What You Missed: Her Last Breath 8/21/15
Monthly Archives: August 2015
Danstock: Mountain Music
By Marlon Admiral Joseph Cappucino
Two weeks ago and two days, I found myself on a mountain in a glowy yard under a ceiling of stars playing music with total strangers like we’d been life-long friends. The air was cool and sweet and vaguely magical. There were people all over, some asleep in tents, some still up in loose groups of jam sessions, conversations, smoking, drinking, or just moments of togetherness in comfortable silences. Somehow it’s taken me this two and two until this Tuesday, past deadlines and death threats, to find a way to describe what happened in the hours before that moment. An event locals refer to as Danstock.
But how did I get there? A month earlier I had just finished playing music at Lucky Day’s Cocktail Bar when I was approached by a tallish, blondish, goateed gentleman with long hair and a backwards cap names Ryan Alderson. A familiar face I’d seen at many local shows. He tells me he’s putting on a show called Danstock and he needs a daytime act to open it up, says I’d be perfect for it. Danstock? I’d heard the name before. It was the stuff of legends. An all day music festival turned camp-out that exists somewhere at someones house packed to the brim with music, joy, friendship, and festivities. A whirling torrent of good times happening annually since, like, forever. It was a spectacle built up equally by its rave reviews and its mystery. The way it would appear seemingly without warning and year after year I’d hear about it the next day like some kind of cool party ghost. “Oh man, Marlon, we just went to this amazing show, it’s called Danstock, it’s exactly the kind of thing you’d love. We’re your friends and we didn’t say anything about it ahead of time but you should totally go one of these days”
I’m not bitter.
“There’s something you gotta know,” Ryan told me “See, we don’t pay any of our acts because, it’s not about money for us. It’s not about that. It’s about the music, you know? We’ve never charged entry and we’re never going to charge. Everything comes out of pocket, we pay for the lights and the portapotty rentals, noise complaint tickets when people inevitably call the cops. And it’s all just because we love it, man.” Ryan and I talked more about it through the month leading up to the event and always he had the zeal and the gleam in his eye of a proud parent who wants you to know how very much they love their child and wants you to love it at least half as much.
Danstock started in 2003 when one day, Ryan’s father, Dan Alderson inspired by nostalgia and The Greatful Dead, decided to put on a show at his house and bring some old friends back together. It started with just one light and one band, The Bakers and then every year it got bigger and brighter. Adding high quality lights, projectors, smoke machines, and even a mascot. And attendees are encouraged to camp out (whether they’re drunk or not) to decrease the risk of driving drunk and/or sleepy down the dark twisting mountain roads. Eventually, The Bakers changed their name to The Dirty Deuces and they come back every year because they believe in what Danstock stands for: community, togetherness, and music.
When the day finally came, I drove up the mountain, past the sulfuric former lake and past Lucky Day’s and into a large yard with a distinct hippie aesthetic. I got there at 1pm because I was told that’s when I play, but when I got there, it was mostly empty and things were still being set up. And when I asked about set times I was told “You gotta understand, man, time doesn’t exist here. It’s not a concert, it’s an experience. When you wanna go up and play, you go up and play. When you wanna stop, you stop.” Surprisingly, this statement put me at ease and I resolved to just hang out for a while and get to know the Danstock regulars as they filed in and began a jam in the camping area. They told stories of past Danstocks, of falling asleep on ant farms, of and instrumental band slotted to play that night that apparently has a monkey that sits on the bass player’s shoulders and how the full experience of everything comes alive at night. The most notable thing was how many people, when asked what Danstock meant to them simply answered “Everything”.
And they were right. My set came and went and dusk fell some time in the middle of Coyote’s stunning performance and with the night, the place started to get more and more full. And surprisingly not chaotic. People clapped and danced and threw their arms around each other and there was an overwhelming sense of comradery filling the space. It became clear that there was something very special about this event. And then the time came for The Dirty Deuces to play. They had been hyped up pretty hard and I heard tales of how they were offered a record deal but turned it down because they didn’t want to sell out. And to be honest, it sounds like one of those things people say that aren’t exactly true. But then they played and I was blown away by their musicianship and sick reggae grooves. They absolutely could be an internationally famous band trashing hotel rooms and throwing bowls of candy at interns if they wanted to. And they absolutely were doing it just for the love of the music.
The night brought barbecues, random rap battles, lost instrument cables, and dozens of new connections. There was no monkey, unfortunately, but Danstock turned out to be a marvelous example of something vital to the Lake Hughes community as well as the greater Antelope Valley culture that seemed to have an inexplicable ability to bring people harmoniously together. I can’t wait to see what next year has in store.
What You Missed: Lorin Walker Madsen at The Trap
A life of Punk: The Bob Oedy Interview
If you’ve grown up in the SoCal punk scene, you’ve encountered either The Grim or Glue Gun (or perhaps Glü Gun in their early days) in one form or another. They are a classic staple in the scene and we’ve sat down with one of the main forces behind these bands, Bob Oedy to discuss his time with these groups and also his book, The Punk Rock Las Vegas Survival Guide.
Q: How did you get into playing music?
Bob: Music has been an obsession of mine since I was a kid. My friend Eric and I would listen to the same albums over and over. We would stare at the album covers and contemplate every word of the lyrics. One day his mom told me I should take up guitar and have my own band someday. She convinced me. A friend had a sister who gave guitar lessons. Another friend loaned me a guitar. That’s how it all started. A few years later The Grim played the Hootenany at Crespi High School.
Q: What event steered you into the punk scene?
A: My older brother saw the Sex Pistols play at Winterland in San Francisco. When he came home from college he had all these wild stories. I retold those stories for years. Then like everyone else in Los Angeles at the time I started listening to Rodney Bingenheimer play punk on KROQ. Albums were expensive so I would record the show and try to learn the songs on guitar. Some of the earliest bands I saw were The Ramones, Dead Kennedys, China White, Middle Class, Circle Jerks, Fear, etc.
Q: Can you give us some background info on how The Grim came together?
A: Tim McDuffee (Singer) and I became friends in high school. I was playing guitar in a punk band called Secret Affairs (Not the English mod group). The drummer quit because he was seeing this girl whose parents didn’t want her being associated with a punk. Tim liked our music so he went to school a few days later and found us a drummer. Then the singer lost interest so we made Tim singer and changed the name of the band to The Grim. G.R.I.M. stood for – Getting Revenge In ‘Merica.
Q: Was there an original concept for the formation of Glue Gun or did it evolve naturally?
A: Two roadies of The Grim asked if I would like to sing in another project. They said there was only one caveat. I was not allowed to put my hair up. At that time I had a haircut like Billy Idol so I had to shave my head. We did a photo shoot in front of a cabin in Topanga Canyon. We wanted to look like a punk cult. Sort of like Heart’s – Little Queen album cover only punk rock. We were too clean cut and quickly grew bored of the idea.
Q: I got to experience the tail end of Glue Gun’s set at Slacker Fest at The Moose and it was amazing. How did the theatrics in your performance on stage come about?
A: Early on we began to experiment with props; home-made pyrotechnics, .38 caliber blank gun, sledge hammer, lights, cow heads, and sound-effects. It was wonderful to have that freedom to express myself. We hollowed out an old television so it would fit on my head. That gave us the idea for the song Television Man. We’ve toned down the use of props a bit since and now are focusing more on the music.
Q: How did you get involved with The Moose?
A: The Moose sponsor underprivileged kids and support the elderly. It’s a great organization! I’m proud to be a member. They have a reputation for being a place to get cheap booze, but that’s not why I joined. There was a competing club promoter trying to get the lodge shut down for putting on low-cost hardcore punk shows in Lancaster. It’s a working class neighborhood. Kids can’t afford to go to some overpriced club and shell out a small fortune. We thought if we became actual dues paying members it might help to keep the lodge open and convince the membership to continue to allow punk shows. It worked! People don’t realize how many great bands have cut their teeth at Moose Lodges, VFW Halls, Elks Lodges, etc. Black Flag is one that comes to mind.
Q: Over the years, what has your experience been like playing live in Southern California or beyond? In particular, what was your experience like in the 80’s?
A: The band had a nice following right out the gate. Tim McDuffee is a natural promoter. He knew how to set up shows and get people interested. We started out playing house parties. Back then it was not uncommon to have 200-300 people show up. We played a lot of shows no one wanted. Anything so we could have an excuse to hand out flyers. We played $1 night at The Cathay de Grande for months. Don Bolles of The Germs was the soundman and one of our earliest supporters. Eventually they gave us a Saturday show opening for G.B.H. Once the orange album came out and appeared in the background of the movie Pretty in Pink we started to get noticed. Gary Tovar put us on a few Goldenvoice shows at the Olympic Auditorium. Those were always the best! It was fun touring the U.S. but it was a lot of work and we were always glad to get back to California.
Q: Did I hear right you’re next album is being released on Mystic Records by Doug Moody?
A: Yeah, Doug and Candace D’ Andrea have been very supportive of The Grim. They rereleased our old material on CD and we like working with them; always have. The Grim never fit the “corporate punk” model of other labels anyway. We say what we want to say. We believe what we want to believe and we’re not interested in making our music sound like anyone else’s. We’ll leave the politics of the whole corporate punk movement to other bands. It’s a death spiral. They can have it!
Q: As a union organizer, do you feel punk has helped your job performance by giving you a perspective you otherwise wouldn’t have had?
A: That’s a great question! Sure. As far as relating with workers I’ve been at the bottom, done the dirty work and been schooled by some of the best. Also my car is the office so I’m always in the field where the work is actually being done. There are some parallels between punk rock and union organizing. For example; you need to know how to make great flyers and distribute them quickly without drawing attention. You need to be able to grab people’s attention. You have to put yourself in danger at times too.
Q: As obvious as it is to ask, what was the inspiration behind The Punk Rock Las Vegas Survival Guide?
A: There was a need and in writing the book I was able to help people get more out of their Holiday weekend. They come from all over the world to Las Vegas over Memorial Day weekend. It’s allowed me to make some great friends. They love the tips and money saving advice offered in the book. Vegas is tricky city. Either you know where the cool places are or you risk wasting the weekend at some jive hotel getting eaten by bedbugs and chased around by security. Why bother? Having played the festival and competed in the tournament who would be better to write about it? The book comes with 12 stickers from various punk bands. It’s made in America and is printed union. I would sure appreciate your readers taking a moment to go on Amazon and leave a quick review.
Q: Any upcoming news or shows for either The Grim or Glue Gun?
The Grim is scheduled to play NardFest at the Majestic Ventura Theater, August 30th with Rikk Agnew, Jughead’s Revenge, Agression, Stalag 13 and Ill Repute. We’ll be giving away special limited- edition guitar picks at our merch table so come by and say hello.
The Grim is also playing with The Misfits, She Demons, Neblina and My Modern Valentine Thursday, November 12th at Majestic Ventura Theater.
There’s also a free show with Pulley and The Grim Saturday, October 17th at Pete’s Place in Reseda.
Both bands are in the studio working on new recordings. The Grim have recorded 10 songs and have 3 to go. Glue Gun is recording two for a split 7” for D-Tour Records. One of the songs is called “Plastic Gun”. It’s about a killer who makes his own weapon with a 3-D printer.
Thanks Bob. If you’d like to check out any of his bands or the book, visit these links
The Grim on Facebook
The Grim on Twitter
@thegrimband
Glue Gun on Facebook
Glue Gun on Twitter
@gluegunpunk
Book on Facebook
Book on Twitter
@punkrocklv
What You Missed: Voodoo Glow Skulls 8/7/15
Compton by Dr. Dre: West Coast Comeback
Album: Compton
Artist: Dr. Dre
By Maya Avila
Hello lovers of Rap & Hip Hop,
Dr. Dre is back, and luckily for us it’s in a good way. Finally, one of raps most prolific contributors has come back to us. Can you believe it’s been 16 years since the famously elusive rapper/ producer has released a studio album? And boy o’ boy is it wonderful. Look, I’m not saying this record is going to be your favorite, or that it’s the greatest of all time, or that it will have you screaming with glee at the top of your lungs, but it has far more substance than anything else out right now and it’s a far cry from the shit polluting the ears of some religious radio listeners today.
Compton was inspired by N.W.A’ s predicted blockbuster Straight Outta Compton, and features well known rap alumni such as Ice Cube, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, and Xzibit among others, and even showcases some up and comers like the N.C. native King Mez, Anderson .Paak, Candice Pillay, Asia Bryant, Justus, and Jon Connor. This record has so many features, it almost feels orchestrated with Dr. Dre front and center as its conductor. He has managed to produce a sound uniquely recognizable as west coast hip-hop. Known as G-Funk, its sound is deep yet minimalistic, its lyrics usually consist of angry and righteous social emotions. Very in your face.
Although the west coast has been on the rap and hip hop scene for a very long time, the East coast has arguably been cultivating the genre as a whole, continuously pumping out easy urban beats with flowy poetic lyrics. N.W.A was the first group to bring modern West coast rap to the forefront and practically inventing gangster rap. This sound has really been sort of lost over the years since Death Row Records has become less and less relevant.
It should come as no surprise that the Doc has managed to mix classic beats and give them a new age flare, experimenting with some jazzy, soulful, even reggae chants, and a cappella vocal beatboxing. This is amazingly prevalent throughout the beginning of the album.
In classic Dre style, he comes out aggressive and still very angry. He mostly sights the oppression of young black men in LA and unapologetically dismisses any other rapper who might think they even come close to being on his level. Probably the softest moments Dr. Dre has is when he pays tribute to his former N.W.A mates, more specifically on a track titled Darkside/Gone, he gave remembrance to the only deceased member of the original rap group, Eazy-E.
Compton features a heart stopping array of talent including old and fresh faces, each of which totally enhance the album. Snoop Dogg finally sounds like his old self again delivering his lines that remind you how old school he really is. Ice Cube lays down a short but solid verse in on track 8 named Issues. For a moment, you realize that Ice Cube is one of the badass pioneers of West Coast Hip-Hop and not just some angry detective in 21 Jump Street. Eminem, as always, expertly throws precise punctual spitfire in your ears on Medicine Man. The soul veteran Jill Scott also offers her beautiful voice to the record. And of course how can we forget Dr. Dre’s latest protégé Kendrick Lamar, whose voice is constant throughout the album even though he is officially featured on two out of the sixteen tracks
The most powerful performances came from the up and comers who really managed to hold their own against the elite cast of veterans. Candice Pillay, Asia Bryant, and Anderson Paak all have voices that create unique sounding hooks that have you wanting to know more about them. King Mez and Justus delivered knockout verses on their respective featured tracks.
However, Dr. Dre’s work doesn’t come without its critique. The songs are frequently interrupted by dialog, which makes the whole album seem a bit theatrical and cinematic. Although it doesn’t throw of the complete flow of all the songs as a whole, it is annoying and repetitive. Perhaps one of the most off the wall moment came from track 7 titled Loose Canons where a man suffering from some sort emotional battle ends up shooting his girlfriend and getting his friends to help him take care of the body. The entire altercation is a bit long and quite frankly disturbing. It also seems to me that Dre, when rapping himself, is repetitive. Always talking about his hard upbringing and the pressure his peers always have him under, which to me is somewhat unrelatable in this day in age, given that he is raps first self-proclaimed billionaire. I’m not saying he shouldn’t feel some type of way about his hardships, but come on; Dre really needs to evolve himself lyrically.
On track 5 titled All in A Days Work, Dr. Dre talks about some of the pressure he is under which part of which I suspect comes from the failed release of what was supposed to be his long awaited third studio record Detox. Supposedly the album never came together and just wasn’t really any good. I would guess this would have made him feel somewhat incompetent and unable to compete with the biggest rappers at the time, or maybe he was too busy building the careers of his newly discovered artist Eminem and 50 cent. Either way, it was a disappointment
Overall taking in all the good with the bad, Dr. Dre has shown he still has what it takes to produce something worthy of our time. Once again, the West Coast sound is relevant. Each beat has been masterfully crafted proving he is still one of the best producers in the game. I wouldn’t be surprised if not too long from now you hear newer artists sampling from this album. This record is a worthy addition to any rap or hip-hop collection. Definitely don’t sleep on this.
Live at Something-Brian Burk preview
Here’s are last preview of our podcast Live at Something™ for throwback thursday. In this episode, we sat down with Brian Burk from Vultures of Vinyl. We take about the variety of colorful characters you run into while living in the Antelope Valley.
Hosted by Codi “The Seismic Yeti” Yost , “Diamond” Jeff Collier and Jesse Davidson
Recording by “Krazie” Jose Rebollo and Anthony Jaramillo
A Pleasure to Burn by Thoughtcrime: Review
By Irving Mira
Thoughtcrime is a melodic punk band from the Antelope Valley in Southern California. Comprised of Oscar Pleitez on guitar and vocals, Gabe Gonzalez on bass and backup vocals, and Jose Carrillo on drums, they first debuted in late 2013 with the release of their first album “Unfair Warning” on December 24th. The album we look at today is “A Pleasure to Burn”, which is their first full-length album and the follow up to their previous 2013 release.
When first looking at this album you can’t help but notice the cover art, and let me tell you; not only is it great, but it fits the overall spirit and theme of the album really well. The cover was done by Michelle Navarette and it reminds me a lot of political graffiti up against the cold concrete of a cityscape. The cover depicts an individual strapped with a backpack or tank on their back and a matchbox (disguised as a bible) and lighting a city or a mural of one on fire.
The title track “A Pleasure to Burn” seems to be about the burning of documents or books and it is very short and to the point and is a great intro track due to this reason, despite being possibly the most simplistic song on the album. ”World Gone Grey” (which is personally my favorite track on this album) is really melodic and reminds me a lot of bands such as Rise Against and Pennywise. It has a infectious bass intro, starts up low and as the bass swells up, the song explodes into existence. The very melodic bass is full of climbs and descents, loaded with trills as well as a great bass and guitar solo, all accompanied by the steady (but driven) pound of the drums. It’s upbeat, catchy, and conveys a message of conspiracy and of how what really goes on in the underbelly of society remains unseen and how everyone eats up the lies and falls into place. Pretty thought-provoking stuff.
“Make Room” is the ninth track on the album and it’s definitely the one that stands out the most. It starts off with clean guitar accompanied by a moderately fast beat and segues into a pretty interesting and enjoyable intro-solo and then the first verse. Oscar’s vocals in this song remind me a lot of Fat Mike’s vocals from NOFX. The lyrics seem to be about not feeling good enough for someone or not being able to give them what they’re looking for. The album becomes more personal towards the end again with the track “Home”, which is possibly the perfect song to close with and definitely stands out on its own as well.
Their sound is a wonderful combination of searing power-chords, with the occasional well blended solo like the ones during “Doubleplus Kill”, “Endstart”, “Emergency”, and the intro and outro to “Make Room” as well as the finale to “Home”. The drums are fast, punchy, precise punk beats with plenty of build. Meanwhile the speedy driving bass holds everything together nicely. The album is well produced, but still has a nice raw edge to it which matches their sound perfectly. All in all – if you’re a fan of political punk with a good melody and a fun feel to it, I highly recommend you check this one out!
To here the album, click here
Sick Ass Foos: An Evening with Thoughtcrime and the Muddy Browns
by Jesse Davidson
Have you ever wanted to hangout with a beer swilling, gun toting intellectual who can have an in depth conversation about life and then sing you a song about various activities you can do with your penis? Well, that’s pretty much what hanging around Thoughtcrime and the Muddy Browns is like. Although both bands are comprised of the same members, Jose Carrillo on drums, Gabe Gonzales on bass, Oscar Pleitez on guitar, both bands reflect two different personalities of the band. Muddy Browns represent the side the drinks a case of PBR at house party and gives your daughter eyes while covering a Muddy Waters song. Thoughtcrime represents the late night conversation by the pool after the party that you won’t forget. Conveniently enough, this where I had my conversation with the members of the band. When Master Gabe contacted me about conducting an interview with him, he invited me to come over to the house, drink whiskey, and listen to records. Hardly being able to say no, I headed over to Muddy Brown Manor to see what the night had in store for me.
The following is transcribed and pieced together from recording of that night.
As with any situation, you’re never quite sure of what to expect. This was my feeling on arriving at Muddy Brown Manor. Waiting at the door, I heard not just Gabe but the rest of the Thoughtcrime crew with a few other voices. Oscar answered the door and I entered the house. I couldn’t find any whiskey or vinyl but I did find a twelve pack of beer and an almost eaten chocolate sheet cake. Not a weak grocery store bakery cake but a Costco sized mammoth of a cake that was almost extinct by the time I arrived, and to which Oscar graciously offered me both.
I passed a Ping-Pong table on the way to the pool where I found not just Gabe but Jose, Michelle Navarette from Cedar Open Mic and two fellows I had not met yet. Later I discovered these two were called Cousin Junior and Mousekey. “Davidson!” Gabe yells. “You didn’t bring your trunks?!” I knew I was in for an interesting evening. As I get situated with my beer and phone ready to record, it appears the Thoughtcrime collective is not quite ready for the interview. The edge of the pool is littered with clusters of beer bottles and cans like little villages on the waterfront complete with a lone scented candle burning on the brick wall dividing the Jacuzzi and the pool. Still, something was missing. “Hey, is there any cake left?” Jose asked. A discussion ensured about the best way to eat cake in the pool without getting it wet. “How about the boogie board?” as I point toward the other end of the pool. A round of cheers sprang up from everyone and without missing a beat, Oscar springs out of his lawn chair next to me, like a kid on Christmas morning, and goes running into the house to find the leftovers of the cake. He placed on the board and it worked perfectly. Creating floating dessert to all who wanted it.
We had the cake and started recording. There was no real start to the interview. I mean, where’s the best place to start recording when everyone is trying to figure out who is the most hung in the band? You have no choice but to let it roll and fill in the rest later (no pun intended).
I begin to ask a question but Oscar pulls out an acoustic guitar from thin air, Gabe begins singing a David Allan Coe song, and I start pretending I’m the voice-over guy for a Time Life CD commercial selling Gabe’s Sensual Hits.
Gabe: “You know, I was in Vegas for Punk Rock Bowling and we were in a hotel room watching Time Life Songwriter shit. That is the coolest fucking commercial ever. You get snippets of songs and you cry, you laugh, you weep (laughs). And then they have the greatest hits of the 60’s…Hey Mouskey, get over here…you good at ping-pong Davidson?”
Me: “I’m alright. Not too great at it.”
Gabe: “Hey this interview is about you. What would you say is your greatest attribute? Like if you had to look at yourself in the mirror and write an obituary what would you say?”
As I think about this, Mouskey walks over shining a flashlight in the pool.
Gabe: “Hey Mousekey, are those fuckin’ UGGs?”
Everyone looks down to find this large, over six foot tall man dressed like Hunter S Thompson is ready for the apocalypse with a pair of bright brown UGG boots and everyone burst out laughing
Gabe: “Hey you know what, if this interview was about Mousekey, it would be the sickest shit ever. You think of it he’s done it.”
Me: “Yeah?”
Gabe: “Yeah! He hasn’t gone to space yet. Well, his mind has been to space a couple times.” (laughs)
Mousekey: “Anyone want a hotdog?”
Gabe: “Hey get Davidson one with mustard only. He don’t fuck with ketchup”
Me: (laughs)
Mousekey: “Actually bro, there’s only one bun left”
(laughter)
Gabe: “Well put the two cocks into one bun. Give the little piece of bread with some mayo on it.”
At this point, my sides hurt and we tried to start a formal interview.
Me: “So how did the three amigos get together and start a…”
Jose: “Hey why are we amigos? I find that kind of racist.” (Laughter)
Gabe: “I’ll be honest here. Oscar met Josey (Jose’s nickname) before I did. He thought Josey was a cockblocker because Oscar was trying to have sex with some young lady but Josey was trying to have sex with her too. So Oscar told me, ‘I was hanging out these dudes and there was some fat guy there’.
“No offense foo’ ” Gabe says to Jose.
“And then I said to Oscar, ‘Fuck that fool’. So initially, I kind of wanted to whoop Josey’s ass because he was cockblock-ing Oscar. “
Jose: “But then he saw me and he was scared.”
Gabe: “Nah I wasn’t scared because that’s nothing to me (laughs). But then I met him and thought he was pretty cool.”
Oscar: “Let me tell you the story. I met him at the first Dogs of War come back show (A local hardcore band from the AV).”
Jose: “How many times has Dogs of War come back?”
Gabe: “About 17 times.” (laughter)
At this point, the English bulldog in the house Haji, starts walking by the pool area and almost steps on my phone.
Gabe: “Watch your phone. He’s gonna send dick pics to all the people you know. “(Everyone laughs)
Oscar: “So then you brought this chick around (Writer’s note: to protect her identity, the woman being mentioned will be referred to as “lady” from here on out). I hit him up and asked what’s up with Lady?” And Jose said, ‘Don’t fuck with her. She has the clap.’ She didn’t but that was his way of cockblocking me. (laughter) That’s how we met.”
Then Gabe started talking about how long he’s known Oscar but quickly ventured off on his love of weaponry, history of his break-dancing, and kicked out a quick rap about our interview with Mousekey beat boxing.
Gabe: “Hey when you guys get in the pool, do you leave your boxers on?”
Cousin Junior: “No.”
Gabe: Me either. “That shit is weird.”
Mousekey: “Anyone want the barbeque beans heated up? They’re pretty dank.”
Jose: “Put them on the boogie board. “(laughs)
Gabe: “The boogie board is the shit. I kind of want to be a boogie boarder when I grow up.” (laughter)
Me: “I’ve seen your pictures on Facebook and you have a passion for weaponry. Can you go into that more?”
Gabe: Yeah. I’ve only killed about four people in my life (laughter). See, everyone laughs at that. Actually, I’ve always had (inaudible Jose and Gabe talking).
Mousekey: (from across the yard) You’ve always had webbed feet?
Gabe: Yeah I have webbed feet and a webbed dick (Everyone laughs). You know that piece of skin that connects the tip of your dick to the rest of it? Well you’re probably circumcised but I’m not. It’s called a frenulum. It’s pretty much the same shit that’s under you’re tongue, so everyone has a dick in their mouth. (Everyone laughs).
Gabe then told us about tarring his frenulum in a tragic accident and warned everyone to be careful.
Me: Do they have support groups for that kind of thing?
Gabe: Nah I don’t need it. I live comfortably with my torn frenulum…but yeah, I love guns and shooting. Hey Mousekey, bring the gauge foo’! Bring the ’40 too.”
Mousekey emerged (still wearing the UGGs) with a 12 gauge that looked like you could take down an army of angry bears with and a small .40 caliber pistol. At this point, I thought this was hands down the strangest interview I’d ever done and how fast the fifteen minutes had gone by since I started recording. It would be foolish not to bring this up.
Me: It seems like to be apart of Thoughtcrime or Muddy Browns, you need to be a badass or a real man of action. What are the qualifications to be in the band?
Gabe: I don’t want to say that I take credit for being a badass. I just like doing certain shit. I’d say one of the downest motherfuckers is Josey.
Jose: Why?
Gabe: Foo’, do I really gotta…
Oscar: Nah, we don’t have to get into details. (everyone laughs)
Gabe: It’s not about being a badass. It’s just about doing whatever you want to do and to be a real motherfucker. In the band, Oscar is safe and is kind of the anchor.
Jose: He’s the mom.
Gabe: Anchor foo’, don’t call him a mom.
Me: Would you say that’s true Oscar?
Oscar: I think tour proved that, yeah. By the third day, they were calling me mom on tour (laughter).
Gabe: But you know what, he kept shit on schedule.
Jose: You need someone like that in the band.
Gabe: Yeah. You need stability. And Josey is the rebel. I’m like the wizard. The grand wizard (everyone laughs). I’m more like the big brother who gives sound advice.
Oscar: He’s like the cool uncle that gives kids wine coolers at parties (laughs). But ultimately, I think the requirement for being in the band is honesty. That’s my philosophy. Gabe is probably one of the most honest people I know. And makes no effort to conceal certain truths (laughs)
Gabe: Yeah. I walk around naked when nobody’s home. If we’re gonna continue this interview I’m taking off my trunks (takes off trunks and places them on the side of the pool).
Me: And you’re not wearing another set of boxers underneath that?
Gabe: Nope. Check this out.
Gabe then rises to the surface to prove to everyone that he is indeed not wearing any boxers whatsoever. Then turns his back and dives down below the water with his ass sticking out.
Gabe: I’m not wearing anything. Just glasses (laughter). But yeah, you have to be a real motherfucker and have good gear.
Me: What would you say are the biggest misconceptions about being on tour?
Jose: You get laid every night.
Oscar: Yeah (laughs)
Gabe: Everyone thinks that when you play out of town, you’ll have a huge crowd. Honestly, no one gives a fuck about you. That’s something you have to work out. It’s kind of cute being from out of town and being from L.A. But we don’t do that we claim Lancaster. And the people on tour treated us very well.
Oscar: Another misconception is that you come back famous. After we came back, we had about 8 or 9 likes on Facebook. I think there are two kinds of tours these days are DIY and fully funded tours. We had a DIY tour and we all pitched in and rented a van. We met nice enough people that housed us for the night. We only had to pay for one hotel and we also crashed Eddie and the Moo Crew’s hotel room in Vegas. (The guitarist from Enemy Proof)
Me: So there’s a lot of beer around and Gabe, you work for “beer”. Does that give you any advantages playing music?
Gabe: I think beer holds the biggest influence over both bands because Oscar and I work for beer companies. He works at a brewery and me at a distributor.
Oscar: We have the three stages of production, producer (points at himself), distributor (points to Gabe), and consumer (points to Josey) (Laughter).
Gabe: Beer definitely holds the biggest influence. I probably drink my weight in PBR a week (laughs). As far as the music goes, it influences Muddy Browns a bit more. It’s for like getting your dick sucked and kicking back on a Saturday. Whereas Thoughtcrime is more for the scholar, you know? For that band, you’d drink a framboise while Muddy Browns is more Mississippi Mud.
Me: Is there anything else you want people to know about Thoughtcrime and Muddy Browns?
Oscar: Just listen to the music and the words. A lot of bands write music for the masses and music for people to mosh to. This is more from the heart and to get people to think about things. Muddy Browns is just trying to get women to shake their bottoms.
Gabe: It just so happens that’s what happens when the music plays. I’m not trying to do that. I just play blues and, in a mid-level establishment, that’s what happens.
Me: That’s what happened back in the day.
Gabe: It was! You think Muddy Waters had Facebook? If he did, he wouldn’t give a fuck about it. He’d be out there playing music and trying to make money. Which is what we’re trying to do.
Muddy Browns are looking to hit the road in October and both bands have recorded new music to be released soon. If you want more info check out Muddy Browns or Thoughtcrime on Facebook
The Reality of Freedom
by Jesse Davidson
Many people think freedom is just a seven-letter word for trying to find the edge just before you fall off. Sometimes it’s taking the leap over the edge. It’s been being bold enough to not be a mouthpiece for anyone else’s vision but your own. It could be a search to find the light or settle into darkness. For some, freedom is just a seven-letter word. There has never been a more contentious, dangerous and beautiful idea in the history of civilization than freedom. Freedom, by this nature is a walking contradiction that can be both beautiful and dangerous. It seems ever since we could think critically; we’ve been on a search to be free. Through all kinds and all times, we’ve generally wanted the freedom to expand our lives in various ways. Freedom to explore, create, to express yourself without limitations, believe in God (or not) without fear of reprisal, freedom to be curious, to love one another, or any other aspect of society where some force could keep someone else from these things. Now since the world is such a diverse place, this article must be written from my perspective; a twenty three year old American male from a middle class background. I don’t believe this is a hindrance in writing this article but it certainly is only one side of the coin. How in the world would I know what an aboriginal tribesman in Papua New Gunea or a peasant in India feels about the concept of freedom? There’s no way I can represent that view. However, I can provide an objective outlook on freedom, with my perspective, to the best of my ability.
To begin this examination of freedom, we must look at its roots. I’m not speaking of historical roots, as important as they may be. In this case, I’m speaking of personal freedom. This is the crux of the argument as personal freedom as it’s the most subjective aspect listed above. Everyone will have a different idea of what it means to be free. Especially in America, ideas of freedom will clash in eventful and non-eventful ways. Everyday, clashes will go by without being documented or published. Maybe an eighteen year old who just graduated is arguing with his parents about his future. Perhaps a woman was called to Pastor a church but members of her congregation don’t see that as an appropriate option. This is where a large portion of this conflict lies. Who is to say what’s right when no one is wrong? As a society, we’ve determined what people are and aren’t allowed to do with their personal freedom. But socially, on a person-to-person basis, conflict will still arise. When society reinforces a specific behavior or though patterns, it makes it exponentially difficult for personal freedom to take root. As an example, it’s a perfectly acceptable activity, in Middle America, to go to a party on a Friday night and drink a whirlwind of alcohol and smoke a forest of marijuana until you pass out. But not until enough iPhone photos and future YouTube videos are taken to ruin future employment. It is also perfectly acceptable to become acquainted with women that after a few hellos, two bowls of frozen yogurt, and one movie night in a house where no one is home, you can have sex with them as much and frequently as the two parties wish to do so. Now this begs the question, is that freedom? The answer is yes, for now. Is it real freedom? No. Freedom should be able to let a person expand himself or herself and grow over time. As fun as this lifestyle is and is reinforced by the ad space on t-shirts across the country, this not real freedom. When a young person thinks outside the box and takes a stand against this ethos, they can be met with a cater wall of insults and about a million different ways to express how “lame” you truly are. For merely thinking outside the box and what booze wants my generation to do, this mentality can be met with much ridicule, depending on who your friends are. Now is going against the status quo represent freedom? Absolutely. The difference between the two is driving on an open road and cul-de-sac. With the party lifestyle, friends will be made and good times will be had right now. But then what? If you want to drive anywhere else on that street, it’s a dead end. On the other side, if the status quo is rejected and individual values and attitudes are formed, it’s like an open road. It might be less exciting at times but it can take you anywhere you want to go.
When I first attended Antelope Valley College, I didn’t know what I wanted to major in. After taking several classes in the program, I decided to major in Commercial Music. Although I was met with support, there was an equal amount of weird looks, changing of discussion about how great the Science program is, and overall subconscious message of “Good luck starving to death”. Since my high school years, it seems like America has had a stalled car in our streets called science and we’re trying to recruit all the help we can get to push it to the side of the road. Unless someone has a clear vision for what for what the future should be, it seems dramatically unfair to influence people this way. As more funding to the arts is cut across America and more focus is placed solely on math and science, it appears we’re doing nothing more than breeding a generation who will be very intelligent but won’t be able to think creatively to solve complex problems. Or challenge a society that expects people to follow certain paths.
As stated previously, freedom is a walking contradiction that is going to naturally conflict with other people and their ideas of what freedom means. In the sixties, hippies believed free love was their idea of what freedom meant. Their parents believed having a nuclear family with a white picket fence was the pinnacle of freedom. In modern day society, the gay couple that will finally be able to get married will feel very free at this moment while members of certain groups may feel as they are being oppressed by the very idea of gay marriage. Especially in America, freedom is like bebop jazz. Sometimes it will be beautiful and sometimes it seems like a chaotic mess. This is okay. That’s part of the beauty of our society that most people don’t understand. America is like a giant social experiment that has been happening 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and for hundreds of years now. As people become more afraid of each other and themselves, maybe we’ll move toward a society like futuristic London in Brave New World. Everyone gets all the pleasure and the comfort of a free society but in reality, they aren’t free at all. As soon as the mold is broken or the status quo is shattered, people will reject you and throw you aside. If freedom is allowed to develop uninhibited, in a non-harmful way to others, it can be a beautiful thing. In reality, freedom is just a tool that allows individuals to be themselves. This is nothing to be afraid of. Maybe if we can learn to let go of our fear of real freedom, we can have a real brave new world.