Bandsplain - 24 Question Party People: Dustin Payseur of Beach Fossils

Episode Date: October 10, 2023

On this week's '24 Question Party People', Yasi checks in with Beach Fossils' Dustin Payseur about ICP, a candy forward diet, touring with Post Malone all summer, and the gorgeous new Beach Fossils album 'Bunny'. Host: Yasi SalekGuest: Dustin PayseurProducer: Jesse Miller-GordonAssociate Producer: Chris SuttonAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Hether Fortune Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hi, this is Ben Lindbergh. And Jessica Clemens. And we are the hosts of Buttonmash, the ringer's video game podcast on the ringerverse feed. We are in the midst of the biggest blockbuster gaming month, either of us can recall. We're talking about Spider-Man 2, Super Mario Bros, Alan Wake, Five Nights of Freddy's, Assassin's Creed Mirage. We will have our hands full, you can have your ears full with us talking about these wonderful video games. On the ringerverse feed, weekly throughout this month, on Spotify or wherever you get your podcast. Podcasts.

24 question party people. Hello and welcome to 24 question party people. I am your host, Yossi Salik. This is a show where I invite an interesting person on for a little talk. I ask the same 23 questions every time, more or less, plus one wild card. The guest is allowed to skip one question. Sometimes the questions change a little. Do a little dance and then drink a little waterbed.

What's up, guys? Me? I'm here in the city of Dream. actually. No, actually, I think the city of dreams is Mumbai. I am not in Mumbai. I am in the Big Apple, but New York City, if you will. So far, all I've done since I've been here is order in dinner from two separate establishments with my best friend Alice, who is inexplicably Australian, because God does work in mysterious ways. What did we order? We ordered chicken Tika masala and Indian French fries with curry dipping sauce, as well as a Thai cobb salad and a chicken

Katsu club sandwich, two different places. We call that a bang, bang, babe. What else have I done? I've gone to a hot yoga class. I have purchased some sauerkraut and raw cheese at the local whole foods, and I've done some work. I love to travel. What can I say, you guys? I live to travel. What else is up? What else is up is, is it has come to my attention that starting a second podcast, this one here, you're listening to it right now, while also keeping up the other podcast, you know what I'm talking about. And additionally, without making literally any effort at all or any decisions at all to make said original podcast any easier or less time consuming, that was definitely a choice, bib that I made. Do you guys even like this show? Honestly, you know what? Don't fucking answer that

because it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. I like this show. I mean, I don't like sit around and listen to the episodes because I'm not an absolute psychopath. Not in that particular way anyway. But I mean, I like making this show. I enjoy it. I just, I find almost everybody super interesting. And even though I ask the same questions every single time, more or less, et cetera, see before, mentioned, disclaimer. The conversations always go in such cool, weird directions because every person is a fucking onion, babe. You know what I mean? You know what I mean? Shrek. Oghers are like onions, et cetera. Layer upon layer, you get it. Also, Hootie liked this show, and that matters more than anything, really. Today's episode is really a great example of that layer upon layer.

while I did live through the beautiful explosion of bands who are all named in some iteration of the words wolf, black, deer, and beach, I somehow had never met my guest, Dustin Pacier of beach fossils, which is weird because I'm sure we would have crossed paths. He is just a lovely man, soft-spoken, serious guy with a genuinely worrisome nutritional intake. not neither here nor there. But as the conversation progressed, I just, I don't know, it got more and more fascinating,

more and more interesting information just poured out of him. There's a great little insane clown posse sidebar and you know I love for that. Anyways, it's a good one. I hope you like it. I bet Hoody will like it.

Here's our conversation. Dustin Pace, or the band Beach Fossils. Welcome to the program. Thank you. Happy to have you. Happy to be here. You guys just put a new album,

according to my research. Yeah, your research is correct. June, it's called Bunny. I did listen to it. It's vibe as fuck, babe. I really enjoyed it. I put it on while I went on like a long walk around my neighborhood at sunset, as I often do to go look at the peacocks.

And it really hit, I must say. Oh, nice. Perfect. That's kind of like what I feel like our music is made for. Yeah, it's like peacock watching walking music. Totally.

I've also been told it's good breakfast music, which I really appreciate hearing. Like ease you into the day, for sure. Yeah. It's vibes. It feels so high.

That's my jam. Oh, thank you. That's one I feel like not as many people have talked about, but I was really proud of that one. They're really wrong,

because that's like the most 90s one and I'm very partial to things that are 90s. Same. Yeah. Same. Great. We're going to get along.

Great. Babe. I have to ask you a few initial questions before we get into the 24. Yeah. So the beach fossils has been a band for like 15 years more. Yeah. Were you guys the first beach band? No, I think, well, obviously Beach Boys had us on that one.

You know what? That's such a good point. That's such a good point. Didn't even occur to me to think about the boys, the Beach Boys. Sure. Okay. And then I think Beach House had a couple years on us. I mean, honestly, so the thing is like...

This is your favorite question. Well, I didn't know that this band was going to be anything. I didn't know anyone was going to listen to it. Because at the time where I started Beach Fossils, I was like making a new project every month. And I was like just constantly recording and like trying out different genres and different styles. And this was just like one of many that I was working on. Right.

What were some of the other names? I'm just curious. I had one called Peace In, which was like kind of like a, an electronic, yeah, it was like an electronic psychedelic type thing. I don't know if any of that exists online, but that's like kind of what I was doing before Beach Fossils, but I was doing all kinds of shit. And like I was doing like a folk project and like a punk thing and like even like some rap shit. Like I was doing everything.

Were you wrapping? Were you the one wrapping? I was. Yeah. Yeah. Amazing. No, no. I have some secret rap stuff out there.

So you have that. You have that somewhere. People can access it if they know how to look for it. I don't know. It's up there. It's secret. But if people find it, I'm okay with it because I think it's still good. Hell yeah. That's the fucking that attitude. That's his spirit. Yeah. You're like, I stand behind my rap project of 2008. For sure. Yeah. Amazing. What was the vibe? Like, dip set? Like, what kind of, were we more like backpack underground rap? Or were we going like full like clips? Like, I was just like really, I've always been really into like super dark hip hop.

Like I still am. You know? Yeah. Like I've always loved stuff like that. I like actually still make shit like that that I don't know if anyone will ever hear, but I do it for fun. Wow, you're making like secret like necro style tracks at your house and nobody knows about it. Incredible. Yeah.

You didn't play them for Post Malone, your new friend on your recent tour around America? I don't think actually maybe I did play it for him I can't remember what did he say you can't remember this sounds like a lie dusty dust no I've been friends with him for like five or six years or something at this point I think the first time I met him I played him some of my rap shit and like we were just like goofing around like going back and forth on like rap versus instead like freestyling that's so insane Yeah. Did you guys meet because he was a fan of the band? It was like, yeah, there was like a mutual kind of thing. Like, I saw, like, funny interviews of him, like, really early on, when he was putting out, like, his first shit. And I was just like, this guy reminds me of my friend.

So I just hit him up on Twitter, and he'd DM me his phone number. And we were going out to L.A. soon after to play some festivals. And I hit him up, and he invited me to come hang out with him at the studio. and we hung out like every day, like all day and night for like a week. Damn. And, um, yeah,

we just became fast friends. I feel like him and I would be really good friends. He gets along with like everybody so well. It's crazy. Like I'll introduce, like on this last tour in the green room, like I'll introduce him to friends of mine that I've been friends with for like 15 years.

And he's like immediately best friends with them. It's crazy how like, yeah. He has a great vibe from afar. Yeah. also I really appreciate him carrying the torch of independent rock and roll music. You know, he's really doing it with you guys, military gun. He's out there.

He's a big supporter. Big supporter. Good taste. Yeah, I think he's one of the few people that have like made it to the mainstream that like doesn't care about like supporting just the mainstream or whatever. You know, it's like I don't know anyone else that would take a risk of like bringing a band. like us, you know, we're like not on the radio and putting us in front of like 20 to 40,000 people every night. Totally.

Yeah. And his new album is so good. Yeah, it's awesome. Huge fan. Okay, well, let's fucking, you know, let's go. I mean, let's fucking go. Yeah. I mean, we could talk more about the beach bands and also the wolf bands and all that stuff.

We all lived through it. We all lived through hipster. Crystal bands. It was all, it was one time. And it didn't happen again. But there was just a beautiful time where every band had some amalgamation of four words in it. And it was so difficult to keep straight. And then there was hipster runoff just like dragging your guys' asses to hell every day in the most mean, cruel, insane way.

Like, it's gone, right? You can't like, I'm sure that it's got to be archived somewhere. I feel like there should be like a documentary about hipster runoff and how fucking mental that shit was. Maybe that's why a bunch of those bands don't exist anymore. They just, like, couldn't take it. It was, like, Perez Hilton levels of meat. Like, it was crazy, especially, like, to women. It was nuts.

Yeah, it was pretty brutal. I mean, like, stuff like that, like, also remember, like, the Brooklyn vegan comments section? Like, that was so intense. Literal mutants. Yeah. It was horrible. Like, I would look at, like, whenever we were written about, I would look at those comments and be like, I don't know if I should, like, be upset or just think this is funny.

I feel like most of it is just like trolling, but then some of it would be like very serious like personal hateful comments where I'm just like damn, like they really went in. No, yeah. I mean my hat is off to you sir

because I've long said that the mid-2000s that chunk is the ugliest worst time in history. It's like the worst time to come out to do anything because it was like post the apocalypse of the music industry,

but pre-streaming. So it was just like this like no man's land of blogs and like nothing, you can't find anything anymore. You wouldn't get to be in magazines, but like you would have to do 80 interviews with like stupid blogs that don't exist

one year later. Like it's truly a crazy time. I think like, yeah, hearing you say that and looking back at it does help put the context. For me, it was like my first. time ever doing anything or getting any type of press.

So you had no frame of breath. Yeah. There's like a, you know, a blog that like 10 people were reading, but I'm like, holy fuck, like 10 more people are going to know about my band now. That's amazing.

But it's just like if Beach Fossils was a band in 1993, you would have been on the cover of Spin Magazine. Do you know what I mean? I was actually talking to MacDamarko about this recently being like, dude, if this was, I'm just kidding. Hi, Mac,

if you're listening. I don't know if you listen to the pod, babe. Love you. No, but the name drop is not without purpose because I was telling him like, if this was the 90s, like you would just be like a massive fucking arena artist, you know? Like you would be a household name. Mac would be, I mean, Mac is already kind of rich, but he would be so rich. Yeah, like he would be like, yeah, cover of Rolling Stone, like MTV, like TRL nonstop, you know,

like different times. Yeah, that's all changed. And then I have also think on the flip, like if a band. like Radiohead came out right now. Like they would be like a semi big streaming band playing like Terminal 5 or something. But like that would be,

that would be the ceiling for it, you know? Oh my God, it's so true. It's so sad. And pitchwork would be like 6.2. Yeah. Okay. Let's party. Let's get started.

Do you know the vibe of the show? Do you know the gist? Slightly, but not fully. Your public has just said it's, you need to wake up, Dustin, and go to the computer at this time and whatever happens happens.

Wake up and get your coffee. Get your coffee and go. Okay. Well, I'm going to ask you 24 questions. You can skip one. There's going to be some follow-up questions. Here's number one. What's your sign?

Aquarius. That's right. Do you know, are you an astrology girlie? I used to be, yeah. Do you relate to the qualities of Aquarius? For those of you don't know, Aquarius. Honestly, not necessarily.

for me in terms of like getting along or like connecting, but in terms of like the sign that I admire the most, for me it's Aquarius. Because Aquarius are truly the most independent and like, free thinking, like march to the beat of their own drum, rebellious, like interesting people to me. Do you relate to those qualities? I mean, I do.

It sounds narcissistic to agree to that. But like- Everyone has good qualities. Yeah, but like, I mean, that's honestly what got me into astrology when I was like a teenager because I was like, you know, I was always like, this is bullshit. And then I was like reading about Aquarius and I was like, this is like someone fucking knows me and like writing about me. Like how is this possible? It was very specific about like, you know, I hate authority. Like I hate working like a normal job. All I want to do is just like do creative work and like hang up. out with people and like even like the water bearer thing which is like you know like all of that I just relate to so much well I mean it does seem like you've you've carved your own path yeah it's a good sign to have number two it's a good sign they're all good signs except jemina yeah um number two what did you eat today coffee that's it yeah because you've been up for five minutes

yeah um what's our like breakfast routine normally oh I don't have one I don't really eat breakfast What time are we eating our first meal? What time are we breaking the fast? Well, this is the thing. I have no schedule at all. Like, I have a kid. So, like, on the weekends, I wake up early. Right.

And we eat, like, tacos or bagels. But, like, in the week, she's in daycare. So I just, like, you know, my wife takes her to school in the morning and I pick her up in the afternoon. So I don't really have to wake up until the afternoon. That's a personal choice. choice. Like, technically, I don't really have to wake up until the afternoon either, but I wake up at 545 anyways. Yeah, I've had like a fuck sleep schedule my whole life, though. Ever since I was a kid, like, I used to stay up. There's two things that have made me an insomniac. One was I used to,

in the summer, stay up all night to watch the Garfield show in the morning because I knew, because I knew that if I tried to wake up early, yeah, I was like, I'm not going to wake up early enough to watch this, but I want to see it. So I would stay up all night, like, listening to my corn CDs or whatever. It's unhinged, but I don't watch Garfield. I'm going to tell you that's unhinged, but I'm really, I'm here for it. Like, that was so important to you. They're like, I couldn't possibly miss the Garfield show. So here's what I'm going to rearrange my entire sleep schedule. Yeah. And I would record it on a VHS and then I would fall asleep during it. And then I would wake up later and watch it like in the afternoon.

Okay. Well, when do we have like a healthy eating practice? Or are we just like, willy and nearly, who cares? I mean, you just had tacos and bagels, so it's not, it's not boating well for a healthy eating schedule, but let me know what's happening here. No, I'm extremely unhealthy. Like, I don't, like, eat, like, I'm vegetarian, kind of, but I don't eat vegetables. Like, I really just eat junk food and, like, candy and pizza and stuff, like, burger, veggie burgers and shit. You're a father, yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Well, no, the thing is, I actually, like, my daughter has, a really, really healthy, well-balanced diet. And I envy what she eats because, like, I'm like taking time preparing, like, healthy stuff for her. And then I'm just eating, like, fucking candy while she's eating... You can't bring yourself to perhaps eat more like her. No, I'd like to. I'm inspired by the fact that she's not a picky eater.

You're a picky eater. That's why. You're too picky to eat vegetables. It's all candy all the time. I think I'm, like, somewhat of a super-taster. Okay. So, like, I get off put by, like, a lot of types of vegetables. I, like, people are like, this just tastes like water. And I'm like, no, this is, like, extremely bitter and, like, fucked up tasting. So I think I actually maybe have, like, a problem. I see.

It does sound like you have a bit of a problem. I also recently have been, like, I'm not sure if I have IBS or if I just have a really fucked up diet. I think it's probably the latter, babe. I'm not a doctor. Yeah. But if I had to guess, it doesn't. I'm not like you're getting fiber.

It just feels like there could be some modifications to your diet. It is funny to me that like and not to be like a fucking carnivore agenda person, but like it does seem to be the vegetarians tend to have the worst diets of all people. Oh, it's true, yeah. I mean, I actually recently, as of the past two months, have been like somewhat dabbling and eating meat, like maybe once every two. weeks or something. Just because I've had like a lot of issues with like like depersonalization and

derealization. And I don't know if that comes from like my fucked up diet or like a lack of something in my diet. Well, bad diet, particularly I think overconsumption of sugar and things that cause inflammation can cause depression. They actually like they actually cause anxiety and depression. Well, that would explain a lot, I think. Well, maybe you'll walk away from this conversation and you'll be like, hmm, something to think about.

I'll be like, that's cool. And then I'll go eat a candy bar. It'll be the candy bar. Couldn't be me, babe. I'm hanging on for dear life here with my mental health as is. So it's all salmon all the time over here. Nice. Okay, number three, did you listen to music today?

And if so, what was it? I did. Yeah, I was actually just listening to. like a playlist that I made it's just like mellow jazz music from like the 40s and 50s that's your morning vibe you put on a little jazz it depends a lot of times I like to

in the morning when I wake up like put on music that's really extreme like really like fast like 80s hardcore punk or like thrash metal or something to kind of like be energized like an alarm clock you know because I feel like the mornings can be too slow, but I figured I'm about to talk to somebody and I should be calm first instead of feeling like I need to punch a hole in the wall.

I mean, you don't seem like an aggressive person, like tonally. Yeah. I mean, I had a lot of serious, like, anger issues growing up. And like, I got into Eastern philosophy as like a late teenager specifically. Taoism. Taoism, yeah. And it, like, really changed my life in a huge way. It, like, changed the way that I interact with the world.

It changed the way that I, like, talk to myself, the way I talk to other people, the way I treat myself and other people and kind of certain values I have, I guess. Bro, I'm right there with you. The Tao of Pooh, that was my Bible for years, high school, college. Have you read that? No, I actually haven't. Oh, my God. would love it. It's Taoism as told through the story of Winnie the Pooh. It's incredible. It's so well done.

Yeah, I've actually seen that in the bookstore before. Maybe I should get that because it does seem like right up my alley. It's really good. I mean, of course, like it's like a little like, you know, it's, it's Winnie the Pooh. But it, the way it's framed is so awesome. And especially I think it's really good for anyone like, again, like I was a teenager. You know, like it's like someone who needs that, the sort of like, not that Taoism is complicated in anyway, it's actually quite it's pretty straightforward, yeah. But having it explained and like really easy to understand terms through a thing that you already are familiar with was really cool, you know? Oh, that's really cool. Maybe I should get that and just like read it with my daughter or something. Yes. Oh my God, totally. It's, it's really great. I feel that's, I'm right there with your Taoism. It's very helpful. I mean, it's as a, as a person who's looked into many,

of these kinds of things, as is my want. You kind of start to notice that so many of them have overlap. Do you know what I mean? Oh, absolutely. And then you're like, oh, there is such a thing as like universal truths. Because you can just see them play out in multiple, like, religions, philosophies. Like, there's versions of the same thing that is like said. And then you're like, oh, that's the thing, you know?

Right. It's like they're all kind of pulling from the same source. I mean, that's why I like Taoism so much, because it's like, you know, it's a pretty early version of that. It was written around like 500 BC or something like that. So, you know, and it's just so simple and straightforward and just like easy to digest, I think, for anybody.

Especially for, I think, I think what causes so much misery for people is the illusion that you can control for. things and the clenching of trying to control things, which like is not possible. And Taoism does have the sort of most straightforward version of like, I mean, you know, you can't, you don't have to and it's just going to flow, you know. Totally. Yeah. Just like letting things like that flow through you.

I mean, that was like a huge revelation for me. Yes. Being like, oh, I don't have to be so pissed off about everything all the time. No. It doesn't matter. I have a tattoo that just says, who cares? That's my... I love that.

Because it's really like, it's truly a full... Like, it sounds like nihilistic, but it's not. It's like, it's, I look at it when I'm just like, who cares? Like, does this matter? This is not a thing. It's okay. I know. Let it go, you know?

I feel like I say certain things like that sometimes to people and they're like, um, they're like, oh, like, why are you so defeatist? I'm like, no, I see this as like a positive. A hundred percent. Yeah. Yeah. I think people who haven't have to, haven't learned how to do that, they are sort of like personally affronted by that idea,

you know what I? It seems negative to them because they, they think that you have all the power to do everything. But it's like, it's not about power. Yeah. It's actually like more powerful to be than it is to like do. Yeah, absolutely. That's right. Fucking real philosophy hours here on 24 question party people. Okay, number four, what was the first song that made a meaningful impact on you as a child? God, that's so hard to answer.

Well, like, my parents are musicians, not professionally, but just for the love of it. And they're very talented. And they kind of have surrounded themselves with people who are very talented in different kinds of art, like painters and musicians. Damn, fucking bohemian childhood hours over here. Jealous.

Yeah, it's cool. Like, I was raised in that environment, and, you know, my parents would have, like, house shows. They actually still do. And, like, yeah, they'll, like, you know, like, people who are touring, like, stay at their house and all their friends will come over and they'll make dinner and stuff. And, um, it's pretty cool.

But, like, seeing some of their friends. friends, you know, like play these really beautiful, melancholy, kind of dark folk songs. Yeah. When I was younger, like, really struck me, you know? And, like, I was into metal from, like, a pretty early age. Your anger issues. Yeah. But, like, when I would see, when, like, you know, my parents would have people over

that are playing these, like, really sad, gorgeous folk songs, I would just, like, it was undeniable to me that I was being like transcended, you know, by this music and stuff like that has always resonated with me, you know, and my mom's music is kind of in the similar vein, you know, it's very personal, very kind of moody. And, and like, yeah, so I would, I would probably say that, you know, that kind of, and my mom playing, singing around the house and stuff. That's so cool. It's also makes sense why, like you said earlier, like, when you were making music, you were just doing it to do it, like your little projects, like, because that's what was modeled for you, you know, like, as a term you internalized the idea

of like, oh, you can just, you just make art to make art. Like, it's not, it's not some sort of, like, um, careerist thing or whatever. And so that, that makes so much sense that that's what you ended up doing. I mean, it did become a career, but it's not what you were setting out to do. Yeah. I mean, my dad was like, you're probably not going to make it. You know, it's like very rare that people make it in music. It was like, it's nice that you do this, but like don't count on it. You know, like,

have a plan for something else. Well, you really skip to number six, but we'll revisit this at number six. Number five is what is the first album you bought with your own money or shoplifted with your own two hands? Oh, man, I was just talking about this with my sister yesterday. The first

tape I ever bought with my own money was a guar tape. Hell yeah. There was a there was a record shop that opened near my house when I was growing up. And I went up there and I tried to buy this guar tape. And they were like, you can't buy this because it's parental advisory. You need a guardian to come. So I went home and told my mom and she came up to the record store.

And she went up to the person that was working in the register. And she was like, look, my son's only going to want to buy parental advisory stuff. Like, please don't make me come back up here again. He can buy whatever he wants. Yeah, I'll sign a waiver forever or whatever. Yeah, so it was that guar tape. Where did you learn about Guar as a child? I don't know, either from my parents or I was just in the record store and was like this cover is sick.

Weren't they in a movie? Maybe. That sounds familiar. I feel like they were. Oh, Empire Records. Really? Jesse says. They're in the hallucination.

Yeah. Oh, my God. Mark the stoner. You're so right. he ends up getting eaten by guar. I think that is might be how I learned about guar. I also got like a lot of recommendations from people who worked at the store because at first I was just getting like, you know, kind of average like alternative 90s radio.

Right. Well, because how old are you? I'm 37. Okay, so you're a little bit younger than me. So you were like, and you were in New York? No. No, I grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. North Carolina.

So you were, so this is like, you're like 10 and it's like, It's like the mid-90s by the time you're 10. Mid-to-late. It's like 96 or something, 9-7? Yeah. I first like really got into music on my own when I was around like 8. That's like when I started playing guitar and like kind of forming my own opinion on like music that I was into. That makes sense.

Okay. Number six, back to your dad. Did anyone in your childhood ever tell you you're never going to make it or some of such iteration of that like they do in the movies. And if so, what did you say back? Yeah, I mean, I think I heard that a lot. I was I was really fucking bad at school. Like, I think like third or fourth grade is when I just started failing everything. Like I had and still have like pretty intense ADHD and like, you know, like I would be in class sitting there looking at the teacher like everyone else. And by the end of class, I was like, I didn't hear a fucking word anybody said. It was like in peanuts when it's like the little

Charlie Brown's teacher. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I would be, like, actively trying to pay attention, but I couldn't. You know, like, at the end of the school year, every year, my parents would have to go to the school and be like, please don't hold him back. Like, you know, please just, like, let him go to the next grade. And your parents weren't, like, mad or upset. They weren't, like, yelling at you or trying to, like. Well, yeah, they would be pissed, you know, because they, like, I would come home and they would be like, did you do your homework?

And I'd be like, yeah, but all I was doing was, like, skateboarding and playing guitar. I never, I like never, I've never done homework in my entire life. My wife's like, you can't tell our daughter this kind of stuff when she starts school. You literally can't. I've never not done homework in my life. I've never not done the homework. I don't think there's been one time in my life where I didn't do the homework. Yeah.

Well, like, once I got to high school, I was like actively trying to get like expelled, you know, because I hated school so much. I was like, I don't want to be here. So, you know, I would like skip school and then like, be like, cool, they're going to suspend me. And they didn't, they would give me like in school suspension. So I'd like skip the end school suspension. I was like doing everything I could to get kicked out because my parents wouldn't let me drop out. Right.

Because I wasn't like old enough to do it. Yeah. I just like fucking hated everything. And just like, I had no plan. But, you know, when I was like a teen, I had like friends who lived in a punk house. And I was like, that's what I want to do. Like, they're just like hang out and drink beer. When I grow up, I want to live in the punk house.

Yeah. I would like take the city bus. Like I would leave school and like take the city bus and just go to this house and hang out and like drink beer and stuff and like not come home for days. And my parents were horrified about what was going on. And, you know, but I didn't care if I was going to make it. You know, I just like didn't give a shit about anything. It wasn't like a consideration for you at all. Right.

Like you were just like, what's next? Next is I go live in the punk house. Yeah. But then like when I decided to move to New York, I moved, I left in 2008 and I had like really no money or plan or child lined up or friends or anything in New York. And I was just like, I'm just going to go. And I was like naive enough to think that I could just embed myself in the music scene and things would work out. And then when I got here, I was like, oh, fuck. Like there's so many bands and they're all. really good. Like, how is anyone going to pay attention to what I'm doing or give a shit? What bands are we talking about that were really good in 2008 in New York? Are these bands in the room

with us now? I was into, like, Vivian girls and, like, woods, and, like, that whole scene, you know? Crystal stilts and stuff. Yeah, crystal stilts, sure. I don't know. I started going to shows like that, and, like,

then I started playing music and it was like the opposite. It was like bands were like putting me on bills with them actively. It was like a community. Yeah, I was I was like shocked by how it like wasn't competitive. It was like very everyone was just helping each other out. You just had an acoustic guitar, some rap songs in a dream. Exactly.

And look what happened. Yeah, that's interesting. I was, I forget about that era, but you're so right. Like that was such like a real scene. moment. It really was. I'm too old to know anything anymore, but like, I feel like for a while after that, it was really dead. Like New York. Yeah, it was. I mean,

which makes sense. It's not any reflection of New York. It's so expensive. Like, to have a scene and for bands to thrive, you have to, like, be able to have a practice space and have an apartment. So, but it seems like now there's like a whole new little scene cropping up, right? Like, this little, like, sort of, I hate to say the word, but that's when Paul Banks from Interpol and I decided that it is an accurate phrase and we can use it now, but like the Indy Slee is like

revivalist thing that's sort of happening does seem to be pretty New York centered. Yeah, I'd say, I mean, look, I'm somewhat of an outsider of this stuff. Like, I go to the shows and like, I know some of the people. Yeah, exactly. I'm not like a kid like starting my music career anymore. But like, like I do think the difference between like what was going on when I came here versus what's going on now is like back then it was like seven people living together in like a loft in fresh week. You know, that was like $1,500 a month or something. And now it's like a bunch of rich kids that live in Manhattan. Right. And like maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'll be like crucified for saying this, but it does appear to me that it's just like a bunch of rich kids. And like, That's kind of the New York scene right now. It's like people who can actually afford it and they live in the city.

Which, I mean, there's always been that. Right. I mean, that's, yeah. In every scene always since the dawn of time. Like, that's... Right. I mean, like, the first people who could afford to be artists were just, like, extremely wealthy people.

Because they had all the time on their hands. Yeah. Yeah. So, you know, I mean, whatever. I'm not, like, hating on it. I'm not saying, like, these people, like, their art is not genuine or something. But I think it's like,

to live. in New York now and be starting out, you have to, like, have some funds. Yeah, or you could live in Ridgewood, which to me, it's a little bit, what's the point? But again, I don't live in New York anymore. It's been 20 years since I lived in New York, so. Yeah. But I did go out there and I was like, oh, Ridgewood, babe, this is 45 minutes from Manhattan. Why even live in New York?

It wasn't even the point. Yeah. It's starting to pop off though. I mean, they always say that. That's always what people say about whatever the thing is that I'm not going to go to. with my one wild and precious life. But I love that for them. Number seven.

When was the last time that you lied? I don't know. According to you, I lied an earlier thing about playing my rap music to Pulse Malone. It didn't sound long. You were like, I don't really remember what he said. Like you wouldn't remember what he said about your rap music. I think, look, it's a fuzzy memory because I I think it's the first time I hung out with him.

And I think he thought that it was somebody else's music after I played it for him. He didn't connect that it was you rock. That it was me. Yeah. So like my memory of it is vague. Last time I was like, surely this man did not bring me his own rap music to play to me in front of my face. It must be somebody else.

Exactly. Last time I lied, I don't know. I try to be pretty upfront about shit because I'm like, what's the point of lying? It's like if you do something or you fuck up and make a mistake, I feel like telling the truth about it is the most important thing you can do

because otherwise you're not going to learn from it. And for me, I think it's really important to learn from your mistakes because I always want to be growing as a person and changing and not repeating the cycle of like doing fucked up things or being a fucked up person. I don't know.

I also think, like, being, there's, like, a thing about being really honest that's vulnerable, you know, like, especially, like, in certain circumstances, like, even if it's not that you fucked up or you're, like, apologizing or whatever, but, like, having to, like, be honest about whatever it is that's on your mind or your feeling is, is hard and vulnerable sometimes, but that ultimately will free you of the anxiety because you'll know that you did, like, it's unimpeachable, you know what I mean? Like, whatever the other person does with that is, kind of on them and you get to feel this

like freedom of it's scary but then once you do it it's like oh wait I'm free you know like yeah whatever happens is based in based in truth and not me trying to manipulate it or whatever right I think I also was lucky enough to grow up in a house where like

I didn't have to lie to my parents all the time you know like I think they would have preferred me to just like tell them I was fucking up or whatever and like not punish me for it, but like try to use it as like a learning experience or something, you know? Fantastic parents, I must say.

Yeah. I mean, we get along, you know. I think it's rare. Yeah. But, you know, I definitely feel lucky. But I mean, do you feel like you're going to lie to your daughter? Because I hear that a lot on here about lying where people are like, well, I have to lie to my kid. I don't know. I don't see the point, you know. What about things that are just too early for her to know or understand? I mean, I guess I've told her like a small lie where she's like the other night we were, okay, this is my last lie actually.

We were out at a restaurant and like we were eating and like she already had like quite an indulgent meal and she was like, I want ice cream and I was like this restaurant doesn't have ice cream. See, there you go. That was my last lie. That's the lie. You were protecting her from being too full on sugar. ice creams and never going to sleep again.

Okay, number eight, what character in a book or film do you relate to the most and why? Oh, fuck. I don't maybe you didn't read any of those books in school, but you seem like you'd be interested in reading, or at least watching films. No, definitely.

Oh, you know what? I was kind of talking about this recently with my wife. I was watching Gilmore girls. I don't know if you've ever seen the character Jess. I don't know if you've ever seen that, babe. Have I seen it? Have I seen it like six different times through? That's right.

Thanks for asking. Jess? That show, yeah. That shows kind of on constant like cycle with me. Same. He's just like, you know, I don't know. He like was terrible in school but on his free time was like reading poetry and stuff and like didn't give a shit and was super nihilistic but then like...

Yeah, but were you annoying like he was annoying? Because he was so annoying. I was kind of annoying. I mean, I used to like, yeah, yeah. Like you had that attitude where you were like, I'm Jack Kerouac, babe. I can't be pinned down into something so simple as school. Yeah, I was like, I was probably a pretty annoying, like, teenager. Like, I was, like, really into just, like, you know, making a show of, like, being a dick and, like, vandalizing stuff, you know.

Sure. That's really funny. That's really funny. I mean, I have a love-hate relationship with jazz, obviously. I mean, everyone of the men on Gilmore Girls is horrible, except for Luke. Luke is the only quality man on that show and the grandfather. That's my humble opinion. Yeah, no, I feel you.

But Jess is better than what's her like first annoying boyfriend? Oh, Dean. Dean is the fucking worst. Yeah, he's like a needy little puppy. Yeah. Wait, what about Suki's husband? That dude's pretty chill. Oh, I do like him.

The produce monger. Yeah, he's great. Yeah, he's great. I like him. You're right. He's a good, he's a good guy. Okay, we'll put him also in the same category with Luke. Those are the top chairman of Gilmore Girls.

That's really funny, just from Billmore Girls. Unexpected, but I loved it. Okay, number nine, what was your biggest sliding doors moment? Like the Grenad of Paltrow film, as in if you had made another choice, maybe you would have been here right now. Have you seen sliding doors? I know, I haven't. Should put it on the watch list.

It's very good. I will. So basically in sliding doors, the whole thing is like the timeline of the film splits when she goes to catch a train. And in one timeline she gets on the train and in one timeline she doesn't. And basically what happens is like when she gets on the train, she gets home and catches her like boyfriend having an affair and the other one she doesn't. So like it follows this like what happens in both timelines.

So basically the question is like, did you have a moment like that? like that fate made you change it, but like you made a choice that you wouldn't be where you are today if you had made the opposite choice. Yeah, I mean, I think I have a pretty significant one. Like, I was, like I was telling you before, like I was always doing these different projects. Yeah, and I was regularly like sending like CDR demos like, you know, in the in the mail to record labels and like never hearing back. Yeah. So when I started Beach Falls, I made like two or three songs and I like burned some CDs to send to record labels. And I would like just didn't get around to it.

And the person I was dating at the time was like kind of more like on top of their shit than I was in a lot of ways. Oh really? A musician who had a girlfriend who was more on top of their shit than they were. I've never heard that story before. Exactly. Yeah. Unique. But she was like, she was like,

did you send those demos out? I was like, no, like, I was like, you know, I've just heard like fucking crickets or like

rejection letters. Like, no one gives a shit. You know, like no one fucking cares. And she was like, you have to send those demos out. Like,

if you don't send them out, I'm going to be so mad at you. Like, you have to do it. That's right. And I was like, unsung hero. Unsung hero.

You know, yeah, totally. And I was like, I don't want to fucking go to go to the post office, wait in line, do all this shit, whatever. But I was like, okay, fine. I will. Like, you know, so this was at the time where I had been in New York for only, I was coming up on a year.

Okay. You had already given up. I had given up. It's been nine smooth months, you guys. I haven't made it. Let's pack it up. Pack it in. We're going back to North Carolina. Well, so it wasn't giving up on the music thing. It was giving up on like being in New York. I was like, all right, I don't have a degree. Like, I'm a drop out. Like, I, I was working like, you know, 50 or 60 hours a week at like American Apparel and I fucking hated it. Oh God. It was fucking 2009, the ugliest first time. I'm sorry, you're really giving me like PTSD.

Like were you working at the American Apparel on Allen? It was like the one by NYU. Oh no. I don't know that one. Yeah. It was horrible. But like I hated my life. I was like, I live in New York, but I have no time to see it because I was like working these fucking long-inous chips.

Because you're fucking folding gold leme leggings all fucking day. Exactly. And so, like, you know, I had made a few friends in my building, but I hadn't met that many people. And I was like, I had already told them I was moving back home. I was like, I can't afford to live here anymore, even though I'm working this much. Right.

Like, it sucks. Like, I don't, I came here, like, I want to play shows, but I don't even have time to play shows. Like, this sucks. Like, I have to leave. I can't fucking be here. And sent those demos out. Because your girlfriend forced you to.

Yeah, exactly. And, you know, I just like, I got an email like, you know, a week later from captured tracks and from Woodsist at the same time. And they were like, we want to put this out. And I was like, holy shit. Like, now I have to stay in New York. And I had just quit my job in like a way that felt really relieving. Like I threw stuff on the ground and just like walked out, you know? an entire pile of fucking lemme unitards onto the floor and some headbands and fucking stepped on

them and you're like, fuck you dove, I'm out. That's pretty much how it was. And, you know, now, and I was like, shit, well, now I got to, like, get another job and, like, find a new apartment because I, like, didn't resign my lease and stuff. And I was like, I got to fucking stay here. So I, like, you know, scrambled to make it work. and you know, next thing you know, I was playing like four shows a week

and just like doing everything I could to make it happen and put out the record and started touring and it was like my life was completely changed. That's incredible. That's incredible. Do you keep in touch with this girlfriend, ex-girlfriend? No, I mean, we're like friendly, you know, we're on like good terms and everything, but...

You should send her a present every year. Do you know what I mean? I thanked her. I did thank her because I was like, you know, honestly, my entire life is different because also the way I met my wife is like she was working at Captured Tracks

which I signed to and it was like I would have met her. That girlfriend really fucking because if you sealed her own fate. She sent you right off to your new wife and your new life. She set up my whole life for me. Women, if you're listening, babe, don't do this.

Let them fucking figure it out. You got your own shit to deal with. They're not going to send their demo. They're not going to send their demo. speed to them. Go work on yourself. Yeah, I would not be doing this podcast right now. He'd be working at, he'd be working at LA Apparel. Somehow you'd have just moved your way through all of Dojarnie's companies. Okay, number 10, what characteristic are you most drawn to in other people? Um, honesty and a sense of humor. Yeah, those are the, well, sense of humor is the most

common one, but honesty, I think is a really good one. Yeah, I think you need both, you know, because you can have like one without the other. I think that balance is important. Yeah. I mean, I think, and I think you said it well because like some people say just being funny, and I feel like there's a difference, and I've said this on past episodes, and I'll just say it again, because I do think it's, I think it's an interesting distinction. Having a sense of humor doesn't mean you're funny. It just means that you understand humor, that you appreciate and understand humor doesn't necessarily mean that you yourself are funny, right? Right. Totally. I mean, I think, I do think for someone to be like legitimately very funny, like,

you probably have to have somewhat of like a high IQ or something. And severe childhood trauma. Yeah, that too. And some sort of dark and tormented past. Like the people that I'm friends with that are the funniest, I like can't wrap my head around how they can be so fucking quick. Yeah. It's like, it's like a situational thing. And they said something. something that's like smart and quick and witty enough to like make a crowd of like 20,000 people laugh. Yeah. But like just to me and I'm like, I feel lucky to have you as a friend.

I think it's like a mix between a built up muscle as someone who has been told that they're very funny. I mean, a bit of a muscle like 10,000 hours of just doing it. But also honestly, I feel like a lot of times it's just like it just comes. It's like the voice of God You know what I mean? Like people will come back and say stuff to me And they'll be like

Oh my God, this thing that you said on my other podcast Bandsman I'm like these things you saw on Bandsman It's so funny And they'll say it to me and I'll be like I don't believe you that I said that I don't remember I blacked out I have no idea that's voice of God bib That was God's joke

Yeah But that's the thing It's like people who try to be funny Like it's not funny It has to just be genuine Yeah It's a Touched by God Bib

Number 11 Who is the last person you met That you were star-struck by? Oh my God, dude This just happened to me on tour Hell yeah So all right Who's posty bringing in the green room?

Yeah Gotta be a veritable parade A lot of people, yeah But this one was like, okay When I was in Like 7th and 8th grade I was like a huge fucking juggalo

Like I was very into insane clown posse. Like, that was my shit. It was a perfect age for me. I was, like, mad. I was young. Their lyrics were, like, angry, but they were funny.

Yeah, it was, like, everything that I was into wrapped up into one, like, super into horror movies or, like, all, like, dark and shit. So, like, it had everything I wanted. And it hit at a time in my life that, like, it's still so nostalgic and important to me because of where I was at in my life that, like, I still revisit. those albums, like on a regular basis. And on tour, Posse's photographer, Adam, is like a good friend of mine, and he was like,

he's friends with ICP, and he was like, yeah, I invited him to the show. And Shaggy Too Doop, like, I was like, I gotta fucking meet him. And so he brought him to our green room after we played, and Shaggy was like, you all watched your show. Like, that was dope. I was like, what's up with the beach fossils?

And I was like, fucking, dude, My bandmates all know like how big of like a geek. I was like fucking trying so hard to be cool. I was like geeking out. I was like, this is like my fucking Bowie or something. Like this was like a very... Shaggy true dope is your David Bowie.

I mean, it was like a very important thing for me as like a young person. And it like, it shaped a few years of my life in like a big way. And so I was just like, I was like, I never got starstruck. I was like, fucking starstruck. Was he in the makeup?

No. Why did you, why did you in particular want shaggy to doop and not Violent J? Well, Violent J left because the thing is like he wanted to do the makeup. So he showed up in full makeup. And then we were playing these outdoor amphitheaters where there's no side stage. Like you have to actually watch the show from the crowd. Sure. And it was in Detroit.

And he was like, I can't fucking go out there in my makeup. Oh, yeah. He's too famous though. Yeah. Yeah. So he had to leave. So Shaggy didn't have the makeup. I mean, often it happens that God brings me the opportunity and the, honestly, it's my duty to tell you now that I did lose my virginity to a juggalo.

Wow. Yeah. He was like a, he wasn't, he might have been a paint wearing. I'm not really sure about that part. But I will tell you that it absolutely. took place in the bunk bed. There was a insane clown tapestry. Amazing.

Yes. He had a hatchet man tattoo. Was there Fago involved? No Fago. A box of wine. One full box of wine that I drank. There was a pet rat in the bunk bed. This man did within three weeks of this go to jail and then wrote me letters from jail,

which I do still have. So I have a very also formative relationship with the insane clown posse. Just in a different, it's a bit of a different way. Then in the Panini, first year, pandems, my really good friend Alice Barlow and myself, we both lived alone and we were like obviously losing our minds like because of the first like four months or whatever, three months maybe. We were FaceTiming all day, whatever, trying to amuse ourselves. And we were like, okay, I have an idea.

we're going to do a challenge, like a contest. We have a $150 limit. We each have to get each other a cameo. And whoever wins the cameo contest, you know, by having the best cameo, we will deliver them on this date, whatever. The morning comes. Test him. You're not even going to believe it.

This bitch got me Violent J. And who did I get her? Shaggy you two dollars. No fucking way. That's amazing. Is that not insane? Soulmates, babe. And also we both had them roast each other.

So it's like really funny. Shaggy 2-Dubs was nice, short, normal, making fun of her for being Australian because she's Australian. Yeah. Violin Jays was like four minutes long. Oh, I've seen. You've seen his. I've seen his cameo.

I've seen some of his cameos before and they are very long. Like you get what you pay. He really, he went after me for, he was like, oh, what do you go at home watching Grey's Anatomy with your cat in your lap, eating some bird food? And then he went off a little too long in the end about my indie rock boyfriends and how I need a real man to get the like the juggalo pump. It got a little like, it got a little dicey at the end.

You know what you mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah. But anyways, a real, a real beautiful moment aside from that part of friendship and solidarity between me and Al Sparlo. That's great. Thank you. Yeah. You know, it's still, the juggalo family, still bringing people together. I did love, I didn't ever listen to the music really.

And obviously my first experience with the world of jugglers was, I won't say traumatizing, but certainly was a situation. But then I did an episode of my other podcast, Bandspland about insane clown posse, and really, like, really endeared me to them and the community and like the vibes. Like, it's really a beautiful thing, actually. Yeah. I think, I think people don't realize that like they're self-aware. Totally.

Which is like a really big thing. It's like, they're. white guys making rap music about being clowns. They know what they're talking about. Well, and also just like being the champions of a specific

segment of society, which does tend to be like underprivileged white people from like broken homes. Like totally. And creating this community for like this one specific type of person. That was really moving to me. Like having these festivals where they all come

and like feel like they're part of a family. if maybe they don't have that at home, you know? I thought it was really nice. I've said before, like, I think they're one of the last real, like, fringe cultures in the United States. It's like, it can't be commodified. Like, you're not going to see, like, I see P merch at Walmart. No, but they do. I guess fake them.

Yeah. But, like, their fan base is, like, people who, like, if it was like the 60s or something, would be like, hell's angels, you know. Yeah, that's a good point. I mean, kind of sad, but a good point. Like true outlaws. Yeah, real, real, I mean, yeah, real margins of society vibes. Yeah.

That's a really great starstruck. Shaggy too dope is my David Bowie is, Chef's Kiss. That's going on your, that's going in your obituary. It should. 24. Number 12. When was the last time that you slid into someone's DMs?

obviously non-sexual using your blue check to foster a relationship. Oh, constantly. Like, whenever I hear, I mean, it's kind of amazing because it's like, it's kind of weird how it can work that way. It's like, I'm just like

a regular person. I wouldn't say you're regular, but yeah, okay. It's like the fact that I make music that people, other people enjoy has like given me this amount of privilege, I guess, where, I mean, that, you know, case in point, like, becoming friends with Post Malone and like you're bringing us on tour.

Yeah. And that was a DM slide, right, on your part? Yeah. Totally. But I mean, all the time, like, whenever I hear a new artist or like a new band that I get super into, like, the first thing I do is just like go to Instagram and like send them a DM. And I'm like, your music's fucking awesome. I love it.

I've been listening to it a bunch and just like kind of make a new friendship from that. You know, and it's like, there's no like expectation or anything. It's not like I want to like get anything from them Get anything out of you. It's just like I just like, you know, if someone makes some shit that I fuck with, I just like want to let them know that, you know, especially if it's like someone who's kind of new or like doesn't have a lot of recognition yet. Like I think that would be something important to me.

Like if someone bigger than me hit me up and told me they liked what I did, I would find that inspiring. And you know, I just, I like. I feel like it's cool to like get to encourage someone who's like sort of starting out and let them know that like what they're doing is sick. Who are some of the last few artists that you did with this with? Um, I honestly can't think off the top of my head. I did this recently like on tour like twice though. Some shit I was listening to. I can't remember right now though.

The story is not good without any examples. It's not good without without after. But I do this a lot. Okay. All right. Okay. Well, this is your beautiful opportunity to put these bands on to a new audience here on this pure podcast of music listeners.

You know what? Fuck them. They don't fucking deserve to be it. You know what, whatever. They need to do their own marketing. Okay, number 13. What is the horniest song ever, in your opinion? Oh, man, there's so many.

It doesn't have to be the most horny ever, but I mean, you can think of one that really comes to mind. Forgive the terminology. There's this one that, like, I can't. find online. Like I literally have been looking for it for years. What is it? Um, we were on tour once. We bought like this steady in a thrift store. And it's this rapper named like, Nikki Quick or something. It's got like an apostrophe in it.

Um, the song is called Mr. Goodbar. Okay. And it's just like the horniest song I've ever fucking heard in my life. And I've still, it might, maybe someone at this point has put it on YouTube. Um, But it's like, it's pretty intense. Yeah, I recommend if you can find it. I'm dying to know about this. Yeah.

Do you think it's a cover of the LL Cool J song? No, it's like, it's super raunchy. Oh, here we go. So you found it. It's called Something to Fuck to. The song is called Something to Fuck to? N-I-C-E-E-E-S-U-I-K-K-K is the name of the artist. A song is called Mr. Goodbar, in parentheses,

something they can fuck to. Came out in 1992. Wow. But I can't find the audio for it, but I can see that the song exists. Wow. Okay. Yeah. That's a deep cut.

Got to check it out. Deep cut. You got to check it out. It doesn't exist, but just imagine what it might sound like. If you dig, you can find it. Okay. Number 14. What is the biggest money you've ever turned down?

This has happened a few times. We actually just turned down like a pretty big office. for a festival because we have like our own headline tour going on coming up. And like it's in New York. And it's like we were like, would we rather play this thing or like get to play our own show, like the first show with our new record and as the hometown show. Right.

And we were like we'd rather do the headline shows. Right. You know, it's it's just, you know, thinking about like longevity and like, what's important to us as a band, like kind of get lost in the mix on like a fest that like maybe not all of our listeners come to. Yeah. Yeah, you know, so.

What about like when Cyan was like, here's $500,000 beach fossils, you have to do a commercial with the hamsters? That feels like a 2010 type offer that could have come through. I don't know. Yeah, I mean, I'm not really one for like turning down money, you know.

You were like, babe, did you hear me? I worked at American Apparel. Okay, we're taking all of the Scion dollars. We're taking whoever else wants to give us the money we're going to do it. Yeah, just give me the fucking money. Okay. All right, that's fair. That's a good answer, though.

You wanted to have your moment in the sun in New York with your real fans instead of a festival moment. For sure. How much money are we talking? Just out of curiosity. Oh, I don't like to talk about that kind of stuff. No, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's uncouth. I guess it's too, it's too, uh, it's too recent.

If it was like 2010, I feel like you could disclose the amount of money, but I hear you, it's a little too recent. Your booking agent is going to call up and be like, what the fuck are you doing? No, the other problem with like talking about money publicly is people don't realize how expensive it is to do something. Totally. So they think you're just rich as hell. Yeah, and how much of that gets cut off the top immediately by all the other people in our team. So it's like at the end of the day, like, I'm not getting that much. Right, right. You have enough for your candy bars and the healthy food for your daughter.

Exactly. And you're, you know, whatever else it is that seems like you have some gear in there. Yeah. Okay. I've got an inversion table. An inversion table? What's that? I have a bad back.

It like flips you upside down and it's supposed to help your back. Oh my God. That's so cool. Yeah. It was gifted to me. Well, kind of, it was second. second hand. And then all the blood rushes to your head, which is also really good for you. Yeah, you can only do it for like five minutes when you're starting out.

Otherwise, it can like give you big headaches and stuff. I have two herniated discs to my lower back. I've actually never even mentioned this publicly. Is it just from sitting all the time? Like, I think from just like a lifetime of like abusing my body. Well, it's not only no offense, but it's not like beach fossils is like, you know, it's like you're up there like thrashing or fucking in the pit, circle pit. No, I am. I am that. Are you? I am that.

Yeah, no, our shows get fucking wet. Wow, I've really revealed myself that I've actually never seen a beach Rostles show. We'll fix that. No, that's okay. I think people would not expect that from us. But yeah, our show is like, you know, I like to put it on like a punk show. You know, we go pretty intense.

With that, with those songs. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, no, it works. I mean, I think a lot, fights happen at our shows because, like, the people who have seen us before Mosh and the people who have not seen us before stand there and then they get in fights over it. Interesting. I guess I mean, and not this is, I guess a similar-ish, it's an offshoot.

I've been to dive shows, which also do tend to go off, even though the music is not exactly giving. So maybe it's in the same vein. Yeah. Yeah. Shout out Cole if you're listening. Yeah. Love Cole. Love Cole.

I was recently at his home. He also lives near a bunch of peacocks. Oh, nice. For a nice little birthday party. Okay. Number 15. What's the best live show you've ever seen? Okay. I went to that Sonic Youth show that recently just got put out on vinyl. It was like their last show in New York in 2000. I don't remember what year it was. But it was like, it was so fucking good. I'd never seen them before.

And I remember watching them and being so inspired because I was like a lot of the songs they were playing. spanned their entire career. And a lot of their earlier records, it's like some of my favorite stuff. And I'm like, they've been doing this for so long, and they still put the same amount of energy into the show, and the song still sound just as good. And it made me feel inspired that, like,

you know, you can get older and not have to, like, be boring or put on a show that sucks, or, like, the music has to, like, start sucking. You know, like you can just still be fucking cool no matter like how old you get. Totally. That was 2011, August 2011, Prejudge you. You know, it's interesting. I am not yet a Sonic Youth stand, which is weird.

It's very off brand for me, given everything else I like. And I do feel it's coming on for me soon. Yeah. But still, Sonic Youth is also one of the best shows I've ever seen, like, top five. They headlined Lollapalooza in 1995. Oh, wow. I was 13, and it was at what used to be called Irvine Meadows, so now the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, and Hole played right before them.

Oh, fuck yeah. Yeah, it was amazing. But in 1995, Hull was massive, right? Yeah. And so what happened was a huge part of the audience left after Holt. Yeah. So then we all got to come. up super close, basically, in a amphitheater, you know, but it's just like so many people left.

And they played for like two and a half hours. And it was, that's amazing. Epic. And I loved it. I just remember, like, even though I wasn't super familiar with the music, because like, I think I knew I had the washing machine album, which is a really good album. They played like, I swear to God, the Diamond C version that they played was like 30 minutes long or like 20 minutes. I just remember being so, it's already a really long song, right?

It's like 12 minutes long. Yeah. But like they played like this super extended version. It was amazing. So I do feel my Sonic Youth as Ons is coming. I always thought Sonic Youth would become the next Grateful Dead type band for that generation, but obviously they didn't.

But I think it's pavement instead. Yeah. I mean, yeah, I think there are so many. I mean, this is like a completely different conversation, but there are so many fucking bands from the 90s that deserve to be household names who just never got it. Like, you know, I mean, they're recognized, but it's like, you know,

it's just such a shame that like so many people didn't get I mean Sonic Youth did okay babe they were on a major since day one and they got to do whatever they wanted and they I think of all the careers that you could have Sonic Youth pretty much killed it yeah definitely yeah they did okay they did okay and pavement they did fine as well you know for sure they're out here they again they all sort of came in at the right time at the very least you know right

But yeah, great, great live concert experience. Okay, number 16, one in your life. We're trying to get to an isolated one-time event. Were you the most fucked up wasted hammered trashed? Maybe this time where like my, so going back to that like punk house or whatever, somebody got their hands on like a massive ball of hash. Oh my God. It was like a fucking golf ball.

I just shuddered. I just shuddered. It was kind of ridiculous. And like we made brownies with the entire thing. And we split it. There was only three of us. So we just split it into three brownies. And I ate one and was like,

I was like chilling normal. And then all of a sudden I was like fucking teleporting. Sure. It was like, my friend's parents kitchen and then I was like out of fucking quiz nose and then like I was out of fucking quiz nose not a quiz nose. I was like I didn't know how I got anywhere and then like at some point I was like in my friend's parents closet drinking beers by myself. I didn't even know how I got there because parents were out of town and I like just like fell asleep.

and I woke up and I was like, I hope I'm not still high. And I was like, I was fine. But it was fucking horrible. I was like, it was more fucked up than like ever like taking mushrooms or like getting super hammered or something. It was it was like a very uncomfortable experience. I absolutely agree. I cannot eat weed.

Like the two times I've done it in my whole life, I have gone in the sunken place. The first time I did it was in college, which was like, I'd never, you know, we made brownies. Who knows what we put in there? We have not scientists, whatever, so much. I don't, and it takes a while. So I'm like, oh, I'm not high. I better hit the bong. No, babe. Absolutely not. Fucking what the fuck. And then I woke up the next day and my face was swollen because I had mono. Why? All just together at the same time. I can't do it. I'd rather eat like 400 grams of mushrooms, 500 to double the heroes dose. I don't, care. I'm not eating weight ever again. Hardness. No, me either. Yeah, same. The way, even like,

people are like, you know, it's like now it's like moms are like, you know, me, I take a little gummy in the evening and take the edge off. I'm like, I would go straight into my own mind. And I could not be accessed again for six hours. Yeah. No, it's, it's uncomfortable. I feel like I go to like a really, um, dark place when I get, like too, too much THC. It's not a nice. I mean, I'm a big mushroom girly. And for me, I'm like, I've never had a bad trip. I don't believe in bad mushroom trips. I think even if you're having a bit of a hard time,

that's so cleansing and you're like basically working through some shit that you need to and it's going to be so beautiful on the other side and it always is. But like, THC high when it gets too much, I always feel like I'm like, this is not nice. There's no healing happening here. Nothing good is coming out of it.

I'm not talking to God. This is just bad vibes. Yeah, I'm just like, yeah, I feel like my head fills with like all like just horrible like intrusive thoughts that I can't push away and they're like really loud. Yeah, exactly. I know. I hate when people are like, yeah, you know, I just like smoke weed to relax. I'm like, it must be nice. It makes me so self-conscious.

Like it's like everything about it is a huge no thank you for me. I mean, I don't mind smoking weed here and there once in a while. It's an activity for me. Like people are like, hey, you want to get high? I'm like, what, like right now? outside on the street. Like in front of a rest of, no. This is like, at home, we have an event, which is I'm being high.

Like, what I'm doing right now is I'm being high and there's no other thing that's happening. Yeah, same. Like, I've got a little vape and I'm like, I'll hit it, you know, sometimes at night and just like listen to music or like watch a movie or something. But it's like, I can't be social. No. Like, I can't fucking.

Try to like walk around or like get in a call. What are you talking about? I got stoned before a show once. and I walked on stage and I was just like, why the, like, all these fucking people are staring at me right now. I mean, yes, they paid money to come stare at you, but that was your thought. You were like, why are they all looking at me?

It's because you're the front man of the band that they paid money to come see. I can't handle this right now. Okay, questions 17 and 18 are tandem questions. It's what do you love the most about being famous and what do you hate the most about being famous. And I must once again, caveat, do not say you're not famous because you wouldn't be here if you weren't famous. On some level. That's how I was going to start. I know, but on some level, you clearly have a level of fame. Sure, can you go to the grocery store without people mobbing you for autographs? Yes, but it doesn't mean that you're not a known quantity.

I don't think there are any negatives. Because I'm not like, I'm not like famous enough for it to impact my life in a negative way. Like, you know, it's, if anything, I only, like,

get the positives, you know, like, I'll go to a show and someone will be like, I love your music or something. It's like, I, I,

I'm not the kind of person that's annoyed by people coming up to me or wanting to take a picture or anything. Like, I find that extremely, like, gratifying. It's like, I've worked really hard and,

and people appreciate it. And, like, these people are the reason I'm able to do this. So I'm like, always happy to engage and, you know. We love to get recognized. It's great. Yeah.

Yeah, you can't complain about it. So, yeah, I don't know. I don't think there's any, I don't think there's any downsides. So you don't have any people on your social media, um, popping in to be, um, annoying. I don't like really read my DMs. Okay. So you're like, that could be happening.

You're like, I'm happy for you. I'm sorry that happened, but I'm not reading all that. Yeah. I mean, I guess the only negative thing would be like, like anytime I post something like vaguely political, there's like a ton of people like telling me to kill myself. Just, you know, that's lightly negative is when people tell me to kill myself. Yeah.

I mean, you know, that can be kind of sketchy. Sure. Yeah. Not ideal. Yeah. But, you know, it's like these people don't know me. Sure. You know, like, who cares?

Who cares? Yeah. It's more like, I pray for you, babe. Yeah. Okay, great answer. Number 19 is the wild card. How did becoming a father influence this new album or the way you make music? I didn't think it was going to. And I don't even think I realized that it did until later. But I think like something in me switched. I feel like I've always been someone who has like a lot of empathy. empathy, maybe like too much in a way that I kind of like can negatively affect my existence.

Sure. Not you saying, not you calling yourself a highly sensitive person. Right. He's like, oh, babe, I'm an empath. I don't know if you know what that means, but. But like, I don't know, having a kid has like made me have like a whole new perspective on life. And like I feel like I get to see everything from her perspective, which is like amazing and beautiful. But I also see how like a lot of things are very scary for her and overwhelming. So I kind of like feel all of that. And I don't know why, but like my, my heightened sense of just like this empathy for this new human being who's experiencing everything.

for the first time has made me work easier and quicker. For some reason, the creativity comes to me easier now. I would struggle with writers block a lot when I have a lot of free time to just fuck off and do whatever. And now it's like my free time is very precious to me. And when I'm working, I just feel it's easier to just go straight to the good stuff. It's so interesting. I've not ever heard that as like a side effect, but that is a really, it's crazy. It's like almost like subconsciously. You're like, well, I want to do this other thing,

which is like spend time with my child. So I need this needs to like get the fuck on with it. And your mind's like, okay, you're right. Yeah. Here's the idea. Yeah. Here's the chord progression or whatever. Yeah. It's made me like a very patient person too. And like I also think something about having a kid makes you as your own person, less self-conscious. So maybe that has something to do with it, or it's like, I sit down with my instrument or to write lyrics, and I'm not, like, analyzing it. I'm just letting it happen. Right.

Yeah, that makes sense. I mean, I think it's got to give you a broader perspective on everything. Like, yeah. Yeah, that's very beautiful. Okay. Number 20. When was the last time you cried? Pretty recently.

Maybe last night. What was it about? What happened? I don't know. Well, I cried a lot on this last tour, actually, because it was like... Because Shaggy Jutop talked to me. Because Shaggy J-Tob touched your hand. Yeah.

No, I mean, this last tour was just like intense. Like, it was six weeks, and I was, like, missing my daughter a lot. And we were, like, touring in this thing called a bandwagon. Okay. Which was, like, not a van or a bus. It's like an in-between. Secret of that thing. Mm-hmm.

But it has like no fucking shock absorption or anything whatsoever. So I would I would say it's like if someone built bunks on the back of a school bus. So like you're flying. Like I'm catching air like on these drives. Like I'm like fucking flying over the bunk and stuff like off my bunk. Like it was very sketch. And I didn't sleep like very much at all. Like I'm still catching up on it.

There was, I think the worst during the entire tour for me was I went six days with no sleep at all because it was just so uncomfortable. It was like fucking hot and I was bumping around. And I was just like, I had like a breakdown. Like I was just sitting in the bunk listening to music on my like sad music and just like fucking sobbing. Just like I was just like a boring psychotic break from lack of sleep. Yeah. I was like I want to go home.

Like I was like I just want to fucking go home right now. Like, I was over it. It's rough. I'm sorry. Yeah. Well, it's all good. That's the trenches of touring musician. Totally.

Yeah. It's a harder than I think people realized. Yeah. I mean, I've only ever been on, I've been on a five-week tour once, and it's, I'll tell you what, it's 10 times harder when you don't even play in the band. It's way worse. Because then you also have no payoff, no, at least nothing. It's just misery.

Right. It's like touring kind of sucks, but the best part about it is going on stage and playing the show. So if you don't even have that part, that's kind of... Guess what? Selling the merchants settling out at the end of the night doesn't really do it. Yeah, that's... That was it, never again. I was like, one time and one time only, babe.

This is not the life for me. I'll do respect to tour managers everywhere. You're doing God's work. Absolutely. Okay. Number 21. What is your relationship to the Dave Matthews band? I fucking hate it.

I mean, I don't know. That's interesting. We were having such a beautiful time until now and now. I'm sorry. It's hard. This is hurtful for me to hear. You hate it. It's not even like you're like,

it's not for me, but you actively like really hate it. I can't stand it. And like, I'm sorry. But like, here's, there's a few quick notes I'll make,

maybe questions. Okay. One thing is, to me, it always seemed like music for frat boys. And I was like, how is this like a, part of jam culture because it literally just seems like some shit for like frett bros to listen to.

Well, I'm happy to explain it to you. The audience, you can't choose your fans, as you know very well, right? So the audience that came to it is just the audience. But I think you can't use that as a reflection of the band. Secondly, I think they're like in between the worlds of jam band and not jam band. To me, it's a very unique kind. It's like, I think you might even like it a little bit more than you think because they're all the musicians are jazz musicians in the Dave Matthews band and so the kind of jamming they do is jazz improvisation jamming so it's like quite it's quite elevated like I think the last time I saw them which was a couple of weeks ago I want to say it was Thundercat who played with them yes oh that's cool yeah I mean they had this

they had a legendary other bass players whose name I can't remember like a jazz bass player and also Thundercat and they both played. They're like very incredible musicians and again in the in the jazz lineage. So it's I get it. It's hard to like reconcile the flip-flop wearing, you know, I don't even, I couldn't even tell you a frat name if I wanted to because it's so far. I was like five beta gamma is that's probably sorority. But it's a new. I don't know.

But give it a try. I'm very open-minded. Revisit. I'll make you a little playlist. I understand it not being for people because I think, like, Dave Matthews has a really unique voice, which I really love. But I think it's a little off-putting for some people, if that's not your thing. But I feel we're borderline finally through the tireless efforts of myself and others going to get to a Dave Matthews' renaissance. Wow. Well, the one thing I will say is that I, I don't. don't know why, but for some reason, videos of Dave Matthews come up on my Instagram

Explorer page. That's God, Ben. And I see him, like, up there, and he's, like, dancing like a toddler. He's so free. And I do, I do respect that because I'm like, this is like some Ian Curtis shit where, like, he doesn't give a fuck what he looks like. And I do respect that where I'm just like, he looks so dumb, but he's having fun and he doesn't care.

And that's that, I will say, that's chill. It's really inspiring. You rarely come across an artist that you're like, you do not care about being cool. It's never even crossed your mind. You don't care at all. This is just you love it so much and you just like, I am cringe, but I am free, you know? Yeah. I mean, I do think, like, uncool stuff is usually the coolest shit.

Yeah. Because, like, being cool is just like smoke and mirrors. And it's so fucking whack. Yeah. We'll get you into it. This is my personal agenda because I love Dave Matthew. band so much and it brings me truly, truly so much joy in my life. I love that.

In my car permanently set to the Sirius XM station, Dave Matthews Band Radio. Wow. And yeah, because I just, it just really does it for me. That's good. Yeah. Well, I'll approach with open mind. Okay, great. I appreciate that.

That's all I ask. You don't have to love it. Not everyone has to love everything. But, you know, I just, I want you to remove the stigma that is associated and come to it with a clear vision, you know? Well, I like to give everything a chance because, like, I feel like, um, not enjoying something just makes life worse. I have so agree.

Like, why even waste the energy of, like, it's fine. If you don't like stuff, just avoid it. But, like, people that put their, like, energy and time into, like, thinking about and talking about things they don't like, again, it's fine. Like, but, like, to me, it's like, What a waste of your, again, one wild and precious life. You only have so much attention and energy to focus on things. Why not focus it on things that are joyful and make you happy?

Totally. Things that I don't like, I just avoid because I'm like, I don't need that in my life. Totally. I'm just like, okay. But I also will say I've like never really heard Dave Matthews because I've never got enjoyment from it. I had a feeling. Because we haven't got, we're going to get you there. And then again, again, if you hear it and you're like, I don't like this, great.

Turn your, turn away. You gave it a trial. All right, number 22. What song would you like to hear just before you die? Wow. Just a light. It's a light question. I don't know.

I've thought about this because I've like, I made like a playlist once. For like a personal playlist. For your death. Well, just like a song that I think would be nice to play at like my funeral. Okay. For, you know, just one song that plays, people can just sit and listen to it.

Right. And at this point, I really can't remember what's on the list because I made it a long time ago. But probably something that would be like kind of mellow with a dash of humor. But I don't know what that would be. Because you want people to be laughing and crying at the same time. It's a celebration. This is not about your funeral.

This is about just you hearing it while you go out into the great unknown. Maybe like you would pick a Nick Drake song. Nick Drake would be very nice. Maybe like maybe something like a little more celebratory though like some kind of like like a Louis Armstrong song or something You know.

You're into your jazz. You know what I've been really, my answer that changes all the time because I have to think about it every episode. But I've been really fucking with Daniel Lanwae lately and that song, The Maker. Do you know that song? Do you know Daniel?

I don't know. No. It's really good. Give it a listen. That's very beautiful. Yeah, he's incredible. I think he worked a lot with you too and stuff, but he was a producer.

He made his own music too. Okay, Louis Armstrong. Doodoo, do, do, death. Okay, number 23. What do you think about me? I think you're awesome. Hell yeah. Truly.

Yeah, I feel like we could be friends. We are friends. It already happened. That's transpired. We're friends. I'm going to come to a beach fossils show in Mosh. Fuck yeah. I eat my words.

So I'm going to be like, oh, no. You don't have to Mosh. You can just stay on side stage and hang out. Can you guys do a show that when you play? Can you like, can the, set time be like seven. I wish. Very difficult for me as I get in bed at 9.30.

This whole wanting to love music and go to shows has been very challenging for me lately because I'm like, oh, y'all want to play at 11 p.m. Yeah, no, honestly, I mean, I don't want to play late either. It's just like we don't have any control over that. I know. It's the culture. My ideal thing is just like every show is a two-band bill. Both bands only play for 20 minutes and it's just like over.

The best thing is like, I don't know why, but when we tour in Europe, I feel like the shows are earlier. And I'm back at the hotel about like 10 or something. Dream. It's fucking sick. I would literally love, I would love shows to start at 7. Yeah. And by 10, we're going to, everyone's out of the door and in their house.

Yeah. Okay, but I'll stay up late. I'll have like a coffee or something. Nice. Okay. Last question. What do you want to plug? We have a couple tours coming up.

Okay. We have like a fall tour. It's like North America. And then we have like a Europe tour. for early next year. Nice. You can go get, you can look into dates

at beach fossils.org. That edu. Yeah. It's probably just beachfossil.com, you guys, check it out. Yeah, exactly. Check it out.

We got some fucking shows. Listen to the new album, Bunny. Hell yeah. Dustin, thank you so much for taking the time. This was the beautiful conversation.

Yeah, thanks a lot. I had a lot of fun. Come back next week for a new episode of 24 question party people. 24 Thanks for listening to 24 question party people And thanks to my guest, Dustin Pacer Beach Fossil's gorgeous new album, Bunny, is out now

Wherever Music is sold and streaming on all platforms. Look out for them on tour this fall. You can find the dates at beachfossils.com. This episode was produced by Chris Sutton and Jesse Miller-Gordon with help from Justin Sales. Our gorgeous theme song was composed by Heather Fortunes. Special thanks to Nicholas Soltar, Sean Fennacy, Rob Harvilla,

my travel packets of clean goat protein powder. Come back every Tuesday for a new episode of 24 question party people on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. 24 question party people.