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Unsigned518 - Episode 209 - Skull Mason · Unsigned518

• 0:01
  Speaker A: He was born on a Saturday in 73 he loves punk rock music fighting the 13 cabin in the dazzle Jazz on the beat Guitar with the short with radio back his motherfucking envy Scrolling look at motherfucker. Cuz here he comes Andy Scrolling wearing
• 0:25
  Speaker B: his orange hat welcome to unsigned 518. I'm here with Skull Mason and kind of like a different version, I guess, because Aaron, you were here. We figured it was August of 2024.
• 0:41
  Speaker C: That's right.
• 0:42
  Speaker B: And we'll get to the other guys in just a second. But like you were looking, you had all this music that you had done yourself and you were looking for an actual band.
• 0:54
  Speaker C: Yes.
• 0:54
  Speaker B: And now you've found one.
• 0:56
  Speaker C: Yep. These two gentlemen beside me here.
• 0:58
  Speaker B: So we have. Have Reuben here and you' on bass. Hello.
• 1:02
  Speaker D: Yeah, I'm on bass. I'm doing all the low end stuff.
• 1:04
  Speaker B: Nice. And then Jake drums. Yeah. And so I guess what we're gonna do is kind of piggyback on to the earlier episode and I even looked it up, it was episode number 133. So anybody listening if they want to. Want to scroll back to make it. Make it nice and easy. Episode 133 with Aaron and this will be like the sequel. Because now you're like, we found the band. So I guess tell me what's been going on since August of 2024.
• 1:35
  Speaker C: So last time I was here we did spend a good amount of time talking about how I'm a solo act kind of and looking for members so we can start gigging. Since then we found the members and we've been booking gigs.
• 1:49
  Speaker B: And how did it come up, you know, how did you find these guys?
• 1:53
  Speaker C: Basically like, oh, the wonders of social media. I think I might have found. Jake would have gone a 518 musicians form kind of thing. And Reuben.
• 2:07
  Speaker D: Yeah. So I. So this kind of goes back a few years because I used to be in a band called Ghost Walker and I play guitar and Aaron was in a band called Straight Through Sanity. And yeah, so we kind of. We never met and we had shows booked that always seemed to get canceled
• 2:27
  Speaker C: and it was like COVID 19 time.
• 2:29
  Speaker B: Yeah.
• 2:30
  Speaker D: One of them was a snowstorm during the Ex Mortise show. Supposed to be us. You and Ex Mortise. Ex Mortise crashed their bus somewhere and so the show got canceled.
• 2:39
  Speaker B: So you're in like parallel bands.
• 2:41
  Speaker D: Yeah, we were like parallel. We were thrashed. They were thrash. So we knew each other. Knew of each other. So then, you know, I had him on Facebook. I saw he put that out. And I was like, I'll. I'll do that. I, like, he just playing.
• 2:54
  Speaker C: He wrote yo.
• 2:57
  Speaker B: And then so how quick from the time you, you know, you found you. Were you jamming and writing songs? Were you just kind of using stuff that you. Aaron had already written and recorded as a bass to, like.
• 3:10
  Speaker C: So Jacob was a good deal before Ruben in terms of when we got in contact. And Jake was kind of like giving me a month, month and a half, and let's jam. I'm like, all right. That time comes, and he's got, like, three or four songs down. Just like, nailed him as if, like, studio. Like, he recorded the original drums. He knew everything. And we spent some time getting tight together while searching for a bass player, which was no easy task. There is so many, you know, flaky people and for real half commitments. And it was. It was like a. Like, dating on Tinder, almost like, getting, like, ghosted. But eventually we came across Reuben and, you know, both these guys super professional and super cool. And it's just been awesome being able to, you know.
• 3:59
  Speaker B: You know, And I think that's something that in a local scene, people kind of take for granted. And it. You can almost understand sometimes people's lack of taking it super serious because it's like, you know, we all have day jobs, we all have lives or whatever, but at the same time, if it's just gonna be a hobby, let it just be a hobby. If you want to do something with it, like, you have to have that level of professionalism. And I don't know, for me, it's hard to hear that you're like, oh, yeah, I found a bunch of. I mean, I'm glad you found dudes that are professional, but, like, that you're looking out for people and getting a bunch of people flaking on you. Like, it bumps me out.
• 4:43
  Speaker C: It's. Yes. I mean, first and foremost, it is fun and it's a hobby. It's not like we're, like, able to quit our day jobs. Right, Right.
• 4:49
  Speaker B: But you still got a lot.
• 4:51
  Speaker C: It's not fun if you don't take it seriously. And one person's, like, a weak link dragging everybody down. It's. You all gotta. You gotta want it because it's not. Yeah, you're not getting paid very much, and it requires a significant amount of travel and time and resources.
• 5:04
  Speaker B: And that's the thing, is that you're not getting paid. So there is. There has to be a reason that you're doing it. And that reason is like a internal like soul reason. And that's enough of a reason.
• 5:15
  Speaker C: Yeah. Because I've not done it for a while and it sucks.
• 5:18
  Speaker B: Right, right.
• 5:19
  Speaker D: With this kind of music, like, I heard it and I actually. Oh, is that better? I heard it a while ago. I heard his stuff a while ago and I was like, shit, this Skull Mason stuff is good. It's fast, like. And then, you know, getting the chance to jam with them and it's. I realized it's not only the professionalism, it's jamming with guys who are on your level. Because I've run into this situation too, where you think you're gonna, you know, talking to someone about jamming. Cool influences, you know, cool guy, you known him forever, and you jam and you're just either not the same influences, your styles aren't matching, or skill level wise, you're not there.
• 5:56
  Speaker B: Or it doesn't go anywhere.
• 5:58
  Speaker D: Or it doesn't go anywhere.
• 5:58
  Speaker B: Sometimes you can have that where it's two great musicians.
• 6:02
  Speaker D: Right?
• 6:02
  Speaker B: But they just can't find a way.
• 6:04
  Speaker C: That's what I was afraid of.
• 6:05
  Speaker A: Jake.
• 6:05
  Speaker C: I was like, jake, be patient, dude. We're gonna find a bass player. We're gonna find, hopefully another guitarist in the future. But for a while, it seemed like me and him were just gonna be practicing in his basement for, you know, the rest of time.
• 6:16
  Speaker B: Yeah, because, you know, you have to have someone that's willing to, like, put it out there and not just.
• 6:22
  Speaker D: I was really happy to come into a situation where, you know, the guys were professional, they had the stuff down, they knew what they were doing. I actually came in kind of quick, so I was just kind of learning stuff. As I was going, like, showing up to jam, they were showing me stuff. Me and Aaron are actually kind of neighbors. We only live like a mile or two from each other. So, you know, we've been going over to each other's places, jamming, you know, him showing me stuff. So, you know, coming in, I felt like I was a little behind, but being caught up, like, I feel like we're really getting together well. And this is honestly, like one of the best band situations I feel like I've been in. Like, guys are super professional and.
• 7:04
  Speaker E: Oh, yeah, for sure.
• 7:05
  Speaker B: Yeah.
• 7:06
  Speaker E: Like, I've been in several bands and it's like, this is like the only band that I've been in where they actually, like, want to work. And like, we just, like. We shot a playthrough a couple weeks ago, and my last band, I was. We were. I was trying to get those guys to do it trying to get those guys to do it for like two years. They want to do it and then, you know, like we've known each other for like a year. Well, Aaron and I have known each other a year. I've known Ruben since September. So like, to be able to like in such short amount of time to actually have like EP on the way, actually. Actually have like three, you know, three gigs coming up and then to actually like put some work in is really cool.
• 7:45
  Speaker B: And you know, coming in. Ruben, you said like a little later. And Jake, you joined.
• 7:51
  Speaker E: I joined in like February. Yeah. Of 25.
• 7:55
  Speaker B: Okay. And then you. It was like September.
• 7:58
  Speaker D: Yeah.
• 7:58
  Speaker B: So like having that almost like that, you know, usually it's like the rhythm section, you know, the bass and the drums lock in. Like having Aaron and Jake working together to almost create a space for you to jump in. Did. Did you find that that was a little more difficult to create your own space in there? I don't know if that makes sense. Maybe I shouldn't have hit that pen before we started recording.
• 8:27
  Speaker D: It was good, right? The gorilla glue really gets you these days.
• 8:30
  Speaker B: But does that make sense? Like, was it a little like harder to already have them established and then you jumping in or was it a little easier?
• 8:38
  Speaker D: Felt like. And I've been in situations like that where you are filling in or want to jump in and you know, and this really didn't feel like that at all. I got there and even the first day not knowing a lot of the stuff, we were just, we were in it, you know. And I feel like I've really had my own space. I feel like even with the recordings and us playing it as a three piece live, they do leave me the space to jump in and do my own thing. And I've since, you know, been messing with some pedals. I got a whammy bar on my new bass. And so they've been really cool in being like, hey man, this is a section where you could throw a bass solo. This is a section where you could step on the wall and do like a cool spacey thing. They've been really awesome with letting me jump in. And you know, maybe the first couple times I felt like the new guy, but since then I feel like we're
• 9:30
  Speaker B: brothers, you know, and adapting together.
• 9:32
  Speaker D: Absolutely.
• 9:33
  Speaker B: We all.
• 9:33
  Speaker D: Our styles, I think are all really similar and we all gel really well. We know when to let each other breathe and you know.
• 9:41
  Speaker C: Well, it's cool being a three piece because. Or maybe not. I mean, it's cool, but it's Also interesting because if you listen to the studio recordings, there's, you know, it sounds like it's written to be with two guitar players and a bass player and a drummer and a vocalist. And we're a power trio in a live situation. So it leaves us with a lot of room to reinterpret things.
• 10:01
  Speaker B: I mean, experimentation room. Realistically, you could just get somebody to one off at a gig if you need it. You know what I mean? A lot of bands do that just to have. Have someone that they trust to fill in.
• 10:13
  Speaker C: We've been fortunate, but not. We don't want to have to rely on that. We're like. There's an example on our new song Cancerous Hate, where, you know, I'm playing a guitar solo and it's just bass guitar. Instead of having that rhythm guitar crunch there. We're in the studio version, there's a rhythm guitar. So there's just a lot more space. Now Reuben can play with his whammy and his wife.
• 10:39
  Speaker D: So let me give you an example here.
• 10:41
  Speaker A: Right.
• 10:41
  Speaker D: Right on the studio. And Aaron and I were just talking about this on the way up. So on the studio version, it's two guitars and a bass going like banana to bump. And so Aaron's doing this lead thing, right. Which I don't know if you want to mouth that, but I can't play that fast. So now it's just like in the background of that, it's just banana bump. Right. And so what I've been doing for that is throwing on more distortion, throwing on a wah, and using my whammy. And now we got this banana to top a. Wow. And it's. Oh, my God, I love my job.
• 11:21
  Speaker B: And so, you know, you're talking that there's what, an EP coming?
• 11:26
  Speaker C: Yes.
• 11:27
  Speaker B: So I. I do definitely want to hear about that. But I think before we get to that, we should hear a tune. So what. What song do we want to hear?
• 11:36
  Speaker C: Well, let's start with our most recent single. This is off the EP that's coming in June. We're going to release that. This single's called Cancer's Hate.
• 11:46
  Speaker B: And when. When was this one released? The single?
• 11:49
  Speaker C: About a month ago.
• 11:51
  Speaker B: Okay.
• 11:51
  Speaker C: Maybe a little bit less.
• 11:52
  Speaker B: All right, well, we'll. We'll talk more about the. The ep. But let's check out. It was Cancerous Hate.
• 11:57
  Speaker C: Cancerous Hate.
• 11:58
  Speaker B: All right, let's check out Cancerous Hate. Skull Mason. And then we'll be.
• 12:07
  Speaker A: Sam. This tribute to Final Burst. The cycle spins once more. Double down on the insanity. The third rock Game just a four. Treacherous is your hate Treacherous is your hate it's twisted get back tight with your hate Therefore it's gangs are you drawn Breathe fire the filter that you create Malignant spreading altar. Detour rich is your h it's. Rome goes both ways like cancer spread into hell the look that grows upon your own face and imitating itself.
• 16:42
  Speaker B: All right, that was cancerous hate. Skull Mason. And that is off a new EP that's coming out this spring, Right?
• 16:50
  Speaker C: June. I don't know if that's spring yet or summer.
• 16:52
  Speaker B: I don't know. Is that June?
• 16:53
  Speaker D: Summer, I think spring.
• 16:54
  Speaker B: Is it summer?
• 16:55
  Speaker D: May 21st.
• 16:56
  Speaker B: Oh, really? My birthday is May 20th, so, like.
• 16:58
  Speaker D: Oh, my birthday is 6-9-69. Right.
• 17:02
  Speaker B: So.
• 17:03
  Speaker D: So I always consider myself a summer person.
• 17:05
  Speaker B: Oh, all right.
• 17:05
  Speaker A: Yeah.
• 17:06
  Speaker D: Anyways, let's continue.
• 17:08
  Speaker B: No, wait, hold on. I'm not done with this. I'm not done with this. So, like, June is summer, you think when.
• 17:14
  Speaker C: Yeah, when's the summer still?
• 17:16
  Speaker B: I don't know. I always.
• 17:17
  Speaker D: It'll be like, 90 degrees. You know what
• 17:21
  Speaker B: I always think, like, July is, like, the start of summer. But maybe that's. Maybe. Maybe July is, like, peak summer.
• 17:27
  Speaker D: Well, you know, maybe it's like. You know, maybe it's like, because I was born around the. Like. Like. You know how you ask people where upstate is, and depending on where they're from, they're like, oh, it's Poughkeepsie. Oh, it's Albany. Oh, it's. You know, wherever is north of Albany.
• 17:40
  Speaker B: Oh, Buffalo. Some people will say, you know, like.
• 17:42
  Speaker D: Yeah, you know, I think it's like, I. I think it's like where along the timeline you were born.
• 17:48
  Speaker C: That it's.
• 17:49
  Speaker D: But I'm gonna look it up.
• 17:51
  Speaker B: Yeah. But anyway, I. I'm really interested to see what everybody thinks about when. Summer. Summer.
• 17:58
  Speaker D: Oh, June 21st.
• 17:59
  Speaker B: It's really. Yeah.
• 18:01
  Speaker D: That seems late.
• 18:02
  Speaker C: Yeah.
• 18:02
  Speaker D: No, but I'm wrong. I need to apologize to all of our viewers.
• 18:06
  Speaker B: For your whole life. For my life.
• 18:09
  Speaker D: I've been wrong.
• 18:09
  Speaker C: Been living a life.
• 18:10
  Speaker B: Springtime, kid.
• 18:12
  Speaker D: Mom. Why'd you lie to me?
• 18:14
  Speaker C: Well, the EP is being dropped at a live event June 20th. So we're right. Right on the coffee. Yeah. Technically, springtime.
• 18:24
  Speaker D: I don't want to hear it.
• 18:25
  Speaker C: I'm sorry for questioning it.
• 18:27
  Speaker B: Big springtime. So, anyway, I told you we'd go off the rails. But so I. You know, the album. We were actually, as we were listening to the song, you know, Ruben, you were like, oh, I didn't really have a lot to do with the ep. And then Jake, you were like, dude, I wasn't even fucking on it. Like, so it's Aaron, you're. It's your EP that you've built. But now that you have the band, they get to interpret their own.
• 18:57
  Speaker C: Yep.
• 18:58
  Speaker B: Stuff to it, I guess is what it boils down to. So.
• 19:02
  Speaker C: Yep. So this was written and recorded before the guys were in the band. We haven't dropped it yet because we wanted to be able to support it in a live environment. So these dudes are learning and kind of reinterpreting to some extent the material. So when we do drop it at our release show, you know, we can support it with, you know, Axe, you
• 19:24
  Speaker B: know, and I just think. I think that's interesting, you know, like it's almost in better context. Like, you know, Ruben, you were saying, you know, you said the guitar on and now it's just the bass. Like I didn't realize that the. The whole EP was done before you had joined. And now you get like, are. Are there any plans? I mean, obviously not right away, but are there any plans to do like re recorded versions that are different? Like even if it was like in a live setting or something, if we're
• 19:54
  Speaker C: working on live playthroughs and there's. I forget what it's called. It's called like the Jam Hive or something like that.
• 19:58
  Speaker B: There's a. I was just there. I shot a horror. I'll get you in contact. They're my boys. I shot a horror movie this summer.
• 20:07
  Speaker D: No kid.
• 20:07
  Speaker B: And we just screened it there.
• 20:09
  Speaker D: I saw my 2 days ago band Kick out the Rouge there.
• 20:12
  Speaker B: Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. I like, look at Cameron and I love those dudes.
• 20:16
  Speaker D: James, I work down in Kingston, okay. So I know a lot of those dudes.
• 20:20
  Speaker B: Yeah. I'll get you in touch with jv, like for sure. I'll vouch for you. And that's all it takes.
• 20:24
  Speaker C: Like, that'd be sick.
• 20:25
  Speaker B: Like, great place.
• 20:27
  Speaker C: That'd be a great chance for people to see how these guys play the. The new stuff.
• 20:30
  Speaker B: And that would give you a chance to have like video. You know, they do video and audio and. Yeah, yeah, I'll get you that's.
• 20:37
  Speaker C: Just heard of them. Apparently they've been doing it for a while.
• 20:40
  Speaker B: Like three or four years. Anyway. Yeah, we were. We were. My band was one of the first ones. I think we were within the first four or five bands to do it. Maybe I'm wrong. I don't think I am. I rarely ever am. On this fine winter Day, which I'm sure of that it's winter.
• 21:00
  Speaker D: Are you sure it's not. It's not, like, early fall?
• 21:04
  Speaker C: No.
• 21:05
  Speaker B: It was 14 degrees below zero this morning.
• 21:08
  Speaker C: Oh, my God. The wind chill kills you.
• 21:10
  Speaker B: Yeah.
• 21:10
  Speaker D: My car broke down yesterday. Started nowhere. My girlfriend was driving, and she called me, and she's like, hey, check. Check. Engine lights flashing. The car's shaking.
• 21:20
  Speaker B: The car says it's too cold.
• 21:22
  Speaker D: No, I think that's what it is. My sprayers for my fluid won't go. And I looked it up. It's because Volkswagen put in a thing where if it's too cold, it won't spray so it doesn't freeze. It's that cold out.
• 21:33
  Speaker A: It's stupid.
• 21:34
  Speaker B: Yeah, it is stupid.
• 21:35
  Speaker D: I'm getting mad again.
• 21:36
  Speaker B: The important conversations that we're having. Exactly.
• 21:39
  Speaker D: This is what the people want to know about.
• 21:41
  Speaker B: It really is. You don't get this content you don't
• 21:44
  Speaker D: get unless you actually stand there and talk to us at any of our amazing shows coming up.
• 21:50
  Speaker B: That's what I should do. I should do, like, a traveling podcast that's a. Just stand at the merch table.
• 21:56
  Speaker D: Oh, dude, you should totally.
• 21:57
  Speaker B: And hold the microphone and, like, catchy interactions between fans and bands. Oh, that'd be. Dude, you, like, fly on the wall. You know what I mean? Hell, yeah, dude.
• 22:07
  Speaker D: That'd be awesome.
• 22:08
  Speaker B: It would be funny. Get some interesting things.
• 22:10
  Speaker D: Wow.
• 22:11
  Speaker B: Do you guys make your own stickers?
• 22:14
  Speaker D: Actually, Aaron, who makes her stickers,
• 22:18
  Speaker C: I'm not gonna plug them. It's like vistaprint.com. nice.
• 22:25
  Speaker D: No, Aaron's actually got some. Cool. And that's the other thing that I really enjoyed about coming into this is Aaron has it down. Like, our first gig we played was. Was our buddy Lewis's backyard party, and, like, Aaron brought out merch, and I'm like, merch and, you know, like, it's crazy, man. Like, he's. He's had it down already. Just waiting for us to join and feel like, yeah, it feels like we're really coming into something that is, like, we got a good start, you know, and now we're getting into it. Like, I got a. I got a buddy who does screen printing, and I'm thinking of, like, sending him some different stuff. Like, there's that blue one with the trowel, you know?
• 23:06
  Speaker B: So, yeah, there's also. I mean, even, like, the merch game, like, locally. Like, there's local people that are doing a lot of local. Like, we have ours on through the. The podcast and the band. I have it. It's called Missed Merch. And there's a. It's a local dude. Do you know it, Aaron?
• 23:25
  Speaker C: Like, I got them on the ig.
• 23:28
  Speaker B: Yeah, so like they do basically your merch for you. You upload the designs and then they drop ship everything so you don't have to have any inventory. So like, if somebody orders one T shirt, then they print one T shirt and ship it to them rather than. Because that's the problem that we. That I get it all the time. It's like I overestimate how many fucking T shirts I'm going to sell. You know what I mean? Yeah. Order 100 of them. Why? You know, I'm like, cool, we're sitting on 87 t shirts, but whatever.
• 24:05
  Speaker D: Yeah, Merch more than I'm Merch.
• 24:06
  Speaker B: Merch isn't important. Well, you know, we. We like guilt our families into it and you. Oh, yeah, yeah, exactly like. Oh, that's cool. Dad, you're not going to buy a T shirt. That's fine. I guess. You don't love me.
• 24:19
  Speaker D: Oh, what?
• 24:19
  Speaker B: You want seven of them? Cool.
• 24:21
  Speaker D: Yeah, my dad's dad. It'd be weird if he bought a T shirt.
• 24:24
  Speaker B: That would be weird.
• 24:25
  Speaker D: Shout out, Dad, I love you.
• 24:28
  Speaker B: All right, again, the conversation. This is shit that you don't get on. You wouldn't get this on Entertainment Tonight or whatever. Am I dating? Is Entertainment Tonight even a fucking thing anymore?
• 24:39
  Speaker D: I don't know. I only take in horrible news about the world around me and then get worried and shot.
• 24:45
  Speaker B: Well, yeah, so I stopped taking in the news because of that, you know. Yeah. And also, also Reuben got me high before we started recording.
• 24:52
  Speaker D: Oh, yeah, we are good right now, folks.
• 24:58
  Speaker B: So the EP done. It's going to be coming out in June. There's going to be shows. Is June the first one or things. Nope, things before then.
• 25:08
  Speaker C: That's our third show for the year. Next spot we got is Empire Underground. Open it up for Raven, who's like a classic proto thrash band from the early 80s. So it's pretty cool to. To play for a band like that, you know, to warm up the stage for them.
• 25:28
  Speaker B: And have you. Have you played Empire?
• 25:31
  Speaker E: Not.
• 25:32
  Speaker C: Not with this band.
• 25:33
  Speaker B: No, that's. It's a great.
• 25:35
  Speaker C: Yeah, I hang out there all the time.
• 25:39
  Speaker B: There's just something about. It's so. Fuck, it's like punk.
• 25:41
  Speaker D: As a guy who hangs out outside trying to bump cigarettes from teenagers.
• 25:47
  Speaker A: I'm k.
• 25:50
  Speaker C: I'm old enough to buy them, but I can't afford them.
• 25:54
  Speaker B: Respect your elders.
• 25:55
  Speaker C: Teenagers are too young but they got the money. Yeah.
• 26:00
  Speaker B: That's awesome. Well, yeah, I love that venue. Like, I love a good. I love a good concrete venue that serves one purpose, and that's like a dope stage and a place to stand. And beer.
• 26:12
  Speaker C: Yeah, that's it.
• 26:13
  Speaker B: That's how you keep it simple.
• 26:15
  Speaker D: Awesome. I remember my first time going there after they opened it up.
• 26:18
  Speaker A: Up.
• 26:19
  Speaker D: Oh, my God, man. I was like, this place is just perfect. Yeah.
• 26:23
  Speaker B: So many. So many venues try to do, like, too much.
• 26:25
  Speaker D: Yeah.
• 26:26
  Speaker B: You know, and really, in my humble opinion, if you do too much, it almost kind of takes away from the. The music, you know, you're there for one thing, to watch the. Watch the. Watch the band or in the way that Empire Underground is set up. You're there for one reason. You know, it's very.
• 26:43
  Speaker D: The layout is very focused on the bands. Like, the bathrooms and the merch. It's all in the back and then three quarters of the place.
• 26:50
  Speaker B: The show.
• 26:50
  Speaker C: Yeah.
• 26:51
  Speaker B: And they could have absolutely been like, oh, well, we need, like, a pool table and, like, you know, a couple of games and a dartboard. You know, they could have abys who
• 26:58
  Speaker D: run that place, know who's going there. And they know us. You know, the people going there want to just go get a beer and watch some shows.
• 27:06
  Speaker B: Yeah.
• 27:06
  Speaker E: I find it as, like.
• 27:07
  Speaker D: It's perfect.
• 27:08
  Speaker E: One of, like, the few clubs that actually make as, like, a drummer actually make drums sound good. Like, dude, so many venues make drums sound terrible. They don't mic them. They.
• 27:18
  Speaker A: Right.
• 27:18
  Speaker E: They barely mic the kicks. They don't like snares. They have no overheads, and they usually just sound terrible. But Empire, it's actually like a legit, you know, venue.
• 27:27
  Speaker B: And. And, like, as someone who doesn't. You. I don't know if you guys use any of your monitors, but, like. Oh, yeah, Yeah. I do not.
• 27:35
  Speaker D: My first time ever with this band.
• 27:37
  Speaker B: Yeah, I've tried and I can't. So, like, I'm, like, almost kind of used to not hearing myself.
• 27:43
  Speaker E: Yeah.
• 27:43
  Speaker A: Yeah.
• 27:43
  Speaker B: And at Empire Underground, it's like, oh, wow. Holy. I can, like, totally hear, you know, without resorting to in ears. Like, I'm like. I can hear myself clearly through the microphone. And like, yeah, great.
• 27:55
  Speaker D: I guess Shout Out Empire for being.
• 27:56
  Speaker B: Shout Out Empire. And, like, I'm not even sponsored by them or anything. I'm just saying that April 21st being real. So it's April 21st. So it's you guys and Raven. Anybody else on there?
• 28:08
  Speaker D: The Various on that?
• 28:09
  Speaker C: Oh, no.
• 28:09
  Speaker B: All right.
• 28:11
  Speaker D: Various on Extinction with Us.
• 28:12
  Speaker C: They're on both shows.
• 28:13
  Speaker D: They're on both shows with us. Hey, and slack jaw, shout out to Varia too. Those cool. Those dudes are really cool. You know, all the local dudes are really cool. I've yet to find a local band that I've played with that I was really like. I really don't like those guys.
• 28:27
  Speaker B: Yeah, that's. I mean, I talk about that all the time.
• 28:30
  Speaker C: Is that what they say about us? Yeah, we're the guys they don't like.
• 28:34
  Speaker B: Now you're. You guys are nice, but, like, they don't know the scene is like that. You know, people support each other. There's. It's not like, you know, New York city in the 80s where, like, every band tried to sabotage each other and, like, you know, only one could reign supreme.
• 28:49
  Speaker D: And it was like, our scene around here is very supportive too. I've been in this scene since I was 16 and just like, everyone is so cool and so nice and, you know, there's other people around other places that don't have a scene like that.
• 29:05
  Speaker A: We're kind of.
• 29:06
  Speaker D: We're kind of spoiled that, you know, we grew up not too far, especially with like, the metal and hardcore stuff. Like the. The. The beginning of a lot of that was just a few hours from here around the city, you know, And I
• 29:18
  Speaker B: mean, even venues like, you know, Ophelias doing metal shows and, you know, like, Gozer was playing, right? Yeah, yeah, they're. They're my boys. But, like, you wouldn't expect a venue to be able to so fluidly be like, we're having a jam band show and a DJ show and a metal show and a punk show, and like, they. They do it all. And I think that's indicative of this scene. Whereas a lot of other places would be like, no, we're a. Yeah, I've played venue only.
• 29:49
  Speaker E: I've traveled a lot. Especially when I was younger, I've traveled a lot. Like a lot of different states. And a lot of the. A lot of the time you would just go play and there'd be. The bar would be full of people.
• 29:59
  Speaker B: Right, right.
• 30:00
  Speaker E: The stage is empty. No one's watching you. And then, you know, the exact same.
• 30:05
  Speaker C: You.
• 30:05
  Speaker E: You'll play for 30 minutes. No one would watch you. The next band would go play for 30 minutes. No one would watch you.
• 30:11
  Speaker D: And just.
• 30:11
  Speaker E: And there was. No. No, there wasn't. Nobody would support each other. It was. It was.
• 30:15
  Speaker B: Yeah, the band would show up, play and leave.
• 30:17
  Speaker C: Yeah, exactly.
• 30:18
  Speaker E: It was really odd.
• 30:19
  Speaker B: Like, you do see a Lot where bands are sticking around.
• 30:23
  Speaker D: Like, not only that, when I was in Ghost Walker, we played with a band that was. I'm not gonna name names, but a band that was getting big at the time and playing at Chrome and we were opening for them. And this is a thing that really sticks out to me about our scene, because this show, this band was from the uk. They didn't come out, see any of the openers. We all stayed to the end and then when all the locals noticed that they weren't there, they came out and they're keeping to themselves and whatever and, you know, not really trying to be part of it. They're more like, we're gonna get out of here, you know, get on stage and get out of here. Everyone left during their set. And then when that band posted about playing in Albany that night, it was a picture from the night before somewhere else because there was nobody there to see them. Because everyone was like, fuck these guys. They're not going to support us. Why do we want to support them?
• 31:15
  Speaker B: Yeah, well, I played a show at a venue around. It doesn't. I again, won't name names or like, I don't even know the name of the. The band because they were from out of town. But we were on a lineup with a couple of. Couple of bands. One band that we knew, a couple bands that we didn't. But, like, everybody was like, super cool. And we're introducing each other and hanging out and, like, buying each other's merch and like, blah, blah, blah. And then like, the headliner showed up fucking like 15 minutes before he was supposed to play, was a fucking dick to everybody, and then, like, got up to do his thing and everybody fucking peaced out, you know, and they. Peace out, like opera, you know, they were like, fuck this. They're like, fuck this guy, you know,
• 31:56
  Speaker D: I think it's a lot of those more famous people, especially, they're used to scenes where, like, they'll go somewhere people are there to see them and that's that. Around here. Yeah, people will go to see them. But people are so loving and supportive
• 32:09
  Speaker B: of each other around here.
• 32:10
  Speaker D: They will purposely not see the headliner if the headliners being a dick to their locals. Yeah. And that's what they don't expect.
• 32:17
  Speaker B: Yeah. And this guy was. It was a dick. And all the local bands were, you know, and he was addict to the bands that. And wasn't even there to. To support him. And they were just like, cool. Packed up their. And left, like, and took their fans with them all Right. So let's listen to a song before we wrap it up here, and then we'll talk about some of the shows when we. When we say goodbye, because you have those shows coming up that I want to plug. But what song are we going to play?
• 32:46
  Speaker C: This is the first single from the ep. I don't know if I called the other song the first single. That was the second single. This is the first single from the new ep, Lesson Slipped Away.
• 32:56
  Speaker B: Less than Slipped away Less than slipped away. All right, cool. Well, let's. Let's check that out, Skull Mason, then we'll be right back to wrap it up.
• 33:25
  Speaker A: Sam. Natur is life not quiet serenade dissonance stripe you better sense of me got me riot's face someday shall have to taste some shall be wine sets of gas to me it. You take a try Just like the Sagaray self battle sweet the joke that toxicates ya drink disappear my refrain I'll tell you why this is a gas to me Sam. Don't let life lessons flip away Critical reflection helps me put better faith. Sam.
• 37:16
  Speaker B: All right, that was Lessons Slip away, Skull Mason. And, you know, thank you guys so much for taking time out of your afternoon to come up and do this for me. I really appreciate it. Of course. And before we go, like I do with all my guests, I want to give you a chance to say what I refer to as your gratitude. So, Reuben, we'll start with you.
• 37:33
  Speaker D: Oh, man. Start with my family. I got four siblings and they all went their separate ways and I went my separate way with what we're doing in life. But they're still supportive, so that's great. Love them. My girlfriend Andy been super supportive. My mom's been really supportive. And local scenes and friends,
• 37:57
  Speaker E: I'd like to say thank you to like to my parents in particular for letting me learn how to play drums in their house growing up, especially rock and metal. And shout out to my wife and my now son, Archie. She's. She's a absolutely just. She's the love of my life and you know, and she's extremely supportive and I hope to see my son play the drums or guitar one day. I think that'd be awesome. I thank you to the Unsigned518 podcast for having us out.
• 38:30
  Speaker C: I'd just like to thank you, Andy, and thank these two guys next to me. We're happy to be here.
• 38:36
  Speaker D: Yeah.
• 38:37
  Speaker B: And so, you know, before we go, I love the. The short on words. But before we go, tell us where the.
• 38:43
  Speaker C: The gigs are because Empire Live opening for Raven April 21, we're gonna be out in mass with Goblet and Caicos, a new venue called thcc. And then we'll be back in Albany, empire underground, our EP release release June 20th in springtime.
• 39:04
  Speaker B: It is. It is still springtime.
• 39:10
  Speaker C: That's with Extinction Ad Diberia. Again, a couple other really cool things.
• 39:15
  Speaker B: Hell yeah. Awesome. All right, so they are Skull Mason. I am Andy scullin. This is unsigned 518. I'll see you on the road.
• 39:24
  Speaker C: Peace.
• 39:25
  Speaker B: Unsigned 518 is produced and hosted by me, Andy Scullin. New episodes are available every week wherever you stream podcasts. If you'd like to help support the show, please like and subscribe wherever you are listening. Or you could buy me a coffee@buymeacoffee.com unsigned 518 if you would like to advertise on the show, send me an email@unsigned518mail.com and to be a guest on the show, reach out to me through Instagram at unsigned518. Take care of one another and I'll
• 39:58
  Speaker C: see you next week.