The Penguin Rocks logo
The Penguin Rocks Menu



 

Steve Aoki And Taking Back Sunday Team Up For “Just Us Two”

Published by New Jersey Stage

originally published: 06/11/2022

(LOS ANGELES, CA) -- 2x-Grammy-nominated artist and producer Steve Aoki teamed up with Taking Back Sunday for the new  single “Just Us Two.”

The new song is a full-circle moment for Aoki. It finds him leaning into the alternative roots of the start of his career with his record label Dim Mak in his college dorm room, championing music from acts like The Kills and Bloc Party. Now, with their performance on “Just Us Two” Aoki and Taking Back Sunday made the recording in the studio “old school style,” according to Aoki. It was written by the entire band and Steve from scratch during a late afternoon studio session only a few months ago. Taking Back Sunday offers their signature vocal stylings to the song while the energy of Aoki’s production brings a cinematic element that gives the song a dynamic cross-genre appeal.

The technicolor, neon-lit music video finds the artists rip-roaring through an eerie motel, reverberating a performance of “Just Us Two,” surprising guests in the airwaves and on television screens.

Aoki shares, “I met up with Taking Back Sunday in Charlotte, North Carolina and we recorded the song live in a physical recording studio, honing in on the group’s powerful instrumentation. I come from a punk background and it’s always so good to work with artists that share the same passion for live music. This record encapsulates both of our roots while maintaining the Aoki elements that bound the track together.”

Adam Lazzara of Taking Back Sunday says, “Getting a call asking if we wanted to write with Steve Aoki was very surreal. Steve comes from a very similar background as we do, house shows, DIY labels, the whole thing. We were listening back to different ideas he had, and one guitar part in particular caught our drummer Mark’s ear. We approached it in the same way we do our own songs, and we couldn’t be happier with the outcome. Turns out our worlds aren’t as far apart as people might think.”




Reach New Jersey's largest arts & entertainment audience, click here for info on how to advertise at NJ Stage



Taking Back Sunday are gearing up for a major summer tour across the US as direct support for Third Eye Blind, and have upcoming show dates with My Chemical Romance. They’re also one of the top billed acts for the upcoming When We Were Young Festival in October. Meanwhile, their hit song “Loved You A Little” with The Maine and Charlotte Sands is taking over the airwaves currently sitting at #8 on Alternative radio. More to come this year from Taking Back Sunday, who are working on their greatly anticipated eighth studio album.

As for Steve Aoki, the adventure never pauses as he was recently honored as Adweek’s Creator Visionary of the Year, given the Icon Award at the APAICS Gala in Washington DC, and performed at the Indy 500 in Daytona. Always down for an adventure, both acts bring their A-game to “Just Us Two” finding time amidst the chaos to hit the studio for the new all-out rocker.

Photo Credit: @XAVIERLUGGAGE




Reach New Jersey's largest arts & entertainment audience, click here for info on how to advertise at NJ Stage



 

FEATURED EVENTS



Flawless

Sunday, September 06, 2026 @ 3:00pm
Premiere Stages - Bauer Boucher Theatre Center
1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ


Shorts Program #1 – Online for 24 Hours and In-Person at 5PM!

Sunday, September 06, 2026 @ 5:00pm
NJ Film Festival
71 Hamilton Street, New Brunswick, NJ


Melissa Etheridge: RISE

Wednesday, September 09, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
100 South Street, Morristown, NJ


Dion

Thursday, September 10, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
100 South Street, Morristown, NJ


Julio Torres: Works in Progress

Thursday, September 10, 2026 @ 8:00pm
McCarter Theatre Center (Matthews Theatre)
91 University Place, Princeton, NJ


 

Advertise with NJ Stage for $50-$100 per month, click here for info





 

COLUMNS


BlowUpRadio.com's New & Notable NJ Music 8/10/26

Lazlo, founder of BlowUpRadio.com (an online radio station based around New Jersey artists), shines a light on some of the many new releases from NJ based musicians with this column. This week Lazlo takes a look at new releases by Des & the Swagmatics, Bamberdost, Owen Lake and the Tragic Loves, Jonny Couch, Sean Henry Tonight!, and Ava LaMonte. Plus a look back at "Duluth" by Particle Zoo.




Makin Waves Song of the Week: "Soaked" by Kiaura Rose




Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites... 08/06/2026




This Week in Music: Previews for Concerts from August 4-10, 2026






 

MORE NEWS

(FORKED RIVER, NJ) -- In honor of Patriot Day, the Lacey Branch of the Ocean County Library will host "The Soundtrack of Resilience: Music and 9/11" on Thursday, September 10, 2026. The event begins at 2:00pm.


Albert Music Hall presents Pineystock on Sunday




"Amazing!" Bruce Hornsby LIVE! at Ocean City Music Pier




The Vogel presents Early Elton Trio on Saturday




Scottish Rite Auditorium presents Hot Tuna on Friday






 

UPCOMING SHOWS


2026-27 Season Preview: Split Level Concerts at Jersey Shore Arts Center

(OCEAN GROVE, NJ) -- Split Level Concerts at the Jersey Shore Arts Center (JSAC) in Ocean Grove has announced the full concert lineup for its third season. All shows will take place beginning at 8:00pm in JSAC's Palaia Theater. The season lineup includes Willie Nile, John Gorka, Dan Bern, Catie Curtis and Band, Stephen Kellogg, Abbie Gardner, Heather Maloney and Band, and Kim Richey. As they have done in prior years, artists from the Asbury Park music scene will open many of the shows.


MPAC presents Melissa Etheridge: Rise Tour on September 9th




Prudential Center presents Ella Langley on September 10th




The Soundtrack of Resilience: Explore Music's Role in Post-9/11 America at the Lacey Library






Advertise with The Penguin Rocks for $50-$100 per month, click here for info




The Penguin Rocks

© 2026 by Wine Time Media, LLC
PO Box 811, Belmar, NJ 07719
[email protected]

Presented by New Jersey Stage

Images used on this site have been sent to us from publicists, artists, and PR firms. If there is a problem with the rights to any image, please contact us and we will look into the matter.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and our NJ Stage accounts on Instagram, and Threads


News | Features | Radio Shows | Penguin's Hall of Fame | Song of the Week | BlowUpRadio column

Contact Us | About Us | Submit Music | Ad Rates