Teen rock band Riff Wood may be young, but they’re already generating lots of buzz—with even more to come by the end of the summer.
The trio consists of Carson Groves (17), Hyrum Russon (16) and Asher “Shredder” Winegar (17), best friends who’ve been making music together since they were just 11 years old. Over time, they’ve established a dedicated fanbase on TikTok with both covers and their own original songs channeling the best of ’90s pop-punk, with tracks “I Won’t” and “Blur” gathering millions of streams. They won the Utah Battle of the Bands in the ninth grade, and also caught the attention of legendary producer Rob Cavallo, perhaps best known for his work with one of the band’s biggest influences, Green Day.
They’re also keeping very busy this summer with a headline tour in the U.S. starting later this month and into August before they drop their next album. Their sophomore full-length project, the Rob Cavallo-produced Butterfly In Black And White, it out Sep. 18, and ahead of all of the fun, we caught the chance to meet the band and find out more about what drives them. Read the full interview below.
(Photo credit: Maxine Baker)
Carson
Name: Carson Groves
Hometown: Kaysville, Utah
Birthday: March 24
Hyrum
Name: Hyrum Russon
Hometown: Farmington, Utah
Birthday: August 14
Zodiac sign: Leo
Shredder
Name: Asher “Shredder” Winegar
Hometown: Kaysville, Utah
Birthday: October 16
Zodiac sign: Libra
Fun Facts:
1. The band’s most recent single, “Butterfly In Black And White,” released in May.
Carson Groves: To me, “Butterfly In Black And White” is about the duality of life. Every situation has both light and dark sides, and while you can’t always control what happens, you can choose how you look at it. Sometimes a shift in perspective is all it takes to find hope in a difficult moment.
Hyrum Russon: This song had been in the works for about a year and a half, and to me it’s about realizing that both the good and the bad shape who you become. It’s easy to wish away the difficult moments, but they’re often just as important to your growth as the good ones.
Asher “Shredder” Winegar: I think life is full of contrasts—good and bad, highs and lows. This song is a reminder to look for the positive even when things feel difficult. At the same time, I hope everyone who hears it finds their own meaning in it, because that’s what music is all about.
2. Carson’s a movie buff, and it’s hard for him to single out just one movie he’s seen the most times.
Carson: I’ve rewatched a lot of them over the years, but the ones I’ve probably seen the most are Toy Story 3 (especially when I was a kid), Dumb and Dumber and Interstellar.
3. Shredder says his biggest character quirk is his laugh.
What’s your biggest character quirk?
I have a pretty weird laugh. I actually have a bunch of different laughs depending on what’s funny, but my natural one is definitely a little… unique.
4. Hyrum’s dream vacation would be a trip to a continent he’s never visited.
Hyrum: I’ve never been to Asia; I’d say visiting Japan is definitely at the top of my list.
5. Carson’s go-to coffee shop order isn’t anything fancy.
Carson: I’m not too picky—any latte will do the trick for me.
6. Hyrum has a couple of favorite go-to content creators.
Hyrum: I really enjoy the content Grant Beene (@grantbeans) puts out, and Jericho Mencke (@jericho1) is another creator whose videos I always find myself watching.
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7. Shredder’s go-to snacks are Haribo Twin Snakes and Fairlife chocolate milk.
Shredder: That’s an elite combo.
8. Carson has had a couple of collections over the course of his life.
Carson: When I was a kid, I collected Pokémon cards (and a few basketball cards), but these days I’ve mostly traded those in for guitars. I guess you could say I’ve become a bit of a guitar collector.
9. Hyrum absolutely loves milk.
Hyrum: I usually have a couple of gallons on hand wherever I’m staying.
10. Shredder says he’s definitely a night owl.
Shredder: I feel like I’m more productive, more creative and just in a better headspace later in the day.
11. “Imagine” by John Lennon has always been one of Carson’s favorite songs.
Carson: I think it’s one of the most beautiful and timeless songs ever written, and it continues to inspire me every time I hear it.
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12. Hyrum’s biggest pet peeve is obnoxiously loud cars.
Hyrum: When people rev their engines super loud right next to me just for the sake of making noise. I don’t get it, and it kind of drives me crazy.
13. Shredder is currently in the middle of a Breaking Bad rewatch.
Shredder: It’s such a top-tier show with one of the best storylines ever.
14. Whenever possible, Carson likes to prioritize joy in his life.
Carson: It sounds simple, but I just try to have fun and make other people happy. If I can make someone smile or brighten their day, that’s something that means a lot to me.
15. Meanwhile, Hyrum is all about positivity.
Hyrum: It kind of ties into the message of “Butterfly In Black And White,” but one thing I really try to live by is staying positive. I know it sounds cliché, but you only get one life, so I think it’s important to make the most of every day and look for the good, even when things are tough.
16. And above everything else, Shredder believes in the value of hard work.
Shredder: It might sound cliché, but I really believe that hard work pays off. There aren’t many shortcuts in life, and if you care about something enough to keep showing up and putting in the work, good things will eventually come from it.
For even more on our musical man crushes, click HERE to discover everything Saint Micah shared with us.
