February 21, 2024 • 71 mins
In these descriptions I try not to trip over hyperbolic language, but I am absolutely thrilled to have Will Killingsworth on the show today not only for his important record work at Dead Air Studios but also his musical output with bands like Orchid, Bucket Full of Teeth, Ampere and many more. He's a true lifer and someone who has focused on all of the principles that make up this DIY community and let it consume them. We are celebrating the fact that the entire Bucket Full of Teeth discography is now up on streaming services and LP courtesy of the fine folks at Iodine Recordings. Enjoy this conversation!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
You're listening to one hundred words or less with Ray Harkins.
What is up, everybody? How are you doing this fine day?
I'm actually in North Carolina right now. I'm in a
hotel room. I'm recording this because you know what, the
podcast will be delivered to you no matter what is
happening in my own life. That is the commitment that
we have to DIY punk and hardcore and all those
(00:39):
beautiful things that we care about and discuss on this
very show. I am privileged and honored to welcome Will Killingsworth,
who played in and still technically plays in Orchid. He
also played in A Bucket Full of Teeth, which is
ostensibly the reason why we are here, because the awesome
people Dine Records just put together a discography on vinyl
(01:04):
for the entire Bucket full of Teeth collection, and there's like,
I don't know, fifty some songs on there. Bucket full
of Teeth is a great band. But Will also runs
a studio called Dead Air Studios. He also put out
records under Clean Plate Records. Also played in on Pear
or Yeah that's that's how you say it was. I
was gonna say it was like, wait a minute, there's
(01:25):
another way to say it, but no on pair and
then if I'm not mistaken, he also played in Ritual Mess,
which was a studio project that was so fricking good
and just kind of came out of nowhere and all
of a sudden everyone was like, you guys, realize this
is Orchid right, and yeah, it's really good. But Will
is a just to just to legend in the you know,
(01:48):
screamo scene as it were, and I know the words
legend is definitely thrown around a lot. But Will is
contributing in major ways not only to his musical output,
but he also does so many cool things with his
studio because he really tries to make things affordable for
bands of all shapes and sizes, you know, specifically within
the you know, punk, hardcore, power, violence, screamo scene, whatever
(02:11):
you want to call it. But he's been working at
his studio and recording bands for fifteen plus years if
not more. I actually didn't ask him how long he's
been doing it, but regardless, and also if you are
living under a rock, orkidd is doing some union shows
or playing some stuff in and around the Northeast area
(02:31):
like Boston, New York. Stuff like that you know, they
might they might be doing something on the West Coast.
I'm not gonna confirm or deny that, but it's gonna
be really exciting to watch them get a pretty incredible
reception because I know that many of the bands that
have come back in that genre and play shows again
are like, wait a minute. Not only are these like
the largest shows that we've ever played, but just the
(02:53):
passion that just exudes from that room is awesome. So anyways,
Will's a great dude, and let's talk about some things
that you can do to support the show. First of all,
you can always email the show one underwords podcast at
gmail dot com. I respond to all of those things,
whether it's like, hey, Ray, you're terrible, or whether it's
like check out this band, how about you have this
(03:15):
guest on, because I want to say probably between five
to ten percent of the guests on this very podcast
are usually from friends of friends, recommendations, people being like, hey,
you should talk to this person who has this background,
and yeah, let's do this, so don't be shy in
reaching out. You can also leave a rating and review
(03:35):
on the Apple podcast page. It helps out tremendously, and
you can leave a rating on the Spotify page as well.
All of those things help out the great algorithm that
we are all slaves to. Or you can just sell friends.
That's the best way of cutting straight to the punch.
So let's talk about weekly recommendations. I've been doing this
(03:56):
every week for pretty much all of this year, so
are actually not pretty much all of this year so far,
and I've compiled them into a running Spotify playlist that
you will be able to find in the show notes
if you are so inclined. But this week, I'm incredibly
excited because this is a record that honestly came out
of nowhere from me. Came out in twenty twenty two.
(04:17):
My friend Justin, who runs a label called Dune Altar,
loved what he has put out, but this band, just
I don't know, missed my radar. The band is called
Fayetooth Fae T t H and the record is called
Remnants of the Vessel, And like I said, it came
out in twenty twenty two, and it is unbelievable sort
(04:38):
of you know, stoner rock doom whatever you want to
call that, with some Chelsea Wolf like vocals on top
of it, and talk about two worlds that I just
worship at the altar of it is Chelsea Wolf type
vocals and stoner rock slash doom stuff. So I just
it was delivered algorithmically to me, and I was like,
what the hell is this band? Like you love it
(05:00):
when you tip across a band and then you just
are stopped in your tracks and be like, I need
to find out more. I need to listen to everything
they've put out. So yeah, the record is called Remnants
of the Vessel and the band is called Faye Tooth
And like I said, link in the show notes and
you will be able to listen to all of the
running recommendations, whether or not you have heard of them
(05:20):
or are a regular listener to the show and are like, listen, Ray,
I know already find the stuff, but I always got
to remind people because obviously not everybody listens to every
single episode. Anyways, let's talk to Will now, right, we
can talk about the early Orchid days. We talk about,
you know, just recording just the awesome, awesome art that
he's been able to capture at his studio and so
(05:41):
much more. So let's go. Let's talk with Will and
being a you know, punkin hardcore kid, of a certain age.
(06:04):
I was fortunate enough to watch multiple of your band's play,
whether it was you know, definitely living in southern California,
saw Orchid I want to say at least two or
three times. Definitely once at the PCH Club. I want
to say it was with a gasp maybe or volume eleven.
I'm not entirely sure. But and then definitely saw you know,
(06:28):
on pair at least that's how I pronounce it. Is
that correct?
Speaker 2 (06:33):
I've always said Ampier, but you know, it's a French name,
so you know, I think it's probably up for interpretations.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
That's that's good. I I always wanted to be accurate
to the native tongue in which it was it was named.
But yeah, saw you guys a few times. And I
what I've always appreciated about, you know, your musical output
is that kind of regardless of you know how for
lack of a better teme or like heavier soft you're going,
(07:02):
there's always a consistent chaos and like sort of you know,
noisy aspect to it. And I realized this might be
a little big question to start things off, But you
know what, what keeps you I guess connected to that,
you know, through line, because obviously there's the conception that
as you grow older, you know, you're supposed to you know,
(07:23):
chill out a little bit or like, you know, like
maybe not play as aggressive music or whatever.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
But yeah, it doesn't doesn't seem to be.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
The case with you. So what what keeps you I
guess rooted in that element?
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Well, well, I guess we're not going to talk about
my new age project then, but uh, that's I don't know.
I think that it's just kind of what I like doing,
and I guess what I gravitate towards, like making. I
certainly listened to music that's not it's chaotic or noisy
(07:59):
or whatever a lot. But I don't know. I guess
it's just kind of what I find interesting and and
maybe also partially just what I feel like I'm I
don't necessarily say good at but I think it's you know,
something I can do at least to you know, the
level that that I'm happy with it. Whereas you know,
(08:20):
I think if I like, try to be in like
a real young style band, I love Neil, but I
think I would try to appreciate a job.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Yeah, And I mean I appreciate what you're saying in
regards to the idea that yes, of course you listen
to other styles of music, and obviously that starts to
bleed in whether you actually intentionally want it to or
not to your music, but I do. I just always,
I guess, get heartened by people that, you know, continue
(08:55):
to find a through line but still have like the
core of like you know, the first band you played in,
Like there's just elements of that still sprinkled in, And
I just think that's, you know why, like all all
the projects that you've played in have had that element
of like, oh you can still hear you know, to
the core of it, like, well, what it is you
are trying to accomplish.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Well, I appreciate that. I feel like, I mean, part
of it, I think is that I am like aware
also of that sort of like progression of you know,
sort of like aging out of punk or hardcore or whatever.
And uh, I guess I find it's you know, I
don't know if I find it distasteful, but I guess
I find it something that I kind of wanted to avoid.
(09:41):
But it's not like I'm like, oh, I really wish
I was in like a skinnered cover band, but here
I go making like our fifth grind album or something,
so it's not like being dragged over the cores. But uh.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Right, it's like, oh damn dude, no matter what, I
cannot write something. Is it like you know, three or bpms?
Like I'm sorry, yeah, yeah, Well we'll pull it a
little bit more of those threads a bit later. But
just kind of from a biographical perspective, were you actually
born and raised in the Massachusetts area or I was
trying to track that but could really pinpoint it.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
Uh, I was I. I was born and lived outside
Boston until like through the seventh grade, so like as
a as a child and whatnot. I was here in
mass where I am now. Uh. And then I lived
(10:38):
for a couple of years in like, uh, almost remote
southern California, but it's not really remote but not really uh,
let's say rural southern California. And then I lived uh
for four years outside Birmingham, Alabama, uh, for most of
high school, and then came back to mass for college
(11:02):
and just stuck around because I had shit going on
here and nowhere else to really go, and I like
it here.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
Sure what caused the moves? Was it you like parents
getting jobs and stuff like that, or just you know,
change of pace, change of scenery.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
Yeah, so, like, I don't know, a couple of years,
I think around when I was in fifth grade or so,
my parents got divorced and my father ended up moving
to California, and then I was living with my mom
for a couple of years, and then I don't know,
I think it just I don't really know how as
a twelve year old or whatever it was, I made
(11:45):
this logical decision, but somehow it seemed maybe more logical
to live with my father in California, so I moved there.
And then he's originally from Alabama, and so was his
second wife, and so they collectively decided to move closer
to like their family, and I went with them to Alabama.
(12:08):
So that was the that was the move.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
Are you an only child? You have brothers and sisters?
Speaker 2 (12:17):
I have an older sister since four years older. Ironically,
she stayed in Massachusetts until college and now she lives
in California.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
But you guys are all just you know, shifting, shifting
scenery as it were.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Yeah, yeah, when.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
You know, when you were going through those moves and
kind of making those choices, like, was it because I
mean those are like distinctly different areas, like, you know,
California and Birmingham like could not be more you know,
culturally divergent and very different.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Was it?
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Yeah? Was it difficult to make those transitions or were
you kind of like looking forward to be you know,
a new fish and a new.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
You know, it's hard to say, I think, and I
mean moving in California, like I was in like a
really small school in like you know, kind of like
a pro dunk town. So Birmingham was actually more like
I mean, I was like kind of I've been going
to Birmingham for like my entire life to visit family there,
like my grandparents and cousins, and you know, it's like
(13:23):
so I was like very familiar with it. So it
was like, you know, it was a bigger city and
sort of I guess maybe culturally had more going on.
Not that I was necessarily an age to fully be
aware of it, but but I don't know. I definitely
kind of dreaded it when it was happening. But you know,
(13:49):
all all in all, it was a positive move, and
you know, I wouldn't be where I am today without
having lived there, and you know, all the experiences I
had living there for four years. But but you know,
by the time I went to college, I was also like,
I'm not moving back to Alabama. Uh so that, yeah,
(14:15):
it served its purpose for me, and then then I moved.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
Yeah, sure, I get that. And so as a kid, like,
what did you find yourself, you know, getting into as
far as were you playing sports? Were you super into school?
Were you, you know, like a science kid. What would
you describe yourself as?
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Uh? Probably, I mean mainly like a nerd, especially when
I got like, you know, when I was old enough
to be nerdy, I guess, uh uh so, yeah, just school,
you know, like every kid. When I was young, I
was doing some sports and then eventually you realize that
(14:54):
other kids are good at sports and you're not, so
you kind of like stop doing them. We're losing in
the Yeah, I don't know, and uh, I guess I
was kind of always a launched in music to an extent,
but not like it wasn't like a formative part of
(15:15):
my childhood necessarily. Like I liked music, but like I wasn't.
There was like a piano in our house, but like
it wasn't like I was. I wasn't like itching to
play it all the time or anything.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
Right, Yeah, it's like you were aware of it. You
were aware of the radio and you know, like I know,
this dovetails into another question I was going to ask
you about. You know, I know that you mentioned in
previous interviews, like you know, the Beach Boys was kind
of like your first awareness of music that you were
able to attach a name to. And then I know
Ramones and Jed Kennedy's were huge for you in regards.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Yeah, that was that was.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Oh sorry, no, go ahead, go ahead, Oh I.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
Was I was gonna say, yeah, they were kind of
like a normative or like I kind of remember that
being one of the first things where I was like
I can dub a cassette of this like album and
like listen to it in my room kind of thing.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
And I kind of I went through like a funny
like surf rock thing where I got really into like
like you know, like the Ventures and just like multiple
like like surf rock bassic stuff. So I mean, I
guess I kind of was drawn to guitar and melodies
and that kind of stuff, and which was like a
(16:30):
funny sort of entrance right to Throwmones who were you know,
the first punk band I really heard that, you know,
but being unaware what a punk band was or that
they were a punk band, but you know, like it
was like, you know, they covered like surf and Bird
and fuck what's that other they cover another some dance
(16:56):
or walk song I can't remember anyways, and it was
like weird because I was like, oh, I know the
like I like these songs. Oh, this band's cool. You know.
Now when I listened to our Roomoones album, I'm like
a surfing bird. But at the time, you know, it helped.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Oh yeah, well I think it's like I always reflect on,
you know, those early musical experiences from what people have
shared in the show and like my own personal taste
where it's like when you get exposed to certain things,
like I I distinctly remember getting exposed to the Monkeys
in relation to the Beatles. Oh yeah, but it's like
(17:38):
I liked the Monkeys better for a long time because
they were like on TV and I felt like, oh yeah,
they were cool to the Beatles. But it's like, no,
like not at all. But that was like your first exposure.
So it's like you that's what you get into.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
No, I mean I'm one hundred percent on that same trajectory.
I loved the Monkeys. Uh. I still think the Monkeys
have tracks, you know, I think most of them were
actually written by written by Neil Diamond, but who Also,
if I'm skimming by the radio and he's on, I'll stop.
But uh, you know, the Monkeys I think are great.
(18:17):
I would watch the TV show. I assume it was
reruns like when we were kids. I don't know, but
but you know, I would. I would watch them. I
thought they were funny and had like all the tapes. Yeah,
and I didn't really care about the Beatles.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
So totally, which is like, you know, as an adult,
when you say that it's insane to hear, but at
the same time, it's like that's like you said, that's
what what you were exposed to.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
I've still never like actually bridged the gap into the Beatles.
I've gotten into George Harrison solo stuff, and I just
recently got into some Paul McCartney solo stuff. But like,
there's only about the Beatles that I feel like it's
almost like like you know, like they're obviously good, right,
(19:05):
but like I just like, I don't know, It's like
I already know all the songs, so it's like listening
to the album, it's just kind of like, yeah, I
know these songs, Like I don't know.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Right, how about discovering anything new here?
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Yeah, it's like this is like it's almost like part
of the air you breathe, I feel like. So it's
kind of like, yeah, like I I hear these often anyways,
Like I don't really need to like put this on,
but at some point too proudly, I don't know, have
some crazy beatles deep dive but and you know, get
(19:37):
all into it, but it hasn't happened, right, I'd still
take the Monkeys.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
I love it. I love it. What drew you in?
Like as you started ticket, you know, exposed to the
Ramones and like you said with de Kennedy's as well,
what kind of drew you in? Was it the fact
that it obviously didn't sound like anything you had heard before?
Was it the energy? What kind of drew in?
Speaker 2 (20:01):
I don't even know what the Ramones? I'm not even sure.
I mean, I guess it was just the energy or
like because I was getting into like hair metal and
stuff like that around a similar time, and it all
just felt like a little more like rocking for lack
of a better, like, you know, like a whatever. I
was like twelve or thirteen, Like it just seemed a
(20:23):
little extra something to me, a little extra exciting or whatever.
I'm not even sure like it seemed like dangerous or
you know, like anything. It just seemed cool. But yeah,
and then the Dead Kennedy's I think that was like
a year two later for me, maybe just a year,
(20:45):
but like I guess, I feel like by that time
I was starting to become like a bit of an
angsty youth and uh, you know, so that I could
tap into the angst and sort of like frustration of
life and jocks and whatever. The decades were there for
(21:06):
all of that, and also being a nerd, Like I mean, well,
Jem might have proved to be a tool or not
over time. I don't know. I kind of don't pay
too much attention to him, but I don't think he's
maybe the ultimate dude that I thought he wasn't when
I was fifteen. But I mean the lyrics are smart
and they're clever, and they're funny and angry, and to me,
(21:29):
like those are all things that I like related to
I guess.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
Sure, absolutely and I think too, it's like when you
are that age and you start getting exposed to these
things that are perceived and truthfully are like intellectual whether
it's just like, oh wow, my world is getting bigger
because they're talking about you know what you're using the
Dea Kennedy's where it's like, oh, Cambodia, Like what's happening there?
I don't really I know it's a country, right, but
(21:56):
like what And then you just start to think about
things a little bit differently because you have only heard
about them in like maybe.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
History class for sure. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:07):
And so so as you started to like get into
this and bring the stuff home to you know, your
your parents, your step parents and stuff like that, were
they looking at you quizically? Were they like, what the
hell's well getting into? Were they generally permissive for you to,
you know, kind of explore that.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
They're pretty permissive? I don't think. And I think by
the time I lived with my dad, he didn't really
care like what I was listening to, and I wasn't
listening to anything. I mean, like, I don't think he
thought the decades were crazy like and he was familiar
with the Romans, you know, like he wasn't like super
into punk or anything. But you know, like I don't
think he viewed it as as like threatening or anything. Like.
(22:47):
I mean I remember like when I was younger whenever
I don't know what age, but like you know, I
had like a two Live Crew tape and stuff, and
you know, like to my parents that was like I
was like whoa, oh, whoa, I don't know about I
don't know about that, but uh but yeah, I don't.
By the time I was listening to punk, I think
(23:07):
it was either I was old enough and it's not
like it was raunchy or you know, like uh crass
in that kind of way that I don't think it
really mattered.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
Sure, sure, and especially too where it's like I think
that even though parents might be you know, threatened buy
whatever music their kids are taking home, there's like an
element of the idea that the kid is finding something
that they actually care about, and it's kind of like, well,
that's cool as long as they're not like hurting themselves
or hurting others, Like I guess we'll just let it roll,
(23:42):
even though you know, the hairstyle is terrible or whatever.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
Yeah, I don't think I don't think they were that
concerned with it. Yeah, I mean at some point I
was probably told to like turn it down or you know,
like but but there was no there was nothing beyond
that I can think of.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
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guitar kind of the first thing that you picked up
or did you do the kind of you know, Oh,
my parents are trying to teach me piano, so I
don't want to learn that, so I got to learn
something else.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Yeah, there was. There was piano lessons at some point
in my well, at a couple of points in my life.
But that was the first instrument that I took lessons for,
and it really it didn't do much for me. And
I think at some point, like I wasn't practicing and
(25:43):
it wasn't like I just had like zero motivation for it,
and I think at some point I was like, could
I take guitar lessons instead, and like you know, got
some like cheap creamer guitar and start taking guitar lessons,
which I honestly wasn't great at practicing that either, but
I was at least interested in it, and you know,
like the novelty of being able to play, Like I'm
(26:07):
trying to think of some of the I can't remember.
I feel like maybe there's like a guns N' Roses,
like you know, a riff or two that I learned,
and you know, stuff like that like that that was
definitely more in my interest. You know, like I was like,
this is cool, So you know, I at least wanted
to like keep taking lessons to a degree.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
But right right, and especially with that idea that the
moment that you feel like you can mimic anything musically,
whether it's a power chord or whether it's like four
notes strunk together, you feel like you're on top of
the world. You're just like, oh, I just cracked this code,
like I could play guitar.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
Yeah, although I don't even know if I The find
thing is that I never knew. I don't even know
how I learned what a power chord was, because in
my first band I definitely not know. But but yeah,
it's I had like taken those lessons and then I
had fallen off and then kind of just had the guitar.
But it wasn't you know, there was a few years
(27:13):
where I didn't didn't like touch it or really play,
or if I did, I don't know what I was doing.
I don't think I was really doing it at all,
I should be honest.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
When did you start first start going to actual shows?
Was that in you know, when I say shows like
obviously of the you know, more DIY variety and stuff
like that. Was that in Alabama? Or was that more
so in the college years?
Speaker 2 (27:37):
Uh? It was. It was definitely in Alabama. I think
the first show I went to was actually in California.
I should actually check with a old friend of mine
about this, But so when I lived in California, there
was like I basically one well kind of literally I
(27:58):
literally had like one kind of punk friend, but also
kind of maybe just like one friend because it was
extremely rural and I was not that cool. And he
had an older brother who was like even more into
like sort of like punk stuff and like played drums
and so they were into like no effects and bad religion,
(28:19):
and that got me into all that kind of stuff,
and I think at some point with them, I went
to a show like somewhere in southern California that was
kind of it was a funny show was this band
jungle Fish played that I bought their tape at the show,
and I can't remember who else, but it was not
(28:42):
particularly good, although I remember there being kind of a
lot of people that been there. But I think at
the time I didn't even really know, like I was
aware obviously, like I went to the show, I was
aware of what I was doing, but I wasn't really
even like aware of sort of like a DIY scene
or like it was just like there's this band playing,
(29:05):
you know, like they're cool or something, you know, like
do you want to come? So like I didn't really
like know anything besides that, you know, And it wasn't
until in Alabama.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
Right, it's something, it's something to do, so like let's
go ahead and do that.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
Yeah. And even in Alabama, like most of the show,
there weren't that many shows and most of them were
kind of like a VFW hall's or like a record
store started doing shows a little bit there, but like,
it wasn't really until moving to Massachusetts that I really
you know. I think I might have been to one
(29:43):
house show in Alabama, but I'm not even sure if
that was after I went to school. I guess it
wasn't after I went to school or I went to college,
but so yeah, it was still even like a little
different than like the full sort of DIY that I
as I came to know it in college and whatnot, you.
Speaker 1 (30:05):
Know, right, and I'm got I mean for all intent purposes,
Like was Orcid your first band or did you actually
play in something prior to that?
Speaker 2 (30:17):
No, there's there's a couple of bands before that. Like
the first band was just like my friend and I,
you know, like the one other like punk that I
met at school in uh in high school in Alabama,
who's pretty much got me into like most of like
(30:39):
you know, like sort of like got me aware of
like what was happening and like sort of that there
was like a current community kind of like when I
was living in California, it was like the stuff I
was aware of, like bad religion, no effects day candies.
I was just like, these are other bands and they're
cool and I like them, but I didn't, like I
didn't really know like sort of no context for it,
(31:01):
like they weren't. It wasn't different to me than any
other band or like anything. I didn't really understand. It
wasn't until I went to when I was in Alabama,
and you know, I went to a record store that
was like only selling punk and like saw like my
first like maximum rock and roll, and like, you know,
it sort of started to like get the bigger picture
(31:23):
that you know, like this is like a whole thing.
Like it was kind of like it all opened up,
you know. Oh, but so I've drifted away. But the
first band, it was just me and that friend and
then eventually we had someone else playing with us, but
it was kind of like we could barely play our
instruments and it was kind of like we play the
(31:45):
couple shows, but it was it was pretty bad.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
How's gonna say, Can I ask who you're trying to
rip off?
Speaker 2 (31:55):
Oh dude, we were not good enough to rip off anyone.
Like it was embarrassingly bad.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
As every first band should be. Let's be honest.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
It's great to have grown up in the age where
I couldn't put that on band camp or YouTube or
somewhere to be archived for eternity. It can just live
on a tape that I don't even know if still
works in like some box in my house. But but yeah,
it was little like I was just making shit up
(32:30):
that was I mean, I don't know it was.
Speaker 4 (32:33):
It was basic and bad, but that didn't stop us,
you know.
Speaker 1 (32:37):
So yeah, that was that the first band that you
actually like played some shows with and stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
Yeah, we played at least a couple of shows with
that band. I mean, I think we were like fifteen.
We definitely had to be like dropped off by our parents.
And I remember it was a funny thing, like so
we you know whatever, we were immersed in this like
(33:06):
world of di y and like maximum rock and roll
and just kind of be like, oh, we should like
put out a seven inch and whatnot, and we actually,
like whatever, our shitty like four track recording like mailed
it to some like distros, like just like a dubbed
tape of it in a couple of labels, and I
remember very distinctly I'm blanking on the label but that.
(33:33):
But anyways, this dude that I had ordered like records
from and put out a couple of things I like
like responded to like the tape, and it was just like,
trust me, do not put this out. It's like it was.
Speaker 5 (33:49):
Like it was like I've put out seven inches like
that I think are like truly great and I cannot
sell them, like like don't like you're you're gonna like
regret putting this out, which which was like scarring but
also probably like some of the best advice I've ever.
Speaker 1 (34:04):
Gotten, Right, that's it. I mean, yeah, it's like it's
that you know, double edged sword, where you're just like, oh,
it's great to get a response, and then like you
could completely you know, smash. But then at the same time,
you're like, you know, obviously as you get older, perspective
lands and you're like, man, it was good that they
told me not to put that down.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
Yeah, it would have been bad. It would have been
real bad. But the other funny thing is that someone
I can't I must have. I can't remember what label
I sent it to or who had it, but I
don't know if people even know what more Damn Distribution
is in twenty twenty four. But they were like a
(34:43):
big punk distributor and I sent it to someone there
and like or that, like or some label that was
like distributed by them. They're kind of like a a
lot of California punk was labels were distributed through them,
So it was kind of like this like network anyways,
trying to get to the point of the story. Years later,
(35:04):
you know, like I was, I would buy some records
through mordem and destro them, and like even after that,
I forget why I was in touch with some dude
from there. Maybe it's just mail order, but he like
in like corresponding with him, and I think it was
an email.
Speaker 5 (35:21):
He was like like, by the way, like I still
have that tape like of like the band you sent in.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
From like you know whatever, Like I don't know, it's
to be like ninety two or something. He's like, you know,
we have like a joke about like putting out a
compilation of like all the like people that went on
to be in like you know, bands that put out
records like horrible demos and stuff that we put out.
And I was like, oh my god, no, right please,
(35:50):
it's like blackmail, you.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
Know, totally. Yeah, this is you. This is your first
band that will just hold back in case anything ever happens.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
It was like, fuck, that's so good. Yeah. And what
was the I guess, for lack of a better term,
like life path for yourself. Like I mean obviously you
went to college, like you sat up in the Boston area,
were you you know, did you go to college for
you know, recording, Like had you already had that been
something that you already were sort of interested in as
(36:24):
you started to you know, put the bands together and stuff.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
Uh, it was it was only something I was interested in,
Like in high school, I had a four track that
I was using to like record like my bands and
like my later crust bands of that time and then
like grind band and so forth. But so the school
I went to is Hampshire College, which was like a
(36:49):
very kind of like hippie school, and you know like
where you think you pretty much made major or kind
of crate and whatever you want, you just basically have
to you know, like come up with the idea and
pitch it essentially, but you know it could literally be anything.
(37:11):
And so I kind of like did recording and music there,
but like they had like a small studio, but it
wasn't like they didn't have a recording program or you know,
like people don't go there to study recording or you
know that that would kind of be a bad choice.
So so yeah, I would like use the studio and
(37:34):
kind of made it part of like what I did there,
But it definitely wasn't like my plan when I like
set foot on campus or anything, that I was going
to like be like making records and stuff. Sure.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Sure, And I presume around that time that's like when
Orkins started to come together, just because you you know,
were there's more opportunities to play with people and stuff
like that.
Speaker 2 (38:00):
Am I Right? Yeah, So like my first year there,
like you know, by then, I was like playing guitar
a lot and sort of having ideas. Like my older band, Laceration,
was like this project band that was sort of like
(38:20):
we had recorded a bunch of material and I was
like slowly putting vocals to it over time and then
like releasing it. So like I was kind of perpetually
working on that to a degree. And yeah, and then
I started having I guess ideas of what this what
like would become Orchid. But even still it took a
(38:42):
little while to find the people to like kind of
like make it happen, because you know, this Hampshire, the
hippie school. There was more punks there, but still not
that many, and it was kind of like, you know,
there was like the pop punk kid, the kind of
like industrial and kind of like punk kid, and you know,
(39:06):
like the beatdown kid, and you know, like it wasn't sure,
It wasn't just like swimming with people that were playing
you know, like DIY music or anything, because it's not
that big of a school and whatever.
Speaker 1 (39:22):
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(39:45):
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(40:05):
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continued support. Then, once you know, you started to obviously
(40:50):
put music out and play with Orchid and obviously start
to get outside of you know, your local scene and
everything like that, did you know, how did touring stock
up for you as far as like, was it what
you anticipated? Was it you know, exciting? Was it a
total grind for you? What was the or maybe it
was all of them?
Speaker 2 (41:11):
It wasn't a grind, it was it was definitely exciting
because I had never been in a band that had toured.
I had kind of toured, gone or gone on tour
like this summer after my first year at college, because
by that point, I had like a label and a distro,
(41:32):
and I didn't really have anywhere to go that summer.
So like hypothetically there's places I could have gone, but
I didn't really have like a plan or whatnot. So
I was just kind of like I'd put out a
Spas record at that time, and they were doing a
(41:52):
US tour, and I was just kind of like, hey,
like would it be cool if I like tagged along
to the shows and just like sold records like distrode
records and like kind of just like hung out. And
they were like short, like they were like there's not
like room in the van, but if you want to
like come to the shows and like sell stuff, like
(42:15):
you know, we can't like you know, you're you know,
like I wasn't like on tour with them, but I
was basically I was kind of like following them around
like selling records basically, but you know, in a friendly manner.
But so like I had kind of already toured in
that respect because I did that for like two and
(42:36):
a half weeks or something the summer of ninety seven,
so I kind of had some perspective, you know, Like
that whole time, I was like sleeping on people's couches
and stuff, and also doing the label and doing that,
like being along for that tour, I had a fair
(42:56):
amount of contacts and sort of like I think that
doing that, I was kind of just like this is like,
you know, like what I want to be doing kind
of thing. So I think by the time work had toward,
it was like, I don't want to say it was easy,
but you know, like I knew people in all the
places that we played that I could just get in to,
(43:17):
you know, I could call up and it wasn't like
that hard to get the shows set up, and so yeah,
it was like fun. And again I didn't really have
anywhere to go that summer, so it was like, yeah,
it was just kind of like this is what I
should do kind of thing, right, why not? Yeah? I
(43:40):
mean setting things up then then, like pre email days,
et cetera, was definitely like a bit more work because
you had to call everyone, You had to sort of
like get directions to where you were going, and you
had to pay more attention to like in advance and
knowing like what time you had to be places and
how you were going to get there, and you know,
it was kind of you kind of had to be
(44:01):
a bit more responsible in that regard. But I think
for the most part I kind of liked that shit
because that's the kind of fucked up brain I have,
so right, So yeah, I don't think it was a grind.
It was like work, but it wasn't It wasn't work
that I was a verse two or anything.
Speaker 1 (44:20):
Right, Yeah, you kind of liked being the you know,
tour manager, band ad or whatever. It's like, all right,
here's the logistics, here's how we get here, and all
that sort of stuff.
Speaker 2 (44:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (44:29):
Yeah, like you said, were you actually setting up the
shows as well? Did you play you know, booking agent
for Orchid as well?
Speaker 2 (44:37):
Oh? Yeah, definitely for the first tour or two, because
I mean literally no, everyone else in the band hadn't
toured before. Some of them had been in bands, but
like hadn't really gone you know, beyond like a state
or two away, you know. And I mean it's not
(44:58):
like I was like a touring pro either. I don't
mean to make it sound like that, but but you know,
like I'm saying, I knew people in Florida, I knew
people in Atlanta, in Virginia, like the Carolinas, like and
even if I didn't, I could ask my friend that
lived a state away, you know, like, hey, who should
I call to talk to you about playing in Philly
(45:19):
and they'd be like, oh, you should play you know here,
And so it was like it's not that it was easy,
but like I already had a bunch of contacts from
doing the label and whatnot that you know, I think
I forgot what the initial question was. But oh, but
so I was doing the booking, you know, it was
(45:41):
just that kind of natural you know, like no one
else knew someone in Florida that could set up a show,
So it was just like kind of fell on me,
which was or you know, not fell on me. I
think I was again down for it, but so it
just made sense, you know.
Speaker 1 (45:58):
Yeah, absolutely. And that's the thing where it's not like
roles are generally defined in bands. It's just one of
those things where it's like, oh, yeah, like, well knows people,
you know, like you said, in Florida and these other places,
and it's like, oh, hey, well do you think you
can find other people in other places? It's like ohy sure,
and then you just kind of like fall into it
as opposed to like like you're being like, I'm gonna
(46:20):
be the booking agent for our band.
Speaker 2 (46:23):
Yeah, and I mean like by the time, you know,
I don't know, like our third tour or whatever, we
had like as a band, we had amassed contacts and
like you know, other people, you know, people in the
band like knew like all of our like worlds were
expanding at that time. So then it started to get
a little more like, you know, I would still book
(46:47):
you know, probably at least half of the shows, but
other people were like, oh, like this dude in Texas
like wrote me and like you know, like or like
we traded records and he'd like to do this or whatever.
You know, It's like cool. So you know, like it
eventually wasn't like all on me or anything like that,
but uh right, But yeah, in the beginning that that
(47:08):
was just sort of the natural way of things.
Speaker 1 (47:10):
Yeah, absolutely, And I know that like the I'm gonna
use in air quotes like the music business as it were,
where it's like, you know, I mean you like clearly
the DIY scene like was not focused on any principles
and practices of what the music industry was, but you know,
you had to start dealing with certain business implications of like, Okay,
(47:33):
we're getting paid this much for a show and you
know we're gonna spend two thousand dollars to record a
record or whatever the case may be. Did you also,
you know, did you like that that aspect of it?
Speaker 2 (47:46):
Uh, you know, like we honestly didn't really think about
it that much. And you know, uh, gas was cheap
and we weren't like paying out of pocket, but we
we weren't getting paid a lot. But I don't think
as long as we had gas money, like we weren't
really like no one was really sweating it. Like it
(48:08):
was kind of like we were either going to be
on tour or most of us were going to be
back at our parents' houses or you know, like it
was just kind of like, yeah, this is fun. Like
we had pretty much no expectations other than just like
hoping to play a cool show and hoping to have
gas money to get to the next show. You know,
(48:30):
that was like literally about.
Speaker 1 (48:31):
It, right. And while you were obviously doing this, you
were also building your chops in regards to you know,
recording bands and obviously putting the you know, the thumb
on your band as far as the way you record
it and stuff like that. Was because I know, like
(48:54):
when band members are developing interests that are obviously going
to help the band, but they're also like exciting opportunities
outside of it. Was it one of those things like
you felt not pulled in two separate directions because it's like,
you know, yes, of course like Orcid and you know
a lot of the projects you did it after, like
there was you know, a level of activity, but it
(49:15):
never was like, all right, I'm on two or ten
months out of the year. Did you, I guess feel
like you were, you know, traveling on two different paths
where it's like, yeah, ultimately, I'm just going to be recording.
I'm not going to be you know, touring all the time.
Speaker 2 (49:28):
It didn't feel like that, And I think in some
ways that's not quite the real timeline. Like most of
Orchid happened like while I was still at college, and
uh wasn't really like I was recording some bands there
like I mentioned, But you know, I could definitely it
(49:50):
could definitely count the recordings on two hands, maybe just
one that I did during that time period, you know,
like of bands and the Orchid like self titled Well,
I mean I recorded the Orchid demo at at Hampshire College.
But then it wasn't until like our last record that
I recorded us again, not counting a four track recording
(50:14):
it for a comp but so and even then it
was kind of like that last Orchid record was one
of the first recordings I did at that house where
I started like doing most of the dead air work
or doing the dead air stuff at the time. So
it's kind of like they they were they weren't really
(50:35):
crisscrossing that much. I was like hopeful that other bands
would like be down for me to record them, but
I didn't have like I didn't have clients or I
don't think at that point I had charged anyone any
money for any recording I had done, so, you know,
like it was not there was not really a conflict there,
(50:57):
I guess that is all I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (50:58):
Right, you didn't have to worry about the parallel path.
Speaker 2 (51:03):
Yeah, with the.
Speaker 1 (51:07):
You, because I mean you have been incredibly prolific with
your studio where it's like, I you know, you look
at your website and I love how you have all
the bands that you've recorded in alphabetical order and everything
like that beautiful just like chef's kiss on that you're welcome.
Speaker 2 (51:24):
The sad thing is that that's I think seven years
without being updated. So I've got right, I need like
a weird weekend or something to just like try and
update at all. But I don't know when that will
ever happen, but yeah, price at some point.
Speaker 1 (51:43):
Yeah, is it? Is it one of those things where
you know, recording bands and uh being you know active,
and obviously the ethos of the studios making you know,
recording affordable for you know, punk and hardcore bands. Beyond
the fact that it's like you're now what keeps you
attached to that?
Speaker 2 (52:02):
Is?
Speaker 1 (52:03):
Is it the fact that you get to, you know,
help bands get their stuff out there?
Speaker 2 (52:10):
Like attached in terms of like affordability you mean, or
like interested in like doing like audio work in general.
Speaker 1 (52:17):
Yeah, audio work in general, and like your you know,
the thesis statement of your studio.
Speaker 2 (52:24):
I mean, it's just kind of like what I I
guess it's just what I like doing, and I think
I'm you know, decent at it. I don't know that's
about it. And you know, I certainly don't want like
a real desk job or anything, So you know, the
(52:45):
idea since I was like in high school and angsty
like I and had, you know, like a couple of jobs.
I was like, I don't ever want to have a boss,
like if I can prevent it. So you know, like
that's definitely still like a goal, even though anyone who
(53:06):
runs their own business knows that there's certainly downsides. But
but you know, it's like, at the end of the day,
I don't really have anyone specific to answer to.
Speaker 4 (53:19):
And even though I have like a lot of responsibility
or things that I feel responsible for, and like in
terms of like working on things and work ethic and
getting back to people and stuff like, it's not like,
you know, whatever, if I didn't want to do work
today or if something came up like whatever, Like I
can also just not do that, sure, But in.
Speaker 2 (53:44):
Terms of the affordability or like sort of the ethos,
I mean some of it some of it selfish, because
I mean, like I just like working on punk stuff.
At the end of the day, it's just like like
like you know, like working on a hardcore record or something.
It just feels good, Like I know, I can I
(54:07):
can see where it should be, and I can sort
of push it in that direction, and you know, early
on in the studio, you know, like days I was
putting up flyers and I recorded like some new metal
bands like like you know, just like Embarrassing's like hippie
(54:31):
funk band, you know, like Stuf like that, and like
I really didn't enjoy that, and it kind of made
me realize that, like it's not just recording, you know,
like it's actually I mean, it's not that I initially
have to like get into every It's not like I'm
necessarily have to be like this band is like the
(54:52):
best I've ever heard, but it's just like I can
understand where it's coming from, and I can, you know,
try to make it as good, I think, as possible.
And I don't know, so like in the interest of
wanting to work with punk and hardcore bands, it's like
it's not a lucrative band to be in. It's not
(55:14):
like there's a lot of money around, you know. Like
so I at some point realized, you know, like I
don't really want to move into like a nice facility
with like a huge overhead where I have to start
charging a ton of money because the bands I want
to work with won't be like they're not gonna want
(55:35):
to pay like a thousand dollars a day to record,
like they're you know, like hardcore recording that they could
bang out in a few hours. Like it's just not
that just doesn't make sense. So I kind of just
always wanted to be the guy that those bands could
go to because I want to work on that on
(55:56):
that music, right, you know, So it's a little self serving,
but also, you know whatever, I do think that things
being accessible and affordable is obviously positive and important. You know,
So there's that aspect too for sure, right.
Speaker 1 (56:17):
Yeah, keep that, keep the idea alive of you know, clearly,
bands are always going to need a spot to record,
and it's great that they can record with you in
a cost effective manner and a person that comes from
their particular scene, because I mean, you and I both
know we've undoubtedly recorded with people that are just a
(56:37):
studio and they're like, why the hell is this guy yelling?
This is terrible, Like, you know, they have no context
for it. But it's like you clearly know where you're
coming from.
Speaker 2 (56:46):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm with you.
Speaker 1 (56:50):
Yeah. The last few things I want to hit on
with the you know, clearly with the bucket full of
teeth stuff coming out of iodine. It's truthfully, like when
Casey told me that he was gonna be doing the
Bucket Full Teeth, I was just like, first of all,
this is amazing that people even still remember the band,
and I'm sure that you still and I don't mean
(57:11):
that in a disparaging way, but it's just like, yeah,
like you get it. But I just love the fact
that you know, this can still exist and obviously be
introduced to newer and younger kids. Is it just fun
for you to see how certain things you know kind
of like live on and take on to life of
(57:31):
their own.
Speaker 2 (57:34):
Definitely. And I think Bucketfall Teeth is kind of a
weird one where it's like, I mean, it's always been
kind of a weird one, but like you know, we
put out those the records, and we played a handful
of shows, but on like a single tour, but not
many shows, and like I don't think as a band,
like I feel like we never actually really besides like
(57:57):
immediate friends being like this is cool or like this
is bizarre or you know whoa we never got to
my knowledge much like feedback like from people being you know,
like in terms of like popularity or people being into
it or like, you know, the records at the time sold,
(58:19):
so I mean, I guess, you know, to an extent,
there was some acknowledgement that someone wanted to be listening
to it, although I think, you know, they took some
time to sell and there was a decent number of them,
but like, yeah, I feel like it kind of just
existed for a while without much like I don't know,
(58:39):
like I didn't really know how it like went over
in the world, I guess is what I'm saying. So
then like and it was even like a few years
later or I like I don't know, like maybe even
up to ten years later. I feel like I would
be like on tour with a different band and someone
would be like you know, someone would playing a show
with or staying with or whatever, except show would be
(59:01):
like like, oh, man, like I'm just going to tell
you like Buggerful Teeth like one of my favorite bands,
and I'm just like really, you know, I'm just like, oh, Like,
I like I didn't know anyone like still like listened
to or like was aware that this like existed, you know,
and there's not there's not a ton of those people,
but there started like occasionally being enough of those people
(59:24):
that I was like, I feel like a certain demographic
of I guess other weirdos, uh sort of like found
it and you know, could relate to it in some
way in a way that honestly kind of surprised me.
Where like, you know, years later I was hearing from
people they were like, oh yeah, and I really like this,
(59:47):
uh in a way that like I feel like no
one really was responding to when it was coming out.
Speaker 1 (59:53):
Right, And I guess the last thing I would have
had was I mean, we can clearly speak about Orchid
and obviously the reunion shows you're doing and everything like that,
and I know, just in having mutual friends that exist
in your band, you know, this was definitely a long
time a long time coming as far as just the idea,
(01:00:13):
like because clearly, you know, or Kid did stop being
a band, not because you hated each other, but it's
just like, you know, life obviously gets in the way,
and so like you guys are obviously friends and were
able to you know, be in communication with each other.
And I know you're not a overly nostalgic guy, so
in you just like speaking for yourself, how are you
(01:00:36):
kind of approaching this as it started to get put together,
because I mean, obviously it's exciting for people who never
got a chance to see you. But you know, how
were you I guess approaching that idea?
Speaker 2 (01:00:49):
Uh you know, I think that for a long time
I was kind of like the no guy, and I
think that as time passed, I started to sort of like,
you know, wonder like what the what the upside of
being the no guy was, you know, like like I'm
(01:01:10):
not like who benefits from me being like like I
don't know if we should do this, Like I don't know,
so I guess I had decided to you know, take
the you know, like viewpoint or you know, like I
was just kind of like, you know, maybe this could
be cool, like or maybe I should be open minded
(01:01:33):
to the idea that this could be cool, you know, like,
which doesn't sound that that radical, but was not really
the way I was thinking about it before. And I
don't know, I think some of it just came from
like catching up with some of those guys a little
bit more and that being fun, and you know, I
(01:02:00):
think also like seeing some other bands like Reunite and
play shows and stuff where I felt like it wasn't
I think I was always just like like that shit's
in the past, like you know, we like let's just
like keep marching forward. But I feel like seeing other
(01:02:21):
bands like get together and play shows, I don't feel
like they're living in the past or like as someone
watching the band, I don't feel like I'm living in
the past or like to me, it's not like a
nostalgic thing. It's just cool or fun or you know,
like so I guess I'm just trying to be open
to the idea that you know, like playing a few
(01:02:44):
shows doesn't mean like the destruction of like the legacy
of the band or something, and that you know, maybe
it's fun, you know, like and maybe and maybe people
enjoy it, and you know like that that sounds nice.
That sounds pleasant, Like I don't know. And also it's
(01:03:05):
just kind of like, you know, we're all getting older,
so it's kind of like, I don't know, I don't
think we're going to be sixty playing like like the
first Orchid show in thirty years or whatever. So it's
kind of like, you know, maybe we should be you know,
like it's kind of like if it's gonna happen, it's
(01:03:28):
you know, like there's kind of like a timeline like
where it would make sense or not. So it's kind
of like, you know, maybe we should seize this opportunity
or chance to like do something that could be cool
and find out if it's cool.
Speaker 1 (01:03:45):
Like, I don't know, I appreciate you describing that, because
I just the idea of being able to you know,
play shows and obviously get together with friends and do
all those things, like just that that fun nature of it.
It's you know, sometimes it is it feels weird to be,
(01:04:06):
like you said, looking back on this thing. That's just like, dude,
you know, the biggest show we ever played was like
in front of you know, maybe two hundred people at
the most. And so it's weird to be like, yeah,
all right, here we go. Let's book you know, a
couple of nights in Brooklyn and Boston. It's just like,
what this is weird? But whatever, And you're you know,
I think you're approaching it with the right attitude of
just like, hey, let's have fun with friends and you know,
(01:04:27):
people show up and like that's cool. We can go
some places and play some shows.
Speaker 2 (01:04:31):
Yeah, I mean, and part of it is kind of
like a reckoning with what you know, the shows or whatever,
like what Orchid in twenty twenty four looks like, you know,
like and I think that was another thing to me
where I was like kind of like, you know, it's
never going to be the same as it was. But
then I guess I just started thinking, like, you know,
(01:04:53):
that doesn't necessarily mean that doesn't necessarily mean it's going
to be bad. It's kind of like how can we
you make that cool? Or like, you know, how can
we approach it and like have it be a good time?
And I guess I think for me, part of when
we were like sort of like figuring out the logistics
of things, you know, and like we're all we were
(01:05:17):
all open to the idea of playing shows at some point,
and they were sort of discussion of you know, like
Brad was the original bass player and then he had
to leave the band for a bit and he was
replaced by Jeff Garlock and who played until the rest
of the band, you know, like Brand's course, and so
(01:05:39):
it was kind of like, well, they're both interested in
playing shows, and it's kind of like, how do we
like approach this And sort of the logical answer was,
you know, every other band Brad was in pretty much
except Bugger Full Teeth. He played guitar in and you know,
like he's ultimately more of a guitarist I think in
(01:06:01):
my mind and his mind really than a bass player. Anyways,
it was kind of like, well, Brad could play second
guitar and then in some ways it's more like the
recordings which have multiple guitar tracks. But it's also like
this is like a re well it's not a reimagining
of Orchid, but it's kind of like, you know, like
(01:06:22):
it's it is different. It's like we're doing this differently
than we did before, Like it's inherently different, like this
is what it looks like when all of us are together,
like which we've never done before. So I think that
that's kind of like to me, that's kind of like
makes it a little more fun. It makes it a
little bit more like, yes, this is different, and it's
(01:06:43):
just kind of like this is our approach to doing
this now and like revisiting these songs as like a collective.
And I also think that, you know, it's it's fun
to me that it's like, you know, know, every member
of the band is playing, Like I feel like a
(01:07:05):
lot of bands, you know, that's not the case. And
to me, it's cool that it's like we're all friends,
we're all down, like, let's try and do this like
together in a way that we haven't before. It's just
kind of like an interesting approach.
Speaker 1 (01:07:21):
So yeah, yeah, no, I'm I mean, I'm excited because realistically,
I think when the members of bands are obviously adults
now and they like know how to play their instruments better,
it's going to just sound better. And it's like I've
seen it, you know, time and time again with bands
(01:07:42):
that you know, I mean, citing a most recent example,
it's like a band like Botch, I mean, they were
always good, just like I would say that every time
I saw you know, you guys play, you were good.
But watching them now and you know, twenty twenty three,
it was just like it was like, oh, oh, so
this is what you know people people sound like when
you know they're really putting their focus into it. And
(01:08:04):
so I'm sure it'll be surprising for you guys too
to be like, oh, wow, like, hey, we said we
sound pretty good.
Speaker 2 (01:08:11):
Well, I'm not sure I'm any better at playing those
songs now than I was then, but uh, you know,
I'm trying. I'm trying. I'm trying my best. But maybe
maybe in May that that will be a different story.
You know, it's a work in progress.
Speaker 1 (01:08:24):
But yeah, well that's good. That's good. Well. The last
thing I want to hit on before I let you
go is like you you like hiking a lot, and
obviously you live in an area unless you can you
can hike. What what what draws? What draws you to that?
Speaker 2 (01:08:40):
Like?
Speaker 1 (01:08:40):
Is it just the you know, the simple act of
obviously getting out in nature and you know, touching the
ground so to speak. What's uh you know what say
you about hiking?
Speaker 2 (01:08:49):
Uh, that's a good question. Uh. Part of it, I've
realized is that there's, for me, the like part of
enjoying the hike is like the reward of like getting
to some sort of like overlook or something like if
I'm just on like a hike that has like sort
of like no exciting overlook and not don't even have
(01:09:13):
to be that exciting, it's less interesting to me or
like I'm so there's part of it where it's like
it's attaining like some sort of like weird like reward
at the end. But I think it's just one of
the things that I that like kind of like freezes
my mind a little bit and kind of just like
(01:09:36):
lets me, I don't know, like not work and try
not to look at my phone and you know, like
sort of like, uh, I don't know, reconnect with the
world in some different way than like through email and
and stuff. So I don't know, I can't quite like
(01:10:00):
pinpoint it, but but it's definitely beneficial in some way mentally.
And yeah, I mean when you when you when you
get to a cool view or something, it's it's fun.
And you know, I like, like a couple of weeks
(01:10:20):
ago or like for like a month or two, I
was doing the same hike every weekend. It's just like
kind of fun seeing like the like the seasons change
like from the same vantage point and and stuff like that.
It's just kind of like interesting and peaceful. Uh. You know,
(01:10:42):
there's just something something nice about it.
Speaker 1 (01:10:45):
That is indeed, what's up. Very appreciative to Will for
his time, and big shout out to the family over
at Adine Records. They always bring me interesting ideas and
guests and I just love the label. So shout out
to Casey. Love you, sir. Maybe you'll will hear this.
I don't know, but I'm grateful that you are a
(01:11:06):
human being in my life. So isn't that sweet? Oh
that's great. Anyways, next week I talk about another person
who I didn't know, but now I feel like I
really like love dearly. His name is Steve Jennings. He
plays in a band called Spark of Life, and he
also worked in the music industry for many many years
(01:11:26):
at Velvet Hammer Management, where he was able to help
you rise again. Steptones AFI like a bunch of other stuff,
but Steve is just an earnest dude that wants to
play hardcore. And this band came up in the early
two thousands and then is just now putting out new music.
They put out a full length way back in the day,
but now they're releasing new music on New Age Records.
(01:11:48):
That is a person I love as well, Mike Cardsfield
New Age Jeez. Anyways, that is what we got next
week on the show, and until then, please be safe, everybody.
You're listening to one hundred words or less with Ray Harkins.
What is up, everybody? How are you doing this fine day?
I'm actually in North Carolina right now. I'm in a
hotel room. I'm recording this because you know what, the
podcast will be delivered to you no matter what is
happening in my own life. That is the commitment that
we have to DIY punk and hardcore and all those
(00:39):
beautiful things that we care about and discuss on this
very show. I am privileged and honored to welcome Will Killingsworth,
who played in and still technically plays in Orchid. He
also played in A Bucket Full of Teeth, which is
ostensibly the reason why we are here, because the awesome
people Dine Records just put together a discography on vinyl
(01:04):
for the entire Bucket full of Teeth collection, and there's like,
I don't know, fifty some songs on there. Bucket full
of Teeth is a great band. But Will also runs
a studio called Dead Air Studios. He also put out
records under Clean Plate Records. Also played in on Pear
or Yeah that's that's how you say it was. I
was gonna say it was like, wait a minute, there's
(01:25):
another way to say it, but no on pair and
then if I'm not mistaken, he also played in Ritual Mess,
which was a studio project that was so fricking good
and just kind of came out of nowhere and all
of a sudden everyone was like, you guys, realize this
is Orchid right, and yeah, it's really good. But Will
is a just to just to legend in the you know,
(01:48):
screamo scene as it were, and I know the words
legend is definitely thrown around a lot. But Will is
contributing in major ways not only to his musical output,
but he also does so many cool things with his
studio because he really tries to make things affordable for
bands of all shapes and sizes, you know, specifically within
the you know, punk, hardcore, power, violence, screamo scene, whatever
(02:11):
you want to call it. But he's been working at
his studio and recording bands for fifteen plus years if
not more. I actually didn't ask him how long he's
been doing it, but regardless, and also if you are
living under a rock, orkidd is doing some union shows
or playing some stuff in and around the Northeast area
(02:31):
like Boston, New York. Stuff like that you know, they
might they might be doing something on the West Coast.
I'm not gonna confirm or deny that, but it's gonna
be really exciting to watch them get a pretty incredible
reception because I know that many of the bands that
have come back in that genre and play shows again
are like, wait a minute. Not only are these like
the largest shows that we've ever played, but just the
(02:53):
passion that just exudes from that room is awesome. So anyways,
Will's a great dude, and let's talk about some things
that you can do to support the show. First of all,
you can always email the show one underwords podcast at
gmail dot com. I respond to all of those things,
whether it's like, hey, Ray, you're terrible, or whether it's
like check out this band, how about you have this
(03:15):
guest on, because I want to say probably between five
to ten percent of the guests on this very podcast
are usually from friends of friends, recommendations, people being like, hey,
you should talk to this person who has this background,
and yeah, let's do this, so don't be shy in
reaching out. You can also leave a rating and review
(03:35):
on the Apple podcast page. It helps out tremendously, and
you can leave a rating on the Spotify page as well.
All of those things help out the great algorithm that
we are all slaves to. Or you can just sell friends.
That's the best way of cutting straight to the punch.
So let's talk about weekly recommendations. I've been doing this
(03:56):
every week for pretty much all of this year, so
are actually not pretty much all of this year so far,
and I've compiled them into a running Spotify playlist that
you will be able to find in the show notes
if you are so inclined. But this week, I'm incredibly
excited because this is a record that honestly came out
of nowhere from me. Came out in twenty twenty two.
(04:17):
My friend Justin, who runs a label called Dune Altar,
loved what he has put out, but this band, just
I don't know, missed my radar. The band is called
Fayetooth Fae T t H and the record is called
Remnants of the Vessel, And like I said, it came
out in twenty twenty two, and it is unbelievable sort
(04:38):
of you know, stoner rock doom whatever you want to
call that, with some Chelsea Wolf like vocals on top
of it, and talk about two worlds that I just
worship at the altar of it is Chelsea Wolf type
vocals and stoner rock slash doom stuff. So I just
it was delivered algorithmically to me, and I was like,
what the hell is this band? Like you love it
(05:00):
when you tip across a band and then you just
are stopped in your tracks and be like, I need
to find out more. I need to listen to everything
they've put out. So yeah, the record is called Remnants
of the Vessel and the band is called Faye Tooth
And like I said, link in the show notes and
you will be able to listen to all of the
running recommendations, whether or not you have heard of them
(05:20):
or are a regular listener to the show and are like, listen, Ray,
I know already find the stuff, but I always got
to remind people because obviously not everybody listens to every
single episode. Anyways, let's talk to Will now, right, we
can talk about the early Orchid days. We talk about,
you know, just recording just the awesome, awesome art that
he's been able to capture at his studio and so
(05:41):
much more. So let's go. Let's talk with Will and
being a you know, punkin hardcore kid, of a certain age.
(06:04):
I was fortunate enough to watch multiple of your band's play,
whether it was you know, definitely living in southern California,
saw Orchid I want to say at least two or
three times. Definitely once at the PCH Club. I want
to say it was with a gasp maybe or volume eleven.
I'm not entirely sure. But and then definitely saw you know,
(06:28):
on pair at least that's how I pronounce it. Is
that correct?
Speaker 2 (06:33):
I've always said Ampier, but you know, it's a French name,
so you know, I think it's probably up for interpretations.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
That's that's good. I I always wanted to be accurate
to the native tongue in which it was it was named.
But yeah, saw you guys a few times. And I
what I've always appreciated about, you know, your musical output
is that kind of regardless of you know how for
lack of a better teme or like heavier soft you're going,
(07:02):
there's always a consistent chaos and like sort of you know,
noisy aspect to it. And I realized this might be
a little big question to start things off, But you
know what, what keeps you I guess connected to that,
you know, through line, because obviously there's the conception that
as you grow older, you know, you're supposed to you know,
(07:23):
chill out a little bit or like, you know, like
maybe not play as aggressive music or whatever.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
But yeah, it doesn't doesn't seem to be.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
The case with you. So what what keeps you I
guess rooted in that element?
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Well, well, I guess we're not going to talk about
my new age project then, but uh, that's I don't know.
I think that it's just kind of what I like doing,
and I guess what I gravitate towards, like making. I
certainly listened to music that's not it's chaotic or noisy
(07:59):
or whatever a lot. But I don't know. I guess
it's just kind of what I find interesting and and
maybe also partially just what I feel like I'm I
don't necessarily say good at but I think it's you know,
something I can do at least to you know, the
level that that I'm happy with it. Whereas you know,
(08:20):
I think if I like, try to be in like
a real young style band, I love Neil, but I
think I would try to appreciate a job.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Yeah, And I mean I appreciate what you're saying in
regards to the idea that yes, of course you listen
to other styles of music, and obviously that starts to
bleed in whether you actually intentionally want it to or
not to your music, but I do. I just always,
I guess, get heartened by people that, you know, continue
(08:55):
to find a through line but still have like the
core of like you know, the first band you played in,
Like there's just elements of that still sprinkled in, And
I just think that's, you know why, like all all
the projects that you've played in have had that element
of like, oh you can still hear you know, to
the core of it, like, well, what it is you
are trying to accomplish.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Well, I appreciate that. I feel like, I mean, part
of it, I think is that I am like aware
also of that sort of like progression of you know,
sort of like aging out of punk or hardcore or whatever.
And uh, I guess I find it's you know, I
don't know if I find it distasteful, but I guess
I find it something that I kind of wanted to avoid.
(09:41):
But it's not like I'm like, oh, I really wish
I was in like a skinnered cover band, but here
I go making like our fifth grind album or something,
so it's not like being dragged over the cores. But uh.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Right, it's like, oh damn dude, no matter what, I
cannot write something. Is it like you know, three or bpms?
Like I'm sorry, yeah, yeah, Well we'll pull it a
little bit more of those threads a bit later. But
just kind of from a biographical perspective, were you actually
born and raised in the Massachusetts area or I was
trying to track that but could really pinpoint it.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
Uh, I was I. I was born and lived outside
Boston until like through the seventh grade, so like as
a as a child and whatnot. I was here in
mass where I am now. Uh. And then I lived
(10:38):
for a couple of years in like, uh, almost remote
southern California, but it's not really remote but not really uh,
let's say rural southern California. And then I lived uh
for four years outside Birmingham, Alabama, uh, for most of
high school, and then came back to mass for college
(11:02):
and just stuck around because I had shit going on
here and nowhere else to really go, and I like
it here.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
Sure what caused the moves? Was it you like parents
getting jobs and stuff like that, or just you know,
change of pace, change of scenery.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
Yeah, so, like, I don't know, a couple of years,
I think around when I was in fifth grade or so,
my parents got divorced and my father ended up moving
to California, and then I was living with my mom
for a couple of years, and then I don't know,
I think it just I don't really know how as
a twelve year old or whatever it was, I made
(11:45):
this logical decision, but somehow it seemed maybe more logical
to live with my father in California, so I moved there.
And then he's originally from Alabama, and so was his
second wife, and so they collectively decided to move closer
to like their family, and I went with them to Alabama.
(12:08):
So that was the that was the move.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
Are you an only child? You have brothers and sisters?
Speaker 2 (12:17):
I have an older sister since four years older. Ironically,
she stayed in Massachusetts until college and now she lives
in California.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
But you guys are all just you know, shifting, shifting
scenery as it were.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Yeah, yeah, when.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
You know, when you were going through those moves and
kind of making those choices, like, was it because I
mean those are like distinctly different areas, like, you know,
California and Birmingham like could not be more you know,
culturally divergent and very different.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Was it?
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Yeah? Was it difficult to make those transitions or were
you kind of like looking forward to be you know,
a new fish and a new.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
You know, it's hard to say, I think, and I
mean moving in California, like I was in like a
really small school in like you know, kind of like
a pro dunk town. So Birmingham was actually more like
I mean, I was like kind of I've been going
to Birmingham for like my entire life to visit family there,
like my grandparents and cousins, and you know, it's like
(13:23):
so I was like very familiar with it. So it
was like, you know, it was a bigger city and
sort of I guess maybe culturally had more going on.
Not that I was necessarily an age to fully be
aware of it, but but I don't know. I definitely
kind of dreaded it when it was happening. But you know,
(13:49):
all all in all, it was a positive move, and
you know, I wouldn't be where I am today without
having lived there, and you know, all the experiences I
had living there for four years. But but you know,
by the time I went to college, I was also like,
I'm not moving back to Alabama. Uh so that, yeah,
(14:15):
it served its purpose for me, and then then I moved.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
Yeah, sure, I get that. And so as a kid, like,
what did you find yourself, you know, getting into as
far as were you playing sports? Were you super into school?
Were you, you know, like a science kid. What would
you describe yourself as?
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Uh? Probably, I mean mainly like a nerd, especially when
I got like, you know, when I was old enough
to be nerdy, I guess, uh uh so, yeah, just school,
you know, like every kid. When I was young, I
was doing some sports and then eventually you realize that
(14:54):
other kids are good at sports and you're not, so
you kind of like stop doing them. We're losing in
the Yeah, I don't know, and uh, I guess I
was kind of always a launched in music to an extent,
but not like it wasn't like a formative part of
(15:15):
my childhood necessarily. Like I liked music, but like I wasn't.
There was like a piano in our house, but like
it wasn't like I was. I wasn't like itching to
play it all the time or anything.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
Right, Yeah, it's like you were aware of it. You
were aware of the radio and you know, like I know,
this dovetails into another question I was going to ask
you about. You know, I know that you mentioned in
previous interviews, like you know, the Beach Boys was kind
of like your first awareness of music that you were
able to attach a name to. And then I know
Ramones and Jed Kennedy's were huge for you in regards.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Yeah, that was that was.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Oh sorry, no, go ahead, go ahead, Oh I.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
Was I was gonna say, yeah, they were kind of
like a normative or like I kind of remember that
being one of the first things where I was like
I can dub a cassette of this like album and
like listen to it in my room kind of thing.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
And I kind of I went through like a funny
like surf rock thing where I got really into like
like you know, like the Ventures and just like multiple
like like surf rock bassic stuff. So I mean, I
guess I kind of was drawn to guitar and melodies
and that kind of stuff, and which was like a
(16:30):
funny sort of entrance right to Throwmones who were you know,
the first punk band I really heard that, you know,
but being unaware what a punk band was or that
they were a punk band, but you know, like it
was like, you know, they covered like surf and Bird
and fuck what's that other they cover another some dance
(16:56):
or walk song I can't remember anyways, and it was
like weird because I was like, oh, I know the
like I like these songs. Oh, this band's cool. You know.
Now when I listened to our Roomoones album, I'm like
a surfing bird. But at the time, you know, it helped.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Oh yeah, well I think it's like I always reflect on,
you know, those early musical experiences from what people have
shared in the show and like my own personal taste
where it's like when you get exposed to certain things,
like I I distinctly remember getting exposed to the Monkeys
in relation to the Beatles. Oh yeah, but it's like
(17:38):
I liked the Monkeys better for a long time because
they were like on TV and I felt like, oh yeah,
they were cool to the Beatles. But it's like, no,
like not at all. But that was like your first exposure.
So it's like you that's what you get into.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
No, I mean I'm one hundred percent on that same trajectory.
I loved the Monkeys. Uh. I still think the Monkeys
have tracks, you know, I think most of them were
actually written by written by Neil Diamond, but who Also,
if I'm skimming by the radio and he's on, I'll stop.
But uh, you know, the Monkeys I think are great.
(18:17):
I would watch the TV show. I assume it was
reruns like when we were kids. I don't know, but
but you know, I would. I would watch them. I
thought they were funny and had like all the tapes. Yeah,
and I didn't really care about the Beatles.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
So totally, which is like, you know, as an adult,
when you say that it's insane to hear, but at
the same time, it's like that's like you said, that's
what what you were exposed to.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
I've still never like actually bridged the gap into the Beatles.
I've gotten into George Harrison solo stuff, and I just
recently got into some Paul McCartney solo stuff. But like,
there's only about the Beatles that I feel like it's
almost like like you know, like they're obviously good, right,
(19:05):
but like I just like, I don't know, It's like
I already know all the songs, so it's like listening
to the album, it's just kind of like, yeah, I
know these songs, Like I don't know.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Right, how about discovering anything new here?
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Yeah, it's like this is like it's almost like part
of the air you breathe, I feel like. So it's
kind of like, yeah, like I I hear these often anyways,
Like I don't really need to like put this on,
but at some point too proudly, I don't know, have
some crazy beatles deep dive but and you know, get
(19:37):
all into it, but it hasn't happened, right, I'd still
take the Monkeys.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
I love it. I love it. What drew you in?
Like as you started ticket, you know, exposed to the
Ramones and like you said with de Kennedy's as well,
what kind of drew you in? Was it the fact
that it obviously didn't sound like anything you had heard before?
Was it the energy? What kind of drew in?
Speaker 2 (20:01):
I don't even know what the Ramones? I'm not even sure.
I mean, I guess it was just the energy or
like because I was getting into like hair metal and
stuff like that around a similar time, and it all
just felt like a little more like rocking for lack
of a better, like, you know, like a whatever. I
was like twelve or thirteen, Like it just seemed a
(20:23):
little extra something to me, a little extra exciting or whatever.
I'm not even sure like it seemed like dangerous or
you know, like anything. It just seemed cool. But yeah,
and then the Dead Kennedy's I think that was like
a year two later for me, maybe just a year,
(20:45):
but like I guess, I feel like by that time
I was starting to become like a bit of an
angsty youth and uh, you know, so that I could
tap into the angst and sort of like frustration of
life and jocks and whatever. The decades were there for
(21:06):
all of that, and also being a nerd, Like I mean, well,
Jem might have proved to be a tool or not
over time. I don't know. I kind of don't pay
too much attention to him, but I don't think he's
maybe the ultimate dude that I thought he wasn't when
I was fifteen. But I mean the lyrics are smart
and they're clever, and they're funny and angry, and to me,
(21:29):
like those are all things that I like related to
I guess.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
Sure, absolutely and I think too, it's like when you
are that age and you start getting exposed to these
things that are perceived and truthfully are like intellectual whether
it's just like, oh wow, my world is getting bigger
because they're talking about you know what you're using the
Dea Kennedy's where it's like, oh, Cambodia, Like what's happening there?
I don't really I know it's a country, right, but
(21:56):
like what And then you just start to think about
things a little bit differently because you have only heard
about them in like maybe.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
History class for sure. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:07):
And so so as you started to like get into
this and bring the stuff home to you know, your
your parents, your step parents and stuff like that, were
they looking at you quizically? Were they like, what the
hell's well getting into? Were they generally permissive for you to,
you know, kind of explore that.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
They're pretty permissive? I don't think. And I think by
the time I lived with my dad, he didn't really
care like what I was listening to, and I wasn't
listening to anything. I mean, like, I don't think he
thought the decades were crazy like and he was familiar
with the Romans, you know, like he wasn't like super
into punk or anything. But you know, like I don't
think he viewed it as as like threatening or anything. Like.
(22:47):
I mean I remember like when I was younger whenever
I don't know what age, but like you know, I
had like a two Live Crew tape and stuff, and
you know, like to my parents that was like I
was like whoa, oh, whoa, I don't know about I
don't know about that, but uh but yeah, I don't.
By the time I was listening to punk, I think
(23:07):
it was either I was old enough and it's not
like it was raunchy or you know, like uh crass
in that kind of way that I don't think it
really mattered.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
Sure, sure, and especially too where it's like I think
that even though parents might be you know, threatened buy
whatever music their kids are taking home, there's like an
element of the idea that the kid is finding something
that they actually care about, and it's kind of like, well,
that's cool as long as they're not like hurting themselves
or hurting others, Like I guess we'll just let it roll,
(23:42):
even though you know, the hairstyle is terrible or whatever.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
Yeah, I don't think I don't think they were that
concerned with it. Yeah, I mean at some point I
was probably told to like turn it down or you know,
like but but there was no there was nothing beyond
that I can think of.
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guitar kind of the first thing that you picked up
or did you do the kind of you know, Oh,
my parents are trying to teach me piano, so I
don't want to learn that, so I got to learn
something else.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Yeah, there was. There was piano lessons at some point
in my well, at a couple of points in my life.
But that was the first instrument that I took lessons for,
and it really it didn't do much for me. And
I think at some point, like I wasn't practicing and
(25:43):
it wasn't like I just had like zero motivation for it,
and I think at some point I was like, could
I take guitar lessons instead, and like you know, got
some like cheap creamer guitar and start taking guitar lessons,
which I honestly wasn't great at practicing that either, but
I was at least interested in it, and you know,
like the novelty of being able to play, Like I'm
(26:07):
trying to think of some of the I can't remember.
I feel like maybe there's like a guns N' Roses,
like you know, a riff or two that I learned,
and you know, stuff like that like that that was
definitely more in my interest. You know, like I was like,
this is cool, So you know, I at least wanted
to like keep taking lessons to a degree.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
But right right, and especially with that idea that the
moment that you feel like you can mimic anything musically,
whether it's a power chord or whether it's like four
notes strunk together, you feel like you're on top of
the world. You're just like, oh, I just cracked this code,
like I could play guitar.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
Yeah, although I don't even know if I The find
thing is that I never knew. I don't even know
how I learned what a power chord was, because in
my first band I definitely not know. But but yeah,
it's I had like taken those lessons and then I
had fallen off and then kind of just had the guitar.
But it wasn't you know, there was a few years
(27:13):
where I didn't didn't like touch it or really play,
or if I did, I don't know what I was doing.
I don't think I was really doing it at all,
I should be honest.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
When did you start first start going to actual shows?
Was that in you know, when I say shows like
obviously of the you know, more DIY variety and stuff
like that. Was that in Alabama? Or was that more
so in the college years?
Speaker 2 (27:37):
Uh? It was. It was definitely in Alabama. I think
the first show I went to was actually in California.
I should actually check with a old friend of mine
about this, But so when I lived in California, there
was like I basically one well kind of literally I
(27:58):
literally had like one kind of punk friend, but also
kind of maybe just like one friend because it was
extremely rural and I was not that cool. And he
had an older brother who was like even more into
like sort of like punk stuff and like played drums
and so they were into like no effects and bad religion,
(28:19):
and that got me into all that kind of stuff,
and I think at some point with them, I went
to a show like somewhere in southern California that was
kind of it was a funny show was this band
jungle Fish played that I bought their tape at the show,
and I can't remember who else, but it was not
(28:42):
particularly good, although I remember there being kind of a
lot of people that been there. But I think at
the time I didn't even really know, like I was
aware obviously, like I went to the show, I was
aware of what I was doing, but I wasn't really
even like aware of sort of like a DIY scene
or like it was just like there's this band playing,
(29:05):
you know, like they're cool or something, you know, like
do you want to come? So like I didn't really
like know anything besides that, you know, And it wasn't
until in Alabama.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
Right, it's something, it's something to do, so like let's
go ahead and do that.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
Yeah. And even in Alabama, like most of the show,
there weren't that many shows and most of them were
kind of like a VFW hall's or like a record
store started doing shows a little bit there, but like,
it wasn't really until moving to Massachusetts that I really
you know. I think I might have been to one
(29:43):
house show in Alabama, but I'm not even sure if
that was after I went to school. I guess it
wasn't after I went to school or I went to college,
but so yeah, it was still even like a little
different than like the full sort of DIY that I
as I came to know it in college and whatnot, you.
Speaker 1 (30:05):
Know, right, and I'm got I mean for all intent purposes,
Like was Orcid your first band or did you actually
play in something prior to that?
Speaker 2 (30:17):
No, there's there's a couple of bands before that. Like
the first band was just like my friend and I,
you know, like the one other like punk that I
met at school in uh in high school in Alabama,
who's pretty much got me into like most of like
(30:39):
you know, like sort of like got me aware of
like what was happening and like sort of that there
was like a current community kind of like when I
was living in California, it was like the stuff I
was aware of, like bad religion, no effects day candies.
I was just like, these are other bands and they're
cool and I like them, but I didn't, like I
didn't really know like sort of no context for it,
(31:01):
like they weren't. It wasn't different to me than any
other band or like anything. I didn't really understand. It
wasn't until I went to when I was in Alabama,
and you know, I went to a record store that
was like only selling punk and like saw like my
first like maximum rock and roll, and like, you know,
it sort of started to like get the bigger picture
(31:23):
that you know, like this is like a whole thing.
Like it was kind of like it all opened up,
you know. Oh, but so I've drifted away. But the
first band, it was just me and that friend and
then eventually we had someone else playing with us, but
it was kind of like we could barely play our
instruments and it was kind of like we play the
(31:45):
couple shows, but it was it was pretty bad.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
How's gonna say, Can I ask who you're trying to
rip off?
Speaker 2 (31:55):
Oh dude, we were not good enough to rip off anyone.
Like it was embarrassingly bad.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
As every first band should be. Let's be honest.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
It's great to have grown up in the age where
I couldn't put that on band camp or YouTube or
somewhere to be archived for eternity. It can just live
on a tape that I don't even know if still
works in like some box in my house. But but yeah,
it was little like I was just making shit up
(32:30):
that was I mean, I don't know it was.
Speaker 4 (32:33):
It was basic and bad, but that didn't stop us,
you know.
Speaker 1 (32:37):
So yeah, that was that the first band that you
actually like played some shows with and stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
Yeah, we played at least a couple of shows with
that band. I mean, I think we were like fifteen.
We definitely had to be like dropped off by our parents.
And I remember it was a funny thing, like so
we you know whatever, we were immersed in this like
(33:06):
world of di y and like maximum rock and roll
and just kind of be like, oh, we should like
put out a seven inch and whatnot, and we actually,
like whatever, our shitty like four track recording like mailed
it to some like distros, like just like a dubbed
tape of it in a couple of labels, and I
remember very distinctly I'm blanking on the label but that.
(33:33):
But anyways, this dude that I had ordered like records
from and put out a couple of things I like
like responded to like the tape, and it was just like,
trust me, do not put this out. It's like it was.
Speaker 5 (33:49):
Like it was like I've put out seven inches like
that I think are like truly great and I cannot
sell them, like like don't like you're you're gonna like
regret putting this out, which which was like scarring but
also probably like some of the best advice I've ever.
Speaker 1 (34:04):
Gotten, Right, that's it. I mean, yeah, it's like it's
that you know, double edged sword, where you're just like, oh,
it's great to get a response, and then like you
could completely you know, smash. But then at the same time,
you're like, you know, obviously as you get older, perspective
lands and you're like, man, it was good that they
told me not to put that down.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
Yeah, it would have been bad. It would have been
real bad. But the other funny thing is that someone
I can't I must have. I can't remember what label
I sent it to or who had it, but I
don't know if people even know what more Damn Distribution
is in twenty twenty four. But they were like a
(34:43):
big punk distributor and I sent it to someone there
and like or that, like or some label that was
like distributed by them. They're kind of like a a
lot of California punk was labels were distributed through them,
So it was kind of like this like network anyways,
trying to get to the point of the story. Years later,
(35:04):
you know, like I was, I would buy some records
through mordem and destro them, and like even after that,
I forget why I was in touch with some dude
from there. Maybe it's just mail order, but he like
in like corresponding with him, and I think it was
an email.
Speaker 5 (35:21):
He was like like, by the way, like I still
have that tape like of like the band you sent in.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
From like you know whatever, Like I don't know, it's
to be like ninety two or something. He's like, you know,
we have like a joke about like putting out a
compilation of like all the like people that went on
to be in like you know, bands that put out
records like horrible demos and stuff that we put out.
And I was like, oh my god, no, right please,
(35:50):
it's like blackmail, you.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
Know, totally. Yeah, this is you. This is your first
band that will just hold back in case anything ever happens.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
It was like, fuck, that's so good. Yeah. And what
was the I guess, for lack of a better term,
like life path for yourself. Like I mean obviously you
went to college, like you sat up in the Boston area,
were you you know, did you go to college for
you know, recording, Like had you already had that been
something that you already were sort of interested in as
(36:24):
you started to you know, put the bands together and stuff.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
Uh, it was it was only something I was interested in,
Like in high school, I had a four track that
I was using to like record like my bands and
like my later crust bands of that time and then
like grind band and so forth. But so the school
I went to is Hampshire College, which was like a
(36:49):
very kind of like hippie school, and you know like
where you think you pretty much made major or kind
of crate and whatever you want, you just basically have
to you know, like come up with the idea and
pitch it essentially, but you know it could literally be anything.
(37:11):
And so I kind of like did recording and music there,
but like they had like a small studio, but it
wasn't like they didn't have a recording program or you know,
like people don't go there to study recording or you
know that that would kind of be a bad choice.
So so yeah, I would like use the studio and
(37:34):
kind of made it part of like what I did there,
But it definitely wasn't like my plan when I like
set foot on campus or anything, that I was going
to like be like making records and stuff. Sure.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Sure, And I presume around that time that's like when
Orkins started to come together, just because you you know,
were there's more opportunities to play with people and stuff
like that.
Speaker 2 (38:00):
Am I Right? Yeah, So like my first year there,
like you know, by then, I was like playing guitar
a lot and sort of having ideas. Like my older band, Laceration,
was like this project band that was sort of like
(38:20):
we had recorded a bunch of material and I was
like slowly putting vocals to it over time and then
like releasing it. So like I was kind of perpetually
working on that to a degree. And yeah, and then
I started having I guess ideas of what this what
like would become Orchid. But even still it took a
(38:42):
little while to find the people to like kind of
like make it happen, because you know, this Hampshire, the
hippie school. There was more punks there, but still not
that many, and it was kind of like, you know,
there was like the pop punk kid, the kind of
like industrial and kind of like punk kid, and you know,
(39:06):
like the beatdown kid, and you know, like it wasn't sure,
It wasn't just like swimming with people that were playing
you know, like DIY music or anything, because it's not
that big of a school and whatever.
Speaker 1 (39:22):
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(40:50):
put music out and play with Orchid and obviously start
to get outside of you know, your local scene and
everything like that, did you know, how did touring stock
up for you as far as like, was it what
you anticipated? Was it you know, exciting? Was it a
total grind for you? What was the or maybe it
was all of them?
Speaker 2 (41:11):
It wasn't a grind, it was it was definitely exciting
because I had never been in a band that had toured.
I had kind of toured, gone or gone on tour
like this summer after my first year at college, because
by that point, I had like a label and a distro,
(41:32):
and I didn't really have anywhere to go that summer.
So like hypothetically there's places I could have gone, but
I didn't really have like a plan or whatnot. So
I was just kind of like I'd put out a
Spas record at that time, and they were doing a
(41:52):
US tour, and I was just kind of like, hey,
like would it be cool if I like tagged along
to the shows and just like sold records like distrode
records and like kind of just like hung out. And
they were like short, like they were like there's not
like room in the van, but if you want to
like come to the shows and like sell stuff, like
(42:15):
you know, we can't like you know, you're you know,
like I wasn't like on tour with them, but I
was basically I was kind of like following them around
like selling records basically, but you know, in a friendly manner.
But so like I had kind of already toured in
that respect because I did that for like two and
(42:36):
a half weeks or something the summer of ninety seven,
so I kind of had some perspective, you know, Like
that whole time, I was like sleeping on people's couches
and stuff, and also doing the label and doing that,
like being along for that tour, I had a fair
(42:56):
amount of contacts and sort of like I think that
doing that, I was kind of just like this is like,
you know, like what I want to be doing kind
of thing. So I think by the time work had toward,
it was like, I don't want to say it was easy,
but you know, like I knew people in all the
places that we played that I could just get in to,
(43:17):
you know, I could call up and it wasn't like
that hard to get the shows set up, and so yeah,
it was like fun. And again I didn't really have
anywhere to go that summer, so it was like, yeah,
it was just kind of like this is what I
should do kind of thing, right, why not? Yeah? I
(43:40):
mean setting things up then then, like pre email days,
et cetera, was definitely like a bit more work because
you had to call everyone, You had to sort of
like get directions to where you were going, and you
had to pay more attention to like in advance and
knowing like what time you had to be places and
how you were going to get there, and you know,
it was kind of you kind of had to be
(44:01):
a bit more responsible in that regard. But I think
for the most part I kind of liked that shit
because that's the kind of fucked up brain I have,
so right, So yeah, I don't think it was a grind.
It was like work, but it wasn't It wasn't work
that I was a verse two or anything.
Speaker 1 (44:20):
Right, Yeah, you kind of liked being the you know,
tour manager, band ad or whatever. It's like, all right,
here's the logistics, here's how we get here, and all
that sort of stuff.
Speaker 2 (44:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (44:29):
Yeah, like you said, were you actually setting up the
shows as well? Did you play you know, booking agent
for Orchid as well?
Speaker 2 (44:37):
Oh? Yeah, definitely for the first tour or two, because
I mean literally no, everyone else in the band hadn't
toured before. Some of them had been in bands, but
like hadn't really gone you know, beyond like a state
or two away, you know. And I mean it's not
(44:58):
like I was like a touring pro either. I don't
mean to make it sound like that, but but you know,
like I'm saying, I knew people in Florida, I knew
people in Atlanta, in Virginia, like the Carolinas, like and
even if I didn't, I could ask my friend that
lived a state away, you know, like, hey, who should
I call to talk to you about playing in Philly
(45:19):
and they'd be like, oh, you should play you know here,
And so it was like it's not that it was easy,
but like I already had a bunch of contacts from
doing the label and whatnot that you know, I think
I forgot what the initial question was. But oh, but
so I was doing the booking, you know, it was
(45:41):
just that kind of natural you know, like no one
else knew someone in Florida that could set up a show,
So it was just like kind of fell on me,
which was or you know, not fell on me. I
think I was again down for it, but so it
just made sense, you know.
Speaker 1 (45:58):
Yeah, absolutely. And that's the thing where it's not like
roles are generally defined in bands. It's just one of
those things where it's like, oh, yeah, like, well knows people,
you know, like you said, in Florida and these other places,
and it's like, oh, hey, well do you think you
can find other people in other places? It's like ohy sure,
and then you just kind of like fall into it
as opposed to like like you're being like, I'm gonna
(46:20):
be the booking agent for our band.
Speaker 2 (46:23):
Yeah, and I mean like by the time, you know,
I don't know, like our third tour or whatever, we
had like as a band, we had amassed contacts and
like you know, other people, you know, people in the
band like knew like all of our like worlds were
expanding at that time. So then it started to get
a little more like, you know, I would still book
(46:47):
you know, probably at least half of the shows, but
other people were like, oh, like this dude in Texas
like wrote me and like you know, like or like
we traded records and he'd like to do this or whatever.
You know, It's like cool. So you know, like it
eventually wasn't like all on me or anything like that,
but uh right, But yeah, in the beginning that that
(47:08):
was just sort of the natural way of things.
Speaker 1 (47:10):
Yeah, absolutely, And I know that like the I'm gonna
use in air quotes like the music business as it were,
where it's like, you know, I mean you like clearly
the DIY scene like was not focused on any principles
and practices of what the music industry was, but you know,
you had to start dealing with certain business implications of like, Okay,
(47:33):
we're getting paid this much for a show and you
know we're gonna spend two thousand dollars to record a
record or whatever the case may be. Did you also,
you know, did you like that that aspect of it?
Speaker 2 (47:46):
Uh, you know, like we honestly didn't really think about
it that much. And you know, uh, gas was cheap
and we weren't like paying out of pocket, but we
we weren't getting paid a lot. But I don't think
as long as we had gas money, like we weren't
really like no one was really sweating it. Like it
(48:08):
was kind of like we were either going to be
on tour or most of us were going to be
back at our parents' houses or you know, like it
was just kind of like, yeah, this is fun. Like
we had pretty much no expectations other than just like
hoping to play a cool show and hoping to have
gas money to get to the next show. You know,
(48:30):
that was like literally about.
Speaker 1 (48:31):
It, right. And while you were obviously doing this, you
were also building your chops in regards to you know,
recording bands and obviously putting the you know, the thumb
on your band as far as the way you record
it and stuff like that. Was because I know, like
(48:54):
when band members are developing interests that are obviously going
to help the band, but they're also like exciting opportunities
outside of it. Was it one of those things like
you felt not pulled in two separate directions because it's like,
you know, yes, of course like Orcid and you know
a lot of the projects you did it after, like
there was you know, a level of activity, but it
(49:15):
never was like, all right, I'm on two or ten
months out of the year. Did you, I guess feel
like you were, you know, traveling on two different paths
where it's like, yeah, ultimately, I'm just going to be recording.
I'm not going to be you know, touring all the time.
Speaker 2 (49:28):
It didn't feel like that, And I think in some
ways that's not quite the real timeline. Like most of
Orchid happened like while I was still at college, and
uh wasn't really like I was recording some bands there
like I mentioned, But you know, I could definitely it
(49:50):
could definitely count the recordings on two hands, maybe just
one that I did during that time period, you know,
like of bands and the Orchid like self titled Well,
I mean I recorded the Orchid demo at at Hampshire College.
But then it wasn't until like our last record that
I recorded us again, not counting a four track recording
(50:14):
it for a comp but so and even then it
was kind of like that last Orchid record was one
of the first recordings I did at that house where
I started like doing most of the dead air work
or doing the dead air stuff at the time. So
it's kind of like they they were they weren't really
(50:35):
crisscrossing that much. I was like hopeful that other bands
would like be down for me to record them, but
I didn't have like I didn't have clients or I
don't think at that point I had charged anyone any
money for any recording I had done, so, you know,
like it was not there was not really a conflict there,
(50:57):
I guess that is all I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (50:58):
Right, you didn't have to worry about the parallel path.
Speaker 2 (51:03):
Yeah, with the.
Speaker 1 (51:07):
You, because I mean you have been incredibly prolific with
your studio where it's like, I you know, you look
at your website and I love how you have all
the bands that you've recorded in alphabetical order and everything
like that beautiful just like chef's kiss on that you're welcome.
Speaker 2 (51:24):
The sad thing is that that's I think seven years
without being updated. So I've got right, I need like
a weird weekend or something to just like try and
update at all. But I don't know when that will
ever happen, but yeah, price at some point.
Speaker 1 (51:43):
Yeah, is it? Is it one of those things where
you know, recording bands and uh being you know active,
and obviously the ethos of the studios making you know,
recording affordable for you know, punk and hardcore bands. Beyond
the fact that it's like you're now what keeps you
attached to that?
Speaker 2 (52:02):
Is?
Speaker 1 (52:03):
Is it the fact that you get to, you know,
help bands get their stuff out there?
Speaker 2 (52:10):
Like attached in terms of like affordability you mean, or
like interested in like doing like audio work in general.
Speaker 1 (52:17):
Yeah, audio work in general, and like your you know,
the thesis statement of your studio.
Speaker 2 (52:24):
I mean, it's just kind of like what I I
guess it's just what I like doing, and I think
I'm you know, decent at it. I don't know that's
about it. And you know, I certainly don't want like
a real desk job or anything, So you know, the
(52:45):
idea since I was like in high school and angsty
like I and had, you know, like a couple of jobs.
I was like, I don't ever want to have a boss,
like if I can prevent it. So you know, like
that's definitely still like a goal, even though anyone who
(53:06):
runs their own business knows that there's certainly downsides. But
but you know, it's like, at the end of the day,
I don't really have anyone specific to answer to.
Speaker 4 (53:19):
And even though I have like a lot of responsibility
or things that I feel responsible for, and like in
terms of like working on things and work ethic and
getting back to people and stuff like, it's not like,
you know, whatever, if I didn't want to do work
today or if something came up like whatever, Like I
can also just not do that, sure, But in.
Speaker 2 (53:44):
Terms of the affordability or like sort of the ethos,
I mean some of it some of it selfish, because
I mean, like I just like working on punk stuff.
At the end of the day, it's just like like
like you know, like working on a hardcore record or something.
It just feels good, Like I know, I can I
(54:07):
can see where it should be, and I can sort
of push it in that direction, and you know, early
on in the studio, you know, like days I was
putting up flyers and I recorded like some new metal
bands like like you know, just like Embarrassing's like hippie
(54:31):
funk band, you know, like Stuf like that, and like
I really didn't enjoy that, and it kind of made
me realize that, like it's not just recording, you know,
like it's actually I mean, it's not that I initially
have to like get into every It's not like I'm
necessarily have to be like this band is like the
(54:52):
best I've ever heard, but it's just like I can
understand where it's coming from, and I can, you know,
try to make it as good, I think, as possible.
And I don't know, so like in the interest of
wanting to work with punk and hardcore bands, it's like
it's not a lucrative band to be in. It's not
(55:14):
like there's a lot of money around, you know. Like
so I at some point realized, you know, like I
don't really want to move into like a nice facility
with like a huge overhead where I have to start
charging a ton of money because the bands I want
to work with won't be like they're not gonna want
(55:35):
to pay like a thousand dollars a day to record,
like they're you know, like hardcore recording that they could
bang out in a few hours. Like it's just not
that just doesn't make sense. So I kind of just
always wanted to be the guy that those bands could
go to because I want to work on that on
(55:56):
that music, right, you know, So it's a little self serving,
but also, you know whatever, I do think that things
being accessible and affordable is obviously positive and important. You know,
So there's that aspect too for sure, right.
Speaker 1 (56:17):
Yeah, keep that, keep the idea alive of you know, clearly,
bands are always going to need a spot to record,
and it's great that they can record with you in
a cost effective manner and a person that comes from
their particular scene, because I mean, you and I both
know we've undoubtedly recorded with people that are just a
(56:37):
studio and they're like, why the hell is this guy yelling?
This is terrible, Like, you know, they have no context
for it. But it's like you clearly know where you're
coming from.
Speaker 2 (56:46):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm with you.
Speaker 1 (56:50):
Yeah. The last few things I want to hit on
with the you know, clearly with the bucket full of
teeth stuff coming out of iodine. It's truthfully, like when
Casey told me that he was gonna be doing the
Bucket Full Teeth, I was just like, first of all,
this is amazing that people even still remember the band,
and I'm sure that you still and I don't mean
(57:11):
that in a disparaging way, but it's just like, yeah,
like you get it. But I just love the fact
that you know, this can still exist and obviously be
introduced to newer and younger kids. Is it just fun
for you to see how certain things you know kind
of like live on and take on to life of
(57:31):
their own.
Speaker 2 (57:34):
Definitely. And I think Bucketfall Teeth is kind of a
weird one where it's like, I mean, it's always been
kind of a weird one, but like you know, we
put out those the records, and we played a handful
of shows, but on like a single tour, but not
many shows, and like I don't think as a band,
like I feel like we never actually really besides like
(57:57):
immediate friends being like this is cool or like this
is bizarre or you know whoa we never got to
my knowledge much like feedback like from people being you know,
like in terms of like popularity or people being into
it or like, you know, the records at the time sold,
(58:19):
so I mean, I guess, you know, to an extent,
there was some acknowledgement that someone wanted to be listening
to it, although I think, you know, they took some
time to sell and there was a decent number of them,
but like, yeah, I feel like it kind of just
existed for a while without much like I don't know,
(58:39):
like I didn't really know how it like went over
in the world, I guess is what I'm saying. So
then like and it was even like a few years
later or I like I don't know, like maybe even
up to ten years later. I feel like I would
be like on tour with a different band and someone
would be like you know, someone would playing a show
with or staying with or whatever, except show would be
(59:01):
like like, oh, man, like I'm just going to tell
you like Buggerful Teeth like one of my favorite bands,
and I'm just like really, you know, I'm just like, oh, Like,
I like I didn't know anyone like still like listened
to or like was aware that this like existed, you know,
and there's not there's not a ton of those people,
but there started like occasionally being enough of those people
(59:24):
that I was like, I feel like a certain demographic
of I guess other weirdos, uh sort of like found
it and you know, could relate to it in some
way in a way that honestly kind of surprised me.
Where like, you know, years later I was hearing from
people they were like, oh yeah, and I really like this,
(59:47):
uh in a way that like I feel like no
one really was responding to when it was coming out.
Speaker 1 (59:53):
Right, And I guess the last thing I would have
had was I mean, we can clearly speak about Orchid
and obviously the reunion shows you're doing and everything like that,
and I know, just in having mutual friends that exist
in your band, you know, this was definitely a long
time a long time coming as far as just the idea,
(01:00:13):
like because clearly, you know, or Kid did stop being
a band, not because you hated each other, but it's
just like, you know, life obviously gets in the way,
and so like you guys are obviously friends and were
able to you know, be in communication with each other.
And I know you're not a overly nostalgic guy, so
in you just like speaking for yourself, how are you
(01:00:36):
kind of approaching this as it started to get put together,
because I mean, obviously it's exciting for people who never
got a chance to see you. But you know, how
were you I guess approaching that idea?
Speaker 2 (01:00:49):
Uh you know, I think that for a long time
I was kind of like the no guy, and I
think that as time passed, I started to sort of like,
you know, wonder like what the what the upside of
being the no guy was, you know, like like I'm
(01:01:10):
not like who benefits from me being like like I
don't know if we should do this, Like I don't know,
so I guess I had decided to you know, take
the you know, like viewpoint or you know, like I
was just kind of like, you know, maybe this could
be cool, like or maybe I should be open minded
(01:01:33):
to the idea that this could be cool, you know, like,
which doesn't sound that that radical, but was not really
the way I was thinking about it before. And I
don't know, I think some of it just came from
like catching up with some of those guys a little
bit more and that being fun, and you know, I
(01:02:00):
think also like seeing some other bands like Reunite and
play shows and stuff where I felt like it wasn't
I think I was always just like like that shit's
in the past, like you know, we like let's just
like keep marching forward. But I feel like seeing other
(01:02:21):
bands like get together and play shows, I don't feel
like they're living in the past or like as someone
watching the band, I don't feel like I'm living in
the past or like to me, it's not like a
nostalgic thing. It's just cool or fun or you know,
like so I guess I'm just trying to be open
to the idea that you know, like playing a few
(01:02:44):
shows doesn't mean like the destruction of like the legacy
of the band or something, and that you know, maybe
it's fun, you know, like and maybe and maybe people
enjoy it, and you know like that that sounds nice.
That sounds pleasant, Like I don't know. And also it's
(01:03:05):
just kind of like, you know, we're all getting older,
so it's kind of like, I don't know, I don't
think we're going to be sixty playing like like the
first Orchid show in thirty years or whatever. So it's
kind of like, you know, maybe we should be you know,
like it's kind of like if it's gonna happen, it's
(01:03:28):
you know, like there's kind of like a timeline like
where it would make sense or not. So it's kind
of like, you know, maybe we should seize this opportunity
or chance to like do something that could be cool
and find out if it's cool.
Speaker 1 (01:03:45):
Like, I don't know, I appreciate you describing that, because
I just the idea of being able to you know,
play shows and obviously get together with friends and do
all those things, like just that that fun nature of it.
It's you know, sometimes it is it feels weird to be,
(01:04:06):
like you said, looking back on this thing. That's just like, dude,
you know, the biggest show we ever played was like
in front of you know, maybe two hundred people at
the most. And so it's weird to be like, yeah,
all right, here we go. Let's book you know, a
couple of nights in Brooklyn and Boston. It's just like,
what this is weird? But whatever, And you're you know,
I think you're approaching it with the right attitude of
just like, hey, let's have fun with friends and you know,
(01:04:27):
people show up and like that's cool. We can go
some places and play some shows.
Speaker 2 (01:04:31):
Yeah, I mean, and part of it is kind of
like a reckoning with what you know, the shows or whatever,
like what Orchid in twenty twenty four looks like, you know,
like and I think that was another thing to me
where I was like kind of like, you know, it's
never going to be the same as it was. But
then I guess I just started thinking, like, you know,
(01:04:53):
that doesn't necessarily mean that doesn't necessarily mean it's going
to be bad. It's kind of like how can we
you make that cool? Or like, you know, how can
we approach it and like have it be a good time?
And I guess I think for me, part of when
we were like sort of like figuring out the logistics
of things, you know, and like we're all we were
(01:05:17):
all open to the idea of playing shows at some point,
and they were sort of discussion of you know, like
Brad was the original bass player and then he had
to leave the band for a bit and he was
replaced by Jeff Garlock and who played until the rest
of the band, you know, like Brand's course, and so
(01:05:39):
it was kind of like, well, they're both interested in
playing shows, and it's kind of like, how do we
like approach this And sort of the logical answer was,
you know, every other band Brad was in pretty much
except Bugger Full Teeth. He played guitar in and you know,
like he's ultimately more of a guitarist I think in
(01:06:01):
my mind and his mind really than a bass player. Anyways,
it was kind of like, well, Brad could play second
guitar and then in some ways it's more like the
recordings which have multiple guitar tracks. But it's also like
this is like a re well it's not a reimagining
of Orchid, but it's kind of like, you know, like
(01:06:22):
it's it is different. It's like we're doing this differently
than we did before, Like it's inherently different, like this
is what it looks like when all of us are together,
like which we've never done before. So I think that
that's kind of like to me, that's kind of like
makes it a little more fun. It makes it a
little bit more like, yes, this is different, and it's
(01:06:43):
just kind of like this is our approach to doing
this now and like revisiting these songs as like a collective.
And I also think that, you know, it's it's fun
to me that it's like, you know, know, every member
of the band is playing, Like I feel like a
(01:07:05):
lot of bands, you know, that's not the case. And
to me, it's cool that it's like we're all friends,
we're all down, like, let's try and do this like
together in a way that we haven't before. It's just
kind of like an interesting approach.
Speaker 1 (01:07:21):
So yeah, yeah, no, I'm I mean, I'm excited because realistically,
I think when the members of bands are obviously adults
now and they like know how to play their instruments better,
it's going to just sound better. And it's like I've
seen it, you know, time and time again with bands
(01:07:42):
that you know, I mean, citing a most recent example,
it's like a band like Botch, I mean, they were
always good, just like I would say that every time
I saw you know, you guys play, you were good.
But watching them now and you know, twenty twenty three,
it was just like it was like, oh, oh, so
this is what you know people people sound like when
you know they're really putting their focus into it. And
(01:08:04):
so I'm sure it'll be surprising for you guys too
to be like, oh, wow, like, hey, we said we
sound pretty good.
Speaker 2 (01:08:11):
Well, I'm not sure I'm any better at playing those
songs now than I was then, but uh, you know,
I'm trying. I'm trying. I'm trying my best. But maybe
maybe in May that that will be a different story.
You know, it's a work in progress.
Speaker 1 (01:08:24):
But yeah, well that's good. That's good. Well. The last
thing I want to hit on before I let you
go is like you you like hiking a lot, and
obviously you live in an area unless you can you
can hike. What what what draws? What draws you to that?
Speaker 2 (01:08:40):
Like?
Speaker 1 (01:08:40):
Is it just the you know, the simple act of
obviously getting out in nature and you know, touching the
ground so to speak. What's uh you know what say
you about hiking?
Speaker 2 (01:08:49):
Uh, that's a good question. Uh. Part of it, I've
realized is that there's, for me, the like part of
enjoying the hike is like the reward of like getting
to some sort of like overlook or something like if
I'm just on like a hike that has like sort
of like no exciting overlook and not don't even have
(01:09:13):
to be that exciting, it's less interesting to me or
like I'm so there's part of it where it's like
it's attaining like some sort of like weird like reward
at the end. But I think it's just one of
the things that I that like kind of like freezes
my mind a little bit and kind of just like
(01:09:36):
lets me, I don't know, like not work and try
not to look at my phone and you know, like
sort of like, uh, I don't know, reconnect with the
world in some different way than like through email and
and stuff. So I don't know, I can't quite like
(01:10:00):
pinpoint it, but but it's definitely beneficial in some way mentally.
And yeah, I mean when you when you when you
get to a cool view or something, it's it's fun.
And you know, I like, like a couple of weeks
(01:10:20):
ago or like for like a month or two, I
was doing the same hike every weekend. It's just like
kind of fun seeing like the like the seasons change
like from the same vantage point and and stuff like that.
It's just kind of like interesting and peaceful. Uh. You know,
(01:10:42):
there's just something something nice about it.
Speaker 1 (01:10:45):
That is indeed, what's up. Very appreciative to Will for
his time, and big shout out to the family over
at Adine Records. They always bring me interesting ideas and
guests and I just love the label. So shout out
to Casey. Love you, sir. Maybe you'll will hear this.
I don't know, but I'm grateful that you are a
(01:11:06):
human being in my life. So isn't that sweet? Oh
that's great. Anyways, next week I talk about another person
who I didn't know, but now I feel like I
really like love dearly. His name is Steve Jennings. He
plays in a band called Spark of Life, and he
also worked in the music industry for many many years
(01:11:26):
at Velvet Hammer Management, where he was able to help
you rise again. Steptones AFI like a bunch of other stuff,
but Steve is just an earnest dude that wants to
play hardcore. And this band came up in the early
two thousands and then is just now putting out new music.
They put out a full length way back in the day,
but now they're releasing new music on New Age Records.
(01:11:48):
That is a person I love as well, Mike Cardsfield
New Age Jeez. Anyways, that is what we got next
week on the show, and until then, please be safe, everybody.
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