In 2024, Miss May I fans were shocked by the unexpected departure of B.J. Stead and Justin Aufdemkampe from the beloved metalcore band’s lineup.
In a statement released at the time about their first lineup change since their formation in 2007, Miss May I said, “We all had our eyes on the prize and never took no for an answer when we started this venture, ‘Miss May I,’ back in high school, and we won’t stand in their way as they continue to grow.”
Elisha Mullins arrived in their place, and Levi Benton recently told Rolling Stone AU/NZ that the guitarist has brought a refreshing presence to the Miss May I family.
“He comes from being a producer… All this new music we’re doing, it’s stuff we’ve never had before, because we’ve never written with someone like this,” Benton said.
“We’re all cut from the same cloth. Elisha’s from the Midwest, he’s the same age [as us]. We listen to the same local bands. It’s a natural fit, it’s very cool.”
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Benton confessed that the new-look lineup took some time to gel, partly due to the fact that Stead and Aufdemkampe were the band’s two main writers.
“The funny thing was, it was a total lost thought, we weren’t even thinking about it,” Benton told Rolling Stone AU/NZ. “We went into the studio and the rest of the guys were like, ‘Oh my God. Justin and B.J. were the main writers – we’ve got to change something up.’
“We went back to the drawing board, and that’s when the anxiety hit. After years of touring, we didn’t even think about writing [like that]. We spent a whole month with Elisha in the studio, just doing one song to get the vibe of how we write together. It was a mock up of sorts, just a practice run; we ironed everything out.”
Miss May I are Down Under for Knotfest Australia, and they also have two sideshows confirmed for this week: tonight (March 4th) at Stay Gold in Melbourne, and tomorrow night (March 5th) at Sydney’s Crowbar.
More information about Knotfest Australia, and Miss May I’s sideshows, is available here.
