Justin Pearson (Dead Cross / Deaf Club / Planet B / Satanic Planet / Three One G)
photo by Becky DiGiglio
What are your top five albums that were released in 2022? (In order 1-5)
This band is everything I look for in music. Not only do I love the art they create, but the humans who make it were and are instantly people I consider to be family. They are the kind of band that rips hard and makes you want to be better at what you do in life.
Danny Elfman - Bigger. Messier. LP
This pick is fairly loaded. I’ve loved Danny’s work since I was a child. The Locust was asked to do a remix for his album, Bigger. Messier., which was the last recorded thing that The Locust will have done due to the passing away of Gabe Serbian. So aside from it having a fully stacked track listing of remixers and collaborators, it holds a specific place in my heart. The remix led me to the possibility of performing a hybrid version of the track “Cruel Compensation” with Danny and his awesome band at the Hollywood Bowl. The track was eventually cut from the set list, so I didn’t get to perform with them, but their performance was nothing short of amazing. And just going to rehearsals and working on the live version with the band was amazing.
I completely fell in love with ADULT. when they were on a recent episode of my podcast, "Cult and Culture." Adam and Nicola are brilliant human beings and so inspiring. Then there is their music, which for me, has ties to some of the more informative musical elements of my youth, and yet it’s played with a modern and relevant attitude. I appreciate how they are punks, in the truest sense, and can’t be pigeonholed in a musical box. Each album of theirs takes a step up from the previous, and they do it with righteousness. They are one of my favorite current bands.
Haunted Horses - The Worst Has Finally Happened LP
Seeing Haunted Horses live recently before the band’s latest LP was released was such a pleasant surprise. I already really dug the band, but then they stepped it up and added a bass guitar to the band, which just makes things so awesome. The nasty grit and drive that the bass added to the band’s music was exactly what I love in a band like this. And with that being said, the unconventional instrumentation and sonic output that is Haunted Horses gives me hope for the future of music. Everyone should take cues from this band, but do not rip them off! Just take cues.
Stockholm Syndrome - Death Watch LP
One of the members of Stockholm Syndrome sent me the LP and it blew me away. Traditional hardcore in the vein of bands like Man Lifting Banner or Chain of Strength, which I also love. I hope to see them live in due time.
What band did you discover in 2022 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? How so?
I'd like to think that everything that I discover, which is noteworthy, is impactful when pertaining to myself. Kent Osborn certainly was one for me though, if I'm required to just pick one.
How will you remember 2022? (In terms of music)
Slightly more tense, somewhat more practical, occasionally more thoughtful, and a bit less practical overall. With that bullshit answer I just gave, there are roughly 200K new songs released on the unethical streaming platform known as Spotify per day. So if I need to narrow shit down to a simple answer, I will roll with oversaturation.
What can we look forward to from you in 2023?
On January 6th there will be a collaborative 7" single with ADULT. and Planet B. Also, later in the year, there will be a new Planet B LP, which has been recorded, and possibly new material from Deaf Club as well as Satanic Planet.
What records are you looking forward to most in 2023?
The full-length by Fuck Money on Three One G.
Live shows are still a mixed bag as we adapt to social gatherings in a COVID world. What is something positive you see about touring right now? Anything you’d like to see change?
The positive side of things has been a sort of renewed sense of appreciation for live music, which holds raw energy from both the performers and the participants of the shows.
As far as what I'd like to see change, well, off the top of my head, the lack of support that live music may get across the board, as well as the industry standard of pay for support bands, which Deaf Club has been dealing with on tour since live music and touring has resumed. The unsaid set fee for support bands does not translate to covering high gas prices.
Justin Pearson – social media links
- Twitter: @pearson_justin
- Instagram: @justinpearson31g
