October 22, 2025 • 44 mins
A conversation with Native rockabilly band Now Or Never!, where we talk about storytelling through music, their commitment to their craft, and feature songs from their latest album, Fate’s Collide.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
Hey everyone, before the episode starts. Be sure to subscribe
and rate the show. If you're enjoying it, Thanks for listening.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
All much lovesome are value around Darling, I'll miss you.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
This is burn Sage, Burn Bridges. I'm your host, Nicole Garcia, Baby,
don't may. You're listening to Peaches by Now or Never.
Native people have always used music to tell stories, to heal,
and to bring people together. That hasn't changed. It's just
(00:51):
sometimes amplified and a little louder. So now we're never.
First of all, where's the name from? Is there anything
(01:14):
significant about the name.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
It was kind of like a funny thing because it's
just the way that we felt because we all came
from different bands at that time, we had experience with
so many other bands, and the way that we felt
about this band was that we either make it we don't.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Oh so this is like the last two raw You're
going to put it all yeah and lend all your
efforts into this. This is Nabahi Bitsui, frontman for the
band Now or Never, a rockabilly band from the Navajo Nation.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
And that's how we felt at that time. Because getting older,
it's like, you know, it doesn't wait to where like
you know, the scene or the people or you know,
they're not going to stop to just like appreciate your
music yet to just keep continuing to produce and keep
continuing to like work and try to develop songs that
everyone will like or you know, just personally you like
(02:04):
to continue with our passion, which is playing music and
trying to be successful with it.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
That's cool that you guys are making that commitment like
now or never, we're going to get this done. We're
going to do as much as we can and put
everything we can into it. I love that you guys
are very committed to trying to make this work. And
the name reflecting and that I was curious because it
sounds very aggressive. Yeah yeah, Like now whatever, who am
I talking to today?
Speaker 3 (02:31):
My name's in the Bahi. I am from wunder Rock, Arizona.
But right now I'm actually working in Rio Rancho in
New Mexico doing water distribution and then also doing uber
on the side. My passions, you know, and trying to
make enough money to be able to like, you know,
play shows and be successful with our music.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
What does your name mean?
Speaker 3 (02:54):
With my personal name, it's a Nabahi Bitsu. It means
warrior Navajo. The name is because of my grandfather. His
name was Samuel Billman. He served in World War Two.
When it came to my mom in that whole story
is it's kind of funny because she was trying to
have me, but I wouldn't come out, so I was
a late baby. She was watching a show in the
(03:17):
middle of the night. One of a Native American comedians
came on and I can't remember his name specifically, but
he was talking about he had three sons, and the
first son he named Natani, and then his second son
he had as Nabahi. Then the last son, his name
was Jeff, and everyone started That was the punchline, you know,
(03:37):
everyone started laughing about it. But she saw that she
was like, Oh, that's his name's going to be in
the Bahi. It's way better than what I was supposed
to be named by my dad. And it was kind
of funny because I always joke about that too, because
my name could have been Worthington. My mom was like,
that sounds like a Butler name, you know. I don't
want my name and my son to be called Worthington.
(03:59):
But that was my dad's my dad's idea, but yeah,
I was. I'm proud of my name and even my son,
and he has my name now too, so he's a
little Abahie Junior. And then I'm gonna have my second
son soon and I'm excited about that.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
I'm Jeff. I play drums, and I'm born in forty Fiance,
and I live on rock my whole life. Basically I
work at a fast food restaurant and also I am
a single father, so that's what I basically do all days.
Work and to sing out with my son and play
a band whenever I can.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
I'm Sam. I play bass and Now or Never, and
I just barely joined the band. I was born and
raised in Gallup, New Mexico, so I've been here my
whole life. I share the same passion as these two
gentlemen playing music, and I work a full time job
(04:57):
as well. I work for a medical marijuana dispensary, but yeah,
I spend as much time making and playing me us
is possible. It's been a pleasure to be a part
of Now or Never thus far.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Honestly, we all have day jobs. It's nice if you
could do your passion as your day job, but that's
not always the case with most of us, that would
be a privilege, but we don't have that privilege. What
is the music genre.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
We're trying to go into, like everything that's I guess
in the genre of punk we play like rockabilly, sochabillity,
like all the different type of punks like speed punk,
horror punk, ska punk. And then we're trying to be
I guess, everything that we loved listening to when we
were developing into musicians and just into like the scene,
(05:48):
everything that has to do with punk basically, and not
only that, just going into other genres like alternative emo
and then like you know, a little bit of metal.
But we're just trying to be unique in that way
to where not all our songs are gonna be the
same or sound the same. We're trying to make them
all sound different. Well you pretty much summed it all up.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Yeah, Okay, you guys are from Navajo Nation.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Yeah, so where we started from wisd in window Rock too.
When we first practiced it was was it at my
grandparents place? Yeah, it was just me and you, Yeah,
and it was just me and Jeff and then yeah,
that was like literally and I don't know if you
heard a goat springs between wind Rock and forty fives.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
Oh okay, so.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
That's where my family's from. So my grandparents live in
the middle of kind of like nowhere somewhat, and our
nearest neighbor would be like probably a quarter or a
half a mile away. So we took advantage of that too,
because you know, we don't have people that would complain
about our practice sessions and stuff like that, neighbors and
stuff like that. So but the only thing is that
(06:53):
would get hot, especially during the summers, and get really
cold during the winters. Yeah, we just played what we loved,
like the genre of music. So we knew all the
horror punk scene, like the rockabillity, the psychability, and all
the SKA bands and even like all the other like
metal bands or screaming bands everything. You know, all our
(07:15):
whole chemistry with music just lined up with me and
Jeff and even with Sam too. Once we brought him in,
I was so excited because he came from a band
that we liked personally, Like we played a show with
his former band, which was called the Penguins, and like
they played like ska punk and they're like, oh, they
sound so cool and we basically wanted to be their
(07:36):
friends because they sounded like, you know, that's the genre
that we were going for two along with everything else
we're doing. You know, I feel like both of us
admired each other's bands, and like that's what I got
exciting for. What I did was I worked on the
pipeline to support my dream, like I did, so, I
bought all my equipment, and all I told myself is
that on a comeback, start a band and either do
(08:00):
everything by myself, like SYSI the equipment, I'll just buy
recording stuff and producing myself, or I'm gonna actually advertise
and find my own band. And then yeah, basically that's
what I did. I just went for it. I put
a flyers up, put my ads out, and I joined
all these other bands too, like even helped do sampling
(08:22):
for rappers, did a country music too, like I was
just a rhythm guitarist. And then I did indie music
with a band out in Santa Fe.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
It was kind of cool how you manifested these two
to be in your band.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Yeah, because like the other part is finding the right pieces,
and I feel like even now that's what I was
waiting for. It's like the right chemistry, the right the
right sound, the right people that have that same ear
to follow along with the music that you're playing to.
Because you can get other musicians that play totally different
(08:57):
genres and sometimes they just don't line. Like even though
they're so talented, they're so passionate too, it's just the
fact that you know, sometimes like their beats won't sync
with yours basically, or their pattern of drumming, or their
pattern or drumming it doesn't align with yours. It's either
slower or faster. And that's what I was running to.
Like with all those bands, like like like for instance,
(09:19):
the country band, it was like really slow for me.
So sometimes when I was playing, I like literally almost
fell asleep on some songs because I was you know,
I was at too into it. I was playing to
other people's music. And then when it comes to rap,
it was just sampling, like I just do like a
couple of chords, you know, everything, then they take it,
then they develop it on their own, and that was
pretty much it. So that was you know it, then
(09:40):
you're done. Then when it came to metal artists, it
was like, you know, they want to play everything fast,
like really like speed or slower, Like I tried doing
a stoner metal band too, and it was just too weird,
Like it was just too like how would you say it?
Too echoey and how would you say it? Just like
(10:00):
not not something that you're proud of, like when it
comes to like what you want to go for or
for me and what I wanted to go for. When
it came to Sam and Jeff, it was like just
to me, I feel like it was in a way
man to be because I I've always been driven since
I was thirteen to play music. And then when I
(10:21):
had first had my band, my first band in high school,
we had five members, drama happened and then that's it.
People go out to college, move because of work. People
like have the other drama where it's between bandmates. Then
bands fall out. That's what happened with me. But I
just told myself, I still want to do music, love it,
you know, have to have it throughout my whole life.
(10:42):
I was always growing up around it. And then even
my mom which has helped us a lot with even
our band right now. She raised me around the Indian
Music Festival too, like the Native American Indie Music Festival
that would happen at Dinney College, so I'd always be there,
even though I didn't like the music. Sometimes, like i'd
be sleeping the bleachers with her while she was broadcasting
(11:02):
or emcing for the show. But I got to meet
a whole bunch of different artists because of that, and
that's how I was able to be raised around all
that too. Because I don't know if you ever heard
of Lightfoot or oh yeah, so I got to meet
him and he was like best friends with my mom.
And then I got to meet like all these big
Native bands, but I didn't know they were big at
(11:23):
that time. They were just like, you know guys that
like they were like my uncle or something like that.
That was like being introduced while I was five and
they tell me that they're like, oh, I don't remember
when you were just like three fet tall or two
or four foot tall and you're just run around your mom.
Now that I'm older, it's like it's just something that
I've always been raised around. I always want to be
(11:43):
part of.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
That's cool, isn't Lightfoot? The Indian and the Cupboard Yeah movie, Yeah,
that's that's how I know. But also I guess he's
a rapper is that what he is?
Speaker 3 (11:54):
Yeah, so that's why he did perform with the Indie
Music Festival. Then even with the nomination fair, my mom's
personal friends with him, and then like that's how he
knows me from being around her. Then like there's other.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Other bands you probably cross.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
Yeah, a whole bunch of bands.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
Besides the vibe and like the musicality that you guys
bond together with, what else makes you guys good together?
Speaker 5 (12:32):
I would say it's just, uh, I don't know common
common minds, and you know, we're all grown adults who
all understand, you know, we all have our own lives
and just understanding of each other, and you know each
other's situations, and we do have the same sense of
(12:53):
humor in a lot of ways. I would say that
definitely makes it, you know, a lot easier to work
together with these guys.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Yeah, just meeting you all, I agree, and the level
of respect for each other I think works. So hopefully
this is just the beginning.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
Yeah, But as far as like, like what you're trying
to say in your music, because music to me is
communication another form of communication, just like we're doing here.
I think Native people have always been storytellers. This is
just another form of that, what kind of message are
you trying to bring to people or say personally?
Speaker 3 (13:33):
That's kind of funny. The other day we played this
show this past I think two weeks ago, and we
did a little mini tour with Farmington, Albuquerque and Gallup
and we did an acoustic set and it was kind
of funny because Jeff brought up a point and he's like,
(13:53):
I don't know, our lyrics are so depressing. It's just
like it was kind of funny because like sometimes I
feel like the message for me since like for me,
I play guitar and sing and it's just like life experience.
It's just like also like storytelling and then also the
(14:15):
things that we don't promote, and then also the things
that we our history, like as even as Native people.
That's like with some of our songs, that's what it
was about. We have this song called hell No, which
is I guess you would say, against Trump and everything.
So we wrote that during his first before his first campaign,
(14:39):
and we still have the song today and I feel
like we developed that song very well. And then it's
just like storytelling to where you know, it's about love
and then breakups, about things we love like horror themes too,
Like we have this song called Zombie and yeah Hamburgers
(15:06):
and so That's a Burger is also like something that
I wrote personally with my first band, but we developed
it so good and now or never that it's just
this span song. Now. It was first like old school punk,
but now it's like more ska punk, and it always
(15:27):
reminds me of like almost Ran sid Ish, but more
or less, like more funny too, like a little bit
of humor in there, Like people will say that all
the time, all the shows are like, pleay, that's a Burger,
(15:47):
even with like all their other songs like Rocking and Rolling,
I feel like that song was about all the shows
that we would go to that would basically be like
crazy backyard shows or any any show that we did
on the reds, which was like in shacks and the dirt,
like in backyards with summers into that's what it talks about.
(16:10):
We just went cruising down La and then we're just
like looking for a show, and that's what we did.
And even though we technically didn't get to play the show,
it was just the environment of it, like we were
so excited to be around it and I feel like
we'll get there again because we love like the punk
scenes all around, like every state that we've been to. Yeah,
(16:31):
just storytelling and things we love.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Yeah, I'm sure that that probably is going to be
on the rise. Just with things politically, Yeah, I think
that usually inspires a culture of art that's going to
speak to being against these things that are oppressing everybody.
So it's probably a good time to get inspiration, although
it is not the best of times. Yeah, yeah, but
(16:54):
the art that comes from this will hopefully be amazing.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
There's one other song called three Helmets, and that one
I dedicated that song to like one of my grandfathers,
who was a co Talkerry. Helmets symbolizes the toys that
he went through through the World War two. I feel
like there's so much storytelling that we can have and
we can develop. To me, I try to be humble
(17:18):
about like my image and who I am too, and
so that's that's kind of like the reason why, like
eventually I do want to make some songs too about
that's like native related to. And then when it comes
to Jeff, I think he's just Navajo.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
Honestly, I don't remember my clients, no disrespect or ending
not really traditional in the way.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
I guess.
Speaker 4 (17:44):
I just never really grew up like that.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
It's also like just growing up around here. I don't
think that was really pushed either any of the language
or culture. And then we get to a point where
we're older and it's hard to learn the appearance of
us really probably wanted the best outcome for us, but
in doing that was key being a lot of those stuff,
(18:08):
not carrying on that stuff and not teaching obviously just
like an outcome of colonization and all the stuff that
happened after that. So it's hard to get you know,
when you're an adult, you're like, oh, I wish I
learned that. I wish I did that being in this
world with like you know, mostly English speaking, having to
like go to public schools and getting jobs and whatnot.
(18:31):
So I totally understand, but it's just sad. Hopefully there's
some revitalization and younger people are in a better place
than we are.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
I don't think a lot of people understand that there's
generational trauma, like all the way back from when kids
got taken from their families for boarding schools and everything
like that, and then also even like veterans that weren't
treated right and not even after the war and everything.
It's like that's the other part with even native marine history.
(19:04):
So like even with that generational trauma is where you know,
if you went through all that trauma being so young,
you tend to be aggressive or upset or you know,
blaming the world, and that's when it leads to a
lot of alcoholism and everything. And I feel like we're
still living in that still like pasted on trauma because
(19:25):
you know, I will say, like for me personally, like
my my my father passed away, I think, well, they
don't know if it was from drinking or driving, but
I just know as a self involved crash for him,
and that's what I'm like, everyone thinks that it is
because he was kind of seen at a party the
last time. And then when it comes to my stepfather,
(19:48):
he died from strosis, but he was also had his
own traumas with his father who drank as well, and
he was a veteran, and that's the part where I
felt like his his whole development and personas from that
as well. And then like when it comes to all
my family, that's on hope on all the sides It's
like a lot of them talk about that where their
(20:09):
families are taken or you know, they don't know who
their mothers or fathers were too at some point, or
you know, even with my actual my mom's mom, she
was adopted in a way or she was actually raised
with the Billiman family, supposedly was adopted from the Sack
(20:31):
of Fox Side because of the boarding school separation. And
then with my grandfather was more so he was separated
from his mom and his auntie became his mother because
that's the only one that they could find, and later
on they found out their mother and passed away. And
so with him he went to drinking, you know, and
(20:52):
even though I didn't see it, and he's like a
whole different person now, he's the one that really supports us.
They let us, like I said, practice and they really
want us to succeed. With my grandfather and my grandmother,
they are supportive and a lot of ways because they're
really happy that I don't really have that problem where
it's like drinking and smoking all the time. That's basically
(21:13):
what I'm trying to do is just to break that,
you know, that whole thing, that whole trauma going down
the line, And I think that's what I me and
Jeff do as fathers too, because we talk about that,
relating about that too. And eventually the other thing I
want to do, even as a father and us being
a dad, is making a song about you know, our
(21:36):
children basically because I feel like they're the ones that
motivate us the most about like continue to push forward
with our dreams and even raising them around it in
the right way and not like doing stupid crap like
you know, drinking and smoking and you know, and also yeah,
basically making it professional.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
Yeah, I'm sure kids too are going to grow up
better seeing you do something you like and not something
that's harming you, something that you're passionate about and creating,
you know, things that make people happy. But yeah, you're
absolutely right. I'm glad that you understand that there is
so much historical trauma. It's literally studied that it's physical.
It affects us physically mentally, and there's no denying that.
(22:19):
And I was just talking to my uncle the other
day telling me a horrible Bording school story and he's
not even that old, you know, And yeah, so it's
like just the last generation literally were taken told not
to speak their language. We're told to be this and that,
Christianity and haircut. So it's like I think we're so
(22:40):
used to hearing it that we don't really understand like
how devastating that is. But like if you can imagine
your kid that happening to them now, because they were
really small when that happened to them. But I'm glad
you all know that, because I think there's a lot
of stigma about people native people and those problems, but
they exist, and I always think that could be me too.
I could be that person too, just happen to have
(23:01):
a lot of support and good people around me, like
you all have to have. Sounds like you guys have
that support too.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
I feel like with Doghouse dog House.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
Media is a local studio and record label.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
We have that big support from them. It's like we're
so thankful. Once we actually worked with them and developed
our first album with them, and it was so like,
how would you say, It was like a weight lifted
off your shoulders when you have someone that believes in you,
that wants to work with you, that wants to actually
figure everything out with you. And that's how I feel,
(23:35):
even with the band members like Jeff and Sam Is
just like they want to practice, they want to do everything,
they want to show up. They want to be accurate
with everything we do. And that's the part where it's
starting to develop more and more, and even the people
that are within doghouse, Like it's not just Jeremy and Brandon,
(23:56):
but it's also like Kim and Dez and Haas and
everyone that's helping them on the production side, like the
staging everything. They want to help us too because they
hear the music, they see what we're doing and what
we're about, and they're like so excited for us too.
For me personally, I've been talking to people in Albuquerque
(24:16):
people all the time here on the Reds and it's
just they're so impressed sometimes too, and like how how
much we've grown compared to where we were at when
they first saw us. Because sometimes even some people, for
me personally, they see me at the flea market back
in the day, like playing like busking. I guess you
(24:39):
would say, so I was playing for money, like and yeah,
they would see me at the flea market or out
and about in the streets and that's what I used
to do too, just to make a little bit of income,
especially on the reds because it's hard to get like
a part time job. Yeah, it's like some people see
me now and they're like, wha, you have a band,
you have all this stuff, you have music video, you
have you know, you have a label now, and it's
(25:02):
like their their eyes open up so much more. And
I feel like that's the whole point of like our
work ethic. It's just that we're making it happen like
we want it to happen, and it's just like our
name now and ever it's gonna happen now or never,
Like it's either we just talk about it never happens,
or we actually do it and then something's gonna happen
(25:23):
out of it.
Speaker 1 (25:29):
How has Sam changed the band?
Speaker 4 (25:31):
The way his bass sounds when we play live is
so good and Vic starts songs really stick out. The
last couple of shows before Sandra and the band was
basically me and Bahi, and it didn't sound as fun
to play because we had no bass. When Sandra in
the band, we finally heard some songs again that we
(25:53):
haven't played in a wild but the basics sounds like,
oh shit, like this is like really cool it's like
the white stripes or yeah, like hell no, that song
is like a really cool baseline on it. And then
I heard that basically played the game and that's I
heard it played like that in the long side.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
And how is it joining this band? Like what are you?
What are your thoughts?
Speaker 5 (26:15):
I've been stoked ever since day one, Like they said,
Gabby reached out to me, and I hadn't been playing. Uh,
my band had broke up over the same things, you know,
band drama stuff like that. When they reached out to
me to uh play for them, you know, touch it
back on the name, it hit me there, you know,
now or never, and I was like thinking about getting
(26:36):
back into music stuff like that, and uh when they
reached out to me, I was like, okay, yeah, well
it's now or never, you know, so I either join
up or I don't. And I joined up. And uh,
just the musicianship they the way they write their music,
the subject matter, the fact that it has meaning, you know,
(26:58):
and you know, like you were saying, there's a everybody
takes it, you know, very seriously. There's a level of
seriousness that definitely makes it a lot more fun and
easy to play in the band. And that's like the
balance there is, you know, balancing the fun and the
seriousness at the same time. And both of these guys
are very good at doing that. And I think all
of us, you know, nobody, nobody drinks. You know, we're
(27:20):
here to play music. We're not here to party. You
know that That really uh makes it a lot more
fun and a lot easier to get along with each
other and everything too. But these guys are are great musicians,
and all of the songs that they taught me, you know,
not super easy to learn. In all cases, some of
(27:41):
them really did give me a challenge, but they were
easy to practice because they're fun to play, you know.
Their their their writing style and the the genres that
they're into are very similar to you know, the stuff
that I would be listening to or playing on my own.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
I don't want to point out the obvious, but you're
not Navajo.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
I am.
Speaker 5 (28:04):
I'm fully full white guy born and raised in Galup,
New Mexico.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Mine. So you have an idea about us?
Speaker 5 (28:14):
Oh yes, yes, you know. I grew up all around
you know, I've had Native American friends growing up my
whole life, and my my girlfriend now is Native American.
And you know, growing up here, you know, you tend
to learn a lot about the culture and stuff like that.
But I've always been very interested in it. You know,
(28:35):
It's always been something that you know, when you're you
grow up around it, you hear about it every day,
you know, and when it's not a part of you know,
maybe necessarily your culture. You know, a lot of people
in my family may not know about you know, native
traditions or Native beliefs and stuff like that. I always
found it very interesting and very you know, I respect it.
(29:02):
The traditional beliefs to me carry a lot of weight
to them, and you know, there's a lot of history
behind that, and uh, you know, I think it would
be I think it would be really awesome to you know,
shine a little bit more light on that. And I
feel super privileged to be in a band with guys
(29:23):
like Nabahi and Jeff who who do know, you know,
their history and can you know, shine light on stuff
that I may not know about. And you know, it's
it's cool to be a part of something that does
promote that because you know, even though I am white,
I was born here, and you know, I I feel
(29:44):
like it's a it's a part of my personal culture
as well.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
Like you were saying, Nabahi medicine, people were singing. That's
like how it was done. Like everything was a chant,
a song, and was for putting out goods, for a protection,
for growth and harmony. It was just like the way
people communicated that. So it's cool to see it carrying
on in this modern way and also with like different
(30:11):
members and stuff. And I'm really excited to see what
happens next.
Speaker 3 (30:15):
We know what to do now. It's more like we
were already in the process of it, and I feel
like once we do the second album, man, it's just
gonna keep popping out songs, albums, stuff like that. Then
the more feedback we get from people, you know, it's
really awesome how they can relate to the songs because
we're already getting that feedback. How some people love summers In,
some people love peaches, oh yeah, that's good. Yeah, some
(30:38):
people love ebony, and some people love zombie and it's
all for the own reasons. Like you know, with the
summers In, they talk about how it's more like jumpy,
like happy, and then when it comes to the new songs,
like even October Leaves is a fully new song that
no one's really heard because it was just me and
(30:59):
Jeff playing it in practice.
Speaker 1 (31:01):
Are you excited to develop some songs with them? I am.
Speaker 5 (31:04):
I'm I'm super stoked to write some new music with
these guys. Like I said, their their style of music,
the way they play, the songs that they already have,
they just if it's what I'm interested in so perfectly.
I really feel like it'll give me a chance to
expand on my musicianship, and you know, we can all
(31:25):
kind of encourage each other, and I think it'll just
get better and better, honestly.
Speaker 1 (31:30):
Right, What songs of theirs do you like the most?
Speaker 5 (31:33):
I really enjoy hell No for obvious reasons. And I
love pretty much all the ska songs that we play
because the bassline really drives it. When the ska chords
come in, you know, the band works all together to
make the sound. So that's a burger and I really
enjoy hell No. And then I would say I really
(31:55):
enjoy how They're That song gave me the hardest time
to learn, but I think I finally got it down
good enough. But it's it's a genre that's a little
bit outside of my, uh my comfort zone. But that's
(32:16):
that's what made it fun to learn. It was you know,
it was a challenge.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
Will you talk about Peaches?
Speaker 2 (32:32):
Oh much enough, m.
Speaker 4 (32:37):
Pecause that's like, but the first song we ever wrote together.
Speaker 1 (32:41):
As a band, and who is Peaches?
Speaker 3 (32:44):
Oh? It's so the role that I'm trying to stick
by is that it's not about a particular person, but
just to feeling about it.
Speaker 1 (32:54):
Yeah, you feel a bunch of people.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
Yeah, because all right, So I did write a song
about a girl back in my old band and it
was our hit. But at the same time that that
relationship fell so short to where it's like, you know,
you love that song, but you're not with that person.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
Basically good outcome.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
Yeah exactly. It just came a like a good song.
But with Peaches, it was more or less like I
wanted to make a rockab league sweetheart song. And when
(33:35):
I first developed it, it was actually slower to like,
it wasn't kind of like fast pacing the way it
is now. But when I when I made it, it
was actually in Twin Lakes and I had a little
crate and I first got my first guitar for my auntie.
It was like a Les Paul and that's the first
song I made like that was kind of like on
(33:58):
my own, like without my any bands or any influences.
That was like around me. It was just me playing
and then I just made the the how would you say,
the riffs and the way I wanted to develop it.
But once I came to now and Ever, it's like
I had the chords and everything that we just need
(34:19):
to make lyrics and that's when we developed it. Then help.
Speaker 4 (34:23):
Yeah, I feel like Jeff's helped a lot. I had
like experienced in a psychobillity rocky band before. I used
to be in a man called Cats of Horror, and
that's that's where I got my first taste in uh
like psychobility and rockabilly. It was just like and then
that's how we uh still balled on Peaches.
Speaker 3 (34:42):
You know. It's that fifties kind of air kind of
love that you want. Everyone wants that. I feel like
even in today's society, everyone wants that, uh where you
can you know, get a girl run away with her,
like you know, start a whole new life, happily every
after kind of story. But obviously it's uh, it's not
(35:03):
that way sometimes, but at the same time, Peaches is
all about that, the euphoria of like being in love
in that way, and uh, yeah, that's basically what it's about.
And you could when you hear it, you could feel
like it's either about you or someone close to you
or you know, that's what I wanted, like how that's
(35:26):
how I wrote it, and that's how I wanted to
feel like I'm seeing it personally to you. It's just
like it's not specifically about a certain person. It's just
about you know, the idea of being in love.
Speaker 1 (35:39):
I like the summer one too, the summer end, is
that what it is?
Speaker 3 (35:43):
Yeah, Summer's end.
Speaker 1 (35:43):
Yeah. I don't like summer.
Speaker 3 (35:46):
Yeah, yeah, I don't like Yeah, I feel like the
weather definitely, But when it comes to shows, I love it.
That's the only thing that gives me excited about the
summer is just like there's backyard shows shows everywhere. Yeah,
that's kind of like how the whole atmosphere of that
song was about was just like you don't want summer
to end, especially when you have a group of friends
(36:08):
that you're hanging out with that either join a show
or a tenny show or playing a show. It's like
you never want the summers to end.
Speaker 1 (36:16):
And what kind of music are you planning to contribute
to this, Like is there any type of vibe that
you're going to add.
Speaker 5 (36:23):
I mean, I would love to be able to contribute
to any of the songs any any way, lyrically or musically,
But I really feel like my job is a bass
player is just to take Nabahi's already good guitar playing
and just try to make that sound better with the
(36:44):
bass behind it, you know, and then take Jeff's already
amazing drum playing and kind of drive that too with
the low end move some air. So that's what you
can hopefully expect from on the new album is Yeah,
just I'm just trying to add to the band and
you know, make it stick out and sound different.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
That's cool. Yeah yeah, So Abauhi You're gonna be the
lead probably one like type of songs or what the
songs are about.
Speaker 3 (37:14):
Yeah, it's like it's like orchestrating like exactly like what
you love and then like trying to bring it to life.
And it's like, uh, you know, it could be about
today's issues, or it could be about generational issues, or
it could be about the future too, like and then
the other part is, uh, like when it comes to
(37:36):
the novel Man, that one's really cool. It's really funny. Uh.
The way that I feel about it is that I
think it's gonna be a hit, especially like I'm gonna
try not to well, I don't think I'm gonna cust
in that song just so I could get radio play
and I can hopefully get on like KTNN, you know,
or like trying to get it too, like local native
(37:58):
broadcasting stations too, because before they're gone, yeah, exactly. And
then when it comes to uh, the novel Man song itself,
it's more or less funny because like, you know, I
don't know if he saw that trend on TikTok where
you're like you talk about bad apples and stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (38:14):
Oh yeah, I got everybody very upset.
Speaker 3 (38:17):
Yeah, but like it's more or less like uh contributing
to that and a little bit more. And I think
it's really funny because uh, yeah, it's just about trying
to protect that image of a Navajo man in general,
because I am n able, like I am a Navajo
man and uh Hopey man and sac and fox man.
(38:38):
Is just the fact that you know, uh, I don't
think Uh, people talk about how how much we try
to do or how much we go, how far we go,
even when it comes to like uh like work, ethic,
love everything.
Speaker 1 (38:54):
Yeah, it was very big generalization for sure. Yeah, but
I think it really made a lot of people upset
because it's basically just stereotyping Navajo man. Yeah specific way.
Speaker 3 (39:08):
Yeah, yeah, but I think it's to me, it was
kind of funny because I'm like, I feel like it's
so true, but at the same time it's not. You know,
there's like so super good guys out there, and there's
super good guys on the reservation that I feel like
they're more introvert though, So the extroverts are the ones
that probably not not too bad, like I guess you
(39:28):
would say, they're not too genuinely like And when it
comes to like the introverts, they're they're they're there, and
I just feel like they you know, it's just they're
not out and about. You know, they're playing video games
at home, they're working all the time. It's more or
less like, uh, the way I'm gonna word it is
(39:49):
like even doing chores, hurting sheep and stuff like that.
And then I don't know, like fixing up your old
chitty or something like that. And it's just like those
words are gonna be in there just to be kind
of like, uh, generally defining you as a as a
NAVI guy. When it comes to and Jeff, it's like
what I try to do is we try to make
(40:11):
all the songs sound different, like I said before, and
that's how I still want to continue to do. So
I want Jeff to have like a lead, and even
Sam to have a lead in the song. So even
in like Zombie towards the end, like Sam just plays
the bass by himself, that's the lead part I wanted
(40:32):
to have because when it comes to Zombie itself, I
was always thinking of Scott Pilgrim. I don't know if
you ever heard of that. Yeah, the movie and the
it's just that bass sounded so awesome and I always
wanted that to have and I feel like that that's
what we have with Sam, and like I want there
to be more leads like that than when it comes
(40:54):
to Jeff, I wanted to have like defining drumming parts.
Like it's like even the drumming patterns. Feel like I
(41:16):
have the right team and I feel like we all
we all really want to strive to be the best
and have all the songs to be fun and great.
Speaker 4 (41:25):
Well, my favorite song from this album is Ebony because
that has like such a lovely, awesome pop punk vibe
and like in the middle, like and before the end
of new part, it's like this little part that I
(41:47):
really like where I want to be really silent and
then there's a part in the drums where I hit
like the spell symbol and then we go into a breakdown.
Speaker 3 (42:02):
The thing I'm happy about is going on to all
the other platforms that we're on now, which is like
Spotify and Apple Music, and I never thought that we
would be on there in a way.
Speaker 4 (42:13):
Yeah, same year. It's so cool that, like before, I've
been in so many bands before and then I never
thought I come out with an album until this year,
we actually have an album on Spotify and Apple Music.
It's really cool and thanks to dog House, we're doing
that for us.
Speaker 1 (42:33):
Is there a band website or how do people follow
you all?
Speaker 3 (42:37):
When it comes to Instagram, it's now never easy, And
when it comes to Facebook, it's just now or never
and it's with the exclamation point and then h yeah.
Speaker 4 (42:49):
For one reason, people always forget to put into explamation
mark band.
Speaker 3 (42:52):
Yeah, so it's now our never exclamation point. That would
be like on Spotify and Apple Music too. That's how
you can research us. But you had to research it
under artists too, because I guess there's other hour never
is out there, but ours is the only one with
the exclamation point.
Speaker 1 (43:10):
Just like wrapping it up. What other bands should we
be listening to that are local that you guys really
enjoy language.
Speaker 3 (43:17):
That's a good question.
Speaker 5 (43:18):
That is I really like the Blistens. Yeah, they're really.
Speaker 1 (43:23):
Cool and they're from here.
Speaker 5 (43:26):
They are from Tuba City, Tuba.
Speaker 1 (43:28):
City, Okay, same type of music or.
Speaker 3 (43:31):
Yeah, somewhat. It's like I think they're more punk.
Speaker 5 (43:34):
They're a lot more like rancid, like like street punk
kind of Yeah.
Speaker 3 (43:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (43:40):
For me, I would say Wavelengths like a pop punk band.
They're pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (43:45):
I feel like there's a lot of artists that are
really great and the ones that could point out it's
echo tone because they come from one Drog two that awesome. Yeah,
they're like an indie rock.
Speaker 1 (43:58):
Yeah. The members of Now are Never remain committed to
the band, sharing their stories and bringing energy wherever they play.
All music featured in this episode is from Fates Collide,
the new album by Now or Never. This episode of Burnsage,
Burn Bridges was written and produced by myself, Nicole Garcia,
(44:20):
along with Carmen Laurent, Max Williams and Dylan Fagan. Special
thanks to our guests Nabahi, Jeff and Sam of the
band Now or Never and Doghouse Media. Thank you for listening.
Hey everyone, before the episode starts. Be sure to subscribe
and rate the show. If you're enjoying it, Thanks for listening.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
All much lovesome are value around Darling, I'll miss you.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
This is burn Sage, Burn Bridges. I'm your host, Nicole Garcia, Baby,
don't may. You're listening to Peaches by Now or Never.
Native people have always used music to tell stories, to heal,
and to bring people together. That hasn't changed. It's just
(00:51):
sometimes amplified and a little louder. So now we're never.
First of all, where's the name from? Is there anything
(01:14):
significant about the name.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
It was kind of like a funny thing because it's
just the way that we felt because we all came
from different bands at that time, we had experience with
so many other bands, and the way that we felt
about this band was that we either make it we don't.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Oh so this is like the last two raw You're
going to put it all yeah and lend all your
efforts into this. This is Nabahi Bitsui, frontman for the
band Now or Never, a rockabilly band from the Navajo Nation.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
And that's how we felt at that time. Because getting older,
it's like, you know, it doesn't wait to where like
you know, the scene or the people or you know,
they're not going to stop to just like appreciate your
music yet to just keep continuing to produce and keep
continuing to like work and try to develop songs that
everyone will like or you know, just personally you like
(02:04):
to continue with our passion, which is playing music and
trying to be successful with it.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
That's cool that you guys are making that commitment like
now or never, we're going to get this done. We're
going to do as much as we can and put
everything we can into it. I love that you guys
are very committed to trying to make this work. And
the name reflecting and that I was curious because it
sounds very aggressive. Yeah yeah, Like now whatever, who am
I talking to today?
Speaker 3 (02:31):
My name's in the Bahi. I am from wunder Rock, Arizona.
But right now I'm actually working in Rio Rancho in
New Mexico doing water distribution and then also doing uber
on the side. My passions, you know, and trying to
make enough money to be able to like, you know,
play shows and be successful with our music.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
What does your name mean?
Speaker 3 (02:54):
With my personal name, it's a Nabahi Bitsu. It means
warrior Navajo. The name is because of my grandfather. His
name was Samuel Billman. He served in World War Two.
When it came to my mom in that whole story
is it's kind of funny because she was trying to
have me, but I wouldn't come out, so I was
a late baby. She was watching a show in the
(03:17):
middle of the night. One of a Native American comedians
came on and I can't remember his name specifically, but
he was talking about he had three sons, and the
first son he named Natani, and then his second son
he had as Nabahi. Then the last son, his name
was Jeff, and everyone started That was the punchline, you know,
(03:37):
everyone started laughing about it. But she saw that she
was like, Oh, that's his name's going to be in
the Bahi. It's way better than what I was supposed
to be named by my dad. And it was kind
of funny because I always joke about that too, because
my name could have been Worthington. My mom was like,
that sounds like a Butler name, you know. I don't
want my name and my son to be called Worthington.
(03:59):
But that was my dad's my dad's idea, but yeah,
I was. I'm proud of my name and even my son,
and he has my name now too, so he's a
little Abahie Junior. And then I'm gonna have my second
son soon and I'm excited about that.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
I'm Jeff. I play drums, and I'm born in forty Fiance,
and I live on rock my whole life. Basically I
work at a fast food restaurant and also I am
a single father, so that's what I basically do all days.
Work and to sing out with my son and play
a band whenever I can.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
I'm Sam. I play bass and Now or Never, and
I just barely joined the band. I was born and
raised in Gallup, New Mexico, so I've been here my
whole life. I share the same passion as these two
gentlemen playing music, and I work a full time job
(04:57):
as well. I work for a medical marijuana dispensary, but yeah,
I spend as much time making and playing me us
is possible. It's been a pleasure to be a part
of Now or Never thus far.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Honestly, we all have day jobs. It's nice if you
could do your passion as your day job, but that's
not always the case with most of us, that would
be a privilege, but we don't have that privilege. What
is the music genre.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
We're trying to go into, like everything that's I guess
in the genre of punk we play like rockabilly, sochabillity,
like all the different type of punks like speed punk,
horror punk, ska punk. And then we're trying to be
I guess, everything that we loved listening to when we
were developing into musicians and just into like the scene,
(05:48):
everything that has to do with punk basically, and not
only that, just going into other genres like alternative emo
and then like you know, a little bit of metal.
But we're just trying to be unique in that way
to where not all our songs are gonna be the
same or sound the same. We're trying to make them
all sound different. Well you pretty much summed it all up.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Yeah, Okay, you guys are from Navajo Nation.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Yeah, so where we started from wisd in window Rock too.
When we first practiced it was was it at my
grandparents place? Yeah, it was just me and you, Yeah,
and it was just me and Jeff and then yeah,
that was like literally and I don't know if you
heard a goat springs between wind Rock and forty fives.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
Oh okay, so.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
That's where my family's from. So my grandparents live in
the middle of kind of like nowhere somewhat, and our
nearest neighbor would be like probably a quarter or a
half a mile away. So we took advantage of that too,
because you know, we don't have people that would complain
about our practice sessions and stuff like that, neighbors and
stuff like that. So but the only thing is that
(06:53):
would get hot, especially during the summers, and get really
cold during the winters. Yeah, we just played what we loved,
like the genre of music. So we knew all the
horror punk scene, like the rockabillity, the psychability, and all
the SKA bands and even like all the other like
metal bands or screaming bands everything. You know, all our
(07:15):
whole chemistry with music just lined up with me and
Jeff and even with Sam too. Once we brought him in,
I was so excited because he came from a band
that we liked personally, Like we played a show with
his former band, which was called the Penguins, and like
they played like ska punk and they're like, oh, they
sound so cool and we basically wanted to be their
(07:36):
friends because they sounded like, you know, that's the genre
that we were going for two along with everything else
we're doing. You know, I feel like both of us
admired each other's bands, and like that's what I got
exciting for. What I did was I worked on the
pipeline to support my dream, like I did, so, I
bought all my equipment, and all I told myself is
that on a comeback, start a band and either do
(08:00):
everything by myself, like SYSI the equipment, I'll just buy
recording stuff and producing myself, or I'm gonna actually advertise
and find my own band. And then yeah, basically that's
what I did. I just went for it. I put
a flyers up, put my ads out, and I joined
all these other bands too, like even helped do sampling
(08:22):
for rappers, did a country music too, like I was
just a rhythm guitarist. And then I did indie music
with a band out in Santa Fe.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
It was kind of cool how you manifested these two
to be in your band.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Yeah, because like the other part is finding the right pieces,
and I feel like even now that's what I was
waiting for. It's like the right chemistry, the right the
right sound, the right people that have that same ear
to follow along with the music that you're playing to.
Because you can get other musicians that play totally different
(08:57):
genres and sometimes they just don't line. Like even though
they're so talented, they're so passionate too, it's just the
fact that you know, sometimes like their beats won't sync
with yours basically, or their pattern of drumming, or their
pattern or drumming it doesn't align with yours. It's either
slower or faster. And that's what I was running to.
Like with all those bands, like like like for instance,
(09:19):
the country band, it was like really slow for me.
So sometimes when I was playing, I like literally almost
fell asleep on some songs because I was you know,
I was at too into it. I was playing to
other people's music. And then when it comes to rap,
it was just sampling, like I just do like a
couple of chords, you know, everything, then they take it,
then they develop it on their own, and that was
pretty much it. So that was you know it, then
(09:40):
you're done. Then when it came to metal artists, it
was like, you know, they want to play everything fast,
like really like speed or slower, Like I tried doing
a stoner metal band too, and it was just too weird,
Like it was just too like how would you say it?
Too echoey and how would you say it? Just like
(10:00):
not not something that you're proud of, like when it
comes to like what you want to go for or
for me and what I wanted to go for. When
it came to Sam and Jeff, it was like just
to me, I feel like it was in a way
man to be because I I've always been driven since
I was thirteen to play music. And then when I
(10:21):
had first had my band, my first band in high school,
we had five members, drama happened and then that's it.
People go out to college, move because of work. People
like have the other drama where it's between bandmates. Then
bands fall out. That's what happened with me. But I
just told myself, I still want to do music, love it,
you know, have to have it throughout my whole life.
(10:42):
I was always growing up around it. And then even
my mom which has helped us a lot with even
our band right now. She raised me around the Indian
Music Festival too, like the Native American Indie Music Festival
that would happen at Dinney College, so I'd always be there,
even though I didn't like the music. Sometimes, like i'd
be sleeping the bleachers with her while she was broadcasting
(11:02):
or emcing for the show. But I got to meet
a whole bunch of different artists because of that, and
that's how I was able to be raised around all
that too. Because I don't know if you ever heard
of Lightfoot or oh yeah, so I got to meet
him and he was like best friends with my mom.
And then I got to meet like all these big
Native bands, but I didn't know they were big at
(11:23):
that time. They were just like, you know guys that
like they were like my uncle or something like that.
That was like being introduced while I was five and
they tell me that they're like, oh, I don't remember
when you were just like three fet tall or two
or four foot tall and you're just run around your mom.
Now that I'm older, it's like it's just something that
I've always been raised around. I always want to be
(11:43):
part of.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
That's cool, isn't Lightfoot? The Indian and the Cupboard Yeah movie, Yeah,
that's that's how I know. But also I guess he's
a rapper is that what he is?
Speaker 3 (11:54):
Yeah, so that's why he did perform with the Indie
Music Festival. Then even with the nomination fair, my mom's
personal friends with him, and then like that's how he
knows me from being around her. Then like there's other.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Other bands you probably cross.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
Yeah, a whole bunch of bands.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
Besides the vibe and like the musicality that you guys
bond together with, what else makes you guys good together?
Speaker 5 (12:32):
I would say it's just, uh, I don't know common
common minds, and you know, we're all grown adults who
all understand, you know, we all have our own lives
and just understanding of each other, and you know each
other's situations, and we do have the same sense of
(12:53):
humor in a lot of ways. I would say that
definitely makes it, you know, a lot easier to work
together with these guys.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Yeah, just meeting you all, I agree, and the level
of respect for each other I think works. So hopefully
this is just the beginning.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
Yeah, But as far as like, like what you're trying
to say in your music, because music to me is
communication another form of communication, just like we're doing here.
I think Native people have always been storytellers. This is
just another form of that, what kind of message are
you trying to bring to people or say personally?
Speaker 3 (13:33):
That's kind of funny. The other day we played this
show this past I think two weeks ago, and we
did a little mini tour with Farmington, Albuquerque and Gallup
and we did an acoustic set and it was kind
of funny because Jeff brought up a point and he's like,
(13:53):
I don't know, our lyrics are so depressing. It's just
like it was kind of funny because like sometimes I
feel like the message for me since like for me,
I play guitar and sing and it's just like life experience.
It's just like also like storytelling and then also the
(14:15):
things that we don't promote, and then also the things
that we our history, like as even as Native people.
That's like with some of our songs, that's what it
was about. We have this song called hell No, which
is I guess you would say, against Trump and everything.
So we wrote that during his first before his first campaign,
(14:39):
and we still have the song today and I feel
like we developed that song very well. And then it's
just like storytelling to where you know, it's about love
and then breakups, about things we love like horror themes too,
Like we have this song called Zombie and yeah Hamburgers
(15:06):
and so That's a Burger is also like something that
I wrote personally with my first band, but we developed
it so good and now or never that it's just
this span song. Now. It was first like old school punk,
but now it's like more ska punk, and it always
(15:27):
reminds me of like almost Ran sid Ish, but more
or less, like more funny too, like a little bit
of humor in there, Like people will say that all
the time, all the shows are like, pleay, that's a Burger,
(15:47):
even with like all their other songs like Rocking and Rolling,
I feel like that song was about all the shows
that we would go to that would basically be like
crazy backyard shows or any any show that we did
on the reds, which was like in shacks and the dirt,
like in backyards with summers into that's what it talks about.
(16:10):
We just went cruising down La and then we're just
like looking for a show, and that's what we did.
And even though we technically didn't get to play the show,
it was just the environment of it, like we were
so excited to be around it and I feel like
we'll get there again because we love like the punk
scenes all around, like every state that we've been to. Yeah,
(16:31):
just storytelling and things we love.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Yeah, I'm sure that that probably is going to be
on the rise. Just with things politically, Yeah, I think
that usually inspires a culture of art that's going to
speak to being against these things that are oppressing everybody.
So it's probably a good time to get inspiration, although
it is not the best of times. Yeah, yeah, but
(16:54):
the art that comes from this will hopefully be amazing.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
There's one other song called three Helmets, and that one
I dedicated that song to like one of my grandfathers,
who was a co Talkerry. Helmets symbolizes the toys that
he went through through the World War two. I feel
like there's so much storytelling that we can have and
we can develop. To me, I try to be humble
(17:18):
about like my image and who I am too, and
so that's that's kind of like the reason why, like
eventually I do want to make some songs too about
that's like native related to. And then when it comes
to Jeff, I think he's just Navajo.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
Honestly, I don't remember my clients, no disrespect or ending
not really traditional in the way.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
I guess.
Speaker 4 (17:44):
I just never really grew up like that.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
It's also like just growing up around here. I don't
think that was really pushed either any of the language
or culture. And then we get to a point where
we're older and it's hard to learn the appearance of
us really probably wanted the best outcome for us, but
in doing that was key being a lot of those stuff,
(18:08):
not carrying on that stuff and not teaching obviously just
like an outcome of colonization and all the stuff that
happened after that. So it's hard to get you know,
when you're an adult, you're like, oh, I wish I
learned that. I wish I did that being in this
world with like you know, mostly English speaking, having to
like go to public schools and getting jobs and whatnot.
(18:31):
So I totally understand, but it's just sad. Hopefully there's
some revitalization and younger people are in a better place
than we are.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
I don't think a lot of people understand that there's
generational trauma, like all the way back from when kids
got taken from their families for boarding schools and everything
like that, and then also even like veterans that weren't
treated right and not even after the war and everything.
It's like that's the other part with even native marine history.
(19:04):
So like even with that generational trauma is where you know,
if you went through all that trauma being so young,
you tend to be aggressive or upset or you know,
blaming the world, and that's when it leads to a
lot of alcoholism and everything. And I feel like we're
still living in that still like pasted on trauma because
(19:25):
you know, I will say, like for me personally, like
my my my father passed away, I think, well, they
don't know if it was from drinking or driving, but
I just know as a self involved crash for him,
and that's what I'm like, everyone thinks that it is
because he was kind of seen at a party the
last time. And then when it comes to my stepfather,
(19:48):
he died from strosis, but he was also had his
own traumas with his father who drank as well, and
he was a veteran, and that's the part where I
felt like his his whole development and personas from that
as well. And then like when it comes to all
my family, that's on hope on all the sides It's
like a lot of them talk about that where their
(20:09):
families are taken or you know, they don't know who
their mothers or fathers were too at some point, or
you know, even with my actual my mom's mom, she
was adopted in a way or she was actually raised
with the Billiman family, supposedly was adopted from the Sack
(20:31):
of Fox Side because of the boarding school separation. And
then with my grandfather was more so he was separated
from his mom and his auntie became his mother because
that's the only one that they could find, and later
on they found out their mother and passed away. And
so with him he went to drinking, you know, and
(20:52):
even though I didn't see it, and he's like a
whole different person now, he's the one that really supports us.
They let us, like I said, practice and they really
want us to succeed. With my grandfather and my grandmother,
they are supportive and a lot of ways because they're
really happy that I don't really have that problem where
it's like drinking and smoking all the time. That's basically
(21:13):
what I'm trying to do is just to break that,
you know, that whole thing, that whole trauma going down
the line, And I think that's what I me and
Jeff do as fathers too, because we talk about that,
relating about that too. And eventually the other thing I
want to do, even as a father and us being
a dad, is making a song about you know, our
(21:36):
children basically because I feel like they're the ones that
motivate us the most about like continue to push forward
with our dreams and even raising them around it in
the right way and not like doing stupid crap like
you know, drinking and smoking and you know, and also yeah,
basically making it professional.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
Yeah, I'm sure kids too are going to grow up
better seeing you do something you like and not something
that's harming you, something that you're passionate about and creating,
you know, things that make people happy. But yeah, you're
absolutely right. I'm glad that you understand that there is
so much historical trauma. It's literally studied that it's physical.
It affects us physically mentally, and there's no denying that.
(22:19):
And I was just talking to my uncle the other
day telling me a horrible Bording school story and he's
not even that old, you know, And yeah, so it's
like just the last generation literally were taken told not
to speak their language. We're told to be this and that,
Christianity and haircut. So it's like I think we're so
(22:40):
used to hearing it that we don't really understand like
how devastating that is. But like if you can imagine
your kid that happening to them now, because they were
really small when that happened to them. But I'm glad
you all know that, because I think there's a lot
of stigma about people native people and those problems, but
they exist, and I always think that could be me too.
I could be that person too, just happen to have
(23:01):
a lot of support and good people around me, like
you all have to have. Sounds like you guys have
that support too.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
I feel like with Doghouse dog House.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
Media is a local studio and record label.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
We have that big support from them. It's like we're
so thankful. Once we actually worked with them and developed
our first album with them, and it was so like,
how would you say, It was like a weight lifted
off your shoulders when you have someone that believes in you,
that wants to work with you, that wants to actually
figure everything out with you. And that's how I feel,
(23:35):
even with the band members like Jeff and Sam Is
just like they want to practice, they want to do everything,
they want to show up. They want to be accurate
with everything we do. And that's the part where it's
starting to develop more and more, and even the people
that are within doghouse, Like it's not just Jeremy and Brandon,
(23:56):
but it's also like Kim and Dez and Haas and
everyone that's helping them on the production side, like the
staging everything. They want to help us too because they
hear the music, they see what we're doing and what
we're about, and they're like so excited for us too.
For me personally, I've been talking to people in Albuquerque
(24:16):
people all the time here on the Reds and it's
just they're so impressed sometimes too, and like how how
much we've grown compared to where we were at when
they first saw us. Because sometimes even some people, for
me personally, they see me at the flea market back
in the day, like playing like busking. I guess you
(24:39):
would say, so I was playing for money, like and yeah,
they would see me at the flea market or out
and about in the streets and that's what I used
to do too, just to make a little bit of income,
especially on the reds because it's hard to get like
a part time job. Yeah, it's like some people see
me now and they're like, wha, you have a band,
you have all this stuff, you have music video, you
have you know, you have a label now, and it's
(25:02):
like their their eyes open up so much more. And
I feel like that's the whole point of like our
work ethic. It's just that we're making it happen like
we want it to happen, and it's just like our
name now and ever it's gonna happen now or never,
Like it's either we just talk about it never happens,
or we actually do it and then something's gonna happen
(25:23):
out of it.
Speaker 1 (25:29):
How has Sam changed the band?
Speaker 4 (25:31):
The way his bass sounds when we play live is
so good and Vic starts songs really stick out. The
last couple of shows before Sandra and the band was
basically me and Bahi, and it didn't sound as fun
to play because we had no bass. When Sandra in
the band, we finally heard some songs again that we
(25:53):
haven't played in a wild but the basics sounds like,
oh shit, like this is like really cool it's like
the white stripes or yeah, like hell no, that song
is like a really cool baseline on it. And then
I heard that basically played the game and that's I
heard it played like that in the long side.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
And how is it joining this band? Like what are you?
What are your thoughts?
Speaker 5 (26:15):
I've been stoked ever since day one, Like they said,
Gabby reached out to me, and I hadn't been playing. Uh,
my band had broke up over the same things, you know,
band drama stuff like that. When they reached out to
me to uh play for them, you know, touch it
back on the name, it hit me there, you know,
now or never, and I was like thinking about getting
(26:36):
back into music stuff like that, and uh when they
reached out to me, I was like, okay, yeah, well
it's now or never, you know, so I either join
up or I don't. And I joined up. And uh,
just the musicianship they the way they write their music,
the subject matter, the fact that it has meaning, you know,
(26:58):
and you know, like you were saying, there's a everybody
takes it, you know, very seriously. There's a level of
seriousness that definitely makes it a lot more fun and
easy to play in the band. And that's like the
balance there is, you know, balancing the fun and the
seriousness at the same time. And both of these guys
are very good at doing that. And I think all
of us, you know, nobody, nobody drinks. You know, we're
(27:20):
here to play music. We're not here to party. You
know that That really uh makes it a lot more
fun and a lot easier to get along with each
other and everything too. But these guys are are great musicians,
and all of the songs that they taught me, you know,
not super easy to learn. In all cases, some of
(27:41):
them really did give me a challenge, but they were
easy to practice because they're fun to play, you know.
Their their their writing style and the the genres that
they're into are very similar to you know, the stuff
that I would be listening to or playing on my own.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
I don't want to point out the obvious, but you're
not Navajo.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
I am.
Speaker 5 (28:04):
I'm fully full white guy born and raised in Galup,
New Mexico.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Mine. So you have an idea about us?
Speaker 5 (28:14):
Oh yes, yes, you know. I grew up all around
you know, I've had Native American friends growing up my
whole life, and my my girlfriend now is Native American.
And you know, growing up here, you know, you tend
to learn a lot about the culture and stuff like that.
But I've always been very interested in it. You know,
(28:35):
It's always been something that you know, when you're you
grow up around it, you hear about it every day,
you know, and when it's not a part of you know,
maybe necessarily your culture. You know, a lot of people
in my family may not know about you know, native
traditions or Native beliefs and stuff like that. I always
found it very interesting and very you know, I respect it.
(29:02):
The traditional beliefs to me carry a lot of weight
to them, and you know, there's a lot of history
behind that, and uh, you know, I think it would
be I think it would be really awesome to you know,
shine a little bit more light on that. And I
feel super privileged to be in a band with guys
(29:23):
like Nabahi and Jeff who who do know, you know,
their history and can you know, shine light on stuff
that I may not know about. And you know, it's
it's cool to be a part of something that does
promote that because you know, even though I am white,
I was born here, and you know, I I feel
(29:44):
like it's a it's a part of my personal culture
as well.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
Like you were saying, Nabahi medicine, people were singing. That's
like how it was done. Like everything was a chant,
a song, and was for putting out goods, for a protection,
for growth and harmony. It was just like the way
people communicated that. So it's cool to see it carrying
on in this modern way and also with like different
(30:11):
members and stuff. And I'm really excited to see what
happens next.
Speaker 3 (30:15):
We know what to do now. It's more like we
were already in the process of it, and I feel
like once we do the second album, man, it's just
gonna keep popping out songs, albums, stuff like that. Then
the more feedback we get from people, you know, it's
really awesome how they can relate to the songs because
we're already getting that feedback. How some people love summers In,
some people love peaches, oh yeah, that's good. Yeah, some
(30:38):
people love ebony, and some people love zombie and it's
all for the own reasons. Like you know, with the
summers In, they talk about how it's more like jumpy,
like happy, and then when it comes to the new songs,
like even October Leaves is a fully new song that
no one's really heard because it was just me and
(30:59):
Jeff playing it in practice.
Speaker 1 (31:01):
Are you excited to develop some songs with them? I am.
Speaker 5 (31:04):
I'm I'm super stoked to write some new music with
these guys. Like I said, their their style of music,
the way they play, the songs that they already have,
they just if it's what I'm interested in so perfectly.
I really feel like it'll give me a chance to
expand on my musicianship, and you know, we can all
(31:25):
kind of encourage each other, and I think it'll just
get better and better, honestly.
Speaker 1 (31:30):
Right, What songs of theirs do you like the most?
Speaker 5 (31:33):
I really enjoy hell No for obvious reasons. And I
love pretty much all the ska songs that we play
because the bassline really drives it. When the ska chords
come in, you know, the band works all together to
make the sound. So that's a burger and I really
enjoy hell No. And then I would say I really
(31:55):
enjoy how They're That song gave me the hardest time
to learn, but I think I finally got it down
good enough. But it's it's a genre that's a little
bit outside of my, uh my comfort zone. But that's
(32:16):
that's what made it fun to learn. It was you know,
it was a challenge.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
Will you talk about Peaches?
Speaker 2 (32:32):
Oh much enough, m.
Speaker 4 (32:37):
Pecause that's like, but the first song we ever wrote together.
Speaker 1 (32:41):
As a band, and who is Peaches?
Speaker 3 (32:44):
Oh? It's so the role that I'm trying to stick
by is that it's not about a particular person, but
just to feeling about it.
Speaker 1 (32:54):
Yeah, you feel a bunch of people.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
Yeah, because all right, So I did write a song
about a girl back in my old band and it
was our hit. But at the same time that that
relationship fell so short to where it's like, you know,
you love that song, but you're not with that person.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
Basically good outcome.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
Yeah exactly. It just came a like a good song.
But with Peaches, it was more or less like I
wanted to make a rockab league sweetheart song. And when
(33:35):
I first developed it, it was actually slower to like,
it wasn't kind of like fast pacing the way it
is now. But when I when I made it, it
was actually in Twin Lakes and I had a little
crate and I first got my first guitar for my auntie.
It was like a Les Paul and that's the first
song I made like that was kind of like on
(33:58):
my own, like without my any bands or any influences.
That was like around me. It was just me playing
and then I just made the the how would you say,
the riffs and the way I wanted to develop it.
But once I came to now and Ever, it's like
I had the chords and everything that we just need
(34:19):
to make lyrics and that's when we developed it. Then help.
Speaker 4 (34:23):
Yeah, I feel like Jeff's helped a lot. I had
like experienced in a psychobillity rocky band before. I used
to be in a man called Cats of Horror, and
that's that's where I got my first taste in uh
like psychobility and rockabilly. It was just like and then
that's how we uh still balled on Peaches.
Speaker 3 (34:42):
You know. It's that fifties kind of air kind of
love that you want. Everyone wants that. I feel like
even in today's society, everyone wants that, uh where you
can you know, get a girl run away with her,
like you know, start a whole new life, happily every
after kind of story. But obviously it's uh, it's not
(35:03):
that way sometimes, but at the same time, Peaches is
all about that, the euphoria of like being in love
in that way, and uh, yeah, that's basically what it's about.
And you could when you hear it, you could feel
like it's either about you or someone close to you
or you know, that's what I wanted, like how that's
(35:26):
how I wrote it, and that's how I wanted to
feel like I'm seeing it personally to you. It's just
like it's not specifically about a certain person. It's just
about you know, the idea of being in love.
Speaker 1 (35:39):
I like the summer one too, the summer end, is
that what it is?
Speaker 3 (35:43):
Yeah, Summer's end.
Speaker 1 (35:43):
Yeah. I don't like summer.
Speaker 3 (35:46):
Yeah, yeah, I don't like Yeah, I feel like the
weather definitely, But when it comes to shows, I love it.
That's the only thing that gives me excited about the
summer is just like there's backyard shows shows everywhere. Yeah,
that's kind of like how the whole atmosphere of that
song was about was just like you don't want summer
to end, especially when you have a group of friends
(36:08):
that you're hanging out with that either join a show
or a tenny show or playing a show. It's like
you never want the summers to end.
Speaker 1 (36:16):
And what kind of music are you planning to contribute
to this, Like is there any type of vibe that
you're going to add.
Speaker 5 (36:23):
I mean, I would love to be able to contribute
to any of the songs any any way, lyrically or musically,
But I really feel like my job is a bass
player is just to take Nabahi's already good guitar playing
and just try to make that sound better with the
(36:44):
bass behind it, you know, and then take Jeff's already
amazing drum playing and kind of drive that too with
the low end move some air. So that's what you
can hopefully expect from on the new album is Yeah,
just I'm just trying to add to the band and
you know, make it stick out and sound different.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
That's cool. Yeah yeah, So Abauhi You're gonna be the
lead probably one like type of songs or what the
songs are about.
Speaker 3 (37:14):
Yeah, it's like it's like orchestrating like exactly like what
you love and then like trying to bring it to life.
And it's like, uh, you know, it could be about
today's issues, or it could be about generational issues, or
it could be about the future too, like and then
the other part is, uh, like when it comes to
(37:36):
the novel Man, that one's really cool. It's really funny. Uh.
The way that I feel about it is that I
think it's gonna be a hit, especially like I'm gonna
try not to well, I don't think I'm gonna cust
in that song just so I could get radio play
and I can hopefully get on like KTNN, you know,
or like trying to get it too, like local native
(37:58):
broadcasting stations too, because before they're gone, yeah, exactly. And
then when it comes to uh, the novel Man song itself,
it's more or less funny because like, you know, I
don't know if he saw that trend on TikTok where
you're like you talk about bad apples and stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (38:14):
Oh yeah, I got everybody very upset.
Speaker 3 (38:17):
Yeah, but like it's more or less like uh contributing
to that and a little bit more. And I think
it's really funny because uh, yeah, it's just about trying
to protect that image of a Navajo man in general,
because I am n able, like I am a Navajo
man and uh Hopey man and sac and fox man.
(38:38):
Is just the fact that you know, uh, I don't
think Uh, people talk about how how much we try
to do or how much we go, how far we go,
even when it comes to like uh like work, ethic,
love everything.
Speaker 1 (38:54):
Yeah, it was very big generalization for sure. Yeah, but
I think it really made a lot of people upset
because it's basically just stereotyping Navajo man. Yeah specific way.
Speaker 3 (39:08):
Yeah, yeah, but I think it's to me, it was
kind of funny because I'm like, I feel like it's
so true, but at the same time it's not. You know,
there's like so super good guys out there, and there's
super good guys on the reservation that I feel like
they're more introvert though, So the extroverts are the ones
that probably not not too bad, like I guess you
(39:28):
would say, they're not too genuinely like And when it
comes to like the introverts, they're they're they're there, and
I just feel like they you know, it's just they're
not out and about. You know, they're playing video games
at home, they're working all the time. It's more or
less like, uh, the way I'm gonna word it is
(39:49):
like even doing chores, hurting sheep and stuff like that.
And then I don't know, like fixing up your old
chitty or something like that. And it's just like those
words are gonna be in there just to be kind
of like, uh, generally defining you as a as a
NAVI guy. When it comes to and Jeff, it's like
what I try to do is we try to make
(40:11):
all the songs sound different, like I said before, and
that's how I still want to continue to do. So
I want Jeff to have like a lead, and even
Sam to have a lead in the song. So even
in like Zombie towards the end, like Sam just plays
the bass by himself, that's the lead part I wanted
(40:32):
to have because when it comes to Zombie itself, I
was always thinking of Scott Pilgrim. I don't know if
you ever heard of that. Yeah, the movie and the
it's just that bass sounded so awesome and I always
wanted that to have and I feel like that that's
what we have with Sam, and like I want there
to be more leads like that than when it comes
(40:54):
to Jeff, I wanted to have like defining drumming parts.
Like it's like even the drumming patterns. Feel like I
(41:16):
have the right team and I feel like we all
we all really want to strive to be the best
and have all the songs to be fun and great.
Speaker 4 (41:25):
Well, my favorite song from this album is Ebony because
that has like such a lovely, awesome pop punk vibe
and like in the middle, like and before the end
of new part, it's like this little part that I
(41:47):
really like where I want to be really silent and
then there's a part in the drums where I hit
like the spell symbol and then we go into a breakdown.
Speaker 3 (42:02):
The thing I'm happy about is going on to all
the other platforms that we're on now, which is like
Spotify and Apple Music, and I never thought that we
would be on there in a way.
Speaker 4 (42:13):
Yeah, same year. It's so cool that, like before, I've
been in so many bands before and then I never
thought I come out with an album until this year,
we actually have an album on Spotify and Apple Music.
It's really cool and thanks to dog House, we're doing
that for us.
Speaker 1 (42:33):
Is there a band website or how do people follow
you all?
Speaker 3 (42:37):
When it comes to Instagram, it's now never easy, And
when it comes to Facebook, it's just now or never
and it's with the exclamation point and then h yeah.
Speaker 4 (42:49):
For one reason, people always forget to put into explamation
mark band.
Speaker 3 (42:52):
Yeah, so it's now our never exclamation point. That would
be like on Spotify and Apple Music too. That's how
you can research us. But you had to research it
under artists too, because I guess there's other hour never
is out there, but ours is the only one with
the exclamation point.
Speaker 1 (43:10):
Just like wrapping it up. What other bands should we
be listening to that are local that you guys really
enjoy language.
Speaker 3 (43:17):
That's a good question.
Speaker 5 (43:18):
That is I really like the Blistens. Yeah, they're really.
Speaker 1 (43:23):
Cool and they're from here.
Speaker 5 (43:26):
They are from Tuba City, Tuba.
Speaker 1 (43:28):
City, Okay, same type of music or.
Speaker 3 (43:31):
Yeah, somewhat. It's like I think they're more punk.
Speaker 5 (43:34):
They're a lot more like rancid, like like street punk
kind of Yeah.
Speaker 3 (43:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (43:40):
For me, I would say Wavelengths like a pop punk band.
They're pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (43:45):
I feel like there's a lot of artists that are
really great and the ones that could point out it's
echo tone because they come from one Drog two that awesome. Yeah,
they're like an indie rock.
Speaker 1 (43:58):
Yeah. The members of Now are Never remain committed to
the band, sharing their stories and bringing energy wherever they play.
All music featured in this episode is from Fates Collide,
the new album by Now or Never. This episode of Burnsage,
Burn Bridges was written and produced by myself, Nicole Garcia,
(44:20):
along with Carmen Laurent, Max Williams and Dylan Fagan. Special
thanks to our guests Nabahi, Jeff and Sam of the
band Now or Never and Doghouse Media. Thank you for listening.
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