For husband-and-wife duo Waylon and Meg Thornton, authenticity is essential when making music. The Florida-based, rockabilly-inspired punk band prefers to keep every step of the musical process simple and honest.

“If we write it, we like it, we play it, and that’s pretty much it,” said Waylon Thornton, guitarist and vocalist. “Rock ‘n’ roll music is just a minute and a half of having fun, that’s kind of how we see it.”

The band – formally called Waylon Thornton and the Heavy Hands – formed just over a year and a half ago, when longtime-musician Waylon met Meg and the two began dating. Initially a vocalist, Meg learned to play drums and the two began to write and record original songs.

The duo incorporates elements of classic punk and rock music with blues and rockabilly influences, creating a unique sound that stands out in their local music scene.

“That’s the good thing about being the band that doesn’t sound like anybody else in your town, is that you can play with whoever you want,” Waylon said.

Since their formation, the duo has self-recorded and released three EPs and three LPs, giving them ample time to develop their unique brand of brazen, toe-tapping punk-rock.

“Most everything is one-take,” Meg said. “There’s very few times that we’ve had to do stuff over.”

The sound is energetic, infectious and undeniably raw, characterized by Meg’s frantic drumming and Waylon’s characteristic wail.

“The rawness isn’t necessarily intentional. We’re very cut and dry. We record it, we might add some kind of effect or something to a song, but when it’s done, it’s done. When you’re in the moment, you’re in the moment, and when you go past that it sounds insincere,” Waylon said.

And though the energy of a live show creates an entirely different atmosphere, both members are conscious of capturing that spirit when recording their songs.

“Usually, on the recordings, I’m still in a room screaming and playing guitar just the same, and the drums are just as high energy on the recordings,” Waylon said. “I definitely try to get that across when I’m doing the engineering on the album.”

In the coming months, the duo will continue to write and record as they prepare for the birth of their first child. And though they don’t plan to stop making music, they plan to take time off to celebrate parenthood.

“We’ll take a good while off to enjoy that,” Waylon said.