SPEAKER_02 0:09

Hey everyone and welcome to the Music is Our Hero Podcast, hosted by Grammy Award winner Trade Young. This is the spot where we celebrate creativity, share stories, and lift each other up in the art. Each episode will dive into conversations that inspire, empower, and spark new ideas. Because art isn't just about what we make, it's about the community we build together. So grab a steep, get coffee, and let's grow in creativity side by side. The music is our hero podcast for creativity, community, and inspiration comes to life.

SPEAKER_04 0:43

All right, here we are at Locals Coffee. And where are we? Fort Washington?

SPEAKER_01 0:49

Yes, we are in Fort Washington.

SPEAKER_04 0:50

We are in Fort Washington at Locals Coffee. Um just kind of stumbled upon this place. Uh stumbled into Velcro uh Homer. Haven't seen him for years, and somehow we just both stumbled here. No, we're just kidding. We had this scheduled. Um so yeah, I'm sitting here at this coffee shop and iced coffee with oat milk and sugar. It's fabulous, it's delicious. So if you're in there, you stop by here. Um but I'm with Velcro Homer. Yes. And um, that's the name you go by, right?

SPEAKER_01 1:16

Uh well, that's just my band's name. Um, my name is Joshua. Um, but yeah, Velcro Homer is the band um that I go by.

SPEAKER_04 1:28

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 1:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:28

And so what's this project? What is this about, this Velcro Homer?

SPEAKER_01 1:32

Uh yeah, so Velcro Homer started uh probably around 2022 officially. Um, I've been writing music before then, um, but I kind of settled down with a name. You know, for a long time I couldn't really figure out uh distribution and things like that, and uploading and recording and stuff like that. So I finally figured that all out, and once I came out that end, I discovered a name and I went from there. But we are a uh rock and roll band.

SPEAKER_04 2:09

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 2:09

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 2:10

Um where did the name come from?

SPEAKER_01 2:14

Oh, the name. Um I I wish I had better lore, but I really don't. Um it just kind of came to me like one day. Um it I really wish I had a better that's just what it is.

SPEAKER_04 2:30

I mean, I like it.

SPEAKER_01 2:31

Yeah, but that's just people I tell the name to, they're like, well, it has a really good ring to it. Um, but I wish I had more lore, but I just don't. It's just it just is what it is.

SPEAKER_04 2:44

It is what it is. So back to um rock music. So what what kind of rock? There's all kinds.

SPEAKER_01 2:50

So more recently, um, I'm leaning more into a grunge. Um, recently, as of uh last spring, I actually went to Seattle and I was recording with uh Jack and Dino. Um, so that was really exciting for me. I figured why not go. Is Jack and Dino a band? Oh, Jack and Dino. Um no, he is the producer for uh Nirvana's first uh studio album, Bleach.

SPEAKER_05 3:19

Oh, really?

SPEAKER_01 3:20

Yeah, so I went there. Um there were three guys in the studio. Um it was Jack, uh Mike, Seabreeze, and uh John. They're like studio hen. Um and they were pretty excited for the project. I sent them my first uh album, Whoopass Stew. Um, they really liked my sound, so I just booked the studio. It was very, very expensive, but you know, I just you know saved up and just went there.

SPEAKER_04 3:50

Not not like bleach. Bleach was very cheap.

SPEAKER_01 3:53

Oh no, it was not as cheap as well.

SPEAKER_04 3:55

Bleach was like six hundred some dollars, right?

SPEAKER_01 3:57

It was not as cheap as bleach, it was I won't say how much, but it was very expensive for like twelve hours. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 4:04

Yeah, but that's so cool you got to work with it.

SPEAKER_01 4:06

Yeah, but I got a lot done. I I probably wrote five, well, recorded like five songs, so it's uh pretty good. And most of those songs are gonna be on my new album coming pretty soon. I don't know when, probably within a few months.

SPEAKER_04 4:23

Okay. Um when did you start making music?

SPEAKER_01 4:26

Uh I started making music probably very, very young. I remember whenever I would be bad or do something in school that wasn't great. Um, my parents would have me singing like songs to kind of get in their good graces. So like um when I was like six, my dad had me sing like I said I'm sorry, mama. I never meant to like by MM. I I forgot what that song is called.

SPEAKER_05 4:55

Some buttons clean in my closet or something.

SPEAKER_01 4:56

Yeah, but it I used to have to perform for them to like get out of trouble.

SPEAKER_05 5:00

But I've been yeah that's a way to train a kid.

SPEAKER_01 5:03

Yeah. So I've that's I've been making music probably since I think really seriously after like high school, maybe, which I guess wasn't that long ago, but um, yeah, like not that long. I've been making singing but not making music officially. Um so I would say probably like five years ago.

SPEAKER_04 5:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 5:28

And so yeah, the music I remember when I first heard you, it is very um grunge influenced, Nirvana influenced.

SPEAKER_01 5:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 5:35

I mean, there's more grunge bands than Nirvana's.

SPEAKER_01 5:37

Yeah, and I try to stay away from like that comparison because I think comparisons like really a really slippery slope. Like, I don't want people to like only think of me and think of like you'd be nostalgic. Yeah, and it's really not that. And with the new project, I think sonically it just has a certain quality, but like lyric-wise, um, even like how the songs are structured and the vibe of it can easily go in different directions. Like it's not it doesn't sound like a a grunge song per se.

SPEAKER_04 6:17

No, and I say that, but the thing is about your music that I've heard and your performances, like that is there, but like it's not like you're trying to do that. Like it it fits. Yes. It actually sounds really it's it's just like this is how it is, like this is how it is, and this is how it sounds, and it just so happens that there's a lot of similarities, um, which isn't a bad, which isn't a bad thing, you know. Yeah, I know what you're saying, yeah. But there's yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:46

Oh yeah, I was just gonna say, um, I mean, I was fans of like a lot of different music like growing up, especially like when I was younger. This is before I was writing music. I did get like my first guitar from my grandpa, like when I was like t 13 or something like that. He got me like a blue first act guitar from Walmart for Christmas, and he gave me that because I was like just watching Nickelodeon like excessively, like watching like Drake and Josh and like the Naked Brothers Ben and things like that. But I love those shows because of the music aspect of it, and like I would go to YouTube and literally like listen to it and be like singing along and stuff like that. And I told my grandmom I wanted to be in a band, and uh she's like, Oh, just go to school and see if they have a band. So I went to school and they had a band, but they didn't have like strings or uh guitar or like drums or anything, it was just all horns. No school band? Yeah, so I joined the school band and I played like trombone and we did like like John Williams song from like home alone or something like that. And it was fine, but I really wanted to rock, like I wanted to actually make music that I enjoyed. So my grandpa got me that guitar and I started learning certain things, and nothing really clicked with me until I got into like punk and I got into like grunge because that is so easily like transferable in like my mind and a lot of people's mind. Like it's easy to play. I remember We Jam before, and you had that like songbook of like I think unplugged or something like that. Yeah, um it that that music was just so easy to pick up on, like it's not extremely difficult, and I don't want my music to be like so out of the ordinary, like that you can it just enjoy it, or it's like uh you can't understand it. So uh yeah, just I think that's kind of like what led me to writing music like five years ago or whatever. Yeah, um, that was a long-winded answer. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 9:07

That was what I said.

SPEAKER_01 9:08

That was like a long-winded answer. I feel like you didn't even ask me that.

SPEAKER_04 9:12

Yeah, but I don't I don't engine. That's what happens. We all go on t engines, you know. So um, so what's what's going on? So are you mostly like a DIY type artist? Are you like what what do you do? How do you get things? Well, I know you spend a lot of money to go to the studio.

SPEAKER_05 9:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 9:30

Um, is that a common thing? Not not that you spend that much money, but like when you when you put music out a lot of times, where how has it been recorded or produced and stuff like that?

SPEAKER_01 9:40

Yeah, so I can definitely go over that. So as far as like how I record, um I've primarily like that first project that I made was all done on my iPhone, really. Like I didn't go to a studio, and I think it sounded pretty good. Um, had I known like all the capabilities of like a garage band back then, it probably would have sounded a lot better in a way, but I really like how it came out anyway. Um, but but with that being said, I started like making more music when I started like performing around the city. Um I kind of shopped around songs to like different people, and they were like, Oh, you should really go to a studio and like you know, link up with someone you trust and someone that kind of gets what you're doing. Uh so at that time I did everything on my phone. Now I usually use that as a demo template, and I usually link up with my um studio friend Antonio. He's like from Columbia, he's really great. He went to Berkeley, he knows how to play every instrument like to a T. Like, so if I come in with an idea, he's like very much the person that like embellishes it and adds like all the kind of fixing. So it kind of sounds like not better than what I kind of produce, but it sounds like more like an ace song, if you know what I'm saying. So right now, like studio, but also like my uh abilities as a producer are kind of like improving, so I can do a lot of stuff at home. So it really is like run and gun. It just it's just like a DIY thing, really. So like um, I'm like one of those musicians, like I don't hide that from the fact that I have a job. Like, I would love to do like music full time, but like I also have like a job and I've to fund what I'm doing, so it just like really depends on the budget. Like, um, but I th I love the product either way.

SPEAKER_04 11:48

Yeah, yeah. Um have you ever considered like what what what do you see for your project? Like, if have you ever thought beyond the DIY like or or management or record labels or anything like that, is that stuff that interests you?

SPEAKER_01 12:03

Yeah, I would love I would love to do this full time. I would love to push this as far as like any other band would go. Um I know a lot of people don't really love that idea, but I think like the idea of a record label and um management and things like that would really only give you a more solid foundation to really get your ideas across. Um, so yeah, I definitely would love that sort of situation if it was right. Yeah, um, yeah, I I think that would be a very natural uh progression. I would love to, you know, excuse me. Uh I would definitely love giving me the curse. It happens. Um yeah, man, I would definitely want it like Grammys, man. I want that. Like, I don't you want a Grammy before, yeah. I mean, I'm sure that was like an awesome feeling. Yeah, and I'm sure you didn't go in thinking like, yeah, like this is like this is gonna win my Grammy. But and it, you know, it doesn't really matter matter, but it is something you'd like to do. Yeah, so yeah, of course. I I definitely see my band going places and really affecting like you know, the world.

SPEAKER_04 13:20

What are some of your like plans, like strategic plans? Like, do you guys play out? Like, what's your how do you guys get around? What what what goes on?

SPEAKER_01 13:27

Yeah, so my plans as far as I've been very patient with myself and patient with the project because like you said very early on, I was getting compared to Kurt and his work a lot, and I really wanted to not lean into that, so it did take a lot of like learning different chords, like studying like music, taking guitar lessons even and vocal lessons.

SPEAKER_04 13:52

You're like trying, it's like you're like, I'm not even trying to sound like this, but I'm trying to not sound like this.

SPEAKER_01 13:58

Yeah, I'm literally trying to not like I was in a studio with Antonio not sound like Nirvana, it's ridiculous. Yeah, like I was in the studio with Antonio and he literally said like dude, I was doing a I was trying to like do like a um song that was not like overtly rock. So like it's called Time Out.

SPEAKER_04 14:20

It's actually um I actually heard it, I played it, I put it on the way here.

SPEAKER_01 14:23

Oh sweet. Like I'm shooting like a music video for that uh soon, but I I produced the drum in that, and I was like, yeah, like oh, this is awesome. So I took it to the studio, and I was coming up with a solo part, and he was like, dude, you play just like Kurt. I'm like, oh my gosh. Um but um as far as like what we do, it took me five years to get to this point, like this point right now. Finally got two other guys that would play with me that enjoys what I do, that believes in the project. We played at Dawson's like two weeks ago. Okay. Um, that was really great. Um got a really great response. Um so we're being very intentional. We're playing at the Royal next uh I think it's July 29th in Glenside. Um we're we're just kind of running gun. Like right now, of course, we have to like kind of play the social social media game and like make you know visuals to like our songs. It's a little bit a lot, but I it's just like really it's a little bit a lot, yeah. It's a little bit a lot, but it's it kind of is a good exercise in creativity in a way. Yeah, like not only do you have to write the song and produce it and like remember how to play it on guitar and all that, but you have to like make a visual that looks good with it and kind of I mean whatever happens, happens. Like, I don't really pay attention to like the outcome, but it's kind of that's what we're doing. We're just like practicing like for like X amount of hours a week. We're playing wherever we can play. Like, I think we're playing at like a lot. I'm not even exaggerating. I think we're playing at a library like in August. Like, it's not uh we don't care like where we're playing.

SPEAKER_04 16:24

Where now where'd your band come from?

SPEAKER_01 16:25

Who I think um yeah, so my current band, Velcro Homer, is like kind of they're from New Jersey. Like um, I met my drummer just through like a show that I played with like my previous bandmate, and uh he really liked my stuff. He really liked um my merch that I had at the time, and he kind of just like reached out to me, and we kind of talked online for like a year and a half, and then we kind of met up because he has like a house venue and uh in New Jersey. Uh and basically we jammed for like another year, and then we finally found like someone to play bass, they dropped off, then we found someone else, they dropped off, and then we finally found someone that we've been jamming with for like six years ago.

SPEAKER_04 17:20

So it started with you, and then you met this person, and it took years before you guys were like, Oh, we're gonna jam, and then it's just been kind of through people.

SPEAKER_01 17:27

Dude, it's been so long, like I it's been me for like four years, four and a half years. Like, like I think when I met you was like the my first actual time playing out, and it just took a lot of like trial and error. Like I went up to play by myself and I was like, this isn't really the sound that I want. I tried to find a drummer, but like every drummer is in like 15 projects, so that's really difficult as far as like um scheduling, so it took a lot of time, but um yeah, it's it's usually just me. I'm like kind of like the mastermind behind it all, like writing everything. I mean, I play all the instruments also, so I I'm usually like teaching them how to play it, and they kind of just learn, but it's not difficult stuff, so yeah.

SPEAKER_04 18:22

Thank God as far as writing, are you like a person? I'm sure it's different every song. Um, are you a person that like you'll sit down and you'll just write something, or are you a person that you have all these writings and they come together sometimes, but it might take time, or what happens when you write?

SPEAKER_01 18:40

Writing is like pretty pretty fun for me. Like as far as writing, I start with the music and I listen to it like for a while, like in my headphones, and I can almost hear the You wrote the music too, right? Yeah, yeah. I wrote the music too. So I can almost hear the lyrics forming like in the sounds, like in the dead spaces of the sounds, and I really enjoy that part because that doesn't happen every time, but when it does happen, it's usually a pretty good song. Um, so writing is like very much a big part of like what I'm doing. I think I was more intentional with this project. Um, the project is Divine Petition, by the way. I should probably mention that. Um, anyway, I was uh very intentional on like writing the lyrics down because some points, like on the first album, I was it was more like stream of consciousness, not like a freestyle, but very intentional, like punch in line, punch in line, line, line. This time I really sat down and wrote things. Like my favorite line I have now, it's like for my uh song Hopium. It's uh I feel like Jesus Christ in the presence of nuns. I don't want to be with a video girl because I rather have a divine unknown. Like that's like I really love that imagery. So like writing is super important because you can like kind of reference back to it, and um also I want to be competitive, like I want to write things that like are poetic, that are not only poetic, but it just sounds good, like live. Um, so yeah, writing's super important.

SPEAKER_04 20:25

Do you find that you write is it more personal or is it telling stories of other or is it both?

SPEAKER_01 20:33

I try not to get super personal only because I do feel like music should well my music should be more like of a story in a way. Like if you read like a storybook, um you're not really reading for the author, you're reading to to kind of like escape in a way and kind of just take your mind off of like day-to-day things like your job or whatever. Um, so I try to keep that in mind, and I get satisfaction out of performing it and making it, so I don't really need to put like personal like things in my music so much. There are times I do, but and there are some inspirations, but you really would not know what songs those are.

SPEAKER_04 21:21

Or maybe even what you're talking about.

SPEAKER_01 21:23

Yeah, exactly. Like everybody interprets things yeah differently. And I like that. Like I I think writing from that perspective is like more intelligent, is more in uh intentional rather than saying like you know, things for shock value and things just to like there there's better ways to get your point across, is my point. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 21:46

Yeah. Uh so as far as performing, what do you like most about performing?

SPEAKER_01 21:52

Uh I love most um about performing. Do you like to be? I love people I love to perform. I think

SPEAKER_04 22:00

You would you love it more than the writing? What do you like it?

SPEAKER_01 22:02

I love performing more than writing because performing just kind of feels like a complete like release of like energy and you're like feeding off of people.

SPEAKER_05 22:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:16

And it's not always like the greatest experience, like as far as like you're not always gonna get that reaction that you hope. Like I remember we were playing at Wissahick and uh Brewing Company, uh, I think that was like our first show a few weeks ago. Um, and someone's grandmom was in the audience and literally got up and left, and they were like, I didn't want to take my grandma to this rock concert, and I was like, hey, I mean, but I I like things like that because that's like that's just a part of it. Like you're I I love what I'm doing, and some people love it too, and I I love that, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 22:57

So yeah, what's one of your favorite places you've played, or like one of your favorite crowds?

SPEAKER_01 23:03

Um my favorite place I ever played was uh at Paramount Studios, actually. Um, so I went there a few years ago. Um I was doing my DIY thing. I reached out to like this producer. Um, they said they needed an opener for this show. Um, it was called This Week in Hell. Um, so it was based in New York. I just sent them like a tape of me playing, I think, at the fire. And they're like, Yeah, we love what you're doing. Come into the uh studio. And I went there and I was it was COVID, so like they stuck the thing in my nose and all this stuff. And I thought since this was like a MTV studio, like they would have like a bunch of guitars laying around and things like that, but that was not the case. I went up there uh with literally just Mike in hand, like just like singing a song, and like I was really not prepared, and that that's like just what I love about like performing because you never really know what reaction. And I felt like dude, like I don't have my guitar, like I don't have anything. And I think I was probably playing to like one of my songs, like a back-end track or whatever, and I didn't expect them to clap at all because it was like literally like a studio like legit like thing going on, and they clapped so loudly and it filled my cup up so much, like I felt like great, like I could feel it in my chest. Like it was that was definitely like the because I felt like I failed, but I really didn't, yeah. And I got that love, and I'm I'm kind of like chasing that that volume of clap again because that was that was pretty substantial because I put my heart out there, but it wasn't exactly what I wanted, but they kind of still reacted with a good reaction. So I love performing. It's uh like nothing else, really.

SPEAKER_04 25:06

Yeah. Is there a place, a venue, like a dream, dream venue you'd love to dream venue or like a dream something performance-wise?

SPEAKER_01 25:15

Uh I think the I think more recently I would love to just play at a a theater, maybe, or maybe be welcomed by WXPN. That would be awesome. Yeah, yeah. But besides that, um, I mean, honestly, I would love to, you know, play at the Grammys, play at the Super Bowl. I don't care. Like, I'm I swear to God, the biggest things I can play at. It would be great. I want to play on Mars, man. Like, I mean that.

SPEAKER_04 25:44

Like, I just play wherever.

SPEAKER_01 25:46

I truthfully mean that. I I think what we have to offer is something original, it's something new, and I'm not only saying these things, but I'm actually putting in the work to try to get there. So, like, I think that's worth saying.

SPEAKER_04 26:02

Yeah. So you're working on an album. Yes. That you said it's gonna be a couple months. How long have you been working on this album?

SPEAKER_01 26:08

I've been working on this album for at least two years. Okay. Um, I was so happy that I got most of it done in Seattle, but I've also been working on it at home. Uh at home being a little bit more.

SPEAKER_04 26:21

So, this is the material that you recorded out there. Yeah, so it's gonna be on this.

SPEAKER_01 26:25

Yeah, five songs were recorded there. Um, and I had just kind of had more ideas for it because essentially this the album is about faith and having faith and like what you're doing. I wanted to add more dimension to the album to kind of get that point across. Um, so I added a lot of things. So it's been almost like two years that I've been working on it, um, but it's pretty much done. Um as of like one last song. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 26:58

Yeah, cool. And it's called Divine Divine Petition. Divine Petition.

SPEAKER_01 27:04

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 27:04

Um, and what other material do you have out right now? Do you have do you have it?

SPEAKER_01 27:08

Um so album wise, I mean I have a few EPs. Um pure um is a really great one. Um Hopium. That Hopium uh EP was essentially about like I think about the time I was getting married. Um, so it was like kind of like talking about that, um, just kind of having that blind, stupid hope for something different. Yeah. I know earlier before we started talking, I was telling you about like how I even got to the stage when I met you, and it was like not a great predicament. Like I was like in a bad space, um just broken up with da-da-da-da-da. And I really went full throttle with music, and it was a blessing. So, like I kind of wanted to tell that in music form, but yeah, Impure Hopium, uh Whoopastu is my first album that was probably like a good place to start for anyone.

SPEAKER_04 28:12

Yeah, cool, cool. I like that. Hope it.

SPEAKER_01 28:15

Yeah, Hopium, like opium.

SPEAKER_04 28:18

See, I was saying Hopi it because I thought opiate though. Oh, so they're kind of they're kind of the same, but a little bit different.

SPEAKER_01 28:27

Which is a good single. We play that a lot when we go out.

SPEAKER_04 28:31

Nice. Is it did you release it yet? Or did it be like that?

SPEAKER_01 28:34

Yeah, yeah, it's that's uh that's everywhere. So it's everywhere.

SPEAKER_04 28:37

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 28:37

Yeah, and if Hopium is Hopium, yeah. Hopium is the not only the title of the project, the EP, but also a single on the uh project.

SPEAKER_04 28:47

Okay, cool. So I can check it out when I get my yeah, you could check it out. Cool, cool. Um, let's see. Is there any collaborations that you would like to make happen? Um It can be any local or not local or do I want to collab with anyone? You're like, nah, I'm good.

SPEAKER_01 29:11

Probably I would like to write for someone, but as far as like this project currently, um I don't really foresee like I still gotta get my perspective out there, and I just don't feel it's necessary to you know add someone into the mix. I would love to jam with people and like work with people, but as far as like putting someone on the project, mm probably not right now, yeah. Which isn't a bad thing, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 29:40

Yeah, no, it's not it's not necessary. Um, where do you see his project in a few years?

SPEAKER_01 29:45

Oh, yeah. So in a few years, definitely just playing more consistently. Um kind of get to that point where we're doing it more often than not. Um try to get to more states, maybe different countries, you know. Um really anywhere, just like more playing.

SPEAKER_04 30:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 30:13

Um that's like a question that uh you get through life. Like, where do you see yourself in ten years? But it's such a hard question because you gotta live day by day. Yeah, I and you're like, yeah, things could be great in two years or things could not. So it's like, well, I guess you just say where you would like to be.

SPEAKER_01 30:34

Honestly, I think things are great now. And like to be honest, like I I don't have many like I don't think I deserve to for this to happen or that to happen. I just like what I'm doing.

SPEAKER_04 30:48

Go with the flow.

SPEAKER_01 30:49

I'm yeah, like I've been very successful. Like I have things that I've done, I have people that I met. I don't I'm not really chilling complaining. Yeah, like my very first album made it to MPR in a Dave Grohl special. Like, I'm I'm good for the rest of my life. Yeah, like yeah, that was literally like didn't expect that. Like, I have no expectations for anything, so anything in addition to the energy icing on a cake. Like, even sitting here and talking with you is like a blessing. Like, I I love just anything surrounding music, and I get to be a part of, I'm happy with that.

SPEAKER_04 31:27

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Has there and I know you've been doing it for not that long, only about five years, you said. But has there been a point where you're like, I quit, I don't want to do this. This is annoying.

SPEAKER_01 31:37

Probably like this morning, every all the time. Yeah, not not this morning, but I don't know. Um, I never feel like quitting. Like it's there's nothing to quit. Like it's yeah, because you're going with the flow, you're chilling.

SPEAKER_04 31:53

Yeah, the it's beauty of the floor. You're not feeling like fighting and saying, Oh, I gotta be a rock star and I gotta do this, and I gotta do that. And you're so it's like now you've ruined there's no fun because you've ruined the fun. Yeah, you're just chilling.

SPEAKER_01 32:04

I am gonna say I'm chilling. I'm definitely very uh intentional with my time. I work all the time on my music, whether that's writing songs, producing, I produce for other bands as well. Um, so I'm never like just relaxing my feet up, but my kind of energy towards like kind of expectation is just different. Like, I don't put a song out with the expectation that it's gonna do that, or I don't feel bad if it does or does not do these things.

SPEAKER_04 32:42

Yeah, you're not it's you're not affected.

SPEAKER_01 32:43

I'm not affected. I think the satisfaction comes from the work itself, and I can't be mad at that. Um, so yeah, that's essentially it. Yeah. But I don't ever feel like quitting. It's there's so much things that happen in my life and I still haven't really talked about that I don't feel like I told my story and I really got my perspective out there. So I don't ever feel like quitting.

SPEAKER_04 33:14

Yeah. What's some advice that you would give someone that's like just starting out and wants to release a song, but they're like scared or something?

SPEAKER_01 33:23

Um I would definitely say just go for it. You don't have to sound like any body, you don't have it you don't have to worry about like like the technical aspects of music for real. Like you don't have to because I'll say for example in the like the Philly music scene, I think there's so much space for like irreverent, like weird things that if you just like do your thing and go out, you'll find people who also do things adjacent to what you do. So I would just say do what you want to do your way. Um, I kind of talked about this before, like the charts in like 1920 compared to now, there's no difference as far as like the number placement, meaning those songs just sounded different, but they were still number one compared to I don't know what's on the top of the charts now. Not that any of that matters, but what I'm saying is whatever you have to offer the world or your audience or other people's audiences matters, and it does not need to be what you hear, it could be what you make. Yeah, so that's the uh advice I would give to people. Just you don't need to be like super original and super different, but just do what you can do presently, and that's good enough. If you really love it, put it out there, I promise.

SPEAKER_04 34:56

As long as it makes you feel good, yeah, and you're not like it's like when you try too hard, it it like we were just saying earlier, like it ruins it. And I find that people want what people naturally just do, honestly. Like when someone just sits down and does their thing and makes it nice and doesn't necessarily have first chorus, verse chorus, or you know what I mean? Like, yeah, just be yourself, but also like don't sound like complete shit.

SPEAKER_01 35:21

Yeah, I was gonna make that point though.

SPEAKER_04 35:23

I was because it's like I don't want people, I don't want people, there's people out there that are very confident.

SPEAKER_01 35:28

I'm happy that you said because I was literally gonna say, I don't mean to rain on your career, but there's a difference between being original and like doing something cool and just being like a shithead. Sometimes you do be ass. Like some people are ass, but like um, there's a there's a fine line. Also, learn, don't learn music, like learn how a song is written. It's called it's almost like skateboarding. Like you learn how to get on the board and do your thing, and then you can do tricks and you can do things kind of your own way, or playing guitar. You learn the instrument and then you learn different techniques. So, yes, like don't be don't be.

SPEAKER_04 36:14

Yeah, because dump is something it's it's it's rare. I mean, but there are some a couple uh overly confident, like horrible.

SPEAKER_00 36:25

I'm so happy you said that actually.

SPEAKER_04 36:28

Oh, I actually do, you know, with the social media and all that stuff, it's like I'm not gonna like because you can hide people, you can do this, and I'm like, I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna do that. Um but every time there's just there's not many in my feed, but when they I'm like, oh man.

SPEAKER_00 36:43

God, this guy.

SPEAKER_04 36:44

You're like, it's it's it's it's very rare.

SPEAKER_00 36:47

But yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 36:50

They can but those are the ones that also like act like they know everything. It's just they're they're a whole nother person. They're not it's not just what they're trying to do. It's yeah, it's like they're they're know-it-alls, they're the best, they're this, they're that, or and it's like the hell. Yeah, but again, it doesn't happen often. There's actually uh an incredible amount of talent in Philly and the whole tri-state area, it's ridiculous, all the talent. So, you know, but you're gonna get those here and there.

SPEAKER_01 37:21

No, for sure. And you also have to be like kind of in it to understand even what we're saying. Like, you you do your thing, be original, but yeah, yeah, do your thing, and I'm proud of you. Yeah, don't be that person. Yeah, because that person does exist, but like you just I don't know.

SPEAKER_04 37:39

It's yeah, that it is what it is, you know. Um we got 220. Is there um okay? Let's see. I feel like a lot of this.

SPEAKER_01 37:49

Thanks for uh saying the time because I don't know if it was like close to three. I don't want to, I didn't want to like we're in a coffee shop, guys.

SPEAKER_04 37:57

And yeah, yeah, locals coffee one more time. Shout out to locals letting us be here. That story I told in the beginning was nonsense. Um, but this is both our first times here. Yeah, I like it wasn't that we stumbled into each other. We kind of I did say that you ended up being an appointment for this place or whatever. But um, yeah, so um let's see. What are you what are you what are your who are some of your major inspirations?

SPEAKER_01 38:20

Uh as contrary to what I said earlier about the whole Kurt thing, of of course Kurt will be.

SPEAKER_04 38:26

You better you better not say that first after all that. You better at least put two bands before him.

SPEAKER_01 38:33

I wasn't even gonna act like I wasn't gonna say it. I hate that. I feel like every young person that is in my.

SPEAKER_04 38:40

It's all good because you conquer it. Like as a person that grew up in the 90s and was a huge fan, I have not had another um artist. I mean, there's plenty of people in cover bands that you know the people are I host karaoke, plenty of people have that might have that voice naturally or whatever, but it's not even that. There's there's something else. So just so you know, as irritating as he gets with with this, you actually conquer whatever that is going on there. I don't know what it is either, but um but you can't but it but you kill it, like it doesn't even matter. Like it's not like you it's not like it sucks, and you're like, oh my god, this guy's just ripping off.

SPEAKER_01 39:21

Oh, that's like kind of what we were talking about. Like there's a difference between like that there's a difference between that. You grunge is not like not knowing what you're doing and noise. Like, there's an art to that, and that's like where my my kind of I kind of learned how to play guitar through him. It was so simple. It was so simple, yeah. Everything like it's great, it's all you need.

SPEAKER_04 39:48

A little hum and a couple bar.

SPEAKER_01 39:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 39:52

That's all you need, a few chords and a hum.

SPEAKER_01 39:54

Yeah, but I not to disrespect the legend, of course. I feel like every every young person, like I feel like he's a voice of like two generations at this point. Like there has not been like a a band after that, hopefully mine, but uh that has actually inspired people in that way and touched people. So, of course, Kurt. Um, I would also say a lot of my contemporaries now actually inspire me. So, my biggest inspiration right now is a three-piece uh girl band from uh Brooklyn. They're great friends of mine. I go to their shows all the all the time. I was gonna say, um, but anyway, their their name is Hello Mary. Um, really love that band. They sound amazing. They recently opened up for Silver Sun pickups at um Keswick Theater like two years ago. Um, they're also kind of like grunge band, too. Yeah. Um, yeah, I guess you want to hear like actual people people would know. Is that what it is?

SPEAKER_04 41:04

I don't know, whoever. No, it don't matter.

SPEAKER_01 41:06

I mean, because I actually am really inspired by art, like visual art. Like that is actually what most of my songs are about, actually. Like, which I don't really know people to do that, but like a lot of songs are not inspired by like things that happen in my life, but like me going to the art mus the Philadelphia Art Museum and like looking at Salvador Dali like paintings or like and it like triggers inspiration. Yeah, it just really does. Like, I like that. I love sitting with things and like kind of have an imaginative like perspective on things. Yeah, like that's more inspiring to me to look at Frida Kahlo's work compared to like just like oh I broke up with this person and like a bit of a like I think that's super clear.

SPEAKER_04 42:05

It's like broke up overnight, doesn't feel right. Yeah, get that light, get that light.

SPEAKER_00 42:12

Just bars, like just bars. Yeah. Um, yeah, so I tried. That's cool though.

SPEAKER_04 42:18

I love that. So um, so art, like actual art, it's not even necessarily music that is.

SPEAKER_01 42:23

Yeah, I saw like if you go to the museum, um at this time I I think I was like between jobs and I went there a whole lot, and I saw this uh painting and like the uh medical section of the museum, and it was like these guys uh the with these like they look like the Dutch masters, like if you ever like got a Dutch, like they look like that kind of aesthetic, but they were doing surgery, and I don't know why, but that just kind of inspired me to write um this song called 16 Female Dutch Masters, yeah, and it's like kind of like a wavy, groovy kind of song, and I just literally started it off by saying, like open arm surgery, they expose his hand. I don't know, like that was just like that's a great example of like my inspiration. So people don't really inspire me that much musically, but I do kind of have reverence for like my contemporaries like that are currently doing it. Um, also a band called Alright Jr., they're a really um big inspiration. I actually didn't even know they were a Philly band. I liked them since I was like 12.

SPEAKER_04 43:39

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 43:39

So yeah, check them out.

SPEAKER_04 43:41

I feel like I'd probably like them too.

SPEAKER_01 43:43

All right junior is awesome. Um, I don't know who to compare them to, but yeah, those are kind of my inspirations musically.

SPEAKER_04 43:51

Cool. Um, you got anything you want to plug? Like how can uh you have your Instagram, which is yeah, my Instagram is uh

SPEAKER_01 44:00

V-E-L C R O H O M E R B A N D Velcro Homer Band.

SPEAKER_04 44:08

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 44:08

Um Instagram. I do have a YouTube. It's the same handle. I usually post like just vlogs and I kind of music and things like that. Be on the lookout for the timeout music video or visual or whatever. Uh yeah.

SPEAKER_05 44:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 44:29

Yeah. That's about it. So down to play anywhere you'd like us to play.

SPEAKER_04 44:36

Yeah. Yeah. I love it. I love it. Um I'm going to ask you the last question of the podcast then, which is how is music your hero?

SPEAKER_01 44:44

Music is my hero because music is like almost spiritual to me, I'm finding. Like music is something I can go to at any point in time. Like if I'm having a shit day at work, I just hum a little song. Some songs just come to me. If I'm like going through something, I I feel like most people have these experiences, but music is extremely healing for me. And not only can I listen to the music, but I can also create it. So that's an even better feeling. And my hope is to be a part of someone's healing journey. Like I want, and I'm not gonna push this onto like anyone myself, but music always finds me. Uh, and I want my music to find people. One last story. Um, I was driving to work one day, and I was listening to WXPN, and they just started playing their vinyls, and this song by Genesis came on. It was called The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. That song was so amazing and just like touched me and like stayed with me for like so many years, so much so that I like made my own rendition of it, and I play it out, and older people love that song, like they always recognize it, they always come up to me like, Oh my god, Genesis. But like, how could you not how can music not be your hero if it's like bringing so many people joy? And that song literally just found me because I happened to listen to the radio one day. Yeah, so music is my hero because it's like this beautiful magic that gets to people and is so healing and just so elusive, and I just love it. So music is my hero for that reason. I love it, and I I appreciate you for having me on, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 46:47

Yeah, of course, and thank you for taking the time too. Yeah, and one more shout out to Locals Coffee in Fort Washington. Come by, stop by. It's in like this corporate building. At first, I was like, what? But then I was like, wait, this makes complete yeah.

SPEAKER_01 47:00

I got a black coffee, and it was literally the best black coffee I had and ever.

SPEAKER_04 47:04

I should have gotten I should have gotten a black one.

SPEAKER_01 47:07

I might get another one, actually.

SPEAKER_04 47:08

All right, all right, cool. All right, well, thank you. All right, thank you.

SPEAKER_03 47:12

Until next time, keep creating, keep connecting, and keep building together. Remember, we're in this together, so let's keep each other shy alive.