Late Night Television is an alt-rock band formed in 2023 by longtime collaborators Matt Martirano and Aidan Madden. Hailing from Mahopac, NY, the duo has been performing together since middle school, developing a distinct creative chemistry built on years of shared influences and late-night conversations. After moving to Nashville and attending Belmont University, they completed the band’s lineup with like-minded musicians David Shivers (guitarist and producer), Will Long (guitarist), and Isaac Malden (bassist) equally passionate about pushing the boundaries of modern rock.
The band recently released their new music video for their standout single “No One Knows I’m A Rockstar”. They are completely independent, writing, recording, and producing all of their music in house as well as writing and directing all of their music videos. The band is making headway in Nashville’s independent rock scene, selling out venues and getting regular radio airplay. The group was recently selected as finalists for Lightning 100’s annual Music City Mayhem competition which highlights the best independent music in Nashville, TN. They are currently rolling out their sophomore EP, “A Nickel Ain’t Worth a Dime Anymore.
Late Night Television is the band for everyday rockstars—the ones grinding through the 9-to-5 but still chasing dreams after hours. I’ve seen them live twice now, and their stage presence is electric. Aidan commands the crowd with nonstop energy, while Will Long brings the cool, effortless vibes that anchor the whole set. Will told me that after seeing Fontaines D.C. live—and clocking how low Carlos O’Connell slung his guitar—he knew he had to bring that same swagger. That commitment shows. Watching them reminds me that no matter what your day job is, you can still live like a rockstar when the lights go down.
Interviews
I had the privilege of speaking with Aidan, one of the band’s lead vocalists, guitarists, and songwriters, who offered a deeper look into the meaning behind the track. At its core, the video serves as an uplifting reminder that everyone is fighting their own battles—but in their own way, everyone’s a rockstar.
“‘No One Knows I’m a Rockstar’ came about from this exciting period in my life. After playing our first couple sold out shows in Nashville we finally started seeing more excitement brewing about our band. I’d leave those shows really feeling like we were doing the thing, and then I’d hop in my beater of a car, and go to work valet parking the next day. I started to love these ups and downs but would think everyday at work how nobody I was parking knows I played a sick rock show last night.”
– Aidan Madden (Lead Singer/Guitar)
Matt Martirano (drums) added “Nashville traffic is indeed horrible, and half of Late Night Television does not have A/C in their cars.” – Matthew Martirano (Drums)
Will Long directed the music video in an amateur style, having no prior directing experience aside from his earlier work on the videos for singles “TELEPROMPTER” and “Go-Getter!”. When I asked him about his inspiration, he referenced the scene in The Breakfast Club where the characters get high and dance in the library. “The way they were dancing wasn’t good,” he explained. “They’re just jumping around.” That raw, unpolished energy inspired the dancing in his own video. The setting—a seemingly empty auditorium—reflects a kind of imaginative solitude; with headphones on, the dancing girl envisions a crowd around her.
When walking me through the creative process, Will described how he spent a lot of time developing the screenplay—listening to the track on repeat, visualizing scenes, and searching for the right words to capture the song’s mood. He broke the video down into 10-second intervals, meticulously planning each moment from the start of the song and evenly distributing time between the characters. A key goal for him was to involve people outside the band in the video, bringing in fresh energy and perspective. The shoot itself unfolded over five or six full days, reflecting a hands-on, DIY spirit throughout the entire production.
To close our conversation, I shifted gears and asked the music video director some deeper, more serious questions.
- When asked where in the world he’d most like to play a show, he didn’t hesitate: New York’s Yankee Stadium—right in his home state, where it all began.
- Talking about his early influences, he pointed to Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day—crediting his songwriting as the gateway that pulled him into punk and alternative music.
- As for the last song he had on repeat, Will mentioned “Link” by Djo.
If you like the bands Fontaines DC, The Thing, The Lemon Twigs, or Mercury, turn LNT up on your speakers. The band is just beginning to take off, so get listening! Visit this link to explore their music.
BOOGIE WITH EMMA 