February 22, 2024 • 51 mins
Violet Mayugba has her eyes on the prize. In this episode we sit down with the insanely cool Destroy Boys guitar player to talk about her journey in life and music. We also peel back the curtain on the origin and evolution of Destroy Boys, the smiles and cries of non-stop touring, the eternal influence of Green Day, arena shows with Blink-182, a new album out this summer and so much more! As always - brought to you by Sailor Jerry!
https://www.instagram.com/violetmayugba/
https://www.instagram.com/destroyboysband/
https://sailorjerry.com
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Matt Caughthran (00:01):
Surely, surely, surely, surely, surely, surely.
Oh yeah, what's up everybodyand welcome to episode 63 of the
(00:34):
Sailor Jerry podcast.
My name is Matt Cawthorne, I amstill your host and today is
Thursday, february 22nd 2024.
And yes, ladies and gentlemen,sailor Jerry Spicestrum is most
definitely still made the oldschool way 92 proof bold and
(00:58):
smooth as hell.
I hope everybody's doing greatout there.
I want to give a couple shoutouts here worldwide.
What's up England?
What's up Manchester?
What's up London?
What's up Leeds?
What's going on Australia?
What's up Canada?
What's up Sweden?
What's up Stockholm?
What's up Gothenburg?
We got a lot of listeners allover the globe and I appreciate
(01:23):
every single one of you.
I hope everyone's doing good.
If you're just tuning in to thepodcast for the first time,
welcome aboard, we're stoked tohave you.
If you're watching on YouTube,you might be thinking man Matt
is looking pretty fresh, prettyrevitalized.
He must have had a birthday orsomething.
(01:44):
And you would be right.
Ladies and gentlemen, I knowit's not ladylike to reveal your
age, but I am very grateful tohave spent 45 years on this
planet.
February 13th 1979, your boycame kicking and screaming into
the world and I am veryfortunate to have lived the life
(02:09):
, that I've lived andexperienced everything I've
experienced, and to be here nowsharing it all with you and
talking to other artists andother musicians on the Sailor
Jerry podcast.
I hope everybody who celebratesValentine's Day had a good
Valentine's Day.
Of course, it's Black HistoryMonth.
February is the best month ofthe year.
(02:32):
It's time for episode 63.
Violet Mayuba has her eyes onthe prize.
In this episode we sit downwith the Destroy Boys guitar
player to discuss her journey inlife and music.
Of course, we also talk aboutthe origin and the evolution of
the band, the joys and the painsof touring nonstop, the
(02:55):
never-ending influence of GreenDay, writing a new record and so
much more.
I had such a good time talkingwith Violet, and Destroy Boys
are a band that you 100% need toknow about because they are
about to blow up and you don'twant to be late to the party.
So sit back, relax, pouryourself some Sailor Jerry and
(03:18):
let's go, violet.
(03:44):
Thank you so much for being aguest here on the Sailor Jerry
podcast.
How do you pronounce your lastname?
Violet Mayugba (03:50):
Thanks for having me.
Matt Caughthran (03:51):
That's not how you say it Awesome.
What nationality is that it's?
Violet Mayugba (03:57):
Filipino.
Matt Caughthran (03:58):
Nice, that's really cool.
Violet Mayugba (04:01):
Thank you.
I'm proud to be Filipino.
I wish I could say more aboutit, but I honestly don't really
know anything about my heritage.
I don't know anything about it,but cool food is good.
Matt Caughthran (04:14):
Yeah, the food is really good.
Speaking about family, you'refrom Sacramento, right?
Yeah, awesome.
We've actually played inSacramento a lot over the last
couple of years and it getsbetter and better.
I got a lot of friends up thereand there's a lot of cool new
restaurants and places to getcoffee and stuff like that.
(04:36):
Shout out Sacramento, for sure.
But when I was doing a littlebackground research, I always
asked if there's musical historyin the family and I was so
surprised and so stoked to seethat there's some really cool
music history in your familybetween your guitar playing dad
and your singing mom, which isamazing.
(04:57):
So it's the skirts and fallacy.
Right, those are the two bands.
Violet Mayugba (05:01):
It's research dude.
Matt Caughthran (05:04):
That's what I'm talking about.
I was so stoked so your momsang in a band called the Skirts
and your dad played guitar in aband called Fallacy.
Yeah, and you can look boththose things up on YouTube.
It's awesome.
Violet Mayugba (05:17):
I'll look both of them stand up.
If you look at that stand up, Igot to prepare you for a lot of
weird, interesting moves.
Matt Caughthran (05:25):
Yeah, the full-length volume, I think,
came out in 2001,.
And it's up on YouTube and youcan listen to it.
And it's cool because obviouslywe're just meeting now and I
don't know you.
But it's cool because I'm a fanof the band and your
songwriting and it's just reallycool to see those two elements
between your parents and now youas an artist.
(05:47):
It's just rad.
So what was it like growing upin Sacramento in sort of a rock
and roll household, so to speak?
Violet Mayugba (05:56):
So that's so cool.
I know both of those bands, bythe way.
Like thanks for checking thatout my mom's band I don't want
to spoil too much, but they'vebeen kind of writing a little
bit, which I'm very excited.
I keep trying to produce andthey like won't let me produce,
like let me.
But you know, what's so funnyabout that is like my parents
(06:18):
were pretty young when they hadme.
They were 30 and 31.
So I was like, growing up inthat house, my parents' bands
would like rehearse downstairswhile I was growing up.
So I was like I hate music.
Because I was like, yeah, likeI go down there asking for like
(06:41):
a snack and they're all likedrinking beer and like talking
to me on the mic and I'm like,oh, you guys are weird.
Like I hate music, I hate bands.
I'm going to be a chef.
That was like my whole thingfor my whole life.
And then, when I was 13, Idiscovered Green Day and, like
you know, I had my dad had shownme like a million bands, right,
(07:03):
like he had shown me Green Day.
And I was like, yeah, but Ialso was really into pop music.
I'm not going to front and sayI like was punk from day one.
Matt Caughthran (07:11):
Yeah, you were underground.
Kid out the womb.
Violet Mayugba (07:14):
Yeah, I was like no, I was on the guitar and
(07:45):
they were like great, here's allour stuff.
Matt Caughthran (07:48):
So we've been waiting for you to say that.
Violet Mayugba (07:51):
Like I grew up learning and writing.
Most of our first recordactually on my dad's 70s strat,
73 strat.
Matt Caughthran (08:00):
No way.
Yeah, that's so cool and sothere was.
Obviously they weren't likepushing you.
They were probably secretlyhoping but fuck music, I want to
be a chef.
How far did you go down thechef rabbit hole?
Violet Mayugba (08:14):
Well, I'm actually still in the show for
rabbit hole.
I can't even lie, nice.
What's funny is that my dad andI grew up cooking and, like you
know, I think the normal kindof American thing is that like
mom cooks by herself and likewith everything, but like my
parents were both so crazybadass growing up, my mom
traveled for work like six daysout of the week, like 16 hours a
(08:35):
day, so my dad was always theone cooking and I would help him
after work and he'd be likejust really engaged with me, be
like what does this need?
You know, like having me trystuff, and I'd always be like
salt because I still over salt.
But it's part of love food in methat just has never gone away.
And I got more into the scienceof cooking and just proper like
(09:01):
modern culinary stuff.
Like the older I got and I justnow that I am an adult, I live
on my own Like I always, everyday I make myself a new meal and
I experiment and I do a lot ofresearch and I love all that.
I love all that stuff.
Matt Caughthran (09:16):
So yeah, you love the whole process of it.
Do you think there's anyparallels between you know
writing a song versus you knowmaking?
You know real food?
You know, or is there?
Are they just two completelydifferent worlds?
Violet Mayugba (09:29):
I think they can be compared.
Yeah, I feel like cooking andmusic are a couple of the very
few things in humanity that justeveryone responds to, because
in a it's instinctual.
You know like you hear a sound,you're like cool, you eat food,
you're like great, you know youhave to eat to live.
Everyone likes food and tastegood.
Matt Caughthran (09:52):
Yeah, and music is life, so it's all good.
You know what I'm saying.
Violet Mayugba (09:57):
I think there is a certain amount of creativity
involved and I also think thatjust anyone can do it.
You know, there are a lot ofpeople that are just naturally
inclined towards those things.
Like I am not a natural or Iwouldn't I don't know, I
wouldn't consider myself anaturally inclined songwriter.
I think it's like something I'mproud of is that I built the
skill over so many years.
(10:18):
In my first few years of writingsongs, I was literally just
writing great songs in differentkeys, like changing stuff, and
then I'd show my parents and belike, check the song out.
They'd be like that's American,idiot, but good job.
Um, and then you know, you growup and you read recipes.
(10:39):
You fall into the tea.
And then same thing withsongwriting.
It's like okay, like I'm goingto try this.
I remember this worked lasttime and I liked this band that
did this, I liked the chef thatdid this.
So just growing into my own NowI never look at recipes anymore
.
Matt Caughthran (10:53):
So yeah, no, it's cool and, and you know,
speaking to songwriting, it'slike you know, as you, as you
evolve, you know you learn totake your influences and not
like you don't like play theexact thing, but you, they, they
like filter their way inside ofyour writing and and how you
evolve as a writer and it'sreally cool to have that happen
and to experience that.
(11:14):
I remember one of the thingsthat so we have like a Mariachi
band too, and our guitar player,joby, is.
You know, he's a badass, butone time it was really funny.
You know, we were, we were inthe studio and he comes in and
he's so stoked, he's like I gotthe best new song.
You know that I've like everwritten, you know, and he comes
(11:37):
in and he starts playing thisthing and we just all start
laughing and he's playing HotelCalifornia by the Eagles.
Violet Mayugba (11:45):
That's so funny.
You say that because I did thatwith California Cation with my
band.
So to California, oh and yeah,it happens.
Matt Caughthran (11:54):
You know there's so many songs that have
been written.
You know it's like it's everysong.
It's just funny.
Violet Mayugba (12:00):
My band was losing their shit on me.
They were rolling over laughingand I was at this one.
We were like 19.
I was like you guys, likethat's not fair, like you guys
can't laugh at my ideas, likethat's fucked up, like well.
And they were like no, dude,you're playing chili peppers.
And I was like, and they werelike play the riff.
And I say our drummer like fastforwarded to the exact part I
(12:22):
was doing and I was like, oh,and that song.
We ended up changing it and itended up becoming our song honey
I'm home, or the outro.
Matt Caughthran (12:30):
Nice yeah, Nice Well.
Violet Mayugba (12:32):
California.
Matt Caughthran (12:33):
Cation is a big tune, so it happens out there,
but that's all.
That's all the kind of give andtake of songwriting.
You know it's like me, as, aswhen I write lyrics to all do
the same thing.
You know, it's just like, andthat's one of the things that I
loved about punk initially.
That kind of drew me in was theinitial aspect of hey, like,
(12:54):
you don't really got to be likethe smartest person in the room
or the most talented musician orsinger.
You know there's a hundreddifferent ways to say fuck you.
You know there's its attitudeand its feeling and it's you
know, it's, it's, it's whereyou're coming from and and what
you're experiencing in your lifethat you can have the ability
(13:16):
to scream and do the microphone.
You know, and it was.
It was such a cool thing for meto like, realize, you know,
because I always wanted to, youknow, play my part.
All my friends were startingbands and you know I, I loved, I
just I loved picking up a micand screaming into it.
So it was like something thatpunk rock gave me, that
accessibility as as a young kid,was so awesome.
(13:38):
You know you guys have evolveda long way, you know, I know you
got three full lengths out.
You know you got a new songthat's.
That's crushing right now onradio, which is unbelievable,
and we'll get to that in a bit.
Yeah, it's so.
It's so awesome.
I'm so stoked for you guys.
But going back to the, just thestart of the band, and is it?
(14:01):
Is it Alexia?
Is that how you pronounce it?
Violet Mayugba (14:03):
Yeah, they use they'd cool.
Matt Caughthran (14:05):
Okay, I want to talk about your guys'
relationship, your creativerelationship, how you both came
together, how the band started.
Can you kind of, you know, tellthat story for our listeners?
Violet Mayugba (14:16):
Oh, my God, I would love to.
So when I started playing music, I was like I'm going to be
girl Billy Joe.
Like I'm going to be girl,billy Joe, I'm going to do all
this stuff.
Oh, but I didn't really have adirection.
Besides knowing that I lovedthat type of visceral, gnarly
energy, I wanted to play musicand I wanted to be in the
biggest band in the world.
(14:37):
Those were like my cornerstones.
Matt Caughthran (14:39):
I didn't know how I would do it.
Violet Mayugba (14:42):
I just was like this is exactly what I'm going
to do, this is my life, and Ijust latched onto that and I
kind of started a bunch of likebad bands, like in my garage.
Like I did this program inSacramento called stairway to
stardom, which I am saying thatit's really funny.
It's like a funny like rockcamp, like you get together they
teach you how to write songsand yeah.
(15:04):
I wish they were still doing itbecause I would love to coach it
.
So I did that and then I did,you know, like I would have
friends from high school comeover and we'd play Blink when I
need to covers in my garage andso just kind of directionless
kid stuff.
And then I also something thatI kind of had the experience
(15:25):
with in high schools.
I didn't have a ton of friends.
It was very combative.
I was like dealing with a lotof brain stuff, as most of us
you know, punks are, and Ididn't have a ton of friends.
But I had this one girl namedAbby Milstein I love to this day
, she's sweetheart, and she hadjust transferred from another
school.
She had a million friends rightand she was like my one best
(15:46):
friend.
We were very close.
And then she was like come withme to this party.
And I was like, okay, you know,just rude, she's a rude kid.
And she was like oh, my friendAlexia wants us to pick them up.
And I was like who's this,who's this person?
Just all like all smiles, likeI'm sure you've seen pictures of
(16:11):
them.
They have that big, beautiful,sunshine face and they were like
oh yeah, they're like who areyou?
You know like just ask mequestions, being really sweet,
and I was just very like oh, no,no, no.
And then they just stopped it,nothing to be my friend.
And after like a few days ofthem doing that, it was just I
was obsessed, like.
(16:32):
I was like, oh, you're myperson for life and I've never
lost that.
They are like, yeah, I person,they are truly my person.
So we hung out every day.
We were like let's start a band, because I did that with all my
friends, you know.
And they were like I'm going tolearn how to play drums and you
can play guitar and sing.
I couldn't sing.
(16:53):
They certainly didn't know howto play the drums, but we had a
kid in our garage so we werejust like doing jump hovers and
stuff.
And we were talking aboutwriting songs.
One night and they were like Iactually wrote a song that I
sang and played you, layla, on,and I was like, oh, what?
Like, okay, yeah, sure, like,play it for me.
And they played this voice memo.
(17:13):
I heard their voice and I waslike I remember it so clearly.
They were sitting up on thecouch and I was sitting on the
floor and I got up, like I wasproposing to them, and I went
you're the key, you're going tomake us famous.
Your voice is perfect, this iswhat you're going to sing in the
band.
What are you doing?
Talking about playing drums?
(17:33):
And I went on this tangent andI was like I'm going to play
guitar, you're going to sing,we're going to write songs,
we're going to put this song outtonight and they were like what
?
No, I don't want to sing.
They had so funny compared tothem.
Now they're like this beast ofstage.
But first, they tried.
They were like no, I don't wantto sing.
And I was like I don't carewhat you want to do or what you
(17:55):
don't want to do.
Your voice is pristine and I'mtaking it like Ursula and Ariel.
So it's my now and a songcalled I think I should make out
with other people, which islike Everything about this
roadways that I love and thatpeople love.
It's just very honest.
(18:16):
A lot of weird talking, justfunny romantic entanglements,
high school stuff, and we put iton band camp and, like all of
our friends were like this isreally good, and I was like
Alexia, let's play shows.
Our first show ever wasHalloween 2015.
It just never stopped Likewe're perfect together because
they are this very like I wastalking about people being
(18:38):
naturally inclined to that.
They are this very natural andstinctural, almost like
reincarnated creative force,Like I think that they got a
little piece of Percobane's soul, you know, or something, Just
something so magical anduniversal about who they are and
I'm like I like to call myselfa suit in disguise.
(18:59):
You know how, like musicindustry, people would call them
suits.
Matt Caughthran (19:01):
Yeah yeah, yeah , yeah.
Violet Mayugba (19:03):
Just some label guy and I'm like this is how
we're going to do it.
I love playing guitar.
You write me a bunch of songsand we'll pick some, and it just
never stopped.
Matt Caughthran (19:13):
You know I'm a big fan of, like you know,
creative relationships,songwriting relationships, that
kind of chemistry is just sospecial and really cool and you
both have that with each otherand it's just incredible and you
hear it too.
You know you hear it when youlisten to the band and it's
really, really cool.
(19:34):
And I was stoked to just kindof get a little background on
your guys' story because as theband evolved, you know when did
you go from you know steppingout from the acoustic realm to
you know, putting a full bandtogether and kind of you know,
taking that leap?
Violet Mayugba (19:52):
Well, I'd always , you know, I never really
envisioned us as an acousticband.
I was just waiting for thatnext moment, like I um part of
this whole thing also.
Just, I feel like I'm peelingaway from origin story a little
bit, but something I didn't wantto talk about too.
I feel like I'm talking a lotabout my like ambition and stuff
and it may sound I hope itdoesn't sound egotistical that I
(20:14):
was always like I want to bethe biggest band in the world.
Matt Caughthran (20:17):
No, hell, no.
I mean I think it's.
I think it's important and radto have that vision and that
type of you know that type ofgoal, and you don't have to.
I mean, there's plenty of bandsthat don't, that are awesome
too, but I would never take itthat way.
And I mean any sort of kind ofcreative person has you know
(20:38):
whether or not they want to talkabout it or not.
There's drive there and there'sgoals there and there's
ambition there and it's up toyou how you want to speak about
it or let it out.
Some people do, some peopledon't, and it's all good.
I wouldn't get that at all fromyou.
Violet Mayugba (20:51):
Oh, thank you.
So, like I would say, I alwayshad this ambition.
You know we were going to bethis big, huge band.
I keep coming back to Green Daybecause I was, you know,
talking about the early days,all I cared about.
You know, they have like eightdudes on stage.
So I hit up my friend, ethanKnight, and I was like, or no,
he?
You know it's funny he actuallyhit me up and he was like, let
(21:12):
me play drums in the band.
And I was like, yes, yes, great.
And so then we just went tothis is so crazy Solo freehand
vocal, alexia, me on guitar andthen Ethan on drums.
Just one guitar, one vocal.
That's how our first record isthe guitar.
How are we going?
Matt Caughthran (21:32):
to tell.
Violet Mayugba (21:33):
On that first record, it's us live in a room
in a studio drums, single guitar.
One record, all one take.
Matt Caughthran (21:42):
Yeah, and that's sorry, mom, right, is
that the?
Is that the the first album,right?
Violet Mayugba (21:46):
We're concerned, curious about why that record
sounds like shit.
It's because we were 16, livein a room, no doubles, no.
Matt Caughthran (21:58):
Hey, you know the thing about you know first
albums and just you know firstEP's for songs.
That's so rad is that you knowit doesn't matter what the band
is, it's always you know, it'salways a start, it's always a
ground floor kind of basicattempt at making an album and
you know it's it's always goingto have funny moments about it
(22:19):
and it's always going to havejust amazing moments about it
and it's it's really cool whenyou listen to that album.
Now, like you're saying that,like you know, one of the things
that that bands do and that youguys have done that's that's
really cool Is just, you know,record by record, usually the
production steps up a little bit.
You know you learn things.
(22:40):
Like you're saying you learn,you know about, you know the
studio.
There's such a learning curvein the studio, oh my God, and
that's what's so cool aboutmaking multiple records.
And you know evolving andgrowing as an artist and
especially as a band, becauseyou experience that together and
it's always so cool.
Like, like you know, we'retalking about your latest single
.
The production on that thing isincredible.
(23:01):
And when you look back yeah,when you look back from, you
know, sorry, mom, 2016,.
You know, you know, you see,you see growth and you see a
band that's gone places and it's, it's rad.
So I like the production of thefirst album.
Violet Mayugba (23:15):
A lot of people do.
It's funny, like I think thatit captured that time for us
perfectly Just.
It's very janky, it's veryhonest.
There's no songwriting help,like just nothing.
It was just songs we wrote inmy garage and we just went in
there and we played them and wemixed it the same day and we put
(23:38):
it out the next day.
Matt Caughthran (23:40):
Yeah, it's always funny too, because you
get, you'll get like the SuperDie Hard fans that are just be
like that, just refuse to let goof that first album sound and
they're just like what the hell,where's where did this bass
come from?
What's up with?
What's up with Southern guitar?
You guys have changed.
Violet Mayugba (23:59):
What's so funny about our fans?
I love our fans.
They're really cool and sincewe started so young, a lot of
our fans are very, very youngstill, but we also have that
core listener base that camearound during when that record
came out 2016.
Yeah, and they grew with us andthey've always just accepted us
for what we want to be or whowe want to be as a band and
(24:23):
they're just.
They just ride hard for Deboand I appreciate it so much for
that.
You know, I see so many fanbases out there.
Like I feel like the morefamous you get, the more bases
start to splinter and just arguewith each other.
And but our kids are so I meantruly just a live aspect, like
(24:45):
they're always looking out foreach other in the crowd, just
always supportive of us aspeople.
Like you know, what's funny istoday's Valentine's Day when
we're recording this and Iposted on her pants account like
these pictures of me and Alexiafor Valentine's Day and I had
to put a disclaimer.
I'm like we are not datingbecause.
And then they were all likelove, love your friendship, love
(25:08):
your friendship.
And then they were like guys,they're not dating.
You know real TV fans, you knowy'all are just super wholesome
besties and true love transcendsromantic connotations Like yeah
, that's a little bit of a fouleerie, as he said that like that
kids play 17,.
You know, I'm just like, yeah me, guys are smart.
Matt Caughthran (25:28):
Yeah, yeah, you use the Bronx comment section
is no, I mean it's not beastly,it's just.
You know I it's, it's, it's,it's pure gold sometimes, but
you know that's, that'severyone's comment section in
general comment sections.
You know, live by the sword,die by the sword.
(25:49):
But yeah, I mean some peopleare tortured by their audience.
You know what I mean and it'slike that.
That sucks.
Violet Mayugba (25:55):
Yeah, I mean, look at pop stars.
You know like I feel like yeahyou know, jocke post like she
put out that single demons whichis great, by the way and she
was like getting ripped apartfor being satanic.
Yeah, I'm so grateful, like wesaid, you know, perfect word
looks so fortunate to have suchsweet, sweet kids and just like
(26:17):
I feel like they're so willingto learn and we're always trying
to Promote those kinds ofvalues at our shows.
Alexia always says like not foreach other.
I always say on the mic I'mlike if you want to go get water
will still be here when you getback Water.
You know, just make sure theperson next use Okay, if you see
(26:37):
somebody fucking with somebody,let security know and they'll
kick that dude's ass.
Like we've had to kick peopleout of shows before, like, yeah,
mid song, and we wouldn't beable to do that if we didn't
have such a Caring audience.
You know we were playing theRoxy and I think it was 20, 22
(26:57):
or 2021 like end of our firstheadline tour ever.
We like we sold out the Roxy.
We were very excited and andlike, right before we went into
the song that I sing, this groupof girl, I was like 20.
Girls were like pointing atthis guy that we're like Out of
here and I was like whathappened?
(27:18):
You know it's been.
Now I'm like what's going on?
Yeah.
I'm not into public shaming, I'mnot in any of that shit.
I think it's weird but, like wealways say, like look after
each other and we go, and thisgirl told me he goes or she goes
.
That guy's been grabbing like10 girls since he walked in here
and I just went on the mic, Igo get the fuck out before I get
security to get out.
(27:38):
And then he just failed, youknow, and we wouldn't be able to
do that if we didn't havepeople that cared.
Matt Caughthran (27:43):
So yeah, yeah, I mean, you know music is a
community, you know, and as itbreaks down into, you know,
underground subgenres, punk,hardcore, all that good stuff, I
mean the community is supposedto get tighter and stronger, you
know.
So it's like it's veryimportant that you know Everyone
looks out for each other atshows and all that good stuff,
and and it's also, you know,it's also important to let
(28:04):
everybody express themselves tooand get crazy and not freak out
when someone's Stage diving ordancing or doing whatever they
want to do.
You know.
Violet Mayugba (28:12):
Well, many of our fans like they come to our
shows and it's their first showand they're like whoa and Alexia
had we had to learn that, youknow, because we're growing up
too.
Like we didn't.
We don't know how to deal withthese insane crowds of 500,
800,000 people.
Like we didn't know how to dothat.
So Alexia learned to say likeIf you don't want to get hit,
(28:33):
say, all the pit, go the back,you're not missing anything.
Like you don't want to getjumped on, if you don't want to
be pushed around, that's okay,there's no judgment.
Just don't go to the one areawhere people are doing that and
then be mad that you got pushed,you know.
Matt Caughthran (28:49):
I've always loved the chaos of punk shows
like that's.
I loved it.
When I was a kid I was like I'mgonna go in there, I'm gonna
lose my mind.
Violet Mayugba (28:56):
What's so cool about music is that it literally
takes over your body and soul,like when I saw are you a Gulch
fan?
Matt Caughthran (29:03):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Violet Mayugba (29:04):
Yeah, so I'm a huge Gulch fan, like I am a hell
yeah, and I know those dudes,they're very sweet and mellow
offstage and and then you knowthey get up there and they're
like fucking stomping throughthe stage basically, and I Went
in the crowd and I was like I'mgonna get fucked up, but I can't
control my body.
Matt Caughthran (29:25):
I have to go.
Violet Mayugba (29:27):
I must dance and it's so.
It's hard to kind of Ask peopleto almost rain that in like the
effect that your music ishaving on them.
How could you yeah, you likestop being emotionally affected
by my music and expressing itphysically, like that's not fair
.
Matt Caughthran (29:45):
Just be respectful, that's all yeah, I
saw Gulch's last show at SoundFury.
I think they reunited forsomething at Gilman, though,
recently.
Violet Mayugba (29:55):
Their friend.
Matt Caughthran (29:56):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, shout out Gulch,
awesome, awesome band, awesomerecord too.
And and what's let's?
Let's dive into songwriting alittle bit.
What do you, what do you, makesa good song.
Violet Mayugba (30:09):
Oh, that's such a good question.
First thing that comes to mindis like novelty, uniqueness,
like we talked about this before, it's every song, every version
of every song has been written,so that's really hard, but I
feel like this is such a thing Iused to say when I was 16.
So maybe this is gonna comeacross as ignorant, but I feel
(30:31):
like if you're making aconscious effort to not rip
someone off, you can take tonsof influence there and it's
still gonna come across assomething new, wrote something
unique.
Being honest and vulnerable inyour songwriting, I think, is
something that's important.
It resonates with a lot ofpeople.
That's me projecting from myband because we're saying hell,
(30:53):
a personal shit about ourselvesand people love that and I also
respond to that really well inmusic.
I'm like, yeah, I feel likeshit too.
I'm gonna put this on repeat.
Matt Caughthran (31:03):
All right, ladies and gentlemen, it is time
to take a quick commercialbreak and refresh our Sailor
Jerry cocktail.
New year, new cocktail.
2024 is all about the JerryCola.
I'm talking about two partsSailor Jerry, four parts Cola
and if you're feeling fancy,we're gonna put two Meraschino
(31:27):
cherries on top.
You know we're building it in acocktail glass.
You know we're gonna pour itover ice.
That's it.
Clean, simple, refreshing JerryCola.
Baby.
Visit SailorJerrycom for morerecipes just like this one.
Now back to the show.
The first time I saw you guyswas actually last year at Slam
(31:51):
Dunk in Rimini, italy.
Violet Mayugba (31:53):
I was gonna say not show together.
Thanks for watching us, yeahyeah, yeah, no problem.
Matt Caughthran (31:58):
No problem.
That was.
And that's when you start aband from Sacramento and with me
being I grew up in East LA, sosame kind of thing you don't
really like.
You say you have goals, youwanna get out of California,
maybe you wanna tour to Texas orthe East Coast or maybe get
into Canada, but then you, youknow, if you're stoked and
(32:20):
you're a little bit lucky andthings pick up a little bit, you
find yourself going over to theUK and maybe into mainland
Europe.
And what was?
You know two things here Iwanna know what the first
Destroy Boys tour was like, andthen I wanna know how you feel
about you know just theawesomeness of being able to
(32:41):
travel around the world playingmusic, you know.
Violet Mayugba (32:44):
Oh, my God, the two best questions ever in the
world.
So our first real US tour waswhen we were 18, but before that
I booked us a ton of DIY tourson Facebook Like that just
represents the time, like 2015,16, 17.
I would go to DIY tour postingsor like I would message just
(33:06):
venue pages or I had thisnotebook where I would write out
every all ages venue in likeCalifornia, oregon and
Washington.
That's like where we used totour to all the time and you
know I would have sections forArizona and stuff.
We never went there DIY causeit's just it was too hard at the
time in high school, you know,but like right down their email,
(33:29):
their phone number, whether ornot they were all ages, cause
you know it's really importantfor us to always play all ages
shows.
Also, we couldn't go in thevenue at that point cause we're
so.
So you know, whether or not I'dreached out to them, I would
highlight it a certain color,and I was able to book us all
these, you know, these reallyfunny shows like, and we would
(33:50):
tour in my car.
So it was just me and Alexiaand whoever was playing drums
for us at the time and all ourgear in the back of my Ford
Focus, going up the five, justtouring around.
But you know, me and Alexiawere so obsessed with each other
that we could hang out forever.
(34:10):
And just to go from that, goingfrom doing those house shows in
my car, like backing up my FordFocus into these Portland houses
and unloading my dad's, likeold Marshall and stuff into
those houses, going from doingthat to touring in a bus with
Blink 182 and arenas, like, Iwill never stop being grateful,
(34:33):
ever, because and I'm lucky tohave that experience where I do
get to have that frame ofgratitude cause a lot of people,
they just get thrown into itand that's a whole other
experience I don't know about.
But just working so hard andbeing able to get to that feels
so good, like you said, likebeing able to tour and travel
the world.
I love touring, we all lovetouring, as you know, very hard
(34:56):
on the body and the mind, so themore we tour like last year we
went to Europe twice we wereonly off for 11 weeks out of the
year, I think 11 or 13,.
Like 11, 12, 13, one of those Ihaven't done the exact math but
like very little time off,hitting it incredibly hard,
which obviously we're sograteful for.
(35:17):
But I ended up kind of likebreaking my body and my spirit.
I had an injury in Belgium whereI had to get carried off stage
and I had something like aseizure.
They never figured out what itwas, but it was just.
Oh.
Yeah, that was our second timewe were up After.
Yeah, we had to cancel our UKshows.
(35:38):
I had to fly home.
I have a shoulder neck injury.
That's from playing guitar andtouring so much.
That's like an overuse thing.
But I wouldn't trade it for theworld being able to see all
these places, see all thesepeople play all these cool shows
.
Like our second Europe tour,the one that I got injured on.
Our first show was in Warsaw,poland.
We were like who's?
(35:59):
gonna come to this.
No one knows our band out here.
It was almost sold out and theywere like yeah.
Warsaw's dope, Warsaw's totallyrad and I was like what the
fuck?
I'm in Poland.
This is, you know, and likebefore, that frame of gratitude
(36:19):
where I'm like, oh my God, likeI used to journal in high school
about how bad I wanted to makea record where we actually
doubled the guitars.
And now I've got to walk aroundPoland to get schnitzel and
Eastern European foods.
And you know, in Rimini too,that was our first time in Italy
ever.
It was my first time thereperiod.
(36:40):
My Alexia and Narsie had beenthere before, like on vacations
with her family when they wereyounger, but I never been there
and we never toured out there.
That was our, I think our oneof our like six, seventh shows
in mainland Europe, outside theUK.
And you know, like you remember, it was right on the water.
(37:01):
So, after we played, we all,like, threw our gear off.
You know, God bless our sweetcrew for crabbing and we all
just ran into the water and Iwas like this life is about,
dude, it's actually.
I was just talking about thismemory, it's like my favorite
memories of last year.
(37:21):
Like my band all took mushroomsI don't take mushrooms, but
they all just like microdose.
We went in the water.
It just the four of us were allswimming together and it was so
sweet, Like we are reallyblessed as a band where, like
wherever we go, whatever we runinto, like the four of us are
really best friends.
(37:42):
We love hanging out with eachother.
Obviously, we need a littletime.
Having time off away to donormal people stuff is good, but
like this whole last month, youknow in February, we've all
been texting every day in thegroup chat being like, oh,
should we add this to the show?
Like, oh, I miss you guys.
So being able to travel theworld with my best friends and
(38:07):
play music for people so cool,it's so cool.
Matt Caughthran (38:13):
Yeah, that's, uh, you know that's.
That's rad to hear and I knowyou know what you're talking
about first hand.
You know I'm fortunate enoughwith with the Bronx to be in
that same type of situation.
You know we've toured with somany bands over the years who
are are, I mean, I always, italways blows my mind that when
you come across like a band,that's like miserable or they
(38:34):
like don't like each other andI'm like yo, what are you guys
doing?
How, like, how do you surviveout here, like day to day, like
not liking each other?
Violet Mayugba (38:43):
Like when, after the show, like when we get on
the bus, we all just sit in thebackground and talk shit or
watch movies or like.
Yeah that'd be stupid.
You know like I was superuptight growing up so you know
it's funny, like in my earlytwenties now like boys are about
to turn 25.
I just turned 24 in December,like kind of early mid twenties
(39:05):
right now, like being a kid withmy band, I think it's so fun.
I feel so bad for bands thatlike don't have that experience
anymore.
Matt Caughthran (39:13):
Yeah, and it's, it's the coolest, you know,
it's like the point.
I mean you're, you're so stokedto be able to, you know, like
you said, travel the world.
People show up to your shows,people are buying the records
and are into the band and I meanthat's a gift, of course, but
when you're able to enjoy itwith you know, when you have the
right relationship with theband and it's everyone's just
friends and you have, plus, ontop of that, you have the
(39:36):
creative relationship of youknow, gelling and playing live
every night and like it's thebest you know, and shout out,
shout out to the, the other twoband members you said Nara say
and David, right, yes, okay.
And Nara say is he drums orbass?
Violet Mayugba (39:51):
I say drums and then David is bass.
Awesome, yeah, those are.
Those are my boys, my bestfriends in the world.
Matt Caughthran (39:58):
The band dynamic is always interesting,
you know, and in every single,in every single band it's always
a little bit different, butwhen you have that relationship
where everybody respects eachother, loves each other, pushes
each other, is there for eachother, it's, you know it just
makes everything that muchbetter, you know.
So I'm stoked that you guyshave that.
Violet Mayugba (40:19):
Man, I could talk about how much I love my
band for hours.
Yeah, I like I'm sure a lot ofbands have this too, but I just
love talking about it.
We all have that same goal,like we're going to be the best
live band, we're going to be thebiggest band in the world,
we're going to make the bestrecords.
And after every show you knowjust the four of us we'd
reconvene sometimes with ourcrew to ask them their opinion
(40:41):
and just be like that wasawesome.
What was awesome about thatshow?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
What was weird about that.
Like there was that one momentwhere I came in late like my bad
, you know, and just having thatmeeting in the minds because
the four of us were all sodifferent but we're all so
similar and just having thiscommon goal with my best friends
(41:03):
so cool.
Like I said before a bunch oftimes, like I, I'm just a slut
for strategy, you know.
Like I'm all about it.
I love chatting with them.
Like you know, me and Davidespecially are kind of like
we're like head honchos, likewe're the heffays of the band.
Matt Caughthran (41:24):
Yeah.
Violet Mayugba (41:25):
The other two are like just pure creative.
They're both super smart, butDavid and I will get together
after every show and be like youguys got little.
Matt Caughthran (41:31):
You got little managers inside your, inside
your head on the same way in ourband.
Violet Mayugba (41:35):
It's fun, it's like a different passion and I
don't think that, you know,anyone should be shamed for
wanting to grow their thing intothe biggest, best thing
possible.
Matt Caughthran (41:46):
Yeah.
Violet Mayugba (41:48):
We don't shame people in other industries for
that.
Like obviously it's like I'mnot trying to be a total shark
about it, but a little sharkyAwesome.
Matt Caughthran (42:00):
You mentioned.
You know I want to talk aboutthe Blink tour just real quick,
because I know I saw anInstagram post of yours where
you mentioned it was kind of afull circle type moment.
So I know you know how massivethose shows were and just you
know what an incredible thing itmust have been like.
(42:20):
But tell us a little bit aboutthe shows.
How were they?
You know what was that like?
Violet Mayugba (42:26):
So Blink for me.
I mean me and the boys grew upobsessed with that band.
Alexia got into them a littlelater because of me, but they
were you know, I keep sayingthis word but literally like a
cornerstone of my musicianshipand my inspiration, and they
(42:50):
were always just so impressiveto me and yeah.
And they were also fuckinghilarious.
Thomas, so funny.
He is a dirty dog.
We would go sit in his greenroom and say really fucked up
stuff to each other and it wasawesome and like landing at that
show.
Like I said before, we hadnever done arenas.
(43:11):
I've been backstage in arenasbefore.
It was always like wow, so cool, I can't wait to do this.
But you know, being walkedaround, you have a liaison, you
have and I think everyone couldtell that we were really green
because every single person Isaw I'd be like hi, I'm Violet
from the Star.
Matt Caughthran (43:27):
Boys.
Violet Mayugba (43:28):
This is our first show with Blink.
How are you Nice to meet you?
And we didn't meet the bandtill like a few days into the
tour because you know they're sobusy and tired and they press
all day long.
You know, obviously it wasTom's reunion tour.
They really they always came inour room and checked on us.
Super sweet, their crew is thebest and those shows were just
(43:51):
insane, yeah.
It's just insane In a differentway, like it wasn't like our
headline shows where people arejust killing each other, you
know, and we knew not to expectthat, but it was purely just so
novel and so special and luckyfor us that, you know, we didn't
(44:14):
care if people were dancing ornot, we just fed off of the room
and the experience and it wasso we had the best time.
And then obviously, I'm leavingout a huge part of this direct
support band, Turnstile theKings.
Yeah, Like I said before, we'realways trying to figure out how
(44:34):
to make our life show betterand more compelling and get that
energy across as much as we can.
That's a masterclass watchingthat band.
Matt Caughthran (44:43):
Yeah, they, they, they rip.
I really like those guys a lotand you know I'm really excited
to see what they do next.
I know it's going to be awesome.
Violet Mayugba (44:52):
It was cool seeing their natural and like
meteoric rise because it was Iwas really feeling like burnt.
I think a lot of people sharethis with me.
Just and I don't mean to soundlike a total grandfather, but
like it seems like bands breakthrough the rock band.
(45:16):
I'm not into making records,I'm not into making short form
videos and I understand it'sjust part of the grind.
God bless, tick, tock.
That's the reason my band, youknow we had a song of viral, so
I'm not knocking it or anything,but I was like man, do rock
bands break anymore when theydon't have a video going?
Did I just make the song in thesummer, you know?
(45:37):
So, watching them go from youknow this coveted hardcore band
to an aftershock headliner, Iwas like oh fuck, yeah, rock
bands can still break.
Matt Caughthran (45:49):
Violet, I don't want to take too much more of
your time.
I know you know we're a littlebit longer than usual here, but
I have a random question.
If Bill and Ted showed up atyour doorstep with a time
machine, where would you gofirst and why?
What era would you travel to?
Violet Mayugba (46:04):
Oh my God, I cannot stop talking about these
dudes.
I would go see a Greenish youngwoman, oh, like 89 or 91.
Matt Caughthran (46:14):
Damn, that would be good.
You know it's so funny.
I feel like every band startslike at least punk band, like I
remember, like I was in highschool singing like Christie
Road, like we would all, we all.
Violet Mayugba (46:27):
You know like we like everyone, everyone.
Matt Caughthran (46:30):
at some point, if you start a band has like
covered like Green Day in theirgarage and it's just, it's the
coolest thing.
So we got a eternally shout outGreen Day here on the podcast.
Violet Mayugba (46:41):
for sure she knows.
Matt Caughthran (46:43):
Oh yeah, what's up.
Violet Mayugba (46:45):
So I'm really into Magic the Gathering.
I'm wearing a Magic theGathering shirt that my
Valentine got me and I would goback to like 86, 87 and pick up
a bunch of packs old cards andthen I would come back here and
sell that shit.
Matt Caughthran (47:05):
That's good.
That's good.
Those are two good time machinedestinations.
I like that.
I like that One's for puremusical enjoyment and the
other's for flip magic cards tomake money.
Violet Mayugba (47:17):
Well, I would go with them for a little bit and
then I would be like I want toeat.
So it's it's self.
Yeah, there you go.
Matt Caughthran (47:26):
All right.
So coming up on 2024 for theband, you know you guys got a
lot of cool things on the radar.
You're doing punk rock bowlingthis year.
You're playing a bunch offestivals.
March 16th I saw Destroy Fest.
What's what's up with that?
Give me the.
Give me the the lowdown on that.
Violet Mayugba (47:43):
So Destroy Fest is like my baby.
It's a brainchild I've had fora little while that I'm trying
to grow.
It's basically like a littleDestroy Boys Fest.
Couldn't come up with a namefor it, so Destroy.
Matt Caughthran (47:55):
Fest.
That's a good name.
Violet Mayugba (47:57):
Thank you.
So it's a bunch of our friends,you know, a lot of female,
non-binary fronted bands that weall put together.
Like the four of us cometogether, we're like what are
our favorite bands right now?
And then we put together thislittle festival, and we've done
one in San Francisco, we've doneone in New York, and we've done
(48:19):
one Chicago, and now we'regoing to do one LA, the
Bellwether, march 16th, like yousaid, and awesome.
Great bands on that show ChoCherry's playing Illuminati
Hotties, jaymont, jigsaw Youth,who are one of the greatest
bands doing it right now, niceand Margaritas Podridas.
So Killer Vicious Lineup, thebiggest Destroy Fest we've done
(48:43):
to date.
All of them have sold out,which is really fun and cool.
For me, that's so cool,congrats.
Thank you, so that one's notsold out yet.
We got another month.
We'll see what happens.
Matt Caughthran (48:53):
Don't sell it out.
We got this I hope so.
Violet Mayugba (48:56):
I mean, all those bands that are playing are
so good Like and just greatpeople Like.
We know all those bandspersonally.
Matt Caughthran (49:03):
Cave Town.
Mother, mother Summer Tour.
That's going to be massive.
What else, what else going on?
Summer, you guys got new musiccoming out.
You got a new album coming out.
What's going on?
Violet Mayugba (49:13):
Do we have a little?
Just give me a little nugget,give me something.
I'll give you a little littlepiece.
We've been working on somethingfor literally almost two years
now with Carlos Delaguerza andit's coming up, and I've never
been prouder of anything we'vemade.
I'll say that.
Matt Caughthran (49:34):
Yes, awesome, violet, all right.
Last question here what, to you, is the meaning of life?
Violet Mayugba (49:40):
Oh God, having fun with your friends.
Matt Caughthran (49:44):
Perfect, perfect, oh yeah, that's a wrap
on episode 63 of the SailorJerry podcast.
As always, huge amounts ofrespect and gratitude to our
guest, the one and only VioletMayuba of Destroy Boys.
Violet, thank you so much foryour time.
(50:04):
An incredible young musicianand awesome band.
So be sure and check them out.
You can follow Violet at VioletMayuba on Instagram and you can
follow Destroy Boys at DestroyBoys on Instagram.
Obviously, google the band.
They got a ton of shows comingup this year Summer tour, of
(50:26):
course, Destroy Fest March 16th.
You can follow me at 2 and 3,matman.
You best be following SailorJerry at Sailor Jerry.
And, of course, ladies andgentlemen, say it with me now,
sailor Jerry, spicestrum isstill made the old school way 92
proof bold and smooth as hell.
We'll see you in two weeks.
(50:48):
Peace, surely.
Surely, surely, surely, surely, surely, surely.
Oh yeah, what's up everybodyand welcome to episode 63 of the
(00:34):
Sailor Jerry podcast.
My name is Matt Cawthorne, I amstill your host and today is
Thursday, february 22nd 2024.
And yes, ladies and gentlemen,sailor Jerry Spicestrum is most
definitely still made the oldschool way 92 proof bold and
(00:58):
smooth as hell.
I hope everybody's doing greatout there.
I want to give a couple shoutouts here worldwide.
What's up England?
What's up Manchester?
What's up London?
What's up Leeds?
What's going on Australia?
What's up Canada?
What's up Sweden?
What's up Stockholm?
What's up Gothenburg?
We got a lot of listeners allover the globe and I appreciate
(01:23):
every single one of you.
I hope everyone's doing good.
If you're just tuning in to thepodcast for the first time,
welcome aboard, we're stoked tohave you.
If you're watching on YouTube,you might be thinking man Matt
is looking pretty fresh, prettyrevitalized.
He must have had a birthday orsomething.
(01:44):
And you would be right.
Ladies and gentlemen, I knowit's not ladylike to reveal your
age, but I am very grateful tohave spent 45 years on this
planet.
February 13th 1979, your boycame kicking and screaming into
the world and I am veryfortunate to have lived the life
(02:09):
, that I've lived andexperienced everything I've
experienced, and to be here nowsharing it all with you and
talking to other artists andother musicians on the Sailor
Jerry podcast.
I hope everybody who celebratesValentine's Day had a good
Valentine's Day.
Of course, it's Black HistoryMonth.
February is the best month ofthe year.
(02:32):
It's time for episode 63.
Violet Mayuba has her eyes onthe prize.
In this episode we sit downwith the Destroy Boys guitar
player to discuss her journey inlife and music.
Of course, we also talk aboutthe origin and the evolution of
the band, the joys and the painsof touring nonstop, the
(02:55):
never-ending influence of GreenDay, writing a new record and so
much more.
I had such a good time talkingwith Violet, and Destroy Boys
are a band that you 100% need toknow about because they are
about to blow up and you don'twant to be late to the party.
So sit back, relax, pouryourself some Sailor Jerry and
(03:18):
let's go, violet.
(03:44):
Thank you so much for being aguest here on the Sailor Jerry
podcast.
How do you pronounce your lastname?
Violet Mayugba (03:50):
Thanks for having me.
Matt Caughthran (03:51):
That's not how you say it Awesome.
What nationality is that it's?
Violet Mayugba (03:57):
Filipino.
Matt Caughthran (03:58):
Nice, that's really cool.
Violet Mayugba (04:01):
Thank you.
I'm proud to be Filipino.
I wish I could say more aboutit, but I honestly don't really
know anything about my heritage.
I don't know anything about it,but cool food is good.
Matt Caughthran (04:14):
Yeah, the food is really good.
Speaking about family, you'refrom Sacramento, right?
Yeah, awesome.
We've actually played inSacramento a lot over the last
couple of years and it getsbetter and better.
I got a lot of friends up thereand there's a lot of cool new
restaurants and places to getcoffee and stuff like that.
(04:36):
Shout out Sacramento, for sure.
But when I was doing a littlebackground research, I always
asked if there's musical historyin the family and I was so
surprised and so stoked to seethat there's some really cool
music history in your familybetween your guitar playing dad
and your singing mom, which isamazing.
(04:57):
So it's the skirts and fallacy.
Right, those are the two bands.
Violet Mayugba (05:01):
It's research dude.
Matt Caughthran (05:04):
That's what I'm talking about.
I was so stoked so your momsang in a band called the Skirts
and your dad played guitar in aband called Fallacy.
Yeah, and you can look boththose things up on YouTube.
It's awesome.
Violet Mayugba (05:17):
I'll look both of them stand up.
If you look at that stand up, Igot to prepare you for a lot of
weird, interesting moves.
Matt Caughthran (05:25):
Yeah, the full-length volume, I think,
came out in 2001,.
And it's up on YouTube and youcan listen to it.
And it's cool because obviouslywe're just meeting now and I
don't know you.
But it's cool because I'm a fanof the band and your
songwriting and it's just reallycool to see those two elements
between your parents and now youas an artist.
(05:47):
It's just rad.
So what was it like growing upin Sacramento in sort of a rock
and roll household, so to speak?
Violet Mayugba (05:56):
So that's so cool.
I know both of those bands, bythe way.
Like thanks for checking thatout my mom's band I don't want
to spoil too much, but they'vebeen kind of writing a little
bit, which I'm very excited.
I keep trying to produce andthey like won't let me produce,
like let me.
But you know, what's so funnyabout that is like my parents
(06:18):
were pretty young when they hadme.
They were 30 and 31.
So I was like, growing up inthat house, my parents' bands
would like rehearse downstairswhile I was growing up.
So I was like I hate music.
Because I was like, yeah, likeI go down there asking for like
(06:41):
a snack and they're all likedrinking beer and like talking
to me on the mic and I'm like,oh, you guys are weird.
Like I hate music, I hate bands.
I'm going to be a chef.
That was like my whole thingfor my whole life.
And then, when I was 13, Idiscovered Green Day and, like
you know, I had my dad had shownme like a million bands, right,
(07:03):
like he had shown me Green Day.
And I was like, yeah, but Ialso was really into pop music.
I'm not going to front and sayI like was punk from day one.
Matt Caughthran (07:11):
Yeah, you were underground.
Kid out the womb.
Violet Mayugba (07:14):
Yeah, I was like no, I was on the guitar and
(07:45):
they were like great, here's allour stuff.
Matt Caughthran (07:48):
So we've been waiting for you to say that.
Violet Mayugba (07:51):
Like I grew up learning and writing.
Most of our first recordactually on my dad's 70s strat,
73 strat.
Matt Caughthran (08:00):
No way.
Yeah, that's so cool and sothere was.
Obviously they weren't likepushing you.
They were probably secretlyhoping but fuck music, I want to
be a chef.
How far did you go down thechef rabbit hole?
Violet Mayugba (08:14):
Well, I'm actually still in the show for
rabbit hole.
I can't even lie, nice.
What's funny is that my dad andI grew up cooking and, like you
know, I think the normal kindof American thing is that like
mom cooks by herself and likewith everything, but like my
parents were both so crazybadass growing up, my mom
traveled for work like six daysout of the week, like 16 hours a
(08:35):
day, so my dad was always theone cooking and I would help him
after work and he'd be likejust really engaged with me, be
like what does this need?
You know, like having me trystuff, and I'd always be like
salt because I still over salt.
But it's part of love food in methat just has never gone away.
And I got more into the scienceof cooking and just proper like
(09:01):
modern culinary stuff.
Like the older I got and I justnow that I am an adult, I live
on my own Like I always, everyday I make myself a new meal and
I experiment and I do a lot ofresearch and I love all that.
I love all that stuff.
Matt Caughthran (09:16):
So yeah, you love the whole process of it.
Do you think there's anyparallels between you know
writing a song versus you knowmaking?
You know real food?
You know, or is there?
Are they just two completelydifferent worlds?
Violet Mayugba (09:29):
I think they can be compared.
Yeah, I feel like cooking andmusic are a couple of the very
few things in humanity that justeveryone responds to, because
in a it's instinctual.
You know like you hear a sound,you're like cool, you eat food,
you're like great, you know youhave to eat to live.
Everyone likes food and tastegood.
Matt Caughthran (09:52):
Yeah, and music is life, so it's all good.
You know what I'm saying.
Violet Mayugba (09:57):
I think there is a certain amount of creativity
involved and I also think thatjust anyone can do it.
You know, there are a lot ofpeople that are just naturally
inclined towards those things.
Like I am not a natural or Iwouldn't I don't know, I
wouldn't consider myself anaturally inclined songwriter.
I think it's like something I'mproud of is that I built the
skill over so many years.
(10:18):
In my first few years of writingsongs, I was literally just
writing great songs in differentkeys, like changing stuff, and
then I'd show my parents and belike, check the song out.
They'd be like that's American,idiot, but good job.
Um, and then you know, you growup and you read recipes.
(10:39):
You fall into the tea.
And then same thing withsongwriting.
It's like okay, like I'm goingto try this.
I remember this worked lasttime and I liked this band that
did this, I liked the chef thatdid this.
So just growing into my own NowI never look at recipes anymore
.
Matt Caughthran (10:53):
So yeah, no, it's cool and, and you know,
speaking to songwriting, it'slike you know, as you, as you
evolve, you know you learn totake your influences and not
like you don't like play theexact thing, but you, they, they
like filter their way inside ofyour writing and and how you
evolve as a writer and it'sreally cool to have that happen
and to experience that.
(11:14):
I remember one of the thingsthat so we have like a Mariachi
band too, and our guitar player,joby, is.
You know, he's a badass, butone time it was really funny.
You know, we were, we were inthe studio and he comes in and
he's so stoked, he's like I gotthe best new song.
You know that I've like everwritten, you know, and he comes
(11:37):
in and he starts playing thisthing and we just all start
laughing and he's playing HotelCalifornia by the Eagles.
Violet Mayugba (11:45):
That's so funny.
You say that because I did thatwith California Cation with my
band.
So to California, oh and yeah,it happens.
Matt Caughthran (11:54):
You know there's so many songs that have
been written.
You know it's like it's everysong.
It's just funny.
Violet Mayugba (12:00):
My band was losing their shit on me.
They were rolling over laughingand I was at this one.
We were like 19.
I was like you guys, likethat's not fair, like you guys
can't laugh at my ideas, likethat's fucked up, like well.
And they were like no, dude,you're playing chili peppers.
And I was like, and they werelike play the riff.
And I say our drummer like fastforwarded to the exact part I
(12:22):
was doing and I was like, oh,and that song.
We ended up changing it and itended up becoming our song honey
I'm home, or the outro.
Matt Caughthran (12:30):
Nice yeah, Nice Well.
Violet Mayugba (12:32):
California.
Matt Caughthran (12:33):
Cation is a big tune, so it happens out there,
but that's all.
That's all the kind of give andtake of songwriting.
You know it's like me, as, aswhen I write lyrics to all do
the same thing.
You know, it's just like, andthat's one of the things that I
loved about punk initially.
That kind of drew me in was theinitial aspect of hey, like,
(12:54):
you don't really got to be likethe smartest person in the room
or the most talented musician orsinger.
You know there's a hundreddifferent ways to say fuck you.
You know there's its attitudeand its feeling and it's you
know, it's, it's, it's whereyou're coming from and and what
you're experiencing in your lifethat you can have the ability
(13:16):
to scream and do the microphone.
You know, and it was.
It was such a cool thing for meto like, realize, you know,
because I always wanted to, youknow, play my part.
All my friends were startingbands and you know I, I loved, I
just I loved picking up a micand screaming into it.
So it was like something thatpunk rock gave me, that
accessibility as as a young kid,was so awesome.
(13:38):
You know you guys have evolveda long way, you know, I know you
got three full lengths out.
You know you got a new songthat's.
That's crushing right now onradio, which is unbelievable,
and we'll get to that in a bit.
Yeah, it's so.
It's so awesome.
I'm so stoked for you guys.
But going back to the, just thestart of the band, and is it?
(14:01):
Is it Alexia?
Is that how you pronounce it?
Violet Mayugba (14:03):
Yeah, they use they'd cool.
Matt Caughthran (14:05):
Okay, I want to talk about your guys'
relationship, your creativerelationship, how you both came
together, how the band started.
Can you kind of, you know, tellthat story for our listeners?
Violet Mayugba (14:16):
Oh, my God, I would love to.
So when I started playing music, I was like I'm going to be
girl Billy Joe.
Like I'm going to be girl,billy Joe, I'm going to do all
this stuff.
Oh, but I didn't really have adirection.
Besides knowing that I lovedthat type of visceral, gnarly
energy, I wanted to play musicand I wanted to be in the
biggest band in the world.
(14:37):
Those were like my cornerstones.
Matt Caughthran (14:39):
I didn't know how I would do it.
Violet Mayugba (14:42):
I just was like this is exactly what I'm going
to do, this is my life, and Ijust latched onto that and I
kind of started a bunch of likebad bands, like in my garage.
Like I did this program inSacramento called stairway to
stardom, which I am saying thatit's really funny.
It's like a funny like rockcamp, like you get together they
teach you how to write songsand yeah.
(15:04):
I wish they were still doing itbecause I would love to coach it
.
So I did that and then I did,you know, like I would have
friends from high school comeover and we'd play Blink when I
need to covers in my garage andso just kind of directionless
kid stuff.
And then I also something thatI kind of had the experience
(15:25):
with in high schools.
I didn't have a ton of friends.
It was very combative.
I was like dealing with a lotof brain stuff, as most of us
you know, punks are, and Ididn't have a ton of friends.
But I had this one girl namedAbby Milstein I love to this day
, she's sweetheart, and she hadjust transferred from another
school.
She had a million friends rightand she was like my one best
(15:46):
friend.
We were very close.
And then she was like come withme to this party.
And I was like, okay, you know,just rude, she's a rude kid.
And she was like oh, my friendAlexia wants us to pick them up.
And I was like who's this,who's this person?
Just all like all smiles, likeI'm sure you've seen pictures of
(16:11):
them.
They have that big, beautiful,sunshine face and they were like
oh yeah, they're like who areyou?
You know like just ask mequestions, being really sweet,
and I was just very like oh, no,no, no.
And then they just stopped it,nothing to be my friend.
And after like a few days ofthem doing that, it was just I
was obsessed, like.
(16:32):
I was like, oh, you're myperson for life and I've never
lost that.
They are like, yeah, I person,they are truly my person.
So we hung out every day.
We were like let's start a band, because I did that with all my
friends, you know.
And they were like I'm going tolearn how to play drums and you
can play guitar and sing.
I couldn't sing.
(16:53):
They certainly didn't know howto play the drums, but we had a
kid in our garage so we werejust like doing jump hovers and
stuff.
And we were talking aboutwriting songs.
One night and they were like Iactually wrote a song that I
sang and played you, layla, on,and I was like, oh, what?
Like, okay, yeah, sure, like,play it for me.
And they played this voice memo.
(17:13):
I heard their voice and I waslike I remember it so clearly.
They were sitting up on thecouch and I was sitting on the
floor and I got up, like I wasproposing to them, and I went
you're the key, you're going tomake us famous.
Your voice is perfect, this iswhat you're going to sing in the
band.
What are you doing?
Talking about playing drums?
(17:33):
And I went on this tangent andI was like I'm going to play
guitar, you're going to sing,we're going to write songs,
we're going to put this song outtonight and they were like what
?
No, I don't want to sing.
They had so funny compared tothem.
Now they're like this beast ofstage.
But first, they tried.
They were like no, I don't wantto sing.
And I was like I don't carewhat you want to do or what you
(17:55):
don't want to do.
Your voice is pristine and I'mtaking it like Ursula and Ariel.
So it's my now and a songcalled I think I should make out
with other people, which islike Everything about this
roadways that I love and thatpeople love.
It's just very honest.
(18:16):
A lot of weird talking, justfunny romantic entanglements,
high school stuff, and we put iton band camp and, like all of
our friends were like this isreally good, and I was like
Alexia, let's play shows.
Our first show ever wasHalloween 2015.
It just never stopped Likewe're perfect together because
they are this very like I wastalking about people being
(18:38):
naturally inclined to that.
They are this very natural andstinctural, almost like
reincarnated creative force,Like I think that they got a
little piece of Percobane's soul, you know, or something, Just
something so magical anduniversal about who they are and
I'm like I like to call myselfa suit in disguise.
(18:59):
You know how, like musicindustry, people would call them
suits.
Matt Caughthran (19:01):
Yeah yeah, yeah , yeah.
Violet Mayugba (19:03):
Just some label guy and I'm like this is how
we're going to do it.
I love playing guitar.
You write me a bunch of songsand we'll pick some, and it just
never stopped.
Matt Caughthran (19:13):
You know I'm a big fan of, like you know,
creative relationships,songwriting relationships, that
kind of chemistry is just sospecial and really cool and you
both have that with each otherand it's just incredible and you
hear it too.
You know you hear it when youlisten to the band and it's
really, really cool.
(19:34):
And I was stoked to just kindof get a little background on
your guys' story because as theband evolved, you know when did
you go from you know steppingout from the acoustic realm to
you know, putting a full bandtogether and kind of you know,
taking that leap?
Violet Mayugba (19:52):
Well, I'd always , you know, I never really
envisioned us as an acousticband.
I was just waiting for thatnext moment, like I um part of
this whole thing also.
Just, I feel like I'm peelingaway from origin story a little
bit, but something I didn't wantto talk about too.
I feel like I'm talking a lotabout my like ambition and stuff
and it may sound I hope itdoesn't sound egotistical that I
(20:14):
was always like I want to bethe biggest band in the world.
Matt Caughthran (20:17):
No, hell, no.
I mean I think it's.
I think it's important and radto have that vision and that
type of you know that type ofgoal, and you don't have to.
I mean, there's plenty of bandsthat don't, that are awesome
too, but I would never take itthat way.
And I mean any sort of kind ofcreative person has you know
(20:38):
whether or not they want to talkabout it or not.
There's drive there and there'sgoals there and there's
ambition there and it's up toyou how you want to speak about
it or let it out.
Some people do, some peopledon't, and it's all good.
I wouldn't get that at all fromyou.
Violet Mayugba (20:51):
Oh, thank you.
So, like I would say, I alwayshad this ambition.
You know we were going to bethis big, huge band.
I keep coming back to Green Daybecause I was, you know,
talking about the early days,all I cared about.
You know, they have like eightdudes on stage.
So I hit up my friend, ethanKnight, and I was like, or no,
he?
You know it's funny he actuallyhit me up and he was like, let
(21:12):
me play drums in the band.
And I was like, yes, yes, great.
And so then we just went tothis is so crazy Solo freehand
vocal, alexia, me on guitar andthen Ethan on drums.
Just one guitar, one vocal.
That's how our first record isthe guitar.
How are we going?
Matt Caughthran (21:32):
to tell.
Violet Mayugba (21:33):
On that first record, it's us live in a room
in a studio drums, single guitar.
One record, all one take.
Matt Caughthran (21:42):
Yeah, and that's sorry, mom, right, is
that the?
Is that the the first album,right?
Violet Mayugba (21:46):
We're concerned, curious about why that record
sounds like shit.
It's because we were 16, livein a room, no doubles, no.
Matt Caughthran (21:58):
Hey, you know the thing about you know first
albums and just you know firstEP's for songs.
That's so rad is that you knowit doesn't matter what the band
is, it's always you know, it'salways a start, it's always a
ground floor kind of basicattempt at making an album and
you know it's it's always goingto have funny moments about it
(22:19):
and it's always going to havejust amazing moments about it
and it's it's really cool whenyou listen to that album.
Now, like you're saying that,like you know, one of the things
that that bands do and that youguys have done that's that's
really cool Is just, you know,record by record, usually the
production steps up a little bit.
You know you learn things.
(22:40):
Like you're saying you learn,you know about, you know the
studio.
There's such a learning curvein the studio, oh my God, and
that's what's so cool aboutmaking multiple records.
And you know evolving andgrowing as an artist and
especially as a band, becauseyou experience that together and
it's always so cool.
Like, like you know, we'retalking about your latest single
.
The production on that thing isincredible.
(23:01):
And when you look back yeah,when you look back from, you
know, sorry, mom, 2016,.
You know, you know, you see,you see growth and you see a
band that's gone places and it's, it's rad.
So I like the production of thefirst album.
Violet Mayugba (23:15):
A lot of people do.
It's funny, like I think thatit captured that time for us
perfectly Just.
It's very janky, it's veryhonest.
There's no songwriting help,like just nothing.
It was just songs we wrote inmy garage and we just went in
there and we played them and wemixed it the same day and we put
(23:38):
it out the next day.
Matt Caughthran (23:40):
Yeah, it's always funny too, because you
get, you'll get like the SuperDie Hard fans that are just be
like that, just refuse to let goof that first album sound and
they're just like what the hell,where's where did this bass
come from?
What's up with?
What's up with Southern guitar?
You guys have changed.
Violet Mayugba (23:59):
What's so funny about our fans?
I love our fans.
They're really cool and sincewe started so young, a lot of
our fans are very, very youngstill, but we also have that
core listener base that camearound during when that record
came out 2016.
Yeah, and they grew with us andthey've always just accepted us
for what we want to be or whowe want to be as a band and
(24:23):
they're just.
They just ride hard for Deboand I appreciate it so much for
that.
You know, I see so many fanbases out there.
Like I feel like the morefamous you get, the more bases
start to splinter and just arguewith each other.
And but our kids are so I meantruly just a live aspect, like
(24:45):
they're always looking out foreach other in the crowd, just
always supportive of us aspeople.
Like you know, what's funny istoday's Valentine's Day when
we're recording this and Iposted on her pants account like
these pictures of me and Alexiafor Valentine's Day and I had
to put a disclaimer.
I'm like we are not datingbecause.
And then they were all likelove, love your friendship, love
(25:08):
your friendship.
And then they were like guys,they're not dating.
You know real TV fans, you knowy'all are just super wholesome
besties and true love transcendsromantic connotations Like yeah
, that's a little bit of a fouleerie, as he said that like that
kids play 17,.
You know, I'm just like, yeah me, guys are smart.
Matt Caughthran (25:28):
Yeah, yeah, you use the Bronx comment section
is no, I mean it's not beastly,it's just.
You know I it's, it's, it's,it's pure gold sometimes, but
you know that's, that'severyone's comment section in
general comment sections.
You know, live by the sword,die by the sword.
(25:49):
But yeah, I mean some peopleare tortured by their audience.
You know what I mean and it'slike that.
That sucks.
Violet Mayugba (25:55):
Yeah, I mean, look at pop stars.
You know like I feel like yeahyou know, jocke post like she
put out that single demons whichis great, by the way and she
was like getting ripped apartfor being satanic.
Yeah, I'm so grateful, like wesaid, you know, perfect word
looks so fortunate to have suchsweet, sweet kids and just like
(26:17):
I feel like they're so willingto learn and we're always trying
to Promote those kinds ofvalues at our shows.
Alexia always says like not foreach other.
I always say on the mic I'mlike if you want to go get water
will still be here when you getback Water.
You know, just make sure theperson next use Okay, if you see
(26:37):
somebody fucking with somebody,let security know and they'll
kick that dude's ass.
Like we've had to kick peopleout of shows before, like, yeah,
mid song, and we wouldn't beable to do that if we didn't
have such a Caring audience.
You know we were playing theRoxy and I think it was 20, 22
(26:57):
or 2021 like end of our firstheadline tour ever.
We like we sold out the Roxy.
We were very excited and andlike, right before we went into
the song that I sing, this groupof girl, I was like 20.
Girls were like pointing atthis guy that we're like Out of
here and I was like whathappened?
(27:18):
You know it's been.
Now I'm like what's going on?
Yeah.
I'm not into public shaming, I'mnot in any of that shit.
I think it's weird but, like wealways say, like look after
each other and we go, and thisgirl told me he goes or she goes
.
That guy's been grabbing like10 girls since he walked in here
and I just went on the mic, Igo get the fuck out before I get
security to get out.
(27:38):
And then he just failed, youknow, and we wouldn't be able to
do that if we didn't havepeople that cared.
Matt Caughthran (27:43):
So yeah, yeah, I mean, you know music is a
community, you know, and as itbreaks down into, you know,
underground subgenres, punk,hardcore, all that good stuff, I
mean the community is supposedto get tighter and stronger, you
know.
So it's like it's veryimportant that you know Everyone
looks out for each other atshows and all that good stuff,
and and it's also, you know,it's also important to let
(28:04):
everybody express themselves tooand get crazy and not freak out
when someone's Stage diving ordancing or doing whatever they
want to do.
You know.
Violet Mayugba (28:12):
Well, many of our fans like they come to our
shows and it's their first showand they're like whoa and Alexia
had we had to learn that, youknow, because we're growing up
too.
Like we didn't.
We don't know how to deal withthese insane crowds of 500,
800,000 people.
Like we didn't know how to dothat.
So Alexia learned to say likeIf you don't want to get hit,
(28:33):
say, all the pit, go the back,you're not missing anything.
Like you don't want to getjumped on, if you don't want to
be pushed around, that's okay,there's no judgment.
Just don't go to the one areawhere people are doing that and
then be mad that you got pushed,you know.
Matt Caughthran (28:49):
I've always loved the chaos of punk shows
like that's.
I loved it.
When I was a kid I was like I'mgonna go in there, I'm gonna
lose my mind.
Violet Mayugba (28:56):
What's so cool about music is that it literally
takes over your body and soul,like when I saw are you a Gulch
fan?
Matt Caughthran (29:03):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Violet Mayugba (29:04):
Yeah, so I'm a huge Gulch fan, like I am a hell
yeah, and I know those dudes,they're very sweet and mellow
offstage and and then you knowthey get up there and they're
like fucking stomping throughthe stage basically, and I Went
in the crowd and I was like I'mgonna get fucked up, but I can't
control my body.
Matt Caughthran (29:25):
I have to go.
Violet Mayugba (29:27):
I must dance and it's so.
It's hard to kind of Ask peopleto almost rain that in like the
effect that your music ishaving on them.
How could you yeah, you likestop being emotionally affected
by my music and expressing itphysically, like that's not fair
.
Matt Caughthran (29:45):
Just be respectful, that's all yeah, I
saw Gulch's last show at SoundFury.
I think they reunited forsomething at Gilman, though,
recently.
Violet Mayugba (29:55):
Their friend.
Matt Caughthran (29:56):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, shout out Gulch,
awesome, awesome band, awesomerecord too.
And and what's let's?
Let's dive into songwriting alittle bit.
What do you, what do you, makesa good song.
Violet Mayugba (30:09):
Oh, that's such a good question.
First thing that comes to mindis like novelty, uniqueness,
like we talked about this before, it's every song, every version
of every song has been written,so that's really hard, but I
feel like this is such a thing Iused to say when I was 16.
So maybe this is gonna comeacross as ignorant, but I feel
(30:31):
like if you're making aconscious effort to not rip
someone off, you can take tonsof influence there and it's
still gonna come across assomething new, wrote something
unique.
Being honest and vulnerable inyour songwriting, I think, is
something that's important.
It resonates with a lot ofpeople.
That's me projecting from myband because we're saying hell,
(30:53):
a personal shit about ourselvesand people love that and I also
respond to that really well inmusic.
I'm like, yeah, I feel likeshit too.
I'm gonna put this on repeat.
Matt Caughthran (31:03):
All right, ladies and gentlemen, it is time
to take a quick commercialbreak and refresh our Sailor
Jerry cocktail.
New year, new cocktail.
2024 is all about the JerryCola.
I'm talking about two partsSailor Jerry, four parts Cola
and if you're feeling fancy,we're gonna put two Meraschino
(31:27):
cherries on top.
You know we're building it in acocktail glass.
You know we're gonna pour itover ice.
That's it.
Clean, simple, refreshing JerryCola.
Baby.
Visit SailorJerrycom for morerecipes just like this one.
Now back to the show.
The first time I saw you guyswas actually last year at Slam
(31:51):
Dunk in Rimini, italy.
Violet Mayugba (31:53):
I was gonna say not show together.
Thanks for watching us, yeahyeah, yeah, no problem.
Matt Caughthran (31:58):
No problem.
That was.
And that's when you start aband from Sacramento and with me
being I grew up in East LA, sosame kind of thing you don't
really like.
You say you have goals, youwanna get out of California,
maybe you wanna tour to Texas orthe East Coast or maybe get
into Canada, but then you, youknow, if you're stoked and
(32:20):
you're a little bit lucky andthings pick up a little bit, you
find yourself going over to theUK and maybe into mainland
Europe.
And what was?
You know two things here Iwanna know what the first
Destroy Boys tour was like, andthen I wanna know how you feel
about you know just theawesomeness of being able to
(32:41):
travel around the world playingmusic, you know.
Violet Mayugba (32:44):
Oh, my God, the two best questions ever in the
world.
So our first real US tour waswhen we were 18, but before that
I booked us a ton of DIY tourson Facebook Like that just
represents the time, like 2015,16, 17.
I would go to DIY tour postingsor like I would message just
(33:06):
venue pages or I had thisnotebook where I would write out
every all ages venue in likeCalifornia, oregon and
Washington.
That's like where we used totour to all the time and you
know I would have sections forArizona and stuff.
We never went there DIY causeit's just it was too hard at the
time in high school, you know,but like right down their email,
(33:29):
their phone number, whether ornot they were all ages, cause
you know it's really importantfor us to always play all ages
shows.
Also, we couldn't go in thevenue at that point cause we're
so.
So you know, whether or not I'dreached out to them, I would
highlight it a certain color,and I was able to book us all
these, you know, these reallyfunny shows like, and we would
(33:50):
tour in my car.
So it was just me and Alexiaand whoever was playing drums
for us at the time and all ourgear in the back of my Ford
Focus, going up the five, justtouring around.
But you know, me and Alexiawere so obsessed with each other
that we could hang out forever.
(34:10):
And just to go from that, goingfrom doing those house shows in
my car, like backing up my FordFocus into these Portland houses
and unloading my dad's, likeold Marshall and stuff into
those houses, going from doingthat to touring in a bus with
Blink 182 and arenas, like, Iwill never stop being grateful,
(34:33):
ever, because and I'm lucky tohave that experience where I do
get to have that frame ofgratitude cause a lot of people,
they just get thrown into itand that's a whole other
experience I don't know about.
But just working so hard andbeing able to get to that feels
so good, like you said, likebeing able to tour and travel
the world.
I love touring, we all lovetouring, as you know, very hard
(34:56):
on the body and the mind, so themore we tour like last year we
went to Europe twice we wereonly off for 11 weeks out of the
year, I think 11 or 13,.
Like 11, 12, 13, one of those Ihaven't done the exact math but
like very little time off,hitting it incredibly hard,
which obviously we're sograteful for.
(35:17):
But I ended up kind of likebreaking my body and my spirit.
I had an injury in Belgium whereI had to get carried off stage
and I had something like aseizure.
They never figured out what itwas, but it was just.
Oh.
Yeah, that was our second timewe were up After.
Yeah, we had to cancel our UKshows.
(35:38):
I had to fly home.
I have a shoulder neck injury.
That's from playing guitar andtouring so much.
That's like an overuse thing.
But I wouldn't trade it for theworld being able to see all
these places, see all thesepeople play all these cool shows
.
Like our second Europe tour,the one that I got injured on.
Our first show was in Warsaw,poland.
We were like who's?
(35:59):
gonna come to this.
No one knows our band out here.
It was almost sold out and theywere like yeah.
Warsaw's dope, Warsaw's totallyrad and I was like what the
fuck?
I'm in Poland.
This is, you know, and likebefore, that frame of gratitude
(36:19):
where I'm like, oh my God, likeI used to journal in high school
about how bad I wanted to makea record where we actually
doubled the guitars.
And now I've got to walk aroundPoland to get schnitzel and
Eastern European foods.
And you know, in Rimini too,that was our first time in Italy
ever.
It was my first time thereperiod.
(36:40):
My Alexia and Narsie had beenthere before, like on vacations
with her family when they wereyounger, but I never been there
and we never toured out there.
That was our, I think our oneof our like six, seventh shows
in mainland Europe, outside theUK.
And you know, like you remember, it was right on the water.
(37:01):
So, after we played, we all,like, threw our gear off.
You know, God bless our sweetcrew for crabbing and we all
just ran into the water and Iwas like this life is about,
dude, it's actually.
I was just talking about thismemory, it's like my favorite
memories of last year.
(37:21):
Like my band all took mushroomsI don't take mushrooms, but
they all just like microdose.
We went in the water.
It just the four of us were allswimming together and it was so
sweet, Like we are reallyblessed as a band where, like
wherever we go, whatever we runinto, like the four of us are
really best friends.
(37:42):
We love hanging out with eachother.
Obviously, we need a littletime.
Having time off away to donormal people stuff is good, but
like this whole last month, youknow in February, we've all
been texting every day in thegroup chat being like, oh,
should we add this to the show?
Like, oh, I miss you guys.
So being able to travel theworld with my best friends and
(38:07):
play music for people so cool,it's so cool.
Matt Caughthran (38:13):
Yeah, that's, uh, you know that's.
That's rad to hear and I knowyou know what you're talking
about first hand.
You know I'm fortunate enoughwith with the Bronx to be in
that same type of situation.
You know we've toured with somany bands over the years who
are are, I mean, I always, italways blows my mind that when
you come across like a band,that's like miserable or they
(38:34):
like don't like each other andI'm like yo, what are you guys
doing?
How, like, how do you surviveout here, like day to day, like
not liking each other?
Violet Mayugba (38:43):
Like when, after the show, like when we get on
the bus, we all just sit in thebackground and talk shit or
watch movies or like.
Yeah that'd be stupid.
You know like I was superuptight growing up so you know
it's funny, like in my earlytwenties now like boys are about
to turn 25.
I just turned 24 in December,like kind of early mid twenties
(39:05):
right now, like being a kid withmy band, I think it's so fun.
I feel so bad for bands thatlike don't have that experience
anymore.
Matt Caughthran (39:13):
Yeah, and it's, it's the coolest, you know,
it's like the point.
I mean you're, you're so stokedto be able to, you know, like
you said, travel the world.
People show up to your shows,people are buying the records
and are into the band and I meanthat's a gift, of course, but
when you're able to enjoy itwith you know, when you have the
right relationship with theband and it's everyone's just
friends and you have, plus, ontop of that, you have the
(39:36):
creative relationship of youknow, gelling and playing live
every night and like it's thebest you know, and shout out,
shout out to the, the other twoband members you said Nara say
and David, right, yes, okay.
And Nara say is he drums orbass?
Violet Mayugba (39:51):
I say drums and then David is bass.
Awesome, yeah, those are.
Those are my boys, my bestfriends in the world.
Matt Caughthran (39:58):
The band dynamic is always interesting,
you know, and in every single,in every single band it's always
a little bit different, butwhen you have that relationship
where everybody respects eachother, loves each other, pushes
each other, is there for eachother, it's, you know it just
makes everything that muchbetter, you know.
So I'm stoked that you guyshave that.
Violet Mayugba (40:19):
Man, I could talk about how much I love my
band for hours.
Yeah, I like I'm sure a lot ofbands have this too, but I just
love talking about it.
We all have that same goal,like we're going to be the best
live band, we're going to be thebiggest band in the world,
we're going to make the bestrecords.
And after every show you knowjust the four of us we'd
reconvene sometimes with ourcrew to ask them their opinion
(40:41):
and just be like that wasawesome.
What was awesome about thatshow?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
What was weird about that.
Like there was that one momentwhere I came in late like my bad
, you know, and just having thatmeeting in the minds because
the four of us were all sodifferent but we're all so
similar and just having thiscommon goal with my best friends
(41:03):
so cool.
Like I said before a bunch oftimes, like I, I'm just a slut
for strategy, you know.
Like I'm all about it.
I love chatting with them.
Like you know, me and Davidespecially are kind of like
we're like head honchos, likewe're the heffays of the band.
Matt Caughthran (41:24):
Yeah.
Violet Mayugba (41:25):
The other two are like just pure creative.
They're both super smart, butDavid and I will get together
after every show and be like youguys got little.
Matt Caughthran (41:31):
You got little managers inside your, inside
your head on the same way in ourband.
Violet Mayugba (41:35):
It's fun, it's like a different passion and I
don't think that, you know,anyone should be shamed for
wanting to grow their thing intothe biggest, best thing
possible.
Matt Caughthran (41:46):
Yeah.
Violet Mayugba (41:48):
We don't shame people in other industries for
that.
Like obviously it's like I'mnot trying to be a total shark
about it, but a little sharkyAwesome.
Matt Caughthran (42:00):
You mentioned.
You know I want to talk aboutthe Blink tour just real quick,
because I know I saw anInstagram post of yours where
you mentioned it was kind of afull circle type moment.
So I know you know how massivethose shows were and just you
know what an incredible thing itmust have been like.
(42:20):
But tell us a little bit aboutthe shows.
How were they?
You know what was that like?
Violet Mayugba (42:26):
So Blink for me.
I mean me and the boys grew upobsessed with that band.
Alexia got into them a littlelater because of me, but they
were you know, I keep sayingthis word but literally like a
cornerstone of my musicianshipand my inspiration, and they
(42:50):
were always just so impressiveto me and yeah.
And they were also fuckinghilarious.
Thomas, so funny.
He is a dirty dog.
We would go sit in his greenroom and say really fucked up
stuff to each other and it wasawesome and like landing at that
show.
Like I said before, we hadnever done arenas.
(43:11):
I've been backstage in arenasbefore.
It was always like wow, so cool, I can't wait to do this.
But you know, being walkedaround, you have a liaison, you
have and I think everyone couldtell that we were really green
because every single person Isaw I'd be like hi, I'm Violet
from the Star.
Matt Caughthran (43:27):
Boys.
Violet Mayugba (43:28):
This is our first show with Blink.
How are you Nice to meet you?
And we didn't meet the bandtill like a few days into the
tour because you know they're sobusy and tired and they press
all day long.
You know, obviously it wasTom's reunion tour.
They really they always came inour room and checked on us.
Super sweet, their crew is thebest and those shows were just
(43:51):
insane, yeah.
It's just insane In a differentway, like it wasn't like our
headline shows where people arejust killing each other, you
know, and we knew not to expectthat, but it was purely just so
novel and so special and luckyfor us that, you know, we didn't
(44:14):
care if people were dancing ornot, we just fed off of the room
and the experience and it wasso we had the best time.
And then obviously, I'm leavingout a huge part of this direct
support band, Turnstile theKings.
Yeah, Like I said before, we'realways trying to figure out how
(44:34):
to make our life show betterand more compelling and get that
energy across as much as we can.
That's a masterclass watchingthat band.
Matt Caughthran (44:43):
Yeah, they, they, they rip.
I really like those guys a lotand you know I'm really excited
to see what they do next.
I know it's going to be awesome.
Violet Mayugba (44:52):
It was cool seeing their natural and like
meteoric rise because it was Iwas really feeling like burnt.
I think a lot of people sharethis with me.
Just and I don't mean to soundlike a total grandfather, but
like it seems like bands breakthrough the rock band.
(45:16):
I'm not into making records,I'm not into making short form
videos and I understand it'sjust part of the grind.
God bless, tick, tock.
That's the reason my band, youknow we had a song of viral, so
I'm not knocking it or anything,but I was like man, do rock
bands break anymore when theydon't have a video going?
Did I just make the song in thesummer, you know?
(45:37):
So, watching them go from youknow this coveted hardcore band
to an aftershock headliner, Iwas like oh fuck, yeah, rock
bands can still break.
Matt Caughthran (45:49):
Violet, I don't want to take too much more of
your time.
I know you know we're a littlebit longer than usual here, but
I have a random question.
If Bill and Ted showed up atyour doorstep with a time
machine, where would you gofirst and why?
What era would you travel to?
Violet Mayugba (46:04):
Oh my God, I cannot stop talking about these
dudes.
I would go see a Greenish youngwoman, oh, like 89 or 91.
Matt Caughthran (46:14):
Damn, that would be good.
You know it's so funny.
I feel like every band startslike at least punk band, like I
remember, like I was in highschool singing like Christie
Road, like we would all, we all.
Violet Mayugba (46:27):
You know like we like everyone, everyone.
Matt Caughthran (46:30):
at some point, if you start a band has like
covered like Green Day in theirgarage and it's just, it's the
coolest thing.
So we got a eternally shout outGreen Day here on the podcast.
Violet Mayugba (46:41):
for sure she knows.
Matt Caughthran (46:43):
Oh yeah, what's up.
Violet Mayugba (46:45):
So I'm really into Magic the Gathering.
I'm wearing a Magic theGathering shirt that my
Valentine got me and I would goback to like 86, 87 and pick up
a bunch of packs old cards andthen I would come back here and
sell that shit.
Matt Caughthran (47:05):
That's good.
That's good.
Those are two good time machinedestinations.
I like that.
I like that One's for puremusical enjoyment and the
other's for flip magic cards tomake money.
Violet Mayugba (47:17):
Well, I would go with them for a little bit and
then I would be like I want toeat.
So it's it's self.
Yeah, there you go.
Matt Caughthran (47:26):
All right.
So coming up on 2024 for theband, you know you guys got a
lot of cool things on the radar.
You're doing punk rock bowlingthis year.
You're playing a bunch offestivals.
March 16th I saw Destroy Fest.
What's what's up with that?
Give me the.
Give me the the lowdown on that.
Violet Mayugba (47:43):
So Destroy Fest is like my baby.
It's a brainchild I've had fora little while that I'm trying
to grow.
It's basically like a littleDestroy Boys Fest.
Couldn't come up with a namefor it, so Destroy.
Matt Caughthran (47:55):
Fest.
That's a good name.
Violet Mayugba (47:57):
Thank you.
So it's a bunch of our friends,you know, a lot of female,
non-binary fronted bands that weall put together.
Like the four of us cometogether, we're like what are
our favorite bands right now?
And then we put together thislittle festival, and we've done
one in San Francisco, we've doneone in New York, and we've done
(48:19):
one Chicago, and now we'regoing to do one LA, the
Bellwether, march 16th, like yousaid, and awesome.
Great bands on that show ChoCherry's playing Illuminati
Hotties, jaymont, jigsaw Youth,who are one of the greatest
bands doing it right now, niceand Margaritas Podridas.
So Killer Vicious Lineup, thebiggest Destroy Fest we've done
(48:43):
to date.
All of them have sold out,which is really fun and cool.
For me, that's so cool,congrats.
Thank you, so that one's notsold out yet.
We got another month.
We'll see what happens.
Matt Caughthran (48:53):
Don't sell it out.
We got this I hope so.
Violet Mayugba (48:56):
I mean, all those bands that are playing are
so good Like and just greatpeople Like.
We know all those bandspersonally.
Matt Caughthran (49:03):
Cave Town.
Mother, mother Summer Tour.
That's going to be massive.
What else, what else going on?
Summer, you guys got new musiccoming out.
You got a new album coming out.
What's going on?
Violet Mayugba (49:13):
Do we have a little?
Just give me a little nugget,give me something.
I'll give you a little littlepiece.
We've been working on somethingfor literally almost two years
now with Carlos Delaguerza andit's coming up, and I've never
been prouder of anything we'vemade.
I'll say that.
Matt Caughthran (49:34):
Yes, awesome, violet, all right.
Last question here what, to you, is the meaning of life?
Violet Mayugba (49:40):
Oh God, having fun with your friends.
Matt Caughthran (49:44):
Perfect, perfect, oh yeah, that's a wrap
on episode 63 of the SailorJerry podcast.
As always, huge amounts ofrespect and gratitude to our
guest, the one and only VioletMayuba of Destroy Boys.
Violet, thank you so much foryour time.
(50:04):
An incredible young musicianand awesome band.
So be sure and check them out.
You can follow Violet at VioletMayuba on Instagram and you can
follow Destroy Boys at DestroyBoys on Instagram.
Obviously, google the band.
They got a ton of shows comingup this year Summer tour, of
(50:26):
course, Destroy Fest March 16th.
You can follow me at 2 and 3,matman.
You best be following SailorJerry at Sailor Jerry.
And, of course, ladies andgentlemen, say it with me now,
sailor Jerry, spicestrum isstill made the old school way 92
proof bold and smooth as hell.
We'll see you in two weeks.
(50:48):
Peace, surely.
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.