When John Warren, frontman of The Tin Can Collective, sits down to discuss their new single, “Long Life, Short Stray,” it’s about an affirmation. After years of relentless touring and personal battles, Warren makes it clear: this is a mission statement for his life.
The title alone feels like an old Irish proverb, hinting at wisdom that Warren has come to embrace.
Life, long and unpredictable, offers space for redemption, no matter how far you’ve strayed.
For Warren, the past few years have been an exercise in confronting personal demons.
“Most of my 20s were spent drifting in a cloud of depression,” he admits, reflecting on the long nights filled with cigarettes and avoidance. The band, known for its raw, indie-punk sound, toured the US extensively, but Warren hit a wall. Burned out from the grind of constant movement, he took time to reset. In doing so, he made a decision — to leave the darkness behind, start therapy, quit smoking, and for the first time, truly look toward the future. It’s this sense of renewal that pulses through the track.
“Long Life, Short Stray” is, as Warren says, “a celebration. A call to arms. A fucking oath to be positive and intentional with the rest of the time here on this earth.”
Co-produced with Dinos in Vietnam and mixed by Jack Shirley (known for his work with Jeff Rosenstock and Joyce Manor), the track captures a sense of unity and raw energy. It was recorded live, with the band — Cass Kadow on drums, Jess Warren on guitar and vocals, Paul Motisi on bass — playing together in the same room, unfiltered and without a click track.
It has one of those choruses that gets stuck in your head, making you hum it until you start getting mildly annoyed that you’re doing it – especially when your kids or wife ask what that off-key tune is. That’s when you play them the track so they can understand that the melody really is an earworm!
The band is gearing up for a fall tour with Dog Park Dissidents, kicking off on October 20 at Brooklyn’s Our Wicked Lady, with stops in DC, Atlanta, and New Orleans.
For Warren, these dates feel like a new beginning, a chance to embody the message of “Long Life, Short Stray” — not just for himself, but for everyone listening. The full album, which shares the single’s title, is set for release in 2025, a culmination of Warren’s journey toward healing and hope.
10/20 Brooklyn Our Wicked Lady – Tin can solo tour kickoff
10/22 DC-DC 9
10/23 Raleigh NC-Pour House
10/24 Atlanta GA-The Masquerade
10/25 New Orleans LA-Holy Diver
10/27 TBA-Tin Can Solo
