Garza Podcast - 6: Brandon Blaine | PLAGUE VENDOR

Episode Date: March 22, 2021

Brandon Blaine is the lead singer and frontman for Plague Vendor. We talk about our drinking struggles during the pandemic. Ripping his pants onstage, and much more. SPONSORS: Click this link to purchase from Sweetwater & help support the podcast: imp.i114863.net/rnrmVB  

Today's guest is the frontman and lead singer for Plague Vender. Plague Vender is from Whittier, California, which from here is about 45 minutes or so north. My old band in high school used to play Whittier all the time, which is eventually how I met Alex our drummer. So there's always been like this long-term connection with here, Corona, California, Iron Empire, and Whittier. It's been really cool to see Plaguebender Come from Whittier And go on to tour Play with some of their favorite bands

Like Bad Religion Refuse, Debtones And the Lutz goes on And also play the massive festival stages So simply put They fucking did it So without further ado Let's get into it

Brandon Blaine Sometimes I'm into it And sometimes I'm not into it Yeah You know It's weird I found a new I new found passion with the posting stuff and then communicating with the people online.

It's been very recent. I'm like, I kind of like enjoy this. Yeah. No, I've always, always on the plague vendor one like I'll go on my Instagram and put in plague vendors hashtag. Yeah. And I literally go to anyone, everyone that's posted something about us and I'll comment on it. That's sick.

For my personal one. That's great. And I'll usually use like the rock. the horns with the skull and that way and then they hit me up and I'll just talk to them. Like anyone like knows that they can hit me up directly on Instagram, talk to me. Yeah. And I'm like, I'll listen to their band or whatever. Same.

Yeah. That's cool, man. Yeah. Yeah. And that, uh, I think that will like make a lasting impression on people. Yeah. You know, it's cool too. Like this new found like, just enjoy it.

Like having like a full on conversation. with people like on you know with in your DMs yeah it's been really cool yeah i keep it i keep it like we don't get too deep you know we just keep it like they they they tell me like oh yeah you know like i dig this or i dig that or have you heard of this band so it's cool it's it everyone like i keep it respectful they keep it respectful it's just like nice yeah totally it doesn't get like weird ever do you love that yeah i love it love it well do you do you Dude, Brandon, thank you for being here. Thank you for making this drive down.

Of course. Pretty cool. I just found out 20 minutes ago that you actually have lived in Corona California prior. Yeah. Wow. How can Alex not tell me that? I don't, you know, I don't think he knew. Wow.

Yeah, I don't think anybody really, people are probably like, he's just no way. But yeah, it's, yeah. My aunt lives right down the street on the other side of the park. And me and my mom and my mom. and my brother and I, we stayed there at her house for a while, and we would commute, like, to Granada Middle School in Whittier. Yeah. And just for a couple months, yeah.

That's a pretty long trip. Yeah, we had to wake up real early. Yeah, and already for school, you're already waking up too early. But my mom was a really fat. My mom's a really fast driver, and she's just, like, flying, so. And back then it was probably a little bit less traffic. Yeah, and I'd have her drop me off a ways away from school. with the burrito and just

you know take my time damn that's sick yeah well again thank you for being here dude thanks for having me it's amazing if no everybody everybody everyone listening this room is immaculate I was so this morning I'll be here

it was raining pretty hard yeah it was so I was you know I went out in early in the morning went out for a jog was raining it was like a cool vibe yeah and I had on my my headphones on with a hood on so I was really even more in the zone it was like dark and it was pouring and I was playing a plague bender.

Oh okay. And the music was fitting what was happening around me. No way. It put me in like a very present state. It was cool. Okay. Like it's like the rain coming down then like this is this big you guys do pretty often that it's a main thing to want to do this. Yeah, it makes me want to do that too. Yeah, it's cool. It's badass. I'm like and and then I'm running and I'm feeling that way and then hearing Jay come in with the with with with these riffs you know yeah and like with that with the rain I'm like this is a moment right now yeah it is a lot of people not a lot of people a lot of friends of ours say they love working out to our music so yeah yeah I'm honored that's fucking badass man a part of part of your exercise yeah it was

dope first in the morning I heard you guys hell yeah what would you listen to which one uh the new record Okay, cool. Well, not, I guess not too new, right? It's still new. Yeah. Yeah. Same with us, I'm like, I keep saying new in a way. It's not new anymore.

I think we released it in 2019. Yeah. But it's the newest one. Until the next one comes out, that one's new. Yeah. And then when the next one comes out, that one will be like old. Where did you track that record at? We tracked the by night.

Yeah. We did it at East West Studios. Dude, you guys, I saw them like, they recorded there? Yeah. What was that like? insane. There's a lot of history there. Yeah. And our drum tech was, he was Nirvana's drum tech. And he was talking about Dave Grohl's like snare and how people like, I've offered to buy it and he'd never sell it. But I don't know if we used it. I'm not sure what, if we did or we didn't, I'm not sure. But I just remember. And he was a very, I wish I

remembered his name but he was very cool and we were in this really big room and um yeah it was a lot of fun dude that must have attitude i mean now now i kind of go back and listen to that record again and those songs and kind of know where yeah where you guys were it adds to you think being in rooms like that with a lot of history and like and like the big studios you just add something to the music that you can't that you know yeah if you like I can't tell you what bands record there because there's just so many. It's a lot. Yeah, and I was like, I don't even want to try and name one and be wrong, but to me, like,

I know Frank Sinatra was like all about it. That was the first thing that I remember, but being there, it was kind of like, all right, we're like, you're here. You're part of like history in a way because you get to be, you get to be a part of history. Yeah. So it was kind of like, I was really. relaxed like I had a really good time and it kind of it kind of gives you a little like inner self-confidence boost yeah it's like we're in this magical space yeah so let's just that's not

I try not to think overthink anything during that process and everything just was like a streamline for me like the most the funnest I've had recording and smoothest experience really yeah for me yeah man i i guess yeah i think you chose like the right uh headspace for that you know you kind of you kind of let like the energy and you don't you don't overthink the energy no yeah and i also like there's been times when i'm like all right i'm not gonna drink this whole time

while we're recording and like that didn't work for me like i just put too much like do things i stop like being myself you know what i mean and like i enjoy a drink every now then so it's like yeah i always had like a cocktail if I wanted one and like I didn't like take myself too seriously. Yeah. And that like yeah. I think at one point I was like on the floor recording or like you know, like I was just having a blast.

That's sick. Yeah. Yeah, it's hard to really, uh, obviously we're, we're growing up and especially when you're making records like you are, you're still you. Yeah. But you are a different. You're all, you're an involved person. So I think if correct me, I'm wrong, so on blood sweat, you weren't drinking at all.

No. And that worked for you at that time. That's where you were, right? It didn't. It wasn't working. It wasn't working. And it was like a really like not, I didn't really have a good time recording that record. Really?

Yeah, no. I mean, I, yeah, I, no, I didn't. It was, I was just, again, putting too much pressure on myself. Yeah. And I kept trying to, like, beat it. And I, like, really couldn't, like, beat it. But I mean, there obviously were good times in the studio. Of course.

You know what I'm saying? But I just remember there's being a lot of like tension coming from me. Like everyone was rad. But I was just like I couldn't get in that headspace. So I just this time I was like, I'm going to be exactly who I am live. Like I'm going to like have a drink before I record and I'm just going to get loose. And I'm just going to be wild. Yeah.

And do my thing. I'm going to be exactly if not crazier in the studio than I am live. like try to put all that vocal energy like everything that I think about everything like like you know put it all there and just and I was like more prepared too yeah you know that blood sweat was like our first like we're in a studio type of thing and you know yeah you got to so I was like extra prepared had everything I think I had every lyric done except for one song that I wanted to write in the studio I wanted to like create something there and like present it. it and that worked out too because

I think that's cool too. Having something to like work on when you're there not like 10 things but having one special thing yeah. Yeah so that ended up being new come down. You serious? Like single yeah so I was like weird yeah like I had like okay like I have the vocal melody and I have the chorus

but I'm gonna do the verses like on the spot like right before like give me like 15 minutes and I went like boom boom okay I'm ready and that was fun to be able to do that Yeah, you know, just growing up, like, being more responsible with it, but at the same time, not being responsible with it. Yeah, yeah, trying to let the... Like, there was a liquor store right across the street, so it was like... Of course, yeah.

It was just, it was a nice, it was a party for me. Like, I just really enjoyed it. And John Cognleton, our producer was, like, hilarious and really helped me, like, get what I wanted, like, out of the sound for the vocal. Yeah. Like, I remember having, like, one conversation with him, and then from that, you. one conversation, everything that he added, I was like, that's exactly what I've been wanting to hear my whole life. Like, do you remember on...

That's a big moment. Have you listened to De Laosan the Cometorium? No. By Mars Volta? It's been a while. Well, there's like vocal... I could be wrong. I could have just been like...

But I'm pretty sure on those vocal takes, there's a higher register and a lower one. Yeah. Or it's almost like just like, it's crazy. booth. Yeah, yeah. And that's there somewhere. And I was like talking to him about that. And I was like, could you like kind of do something like that?

Like have this. He literally was like having fun with like. Oh yeah. Different levels and I just, I love that. That's so sick. When you're like, when you're like, when you're tracking or doing trying out an idea and you like see them like messing with knobs. So fucking cool. I would hear it after.

Like I would just go record and I'd go back in the room like, yes. Yes. We get each other. like you get me thank you yeah yeah did did he try running any pedals through I'm not or just like a rack or rack stuff I don't I don't I don't really remember I just remember him like being all scientists yeah yeah you know I really tried to like just just let it if I heard something I was like all right cool like if too I didn't want to know how we did it yeah I don't want to know dude totally I don't want to know I don't want to know

I don't want to know the magic trick is done yeah you know what I'm saying I was like Yeah, and then when you hear it back, you're like, it's like part of just like this realization, huh? When you hear it back, you're like, oh, that's how you, oh. Yeah. Oh. Exactly. And imagine what's going to happen when you do like, do like your next either single or EP or record. Like, are you going to have that?

Okay, that's how you get that sound. That's how I'm trying to get that sound. Now you have a how to bring it back. Exactly. You know? Yeah. It's so cool when you see like. a producer's tricks.

Yeah. Oh, yes. Okay. Yeah. I mean, like I said, I don't know how he did it. But I love what he did with it. It's totally sick, man. He actually reached out to us a little while ago.

We might do our next record with him again. Great. Maybe. I don't know. I can say that. Yeah. Yeah. How the guy's doing, man?

Guys are good. I see them Monday and Tuesdays. That's when we all get together and work, like, right. Great. We've been pretty busy, like working on, we did, like, I think we did nine songs at Alex's house. Yeah. We wrote those, like, the beginning of the pandemic, we just, like, had to make that decision, like, okay, is everybody, like, everyone's been tested. Everyone, like, bring your mask, bring your hand sanitizer.

don't go out, be safe. So once we were all comfortable and safe around each other, we started riding together. And then once we had nine songs, we went over to Alex's, did some demos of those songs, and went back to our studio. We're working on, we have nine more.

Nine more? Yeah. Whoa. So we're just riding. And just, you know, now that there's like no pressure of anyone or anything coming. our way. The pressure is now just coming from us.

Like trying to just write. Just to build, just to stack songs. That's the most important thing I think for us is just to keep writing. Yeah. You know. Yeah. Have you guys talked about how you're going to use the songs? How you're going to release the songs? Yeah. Yeah. We have our

we have a we have a light plan and set for it. It should be pretty exciting. Nice, man. Yeah, yeah. We're still working out the details, but we know what we want. Yeah, that's cool. And it'll keep it interesting. That's great. Yeah, yeah. And it's great. You guys, there's time to talk about it, and you guys can pretty much do whatever the, like, wherever the fuck you want. Yeah, we're, actually, like, we were in a good place when everything happened. Like, we've never really lived off of our band ever every now and then

we will like take a little bit here a little bit there but we we have a band fund you know like we all have jobs so it's not like so when this happened it wasn't like tours canceled great like shit what am I going to do I don't know how am I going to make money

we already had our jobs like we weren't like you know living off of touring even though that would that would you know eventually that's what we would like to do is to live off of touring

and our art but we weren't at that we're not at that place right now and so when this happened it was kind of like okay well we have money in the bank that we've made from touring

like whatever so let's just focus on what's important the music let's just write that's great you know and work so

well obviously Luke and Jay and Michael all work in the service industry so their jobs kind of got they just started working again I don't know about Mike but Luke and Jay are back at the restaurant doing their thing

so yeah yeah you guys are awesome man until until Jay did I fucking love him oh he's listening he's listening yeah yeah remember that that one quick tour that that we did together

we this seems so fucking legendary Remember this one time where we were in their front lounge and we were sharing the fucking little little table right there. And I was, you know, I was up against the wall and he was sitting right. Oh, the lounge of your bus. Yeah, the lounge. Right, right.

And he was so hammered that he couldn't get up. Yeah. And I'll come out, I guess I'm going to sit here by the kitchen table pretty much the whole night. Right. And I enjoyed it. It was called my, I love Jay. Yeah. It's seeing him just like having a great time.

Yeah. It was fucking badass. man and anyone he was just sitting there like not moving or talking I think you were trying to get him up okay and he wasn't having it did he spend the night on your bus that night probably I think he did possibility I think each of us got it was kind of like

who's gonna spend the night on the bus tonight who's it gonna be yeah and um I was definitely I was definitely had a turn on the got to sleep in the front front room yeah man it was good time was a great tour it was fun it was like you said on your on the episode you did with Alex you guys are a band that

could pretty much tour with anybody and like I was like that's how I feel about our band you know I think you guys have that I was looking at I mean over the years just not even like you know you just hear things I'm not even to pain attention yeah being in this room or on tour with Alex

I just hearing him say things yeah my man they're playbender is doing this playbenders playing with deptones playbenders uh On this tour, I'm like, wow. Yeah. That's incredible, man. Yeah, and that tour was insane.

And I had to tell Alex first, I was like, we got this tour. And he was just like, I'm so, you know, he's like my big brother. Yeah. And I knew that meant a lot to him. And he was, like, really psyched about it. And I was, we're all really psyched about it. Yeah, it's cool. Yeah, we have that, you know, in common with our respective bands where, you know,

you guys have it too. Like, you guys could kind of. You can play with Debtones. You can play with bad religion or you could go on like Ohana Festival with Kings of Leon. It works. Right, right. And so it's something that you can't try or force. It just kind of happens.

I think that's what we do when we write. Yeah. Like if we were, okay, we're going to be this kind of band. Yeah. Then they would probably be a little harder. Sure. But if you're open to it and you don't think about, you don't generalize. your art, then you can

do it anywhere you want, you know? Yeah. Play any festival, any band. I mean, I think suicide silence is definitely the most like, probably one that stands out to me the most because it was just like, two different, like, you know, same like, same nucleus, like, same like hub.

Like, we all hang out. Yeah. And then it was like, one, it was like, one day we're going to tour together. One day we're going to tour together. Yeah. And it finally had. It happened and it was just like, here we are.

It's so, when it stars aligned, it's definitely like a beautiful thing and trying to enjoy it while it's happening. Yeah. You know, you touring with you guys for that fun to run. Like, it finally happened. Yeah. Stars aligned. Yeah. And it was cool to be able to play in front of you guys too.

Like, I remember just like being at this one show in San Francisco. It's like this venue that look like a like a nuclear like power plant. Yeah. You remember that? Do you know that venue? it's like there's like iron but like what's it called but it's like it's in San Fran and Eddie's probably

like if Eddie's listening like I know exactly yeah yeah yeah but um I remember that show and it was like out of a movie or something like you guys were like watching us playing from above and like it was just so crazy oh DNA lounge yeah yeah see it would be called DNA

Lounge that's how it looks yeah yeah it's exactly what's going on but the lighting was weird it was like some like post apocalyptic like shit Yeah, they did it have some unique lights there. Yeah, and like, and the setup is like, they have like stairs going up. But it's, yeah. Yeah, crazy stage.

She was fun, man. I love watching, you know, I love watching, like, rhythm players that do their own riffs and like, and play fenders. Right. So Jay's like, he pretty much checked every box. Right. And especially, like, a guy that's their own guy is like, I'm like, that's my shit. Yeah, he's definitely. his own guy. Yeah. For sure. Yeah.

And you're your own guy and then you put that in a fucking band. Yeah, exactly. That's another band I love. Like it's just you guys have your own personalities. Right. Love that shit. Yeah. It's cool. It works. Yep. It's just like brothers like you and your boys, you know.

Everyone's different. Yeah, we always say that. We're like cartoon characters. Yeah. Everyone's their own cartoon character and then you kind of bring it in with one thing. even when you have like your differences or your like or your valleys or bad days like you just have that there's something that brings brings you guys back in yeah that room yeah it's it's it's uneniable

so it's cool to see that especially being around you guys often it's cool to see that you guys have that yeah it's good it's like um i remember luke saying something a long time ago he was just like if we can't like fight then we can't be friends like if you know if I'm not able to like talk to you straight up yeah and you can take if you can't take it like a man sure you know then like we can't we can't do this like totally I'm not gonna and I always like I always stuck with me and I still like use that to to this day when I'm talking like other people like someone might be like oh hey man I'm sorry like I might have been too up front I was like no like that's cool that's like I respect that and I needed to hear that and yeah

If you can't talk to me that way, then how else are we going to continue this relationship of communication? Yeah. I don't hate you. I love you. You did this. Or like, hey, maybe try this. Like, it's just being open to others' opinions and stuff. Yeah.

And that's what helps you become a better person. Yeah. A better person, a better musician, a better songwriter, a better boyfriend. Right, right. We had those people and their band definitely. does that you know you got and you want those like as much as it fucking sucks sometimes you want those like a extreme polar opposite opposing like opinions yeah you know it's cool to have that like oh we have like different like perspectives that you could kind of like get find an even better idea right

you know it's it's very it's it's it's really cool and it seems you guys are in that same headspace where you guys are allowed to have your opinions and no right and be uh and be straight up you know It's badass. It's a good thing. It takes time. It doesn't happen overnight. It takes time. Yeah, especially when you,

how is it when you get older where it's like you can't really do the thing anymore when you're like in your teens or 20s but you can't like yell each other anymore? You can't like. Oh, I mean, the yelling is, it still happen if it needs to happen.

Sure, yeah. I mean, I love that. Personally, I can speak for myself. there's times where like I'll get my yell on you know but there was a time where like I had my ear plugs in and like someone else in the band had their plugs in

and like we were yelling and everyone's like why are you guys yelling at each other and I was like oh shit we had our air we had our earplugs in like we weren't really yelling like we weren't really like mad you know what I mean that's sick yeah that's fucking funny man yeah dude because I saw that movie

Sound of Metal have you seen that movie where the drummer goes deaf I've heard about it I keep praying about that movie He goes deaf during the tour And immediately that night I was like ordering air plugs Like $50 earplugs

So now I wear earplugs In the room and I've never done it You know but I'm like I don't want to go deaf Yeah I do it And like singing with earplugs in is actually It's a whole other type of like vibe Because I can like hear Totally hear everything that I'm doing

As opposed to just what's coming out of the microphone I mean out of the PA Okay So I'm like I can totally like Hear myself better You know what I'm saying It's like a in ear

It's like a ghetto in your monitor You know what I'm saying No for real I've been trying to like I've been like kind of Not struggling but I've been getting used to that It takes a while But I just know I'm not gonna go deaf

Yeah I still could go deaf Like By some freak accident But it's not gonna be like From that Yeah I'd scared of shit on me

That was really fucked up Some fun to take some movie like that and make you feel something like oh shit you gotta watch it you gotta watch it it's really good movie i'll watch it yeah we were all like texting each other in the in the band chat like i don't know dude i'm kind of scared to watch it and i was like i i think i need to watch this movie like i just yeah and it's like what else am i gonna do like let me just scare the shit out of myself yeah dude i love doing that too you know what i'm saying like because then the fucking next day you're gonna get up and get some fucking earplugs i got them that night dude yeah i was like

right now $50 like it was legit they came with like little filters for them and then they came with a keychain with a third earplug too oh dope i was like this what's up that's cool man yeah yeah yeah and the earplug game is pretty uh it's a lot more advanced you got like uh you now you could get uh like the intertangible uh db yeah the plastic thing you take out like i get like the lowest possible i think it's negative six is that what that plastic thing is the plastic thing is a Plastical thing that you put in there. Yeah. Okay, yeah.

And you can take it in and out. Some. I just, do you have to leave it in there? Yeah. Okay, good. There was one night where I put it in wrong and it like the part that you're supposed to pull out.

Yeah. It was the wrong way and I legit freaked out. I was like, where my earbook? It's stuck in my ear. Oh, fuck. Like grab it out. Like grab it out. Kick it out.

And luckily like Mike's like, but we're just like no. Like. So, yeah. And itches though. Like it starts to itch. Like I'll be like fuck. Like I don't like wearing them dude.

Like so for the last hour of practice like I'll take them out. Yeah. You know like as I have to hear it. Like I want to hear what everybody's hearing. Yeah. I don't some guys talk so clearly when they have ear plugs on. I can't fucking hear them. I don't know how they're talking having a conversation sometimes.

I'm like I cannot hear the words you're saying. Wait, when they have the earplugs on? Yeah. They're like talking. Yeah. I'm like, I'm like, I'm constantly. constantly during practice i'm like doing this okay no right

constantly it's constantly that sucks because it's hard to put them back in and out for me anyway like you have to like take your like your head you have to do the whole thing like you have to like it looks like you're putting earrings in or something like yeah so i just I leave them in you got yeah but it is worth it I think especially

at our age we're not you know yeah you know 16 more plane 35 34 34 yeah I think I brought your plugs in 33. Okay. So we both waited a while.

Yeah, waited a while. Took it as far as far as you could, but it's, it's undeniable, especially when you get, you know, in our 30s.

Yeah. Sometimes you wake up, you get like, well, you just cherish, cherish the day a little bit more. Yeah. You know?

Like, I can't even, I can't believe I'm 30. Like, I'm just like, wow, like, I'm really, I'm really here. Like, I'm really 30.

I remember going from 29 to 30 like wow okay like I'm here like I'm gonna be here for a while yeah you make it to 34 so you just like take everything you just treat everything more sacred I do anyway now that I'm older yeah you know yeah you're a lot more humble try not you try not to take things for for for for granted yeah you know take my take my take my like one-a-day pills and like my you know brush my teeth every day shower great Great job, beat. Twice a day. I take a shower now, brush my tea.

I shower now, brush my tea. Shit's sick, dude. No, but you know what I'm saying? No, just like, you know, like looking when I'm driving, not driving a little like, not driving so carelessly. Yeah. I always go back. I don't know. Just cherishing it more.

Yeah. Like wanting to, I like want to be here. You know what I mean? That's great. I want to be around and I want to like be an old dude. So it's a good feeling. Yeah. Yeah.

It's all about the balance. Yeah, I want to be here for a while. Yeah, trying to balance the, uh, should balance the, uh, personal life. It gets harder when you get older, man. Uh, trying to balance your life, your, your, your art, your music, your, your bandmates, uh, you got to be, uh, especially in your case. You got to be like a leader.

Yeah. I mean, balance a girlfriend. It's, uh, it's, it's, it's tough to, to hit, man. You're on like this daily without it's it's it's I think you're on like always on a some conscious tight rope and you know what yeah I mean a tight rope is kind of like I hope it doesn't feel like a tight rope yeah but um yeah a tight rope is sometimes it feels like that you know like when you go from like one thing to the next thing to the next thing that's why like days off are important like personal days are very important yeah like no matter how busy I am. like or think I am yeah I'm not as busy as I think I am I know that for sure but it's okay for me to feel like I'm busy because it's all in your head right that's very true so like today for instance it's like my girl was like busy doing her thing she was out of the house and I was like all right like I'm gonna

like functuary the shit out of our pad like I'm gonna just reset the pad yeah our place that we live to we we recently moved in together so it's like organizing like the closet making the bed cleaning the bathroom simple things will help your mind like prepare it like feel like oh yeah when everything's clean and like you know it's not always like that you know I don't always wake up and make the bed or like sometimes there's a there's a there's a it looks like a tornado just blast it through the room yeah but that's okay yeah but like with functuary of the house and functuary of your your mind and like balancing out everything it helps a lot like that's why the drive over here was like

I loved it. I was like, yeah. Like, I'm going to go do this thing. But if had I not, had I just, like, got up last minute, not cleaned up, not, like, done my, my diligence, I probably would have been, like, stressed out driving over here and, like, nervous right now. Yeah, it's a, yeah, when you're, it's funny, you're, I think you're on it. It's just when you do those little things and you're on time where you're early, there's, you get rid of this unnecessary anxiety. Right. You know?

Yeah. When you're just doing, like, a few things and you got, you know. You know, you fucking have a, everything's clean. You're driving, you're on time. You're good. You got gas in the tank. Yeah. You smell good.

It's a great fucking feeling. Got your magic, got your magic hat on. You got your hat on you. It feels good. Yeah, it feels great. Yeah. I also have been taking 5HTP and this other thing, Asaganda. I'm saying it wrong.

What? Do you know what it's? Ashiganda. Ashiganda? Asha ganda. I think. Asha ganda. Yeah, there you go.

Is that what it's called? That's what it's, A. W-A-S-H-W-E-U. And there's an N in there, right? Yeah. Yeah, I've been taking that too in the morning. It's like a serotonin synthesizer. And it's like for stress and sleep, it regulates it.

Nice. And I like, I just started taking it a while back. A friend of mine, Paul Salem, actually. Yeah. Okay, yeah. He recommended it to me a long time ago. And I just ordered it, started taking it. And I was like, we'll see.

Like, we'll see. We'll see. We'll see. We'll see. And then I really notice it. Yeah. And then, like, I ran out of it. And there was a day where, like, my girl was like, did you run out?

Like, are you okay? And I'm like, I'm good. She goes, well, you're just, like, extra, like, everybody, you're at every, like, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you didn't say that, but I'm putting it to you, like, that. Sure. Yeah. You understand. Have you seen it? Denzel Training Day?

The sick movie. Yeah. I mean, just kind of like, I was like mini me, Denzo. I'm not going to say. You know, so if you could picture that. It's a sick movie, yeah. But she was just like, I'm like, you know what? Like, I probably like, I probably should be taking that a little bit.

It just helps. It's natural, but it helps me, dude. It helps me with my anxiety. It helps me with, like, sleeping. It's bomb. I love it, and it's natural. If it helps you, man, keep doing it. And it might not be helping.

It could totally be a placebo. I don't know. I order them from Amazon. Like, it just says what it says. It's just powder. Who knows? I could be on, like, on some crazy, like, designer drug right now. I have no idea, but it's, I'm alive.

It's cool. I've taken that, too. It helps. You've taken it, too, right? You don't take it regularly? I don't take it regularly. Okay. But I should.

I mean. No, yeah, I just, it's cool. And they came out with. some gummies I might have to try those. But it's like little things like that. Even if it's a placebo, like still like I don't care. It makes me feel good. You know what I mean?

That's great, man. What's it called woo-woo. It's called woo-woo-woo-woo-woo. It's called Sue. I think it's called. Ashwaganda. See, I always forget about the shh sound. Ashwa.

I say Asaganda or something, but Ashwa-Ganda and then 5-HTP. Have you taken 5-HTP? Yes. Yeah. That's a serotonum booster. You already mentioned that. Yeah, it's cool. It's great.

Like, do you, right when I, when I first cut back on drinking, right? 27, that was like, one of, like,

I think the first supplements I ever bought. Mm-hmm. Because I heard, oh, I'm just like, it's like, your brain's trying to rewire it. Right.

It's fucking freaking out. Right. So you need kind of temporarily something else to fucking give a little boost. And during these times, like, I'm not going to lie. Like,

during the last year, like, I've been drinking a lot. Like, I'll drink every day. Yeah. You know, like not every day, but, you know, I'm saying you drink more. Like, in the beginning of the pandemic, we were going and getting, like,

they were doing, like, cocktails to go. So, like, I was hitting that up. Like, oh, my God, like, it's to go pick up a Mai Tai right now. Like, a big bag of Mai Tai is, like, let's do that. Yeah. Because this is going to be, this whole thing's going to be over in, like, a week, right? So let's just get really hammered and have a blast. Yeah.

Like, we don't have to go to work. We don't blah, blah, blah. And then, like, five months later, like, wait, okay. Like, maybe you should probably probably. probably put the Mai Tai down. Yeah. And, uh, but yeah, you know, so with, it's, it's all about balance. So if like, yeah, I'm drinking, it, it, it definitely balances it out. Like, it helps. Five HDP and the actual ganda. It helps.

The actual ganda. Yeah. The actual woo-woo. Actually, the actual woo-woo. They take a dim at woo-woo in the morning. Exactly. You take a, whoa, whoa, whoa. Whoa. Yeah, it's, uh, it's, uh, it's, uh, likewise. has man been struggling with, you know, drinking more than usual. You've been struggling with it? A little bit, you know, you, maybe similar to you.

We're like, all right, we're locked down for a month. Right. And we're watching Netflix and drinking wine. Oh, well, you know, this fucking, we over in a month. Yeah. And then we're human and we develop habits very, very easily. So then once you're like, okay, I don't want to do this anymore, wait, now we develop a habit. Yeah.

Habits, especially when you get older, they creep up on you. And drinking was definitely, we're not bad, it's fine. But it's like, whoa, this is crazy. I went from not drinking at home ever, to now I'm drinking pretty often at home. Yeah, I mean, you, also, it's all about earning it too. Like, now that, like, I, because the job that I had before, it actually, like, stopped. Like, they sent everybody home. And then I got another job working for my girl's family.

Cool. So, like, shout out Lanner Supply House in Costa Mesa. That's where I work. Shout out. Show up. Don't be weird. Be cool. Buy something.

And then, I'm just kidding. And then Lander's liquor bar down the street. So I was fortunate enough for them to, like, bless me with an opportunity to work there. Because I wasn't working. So I was like, I need to do something. Yeah. Like, other than just, like, be in the band. I think I could work here.

You know? I want to like in retail is cool. It's like I'm going to talk to people every day. But long story short, what I'm saying is like you got to like you balance it all out. Yeah. You know, so now that I have that to do, it's kind of like gives me. I'm not just like sitting around twilling my thumbs. Yeah.

And like, you know. Totally. It used to be busy. You got to see it busy, man. Yeah. Especially now doing. Just do something. Just do something.

Do something, man. Something's better than nothing. Well, there's plenty to do. I mean, we're our own, we're our own worst enemy. True. You know, there's things that I know that I need to do more that I'm not doing, but it's just realizing that is the first step. Yeah. You know.

And there is like a healthy way to that. If you acknowledge it and like, hopefully actually a good thing is if you have that, that's actually a good thing. Because if that goes away, that's actually a bad thing. Yeah. Because you always want to feel like, I'm not doing enough. Because then that same thing that makes you kind of feel kind of shitty sometimes, it's the same thing I'll make you go out and, like, do it. Right.

And it's like earning it. Like if you know you're going to get together and watch Netflix and drink like three bottles of wine, maybe like you do, go for a run, ride a riff. Yeah, sure. You know what I'm saying? Like paint the house. Yeah. Vacuum the carpets.

Totally. You know, and then do a podcast. And then when the day's over, drink those three bottles of wine. I wake up, take the 5HCP in the morning. I mean, who-woo, you're good to go. And take your bug, if you haven't balanced out, if you know yourself and you're honest with yourself and you can balance it out, then I think you're going to be okay. But if you're like, you got to earn it. Doing one thing, you know, too much of one thing all the time, you're just like.

Totally. You don't let anything. If you're honest with yourself, I think you'll be okay. Totally. You got to earn it, man. I knew I was going to hang out with you today. I was like, oh, we might, you know, I'm not sure we. We might get dinner, we might not, but if we get dinner, it got it up, it's raining.

We might go out tonight. We might go out and get a pizza. Oh, no. Oh, no. If we... Earned the pizza, and you ran. And you went out and you ran. You ran last night's pizza off.

Yeah? To order more pizza today. No, I didn't. Yeah. Like... I was in the rain. I was in the rain. I might not be able to go too crazy night because it's raining.

Well, is it still raining? I'm not sure. Because I can't drive. home. I earned it. I was out. I was out. No one else is out but me. I was out there running, listening to Playbender, listening to Jay fucking Rip and I was just high on life. Yeah. It was cool, man. Whenever it rains or I always try to even, I always go out because it's just like a weird thing that happens where like, wow, it's so nice to be out when it's. I need to do that. It's weird. It feels good. Yeah. I enjoyed the drive in the rain. It was cool. Yeah. It's nice. But I need to do that more. I want to, I'll go out in the rain next time.

Yeah, you go out there and you're all wet and you come back home, but you feel like, yeah, it's cool. Yeah, just walk around. Yeah. Get some coffee. It's nice. Some hot tea or something. And there's something, I don't know, like, it feels like the air is, like, cleaner. It is.

When it's raining. I don't know what it is. I don't know where it is. There's probably a scientific reason for it, but. Yeah. Yeah, that's cool. I believe that. I was going to get a car wash today, too.

I was. And then I was like, oh shit, it's raining. Cool. Don't need it. Whoa, you got a free one. Car looks good after the rain. Everything looks great after the rain. It does. You got your fucking woo-woo pill. You got your car washers set, dude. That's a metaphor for life after the rain, baby. You know what I'm saying? Oh, my God.

It is. It's true. Shit, what was it like playing O'Hana Festival? How was that? I was, uh... It looks dope. It's outside. It was, you were there, weren't you? I was there. How did he know?

Because Chris told me before you got here. He knew. I just knew. I remember I saw you. Oh, yeah. Shuhara, no. He told me, he told me, but you were there, right? Yeah, I had just met Chris, actually.

Oh, okay. During that time. Yeah. Small world. Beautiful. Go on. Yeah. Ohana Fest was crazy.

because we met Eddie Vedder. You did? Yeah. Dude, how was that? It was crazy, man. Like, he, we know it's his festival, and we're obviously, like, joking around. Oh, we're going to meet Eddie.

We're going to meet Eddie. We're going to see Eddie around, hey, Ed, you know, like, whatever. Yeah. So, we're sound checking, and the yaya yas were on the bill, too. And I love the yaya yas. like I've always like I was at a movie theater one time and

watching I'm not there the Bob Dylan like movie yeah yeah yeah yeah and Karen O was down in the front watching the movie and I made sure like when her and her boyfriend like walked out I made sure to like get the door for them yeah and like as we're leaving

and like we had on the same shoes and like I kind of like the same swag too not planned yeah and I like I remember just being like She was like hi And I was like Hey

I was like Oh shit But yeah I don't even know how I trailed off Under that But they were playing too Yeah sick Okay

So we sound checked And Eddie just Ed comes up I call him Ed right I think everyone He comes up with a red cup And I can't I don't know if I could do his voice

But he watched our sound check And he's like I'm gonna try Okay I'm gonna try to do it Just do it. Let's do it, man. I have to try.

He's like, yeah. He's like, yeah, we had a long night, you know, but, like, we're still here, man. Like, you guys sound good. Something like that, like this really cool, like, surfer. What? Nailed it. Yeah. And thank you.

And he's like, yeah, man, cool. And he had like, literally a red cup and a cigarette. He's like, yeah. No. Like straight up, cool Ed, like cool Ed. And then I don't know when it happened, but we played. I'm on stage. I'm on stage and I decided my hair was long and I kind of had like, I wore like these dress pants with a white shirt and these loaks and had my hair slick back. Of course you did. And I was on stage and I did the splits and my pants ripped. And Ed was like side stage. comes up with the tape tapes my pants up in front of everybody it's insane yeah and um

after the set after the set I get a shot of Yeager for him and I after the set on stage he comes up gives me a big hug and I take a shot with him and he pours the Yeager down my back and he's like he's like yeah that's what we all used to do to each other like

back in the day uh yeah and like as a joke so if you like you came up on stage with me and you gave me a shot, I'd pour it down your back. Like, it's like a Yeah.

A sign of like affection. Yeah. And I, maybe in the grunge, the grunge rule or whatever. Wow. But, um, he comes over. I think it was before, after our set. And he's like, yeah, you guys got to come over and throw axes, man. At my house next time you're in Seattle.

And I was like, what? Of course. And he goes, Jack White and I before his shows. We just come over and just throws. I'm like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait, wait. Wait, to stop. I want to, like, I want to, like,

like pause the pause reality. Did he just say him and Jack White hang out and throw access in the backyard? I was like, that's amazing. Amazing. So, um, that's amazing. Yeah, I didn't get to hang out all day there because I had like this like I had this DJ. I

for some reason I was like DJing somewhere and it sounds so stupid. But I was like I gotta go and like my girl couldn't make it to the festival too so she was going to link up with me and we're going to go to the gig. Yeah. And I thought the day was over like, you know, like, we played. I met, we met Ed, he slayed it.

But I guess while I was gone, he's like, does anybody want to come up on stage and jam with me? Like, straight up. I don't know why I'm still having a cigarette. I don't know if he still had a cigarette as well. But, and my boys were like, you fucked up. Like, you could have gone out there and rocked out with Ed, man, and you left. And I was like, you're absolutely right. Like, and it was also my mom's birthday.

mom came to the show and um yeah she got to like meet ed too and take a picture with ed wow that's fucking badass dude yeah it was it was one of those moments and um yeah it was i mean meeting anybody that like i have respect for and admire yeah um it's been a really common thread in my um life like it's it happens and it's like very I heard you guys talk about it on your podcast with Alex. It's insane. Yeah. Like we toured with Refused and like I got to sing new noise with Dennis.

It was like insane. And then touring. Yeah, it was insane. I mean, he was on stage and I was like, come on. Like tap me in. And he's like, okay. And then touring with off and then meeting out like having Keith's book and him signing my book and hanging out with him. And whenever I run into him at a festival, he's like, are you okay?

are you all right? Are they treating you okay? I'm like yeah like you know Like beautiful have his you know and then meeting Chino and then Nice Fucking meeting Cedric at aftershock Like wow are you kidding me it was and that's like the biggest Like the holy grail of meetings is

Cedric for sure Really? Yeah because I like I grew I was inspired by him growing up and I still am Wow like he paved the way for me. Wow. Yeah. Like, it's funny because I just heard an interview he did, and he's like, oh yeah, I'm not, like, so crazy offstage.

Like, I'm not really, like, you know, he's like, once I get to know somebody I talk about, but that's not really how I am all the time, and it's like he doesn't have, you know, he's like, I don't really have a lot of, like, a lot of that. Yeah. But when I'm on stage, I'm like that. Yeah.

But seeing him like that when I was a kid performing gave me all of that. gave me all that, like, energy and confidence to do it. Like, YouTube was amazing growing up because it was, like, all his interviews are right there. He's telling you what he's listening to. He's telling you, like, you know, like, let your freak flag fly. Like, be your own person.

Yep. And so that's, like, what did it. And, like, he was one of the biggest influences. Like, and we finally, like, got to, like, he, like, we were on the way to the show. And he's, like, he commented on a picture. He's like, I think we played the same time as you. and everyone, I'm in the front of the same, like, you guys, oh, you guys, you fucking commented. And they're just like, what are you going to say?

And everyone, like, everyone knows how much of a, like, a fan I am. Yeah, it's cool. And they're like, what are you going to say? And I'm like, I'm going to say, um, cool. We're done like, no, we're done like 15 minutes before you guys. So we're going to jet over. So we like jet it over. And there was like Bamar Jarra, the guy from.

Terminator Judgment Day, the kid. The guy who played him, I can't remember his name right now. But there was a bunch of, like, Andy Roy, the skater. There was a bunch of, like, famous people, like, watching at the drive-in. And we were just like, oh, my God, this is crazy. I'm just watching Cedric. His two kids are there. Gets off stage, and Mike's like, hey, man, do you want me to go over there with you?

And I was like, could you? Like, I really don't know what to say. Can you just introduce me to him? but Mike's never met him either you know what I'm saying so we met and we took pictures and we talked and I still hit him up I don't

I don't still hit him up but every now and then I'll get the strength to DM him like someone put on Instagram if you type in Chankla into your keyboard a sandal shows up and I just think that's hilarious

and he always talks about Choncla and I DM'd him and I DM'd him and I I was like, did you know this? You probably already do. And he goes, he goes, me has no idea. And he like put a little like Star Trek sign. And I was like, yeah.

Like, it's just crazy to like have that interaction with someone that you admire as like a creative person. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? And so I just feel blessed and humbled. And like I don't need to like, I don't need my name on like concrete or I don't. I don't need like an awarder. I don't need shit. I just want, I just need my heartbeat and my brain to be able to like keep going.

You know what I'm saying? That's all I need. Those little moments is like everything to me. They're everything, huh? Yeah. It's crazy when you always look back at those moments or like, that happened. Yeah. What the fuck?

How did I get there? And especially right now in times like this, like it's almost as if like I met all my superheroes, right? And I'm like the young gun superhero. And they're like, it's like Keith, Dennis, like, Cedric. and like Iggy Pop like shout at us is like you need to know this

because one day there's going to be this like pandemic and everything's going to shut down so you got to keep this you know what I'm saying it plays out I'm just totally being like a geek

right now but it's kind of like that like they all gave me like a nod and I you know and they we you know what I'm saying so it's like yeah okay if those fools that I admire

and got kept me going in my darkest times as a kid or whatever then right now during the pandemic is a time where now I've met these guys and have this respect for them even more. You got to hold it together and wait for the bat signal to show up or the plague signal. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Yeah.

So it's special. And Cedric is even saying in the podcast he did, he's like, I'm just thinking about the artists that never got to tour or the artist that was just coming up. Like, I just hope those artists, like, stay grounded and stay hungry. And I was like, hell yeah, that's what I'm going to do. That's sick, man. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, no matter what level, you guys got to stay hungry. Yeah, exactly.

You have to, man. No, we, exactly. Exactly. You know, because that's what's going to keep you going and it's ready. Yeah. You know? We just, that's why it's like, everyone is doing live streams, right? and like should we do one and i was like you know what like to do it on this level it's got

going to be it's not going to be cheap so why don't we just why don't we just write let's just focus on writing right now and that's what we did like i don't have i don't have any regrets about like not doing one yet a live stream because it's just not that's just not we're not we that's just not how it is with us you have to come see it live yeah you know and i don't want anyone's memory of us watching us like a whole live set when like they're not there. Because you being there helps me

be where I like on stage. So it's like, you know what I mean? I just couldn't do it. You guys did it epic though. Like you guys killed that shit. And like I was like if we can't do it like they did then I don't want to do it. You know what I mean? Like you guys really did it and appreciate that. If I was going to do it I'd do

it like that. But we, you know, We didn't have the, we didn't have the resources to do it on that scale. And you guys, you guys went on tour. Yeah, pretty much. I don't know what the fuck we were thinking. What the fuck we were thinking. You weren't thinking. That's why it was sick.

Oh my God. It's legendary. You know, as, as you were talking, I had this idea for, for you guys. Even, I was maybe even doing a song and it's posting it on like, as silly as it sounds, I was posting on like Instagram just for like stuff like you guys in the room and look look make it look because phones are fucking crazy now you got you get you can make it look certain ways now right and actually convey energies and vibes but just your cell phone and I had as I was saying that and not live stream and I was just thinking like

you kind of cool be guys like I just play like a song um play one or two and it's posted on IH as it's like maybe like like a like a reel no right and have like a yeah in your practice practice space. You don't get a way where it looks fucking cool sounds cool. Yeah, we did that actually. We, Luke filmed us doing a song on his phone. Great. That's, that's as close as it would probably get to us. Because that's like natural in the practice space, in the room. Yeah. You know, that's probably what we'll probably do something like that actually. I think I think it'll be a cool idea. Even like for us, I was thinking like, why not just film shit in here? This is an amazing room. It's filled with history. Yeah. Like every suicide's all. song's written in here, right? Pretty much, yeah. Okay, like, this is, this is mecca. This is, like, mecca for,

like, a lot of people, like, would probably faint when they walked in. I almost did. No, I was like, wait, like, because I didn't know where this, where this is going to be, because I was like, I don't, I don't know, his house or his girl's house

or a studio somewhere. And as I'm getting closer to Corona, and I know the history of, like, the whole band, right? So I'm like, shit, like, I'm actually going to the place, like where it all went down. That's sick.

And I was like, I'm honored. I'm honored that that you're even here, man. Of course. And, you know, that's kind of like, you know, a big reason why I wanted you to be like one of the first ones on a podcast. Number six. Number six, dude. Guest number six. Number six.

I wanted you to, I wanted you to be here because there's, there's this since like high school days. like there's this connection between here chronic california island empire suicide sounds and wittier yeah there's like this extreme connection yeah you know so so it's just the fact that you know a play vendor is from from whittier i'm like this is like this needs to happen now right yeah um again when you were talking with alex it was like talking about skate land like my first band um played there for period pete we played at skate land and like i watched randy's dad do sound there. Yeah, yeah.

And Project Darner was a band that I followed. I was like a, I just hung out with them all the time. Wow. And they're all from Whittier, like, you know, Jeff Sanders? Well, he's Alex Lopez's like really good friend. He was in that band. Okay. And then Brian Wright was in that band.

Cool. And then he ended up being a repeat repeat. Nice. So that all, like Project Darnet was really like reason why there's like, there was a sound guy at Skatlam. because their dad was doing, just started to, like, build up this good production area. Yeah, yeah. And then shows started happening all the time.

And it was insane. It was insane, dude. And it was like utter, utter youth and freedom, like to the nth degree. Like, just. For real. Mayhem. For real. It was.

In Whittier, in your city. In Whittier. Yeah. Yeah. You're very, you know, you're very lucky to have a spotlight that growing up to have access to, like, be around them. play and it's fucking badass man you shout out to antagonist and carlo carlos salon nick reyes and like just oh yeah it's people that i know from from there is like i mean you know

nick's gone on tour with us right really yeah nick's gone on a many tours badass festival tours he's done our sound he's our sound guy like if we if we're playing a festival i always like yo can you be here because he has everything just dialed in yeah we don't that's like something like we don't have to worry about nix is a pro Nick's a pro Yeah I seen him work even for like And he's hilarious

Yeah he is We went to us South America See there you go You beat me Yeah he's fucking funny I want to go to South America with Nick Fucking do it man It's insane

Did he do you guys the sound? Yeah Oh my God Yeah it was fun man It was like yeah Of course he did he came It was a It's sick man

Yeah Witter's has so much history Dude Yeah So much It feels crazy not to I don't live there anymore.

It's weird, huh? I mean, yeah. Yeah. It's... How's it feel? It's... Honestly, it's like... I think it needed to happen.

Okay. I didn't ever, like, no... I never thought it would. You know, like, before the pandemic, I would always, like, I'm gonna live here. Like, I'm gonna get a spot here. Yeah. And, um, I don't know. During the pandemic, I was like spending a lot of time out on Coast of Mesa,

Newport area. at my girl's mom's house, you know, hanging out there. Cool. And I wasn't working. This is before I started working for the supply house. I just remember, like, one night I was kind of like, you know what? Like, I don't want to go back. Like, I just want to, like, stay here.

Wow. I want to stay in this area. I want to, like, you know, hopefully work there. And I think I need it. I think I need to get out. I think I need to, like, get away. I need to be my own. I need to, like, not.

rely on on certain like because when you live so close to your friends you know what I'm saying it's like there's always like something to do when there's you know what I'm saying when they're always like shouldn't be everything to do it's like yeah but during the pandemic all that kind of like kind of like faded there was like the city was quiet you know what I mean like I couldn't go like get wings at my favorite spot I couldn't go to the restaurant I couldn't go to like the 40 I couldn't go to flight. I couldn't like my boys couldn't work. You know,

like no one was hanging out. And dude, I've, Whittier is like everything to me. Like, it's where Plague vendor started and like, we've always said we're from Whittier. Yep.

Like, we've never said we're from L.A. We never were that kind of band. You know, we love telling people, where's that? Where are you from? Like, plague what?

From where? Like, yeah, from here, these guys from here. And I'm more. So, and I was thinking about it today. like man like yeah like

I'm really glad that I'm happy that I was able to like find a spot to live with with my girlfriend and you know we make it in a home and I'm having a lot of fun being in this like new place I think it's good for like from going on tour all the time for like the last whatever years and like being used to like meeting people and like just

and then just being at home and like fuck like I can do shit I'm gonna go anywhere I'm not gonna meet anybody like Yeah. So I think my inner, like, my inner Brandon was like, is wanted to be somewhere like, okay, like, let's, is that where it is? Okay, let's go. Like, because I can't wait to, like, meet everybody and shake everybody's hand. Wow. Yeah, so I think inside, like, my inner, inner me is just, like, really enjoying.

Because it's like the exercise of touring and, like, meeting people. And my soul kind of clings to, I love going out. I love going out and meeting people and talking to people every day. And where I'm at right now, I get to do that every day. That's sick, man. That's fucking awesome. Yeah. I got to tell you one thing about your birthday.

Okay. Okay. Remember when you had a birthday hangout at downtown LA? Remember that? Oh, my God. Okay. Yes. So you invited me and Eddie.

I was living with Eddie at the time. I got Alex too. Yeah. Did he show up? No. No, no. But I don't even remember what the fuck happened. But you, you came through.

Okay. Okay. Well, kind of came through. I was, uh, so I was living with Eddie at the time, uh, near Venice Beach. What? You guys were, where were you guys living? It was like a place called Mar-Mar vista. It's basically, it's very close to vent.

That sounds like a lot of fun. Yeah, it's cool. And then you were having your birthday party. And me and Eddie were talking about, Absinth about one day I told him I love Absinth he found Like this hidden bar Around the area that sells Absent

And it's like a low key Absent bar Oh yeah so so we went And I did like three shots of Absinth because I was excited And you watched them burn it Yeah the whole burn The whole sugar melted it the whole

The whole nine If you're not aware of absence this It's like it's its own thing And there's like hallucinogenic qualities to it, I guess you could say. Right, right, right. Right.

And you don't only drink it like liquor. I did. I took three shots. We took an Uber to your hangout. Yeah. To your birthday party. Yeah. Right when we hit like the 110 freeway,

I was looking outside the Uber. I think that was my 30th birthday. It was your 30th, huh? That's why we had to go. Yeah. It's Brandon's 30. You can't. fucking go home on brand of 30th like i'll go yeah i'll go and the fucking the the the air around me

looked like it was breathing it was warping it wasn't like it wasn't like you're drunk you weren't like it was a weird like shits now i remember this is fucking weird dude i need i need to go home but i'm like yeah i don't know i just i just kept going i didn't want to beat i don't want to be the guy that goes home on the freeway so i decided to be the guy at your 30 birthday party so i didn't want to call it on the freeway you're like I don't want to get I don't want to turn around so let's just keep going yeah and then we go we can go back oh dude

I hope I hope you had a good time I was on I remember now I remember yeah you were like you had you had your head down kind of and you were like laughing a lot and you're like I took absent and I was like where is it at? I don't know and you were just it was all

smiles yeah we were all on one yeah it was I mean it was there's no negativity it was very pleasant But I was, I should have been home. Yeah. I was fucked up. I finally had absent two years ago. Nice.

We went to, Chloe and I went to New York for New Year's Eve to see the strokes. Oh, tight. That was crazy. That's awesome. So before that day, we were roaming around New York and she took me to the Museum of the American Gangster. Whoa. And you get to like see all these like, like, this cavern where like these like gangsters were hanging out. And like, yeah.

You go to this bar that was like a speakeasy bar. but it turned into an absent bar so I was like all right I've never had this shit before like let's go so it was a full book like a paper book like that's stained and like dirty dingy whatever and he goes

so what do you like what do you want to do and I was like well just just give me the basic absence and I took it and like you know how like on your phone you can like make it like look like there's like filters and stuff so I remember just like trip

out really hard on like because the scene around me was like pretty we're there for like a couple like an hour and a half that's so i just remember having my phone out and like filming chloe like with these filters and just like oh yeah i don't remember what what we did that night but i just remember just like it was just very it was awesome yeah and like the whole active absence is like the sugar cube the flame it asked to like i'm a pyromaniac at heart like i have matches all over my house. I love fire. Adaboy. But anything that involves fire and drinking is amazing.

You ever had a shot where you have to take it? It's on fire and you take it? No, no, I'm a gun. Be very careful with that. Yeah, I'm scared. I've seen too many videos. I've been there. I'm not going wrong. I can't do it. I'm scared. That's another interesting one. That's so funny. I know, man. We've known each other for a minute. It's been a while, dude. Yeah. And it's all started with Carlos throwing shows at Skatlin.

Yeah. You know, it's how I met Alex and his old band, my old band, and then the whole connection when Whittier just started. And it's crazy how it's still going. Right. You know, I mean, you're here. It's still going. I think I met you, though, officially at the Anaheim, the Grove.

I was thinking out today, I went, where did I officially meet Brandon? It was at the Anaheim Grove. There was, like, this All-Star Fest. And you remember, you guys had those jerseys? Yeah. So I don't even remember this, but that was when I, I met the band and I saw you guys

Oh wow So I might have seen you somewhere before that But that was like I saw you I walked back I saw the bus I was given like a laminate I was like oh my God like I got a fucking laminate I'm on the bus this is sick Hell yeah

And for some reason I'm watching the show And Mitch is like Is Brandon out there And I'm like What the fuck? Like I mean I didn't meet Mitch yet And he's like, you got to get up here in freestyle.

And I was like, what the fuck? Fucking forgot about that. And I know how, I know how he is like, he's actually calling, he doesn't want anyone up there. Like, he's calling me up there? I was calling me up there and I was so nervous. And I probably like kicked the worst bars of my life. And I remember Mitch just like smiling, laughing and tap me on the shoulder.

Like, yeah, right. But that was insane. And I know that. that was like all Alex is doing like because I know Alex told him like yo you got to call this boy up here yeah you know so and that like from then on it was like that's Alex is always like yeah he always gives me like the royal treatment yeah it's like oh you're gonna be backstage you're gonna be on the bus and then you're gonna get up on stage yeah I was like okay sick and you're gonna wrap and that's how that's like when I met Mitch and I met all and I didn't even like I think I stayed away from from Mark and Dan because they just looked, I was so intimidating back then to me. I was like, fuck, like, you know what I'm saying?

But now I remember when you guys were recording your last record, I told Mark at the time I wasn't working and we became so close, so fast. Yeah. So I was like, hey Mark, I need a job. What are you doing? He's like, do you want to go like do this?

Like it opened up, like, remember he had like the, he had a business up there. Yeah, yeah. So he like set me up there and like put some money in my pocket. It was amazing. Sick, dude.

Yeah. So I literally remember just jumping in his lap be like dad i need a job a week later he's like hey you ready to go i'm like yeah sure that's fucking sick but yeah and obviously touring with you guys is like that was fun it's sick and then dan was living at alxes for a while

oh yeah and eddy comes down and visits and i've had many like sessions like late night early morning jam sessions with eddie where we're just like singing yeah so i remember seeing eddie when he was in all shall perish yeah and we're playing this show out in the valley somewhere at a baseball field

and it was like okay this band's gonna play this field this band's gonna play so it was like Circus Survive and I just remember like Circus Survive played or maybe the other yeah Circus Survive played

and then I just remember I have to see Allshael Parish I remember like listening hardcore as a kid and loving all shall perish and there he was in a thrash shirt big hair just beast in it

watched him and then finally he was like in suicide and I was like Do you, yo, do you remember? He's like, yeah, so we always talk about that. Like, that's cool, man. It's crazy. The world is small.

It's small, man. Everybody knows everybody and they just don't know it yet. It's true. You got to, you know, so everyone's got to be cool with each other. Yeah. You know. Yeah, no matter where... Just be cool.

No matter where you're at, you don't know who you're going to run into. You don't. It's crazy, dude. You don't. You don't. You don't, like, yeah, you don't. You don't, man. You know, what was your local, besides Gateland, how close were you to the Echoplex?

So, Echoplex to us, like to me was always somewhere that I wanted to play. Yeah. Because we were from Whittier. Yeah. And I was like, if we could just, that was like my Hollywood Bowl. Like, you know what I'm saying? Before, like, I had ambitions of playing Hollywood Bowl. Yeah.

I wanted to play at the Echo and the Echoplex. Yeah. I was like, I want my name on that. there. Yeah. And I want to be able to play it and I want to sell it out and I want to fucking, I want to be in there. And sure, I think we played a show.

We played a show somebody. We were finally there and then eventually like we got to like headline there. And it was like, I met B, G. and Rex who were like the guys working there at the time. Yeah. And we sound checked and like, this is your room. Like we got a ball of this. We got a ball of that. Whatever you guys need.

Like, you know, like, sit up. You know, it was like this moment of. like we are headlining the Echoplex and we're not from L.A. We're from Wittier. We've always said we're from Wittier. This is such a beautiful moment. I remember Alex being there. A singer from Diligent Escape Plan.

He's gonna hate me because of... Oh, Greg? Greg. Fuck, Greg. Sorry, Greg. But Greg was there and Alex was like, Greg, can't wait to see you guys. You can't wait to see you. And so it's just like, I remember just going to see shows there. And being like, this is where everybody plays. Like this is this is the coolest fucking spot

Aside from the smell Like this is the spot And yeah we did We did a lot of shows there And they've always been really cool with us And the shows there have always just been You know those shows where you're just Like amped up and you know everybody from your hometown's

Going to come and also like Everybody Like that's a fan of yours in the city If they are a fan they'll be there and you look out there And you're not expecting anybody to be there Yeah. And you were there at one o'clock in the afternoon and there was a fucking no one there. And then you walk out and it's dark and there's like the whole place is packed and you only recognize like a few faces. Like it's like that there. It's a special moment. It's a special moment. It's always been special. And it's like it's like it's accomplishing, you know? Yeah. It's another humbling experience. Yeah. That's such a trip. Dude, when you're like, you're like, I want to play there. And then like you go to shows that you want to or you want to play there. Then you feel. You're. You go to show or you want to play there. Then you feel. client played there and then after a certain amount of time you're actually headlining you don't know if people were going to show up and then you show up in his fucking packed yeah it's such a when you look back to this moment you're like wow that we fucking got there man yeah our last tour got it our last like headlining tour we did we were on the tour and everybody on the tour is like thinking of the hometown show like this is cool this is cool but a the echo when we get back when we get back the echo

gonna be lit. Beck was gonna be insane. That's what everyone kept talking about. And sure enough, it's sold out. Wow. And I was just like, wow, dude,

like, this is, this is epic. Like, the name was on the marquee. Yeah. It was like, it was crazy.

And I took, I took, I took, I took, like, five pictures of the same picture. Yeah, you got, you gotta take, you gotta take, you know,

20 pictures of the same, the same angle. Yeah. And, but I honestly think you get, you get to those levels of personal, I call them personal success, because,

like, success is anything. Success is just like waking up in the morning. You know what I mean? Yeah. But like personal success is like those personal moments, I think getting there for us getting to that moment of like, we should play there. I love to play there. Oh, you know, and then now we're headlining it.

It's like, and it's sold out. We got there from just being like, just being ourselves. Yeah. You know what I mean? Like not. Yeah. It goes full circle back to just like being cool. Like not being a dick.

Like I'm an asshole on stage when I have a mic in my hand But I'm not gonna be mean to anybody I'll be mean to myself you know what I'm saying but like offstage. I'm just like hey what's up how you doing man? Like I saw people like growing up and like another bands or whatever that were kind of like They didn't claim Whittier but they're from Whittier and kind of had like a chip on their shoulder. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, like the people from other cities that weren't really from the place and just okay. I don't want to be like that Yeah, yeah I see what that person is doing to other people and how other people are talking about this person.

And he doesn't know it, poor thing. But if he did, I'm not going to tell him. Yeah. You know, so I always was just like, I'm just happy to be here. Again, like, I'm just happy to be able to, like, be in a band. Like, 34. I'm like, I shouldn't be in a band. Like, 34, you know what I'm saying?

Oh, yeah. You know, I remember, like, that crossed my mind. I was telling my girlfriend the other day, I'm like, I'm just happy. I'm just happy to go to like practices and happy to have like a show to look forward to hopefully in Palm Clark Bowling in September

with like Devo and Circle Jerks Yeah, the Bronx like horror Like no effects like That's something to look forward to in September So I'm just I'm just happy to like Be able to be in this position Totally man

With everything that happens Like I always feel like I'm any amount of personal success sort of banned success, I think it comes from being, not being an asshole. Yeah. Straight up. Yeah. Yeah. Don't be an asshole. It's fucking hard, man.

Yeah. I mean, it... Is it hard? It's not hard. Sometimes. I mean, it is hard sometimes. But, like, that's why, like, you have people close to you that you can, like, hey, come here for a second. Fuck that fool, dog. You know what I'm saying? But then there's...

You know what I mean? Yeah, sure. Like, um... No, that, that's really good headspace. man. Yeah. But it's, again, it's like, it's not always easy.

Sometimes you don't take the 5HCP and the whoop, when you feel like, you feel like, you feel like boobopping somebody. All that made sense. Woo, woo, boobop. You know,

boobai, woo, woo, yeah, exactly. Exactly. But yeah, I'm really hoping that festival happens, man. Like, Las Vegas, no effects,

circle jerks, Devo. Like, I really hope it happens, man. It's going to be epic. We're on the bill. Like, everybody's hyped for it. Like, a live show.

That's what I'm like, I'm so glad we didn't do a live stream, man. Like, I want to say that when I walk out there. Like, this is why we didn't do a live stream, baby. Because, like, we knew it was going to happen like this. And I didn't want to give it to you no the fucking way. Yeah, so you got that coming up. And Ohana got rescheduled as well, right, for 2021. So did it get to 22?

Oh, it did, huh? I don't know. Oh. So on our date on. We still have a timeline sheet, even though there's no shows. Like our manager sent us one. And this is crazy. So if O'HanaFest happens this year, you'll be there.

Oh, yeah. Right. And that means you'll be there. Of course. And we can do like a live podcast from O'Honofest with the whole band. Or you could talk to Jay actually because you already talked to me today. Yes. So.

Yeah. So if that happens, we're going to do O'Honifest Friday. Play that show, drive to Vegas and play Saturday. great. I love that. So it's like a full, full-fledged thing. I hope it happens for you guys, man. If it happens, it's going to be insane. Hopefully it happens for you guys, man. Thank you. I mean,

I hope it happens. I hope it happens. But if one of those happens, I'll be cool. And if none of them happens, I'll be cool. I'll just keep saving the energy for that real shit. Save. See the energy for that real shit, man. Let's end that on a fucking high note, man.

That's fucking cool. Be. That's right, maybe. I love you. Always love you guys. I was just thinking right before you got here, man, you know what? There are four pieces. I think I could get them all on here at some point.

You can. I'd be fucking badass. A full playbender podcast? I'd be fucking sick. I mean, yeah. And I'll sit, I'll do them all favor and sit over there and just be like, yep.

Yep. Yep. Whoa. Swo. I'll do it. Because I was already here. So I was like, yeah, yeah,

you know. Well, shit, where can people find you? Where can people find the band? What do people need? I don't even know what my... I don't even know where they can... I don't even know. I think it's...

You can find me on Instagram at Brandon underscore Blaine underscore. Nice. And then you can find the band. I think it's just that straight up plague vendor. Yep. Plague vendor. P-L-A-G-U-E-V-E-N-D-O-R. Hopefully I spelled that right.

I can never... Even when I'm looking at it, I can't spell it right. But yeah, that's it. And then on Apple Music, Spotify, Plague Vender. Nice. Yeah. Check out Plague Bender. They're fucking sick. Check it out. All right anyways be safe out there. Thank you very much guys and girls Thank you later Later later. That was good

You agree it be