Interview with girlfriends

1 (27s): What's going on. It is Adam. Welcome back to bringing it backwards. A podcast where both legendary and rising artists tell their own personal stories of how they achieved stardom. On this episode, we had the opportunity to talk with Travis mills and Nick gross of girlfriends over zoom video. Travis was born and raised in Riverside, California, and he talks about how he got into music. He has an amazing story about jumping on the warp tour. His friend was selling t-shirts or had a booth at the warp tour. He did the whole warp tour basically as a merch guy, and he would set up after he sold t-shirts for a few hours, not officially on the warp tour bill, but would set up with a little PA and he would do his songs. 1 (1m 9s): And then he'd walk around with a dis man with a CD and put his headphones on people and pretty much hustle his CD. He did that through the 2009 warp tour. And then a couple of years later, he was asked to headline the main hip hop stage. So kind of a cool story there. He talks to us about getting signed to a major label early on, and what that was like. Nick talks to us about being born and raised in Laguna beach, started drumming at an early age. I actually started off on piano and then moved to drums. He played drums in the band open air stereo, which was on the reality show Laguna beach. So you might recognize him from that. He talked about how that band got signed to a major label early on kind of the pressure that held from that band breaking up to playing drums for a handful of artists. 1 (1m 57s): We talked about how Nick and Travis ended up meeting how they formed girlfriends writing the first record during the COVID quarantine lockdown. And they tell us all about the new girlfriend's record coming out as well. You can watch our interview with Travis and Nick on our Facebook page and YouTube channel app, bringing it backwards. It would be awesome if you subscribe to our channel like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Tik TOK at bringing back pod. And if you're listening to our podcast on Spotify, apple music, Google podcasts, it would be incredible if you follow us there as well, and hook us up with a five star review. 2 (2m 37s): We'd appreciate your support. If you follow and subscribe to our podcasts, wherever you listen to podcasts, 1 (2m 43s): We're bringing it backwards with girlfriends. Yeah. I'm Adam, by the way, and this podcast is about you, your journey in music. I don't know if you mind touching on obviously your early piece, your career, which is, and then girlfriends. I want to talk about as well. 3 (2m 57s): Of course, man. I mean, that's what got us here, you know? 1 (3m 0s): Sure, sure. Okay. Some people don't want to talk about it, but I, I appreciate that you you're willing to, so you from originally from Riverside, 3 (3m 10s): Riverside, California. Yeah. Born and raised, man. I'm like a So-Cal kid 1 (3m 14s): Inland empire. I'm from San Diego. I know. 3 (3m 17s): I didn't know what the I E a to me like, yeah, you already got points. 1 (3m 23s): I appreciate that. Yeah. So tell me about Riverside. I mean, I know a little bit, but obviously I want to hear your, your take on Riverside, California. 3 (3m 31s): And I'm very grateful that I grew up there. You know, there's not a ton of opportunity in terms of like, you know, music and like anything kind of in like entertainment. I think the one thing that it really kind of forced anyone who grew up there to do is like, if you were into that stuff, you really had to kind of create your own scene. And so like, you know, the first shows that I grew up going to were in people's backyards and like in coffee shops and like in a, Denny's just like weird, just like the most weird places that you'd never think there'd be a show. Well, that's, that's where they were and we'd hop fences and just do like all kinds of crazy things. 3 (4m 14s): Not to mention. We did have a really, really historic venue called showcased theater that was in Corona, California, which is 15 minutes away from where I grew up. That's closed now. Unfortunately 1 (4m 25s): It is, 3 (4m 26s): It is so like showcase. And then we would drive to like Anaheim. So chain reaction. 1 (4m 31s): I was going to say, what about glass house? Is that glass 3 (4m 34s): House in kimono now glass house? Like at that time, like when I was a kid that was like the staple center, I might as well, you know, like It was like a huge, huge venue. So like you'll only went there for like really big shows, 1 (4m 47s): Big bands. Right. 3 (4m 48s): And the fact that like, we just played there back in, like November was like super cool and like nostalgic for me. And, you know, I walked in and I was like, damn, like, it felt a lot bigger back in the day, but like, yeah. I mean, it really like forced me to be creative in like how I approached wanting, you know, to be in a band and stuff. And not only that, but like fame or like success or money was never the end goal. Right. Because like, for me, like record deals only happen to people and movies really like, ha I didn't know anyone with a record deal. I didn't know any, like, it was just such a foreign concept. 3 (5m 31s): So I feel like it, it really, everything started out with, with pure intentions, right? Like no one did anything to like get something which was, which was a beautiful thing. And like really forced me to be creative and kind of use my resources and really like embody that DIY mentality that, you know, Nick and I even have to, like, we still implement today, especially with girlfriends. 1 (5m 56s): Sure. Hey Derek, how's it, man. 4 (5m 58s): Hey, great man. 1 (5m 59s): I'm Adam. Nice to, nice to meet you. Thank you for being here. I was telling you guys that basically this is about you and your journey and music and how you got to where you are now. And we'll pick up I right now where Travis is kind of telling us the beginning half of his story. And I'd love to hear yours here in a second. 4 (6m 17s): Cool. 1 (6m 18s): Sweet or, okay. So actually you can just jump right in. Are you from Riverside as well? 4 (6m 23s): You know, I'm not, but close. I'm not going to beach. So Southern California. 1 (6m 27s): Okay, cool. Tell me about that. I I'm from San Diego so I can just put in, 4 (6m 33s): You know, I mean, anyone who gets to grow up in Southern California is blessed and lucky, especially if you get to be in Laguna beach, it's like California's Hawaii is how I describe it. And yeah, my, my upbringing in Laguna beach was, was what's the word for it? I mean, I probably had the best time in my life to be honest, surfing, good looking women, you know, not much school, a lot of music, a lot of concerts, a lot of trouble, definitely not the average situation. So I feel very lucky yeah. To have come from Laguna and a lot of drummers, you know, Travis Barker grew up in Laguna as a trash man Hawkins rest in peace, Taylor Hawkins, you know, the, another Laguna legend. 4 (7m 14s): So yeah, it's, it's breeding a good, good group of drummers that's for sure. 1 (7m 19s): For sure. Very cool. And Travis Wolf, how did you get the music originally? Obviously you're talking about no shows and everything you were attending as a kid, but like what really drew you in, was there an instrument you grabbed early on or 3 (7m 30s): I think, I mean, I wanted to be a musician since I could even like walk and talk and like knew what music was, you know, like my, my grandfather got me an acoustic guitar when I was like five or six and I started flopping around on that thing. And my grandma, she got remarried when I was about like five and I wrote a song and I performed it at her wedding 1 (7m 55s): Really that young, 3 (7m 57s): I mean, I was probably singing jibberish, you know, like, but they let me like perform it. I was like always just like obsessed with like performing. And in sixth grade I started a punk band with some of my friends and we played like a Christmas talent show. And then from there it was just kind of like finding my community and like the people that I wanted to surround myself with and that like similar bands and, you know, wanting to go to shows and honestly just like, yeah, kind of like one happy accident after the other is like, what led me here? I, you know, I think it was just something that I love doing and it never kind of felt like a job or like work. 3 (8m 38s): And it was just something like, it's where I wanted to be. It's what I wanted to do. And so I did it. 1 (8m 43s): That's amazing. And with you, Nick, what was the first issue that you learned? Was it drums? 4 (8m 48s): Yeah, it was actually, it was actually piano. My mom had to jump on the piano when I was five years old and I did not like it, but to this day, I'm thankful that I stuck with it and like did lessons every week. And did that whole grind as a young kid. Cause I think piano can definitely lay the foundation for a lot of musical things later on in your life, you know, and, and including drumming. So yeah, drumming for me came probably two after two years after piano and it started drumming when I was seven years old, I was an only child. So I think my parents, you know, wanted to keep me busy through music and thankfully drums were something for me to just immediately connected when I was a young kid. I just like could figure out like my hands connected with my feet and it was kinda on from there. 4 (9m 30s): So I came super natural for me and yeah, man started young 3 (9m 35s): Nixle, Jake penis penis. 1 (9m 40s): Did you start any bands early on? I mean, Travis was writing a song when it's six or seven years old for your grandma's wedding. When did you start playing with other people? 4 (9m 49s): I was obsessed man. Like I, I started my first band, I think when I was eight years old with my buddy, I remember driving to an Anaheim ducks game, you know, saying to my parents in the back of the car, like, Hey, I started a band, you know, do you want to have the band name? So it was already kind of in me as a young kid. And then in high school I started a band called open air stereo. You know, we were featured on an MTV show called Laguna beach back in the day we had our, our first record deal when I was 17 years old. So that kinda just like fueled me into the music industry at a super young age. And then yeah, just played for a lot of artists. And my early twenties off of different labels, just got a lot of experience in different styles and genres and music played with hip hop artists, you know, women, pop artists, different, all different kinds of bands. 4 (10m 32s): And then, you know, I've finally found the best band to date and girlfriends. 1 (10m 37s): That's amazing. I remember Laguna beach. That was a great show. And it had like 20 spinoffs and 4 (10m 44s): All the oh yeah. 1 (10m 46s): So that you're banned from there. You, you got a deal. That's amazing. Like what was it like signing a record deal at a young age like that? 4 (10m 53s): I mean, elated. I thought I was the coolest guy on the planet. You know, it was a, it was a lot of fun. I, I took some of that money and bought myself a brand new set of rims for my truck. So that was a big moment for me. And then I blew it all and got dropped and, you know, learned a huge life lesson from, from thinking you're on top of the world to really not really understanding a lot about the music industry in general, like music publishing or how record deals were done or what touring was like. And you're just kind of riding this high of, of getting signed and having that be such a quote unquote cool thing to do as a young kid and really lost it all pretty quickly, probably in over a span of two years. 4 (11m 35s): And that kind of lesson of, of losing the label probably taught me more in my music career than anything else. 1 (11m 42s): I could see how that could happen. I mean, as a kid that was always like, I'd see these bands gates, I mean, in San Diego, you see like blink. I remember when they were in American pilot, like my mind was blown like, oh my gosh, like this band from our town is like in a movie. And like you seeing all the success and I can imagine getting signed to a label or a major label, like, yeah, this is it. You know, we've, we've made it. And it's kind of just like the beginning, right. 4 (12m 8s): That's a hundred percent, right. Yeah. The work starts at that point, you know, to stay relevant and to stay on the label and to, you know, continue to make yourself a priority and be in front of people. Those were all things we were not thinking about at 18 years old. It was like, So, yeah. 1 (12m 25s): Wow. And what in Travis, you also had success pretty early on as well. 3 (12m 29s): I did. Yeah, for me it was like, I started, you know, I didn't even, I didn't even think like, like I said, that I could get a record deal, you know, I was, I was like 18 or 19. I was in hair school. I was going to school to, to cut hair. And I started, I made a MySpace page in, in my bedroom and I'd gotten a Mac book for like my birthday or something. It was like super excited because I'd always wanted one and it came to garage band. And so I just started pulling like random instrumentals off of, off of the internet and kind of putting them in garage band and like learning how to record myself. 3 (13m 9s): I didn't even have a microphone. So I like hold up my laptop and kind of like sing into the microphone that we're using right now to do this podcast. It was, you know, it was like a great learning experience because I had been in bands before. I hated the fact that I had to rely on other people. Like if I wanted to make music, you know, I'd have to have five people come over and have to sit in there. And I was definitely like always the most driven one, right? Like I wanted to practice every day. I wanted to write songs. I wanted to go play shows. And some of the other dudes in the bands I was in were like more interested in like drugs and drinking and, you know, girls and parties and stuff like that, which is cool. 3 (13m 49s): So when I got that Mac book, it really felt like freedom and like a door kind of open for me that like, I could do this by myself. And that's where, like the whole idea of a solo artist project kind of came from. And so I made a, my space page started recording these like freestyles in my bedroom and my closet and started posting them and woke up one day. And one of them had like, you know, a hundred thousand plays and like every, it was just crazy. It was absolutely insane. Cause I was like living at my parents' house and you know, mind you, I had just spent like a year and a half, two years in hair school spent all this money getting like my cosmetology license. 3 (14m 36s): And literally like the day that I got it, I got asked to go on work tour. This is back in 2009. Wow. And it wasn't even like officially, it was like my buddy had a clothing company. They were like a sponsor for the tour. So they have like a big tent. And he was like, if you come and sell my t-shirts for my company, I'll let you play like a 10 minute set in the tent. You know, you can bring your own PA you set up a tent, you count in all the shirts, you sell everything during your lunch break every day you can play. And I was like, okay, cool. So like I had a bunk spot that he was paying for. 3 (15m 17s): I brought my laptop. I brought like a PA and literally every day I'd wake up at like six in the morning. I go set up his tent spot. I counted the merge. I'd sell to like noon or one I'd walk back, get all my equipment, lug it through like a, Grassfield set it up by myself. I'd like announced to like 10 people that I was about to play show. And I would literally play show in this tent in a grass field every day for 60 days for no money. And like, you know, like the first day it was like three people. Then it was like five people. And I was like 10 people when the tour ended back in Pomona. After two months, I had like 150 kids in this tent to where it was like packed out. 3 (16m 3s): And it was kind of like a safety hazard. So that was really cool for me to like go from like, you know, no real life fans to like sticking with it, you know? And like, by the way, my friend wasn't paying me to be there. I had no money. So like I bought, remember, like those towers have a blank CDs. Oh yeah. By like 200 blank disks. So I had, you know, my old laptop had the CD disc in it. So I had like four songs to my name, four or five songs. So every night after, you know, after the show, when we were driving in the next city, I would sit and just burn like 50, 60 CDs. I would write my MySpace URL on them. 3 (16m 44s): And the next morning after I got up at six in the morning, instead of 10, I would walk the line with the CD player and headphones and don't put it on kids and be like five bucks, five bucks, five bucks. And I was making like, you know, a hundred, $200 a day selling these CDs. So like halfway through the tour, I saved up enough money to print my own t-shirt. And so during my set, I would sell that. So it was just like a lot of finessing, a lot of like DIY punk rock, just kind of get in where you fit in. But I really like got to cut my teeth and experience like, you know what it's like to be on the road. 3 (17m 27s): And, and when, when you're forced to make shit happen, like you just do it. And so, you know, all this other stuff now, it's like, I'm so lucky, man. Because like, I know what it's like to be like a one man, you know, everything relies on you. And like, I'm really grateful for that summer because it really showed me like how much work it was going to take and like how dedicated you had to be. And you know, I'd be around these artists that would be like throwing fits because I don't know, like, you know, they didn't have a shower, you know, I'd be like, I haven't showered in five days. I'm eating top ramen for every meal, you know? 1 (18m 5s): Oh man, I, a couple of questions on this one is, did, will you like officially on the warp tour bill? Or 3 (18m 16s): Why was he had no idea who I was? I was like a leech. I was a cockroach just like existing in the shadows of what worked or was, 1 (18m 27s): That is amazing. I've never heard anyone say that before. That's first of all, that's incredible. And second to build a crowd of like 150 kids that are now coming to this tent where you're should be selling, he's all he knows is that somebody's selling t-shirts there. Right. Is he like curious at one point? Like what, what is happening? Like who who's this artist that's now performing to 150 of my ticket payer, you know, fans in this, 3 (18m 53s): This is 10%. I mean, like that, that was the summer of 2009. And you know, like after that tour I was like, okay, cool. I got, I got a booking agent from that. Like, you know, started like going in like playing these like little tiny shows to where, you know, just kept building momentum, momentum, momentum. And then Kevin invited me. I was officially on the tour in 2012. So three years later I was headlining their hip hop stage, which was really cool. Not only that I had my own tour bus, I had a crew of 14 people, you know, like it was just like so different. Like the first time that I did it, no name on like, no one knew who I was, you know, until like 2012 where it was like a thing. 3 (19m 37s): And yeah, I mean, Kevin would joke, you know, we joked all the time about that. So, you know, shout out to Kevin Lyman for, you know, he could have been like, yo, we're not doing this, like shut this down. It's 1 (19m 49s): Down in the beginning. 3 (19m 50s): But you know, I feel like that's all, like, that's what they had to do with that tour. Like when they started in 98 or 99, like they were taking over parking lots and like dirt fields and like putting a stage there, you know, like he understands that grind more than anyone. So I think, you know, there's, there's also like so many bands that, that did that, you know, and like that really kind of had to follow tours and vans and, and do the whole like selling CDs to lines. Like it became kind of a thing. And that's, that's how I started, man. 1 (20m 22s): And I love that you had the, would you have like a Walkman or dismantle you're going around putting out 3 (20m 26s): The CD player, like the headphones and the auxiliary and like, you know, I mean, thinking back on it now, like, I don't think anyone would do that, but like I used to like walk through a line of 500 people putting headphones after like, you know, on your head on Nixon. Like, Hey man, just listen to this, listen to this. Some people will tell you to fuck off. Other people would sit there and be like, oh, it's amazing. I don't have any money. Oh, this is amazing. Here. I'll give you 10 bucks. Like you really had to kind of become like a, a salesman. You know, you have to sell yourself. People like really quick. 1 (20m 55s): That reminds me, like I lived in San Francisco for a handful of years. And I remember walking down the street and there's a group of guys that were always hanging out in front of where I worked and they would have the headphones like, oh man, I've got a new record. Got it. And like, I'm like, this is like totally like guerrilla style sales right here. And I was envious of them. Cause I was like, I can never do that. But the fact that you did, that's amazing. Wow. 3 (21m 16s): I hadn't, you know, I needed money to eat. Like I wasn't getting paid. I was, I got an opportunity and that was it. And so I kind of had to figure the rest out, you know? 1 (21m 27s): Yeah. And what about you, Nick? When did you guys meet? Like when did, when was your first like encounter with each other? Yeah. 4 (21m 35s): Yeah. Travis, we probably met, I mean, probably right around 2014, I would say. And travel, come over to my studio space in here in Los Angeles and Hollywood and yeah, we kind of just became friends and then played our first show together in orange county in 2015 during his team mills stuff. And I got to drum for a show, which was a lot of fun. I always really admire Travis and the stuff he'd done in music and knew about him. And so it was a really cool way to kind of just jump in and play a quick show in our backyard in orange county and get to know each other through that right away, which is pretty fun. 4 (22m 18s): I mean, we, I think we posted the photo that I don't know, a couple of months back about 3 (22m 22s): There's one show and then we didn't do anything else. 4 (22m 25s): Yeah. So it was, it was, it was cool. And then we kind of just stayed connected ever since. And we got reconnected in 2019, you know, through, through some type of podcasting we were doing together. And then Travis sent me a message on Instagram and DMD me. I think I was posting something around drumming with Goldfinger, with John Philbin and Travis, like, man, I really want to start a band again, you know, do this music thing would be awesome to explore something together. And I'm like, of course let's do it. And it was kind of a fireworks ever since love at first sight. 1 (22m 57s): That's amazing. So you was Travis, you recording with ethnic studio for TML stuff and then you needed a drummer. Is that how 3 (23m 6s): Back in the day? Yeah, I was, I was working at a Nick's studio, so we just became friends from, you know, me being there all the time. I had a drummer who it was like something happened or like, I don't know, he, he got on another tour. And so I asked Nick, I was like, yo, I have the show coming up. Obviously like the guy that usually plays for me is out, would you be open to, to drumming? And he was like, hell yeah. So he learned like 15 songs. We like rehearse like one time. And we played this amazing charity show in orange county where we did like a toy drive that I did every single year around Christmas. 3 (23m 47s): And it was awesome. And then, you know, I want to say like a year and a half, maybe two years after that, I took a hiatus from my solo project just because I've been doing it so long. You know, I, I like wanted something else. I wasn't really inspired. And when I don't really feel that, like I'm not someone who wants to force things, right. Like I started music because it was fun and it was an outlet and it was something I was passionate about. And you know, I'd been through the major label. Grind had been on tour for like nine months a year for like seven years. I was like just kind of, I don't know, needed a reset, just like, you know, my personal life. And so I took a hiatus and really like did some soul searching. 3 (24m 31s): And after like three years I was ready to start, you know, a new chapter, but I knew that I wanted it to be different. Right. Like I wanted it to be a new sound. I wanted to write new songs. I didn't want to necessarily be a solo artist. And so I had this idea of, you know, starting a band and Nick and I were thankfully, we're like in the same kind of head space. And so, yeah, like he said, I, I called him up and I was like, Hey man, I want to, I want to start a band. Like, that'd be something you're into like, I miss touring. I want to go on tour again. I want to write music. And he was like, yeah, this is in December of 2019. I was going to go like, He's like, cool. Like let's meet up. And like, let's listen to some records and let's talk about what it can be like. 3 (25m 13s): And I was like, cool. So he did that in January. It was like right after new year's God, the studio started listening to music and talking about what it could be like, came up with the band name. I think February, we were like in, we wrote our first like two or three songs and then COVID habits. 1 (25m 33s): Right. And now it's like a halt. Right. And you started to get kinda momentum or not momentum, but ruin the bands together. I want to tour, I want to do this again. And then now it's like, well, we can't do this. 3 (25m 43s): Definitely like a shock. I mean, we knew we weren't going to like tour the first month of being a band, you know, but like, it was actually, it was a blessing in disguise for the band. I don't want to say like, COVID, you know, the pandemic, the blessing for anyone, but for the band, I was actually supposed to leave for eight weeks, eight to 10 weeks and go film this TV show. So like me and Nick wrote a couple songs and I was like, all right, I'll be back in 10 weeks. We can get back in and we'll figure this all out. And I left. And like the day that I left, everything happened, so I had to fly home. So I called him and I'm like, Hey, the show is shut down until further notice. Let's just fucking stay in the studio. And so we got to, and like, we really got to kind of expedite that process of, you know, when you're in a band with people you've spent so much time together, there's bands that, you know, before they make a record, they they've all been friends for 5, 6, 7 years and hanging out. 3 (26m 37s): So like Nick and I, you know, we really got to take advantage of that time and like build that bond and that comradery that takes to like work with someone every day and make music and create with them. So we just locked ourselves in a studio, it fell these house and started writing songs. And that's how we kind of like, we just kept our head down and just kept working. And, you know, we're all like, obviously we're like, when do we announce this band? Like when is the right time? We obviously didn't want people to think this was like a COVID project. Like, Hey, we're just bored. And so we started this cause it wasn't, you know, we'd been wanting to do this and yeah, we, we went in and we made a bunch of songs that we were really proud of. And then we're kind of tasked with like, well, shit, how do you put out an album when the world stopped? 1 (27m 22s): Right. And w was that like, do you, you have the songs, you have an album, do you, at that point, are you thinking, do we hold onto it? Like, what did we do? Like, 3 (27m 33s): I mean, yeah, the world was in a place that we hadn't experienced in our lifetimes. And so it felt a little like egotistical, you know, to be like, Hey look it us, you know? And then after a certain, after a certain amount of time passes though, it's like, okay, well when, when is the right time? Like, are we just going to wait for, to like, you know what I mean? You kind of have to like get on with it. And so we, we waited for what we felt like was, you know, a good, good amount of time. And in June we announced the band. And I think in July we put out our first song, which is California and it was fucking awesome. 1 (28m 9s): Yeah, it does. It does amazing. I love the album cover that you guys have with the earbud. That's like pierced all the way. 4 (28m 16s): You're the only person to say that. Thank 3 (28m 18s): You. 1 (28m 19s): They might really, no, that's pretty cool though. I like it. I think it's a rad album. Art cover. What was it like now you're in a band situation. Travis, was it a different dynamic writing? Cause before you were a solo artist and 3 (28m 37s): I've, I don't know. I like it. I like it better. I think Nick and I like really kind of push each other and we like, I trust Nick. They trust me. So it's like, you know, if we disagree on something, which is really rare, we'll kind of have a discussion about it. And the best idea always wins. It's like, there's no real ego when we're in the studio, which is like so refreshing. And that's also why, you know, me and him didn't want to be in a band with five people like us being a duo two pieces, like very intentional, you know, because it can get messy real quick, you know, with like that many people cooks in the kitchen. But yeah, I think like, you know, oftentimes like I'll be overthinking something and Nick's like, yo, it's great. 3 (29m 20s): I'm like cool. Or like, you know what I mean? Like we, we have this, this really good organic dynamic in the studio, which makes creating fun and like how it should be. 1 (29m 32s): Yeah. What was the fir like what was the first show you guys were able to do 3 (29m 37s): The first show? It was a live stream. Well, 4 (29m 40s): Yeah, Oxy. Yeah. Live stream at the Roxy in December 29th, 20, 20, sorry. 3 (29m 47s): Yeah. It's always like right before Thanksgiving, he was like, Nope. Or yeah, like, like right after Thanksgiving, by the way, I didn't want to do it. And Nick, Nick, I'm glad that we did too. But Nick was like a really big advocate for doing it because like I was like the whole live stream show thing is like really weird. And like, I don't, I don't know if I like it and I don't want it to be our first look, but you know, it gave us a chance to play the album through its entirety and kind of like show that this was a real thing. We are a real band, like we're we're musicians and like welcome to this world. You know? 1 (30m 22s): Where are you Nick? Where you guys playing just to an empty hall there or empty room? Yeah. 4 (30m 26s): Yeah, I was, yeah, it was an empty room. I mean, I brought my son and my two year old and like my wife and travel had like two or three friends there, but it's such a weird time. 3 (30m 35s): There's just like three cameras in the rock scene. It's so weird, man. 1 (30m 41s): I have, I've been to the Roxy a handful of times for shows and I'm just trying to envision this, like, yeah, you're just on the stage and then no one around, no one in the slate roped area. 4 (30m 50s): It's not, yeah. You finished a song and then you hear like a whoo 1 (30m 55s): It's like not 3 (30m 57s): Job, man. Like, you know, you pull the microphone off the scan and like at a live show, you can put it out. You can like you pull it off the stand and watch it the front of the stage. And there's nobody there. So you like, you walk back and like put it back on and just like keep singing. It's like, it was weird for sure. 1 (31m 15s): Was it hard to cut it? Yeah. I, I can't even imagine it like, was, it must have been hard to kind of interact as if it's a show right now. You're like, okay, we're done. And like, did you do banter in between songs again? 3 (31m 27s): And we knew that, you know, there was, you know, like, I don't know, thousand, like a thousand something people watching us, you know? So like just talking directly to them, like looking at the camera, like it was, it was really cool. And like when you watch the live stream, like you would never know, you know, it was like awkward, like it's it's shot really well. It sounds amazing. Like, and we, we like, once again, we made the best of what we had with what we could and I'm really proud of it. 1 (31m 58s): And then coming into the, your first live set in front of real people, like tell me the difference there. I mean, w what was the energy like that 3 (32m 6s): Nick and, you know, being true to our roots, we wanted to play, we are our homeys. We're throwing these things. These like bury underground, almost, almost illegal shows. Right? Like during, 4 (32m 21s): They were very illegal 1 (32m 23s): During COVID like, 3 (32m 25s): Pretty much like took over like warehouses. Now this is in 2021. So we're like, you know, kind of on the other side, but they were like taking over these warehouses and just like throwing shows related. They kind of announced them like the day, like they give out the address the night of, and so we got asked to play the show where like, okay, cool. Well, like we've never played a lot of show before let's do this. It's very punk rock, like sweaty walls, very small space, you know, and we didn't end up going on stage, I think until two 30 in the morning, It was complete mayhem in the best way. 3 (33m 8s): And like, yeah, in some like dirty downtown brick alley, weird like no sound system, like they brought in their own PA very DIY, which I love that. That was like our first show. 1 (33m 25s): That's awesome. Was it, I mean, for you Nick with a drum kit where you kind of like, okay, this is I concerning, I don't know you like, 4 (33m 34s): It was very, very concerning. The entire experience was very, yeah, it was, it makes for a good story. You know, I think we were just itching to play in general. Those were kind of the things that were going on in town and no tours were happening. So that's what you do. 1 (33m 50s): Sure. You got to make, do with what you have. And I want to talk to you about the new song missing you is the newest one you guys have just put out. Is this all? Well, tell me about the song. And then I'm curious if it's part of your next record. 3 (34m 3s): Yeah. So we dropped missing you and another song called pretty mouth a couple of weeks ago. So we're dropping like two songs at a time. I don't know when this airs, 1 (34m 13s): Whenever you like. 3 (34m 14s): Yeah. Well, by the time this is out, so we just put out two more new songs they're called high-gain and toaster first swim. And these two songs plus missing you pretty mouth. All four of these are on our new record and the new album is called the motion sickness. It comes out June 17th. 1 (34m 32s): I love that name. That's really creative. 3 (34m 34s): Thank you, man. We're, we're, we're really proud of it. We've put a lot of time into the second record and we feel like, you know, this is just an evolution of, of where girlfriend's is and like where we're going and where we want to kind of push, you know, this scene and this genre to next. And yeah, I couldn't be more proud of it, like Nick and I, you know, that's all we think about. That's all we talk about. And like, we just can't wait for people to hear all of these songs and slowly but surely we're rolling them out and getting a taste of it. 4 (35m 4s): Yeah. I'd say the first album we probably put together in four months, this album we've put together over a collection of like a year and a half. It's been really interesting putting this thing together, but I think we've been trying to be a little bit more, I don't know, just like selective and have intentional and opinionated about things in all the right ways. But yeah, we're just really focused on seeing how this girlfriend's brand and identity can continue to evolve. And we S we took our time with this one and we're really stoked on the record. I think they'll probably be close to around 15 songs on the, on the album, so, wow. Pretty cool. 1 (35m 40s): That is really cool. Was it recorded in a similar way? Like, did you guys do it like at John film's house again, or, 4 (35m 45s): Yeah, we did some of it at my studio at the noise nest, and then we did the majority of it at, at Feldman's house. And we just, you know, we looked at like all the way down to drum samples. We were using, you know, on the first record compared to the second. So I would play my life kit and then just selections over different samples to add on top of my life kit to make it sound more full there's. There's definitely different choices you can make in terms of like snare sounds and kick drum sounds that you can layer on top of a drum kit. And those are the type of details. I think we just went really into for the second album, just to give it some, a new kind of a life and energy and like crispness and the whole deal around the sound of this album compared to the first one. 4 (36m 27s): So we're, we're excited. 1 (36m 29s): Yeah. It's interesting that you put the first one, I mean, had the whole thing done, you said in four months, and then this time you kind of spent a bit, you were able to spend a bit more time, but in reality, I mean, it's, it's interesting that, that first one, it was done so quickly, I guess to me, 3 (36m 42s): I mean, we really had, you know, nothing else to do 1 (36m 46s): Nothing but time 3 (36m 48s): Afforded the luxury of like time to like really focus with this album, you know, four months of last year, we were on the road touring. Right. Which, which is a beautiful thing too, because it really gave us like the feedback of like the songs from our first record and like what we wanted to implement on this new record, you know, see like what things work, what things don't, what people gravitate towards. And not only that, but like, you know, being able to like be on the tour bus and like listening to these new songs before they're out and be like, I can't wait until, you know, we can play this in this venue or, you know, yeah. It was, it was fun. And we, we, we felt like we really had time to kind of flush out these ideas and see where we want to take this, this next era of girlfriend. 1 (37m 29s): Amazing. I love, I love it. You guys are doing, I mean, from the band name to the creative titles, to the music, it's, it's such a cool project. 3 (37m 38s): Thanks, man. 1 (37m 40s): And I appreciate your time. Thank you so much for doing this. Yeah. One more quick question. I'll see if I can get an answer from both of you. If you have any advice for aspiring artists, 3 (37m 50s): My advice is just do it. There's not going to be a perfect time. There's not going to be, you know, a perfect amount of knowledge or skill or talent that you learn. Like if you want to do something, start doing it because all of my successes have come from mistakes. 1 (38m 3s): I love that. 4 (38m 4s): That's a gray one. Look at this guys nailing it. I dunno for me, it just comes down to focus. I think it's really hard sometimes to just stay focused. And I think being able to have focus and clarity comes from staying in a positive mindset and positive mindsets come from healthy lifestyles. And I dunno, it sounds a bit cliche, but I think more things will get done with positive mentalities and focus. Right. And I mean to Travis's story earlier, just around like the grind sometimes of what this is actually all about, it's all the bells and whistles sounds nice when we were first talking about record deals and all these things, but in all reality, there's a lot of time and behind the scenes grind of things that happen to be able to get to where you want to get and having that focus throughout it, I think helps with everything, you know? 4 (38m 53s): So yeah, that would be kind of, I guess my advice