Michael Barr: Volumes

Cullen and Mason chat with Michael Barr from Volumes about the band's history, their new album, and his most influential albums.

Check out Volumes here: https://volumesofficial.com

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
It's remember okay, brace Ray took me over the episode
just the medicine take in. You got me soon Internet

(00:27):
sting again. A wait, today we've got Michael from Volumes.
Super excited to chat with you. Michael, so back. I
think Colon we were talking about it was like me,
like three or four years ago we interviewed Rod about
I think there was like an I forget exactly what
album it was or what EP it might have been
at that time, but we interviewed Rod and here you

(00:50):
are chatting about the new album. Super excited chat. Actually,
probably the reason why we interviewed Rod around that time
because it probably was around like twenty twenty or twenty
twenty one, so you'd maybe just got back into the
band at that point. But anyway, super excited to chat
with you, Michael. Yeah, how's life right now? Other than
you explain a whole situation that you probably don't want
to talk about right now. But other than that, how's

(01:13):
life right now?

Speaker 2 (01:14):
Life's good? Yeah. I like have like a black mold
situation in my house that sucks, but that's life where
I'm dude, Life's good. I just got engaged a couple
of months ago. Albums coming out. Oh yeah, checked a
lot of boxes off the end of this year personally

(01:37):
with including those two things. So yeah, I'm excited for
the new year. I love the holidays. I'm like, I
love Christmas, absolutely adore Christmas. So December first, you know,
like I'm really looking forward to the next couple of
weeks here just family and and enjoying the holidays and stuff.

(01:59):
So yeah, life, life is good. Life is good.

Speaker 1 (02:02):
As a as a music person and as a Christmas person.
When do you start listening to Christmas music?

Speaker 2 (02:08):
Yeah, I don't. I don't like listening to it too early.
I like savoring can't be to a.

Speaker 1 (02:13):
Little bit of a purist to a certain extent, then.

Speaker 2 (02:16):
Yeah, yeah, it's not like I would say, like, like
the week before Thanksgiving is cool to start, not like
in October or anything.

Speaker 1 (02:26):
So a week before Thanksgiving, I will say, I will like,
as a purist myself of Christmas music, the day after
Thanksgiving acceptable, Oh, get a little I get a little
hesitant with people that are a little before even so
even like a week before I'll just be honest, a
little week before Thanksgiving starting listening to Christmas music, especially

(02:47):
if it's in stories right at that time, I'm like,
oh god, well everything but early pretty much the day
after Thanksgiving, I'm totally done with.

Speaker 2 (02:55):
Yeah, everything's earlier and earlier now, like you go to
you like right August twenty ninth or whatever, Halloween right
like the next day, and then and.

Speaker 1 (03:07):
Even like October, like they're starting to sell like Christmas,
Christmas in October. Yeah, it's crazy.

Speaker 2 (03:12):
It's hard to get away from. But to me, it
has to be like I live in southern California, it
has to be cold before you start listening Christmas.

Speaker 1 (03:23):
Okay, but what what's actually cold for you?

Speaker 3 (03:25):
California sixty I know sixty two is cold like today
it was today it was like high fifties, sixty sixty
two maybe at like two three, and it's cold for
us here.

Speaker 2 (03:45):
It's like how California, California in the winter, it's like
you get these really warm days and then as soon
as the sun starts going down, it's.

Speaker 1 (03:55):
Like fifth chili.

Speaker 2 (03:57):
Yeah, people don't realize that. They get caught like, well.

Speaker 1 (04:00):
It's a desert, so like dressed sunlight, so.

Speaker 2 (04:03):
It's really dry, it's really directly it's.

Speaker 4 (04:06):
Literally four degrees here right now though.

Speaker 2 (04:08):
So yeah, you're you're in not North Dakota, South Dakota.

Speaker 4 (04:13):
South Dakota. Yeah, the tundra. It's actually colder in South
Dakota than it is North Dakota.

Speaker 2 (04:19):
So we've we've got that over them. Yeah, that's kind
of weird, weird one.

Speaker 1 (04:27):
Yeah, and I'm in in the Twin City, so it's
it's just as cold right now. And we got a
bunch of snow this weekend. Colin actually came up from
South Dakota to the Twin Cities to see Norman Jean
with me, and he had to drive through an entire blizzard.
So that's that's the state of the world right now.
In the Midwest.

Speaker 5 (04:44):
Yeah, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Saint Paul, like the cold, some
of the cold Duluth, I've been a d Luluth is
like Canada basically, Yeah, chilling Minnesota.

Speaker 1 (04:58):
Have you guys played Have you guys played a showing
to Luth? Yeah, no way, you played a show in
to Luth.

Speaker 2 (05:04):
We played a show in to Luth. It went really
really bad. This is like this is like early two thousands,
like Michael Mike Barr, Michael Barr freak out stage where
like uh the sound guy. Yeah, so I tried to
like cut a song, and I like went outside and
like ripped his reflector off his van. There is is

(05:26):
side mirror off his off his van and and everyone
got super mad at us because it was like a
super small local scene and people were like, how could
you do? And I was like, oops, yeah, that was
our trip.

Speaker 1 (05:40):
To chill dang poor du Luth. Well it was in
the middle of the winter too into Luth.

Speaker 2 (05:47):
Yeah, that's probably why I was like freaking out. I
was probably like I'm wearing vands and I'm coold. Uh yeah,
but maybe.

Speaker 1 (05:56):
The luth is almost never Van's weather. I'll just be honest.

Speaker 2 (06:00):
It's like it's like those cities you play one time,
and like it's like Ogden, Utah, it's like the first
that was the first city Volumes played like outside of
California ever, and like I've never been back, or like Duluth,
Minnesota is like one of those places where you're just
like what but we but we love like small towns

(06:27):
and like off that beat like weird, like well we
like provo you to all these like weird areas. You
think it's sick, like being in a major city's fun,
but like we like the weird shit. Yeah, like finding
the weird stuff that I get that.

Speaker 1 (06:42):
Well, let's talk about before we're actually diving into Volume
stuff in like your history around Volumes, Like how how
did you get into music in general? Like were you
one of those kids that was just really into music
as a kid. Did you grow up in a music family.
Were you one of those kids that was just I
don't know, screaming along to any album you could? Like?
What was your history that actually got you to the

(07:03):
point where you're like, now I actually want to sing
in a band, like a band like Volumes.

Speaker 2 (07:10):
Yeah, my dad was a musician and it just that
kind of did it for me. Music was like a
huge part of my family in my life ever since
I was born. My dad was in two of his
own bands in the late seventies eighties and had some

(07:33):
like small success and was signed to RCA Records, and
like in a hair metal band. He was in like
a what would then be called like a power like
synthpop band, kind kind of like light rock, so like

(07:55):
like super cool stuff but almost.

Speaker 1 (07:58):
Like like cheap chick or something like that.

Speaker 2 (08:01):
No, a little more like is that like more cynthy? Yeah,
I'm trying to think of like.

Speaker 4 (08:08):
Like there's seagulls kind of stuff.

Speaker 1 (08:13):
More like not that cheesy, is.

Speaker 4 (08:15):
What you're saying.

Speaker 2 (08:15):
Do you know who Eddie Money is? You guys probably
don't know who any money is, Like just very familiar
Eddie Money. What's that song? Is it? Is it the
Power of Love? That's in? Yeah, back to the future.
Who's the it's uh Hue? Is he in the news? No?

Speaker 1 (08:36):
Lewis in the news?

Speaker 2 (08:38):
Kind of like that. Yeah, this hotel. I've been staying
in this hotel. They all they do is play like
eighties music, and there's like a lot of stuff they're
playing on like this sounds like this sounds like that time,
so very like specific kind of like light rock that
he was into and he stopped when I was born
pretty much to like be like a dad and ended
up being like a contractor for years to pay the

(09:01):
bills and pay for me and stuff, but still did
music his whole you know, life, and that obviously rubbed
off on me and I, Uh I started the drums
were like my world when I was a kid, and
that's what I was like obsessed with and setting out

(09:21):
to do. That's kind of how it started.

Speaker 1 (09:24):
Yeah, wow, And what was like, maybe can you can
you name Michael what you're.

Speaker 4 (09:32):
Yeah, sorry, my dad's on the Yeah, what was your
what was your dad's band name?

Speaker 2 (09:38):
It's a it's called rock There's So he was in
a band called Small Talk that was signed. I'm like,
I'm pretty sure they were. And then he was started
a band called rock Rose that was like the band
that was bigger and they were signed to R c A.
And that's led him to do to do an an

(09:58):
R career with like cow Records, and he was like
involved with like Steely's Dan Steely Dan's album Can't Buy
a Thrill as far as like the two to three
degrees away from those sessions and yeah.

Speaker 1 (10:18):
Right now, and your dad must be named.

Speaker 2 (10:20):
Chris, Yeah Chris, Yeah, exactly.

Speaker 1 (10:23):
Yeah, look at it. I don't know which one he
is in this discogs photo, but he is aggressively eighties.

Speaker 2 (10:31):
I'm just saying, yeah, yeah, the photos are crazy. I've had,
like I've had sets of those. I know it's what
you're looking at. Probably I've had sets of those, like
framed in like my mom's house, like growing up and stuff.
We have a bunch of cool stuff that we kept
our whole lives. And like all the coolest part was
like his buddies were like he his buddies would come

(10:55):
visit like the house growing up, and they were like
so cool to me. He had his drummer. His name
was Frank Demi, and he was like tattooed like head
to toe, like in like eighties, like late eighties, like already.
Like he'd come to my house in like you know,

(11:16):
ninety nine or like ninety eight and have like neck
pieces and like flames on his ear, And I like
that was cool to be around all these like old
musician guys and they would like always bring old relics
and stuff. Oh, this was your dad's and that like
that all I think really like seeing that and being
around like cool guys, cool dudes with something. I was like, Yeah,

(11:41):
I'm gonna be like be fucking sickna be gonna be
rad when I'm older. And my dad wasn't even.

Speaker 1 (11:48):
Really liked.

Speaker 2 (11:51):
So it was he he had like a couple of
hard heads in that band like rubbed off on me
for sure.

Speaker 1 (11:59):
That's how So what was it that for you like
inspired you to like do specifically like heavy music because
it sounds like based on like his experience in music.
He wasn't obviously at least he wasn't creating heavy music.
I don't know if he was one of those guys
that was really secretly into heavy music, but yeah, what
was it that like got you more into heavy music? Then?

Speaker 2 (12:23):
Yeah? My dad was like very religious actually, so he
was super cool, Like he was a California dad, you know,
but like he had he I went to like Catholic
school when I was a kid, very religious. We would
go to church. It's like a big part of my
life actually. And I went to a really small school, right,

(12:47):
I'd like my class from like he was like K
through eight, right, like kindergarten through mus school. There was
like thirty kids. So I think like I was always
looking for in a like cooler stuff, you know, I wasn't.
I wasn't in go to public school and was immediately
exposed to kids wearing like Metallica shirts and Dio shirts

(13:10):
and like black Savage shirts. I was like in a
very sterile environment. So I think that helped me like
lead lead myself to heavy music. And I know I
had a couple of class mates, like particularly this girl,
her name is Melissa Tello. I still talked to her
this day, and me and her were like this as

(13:30):
far as like we're the only two people that listened
to like like like rock, scream o metal, anything like
that back in the day, like it Dies today and
Taking Back Sunday and like Unbroken Oh.

Speaker 6 (13:47):
Yeahs and a Dozen Furies, you know, those those old
school ass bands.

Speaker 1 (13:58):
What was the reception like like when uh, you know,
with with your dad being into the music that he
was like you know, creating and into like like once
he found out that you were into this like heavier stuff,
especially growing up in this like very religious environment where
a lot of that was probably pretty foreign for a
lot of people in the world that you were in,

(14:19):
What was the reception like, was it like are you
listening to like demon music or like I'm just curious,
Like because for Colin and I that was our experience,
like because we were like the only people in our
because we grew up super Christian as well, and in
the Christian world that we were in. No like obviously
there were the Christian that there was a Christian world
that was listening to like under Oath or whatever. Yeah,

(14:40):
but if you were not familiar with like something like
under Oath or August Burns rad You thought anything that
sounded like that was demon music. And so you always
as a Christian kid, had to justify like no, like
under oath to a Christian band and they're on a
Christian label, and you had to like do that whole
justification thing. Like for you, what was the way that
you were like, Hey, this is just what I'm really into.

(15:01):
Like was your dad and your family like really accepting
of that or is that something you really had to
like basically argue to like actually listen to.

Speaker 2 (15:10):
Yeah, I think I think well, since my dad was
a musician, he initially understood. My mom was kind of
more like confused at what was going on. Granted, like
unlike the Midwest, and I grew up, you know, in

(15:32):
southern California in like you know, twenty thirty minutes outside
of la and it's being like religious in La is
like it's like a pastime for some folks. So my
dad was like hardcore kind of like Irish Catholic, like
but not like Boston Irish Catholic. He's like so cal

(15:54):
Irish Catholic. So he was very like progressive and very
laid back. He didn't get it though, like fully and
probably in full context, he was like, I don't understand.
My dad passed away and when I was are thirteen
years old, So it happened at this time where like
I was just getting into I wasn't really even into

(16:17):
heavier stuff. I was into like lighter like I was
more on like the scream at like a static lulla
by those were like bands I was listening to more
like the emo screamo side of things. I wasn't quite
like that heavy yet, if you will. So I just
remember like them being like, what is this like yapping

(16:39):
coming from our son's room? But I was such a
sweet kid like and so shy that I think they
were like, this is not, like you know, this isn't
gonna be a thing. And then when my mom started
seeing me play shows, I think she was like, Okay,

(17:01):
I'm gonna have to act like I like this because
she saw how good it was like for me and
I have friends, you know a place.

Speaker 1 (17:11):
Well, at what point? At what point for them like
not only because obviously that's a huge turning point for
them to be like, oh, like our son is like
really talented at this and uh he clearly is into it.
At what point does it become a thing for them
where they're like, this isn't maybe just a hobby like that,
this is actually like this isn't just gonna be like

(17:31):
a thing that like he's gonna do in high school
and then once he goes off to college, like you know,
that'll be the end of it. Like at what point
were they like, Oh, this is this is serious, Like
this could actually pay some of the bills. Like did
they ever get to that point? Are they still? Are
they still like questioning.

Speaker 2 (17:47):
That like subjective? I think my mom's still like what
like my mom like for years, like like I left
the band and I came back and like she was like,
are you sure you want to do this? You know,
me and my mom were like pretty close, so she

(18:08):
still like loves, you know, everything I do with the
band and is like a huge supporter. But oh yeah,
I mean it's like life is real and being in
a band is hard, and your mom is like obviously
worried about you and for your safety, your financial security.
So she's always been, you know, skeptical, but at the

(18:33):
end of the day, like understands like this is probably
what I was set out to do. So she's been
like my biggest supporter through it all. But I think
coming home with like a really sketchy record contract and
putting it in front of my mom being like, what
do you think about this? My band's gonna get signed.
We're fucking eighteen, I have no idea what we're doing.

(18:57):
That's when she realized It's like, oh, yeah, you're about
to make like a really bad decision. So well, that's
pretty much what happened is we got like volumes, got
signed really really really young, really really early on, and
that's a good thing. That's a bad thing looking back
on it. And so I think we I mean, we

(19:19):
were playing small local shows for nobody, and we had
this contract shoved in our face, and that's when things
kind of changed of you know, getting legal advice and
stuff like when you're like twenty years old, nineteen years
old and you know, asking your parents to help you
and stuff. That's when they realized, I think, Okay, this

(19:41):
is going to be something that.

Speaker 1 (19:44):
Makes sense that reminds me like this, this question is
coming to my mind now of like, given the fact
that you guys are mostly, if not all, from California
and you're navigating that as like, you know, nineteen twenty
year olds where you're now starting to tour across the
country and you're making some money, and you're having to

(20:04):
get like legal advice and all of that, all of
those things that come with being in a band, especially
like a sign band, All of that's happening at that time,
given the fact that you all are from California, and
around the same time, you have a band from Kentucky
that is also probably going through the same sort of

(20:26):
thing where they're starting to tour a lot, they're starting
to get signed, they're starting to probably get legal advice,
but they're from Kentucky and that band is not loose.
And obviously I'm not trying to compare you guys to
like sound Wise or anything like that, But what I'm
saying is like there's something to be said about, like
if you're from California and you're nineteen years old, and
the kind of advice you probably get if you're trying

(20:49):
to like do this like metal music thing. Given the
fact that, like however much money you make from that
at that time, and knowing what the cost of living
is living in California, it must be different. Like I
don't know if you've thought about this before. But it
must be different than if you're like a band from
the middle of nowhere in Kentucky that's now popping off

(21:11):
and has maybe the same sort of access to the
same amount of money and tours and everything. Like, there
must be like a different kind of thing. And now
I'm like thinking, like, I wonder if like the part
of the reason why Knock Loose has gotten to the
point that they have is the fact that they were
coming from a place where they just had like less
cost of living to have to really factor into this

(21:33):
whole consideration of what do we do as a band
as we're starting to get access to more popularity and
more money and more tours and all of those sort
of things. I don't know if that's the thing that
you've ever thought about, especially with other bands that you've
toured with, But I'm realizing that now, like there must
be a difference given where you're coming from, Like whether
you're from Kentucky or from California, that matter is a

(21:55):
huge that has to matter a lot given the fact
that like cost of living is huge, massively different between
those two places.

Speaker 2 (22:05):
Yeah, it's a great question. It's something I think is
attributes to a lot of different things. The Knocked Loose
is a band that we love. I have personal relationships
with members of that band and they I just posted
something about this the other day on Instagram. Where it's

(22:27):
like watching projects grow and blossom that are into something
that's real. Is the most fun you're gonna have and
everything after that's subjective and an opinion based, but that's
not that is statistically proven, and that is without a doubt.
Is someone that's been doing this for almost twenty years,

(22:47):
is the most fun and rewarding part of your career
that you'd have. And I think, like I do, think
there's really like for volume we looking back, we can
look back on that and we have a sense of
like this started here and ended here, but there was

(23:09):
a lot of blurriness in between. It was self induced,
some of it wasn't self induced. Then you have other
bands that really like take this righteous path and soak
it all up and personal opinion, for me, I wish
I would have soaked more of it up. And you
know I'm not. It's not all lost on me. I

(23:30):
have enough of a deep connection with you know what
we went through in our history. But I think if
you come from like we came from a place that
was so unrealistic, Los Angeles is and this was in
like the mid two thousands, early two thousands. Our life

(23:53):
we were living as young men eighteen to nineteen to
twenty years old when this band started really picking up,
was like a very quintessential American pie suburban lifestyle, like
high school parties, everyone knows everybody. There's two high schools
in your town, football games, like very social environment like

(24:19):
Los Angeles. So like there's your friend's dad is a
filmmaker and your other friend's dad might be famous. It's
a very like mixed community. And typically what happens with
with you know, the populace of young people out here
is everyone doesn't matter where you come from. It could
be you know your your your parents are rich, your

(24:40):
parents are poor. Everyone kind of hangs out with each other.
There's really no clicks. There's clicks, but there's no cliques
like that. And I think that was a detriment for
us going on tour, being in other people's areas, being
around other people. We came from this place to like, dude,

(25:02):
like we have a lot of fun at home, like
when we when we are on tour, we miss home
and a way that other bands don't miss home. And
the band right next to us is a band that's
from like a town of ten thousand people, and they
are like, I fucking hate home and I'm just thrilled
to be out here. And I think that if anything

(25:22):
beyond the cost attributing of like saving money and being ahead,
I think that attributes first and foremost to anything is
like how you're hardwired. If you put Volumes and Knock
Loose side by side in two thousand and twelve, it'd
be nice. The Volumes would be fucking train wreck, Knock

(25:44):
Loose would be fine. And that that attributes from them
coming from probably a more realistic, grounded town city environment
and LA the circus that it is, and how it
rubbed off on us, as you know, folks, very common tale.
I don't live in LA anymore. I'm not an LA hater,
but there's a lot of things that we learned the

(26:06):
hard way because our scene was very cushioned. We were
very Every tour would come through my Cobalt Cafe Kinoga Park, California,
thirty minutes thirty miles outside of Los Angeles, and it
was the Cobalt and Chain reaction. So we had like

(26:27):
just a funnel of bands, great parties, great time, like
everyone was having a lot of fun. So we took
that energy out on the road. And sometimes you're just
met with adversity and other bands just could be the
headlining band, It could be a case to strain that's
looking at us, like, what the fuck is going on?
These dudes are like smoking so much weed. They're listening

(26:50):
to like horrible music. They're not listening to anything heavy.
We were like we would get on tour and people
would be like, I didn't realize these dudes were like this,
And yeah, I mean some of it. Some of it.
I look back and I was just like, you know,
we made We had a lot of like progressive moments

(27:13):
in this band. We were not scared to try new
things or be that band on the tour. And that
was like directly tied to how we grew up and
where we came from. And you grow up quick and
you learn how to act on certain tours and how
to not act on certain tours. So that that's such

(27:34):
a good question. That is such a good question.

Speaker 4 (27:39):
Do you subscribe?

Speaker 1 (27:40):
Do you obscribe?

Speaker 4 (27:41):
Ascribe so much of that to the idea that Los
Angeles and the Los Angeles area itself, it's kind of
like its own ecosystem and its own microculture that can
essentially sustain itself. And then as soon as you hit
this point where you kind of hit the ceiling of
that ecosystem, then well, now you kind of have to

(28:02):
branch out or what is it for you that you.

Speaker 2 (28:04):
Think, Yeah, I think Los Angeles is like there's just
so much going on and there always has been that
it's hard to even if you're doing like really well,
it's hard. We're like one of the only bands like
from Los Angele, like from Los Angeles probably that's still active,

(28:26):
like truly like a lot of bands live here now,
but like as far as bands coming out of LA
that's still around, I don't. It's hard, Like there's not
too many that are still doing a suicide Silence is
obviously like they're They're probably the first band I think
of and like, we're not not comparing myself to that
band at all, but you look back and you go,
I'm like thirty five down, You're like that was years ago.

(28:50):
And I think like for us, we just like longevity
and consistency has been our biggest commodity and accolade, and
especially in LA that's everything. La is like just people
either care they don't and progressive gent music, which I'm

(29:13):
not gonna call volumes at but that's baseline, bottom line,
Like that's a by word to describe it to you
in three words, that's basically what it is. And I
love that, but not you know, Hollywood and Los Angeles,
like that is not even right now with the resurgence
of like metal, hardcore, knock loose, turnstile, gen music, still

(29:39):
like it's going to Gen shows. Dude, I'm not going
to gent shows, Dude, I'm going to all the other shows.
But that's not like like we just threw a show
in October and dude, ticket sales we're rough. You know,
it was a self promoted show, and it's like you
cogniz we know that's what you're getting into when you

(30:02):
book a show in La. La is just a tough,
tough town, a lot of snobs.

Speaker 1 (30:11):
What would you say, maybe like it's a city or
a region maybe specifically for volumes. Maybe you just kind
of know this generally with the kind of scene of
bands here, with what is the city or the region
where it's like that's actually not a tough that's not
a tough crowd, Like, that's not a tough place to
sell tickets.

Speaker 2 (30:30):
I'd say, like Texas, Texas is like, oh, so has
that been?

Speaker 1 (30:36):
Has that been consistent throughout your guys' career or is
that like a more recent thing.

Speaker 2 (30:42):
No, it's always been consistent. Texas is like just been
like all the shows there are always super fun, super rowdy,
super packed. It's always been like that. We can always
really count on like Houston, San Antonio, Dallas as you know, Austin, yes,
and no now more so with the new venue they

(31:04):
have there. But yeah, Texas is just so big, you know,
there's so many people and they really are dedicated to
like heavy music. So but it's just an l a
thing because even if you go like down south like
Orange County, San Diego, those shows are like we're always packed.

(31:26):
Chain Reaction was always way cooler than like our little
world and Soma Center like Soma San Diego, that that
venue and that like it's like a compound of a
couple of venues there brick by brick in San Diego.
Like those these venues like are always they always have
done well. So it's just an it's like a it's

(31:47):
an l a thing for sure.

Speaker 1 (31:51):
M So let's talk about the new album. So a
lot of go ahead, go ahead?

Speaker 4 (31:58):
Oh yeah, I would say like a lot of what
people know about the history beyond great music when it
comes to volumes is quite a bit of turmoil and
then also some tragedy and things of that sort involved
as well, with the benefit of hindsight and you know
a little bit of retrospective when you're looking back at

(32:22):
you know how things have kind of progressed with you know,
members of the band and you know, maybe poor record
label deals and stuff like that. What's your viewpoint on
those things now? Now that you're thirty five and you've
you've been through the ring, you're on some things, and
you've you've grown as an individual and as a band.

Speaker 2 (32:43):
Yeah, I think like like a band just like brings
a group of people together, typically in a super young, fragile,
vulnerable state parlor lives aka like sixteen seventeen when you start,
you know, playing in bands in a garage and there's

(33:05):
a chance that might turn into something and then those
people who all are like children have to like go
be adults and just instantly like take this thing and
be all in a relationship together, and that's pretty much
how I viewed I still view Volumes. Volumes has had

(33:28):
like a lot of we've had We've had like a lineup,
dynamic change, A lot of people have come and gone
physically too. But there's been a lot of people involved
in Volumes throughout the years, like friends, like people, like
a lot of people don't. I mean, you guys probably
realize it, but folks listening and a band is like

(33:52):
a band, and then there's everyone around it that helped
make it happen, and those people, like you don't forget them.
So there's just been like a lot of personality types
around the band, people that are affiliated with Volumes, that
aren't in Volumes, people that have been in Volumes, and

(34:14):
it's kind of this dysfunctional family. I think every band
has that feeling. I've been on tour with bands that
aren't like that, and they have it. It's an anomaly.
But you go on tour and there's bands that are
just like, dude, everything's all good, and those are like
the funnest bands to tour with. But typically it's a
dysfunctional family and you just have to really like understand

(34:39):
that like no one is everyone's out of their comfort
zone typically specifically like when you're on tour. So I think,
like looking back on what that means to me, it's basically, like,

(35:00):
I guess, just having an open mind and never really
judging anyone by their actions immediately, especially like in an
environment of being in a band, because like typically everyone
wants to win. Obviously, everyone wants to have big records,

(35:21):
play sold out shows, tour on a bus tour around
the world, and I don't think anyone gets there. You
can't take take people's walks of life, recognize it for
what it is, and then move on. Can't be bothered
by where people are coming from. It's the hardest thing.

(35:43):
It's what kills bands, and what makes bands breakup is
you're just you're just you get you get sick of
each other, your timeline for one another runs out. Volumes
has been there. It takes a lot for this band
to go on travel trips and do flyouts and do

(36:07):
stuff like that because we have a lot of trauma
and do stuff from the past, and we're just very
careful now with like agreeing to what we do because
of that, and it helps us sometimes it holds us back.
Some people feel like it's a slower process, but we're
we have to be careful on where we're going because

(36:30):
we've just yeah, we've been yes men in the past,
and just on your mental health and everyone else's mental health.
It's like first and foremost is the most important thing.

Speaker 1 (36:43):
Yeah, it reminds me. Cul and I have interviewed Dustin
Kentcer from Thrice a number of times and we've gotten
to know him pretty well. And like, Thrice is a
band that I often think about, like, you know, they've
been around for nearly thirty years and they've always had
the same four guys, and I don't know exactly about

(37:07):
like their management and all of that, but like it's
been the same four guys for nearly thirty years, and
a lot of that is due to the fact that
like they just actually still to this day enjoy hanging
out with each other and being with each other, and
you don't realize like how much of you know. Obviously,
there is a part of a band where like you
need a good songwriter, you need like you need talented

(37:29):
people who are talented at their respective instruments. But at
the end of the day, like Colin and I talk
about this all the time or whenever we especially when
we interview people who are like they weren't the original
member of a band but got brought into a band,
we often ask them about, like how did you get
into the band, And more or less it wasn't because

(37:50):
they were way more talented than anyone else. It was
just because, like they were easy to get along with,
Like they're just they're good people that are good to
get along with. And there's so much of that you
you realize with bands where part of the reason why
I don't know, like I'm trying to Colin and I
bring this band up a lot, but Jimmy World, for example,
Like Jimmy World, same guys for however many years, and

(38:12):
they've consistently released albums, consistently done tours, and part of
that probably and we don't know the Jimmy World guys,
but I would imagine part of that is the fact
that like they just like get along with each other,
like they're just easy guys to get along, Like there's
no egos involved, They're just like people that just enjoy
loving making music and loving playing shows together. And I

(38:33):
definitely know that that's the case for thrice and and
so there's something we said about the fact that, like
you can be as talented as you want in the world,
especially as a musician, but if you're just like not
easy to get along with, like You're, there's a there's
a good chance like you're, you're gonna fizzle out pretty quickly.

Speaker 2 (38:50):
Yeah, it really works for for anyone. I mean, there's
there's a couple of exceptions that you know. I I think,
like it's an old business model, if you will, if
you're in a band and in twenty twenty six, you
know where we have one one more month left of

(39:11):
this year. I think people understand that, like if you're
inaccessible and you are trying to put up barriers for
you and your fans or even your crew and your band,
maybe it gets out whatever. It's so in my opinion,

(39:33):
and I'm an old guy here, but I noticed the young,
young kids, young folks now are like they want a
direct line of like who they're supporting, what tickets to
the show they're buying, who's who's owns, the brands of
clothing they're buying. If you're like mysterious or elusive or

(39:53):
like a loof creatively a loof it like doesn't work anymore,
and I've fallen victim in that as far as like
first promotions and stuff that I want to do with
volumes or other things. That's like kind of like my
age demographic is what we grew up on is rock star.
You know, like everyone everyone is making money and inaccessible

(40:18):
and hiding behind a greenroom walls whatever. And I think
like where we're at now, it's really cool to see
young people request that's like they don't want that, you know.
I think like Turnstile is a really good example of
a band, the traditional hardcore band that is like blossom
into what they're doing now and they still have like

(40:40):
in my opinion, I know other people are like can
say they're not this or that anymore, but I think
they've holed up. They've held up a lot of integrity
as far as trying to do what they're doing now
and where they've come from. They've they've balanced it pretty well.
And that's a band that is like we are are

(41:00):
massive and we can be rock stars and we can
amass this that right, but they're never gonna do that.
You can always count on them like they're they're gonna
have floor shows. Still they're gonna play like down the
street where like the fucking Elks Lodge or I live
up here, And I think that's the new format. That's

(41:23):
that's I think that is really cool and rock stardom
is dead.

Speaker 1 (41:33):
Yeah, there's something we said about like knowing like obviously
like Turnstile is not going to be the local band
that's just like the local hardcore band that's only played
like a few shows, Like we know that they're not that,
and they know that they're not that, but they know
that that's where they came from, like they were that
at one point, and they they clearly remember that. And

(41:57):
at the same time they're balancing at with the fact
that like, you know what we're we're gonna we're gonna
try to replicate that as much as we can as
much as they're able to. And and Knock Loose says that,
like I still see like you know, knock Loose will
play like Coachella and in that same year, they'll play
like some almost what looks like a basement show, right

(42:18):
Like they'll they'll do that, And that's like, to me,
that's what's really cool about especially a lot of bands
like Turnstile, or knock Loose or whatever it might be.
Is they recognize where they came from. They're not going
to ignore that. They're gonna try to stay as true
to that as possible while also recognizing like they aren't
just that right and we all know that too. Sometimes
they are gonna play kemel.

Speaker 2 (42:40):
Yeah. No, I think like like like knock Loose, like
clearly has you know, all the cards in there at
their disposal, And I're they're being responsible, right, They're being
responsible with their what they're giving back to people that

(43:01):
have made them who they are today. And you didn't
see that in twenty ten, you know, in twenty and
eight and twenty fifteen. So yeah, it's just I think
like the industry, the suits, the people that like, didn't
necessarily think they could operate that way because it was

(43:24):
deemed like low grade or not not of the industry standard.
Why would you, why would you do a secret show
at a two under cap venue and da da da.
But the world's gotten just so funneled and bad and
stale and non creative and diluted that I think labels

(43:45):
are following like they're going back to the grassroots, the
basics and being like, you know, I realizing that there's
a want for that instead of like and bands are
obviously playing arena shows. We've seen that in the last
two years, like all these bands playing huge arenas, which
is sick, but it's also cool to do the small stuff.

(44:09):
And I like, I book out of a really small venue.
It's a DIY venue. I do like really small shows there,
and there's a lot of interest. Like a lot of
big bands have been hitting me up like, hey, would
it be cool to like do something there? And I'm
like absolutely, like why not? You know, why wouldn't you?
So I think there's a hunger for that, especially in LA,

(44:30):
especially in LA where music is in. Live music is
going through like a true renaissance post pandemic. A lot
of venues closed and a lot of new venues have
opened up, a lot of bars, a lot of bars
have opened up their doors to artists and they're doing

(44:52):
shows now. So you're seeing like tons and tons of
small shows. They're not heavily promoted, which is way cooler
because you kind of have like be in the know.
And that's LA hasn't necessarily been the sickest, coolest environment
for new music, but in the last year too it's

(45:13):
really changed and there's a lot of like there's a
huge heavy scene, huge hardcore scene. There's hardcore shows in
Hollywood now there It was never that, there was never
hardcore shows in Hollywood and there are now and then
like the East end of town, Silver Lake, Highland Park,
there's tons of like these little craft venues that are
always doing like cool, cool underground stuff.

Speaker 4 (45:38):
Should we should we talk about the new record?

Speaker 2 (45:41):
Sure?

Speaker 4 (45:43):
All right? So, uh, what is it about this record
that you are most proud of in terms of the
change in the style, the uh, the the dynamics of
you know, the composition of the band itself. Seems like
you're exploring a lot of new things here that are

(46:06):
a lot of fun.

Speaker 2 (46:08):
Yeah, we volumes, you know, We're we've always been like
a hybrid kind of band. We do a lot of
different styles. It's something we've like evolved with every album
that we've put out. It started on No Sleep years ago.
That was like a huge leap for us as far

(46:28):
as we want to start singing. And so we did
on that record and kind of made it work or
did it in a way that we thought would work
for us. And it's not really a goal for every record,
but we always come back to like, all right, let's
do like, let's do a couple let's do a couple

(46:49):
volumes bangers, and we try to do and it's always
like we're never going to replicate what we did before,
but somehow we find a way. We stumbled through it,
and they're always like too good to put on the
back burner. I am like, I listen to a lot

(47:09):
of heavy music, and I am like, I'm not the
biggest fan of the big pop volume songs, and this
is just full disclosure, right, this is full transparent. A
lot of like front man and lead singers like they
won't say this stuff. So I love singing stuff like this.

(47:30):
It's just like we do it really well. It's it's
not like a responsibility, it's not obligatory. But where I'm
at in my life, like I don't listen to singing music.
I listened to like punk music, metal music, hardcore music,
and that's just where I'm at now, and I a

(47:51):
couple of years ago, I was listening to a lot
of other different things. So this record, how poppy it is,
it came out a really interesting time in my life personally,
and it's still one of those things where volumes will
always get through to me vulnerably, and I hope it
does with our fans, and I think that's like the

(48:13):
most that's the biggest thing for me on this record
is like I want the people that are interested and
want to listen to volumes, I want them to understand that.
Like this, this album is a scope of like everything
we've kind of done, and all of the albums we

(48:35):
put out you can kind of hear it. On this one.
We did a lot of like nostalgic mixing. We have
a lot of songs that sound like old school volumes,
like true old school volumes, and that was important to
add those elements in to not just have like a
record like Happier, which is great, but it's very clear

(48:57):
and sterile and where that that's cool for what that was,
But for this we wanted to like dumb things down intentionally,
so like subjectivity mix, everything just feels like there's it's
not lofty, it's not we're not coming from a place
of like trying really hard to hit something on the nail.

(49:21):
Mear Touch is just there's not even a song on
the album called mir Touch. It's just like we named
the album something that meant really you know, a concept
that we thought was very cool. We were super into
and it like meant a lot to us as a band.
Uh So, I think I just hope that that's the
effect it has on listeners.

Speaker 4 (49:47):
What is uh what does mirror touch mean to you guys?

Speaker 2 (49:51):
Uh miar touch is a like clinical definition for so
there's something called synthesesia that people are like well aware
of where you can like see color through sound and
like sound through color. And then there's a term called

(50:12):
mirror touch, which is like another side of synthesesia where
it's the same effect, but you you're mirroring people's physical
pain and it's or or like joy or happiness. But
it typically like stems from someone that can, like you know,
like my fiance like cuts herself. I have a sensation

(50:35):
of like that exact feeling in that exact place because
I'm so like connected with her. So that's like a
real thing that happens. And we thought that was so
cool and what a cool like concept to you know,
wrap your head around. For our fans and our supporters,
we feel like that's the relationship and tandem thing we

(50:57):
have with them, like we can be honest and know
and we feel what they feel vice versa.

Speaker 1 (51:04):
It's like this, like I like to keep embodied form
of like empathy.

Speaker 2 (51:09):
That's yeah. I mean, like back to just you know
how different volumes can get. I think like at the
end of the day, we have songs that are angry.
I can get super pissed off, you know, write a
song like whatever. But we're just like we're we're like
such softies, like normal guys. And that's just if if

(51:35):
there's any like theme or thing with volumes, like we're
not like Vai Lamaya or like eisnine Kills has these
like strong directions attached to their band, like we're just
I think it's like the vulnerability and just having like
our walls really low, being super approachable, being very self deprecating,

(52:01):
maybe even to a detribute.

Speaker 1 (52:04):
M gotcha.

Speaker 4 (52:07):
Should we get into your top five most influential records?

Speaker 2 (52:12):
Yeah, let's do it.

Speaker 4 (52:15):
Let's do it, all right. You can start however you like,
just go ahead and start ripping away, all right, and
then just give a little brief brief explanation as to
why that record is on this.

Speaker 2 (52:26):
For sure, for sure, I wrote it down because I
get so waked out when I do stuff like this,
like I'm so bad people are, especially in music. What's
your favorite song of all time? I don't. I can't
answer that, Okay, I have four? Is that okay?

Speaker 1 (52:50):
And you know, who knows? Maybe another one will come
to mind as you talk about them.

Speaker 2 (52:54):
Actually, no, I do have five. Coming in at number one.
It already happened. Yeah, already happened, coming in at number one,
Tragic Kingdom, no doubt. A lot of you will be
surprised when you hear that. Most of you folks, most
of you folks that know me know that. Like I'm
a die hard, no doubt fan, true Southern California kid.

(53:20):
The first like the first music I was like very
stoked on first genre. I was like punk ska music,
and that was like if you grew up in Southern
California in the nineties, the two thousands, that's like that
was it. No doubt, was like a thing me and
my sister shared. It's kind of what started my journey

(53:40):
in music, was like being very stoked on them and
like being had like a huge crossh on Gwen Stefani.
Like of course, so all those things where I was like, dude,
this chick is like so hot and sick. So that album,
that album, which is that it's actually very good. That

(54:01):
one was like a big one for me in my youth.
Connected with number two, I would say Sublime self titled
again various Southern California and me to be throwing this
in the mix. Sublime, it's like they're like the red

(54:23):
hot Chili Peppers. People are like Fox Sublime and like
hate them and they don't understand it. But it's like
one of those things where it's like synonymous with how
I grew up and where I live, and they're actually
like one of the Bradley noll Is like the coolest
guy who passed away too young. So yeah, Sublime was

(54:45):
like a huge Those two bands were also like that
Orange County connection. They like came up together, so I
thought that was really cool. So I'm obviously in the
Sublime and then I'll okay, so number so number three
would be NOFX Thanks for all the shoes. Wow, yeah,

(55:09):
these are like the next one was gonna make more sense.

Speaker 4 (55:11):
Trust me, No, these all makes sense to me.

Speaker 2 (55:15):
But yeah, no, I mean thanks for all the shoes.
Like a the album was like a big album for me.
And to this day it's like so nostalgic love No Effects.

Speaker 1 (55:26):
I will say, like so far, you know, and yeah
No Effects is also yeah, I forgot they're from La.
Like okay, you've you've already like talked because No Doubt
is from California as well, right, and like yeah, yeah,
so so far you've mentioned three California bands. Like I
can't imagine growing up in the nineties as like a

(55:49):
weirdo kid in LA or California in general, Like it
must have been like just the best time to have
ever grown up being a weirdo because you had SKA,
you had great punk coming out at that time, like
you had you had such good music coming out at
that time for like a bunch of like if you're
like somebody who's just like I'm not really into like

(56:10):
all the top forty stuff or whatever, that ends up
becoming super popular and you're like, wait, what, Like this
was all the stuff I was just like going to
random shows too, and now now all of this is
this stuff is popular. Like it's just been such an
interesting time to have been that kind of kid in
the nineties in California.

Speaker 2 (56:27):
Yeah, yeah, I think like that's that's part of like
you falling, like you know, I didn't. I didn't have
a dad who like was like obsessed with Metallica. And
I think that attributes to maybe why Volumes is like
the way it is, because like I initially grew up
on like punk and SKA and was just like immersed

(56:51):
in that world. And yeah, I had like that's me
and my friends, Like that's like all we listened to,
you know, at the time. And it was a total
product of like I had cousins that grew up in
Orange County. I thought they were the cool Like I
thought Orange County was like the coolest place growing up.
When I was a kid, I was like, oh my god,
I don't want to live. I was like landlocked in
the valley Inland and like I was like, nothing cool

(57:12):
is happening here, like all these bands I listened to,
like live like sixty miles South. So yeah, it was
to your point. I think people are just like when
I'm like talking about Sublime to like a Volumes fan,
They're like what they what do you mean?

Speaker 4 (57:36):
I do find it interesting that that it's all so
far the music that means the most to you. It
has been the music that has been pretty pretty much
like chill out music.

Speaker 2 (57:47):
Yeah, I listened to a lot, like I mean, I
grew up on like my dad was like a huge
Beatles guy, and like I'm kind of indifferent about the Beatles,
like when it shoved down your throat and you're you're
like fuck cool, you know. I hear the songs now
and I'm like how many times can you listen to
Yellow Summarine, you know? But h yeah, I mean it's

(58:09):
it's all like it's all death like you know, California Sunshine,
Palm Trees. It's it's all like chill punk, chill music.
But then I Have I Have coming in at number
four is this was a huge. This is when I
started like, you know, like making creating more of my

(58:32):
own taste. Was tell all your friends by Taking Back Sunday.
That album was like yeah, my middle school like yeah,
like Bible like it was just like the cool. Yeah,
that was like a huge Adam Lazara was like I
was just like amazed by him. Uh. Then at number

(58:55):
I guess so that was three? So or that was four?
Or no, was three? Or four? That was four?

Speaker 1 (59:02):
That was four? Yeah you got one more.

Speaker 2 (59:04):
I'm gonna do two more.

Speaker 1 (59:05):
All right, let's do it, okay.

Speaker 2 (59:07):
Uh Minus the Herd. Ion Dissonance was like a huge
inspiration for like Volumes as far as vocal style for me.
I don't know a lot of people realize who Ion
Dissonance is, but they're like a very like niche band

(59:31):
early two thousands, like metalcore kind of like like I guess,
like almost like grind core vibes. They're from Canada. Yeah,
they were like super sick. Everyone go check out Ion
Distance Minus the Herd. That was a huge, huge album
for me. And then lastly like August Burn's Red Constellations

(59:55):
that was like I was like, okay, cool, so I'm
basically gonna sound exactly like this this guy Screamer Jay
who I love. So those those last two were like huge,
huge easter eggs for me as far as like okay,
like I have these two guys, this is this is

(01:00:15):
what this is like where I want to be and
there there you go.

Speaker 4 (01:00:19):
Great call.

Speaker 1 (01:00:20):
I honestly, to some degree, I hear a little bit
of all of that with Volumes, Like you know that
there is occasionally this kind of like laid back or
just at least from like a songwriting approach, I could
kind of see some of the different songwriting elements of
some of those California bands you mentioned. But then obviously,
like you're talking about this kind of like mathcore band

(01:00:41):
with iron dissonance, and then you obviously hear that kind
of that gent chaotic sound. And then obviously with like
August Burn's Red, like the just the dynamic of like
the heavy, the great rifts, the the the incredible like breakdowns. Uh,
and and then just that that sort of like se
uh and screaming dynamic. Like it's just you hear all

(01:01:03):
of that. So this this list actually really makes a
lot of sense here hearing it.

Speaker 2 (01:01:07):
It does it kind of it's like it's the ska
the punks in there, and then the rock emo like
kind of and then to the heavy. It took you
through a little chronological roller coaster.

Speaker 1 (01:01:22):
Jarney, I see it, I see it. I love it. Well,
great list, great list. Uh, what do you want to
what do you want to plug? Michael? So, obviously new albums,
a new album at least the time of the recording
is about to come out, right.

Speaker 2 (01:01:34):
Yeah, yeah, So the new album will be out in
a couple of weeks. We have like a couple of
surprises I can't really talk too much about them, but
like around the album announcement, shortly thereafter, we're gonna be
dropping some confirmations on some stuff we have coming up with,

(01:01:59):
like cloud operations. There might be a couple of shows
being announced.

Speaker 1 (01:02:04):
So definitely sweet, stay tuned, nice, love it well, oh yeah,
we're looking forward to it. Uh, yeah, can't wait. Listening
to the few songs that have come out so far
with the album, I'm just like, I'm so stoked for
the entire.

Speaker 2 (01:02:18):
Album it's gonna be Yeah, you guys got heard it.

Speaker 1 (01:02:23):
Not the entire thing, just this the few songs that
have come out. I think I could have listened to
the entire album. I'm sure we got like the press
release for it, but like a few songs that I've
just been blaring in my car, I'm like, yeah, this
is this is so sick.

Speaker 2 (01:02:36):
So yeah, I just waited out this At this point,
it's worth it.

Speaker 1 (01:02:39):
Love it, yeah, excited for it. Well, Michael, what else
would you like to plug?

Speaker 2 (01:02:44):
Uh? In twenty fifteen, when I left the band, I
moved to New York and managed a Michelin Star restaurant.
It was for a Star Michelin restaurant. It was called
Le Ajou.

Speaker 1 (01:02:56):
Okay, were you like the soux chef? What were you
doing at this?

Speaker 2 (01:03:00):
I was like I was like the like executive manager
of the entire floor. Yeah, so I oversaw everything from I'll.

Speaker 1 (01:03:12):
Be honest, big big foody. So I gotta I gotta know,
like what what kind of food we all doing?

Speaker 2 (01:03:17):
At LEAs you? At LEAs you we were doing like
it was basically like a Glory like elevated steakhouse with
some like top this involved so front front front. Half
of the menu was all like quick grab tapas bites,
and then we had like some all star like finale

(01:03:39):
like sixty five seventy five dollars plated foods. And it
was seasonal so it would change in rotation.

Speaker 1 (01:03:47):
I would imagine a good Wagu, right, oh yeah, if
it was that house, I would imagine there's a good Wagu.
If it was a steakhouse of some.

Speaker 2 (01:03:53):
Sort of a las yeah, sick wagu. Also just like
a really it was a New York's a nice New
York strip. We didn't really Oh yeah, generously prized green
playing food. Dude, it's still there. Shout out Ricky, Shout
out Ricky. Love Ricky Ricky.

Speaker 1 (01:04:14):
Oh yeah, it's incredible. So okay, after I always you know,
I feel like the Bear has kind of inspired this
a little bit to to a lot of people. But
when when you now knowing like your experience of you know,
working in the you know the nice like fine dining industry.
You know, I'm sure you're used to like incredible food

(01:04:35):
right obviously, But when you get home at night after
a long night of you know, working or whatever, like,
what what's like that go to? Like are you making
a grilled cheese? Are you making some mac and cheese?

Speaker 2 (01:04:47):
Yeah?

Speaker 1 (01:04:47):
What? What? What is it?

Speaker 2 (01:04:48):
Yeah?

Speaker 1 (01:04:48):
Like you just what what are you doing to to
like just satisfy make sure you get to bed to
that night, make sure you get some food to eat
before you go to bed.

Speaker 2 (01:04:58):
Probably some like a long like a long shift at
lea ju super stressful, huge clientlest like so many exclusive tables.
I'd be like, okay, I need some Chinese food on
my way home. Oh hell yeah, all these personality types
coming up to me, I need this, I need that,
Hey dude, I'd be like, okay, I'm just trying to

(01:05:20):
get through the shift and make it to my orange
chicken coming egg for young Oh yeah, guy, pin.

Speaker 4 (01:05:31):
Can you shout out the one individual that you were
most proud to have seen come through the door.

Speaker 2 (01:05:39):
At lea ju h Salami. Salami sal was a like Mafi,
like a washed up mafia don Like no one really
knew if he was like actually in the mafia or not.
But he like tips tips everyone, and two dollars bills
and walk, hey, here's dollars. And he always he he

(01:06:00):
was he was. He was a psychopath too. He'd like
he'd like eat his food and as soon as he's
done with his steak, he started crying instantly, and everyone
would be like people get freaked out and be like, oh,
it's just Salami Syle like he's got a lot he's
you don't really ask why he's crying. You know, you
don't know how many bodies I mean, people always put
you know.

Speaker 1 (01:06:20):
You don't want to be one of those bodies someday.

Speaker 2 (01:06:22):
You know, we never knew, We never knew.

Speaker 4 (01:06:24):
He probably just loved the He loved the food so
much that I thought transcendent experience to the point he.

Speaker 2 (01:06:30):
Did something really bad and he just like le it
was the only place that he'd go have like a
some peace of mind, and he like gets through his
steak and then as soon as it's done, he's back
to reality and he's like, damn, damn, I probably I'm
probably probably gonna get me soon. Man, They're probably gonna
whack me soon. Man, huge come in, come in, was

(01:06:53):
a huge cigar and can't smoke inside, but we would
love him smoke inside.

Speaker 1 (01:06:58):
You got it, you got it all him, man. I
mean like it sounds like I'm not gonna tell him no.
It sounds like this was like what he was hoping
to be his last meal, Like he was hoping to
go in to the restaurant and come back out and
that's when he gets knocked out.

Speaker 2 (01:07:14):
You know what. I left lea Ju to come back
to Volumes, and uh I never saw I saw him.
I never you know, I never got to uh say
bye to him or or or see how things turned out.
I wonder if Salami sal still has that corner table

(01:07:35):
with the plaque that says Salami Sal He's probably still
sitting there, Leyaju.

Speaker 4 (01:07:40):
Yeah, oh man, he's got his own plaque.

Speaker 1 (01:07:42):
Damn dude.

Speaker 2 (01:07:43):
Yeah, he had his own flag. He was like one
of those corners. He's like, you know, when you sit
here at a restaurant. He looks left and he says, salsmooth.

Speaker 1 (01:07:51):
It's just that one corner that's always a little smoky, right.

Speaker 2 (01:07:54):
You go, you go? Who the fuck is sal Well? Everyone,
it's it's a guy like Salami Sala out there as
holding on by goddamn thread and all he has.

Speaker 1 (01:08:04):
That's right, the one thing he's got going. Well, Well,
visit man, Well, if I ever visit New York, I
gotta I gotta go visit. I definitely have to go
go hang out and maybe maybe maybe Slammy soals still around,
love to love to meet him someday. So well, Michael,

(01:08:24):
oh god, could you imagine? Could you imagine? Incredible? Well, Michael,
thank you so much for chatting more about Volumes and
about the new album. Just super excited for it. I
know it's a couple of weeks. I know it's a
couple you know, it's right before the holiday break for
a lot of folks. I know it's kind of an
interesting time to release music. But I'm super so for it,

(01:08:45):
calling super super soaked for it. Uh yeah, we just
can't wait. And so hopefully you guys will be playing
a show sometime near us and we'll definitely be there
if that happens.

Speaker 2 (01:08:55):
You guys are the best. Yeah, don't be strangers. Let's
talk soon. Definitely come out to a show.

Speaker 1 (01:09:02):
We'll be there. Caes