ON THE RISE: Junior Prom

The Brooklyn based electronic duo, Junior Prom, is rising to the music scene and certainly ones to look out for. Mark Solomich and Erik Ratensperger have been working together on music for a year now, and their debut EP was released just yesterday, October 15th.

This electronic dance-pop duo is emerging and on tour promoting their music with dates planned for mid-October through the beginning of November. Some popular stops on the journey include New York City, Philadelphia, Washington DC and their hometown of Brooklyn.

Mark and Erik sat down and answered a few questions for Empty Lighthouse, so readers could become fans and get a taste of the music they are producing. Check them out!

EMPTY LIGHTHOUSE: How did you two get your start in music?
JUNIOR PROM: "I took violin between 3rd and 5th grade before I discovered a drum in the band room at school I quit violin that year and begged my parents for a drum set. That took another year or so. Before that, I taught myself on my mom's pots and pans.

She hated me!" stated Erik.

"I went to the flea market with my dad when I was about 12 and bought an electric guitar for $10.

I took it home and not knowing any chords, started strumming on the open strings and immediately wrote a song about some shithead I rode the bus with to school", Mark explained.

EMPTY LIGHTHOUSE: How did you as a duo come up with the name "Junior Prom"?
JUNIOR PROM: "Honestly - some old dude at a bar overheard us spitballing names and suggested it.

He smelled horrendous, but a nice guy nonetheless", Mark said.

EMPTY LIGHTHOUSE: Whom do you consider some of your musical influences?
JUNIOR PROM: "We listen to and really appreciate the old stuff like The Clash, New Order, The Smiths, The Beatles, Funkadelic, a lot of reggae, soul and Motown stuff. But we also dig artists like The Gorillaz, Phoenix, Try Dolla $ign and Wiz Khalifa", Erik said.

"I grew up surrounded by jazz and I think that has had a big effect on me.

My staples were The Beatles, The Clash and anything Motown. Some of my favorites recently have been Jorge Ben, Alton Ellis, Bobby Womack, Ken Boothe - lots of soul and reggae really", Mark stated.

EMPTY LIGHTHOUSE: What has been your most memorable experience while touring?
JUNIOR PROM: "When my old band played its third show ever at the Olympia Theater in Paris, opening for Placebo, Patti Smith and Sonic Youth. It is to this day one of my most surreal memories. And that one time at a Waffle House", Erik responded.

"Playing to one person in Des Moines. You don't appreciate a packed house until you've experienced that. It's only up from there!" Mark said.

EMPTY LIGHTHOUSE: If you could collaborate with anyone in the music industry, who would it be and why?
JUNIOR PROM: "There are several people I think we would be into working with: Bruno, Justin, Rihanna, Kendrick.

On the producing side, I would love to see what Rick Ruben would do with our songs, especially after his time working on Yeezus", Erik explained.

Head on over to iTunes and download the latest single from Junior Prom, "Sheila Put The Knife Down", and download their debut EP, released yesterday, October 15th, on Elektra Records.

Also check out their website for more added dates to their tour, along with news of when their full-length album is set to be released in the new year.