind began to drift back to his younger days of playing harder-hitting music. Conlin's first single since his album, Good Old Days, came out in January of 2019. The song gave the world a new glimpse into what was going through his mind, and a taste of where his music was headed. The song felt more like a discarded anthem from The Boss than the straight up country his fans were used to. The song was a good gateway into what would become a new chapter, and new lease on life. After a short run with the rock/punk band Dead End Lights, where Conlin was writing the songs and embracing his punk roots, it was time to bring everything under one roof. "I just wanted to play loud rock and roll again, I think that's what I've always wanted but got sidetracked for a bit there. Then all the sudden I've got  Chris, and Ian on board and it's the best these songs have ever sounded. We added Gary later because he's been in every incarnation of every band I've had, so it didn't feel right to do it without him. I feel like myself again after years of pretending to be some hot shot country dude." says Conlin about the forming of The Midnight Miles. The members that make up the sound are no amateurs. They've all been staples in their own local scenes for years, and each bring their own secret weapons to make a few four chord rock songs sound extra special. The Midnight Miles is the culmination of a lifelong effort by Conlin to find his place in the music world, and be the most true to himself as a songwriter and a human being. The proof is on the pages where the words spill out and in the notes that surround them. You can hear the beauty of a few friends making music together, and feel that along with them at every show. 

In 2024 the band began work on a full length album. Conlin says "This is one so much more than me just writing songs. It's all of us bringing our own styles and influences into it instead of me just dictating the songs out. I'm writing more from a character's perspective because I got tired of singing about myself. There's still some personal anecdotes, but I'm excited to share this when it'd done." With the announcement of a new album came the band choosing to go by Midnight Miles, instead of the longer version with Conlin's name leading the way. "It just felt right to be a guy in a band again, No one remembers these long ass band names anyway. I'll still put out solo material, and this kind of gives me a way to do that without feeling obligated to do a certain thing all the time."