Scene Point Blank: The 7" features Keith Morris of Circle Jerks. How'd you come to collaborate with him?
Lee: We played a festival called F Yeah Fest last Summer and it's a festival put on by him and Sean Carlson in Los Angeles. He saw us then, we talked. We've been talking ever since. He always comes out to shows when were down there. We asked him to sing on the record and he was down. Dude is fifty-four years old and he road his bike to the spot to record.
Sam: He road his bike in the rain, tried to get into the studio, couldn't get in. He doesn't have a cell phone so he went over to the corner store used a pay phone to call our friend to say "Hey I'm here can you tell them to let me in" because he didn't have any of our numbers.
Lee: He's fifty-four, rides his bike in the rain through LA to sing on a single. He's pretty fucking gnarly; he's a good dude.
Scene Point Blank: There are three different versions of the vinyl - can you shed some light on what the differences are?
Lee: I don't know?
Garrett: You'll know when you get it.
Scene Point Blank: No that long ago you guys chose to leave established label Deathwish to run things on your own. Obviously if you wanted to, you could have stuck with said label or chosen another. What made you decide to be an independent artist?
Garrett: It just kind of felt like, for us at the time, the best thing to do as a group. At that time, when all that happened, it was the closest our band has ever been and we kind of all put our heads together and felt that creating something out of nothing. It was kind of just about timing. It was where we needed to be.
Lee: It's a cool experience running everything. There is no one to blame but yourself if you fuck up. If the artwork is pixilated, it's your bad. If shit's not on deadline, it's you fault. It's definitely a lot of hard work but it's worth it in the long run. You feel more accomplished with everything you've done.
Scene Point Blank: Artists like Trent Reznor have gone on record telling artists to not sign to labels and do things themselves. For an established individual like Reznor this is a no-brainer. Do you think had you done so off the bat you would have been as successful as you are now?
Garrett: I think that the way things went, everything was set up the way it was supposed to be. Every move we've done as a band, all the cards were falling perfectly in place. Everyone from Sell our Souls to Rumble to Malfunction to Deathwish to now played a very important part in our career as a band. And if I could do things over I would have done them the same way. It was a full experience.
Lee: We definitely had a lot of help along the way and we appreciate it a lot. Christian Rumble, where are you know? Please come out of hiding.
Scene Point Blank: Is there any truth to a Trash Talk collaboration with Vans?
Lee: Who knows? I love Vans. I'm wearing Vans. He's wearing Vans. He's got Vans on. Our fill-in bass player, he's got Jordan on, but who knows about that? Kurt Soto at Vans is a great dude. He hooks us up, laces us with shoes when we need them, and gives us warm clothes. They update the website with our tourdates. Who knows what could happen? They're good people though.
Scene Point Blank: Favorite place to eat at home?
Lee: There's this taqueria right by my house, you could walk to it in about a minute. It's called Betos Mexican Food. I've been going there since I was twelve. I know exactly what I want when I walk in.
Sam: I live in Portland, Oregon and I am vegan. And it's the epicenter of all that is vegan food. Suite Pea Bakery, I am a fan of sweets and bake goods and they do both really really well. This place called Hungry Tiger, they have dollar vegan corndogs and dollar PBR on Wednesdays. There is also a place called Vita Café, right near my house. They have vegan chicken fried steak. Awesome! Del Taco always and forever.
Garrett: I live in Seattle but I'm always in the Bay Area. My parent's have a soul food restaurant - the best in the Bay Area. When I'm home I'm probably eating at Red Robin or Wayward Vegan Café.
Lee: I'm definitely going to shout out Betos again. Open twenty-four hours. Free self-serve chips and salsa. The best horchata ever.
Scene Point Blank: On the road?
Sam: Red Baboon in New York City. Some of the best vegan food I've ever had.
Garrett: That dollar falafel place in New York was tight.
Lee: Buffalo Wild Wings
Scene Point Blank: Main inspiration to start Trash Talk?
Lee: I just wanted to play fast shit. I met up with a bunch of friends in a garage and this is what came out. Our first practice, our drummer "The Butcher," wherever he may be... Our first drummer was the head butcher at Safeway. He actually left Trash Talk because he became head of the butcher's union or something like that. The dude would show up to practice with a white apron with blood all over it. Our first practice he didn't even have sticks, he played with spoons from our friend's garage. We just wanted to play whatever came out.
Scene Point Blank: What bands have inspired you since then to continue on/develop your sound?
Lee: Prince.
Sam: I'd say our colleagues in music. That's what inspires me the most. Bands that we play with and become friends with along the way.
Lee: Sam is in Pressure too. Shout outs to Joe Harder and Pressure.
Scene Point Blank: What's next? New full-length?
Lee: Yeah. Next few months. We're going to start writing in the Summer. Should be? sometime this year. Sign up for the mailing list and you'll find out about everything.
Scene Point Blank: After the Australian tour, what else do you have on tap?
Lee: We go out on tour with The Casualities and Leftover Crack. It goes along with this tour, playing to people that want to hear you. It's all good! Once again, good dudes. After that, playing Sound and Fury Festival. That's about all.
Words: Michael | Graphics: Matt
Photos: Vagabond|Optics (http://myspace.com/VagabondOptics)
lilies and bees (http://www.flickr.com/photos/liliesandbees/)
- Official Website: http://trashtalkhc.com
