The Downbeat - SPITE | TOUR FROM HELL, MEMBER CHANGES AND RELENTLESS HEAVINESS

Episode Date: July 15, 2026

My guests on the podcast this week are DARIUS AND TRAVIS FROM SPITE. We caught up to talk everything about their new album NEW WORLD KILLER as well as life on the road, and how they’ve managed to go from strength to strength without ever compromising on sheer heaviness.SUPPORT THE POD:Grab your EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal by going to https://nordvpn.com/downbeat to get a Huge Discount off your NordVPN Plan + 4 additional months on top! It’s completely risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee!the downbeat clothing available at:https://www.thedownbe.atpatreon: http://www.patreon.com/thedownbeatGET SOME PLUGINS:get 30% off all plugins with code THEDOWNBEAT at https://www.neuraldsp.comget MY drum sound at https://www.ggd.coGET MY GEAR:https://sweetwater.sjv.io/3kZreACHECK OUT THE SOCIALS:twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/reynlord instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reynlord/instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedownbeatJOIN THE DISCORD:discord: https://www.discord.gg/thedownbeat

What's up guys? Welcome back to the Downbeat podcast. My guests on the podcast this week are Darius and Travis of Spite. Now Travis, the drummer of Spite, has been on here before, but Darius has never been on here. We talk about their unbelievable new album, New World Killer, as well as life on the road. We also talk about how they've managed to stay consistent and get bigger and bigger without ever compromising on being outlandishly heavy. Before we get started, I want to let you know we have a Patreon, Patreon. Patreon.com, slash the Downbeat. On it, you can get early access to episodes. You can get add free episodes. Basically anything I do, you get early. Every single bit of money from the Patreon, we pump back into this podcast trying to make it the best thing it can be. If you fancy it, give us a little bit

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NordVPN, forward slash downbeat. It's Darius and Travis off spite on the downbeat podcast. Spite. Hey, it's us. It's right. A couple of us. Welcome back to the downbeat. Welcome to the downbeat. Thank you for having me. Travis. Fuck yeah. How does this compare? This is a different rig for sure. You're 100% less about to move than last time I saw you.

Was that before I moved? Your house was packed the fuck up, dude. Oh my God, yeah. And I cancel Devon Townton for you. Still regret it to this day. No, I don't. It was a great episode. Fuck, that was a long time ago.

That was like almost two years. That's the last time I saw you, I think, too. I've been officially American for two years. We went to take a piss and I was like, British guy, Nashville's fucking crazy, dude. That's what you just said. And it's why it's just so funny. I don't know.

I don't know why he said that. Yeah, that's rude. Yeah. I just go around being British. It's awesome. It's like I'm on a fucking documentary. How's it been for you being a British guy here? It's kind of sick.

Yeah. I don't think anything, nothing's happened that bad, is it? I get away with a murder because I'm just British. You just say whatever. Yeah, the one thing that annoys me is we have a particular way of, like, talking that Americans don't. Like if I go to buy something in a shop, I go, hello there, how you doing? I would, I'd like whatever it is, please.

Yeah, you're having a good day or whatever? And they're like, because normally Americans will go, let me get a number two or whatever, whatever is on the menu. And everyone thinks I'm doing a bit. And then when I say cheers for thank you, speaking of, cheers for cheers. For cheers. That's right.

When I say cheers for thank you, people think I'm making a joke. Like if I buy a coffee and I go, oh, cheers, they go, ha ha ha ha. And I'm like, what, what do you mean? That's got to be fully the accent because I say that every day. Wait, hold on. We can gang up on the Americans here, dude. We got Commonwealth. What the...

Wait, you guys say cheers as in thank you. I don't know. Yeah, I'll say cheers sometimes. Just for thank you. No drinks allowed. Yeah. Why the fuck people laughing at me there? I end every email with cheers.

Why are they laughing at me? The one that I recently found out is when they say, bless your heart in the South. It actually means you're a fucking idiot. And I actually heard that a lot. It's like being like, you're kind of stupid. Yeah. Oh, bless your heart.

Yeah. And I actually heard that a lot before someone told me what it meant. And then I was like, oh, wait. So everyone thinks I'm dumb. It's crazy because you're so nice and welcome and impressionable every time I see you. That sounds sarcastic. What does that mean? Every time I text you, it's like, this fucking guy hates me, dude.

I said that on the last one and I'll say it again, dude. No, actually not today. You know what? You have been better. You've been better. What are you fucking laughing at? I love that this comes up every fucking podcast. Every single podcast.

No. Oh, he's pulling up the receipts now. I always try saying that like even as his partner, the person that he like goes to bed with every single night when he texts me, I think I'm in trouble. Don't, it could be like, hey, have you done the laundry today? I need some boxers. And I'm like, oh my God, he's going to hate me. He's just trying to murder me. That's never happened.

But it was an example of something... That's such a bad example. He can text me, have you done the laundry today? Have I ever text you? No. You've never done that. But it could be like in the sense of something so minimal of doing the dishes or just something around the house. Stop using it as housework.

Yo, this is a... I've never asked you in text to do housework. Let me... Get a good example, please. But leave all this in. I'm being gaslit. I can go through my text right now from you. Didn't do the fucking dishes.

today, though, did you? She's going to be like, you asked me to wash the floors. With my tongue. Did you scrub the toilet yesterday? Wait, did I actually say? No. That would have been awesome. Because your shit stains were in there.

Did a paint job in the toilet, dude. We got separate toilets. I got downstairs. She's got upstairs. That rules. It never, never the twain shall meet. You're not, like, you're not, like, facing each other doing battle shits. I mean, I'd love that.

That would be awesome. What's your text tone like? What's his like? Darius? Darius actually sometimes, yeah, he could be a little, like, scary sometimes. Not now because I'm used to it. But when I was, like, new in the band and I wasn't a member, I'd be like, I knew you as a pussy.

Daddy Darius. I keep it short, but, like, sometimes to break out. Yeah, my bad. I keep it short, but sometimes I break out and I like to harass my members and start going at them. Yeah, that's good. I'm not a big texting guy. It's like, I just want to get the message across.

And then that's it. Right. Yeah. Here's the content. I don't need the fluff. I don't need the, you know. If it's important, it'll be... A little smiley face can go,

a little long way, you know. That's true. That's real. The smiley face changes everything. Maybe you need to implement some emojis. Here's what, no, okay, that's a separate conversation. But here's what I started doing

was just putting loads of, like, exclamation marks. You're excited. And that was because my friend Eric, that works on Seth Myers, when we were doing all the business, like before the show, it was all in,

emails, but it was other people, we were friends, but it was other people on the emails. And he told me before, like, bro, you text like a serial killer. So in these, I was like, exclamation marks. And he was like, now you're just doing too much. Now you're just like, I'm masking. I'm trying to be friendly. I get it pretty often. A lot of my friends are like, you're hard to read over text.

And in my head, I think I'm really nice. Do you get it in person as well, though? I think in the beginning with a lot of people, But once they get to know me, I think they're like, okay, you're not so bad. Yeah, I get it in person as well. You're so stoic. Well, for the first while, relax. I'm thinking about things.

He's a big FaceTimeer, right? That's good, which is dope. But, like, at first, he's an early guy. So it'll be, like, 8 a.m. sometimes. And I'd be, like, getting a FaceTime from Darius. I'm, like, waking up. It's like, I'm getting fired. What did I even do?

Which one of the 42 things that I should have been fired for am I getting fired for? I think I'd prefer being a FaceTime guy, but no one FaceTimed me. They always text me. Today, oh, you've got stage flight liquid IVs now. And I'm like, yep. And it's like a friend. And I'm like, if you're a friend, just fucking ask me for it. But it's like, oh, that's cool.

And then I go, do you want some? And then they go, oh, man, I couldn't do that. They do the run around. Oh, just ask me. Now, you got to be direct. That's honestly one good thing I've picked up from these guys is I always be so anxious. And, like, one thing I've learned from them is just, like, be direct and just whatever you want, get out of the way. Autism maxing.

Dude. Just go straight in. This is what my brain is. Let's fucking go. Literally. On the emoji thing, you guys obviously have a group chat for the band. Do we ever. Got any cool stickers?

Yeah. You got any cool stickers. Remember that conversation we had before the podcast started? Let's add this to the list. What? Oh, you can't talk about the stickers. I mean, we can. I mean, you've got stickers that you can tell me about.

If you do something stupid, me more than anybody, if you do something stupid, I'm turning you into a sticker. I'm using it forever. Yeah, that's funny. Give me an example. I have one of my feet that I really don't like. I have one of my balls on his feet. Oh, yeah.

As a sticker. Yeah. And that goes in the Greek car. That's fucked up. You know that, man? How did they get there? I was asleep. I was asleep.

I was asleep. I put out the bandwagon. Curtain, which never happens. It doesn't. I sleep like a vampire in there. Nothing comes out. I'm in there and apparently one night I had a hard night and I was sleeping in and my foot was hanging out and I woke up To a photo of his balls on my foot. The funny thing is there's also a photo of me doing it. So there's a photo like a POV and then there's a photo behind a scene That's not cool. No, yeah, that's cancelled. Well, he doesn't like men's feet at all. So if you're his own

feet, though. But if there's feet sticking out of your curtain, you're waking up to it in the group chat every time. Oh, okay. So, what's the deal? So I was like, I'm liking men's feet. Oh, we got from my feet to other people's feet. Wait, now we're getting a feet on the, on the, feet on the, Travis, you did not segue me into that. The down feet. Wait, you got a fear of men's feet. down with feet, dude. There's no reason I think a men should have his feet ever exposed in public unless they're at the beach or the pool. I agree. I agree wholeheartedly. Is that fun? Is that fucked up. Yeah, they're not nice looking things.

You know, my beef, and I know you share this one, is like 4K drum play-through, foot cam, barefoot. Love you, Bryce. Bro, yeah, I refuse to put a foot cam in my studio. Put your feet away. You're a man, put your feet away. And I can't even, like, put my feet up on the kick drum to relax without someone going, ooh, feet.

Do you play live like that? Did you? Last tour, did you? Damn. Love it. You can do it. Loved it. I couldn't do it.

It's definitely fucking, it was a couple of times in like a hard kick section, drum podcast, that I slipped off the pedals. Yeah, fuck that. My slippy little, slipping little thing. I got a fucking skate grip all the way up my shit, bro. Yeah, that would tear me right up. What about women's feet? They get past.

Well, we're talking, bro. I'll do this to me, man. You can say. I love women's feet. You didn't have to say that. You can say I'm neutral. I'm ambivalent. But I'm not, and I'll keep it straight with you.

But let's just keep it about the men. Men. But you are a foot guy? I can appreciate when a woman has a nice pair of feet. I think that is an attractive thing. Yeah, I agree. I agree. And that would explain the hatred of men's feet because they are for women only.

They are the antichrist of women's feet. I don't have a phobia men's feet, but I agree with him on that point. And I don't have a kink for women's feet, but I also agree with him on that point. point so. I can't believe I'm here right now. I wasn't really like a yeah I don't this is your fucking fault. I know dude. This is a trap. This is the down feet. I promise I didn't down with feet. I promised I didn't know anything about Darius's extreme foot fetish until all right now. Time out. Simon keep it in. Wait, it's a foot hatred for men. Okay. It's a yin and a ying of feet.

The lady doth protest too much. Okay, so what are you reacting in the group chat with that sticker of your balls on his feet? That one doesn't come out too often. I don't know, random things. Honestly, most of my stickers don't really, it's just like random shit. Yeah, I got some that are just like, obviously group chat, some that are just horrendous. Yeah. But not like that bad.

I mean, I'm not at all. If you're being like objectively cringe in our scene, I'm going to turn it into a sticker. Oh, that is a sticker. Someone else is a sticker. There's stickers of other people for sure. Oh, many. I'm not going to name drop anybody because honestly, no. Because they're like, if there was anybody I had a beef with, I'd be like, yeah.

But like it's like, it never somebody I'm friends with. I mean, people are going to flame me for the conversation we just had before. But if you're put online and you're a public person and you're posting every day, expect to be stickered. Have I been stickered? No. No. Yeah, we'll be. I don't think so.

I don't think so. You haven't given me anything to sticker yet. You can give me a little sticker. I don't know, man. I'm sure I'm in many group chats. Hmm. I like you. That's why you're here.

My most used one is probably, I've got quite a lot of like 80s terrorist attacks. Like Oklahoma City? Yeah, like ones that are far enough away that you could use them in. What are you reacting with the Oklahoma City bombing? I don't have the Oklahoma City. I'm talking more like less bodies, like less people actually dying.

What's your threshold for bodies for this can be a funny sticker? The Iranian embassy in... That's a hot top. You're talking to an Iranian, bro. Yeah, so in, I think it's in the 80s, 87, Iranian embassy. No one died. It was a siege. No one died. Oh, well, that's a kid. Great sticker of a guy scaling a building. All right.

So I'll just pop that in that. I just made all that up, by the way. I don't know, bro. This fucking guy, dude. But the one that I mostly react to is, um, little, you know, Voldemort when he's, when he's all like, oh, he's like the fetus? Yeah, I do that all the ones. Yeah, that's a good one.

Yeah. If I'm tired, yeah. Put that in there. If we haven't pulled over for food yet, I'll just spam the chat with Voldemort. Sick. There are various levels of that. Uh, on the same line. The, uh, you ever see that movie?

Fuck, what's the movie? Life Force. I haven't seen that. It's like 80s horror movie and, uh, about this, like, woman alien and she sucks the life force out of men, not like that. But they get all, like, wrinkly. For some reason, I was just posting stickers of like wrinkly, wrinkly old little disgusting things. Anyway.

It's like a common theme in a lot of horror movies, like the mummy and there's like a hellraiser and stuff. I got a hellraiser one in there, yeah. And it just reminds me of tall. So I don't know why I just pop that in there. I'm at that point where I'm feeling like that right now. How long is it tall? It's about four weeks, but we're... I feel great. It's not bad.

Really? Yeah. It's awesome. You look very fresh. Do I? Yeah. This guy takes care of themselves, but right now, I could use a little... You take care of himself. He just said you did.

It does. Out of any man I know, this guy, like, takes the most pride in, like, taking care of himself. Skin care? No, I'm just a clean freak, you know? Okay. At home, very, very, like, probably a little bit psychotically, like, tidy and, and, like, cleanest apartment I've ever seen. No clutter.

It smells like a fucking Lilabo store. Perfect bunk person. Yes. I don't know. My bunk is a little bit, I mean, his tour, though. There's only so much you can do.

What are you in on this tour? Bandwagon. You like it? It could be worth. I can't complain because I did two van tours and went straight to bandwagon. I love a bandwagon. I love it too.

People bitch about it all the time. It's not bad at all. No. You're touring in a bandwagon. It's good. Like, shut up. You're in a van. Yeah.

Like, like the, I think on my deathbed, I will remember bandwagon tours, like the most fun thing. I'll be at home and I'll be like,

ooh, tours coming up, I can't wait to be in my bandwagon bunk because I'm going to sleep good. Yeah. Like, I,

I just know how I feel in there and I have a safe space there. Like, yeah, no. And you've got the little hangout area. It's like camping

with the boys. It is. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. I think that like my main beef with bandwagon is more like,

they charge so much fucking money for those things. And like, there's always shit that doesn't work. Like on our last tour, we did the fucking microwave, like, didn't spin, so none of your food cooked. This tour, like the TV, like nothing, none of the connections work. Just shit, little shit like that.

Yeah, that kind of sucks. Come on, dude. Don't they come out and fix it. I don't know, dude. That's not my fucking job. I think maybe because we, because Tom was managing us as well as playing guitar. Like, if someone went wrong, Tom just went psycho. Yeah.

They sent a guy out like the next day. Honestly, bro, I think in general, we've had pretty good. We've had pretty good lot. I see a lot of other bands post. like stories when they're on tour of them in bandwagons and like shit space heat and shit yeah and i'm like we've never dealt with anything like that like i think we're i mean knock on wood but so far it's been pretty good yeah watch it fucking tonight our our driver is the fucking man like he's so good about like he's like he's like if you let the gas go past this much in the generator like

shit starts to go haywire so we got to keep it above this like he's he's really good of that shit who is he was his name is uh jake i don't remember his last name um he's he's from chico he yeah He's been on other tours with me for a long time, just like over the years, driving vans for other bands, and he did the last tour with us before this. We had just had a really good experience with him. I think that's the key.

You get a good bandwagon driver that not only knows, like, hey, bro, you can't drive this like a fucking car. Like a Honda city. And then, like, is clean and knows when to hang out, when not to hang out. Right. Yeah. Jake can hang out forever.

He takes his schedule, the sleeping schedule really seriously. And I just appreciate that. He doesn't drink. or anything like that. And he's just super cool. He's always in a good mood and very high spirits. And like, dude, he wakes up in the morning.

He gets on the bandwagon when he gets there. And he's like, hey, everybody. You know what I mean? And like, we've had drivers that go on. They're just like, fuck you. You need to ask him to do something. They're just like piss off, you know? Like, this guy is just like happy to be there and be a part of the whole deal.

That's so cool. Keep him. Team player. Guard him with your life. Yeah. Yeah, literally. I mean, bro, like, well, I'm the last time I was on the podcast. That's not what you remember, but I just got off a tour where we had like the tour from hell.

We didn't have a bandwagon, but we did the RV. Do you remember that. Yeah, and then our fire and a driver like after like the third or it was like the first week. But like, yeah, he just like, it was, yeah, that's all. Go back and watch the other podcast going to hear that story. Pardon the intrusion, guys, but if you are looking for just one festival to hit for the rest of this year, make sure it's louder than life. It's happening September 17th to the 20th at the Highland Festival grounds in Louisville, Kentucky.

I went there last year and it was the best festival I've ever been to. No joke. Four days, six stages, over 160 bands. Spite's going to be there. If you're watching this, you like Spike. Guess what? They're going to be there. Whether you're into legendary headliners like Limp Biscuit or Tool,

or you just want to go and see the best band on the planet Gojira, louder than life, is for you. You'll be hanging out with thousands of people that love heavy music, just like me, just like you. In fact, I'm going to be there. I'm going to be doing podcasts. I want you to let me know who you want from that festival on the podcast. I also want you to let them know that I'm going to be there.

So they come and talk to me. Do my work for me, please. But also I'll do my work. Do 10% of the work. Grab your tickets at louder than lifefestival.com. And I will hopefully see you there at one of the best, if not the best, metal festival on the planet. Back to the show.

That tour is a doozy. Yeah. Talk about people that fucking, you know, talk about. about people. Crew on that tour. Are we going there, dude? That sucks, man.

You want to talk shit. Well, I mean, those are people that just, like, straight up made our life a living hell for no reason. Another band's crew or? Yes. Not the band. The bands were great. The bands were great. And that's why I tread lightly.

Bands were awesome. Gimmy. Who was it? I think dying fetus is awesome. And I think Dahlia is awesome. And I had a great time being on the road playing with them. But their crew treated us like, shit. We were getting picked on that tour.

We were getting picked on. And I couldn't tell you why. And that's their reason to answer. But like, holy fuck, man, we were already struggling so hard on that tour. And those guys went out of their way to make it even harder. And it was just like, okay. Did you go to the bands and tell them? I told Trey.

Yeah. I told Trey that the crew was sucking dick. Yeah. That was one of those tours. And, you know, they don't know, man. Like, you know, it's, I mean, maybe they do. I don't know. You know, I know some bands are a lot more involved.

Some men are not. A lot of bands are more separated and shit they've been doing it for a long time. They don't get involved in like the crew stuff so much and shit like that. But yeah, man, I mean, it was towards the end of the tour and it is what it is. Like, we can take it, you know. We played ball. Yeah, it's just like, I am a mad adamant for being like, okay, when you're on tour with a group of people, like, how can we make it easy for everybody? How can we make this an enjoyable experience?

Because it is so hard to tour for everybody. No matter what level you're at, you just want to be a team player. And I just like, I've never felt less of that on a tour ever, I think, than on that tour. And I mean, I almost speak my mind, man. It sucked. Yeah. So, but besides that, like, again, the band's awesome. I think dying fetus is great.

I love the guys in dying fetus. Dolly was great to us, dude. Brian was so cool to us. He hung out like every night. Yeah. But, like, you know, that's what it is. I've seen it both ways. I've seen it when the band truly has no idea.

what the mainly tour manager is being like. And then I've seen it the other way where the band is doing dirty shit and they're just like using the tour manager to do it. Right. Well, dude, we would never do something like that.

You know, it's like we've been on so many tours. And again, like I have that outlook on tours when I go into it. And you know, you know, it is on tour. Certain people don't like other people and certain people have these weird little things. And I think there was a couple of people on that tour that were just really good friends

with some people that had something out for us and they just went in the tour being like, I'm going to make it hard for spite. And that was just it. And it had nothing to do with us. And it, you know, it was what is. A calculated me. 100%.

Dude, there's no way. It was from day one. There was no way it wasn't. And I did my research and those people were with each other. And I'm like, okay, this all makes a lot of sense now. So you had a beef. apparently was someone that, I mean, who gives a fuck about these feels a long time ago in my life. You know what I'm saying?

A band we toured with that also was shitty to us. They're friends with those guys. God makes a lot of sense, right? You know, but whatever, man. Again, like, you've been on tour. I do kind of back to revenge, though. That's very spiteful, bro. Yeah.

It's fucking kind of safe. We made it through. We played her fucking ass ball. I'm like, you suck, dude, but like, respect. respect because like that's fucking commitment. You're a motherfucker. Yeah, that's commitment.

I do like a bit of revenge. You do? Yeah, I'm a bit of a revenge guy. I love revenge, dude. It's a big revenge guy right here. I'm a huge revenge guy. I just don't think we did actually anything to deserve that. You know, it's like who you vouching for.

You know what I'm saying? I have a personal experience with you. It could have been cool. I will say like these guys handled it super well too. Like it was the last tour of the year. We were taking a year off to make the album and we were just like, let's just fucking get through. And they handled it.

it. You weren't in the band at that point. I was an official member yet. That was my last tour. What's the story? I remember getting to the venue one day. This is weeks and weeks after them just fucking with their thumb up my ass, dude, for no reason. Oh, I know what you're going to say. We're in Philly and it's fucking, I think it's like probably

like noon at this point. The bands are all in there and shit and the crew was very adamant. We could not be in there during sound check, whatever. But I was like, hey, bro, I really got to use the bathroom. I can brush my teeth. It's hitting noon right now. You know what I'm saying? The venue guy was so nice to me, bro.

And he was like, dude, I don't even want to tell you this right now. But, like, the tour manager of this tour came up to me at the beginning of the day. And he goes, I just want to make sure that band can't have any access to the venue. We're three of five. Really? The other two bands are in the venue at this point. That's the, like, one of the most insane things I heard. It was clear cut as fuck.

Like, I'm like, I'm like, I'll piss on the floor right now, bro. That's not on. And he apologized, dude, because he knew, he's like, this is weird, this is fucked up, you know? He's like, I don't want to tell you this. Wait, you can't tell me what this is about. This is so juicy. It goes way back to other, like, bands who gives a fuck about. I don't even want to put their name on, you know what I'm saying?

Bands are shit like that. They're doing shit these days. But what was the beef about initially? Don't tell me the band. We toured with this band a long time, long time ago. It's like when Spy was first kind of coming up. And it was good in the beginning, but they got these really shitty attitudes, very quickly throughout the tour when we were just doing well. Everyone was doing well. And we were just

happy and they just didn't, they just did not like that. I couldn't tell you why. And they went very harsh out of their way to tell us how spoiled and shitty we were and all, all this shit. And one night they got really drunk and came at us at our vehicle. And they got out and like surrounded me. It was like this crazy thing. Because you were doing well. Because they didn't like that we were whatever the I couldn't tell you man I just couldn't my mind doesn't work that way I've toured with so many bands I've toured with so many people over the years

and there are just like a handful of stinkers and I'm like this is not a me thing this is a you thing and like and then you move on to other tours and you hear everyone else talk and you're like okay like I'm not the asshole you know um but yeah dude I've I've never been on a tour where I was like getting threatened to be beaten up because like a bunch of drunks were pissed off

because my band was like doing okay and they were like throwing shit at her wagon or at our vehicle at the time because we were sleeping. You're on tour together? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Were you headline? Long tour.

No, we're the opener. Yeah. Were they on after you and you were smoking them? Yeah. But like... There it is. I'd be pissed if I had to play after us too, bro. I'm fucking beating someone out.

But like that, I don't think that came out in my attitude. I don't think it came out of any of our attitude. Yeah, right. Right. And, like, that's not my responsibility to cater to how they feel about me because I was honored to be on tour at that band. I was really stoked.

I was a fan. And then you go on Instagram and there's this tour manager and these guys that are treating us like shit. And you find them and you start looking. There are all these friends at the pictures together and all the shit. And you're like, oh, oh, this is why this guy, I don't know at all, is going out of his way to fuck me, you know? Crazy.

I've honestly never heard anything like not. a support band into the venue. That was the moment where I was like this. Extreme, dude. Like, you know, we'll play ball. You're gonna fucking not let me take a shit. I'm gonna take a shit on your fucking like, should have waited to the last day of tour.

Man, we're on tour right now with this band called Reverend. Baby boys. Little babies. Yeah, I think the singer's 17, this one that's like just turned 19 or something. They're like 20, 20. I think 21 is the old. Something, yeah. They're very, very young.

And like, dude, like this is their first, maybe like full scale like tour and like I want to give them a great experience you know what I mean I want them to look back on this tour and be like that was awesome you know what I mean like oh spite was just like do do I need to do you yeah wrong and fuck you it's like there's a way to like communicate with people like hey like this is not the way you do things and like hey you know maybe someone else might I appreciate this we don't appreciate this but like we're cool but like from here on out like hey you know you can you can talk to people without being a fucking asshole bro we're all in this together sucks. No matter what level you're at, it's going to suck.

It's easier when a band is that young, though, to give them advice and they're, like, actually one thing. For sure. You know, there's certain things. Like, you know, we're like, these are kids. We're going to take them under our wing and, like, you know, hey. Band's fucking great, by the way. They're fucking sick. I'm bummed that you're missing their set, like, right now. They're awesome. Bummed them missing fucking Zicoframe as well. I know. It's a good tour package.

It's a great fucking tour package. I'm very proud of it. I think it's such a bulletproof lineup. I think people are going to talk about it for years, man, be like, I miss that. Like, you know, because seeing this group together is pretty crazy. It's got the new blood, brand new blood that is like paying honor to like everything we grew up on. And they're doing it

in a very genuine way. So cool in so many ways. You got Psychoframe who is also doing that, but in this very new modern way that is polished and like no one's heard it this way before. Amir, the ultimate nostalgic throwback band, we all came up on and then spite, which is its own

entity. And I think together it's just insane. How easy was it to get a mure to take the support slot? It was, this was the easiest tour I think I've ever put together with Spite because we hit up all these bands and they all said yes, yes, yes, yes. And it was insane. Frank, you fucks with us. And Frank, like, right away, like, before we were in talks, we talked about Europe way ahead of time and he was like, I'm already on board for Europe. Like, they were so cool about it. And even talking to Frank inside the green room and, you know, you got to respect that guy.

He's been in the game for so long. He's seen everything, you know. And I was just like, dude, you know, I just appreciate that you're doing this shit. And he was just like, you know, bro, like I've seen you guys. We're next for a long time and I'm happy to be here. This is cool shit. He doesn't have an attitude about... I mean, guy has attitude.

Not about supporting. No, not for this. He has been nothing but super kind and respectful to our team. And he's been dope. Care for your skin. like you care for the game. Dove Men Plus Care is an official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026

and has just dropped their new limited edition deodor in an antipersprint collection for 72 hours sweat and odor protection helping you stay fresh from kickoff to the final whistle. Visit dove.com slash CA slash E.N. slash men dash care to shop now. Yeah, I don't know if you were, you might have been asleep last night.

He was on the wagon. He was like, I went. He was on a wagon looking at your feet. I clocked out about halfway through the hat. Yeah, that's all good. Yeah, he said, I don't know if he was even last night or maybe it was like the other night when he was out, but he was like, Spice, the only fucking band I'm doing this for. Like, he wasn't important.

Yeah, I knew it. I know. I fucking knew it because Stray asked Amil like maybe two years ago. I'm going to ask him about that. If we want, if they wanted to support and I'm pretty sure I said no. I have messages from Frank from like 10 years ago, man. He's always chatted with me. He's always been a huge supporter.

And it's, it was so cool that he was just down. like that. Yeah. I know the dude is like, he gets such a controversial rap around him. I don't really know anything about him. I see he gets canceled all the time. Yeah.

You know, like, listen. I don't get to fuck people. I see it. You guys would probably get along. There are some to be, I can't be hanging out.

I don't know if this should even go on the podcast. I'm just going to say it, but I think there is something to be said about people that are shamelessly themselves and truly do not care about what other people think about them. That is so hard to come by. especially nowadays with the way people posture and put on for things. That guy is the anti-that. And I have so much respect for him because of that.

He's fearless. He's a fearless dude who just, like, thinks what he thinks and will say what he thinks. And, like, I can't agree or disagree because I can't remember what he said. Right. And that is not me. That is not me condoning what he says. That's not me agreeing with what he says. but it is a certain personality

and takes a certain kind of person that is not afraid to say anything. And that aspect, I respect very much. And I think that is why Amir is the band that they are is because his personality is so much in that. You know, like, the lyrics are him. And the controversy is Amir. Like, you go, oh, okay, Amir like, oh, fuck.

But, like, that's part of it. You know what I'm saying? I think he's a person that can own that. It's very in it. Speaking of a couple of things you just said there, I nearly went on a fucking rant today. I nearly went on one. A little bit.

Craig rant. I've reigned them in. That's why, I think that's why I don't want to do a band. Because I fucking hate everything except, I hate everything about music, except the way it sounds and hanging out my friends. I love that shit.

And then I hate every other fucking thing. Why? What bothers you? I hate the fucking internet. I hate short form. content to engage the algorithm. I agree with you, despite the fact I'm on it. But like how that's like all the fucking shit.

Like, you know what I piss me off today? A lot. I'm not going to name any fucking names. But like what I discovered, no, I didn't discover, but I've been outwardly watching the music industry without being in a band for however long now. And what I've been seeing is that the root of every argument on the internet, with the exception of like people doing fucking haines.

things, is I don't like this band, but I do like this band, right? But no one ever just says, no, I don't really like that band anymore. It has to be, I don't like that band. And here's why you shouldn't like that band. Right. So like the example I had today that really pissed me off was I saw someone calling a band an industry plant. Classic.

Right. I saw it twice today, actually. I saw one girl. I know you're talking about. Calling a band with a girl in it, a different girl in a band, calling that an industry plant, right? And, you know, that person, the girl in the band that was being called, the person that was being called an industry plant, writes all the music, plays a fucking guitar on stage, like, that's not an industry plant.

Same person who would call that person industry plant was gassing up another well-known industry plant. Yeah. And like going nuts over it And I was like, you just don't get it And it was like, you're supposed to be in a band And you're supposed to understand these things And you don't get it. How are we supposed to expect everyone else to get it?

It was just fucking piss me the fuck off. I can't remember exactly what was said, but I think Chris Motionless put something out before their last record or their last like single They came out with talking about kind of that thing And he said it really well. The parosocial shit. Right, right.

And it's just the way people view, you know, artists and stuff was so crazy now. And people like, I just remember going to shows when I was young and meeting artists. Nothing was tangible like that for one, you know. Yeah. It was, there was a huge distance between me and the artist. And a lot of times, even with me, like the things people say to me at the merch table, sometimes I'm like, I would never imagine approaching someone that I idolized or that I looked up to and saying something like that. Yeah. You know, it really throws me off sometimes. It's, It's kind of, it's even disturbing, actually, a little bit. Yeah, you get it bad sometimes.

I had fucking jelly on here the other day from pale face, and he was like, like, some girl asked me to spit in her face. I got that the other night. You got that as well! I got that at the merch table. From a girl? And listen, yeah, and, you know, listen, I spit on stage a lot. You know, it just, I do it.

We're very spitty bands. Yeah, but like. Get on stage then now. And, like, you know what? I don't think she meant any, you know, whenever she's excited or, whatnot, but I'm like, you know, hey, like, you know, this on stage is one thing, but I can't, I'm not going to spit it. I mean, the thing is, it's like, number one, it's, it's outside of stage it is, it is sexualized.

The spitting. Number one, right? Right. I disagree with, which I'm aware of, when I posted that zelly thing, a lot of fucking little incels were in comments going, this is sexual assault. If a man did this, blah, blah, blah. And I was like, and I have to be a little bit fucking patriarchy here and be like, that's not sexual assault.

Come on. Relax. However, I actually worry for the girl, especially in, I worry for the girl in your case and in Zeli's case, the day that she says that to a singer of a band, and he's a fucking piece of shit. There's a lot of one. I'll spit in your face later. And then meets up with him and fucking does something fucking horrible. Horrific.

That's a real thing, bro. It's a real fucking thing. Don't be going to asking for spitting. Because you're more like just get it. The comments you're saying about Zelly, like, there was one time there was a girl that came up to me and she's like, can you sign my boobs? And I was like, fine. Yeah. I'm okay.

Like, sure. Like, you know, I get it. Rock and roll. Like, whatever. You know, like, she didn't pull them all the way out. She just wanted me to sign like the top, whatever. And I was, I said, okay. I said okay.

And a girl came up to me after that. And she was like, I'm so sorry. You had to go through. And I was like. I appreciate that, but like, I said it was okay. I'm okay. This is why I hate. We are just eating everything I hate about music.

It's just like there's so many angles in the way people view things. Everything is so intense all the time. And it's just like, no, it's okay. This girl is having a good night. She's excited harmless. Like, I didn't think twice. You know, like I didn't go home. Oh, my God.

Like, oh, the way she asked me. You had a bad. said no and it would have been fine. And you could have had like, okay, so you do it. Girl after says, I'm sorry you went to go through that. And then girl after her or guy after them goes, you know, you really shouldn't have done that. Like you just literally can't fucking win. It's hard, man.

Good on you for doing it, the Motley crew thing. You know, for me, dude, it's like I've always primed. And this tour's been really hard because going into this tour, I was like, you know, every tour I've done prior, I've always gone to the merch table. I hang out the show every day. I watch all the bands every night. Like, I like being a part of the environment. What I grew up on, it's why I'm here, you know?

But on this tour, it's like, oh, I'm not supposed to show face. I'm not, you know, because I'm the headliner. You know, I can't just be out. Well, you know, I'm encouraged not to, you know, because there's the VIP. I don't want to take away from the bands playing. If then there's a crowd around me or something, you know, shit like that. But I take pride in meeting all the fans and giving everyone the time. and giving everyone a pleasant experience.

I think that's so important. I do think that is why spite is partly, not, of course, not all, but partly successful the way we are is because we've created such an intimate experience with our fan base and that I'm not just like, fuck you guys, you know? I can't respond to everyone on the internet.

I can't do all that shit when I'm at a show. I'm clocked in. I'm there. I'm present. Of course I can take a picture with you. Of course I can say what's up. Let's take a group picture with your friends. you know what I mean

whatever you know that made her stuck whatever am I going to spit on you and from a bunch of people in front no you know what I'm saying but like there's this level I'm comfortable with what I'm doing if I'm not comfortable I'll say I'm not comfortable you know do you think it may reach a point though where it just becomes uncomfortable yeah the level of the parasocial stuff yeah I mean I've had a lot of uncomfortable experiences even now dude I have this like account and all my friends hit me up about

Dude, because they've dug into stuff that, like, I didn't even know existed anymore from when I was, like, a kid and, like, friends that I haven't talked to in, like, 15 years and, like, are you sleep talking? I don't know. Yeah, right. And they have this, like, this account where they're making AI videos in me now. Like, in the bathtub, like, ripped fucking Christian bail. And then me at, like, baseball games and shit. And I'm like, dude, like, what the fuck is going on? Why?

Like, dude, like, they're, like, posting stories. that we posted like years ago. And I've like, my, where are you finding this? My childhood friends hitting me up, be like, yo, damn, like, what the fuck? And I'm like, dude, just, ah. What is your Instagram? Everything.

I've got a guy at Matt. Do you want to find out who it is? Yeah. I mean, I could just block him, I guess. I mean, bro, like, even like... Find out who it is, a bit of revenge. Even like... Revenge never hurt anyone.

My fucking partner, like, snapped at this account a few months ago because, like, me and her, like, when I got pizza and she posted a picture of me, like, with the pizza. And within, like, 10 minutes. He's an AI photo of him. Like, fucking reposted, like, me and my girlfriend with the fucking... Why was it AI, though?

Because this guy's having a great time. Whoever it is. It's the same photo, but repurposed as AI. But it was just like, dude, like, yes, like, this is public. Like, you know, like, I know there's people in the fucking comments. They're like, oh, but you posted it so... But it's like, dude, like, I shouldn't have to... I mean, I did literally just say that.

You post someone on the other people are going to come out of you. You know? Like, bro, like... I mean, it's not just an indicator that you've made it. Like, yes. It's just like, it's just... as weird. Oh, yeah, no.

It's fucking normal. It's for sure weird, but like, right now it's like relatively harmless. It's just weird, though, to like go and like follow everybody in our, yeah, there is spite smart. Smut about me on Tumblr. Yep. Oh, that's sick. That's awesome.

I'm literally because I was a, I was a Tumblr boy, you know, when I was growing up, I was very in that shit. I'm 31. And so when I, we were in the studio making the record, I was like, right in there's in my lap, I'm killing time. I'm staying up late. And I'm like, I wonder if there's like Spite fan base on Tumblr.

And so I'm looking up spite on Tumblr and I'm like, Mother of God. That's how you know you've made it. I don't think that's parasocial. I think that's just fucking, that just means your favorites. I couldn't even read that shit, dude.

People are going to do what they want to do. Imagine it's all about each other's feet. Yeah. I mean, it will be now. We fucked it now. That's out there. Madison just got a text that was,

are you coming tonight? We're in Nashville. There could be a million things on. But it was just, are you coming tonight? Dude, Nashville's always been hard. It's always a tough market. But now it's good. Well, even Sean tonight, I mean, it didn't sell out tonight.

I think we got close tonight. But even our manager, Sean, was just like, dude, everyone in their mom hit me up tonight about this show. So it's got to be cracking. Is it? Is it? Yes. Great, thank you. Yeah, we played there on Body Snatch.

It was awesome. Yeah, I love it. Nashville, particularly this lineup, you're going to have a great time. I would say Nashville's hardcore scene is better than it's metalcore scene. That's how I feel about the Bay in California. I feel very similarly. I don't think it's a dead scene, but I think for hardcore, it's popping for metalcore, deathcore's a little bit harder.

Deathcore and hardcore really fucking melding at the moment. It's like the good old days. It's like subgenre and subgenre. I agree with you too. I think it's funny though because like I think a lot of a hard job. people shit on deathcore bands, but like when the deathcore bands show and they play the breakdowns,

well, where's the line? Yeah, so I'm like, who's allowed to be cool, who's not? You know what I mean? We go back to the internet. You know, yeah, it's like, I think that shit's fucking dumb, bro. Basically, I'll tell you the rule

from what I've been observing. It's almost like I'm going to write a book or something, right? From what I've been observing, the rule is, they're all cool. until they get too big. And then they're not cool. Because if you play the throwback album,

oh my God. Yeah. Yeah, it's, it's all cool. But I'm like, but you came from there, so what's the beef? What's changing? I don't know. Psychoframe is like universally

considered awesome in hardcore circles. Right. But it's fucking deathcore. We had a thing, dude, with spite when like, when we came up in the beginning, we played a ton of hardcore shows.

from the Bay. And we, we just meshed with that. All the promoters, the people were friends with, like, we're all in that scene. So that's just kind of where we ended up playing a bunch of local shows. And it was just, we thought that was awesome. We had a great time. We loved that scene. It was great. And they very much respected us until one day, I did an interview with this press company from the Bay. And in the article, they labeled us and they went, Bay Area hardcore band Spite. Oh, yeah. And so the internet erupted.

And it was just like, fuck this band. We're claiming hardcore with a bunch of poser pussies. Like, fuck this, you know, whatever. And we're like, first of all, we didn't say that. Someone else said that. And ever since then, it was just like, Spites a bitch band. Fuck you. And I was like, damn.

You know what? I think it just happened at the same time that you got too big. Could have been that too. It happens with all that. That was such a... I remember that was such a like... Because the internet we just blew up about it.

And I was like, all right, this is it. This is the moment. Everyone's gonna shit on us. Everyone's gonna meme on us. Whatever, we gotta just stay our lane and do our thing, you know? And then you just keep getting bigger and it keeps getting madder.

It's very weird, isn't it? I would also say we also keep like... I mean, I joined the band at kind of like a pivotal point in their sound, I feel like. Like, dedication of flush is a very progressive album compared to the rest. And I think if you removed Darius's vocals, like, is it even deathcore?

I mean, the new record, I don't think is a death core record. I mean, I can't be a double, or I can't fucking be a deathcore drummer because I actually hit my kick drum. So, there it is. Let me, let me delve into my brain about whether or not I think that. Like, I don't care. Like, but it's just like. I would say it's a metal record. That's what I'm saying.

That was the goal. There's like a fucking Lamb of God bit in there. Yeah. We love Lamb of God. We very much delved into like what we grew up on when we, yeah. When we went into that, we were like, what made us who. we are and how can we put that in this record, you know. We might as well talk

about it then. Yeah, no, dude, for sure. It's the greatest record of all time. What a fucking segue. You said something that was like, this is the best performance any drummer has put down. Okay. Listen, I like, when I'm talking up myself, like it's half a bit, but it is like, metal

drumming, when is the last time you heard a record where like the records great and it could have been great without the drums doing everything they're doing. But the drums are doing something that you're like, what's going on there? If I give any comment to this, I think that in Travis's defense here, we came up with these songs and everything. Travis worked

really hard. He took every song home with him every night and he stayed up all night long and he tried every avenue. Like, how would I play this? And it translates so well. And I think the the album really is. Like, and you know, Alex wrote all these songs, but the drums make them very much what they are. It's a very drum-driven record. And when you listen to the record, you want to do this.

And that's him. I mean, it is fucking amazing. Thank you. It's him. I'll never tell you in text, but I'll tell you in person. It's fucking amazing. I'm aware of this.

This band has a history of both of you. The record's fucking great. I appreciate that. Thank you, bro. Thank you. I was like, coming into this. Like, I was aware of this band has a history of having great drummers.

and I knew I need to come out dick swinging. But I also, like, I've only done one record before. We pushed that on him, too. Yeah, yeah. We do have a good record. You know, but, like, I only done one actual album before. God, I forgot this about you. The last time I talked to you was like, this is my second goal.

So great, dude. That's crazy. I've been ready for it, though. Like, I was waiting for it my whole life, you know. It happened fast. But, like, I've done an album before, and I was a session guy, so I didn't really get any say in it. But at the time I heard it, I was like,

I put so much work into this. And, like, this is all resampled, quantized. Like, I couldn't really do any of my ideas, whatever it was. When I came into this, like, I know, like, to give Alex's credit, you know, he has written incredible drum parts, like, in the past. And baseline. Alex always provides, like, material to work with. He fucking, that guy knows how to write songs. So he is, like, this is a double-term.

For sure. But I would challenge him. I would challenge him. What I did is I would, like, I would have his MIDI drums. I'd never done it this way, but I'd programmed everything before I played it. So I would mute his drums, his template. And like, I'd program, like, if there was like a section where I was like, yep, that's like, he's nailing it. I'll just add my embellishments, you know, whatever. But like, what I would do no matter what, even if it was great, is I would mute it.

I would play the drums up to like the bar where I was working on and then mute the drums past that. And I would air drum be like, what does my body want to do? And my bow, my snare hand would be like, oh, we should go to double time here or we should go to halftime. and I would just like every single fucking bar of the whole record that's how I did it's a true drummer's album it is I just like I mean bro like you know my two favorite heroes are fucking the rev and Joey and they're not here to do that anymore

and I was like who not that like I'm gonna fucking sit here and be like oh I'm one of them but it was like who's doing it like who's honoring that legacy yeah I didn't really understand your question a minute ago because I'd like to try and answer it which was I think you said when was Who's like, who's really going out of their way to make, like, to write a drum part that services the song, but does the absolute most on the drums.

And I'm not talking about fucking pitter-pattering at 350 BPM. I'm talking about meaningful drum parts. Am I included? Sure. I mean, for sure. For sure. I would say, I would say you're on that. I had the same outlook as you for clockwork.

100%. I was like, this is going to be my fucking magnum opus. I'm going to be in the fucking lab three hours a day. I'm going to fucking do it. Before that, I was kind of of fucking diving it in. It's hard to say who's doing that now.

You found a sweet spot between putting yourself out as being like, this is who I am as a drummer, this is what I do, while also paying tribute to what made you who you are. And I think that's what you found. You found a very good sweet spot there. And that's great.

I don't think it needs to be like, who's doing now? Yeah, no, that was a little bit of their drummers. No, but I actually want to think about it. Like, I'm sure there are, though. I guess more what I'm getting at, With that is like, I'm not a death core kid. I'm not inspired by bands in the genre that were put into.

I, you know, my dad, like, you're wearing the DEMU shirt. My dad showed me DEMU when I was like four. You know, like, I shout out dad, by the way. But like, you know, like, horrible parenting. Are you sure? Because I turn out fucking wicked, dude. I'm joking. I don't know.

The best shit comes from when it's not inspired within the genre. And like, I just, I'm not a death cord drover. I don't want to, 230 BPM is plenty fast. I don't, I'm not. I agree. You know, like, I would rather be creative, you know, than play faster. I mean, before we get on to, obviously, not drums about the album, I will say you guys did the best possible fucking move for this vision was going to

will put me. Dude. Those drums are fucking real. They're real. They sound just like him. If you were going to tell me that. Yeah, if you were going to say, like, when was the last time someone did a record like that, because I'm sure there's so many.

And when I'm saying, oh, except me, like, I'm half joking, but actually not. Yeah, you kind of honestly, like, I wouldn't have thought about it like that, but that is what I'm saying, though, for sure. It's like, it's not like I'm some, like, there's nothing on this record that's groundbreaking on the drums at all. That's not what I'm trying to get it. But, like, it's real and it is entirely inspired by real shit. Yeah, I just, even the mix, the mix is just so real. Very authentic. I can't honestly, recently.

And it's not to say, like, I'm wearing a dimmy Borgia t-shirt. Like, I kind of love it when the drums are too triggered sometimes. Sure. Sure. I'm the same. It was groundbreaking when they did it, though. My favorite sweet spot, though, is like the dimu, like the poison the well is when it's like it's triggered. But it's like, fuck, that's not edited.

So it's like, you get like dodgy kick drums, but they're 127 velocity. Right. But like, a real. Honest, honest performance. Yeah. You're right with like your joys and your. revs like it doesn't get made like that. Well, the way Will also set it up to is like when you turn it on, when you have headphones on, you're in the car, it sounds like you're sitting behind

the drum kit. It does. Like the tones everything. You could hear where he's going the whole time. And I think that is such a cool experience that you don't get a lot of records. The drums sit in a certain place. You're really like you're with him in that album. It's really cool. Did you guys do the whole record with him? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We stayed there for a month. How well do you know where? That was our first time. That was our first time. We knew him well by the end. So Will was like one of my favorite people on fucking earth. I love him.

But I also know, if Will turns down probably five or six bands per day. So he will only work with a band where he's like, I can make a sick record with this band. So like whether you know it or not, like that's a fucking badger man that Will partly goes, okay, I'm going to do a record. I've been in, fuck, can I even say this? I've been like in the studio with Will doing something and he'll get an offer from like a big band and he's like I don't want to do it and I'm like why not he's like

I don't really fuck with it and I'm like that's just the coolest shit well he can do that now he's at that level it's so cool to just be able to be like maybe he means I don't fuck with it as in like maybe I can't bring something different to the table or whatever but like I just think it's really cool

with someone like that just goes well like he's a spite off and he goes yeah I could do that and he fucking can he knew his shit like he researched us. You could tell that, especially by like a couple, you know, two weeks into the record for sure, you could tell that he cared. You know, and I think that was a huge

thing for us going this record. Like, we want someone that really understands us and really wants to do a spite record, not just make a fucking record. You know, and I think he did such a good job. And I think it makes me want to record with him again because like, okay, maybe that

process was really fast, but me and my brother, Travis, everyone, it's like, now we know how that experience goes and we can go into it the next time, even better prepared, with more shit ready to go and spend more time making it more exactly how we want. What do you mean it was fast? You know, we got in there, you know, okay, so with Will, we weren't sure, it's the first time working the big producer, right?

So we weren't sure how much material to have completed. We didn't know how much he wanted to. They were like the definition of demos. And like, we thought we were underprepared. And he was like, no, you guys are great. You know, he was like, you're in a good spot. So it worked out well. But for us, because, like, dedication to flesh, dude, we spent years on the record.

That's Alex's mega. You know, so it was just like a, it was so different, you know. And then going in there and being like, okay, we have this amount of time. There's a process. Everyone sit in their spaces and get to work, not the spite way, you know? So it was a very just like, and I talk about that when I talk about the record, like, how did it come to be even pre-will stage when me and Alex were getting together and demoing out and Joshua Tree was like, what's the message of this record, you know, instrumentally when we want to like make the music.

Just like Travis, Ben, me, Alex, we get in the room. We have all this like experience under about these records, this touring, whatever. What's the most visceral thing that comes out right away? That's natural. And I think Will understood that assignment. I think Travis understood that assignment. like the record feels real. There's a place for spite in the future,

in the past, definitely where we have that more polished or we have that more whatever sound, but that's what we wanted to do with this one, you know, especially in a time where music is so over-touched, you know? So sterile now. You know what's funny, though?

I see people, again, people on the internet, I don't know what they fucking talk about. Except for me? Like, except for me. But like, oh, I'm just so sick of these world-putty mixes. And it's like, brother. You don't know anything.

Will Putney puts out what the thing sounded like in the fucking room. Like that's real. He doesn't fuck around, man. And he's like one of the few. Delivering you the band on a slatter. And oh, I've seen people say like, oh, the drums sound the same. It's like, no. No, they don't.

If they do, because it's because somebody's not being creative. Or no, if they do, it's because maybe they've used the same drums and the drum has been awesome. But it's like, I guarantee you that's a real fucking drum sound. it's like that pisses me off so much people that just don't know shit I mean I'm yeah these I had it with fucking clock look

let's make it about me I had it with clockworked some other drums are over triggered and I was like motherfucker there's one sample on this record and it's the St. Angus snare drum Hell yeah like you told me that you just don't know what you fucking talk about

shut the fuck up Will actually when we were in the studio he was because you'd done that sort of recently to when we were in there and he was like Craig worked his ass off for this one like he told me that when we were track He was like... He was so proud of me.

And I wanted him to be proud of me. He was, dude, because he told me. He was like, yeah, he came in and fucking smash. I've never seen him like that before. Because I remember just thinking about Will Travis' experience. Oh, boy. Coming into the studio in the beginning, because he requested all the drums,

that he knew all the symbols and all the mic inputs and everything. I remember Will coming to me and Alex on the side. And he was like, is this guy really that good because, like, this is kind of ridiculous. Yeah, yeah. I was demon. I think he might. he lost me.

Probably. And then he gets in and he crushed it and Will was like no, that was legit. Well, especially with some of the parts

like he heard them and he pulled Alex aside. He's like, can he really play this? Which I like, I don't. Which is great. I understand it,

man. That's a good producer. It's a real thing. There's one thing to be able to hit the drum where you're supposed to hit it, but there's a,

it's a different thing to fucking play it. When did you record? Let's go find out. That would have been like May. It was May. It was May to June of last year. On that front too,

like with it sounding like me like I had never worked with the producer like that so I was going in prepared for the like oh we use this snare drum I like to use these symbols I want to use these shells we got there at like midnight it was like two in the morning by the time we're actually shooting the shit that night that we rolled up and he was just like what do you like because I was asking him he's like what do you like what's the best drum kit you've ever played you said that to him he said that to me and and uh I was like yeah I mean I mean you're like I mean I mean I brought all these symbols, but here's like what I normally use. He's like, well, I want to sound like you.

So let's use your snare and the symbols that you like. And then he was like, what's the best sounding drum kit you've ever played? And I was like, Star Babinga, bar none. And two or three days later, I come downstairs to have breakfast. And there's a Star Babinga sitting in the fucking living room. I'm looking at the text where he's talking about. What do you say? Yeah.

Expose them. 12th of May, 2020. Let's go. He just sent me a text. Star Babinga kit. And the sizes. do you think it's worth grabbing at 6,500? And I said, blah, blah, blah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

He got like a 1-05 kit or one-of-three kit or something. He was literally like... Is this guy worth the squeeze? He was literally like, well, I mean, if I don't like it, then I can just sell it and it'll be fine because it's a good deal. But if I do like it, then I can sit too. Can hear Travis's impression. Everybody does an impression on here.

That's how I started. I heard him doing it like years ago. Oh, don't. Don't blame it me. All he said was this, Travis's impression. The savage kid is fucking good. That was it. There you go.

Clip that, Simon. Clip that and send it to me. One random text. That's right. While he's got the kid. He told me I'm the best worst drummer of all time. The best worst drummer. Because like so, okay.

You took my fucking spot. So if you've listened to the first song in the record of The Disaster, as far as I'm concerned, that is like my magnum. Yeah, you've got the little drum break in it. Well, and that song was like the first song Alex sent me for the record. So that's like the, really the only song I went in on at home. I spent like a month. before we went into the studio on that. Because I was like, this is an epic.

This is going to be the, I think they told me this is going to be the first song, the record. I was like, all right. And I like went the fuck in. And even by the time we got to the studio, it changed even more. But like, I wrote insane drum parts for that song. It, you know, like I was like,

everything I wanted to do on the album happens in that song. And then everything else was just like a big Joey Jorderson, fill in there. That wasn't in there yet. That drum solo, I remember waking up. And I was in the morning, I was making coffee. And Travis was already awake. I don't think I slept.

Yeah, he was super. giddy. You know what I mean? And I was like, oh god. Like, they're gonna love this. This is after,

because like when we got to the studio, that's when Travis officially joined the band, right? And at the studio. Yeah. We made the announcement the last day we were there. Travis's terms, which we were very okay with him. We were prepared for was that Travis can write his drum parts.

And we want him to do that. Yeah. That was a non-negotiable thing. Yeah. So like, when we come down, I remember that morning, Travis's sitting there on getting he's like,

guys, hear me out. I'm like, I know. I know. And because... So basically, like, I said to them, I don't think I really described what I meant in like enough detail for them to really understand. But I was like, I want like a drum moment.

You're like, I extended this part by like eight bars. Will was like, there was this part in the song where it broke before like a big breakdown hit. And Will was like, yeah, do crazy drum fill here. It was like a bar or two. And I was like, no. That's... So, like, I, again, I had already started this drum. party. It was already fucking insane. It was already

like balls to the walls. Because I was like, this is my first song on my first album with this band. I want to come out, dick fucking swinging. Good for you. I do. It had to happen. It had to happen. And so, we worked pretty late most nights in the studio, but everybody had gone to bed. You know Will's living room, like, to the left of

a TV. There's that little corner there at the desk. They'd kind of set me up there. I had two monitors with all my shit. And I stayed up to like, I mean, I stayed up all night. And I was drinking beers the entire fucking time. And it started with like, I was It was just like I was, I basic, I spent like fucking two or three hours trying to like, okay, I have two bars. Like, what's the fill I can do?

Like, what's the statement I can make? And it just like, this isn't it. This is, I need two. So I literally took all the stems, cut them in half and just added like 16 bars. Is it 16 bars? I don't know what it is now because I think it's eight. Yeah, I think it's eight now. When I originally did it, whatever fills I do, I repeated each one twice.

So it was longer. It was longer. Someone made the right call. No, for sure. We came down, dude, I was like, I was like, Travis, this is sick. But I was like, just, shh. Yeah, Will. It's a single.

It's a single. Yeah, no, like, Will, like, originally. Again, like, I'm not trying to sit here and be like, I did something groundbreaking. Like, I listened to fucking, like, Iowa. And I was like, what does Joey do on the songs where they do that? You know, like, people go shit or fucking heritage anthem. Like, what does he do? And I just kind of took that.

And then, like, the stickings were kind of pulled from, like, a lot of rev fills just sped up. And I was like, what can I do here with this? And so I kind of like made it. It was too much for sure. But I was like, there's something here. And Will, like, you know when you show something to Will, you get like one of three reactions. This is the best thing about him. So he goes, he either goes, yeah, I don't know about that.

Or he goes, I don't hate it. Or he laughs. And if he laughs. And so he laughed. And they were all kind of like, all right. But Will was like, do each fill once. start at the beginning, because I think I had like two bars and me just like ripping double kick on the ride

kind of like in slip on. To be honest man, like we're gonna play that song eventually live and think fuck he told me to do that because I could barely play it. It is so, because it comes off of like 10 bars of like double ride with double kick and then it doesn't stop. It's like single strokes at like, I don't know, like 2.20 for like fucking a minute straight.

I remember what song is it in the set? This is, we're not playing it yet. We're not playing it yet. You know, okay, so. You're not playing a single. It's not a single. Yeah, it's just the opening track on the record. It's one of those songs where it's like, we will play it, but we probably won't play it a ton. It'll be, it'll be played on the correct tours for the right spots, you know. I do remember Will coming downstairs later that day and he was like, you hear Travis's drum solo.

And I was like, yeah, he goes, sick. He just kind of like keeps walking, you know, like. So, okay, so what I was getting to with the best worst drummer ever. Yeah. So. Wait, wait, wait, wait, before you get into that, I'll raise you one more on the, Will we're having three reactions. What was your first one? I don't know about that.

I don't know about that. Let me just say the sentence. Let me say the sentence. I'm not feeling it. That's when I know where we're... And he says that dead ass. Yeah. But that's that good producer.

It is. It's a fucking good producer. I mean, when we first got there, like the first thing we did is we sat down, we listened to every demo we had, and the first thing he said to us was like, it's great. We don't have a last song on the album yet.

Yeah. Which is how New World Killer was written. And Alex wrote that in a day. What you were saying about, like... previous albums we've been you know we've had all this stuff prepared we were worried going and will we didn't have enough prepared i've done five records with will first one had we've maybe had 15 to 20 like bare bones of songs right ended up using three of them next next one okay we'll come with eight we used four because we got better of writing songs or whatever

yeah clock worked we went to will twice where me and tom had a couple of fucking riffs and then we went to Will for an extended weekend a year before we recorded just to write. And that was like, and that's what the best record came out of it. It's like, okay, we come here. It was like, maybe we have four or five rifts, and he was like, no, fuck them off.

And I'll use them when we actually track. And we just sat in the studio like what you were saying. And we just wrote songs with him. Right. I think we probably would have loved another week or so to do that. You should, you should, we're very happy with what we have. What I will say, Will didn't write any of the music.

No. I mean, like, even just having his- No, for sure. But that was such a cool part of it was that, like, he did make Alex do everything. He made him do everything and be like, okay, well, this, this, this, this. But, like, all right, take this night

and change this about this, try something different. Yeah. But not like, do this. No, yeah. Here's how to do this, you know. Just having that fucking overlord that you trust to be like, what about this riff? And-

Al would be so different. and if he wasn't a part of it. Yeah, 100%. Just being like, nah, not that is. He'll point you in the right direction, but he's,

he never touched the guitar. He never fucking touched the MIDI. He literally would just be like, I don't know about this section. Remember in the other song when you kind of did that there? Get in that mindset. Produce.

He did want to get pretty hands on with the lyrics and stuff. Yeah, for sure. Which was very new for spite. You meet best worst drummer and then I've got lyric questions. Okay. Okay. Okay. So best worst drummer.

So the disaster is like the song of the record, at least for drums. and he when I wrote that drum soul I think that's when he pulled Alex aside and was like the hair it's bothering me it's right tidy guy um he pulled Alex aside I think when I wrote that because it's it's it's it's a drum moment you know he's like I'm not fucking I'm not a sample replacing this this needs to be live but needs to be clean especially the fills I wrote he pulled I think that's when he pulled Alex aside and was like can he really play this and Alex is like, I think he can.

But, um, that song starts off really slow. You know, it's like, it's a fucking album opener. You know, it starts really slow. And there was like, that was one of the first songs we tracked. And it like starts off with this like gung, gung, gung, you know, there's like, like, it's just like simple counting shit. And he was like, all right, like on the one, I need you to like do an accent or something. And it's like, like, like, 25 minutes.

I was like, what one are you taught? You ever seen that clip of Dave Groll? It was like, I don't know what one. It was the stupid shit that got him caught up for like the longest amount. Forever. And, like, Will's sitting there like, like, I can get in there and do it. Like, Will.

And Will knowing, like, what's coming. Like, this is like. So that's every record I've ever recorded with Will, except the last one, because I was like, I don't want to feel like that again. Yeah. Because it's horrible.

Yeah. It sucks. Because he just goes, it's easy. And then you're like, yeah. That's not helping my brain. You know, when you're at his fucking drum spot

and there's, like, the screen. And like, he's, like, I don't know what to tell you. It's like count to fucking four. And I'm like, what four are you talking about? Like, I'm counting to four. I don't know where your four is. Oh, I've got PTSD and I miss Will. I know.

I do too. I love you, Will. But it was like shit like that. And like I can, like, you could tell he was like, here we go. Because like that, he knew what the dress of the song was. And he's like, here we fucking go. We got past that. Then we got to the drum solo on that song, which I know he was stressing about.

And I think I did him like three takes. Yeah. Like it was just like. Crush the drum solo. Because like that's the thing I'd, practice, though. It was like, I can take a cycle.

Like all the hardest shit on that album, I spent days. Yep. And then, yeah, and then what is the, it's the,

it's the, undoing the muscle memory when Will goes or whoever goes. Okay, now we want that accent that I've practiced 500 million times.

Now do that on the end of four instead of four. Guess what? I've programmed myself not to do that. We're going to be here for hours,

guys. Luckily, there wasn't really a lot of that. He, like, I think by the time, by the time, by the time we got to the drum

track and like everything had been sorted there was a couple little embellishments that we did in the room that he was I'm like one of those drummers that like I never really played the same thing exactly the same twice you know I kind of like I'm very feel heavy like maybe the stick and be the same but maybe it's the splash maybe it's the china maybe it's a Tom I don't fucking know

he was very good he was very good about that there was very good about that there wasn't really any rewriting of the drums once we were in the room but like that that moment once I got it he like I got the drum solo. I think the first take, I got it, and I didn't hear anything from the control room for like two minutes. I'm like, oh, God. I mean, he's like, yeah, you're like the best,

worst drummer ever. What the fuck was that? How can you play that but not count before? It's so funny, because you want to do a Will impression so I can hear it in your voice. So just do it. What the fuck was that? I love you, Will. You made him sound like fucking Kyle's Jewish cousin in South Park. Holy shit. That's fucking bad. Anyway, let's talk about vocals. Yeah. You're quite placid for someone who seems so angry. Placid? Placid, but not flaccid, baby.

Placid, do you know what placid means? No. So like if a lake is making no movement, that's a placid lake. Gotcha. So you're very chill. Americans would say, you're chill. Guess what? I've got a fucking dictionary.

Placid. For someone who's lyrics, so angry. Yeah. Are you angry? Yeah. What's going on there? No, I mean, I talk about this all the time, but I got a very, I got a sanctuary to put, to put all that energy. And, you know, when I was younger, it was a lot more difficult.

You know, I feel like I was a much more shittier dude, treated people like shit. You know, it was much more of an asshole. But as I got older, I really was able to kind of like put that and really put it in the right place, you know. Also, with the last two records, I'm not the only one that writes lyrics anymore. So, like, coming from the misery piece, self-titled, nothing to be for Rudeville, that's well as all me. Dedication to flesh and New World Killer. Me and my brother

split those. So we both right now. Which I love. I love having that second like dynamic too. And he like, dude, he knows me. We live the same. And so like when he writes stuff, it's so fun for me to actually like have someone tell me

what to do. You know what I mean? Like do this, whatever. I enjoy that a lot. But yeah, man. I mean, the lyrics are, they've always been pretty dark, I'm not to explain like, oh, I'm so chill. But like, yeah, like, what's the fucking

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Because it's fucking, it's amazing. It's a fucking, like, that would be the song, that's the song that blew you guys up in my opinion and probably won that. I appreciate that. I always thought it was killed, you know. I always thought that was the one. Yeah.

I, EID is a fucking bagger. Thank you. We're going to get onto the new album stuff. But like, as an example, because I'm, that's been on my gym playlist since it fucking came out. Dude, I just, when I was younger, especially, too, I was just so, like, I was so angry, man. Like, I was just, I hated everyone and everything. And I wanted everyone around me to feel the same.

way. And that song is just like that explosive anger. It's literally just like an explosion. And like that that IED, interminate explosive disorder. And then there's the explosion, the actual literal like ID bomb. What's the first one? Interminate explosive disorder. And it's like it actually just like it's like extreme anger outbursts that you cannot contain. And it's it's it's it is a ID. Yeah. So it like I when I wrote that song, I took the two things and I put them together and that was like, this is just how I feel like it has those two, like the explosion of the song and like the meaning of the, you know. I just assumed that IED was the weapon part of it.

It means both. Yeah. That's crazy. What did you just say? Edgar Allan Poe over here, dude. I didn't know what Placid meant. So no. No.

I'm like a drummer that can't count a floor. I know like Placid like the alligator movie, but I don't know what the, you know, yeah, okay. It's going to make me sound like an illiter piece of shit on the fucking ass. I was having you like him. So like if you were like going about your day, something will piss you off, then you go and write something about it or what? Is it like specific people or places? Yeah, it used to be very like, I don't know, even when I used to write songs too a lot, like I would have multiple themes going on in one song. And I think sometimes that's what made it sound so

psychotic because it was all over the place. Now I think they're a little bit more. You know, I don't write songs on the daily like that anymore. You know, when I wrote spite songs before, I would get the track and everything and I would just write it that day, you know? now I think it's a little more well thought out. Me and my brother want to make these cohesive pieces, you know, that I think that makes more sense to spend more time on it. You mentioned the message instrumentally the new world killer. Yeah.

What is the message lyrically? I think it kind of came from a few places with me and Alex. So me and Alex went through, you know, a lot, everybody knows about it. But a huge member change in our lives while also dealing with a huge family member loss in our life. And I think both of in our worlds really just turned upside down in a very fast, short amount of time. And that was kind of right after our last record came out.

And, you know, it was very easy to find that inspiration in this record because we were so upset. And it was hard to talk about it with people. It was hard to, like, we turned down interviews and shit. I know Garza wanted to get us years ago because, you know, and we were just like, we can't talk right now. Like, it was just hard. About the member change or about the family? Both.

And I think the way they panned out at the same time was really difficult for us because we wish things were handled so differently. It created a lot of resentment and anger. And I couldn't, I mean, I couldn't dive into all the how deep these personal issues were, but it made it so easy. easy to write this record. It's a lot about just me and Alex standing up for ourselves and expressing those feelings and looking glass and gavel and a disaster and

it's just like not only the personal things but everything going on with that world felt like it was crashing down at the same time and it was just like, okay, fuck you. Like, and this was the new world killer. You know, at the end, that's when we came out with the album name was towards the end of the record

when we had the lyrics written out. And we were able to kind of be like, okay, this, this, this, what sums up, all of it, you know? And then we did New World Killer at the end. What do you think you would have done with all this anger if you didn't have music? I don't know, man. I mean, I drink a lot still. But like when I was younger, I drank a lot, a lot. And I definitely had like a very bad problem with it.

And I think that definitely stemmed into me not being able to control those things very well. And it definitely, I took a year and a half of sobriety at one point. just to just, you know, clear everything. And I think that really helped me compartmentalize where I can put those things because I want to be a happy person. I want to live a happy life. I am angry so much, but I have a place to put those things. And like, I don't need to live my day-to-day life feeling like that all the time. That was really important to me, bro, especially as I'm getting older, man.

Like, you know, it hurts to carry that with you. Yeah. I'll tell you this. As someone who doesn't have music as an outlet. Yeah. fucking angry. Yeah, man. And I really don't think like I truly am one of those people that I'm, I'm so thankful and so lucky to have what I have because I don't think I could function otherwise. And like since I was a kid, I knew this is what I was going to do. And I pushed for it since I can

remember. And I'm, if I didn't make it, I'd be fucked. You know, you know, so. Well, you guys have fucking made it. Yeah, and that goes into the thing again. I don't want to wrap around too much, but that goes into thing again where I'm at every show, man, and I want to be at that concert, and I want to watch the opening band, I want to watch all the bands play,

I want to meet all the people, because that literally is everything. You're about it. Yeah, we all are. It also pays your fucking bills. It's the least you can fucking do. Say hello. That's how I always fell about it.

That for sure. I'm never going to be like, no, fuck you. I'm too busy. Fuck me. My worst nightmare is like, that sucks. Every time we'd ever meet someone, me and Madison, and like we'd go for dinner somewhere near the venue.

Someone's like, oh, fuck, like, how nice to meet you? Can I get photo? And we do it and everything immediately to Madison. Was like, okay, was everything all right? Because in my head, I'm like, fuck. I don't want this kid to go away and be like, what a fucking arson. When I'm not out of show, like, and I'm at home in L.A., I'm at a coffee shop, or I'm like somewhere fucking off.

And someone's like, are you? You're the guy? You know what I mean? I'm like, oh, fuck. Oh, what do? Why? Because I'm like, I'm not... Do you love it, though?

Um, I appreciate it. I appreciate it a lot. I think it's cool. I love it. I think it's really cool. As long as it's respectful. Like, there's a lot. It's never not respectful.

No one's asking me to spit one. No, dude. If I'm at Kroger with Madison and someone fucking... Yeah, that's fucking sick. And someone goes, are you, okay, go in someone like, yeah. And I'm like, I'm with my girlfriend. I'm buying steak right now.

I'm fucking sick. And you were in a younger band starting off, you would dream of something like that happening. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? And that someone is just like, you're going about your day-to-day life and someone's like, dude, I fuck with your music. Yeah.

It never gets old. Right. I think sometimes it gets me jarred up because I'm like, I'm like, you know, I'm not in my like element. Like I said, when I'm here to show I'm so present, I'm here. You know, when I'm not there, I'm like, oh, fuck. Sorry. And on the flip side of it, I'm like, okay, well, maybe it's just because we're not that famous. And it's like, imagine that happens every time you go out.

Like, yeah, actually maybe. Like, you're fucking, like, hairy styles. Someone might catch you on a day where you're like, for sure. I just want to go and buy fucking Kleenex. Not for wanking. I've got a cold. It's for sure for a wank.

I've got a girlfriend. I don't have to wank. She does the fucking dishes on time. She gets fucked. Holy shit. Simon, leave it in because it's obviously satire. I know that's right. That's right.

See, she's fine. She's safe. He's got her favorite music. The AC's on. It's fine. But just real quick, just to, like, what he was saying about, like, being here for it and, like,

being passionate about it. I think, like, when I came into these guys' lives, it was, like, a month removed from, like, hell. And I'm telling you, when you're going through hell the last fucking person you want to see as me because I'm a jester.

The least serious person. He is, yeah. Jovial. Yeah, and it's like... How old are you now? I'm 28 now. But... Getting on, though.

Wrap it up. Start being miserable. But at the time, like, I'm a great... guy. When they met me, I had done one tour. I know. And they didn't know that until I was in the rehearsal space. But like, there... Did you keep that information from them? Well, no, not intentional.

You told Alex. Yeah, I didn't... I just, they hate me. I'm like, hey, can you film this tour? I'm like, yeah, no problem. I'm a touring guy. From what? Instagram. How did this happen? Ash Pearson from Revocation was supposed to fill in, but then Revocation got a tour. And me and Ash at one point had shared a, like, not shared a space, but we were in the same building. And one night, he heard me drumming and like came and said, what's up? and we just drank beer and talked to like three in the morning

and he was like, what do you want to do? He's a legend. Ash is the, ash if you're watching, right, fucking goat, I love you, man. But,

um, I think like off the bat though, like, like, you know, these guys were going through it. And the first thing we bonded about was how fucking, like,

much we love doing this authentically. And I've seen these guys grow over the last, you know, fucking however, three or four years now. Like, I've seen them grow, like,

out of that fucking phase and, like, then making the record and getting it out of them and, like, seeing how they've, mature about how they fucking like deal with with all of that shit and like move on from it and just I don't know I think that that's like kind of what like kind of cemented us like I think

if there was any other band they wouldn't like get this fucking kid out of here dude like they put up with my shit like I was very green I did some I had many talking to you yeah you fucking clip I always clip his fucking wing sometimes being a bit fucking leery on text I'm like I'll just I'm like I'll just be shorter on this text Right, right has always had this reputation of being sometimes difficult to work with or that we're just harsh people or whatever. And I understand. I'm not like totally like, you know, fuck you for saying that. I understand like I grew up in a restaurant business.

My dad was the owner of many restaurants and I watched him growing up and I have this like certain. Chef Brain. That I keep with me. And like, you know, it's just like when someone is doing something, you have to let them know. You have to let people know when something is going wrong or anything in general. Chef Brain's good. Yeah. I mean, yes, it's a blessing and a curse.

But I do think it has created this level who makes the cut and who can't hang. And Travis was a perfect person. It was just like, you know, that guy was, guys' his own personality. But when he met Hussey, he understood and he got it. And he was like, oh, okay. And then he took on the assignment. And I take that with any of my, like, tour managers or merch people or anything. And, like, people that can, like, take criticism and not be like, oh, Darius hates me.

You know, he's pissed off at me. It's like, oh, he's just letting me know, like, this needs to be this way. And there's a, I don't think there's a problem with that. And I think that is a problem in general with people is that, like, it's not confrontation. It is direct communication. I live in your world, brother. It makes every, it makes everyone happier. It makes everything better.

And I just wish that more people could get on board with that. Then again, I understand people don't. I know why that comes down far. I live for it. I live for the fucking the chef brain. No, this is shit. Do it again. But literally behind that, it's like, I love you.

It's because I care so much. I care so much about what you're doing. Yeah. But like, I wish, I mean, I know a sentence exists where I can say both things, but I just say the first sentence. But the second one's in. Yeah, yeah. I love you.

I care about you. This needs to be different. However, it just comes out. And whether or not, like, whether and like, I will say this, you know, before I care and love him, I need to know he's going to care and love what I'm doing first. You know what I'm saying? Because that's the job. That's the important thing.

And then once he's there, it's like, oh, okay. Like, you're with me and this is it. You know, you need to have that passion. So that's the downfall of every band is that not everyone is on the same page. it was the same vision, not everyone was the same drive. It's so hard to find those people. I truly believe spite right now is in the best place we have ever been with our lineup, our crew, and everything, the people that believe, people that are on board, people that believe in what we're doing. And it's so amazing. And I can't tell you how fulfilling it is, like, as someone who's been

doing this for this long to be in this place now. It's fucking good to hear. And it's good that you realize, okay, a member has to be fucking all in. And like, they get fedded and stuff. And that's why I keep turning stuff down. Everyone's like, do you want to fill in for this? Do you want to do this? You want to do this, but I'm like, I think long and hard about it. And it's like, I don't care enough to give you what you deserve.

Right. So I'm just going to say no. Respect. Yeah, but I'm fucking bored. Yeah. Because I just keep saying, no everything. That's hard, man. It's a clean X, bro.

Yeah. I got a girlfriend, but she does the fucking dishes. When I text her, have you done the dishes? Question mark. Which doesn't happen for the record. But yeah, I just keep fucking saying no to shit. I mean, I respect that you know your worth of your time, though. And that's a real thing.

I've been thinking long and hard about it. I'll tell you the band after this. Right, he's young. Watching beavers and butthead yesterday. Yeah, Jesus Christ. There it is, dude. I got an offer for something. And like the money's good.

The money's good. The money's probably what I would make with the podcast for a month. And I could probably backlog the podcast and backlog the merch and probably make twice as much money in one month. And I just been thinking about it. And like, I just don't care enough about the music to give this band, like it's a headline tour, their biggest fucking headline tour.

Big fucking set, like a lot of songs. I don't care enough about, like I love the guys as well, but I don't care enough about their music and it's not bad music, but I don't care personally enough about that music. You're not passionate.

To give it what it deserves, even though I'm going to make loads of money. So I turn that down. And then afterwards I had like an epiphany. It was like, the fuck do I want? Because I thought it was just money. And now I'm like, no, I got off of money and I turned that down. So now I'm like...

So like, what's your ideal music position? I think now I want to make a band from scratch. And I don't want to do it for the... You mentioned earlier before we started recording, like, starting again sucks with the grind. But I'm like, in my head, I want to make the band because I want the music to be out there and have absolutely zero aspirations of it getting big. because this is my full-time job I don't need

so I can do make music I want to make and have no aspirations of even touring like I know I know a label put it out but like no aspirations of touring no billboard no nothing just be like

I want to make this fucking cool music which is out that way which is like baby brain that's how I thought when I was like 13 isn't the best though isn't that like isn't every the special high like how many fucking legendary bands

put out shit when that's all they cared about and then they start carrying it with everything else and all of a sudden the bank goes to shit. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? I can't find the fucking right people to do it. No one cares about my brain. Bringing it back to spite not to get all that.

I mean, it's your podcast. I'm sorry for bringing it back to me. That's one of my favorite parts about being in this band is that we're not pigeon held into such a certain genre where we feel like we have to make a certain kind of song or music to be what we are. And I think like what you're, saying is like, oh, like, I don't like this or I don't like that. It's like, I mean, we love

heavy pissed off music and there's so many ways to do that. And I think spite, because we're just a metal band, a like angry metal band, we can do all of those things and explore all those different avenues in a way where it's still our band. It's not going to, it's not going to change the way people perceive us. It's not going to be like, oh, spite's like a different band. It's like we can make a record and sprinkle everything into it and it's still spite. That's what I want. Yeah. I got lucky, man.

I got lucky with these guys for sure. I mean, you like talk yourself. No, I don't mean as in you didn't get lucky, but like you talk yourself up a lot, but then you like do a mad talk yourself down like that. Like you're fucking amazing.

That's why you're in the fucking bad. I talk myself up because it's sick. You should see it in every show. Like you got to fucking check yourself, man. I'm not the greatest drummers ever lived. I'm just a guy that I... Sometimes you say you are. But one thing...

Okay, but you know what I will say? Very passionate. I don't care who's listening to this. I almost guarantee I love drums more than you. That you will not fuck with you. I agree. You know what I mean? Like that, and that is where that comes from.

It's like, you can tell me you love drums more than me, or you can tell me you love this shit more than me, but you fucking don't. This is all I've ever known since I was two years old. This is what I do. Being someone that has been in this band this long, it is very inspiring to be playing with someone like that that has that outlook on stuff.

because you meet so many jaded people every day that they're entitled, that think they deserve more, that think like this and this guy just wants to be the best he can be. And like, that's incredible. Like, that is the most you can ask for someone that actually shares that thing.

And I think that's why he hangs with us so much, like, and so well, you know. And another thing is like, we, one thing they do so well is they do it their own way. Like, they're only doing it their way. And that for me was like a big thing. Like we're saying in the studio, I'm doing it my way.

I love you guys, but if you want me to join this band, I'm doing it my way. And when that conversation came, we were all on the same page with that. I mean, it was lucky you were good, though. Sure, but like, am I...

Because if he wasn't that, I'm doing it my way and he gets in the studio, and it's like, this? What happened? But there's an understanding there, you know, like what I tell people

about my drums on this record was I couldn't have added another note without ruining the songs. Could I have added more fills or whatever? Sure. Could I fucking play 300 BPM tip-pit or pattering the kick drum?

Like, sure. It's not what it was about. It was about serving these fucking songs the best. There it is. A boot. About. Sorry, I ruined your moment.

I'll go get my fucking feelings checked for free back home, dude. I've had a couple of beers. That was a nice moment that I ruined because he went Canadian. Are you done? You got to go to your fucking show. We're getting there. Yeah, we probably were back in the next. You wrapped this up.

Yeah. I ain't got a rapper. Do you do any, like, you don't really do the end of the podcasting now? We just kind of end it, how? Sometimes we do a game, but you ain't got enough time for a game. That's because this is a shit. It isn't a game, Craig. It is a game.

whole thing's a game. We've been doing games lately. You've done the Dream Festival. The whole thing is a fucking game now. You know what? It's fucking funny. Everyone complained about Dream Festival, which was the end of the segment originally,

the end of the podcast, the guests would compile their Dream Festival. Everyone fucking complained about it. I don't like this. It's dead air, blah, blah, blah, blah. Take it away from them. I miss Dream Festival. You fucking don't.

Just tell me what you fucking mean. The problem is people... It's fucking raw. People didn't understand it. They didn't get it. But again, coming back to, like, being passionate about what you love. I love this podcast. And what I was doing, and it was goaded.

My gripe with the last podcast we did is he didn't even, like, talk about spite at all. I was like, this fucking guy. What was it? Who was it? You. With me, you and me. Oh, you know, but it's because he wasn't in the band. To be fair.

To be fair. To be, it was before. And me being on the podcast was an aspiration long before spite was like, I was just sitting there, like, watching. I was like, this fucking guy. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Wait, wait, this is a great rapper. He wasn't in a band at that point. Yeah.

We didn't talk about Spite at all. We like barely. We talked a little bit about it, but it was more just... You barely touched on it. It was a... Do you know why that might have been, though? Because I love talking about me. No.

No, give it to me. Because it might have been, honestly, because I've met you now, and I really like you. Thank you. I think we've made... I think I made a friend right now. I think we did. I was kind of pissed off that he wasn't in your band. They sensed it.

Yeah, because the whole interview you're like, are they taking care of you, brother? And I was like, the fucking die, man. To this day, I've been like, no, no, no, guys. Like, you've got to understand Craig's a drummer and many of his friends, many of our friends have been fucked. And that's all it is. It's not about you. It's like, I'm for the worker.

Like, I am for the fucking drummer. And I know so many drummers who are like. It's a real thing. In a band. But not. And they're the fucking session guide. And they get paid dog shit. And shit's fucking.

And they're in massive bands. At the end of the day, I'm just for the drummer as a worker. And I've seen too many people get fucked over. Yeah. No, they've always taken, it's never been like that. Like, these guys, even from day one, like, being a guy that hadn't toured, like, really much. That's crazy. I do think there's this, like, perception that Spite is, like, a bigger band than we are,

and, like, that we just make all this money and stuff like that. And, like, Spite really has learned things the hard way since the beginning between record labels and touring and people we get involved with. And it has been a climb our whole career, and it is sucked. know, and like it really does make my relationships, the people that are on my side, so much stronger because of that. And like, I think as far as Travis goes, I think, I think everything is great. I think the, the communication is awesome. I think all of that is good. And I don't, I don't think there's going to be any issues. But how are you doing? You keep

talking about him. He's done a podcast. How are you doing? I am on this tour. I can say that I think I've been the happiest I've ever been in my career. You know, since I've been young when, like, all those dreams are still so big. But right now, I'm on a tour with a young band that is shows me what I used to be like and what I used to feel. And that has given me a special thing. And Psychoframe, who is this new band that is breaking in again, is giving me a special thing. And then, like, and I don't want to make it about, like, headlining or anything, but, like, playing above a band like a mirror for me who's someone when I was, like, 13, 14, 14 years old. I was screaming goodbye to the gallows in my bedroom to learn how to scream.

And so like that is some bangers on that. It's huge for me. Like it is it is a all around and then the crowds on this tour and people showing up early, people staying late. It is um, it's very special. And like I couldn't I couldn't be more happier fulfilled right now to be honest. You know, that's fucking great. Sell out shows. What not. Dude, it doesn't matter. Like some of them are sold out. It's so sick. And the other ones that aren't man, but like the end. energy is there and the people that do show up and the rooms are still full and it's cracking and it makes me feel like I've really actually like I've been doing something you know and all this work has really paid off and it's cool when Nashville's had a dip but I think it's back the last few shows

I went to was pretty fucking good I think right now we're busy cities with Texas and and Vegas it is weird because Texas has always been such a great one for spite so it's so weird right now stray had the Texas dip and we never have I don't understand, but we'll see. Too busy. Funny what you say about, is it Revenant? That's what they call. Revenant.

The three, the threes throws me off. About like being that sort of like, for want of a better word, like father figure on the tour. That's how I feel about him. Yeah. That's what I feel about him because he's a little boy.

He's like a little boy that loves drums. And I'm like, oh, I used to love drums. Being on that, the Oceano tour we did in 2017, So Slaughter Trip of Vale Oceania, Oceania, Versions, Crowns, bite, and then sodiac. You can't split, I'm afraid, but,

and that was, I remember that was, like, a really big, like, at the time, you know, like, we were just kids, and, you know, you look at the TM, like, the merch sergeant, or, like, the Tor Sergeant, you know, and it's like, every year or so just, whatever, and I look at these guys, and I just want to make, again, like, that's such a, like, it's my time to create an experience.

That's so cute. You know. But like for real, man, like, that is that is everything. That is your impression. That's how you view things. And, like, I think I would be a much less bitter person if I was treated well by the people that I looked up to growing up, man. You know. Alex couldn't be here today.

And it's very important to me that people know how fucking hard that guy works. And when we're talking about, like, people that make this happen, I mean, we couldn't do this without Alex. So it's important, you know, me and him are the social media guys in the band. But, like, it's important that people know that. Alex is the guy cranking the machine. Yep. Like, I mean, we're talking about in the studio. That guy, like, was in the fucking trenches. You know, like, we did our parts, but like Alex was working triple time.

I would love to have you have a conversation with him next time. Yeah, I'm sorry we couldn't fucking... It's okay. I've done two downbees now. I'll let him have his flowers next time. I think by the next time you do it, I'll have a bigger room. That's fine. Yeah, buy that warehouse you're talking about. I can tell them that. Actually, I need that money, yeah.

That's right. And the second thing is use code Travis for a discount on your next downbeater stage flight order. He's got a fucking point. What can I say? That's right, guys. Thank you for having me, Craig. Thanks for coming, bro. Yeah.

Peace.