00:05
DJ Beowvlf
You're listening to WKNC 88.1 on our HD-2 streaming channel. I'm DJ Beowvlf coming to you live with Black Surfer in the studio to talk about their upcoming performance and everything about them regarding Double Barrel Benefit, which is for those who are unaware, which I don't know how you'd be unaware. We're playing promos like all the time. It's all over our social media. Have you bought your tickets yet? Double Barrel Benefit, no excuses. Double Barrel Benefit is a two night concert series fundraiser that WKNC has been running for the last 17 years. Black Surfer will be playing the second night, which is February 8th. The first night is February 7th and we've got eight of Raleigh's most prolific musicians-- excluding Junior Astronomers because they're from Charlotte--but just as good.
00:51
DJ Beowvlf
And I have Black Surfer in the studio here to talk to me today about themselves and who doesn't love to do that, so. If y' all would go down the line and introduce yourselves, say what you do in the band, that would be fantastic.
01:06
Tyrone
Yeah, my name's Tyrone and I play guitar.
01:09
Johnny
This is Johnny, I play bass.
01:11
Ray
Hello, I'm Ray and I also play guitar.
01:14
Evin
Evan, vocalist. Bernie Sanders, 2020.
01:19
Jake
Jake, Drummer.
01:20
DJ Beowvlf
Thank you all for being here today.
01:22
Johnny
Dillon, who's not here.
01:23
DJ Beowvlf
Oh, and Dillon, who's not here.
01:25
Evin
Dillon's not here.
01:26
Johnny
Oh, wait. Do your Dillon impression introduce yourself.
01:28
DJ Beowvlf
And what does he do?
01:34
Evin
I can't do it right now. I did my Tim Hiser impression at the Cover Up a couple days ago, so I'm still voiceless.
01:47
DJ Beowvlf
So be like that sometimes.
01:50
Evin
I was screaming my head off a little bit, but.
01:52
DJ Beowvlf
Well, thank you for putting what little voice you have left to use today.
01:56
Jake
Dillon. Dillon's keys and synths.
01:58
DJ Beowvlf
Okay, thanks for the clarification. We gotta get that out there.
02:02
Evin
I mean, I just don't. I just don't know what I'm doing. Like I don't.
02:08
Jake
You know, Dillon, if he was here, be like, you know, whatever. Like, just like Keith.
02:15
DJ Beowvlf
I just do stuff.
02:16
Johnny
Classic Dill.
02:18
DJ Beowvlf
I don't even know why. I don't even know why I tried to impersonate him there. I've never met the man before.
02:25
Evin
Could we just like not do this song? Because I just. I just don't even know what I'm doing. I don't even know I'm playing right now. I just don't.
02:34
DJ Beowvlf
Well, speaking of things that you do know that you're doing, talk to me a little bit about Black Surfer. How do you define yourselves as a Genre and a band. And how did you form.
02:45
Ray
As far as genre? I think the one that seems to encompasses all, encompass it all is post punk. I don't know, we kind of have like 80s new wave, garage, a little bit of everything. It's just sprinkled in there all over the place.
03:06
Evin
But I.
03:08
DJ Beowvlf
We already got Jonas. I always get his last name right now because I keep calling him Chisholm and he corrects me of that. It's Chisholm.
03:15
Ray
That's always what I called him too.
03:16
DJ Beowvlf
But he. Every time I do an interview with a band that he likes, he blows up my phone and texts me, like, live. And he says the fact that Jake didn't introduce himself as Scott Stapp bothers me.
03:29
Jake
Oh, yeah, that's explainable. I did Creed for the COVID of.
03:36
DJ Beowvlf
This and that's the Jonas minute. Anyway.
03:39
Ray
Shut up, Jonas.
03:39
Johnny
What up, Jonas?
03:41
Evin
But I can only speak for myself, but I am really into emo, so just wanted to clarify.
03:49
DJ Beowvlf
Well, there's six of you, so I imagine you all bring different perspectives and musical influences to the table. But how did you form Black Surfer and why so many musicians? Not that it's a bad thing, but it's uncommon.
04:02
Tyrone
True.
04:03
DJ Beowvlf
Got a heavy hit right there.
04:04
Ray
Evan, take this one over because I'd say he's kind of spearheaded the whole project.
04:08
Evin
Okay. All right. So I formed the. Like I mentioned on the social websites, the medias that I wanted to form a band that's. That sounded like a block party.
04:22
DJ Beowvlf
Okay.
04:23
Evin
And yeah, I hit up Tyrone and Ray and Black Surfer initially started out as like three black kids in Ray's room. And were just kind of just like, just fooling around really. It didn't really go anywhere initially,
04:43
DJ Beowvlf
But you've gone a lot. You've gone a long way since the band, like officially like hit the scene.
04:48
Evin
Oh, oh, yeah, yeah.
04:51
DJ Beowvlf
It literally has not been a year yet.
04:54
Evin
Yeah, it was just me and Ray just like we did a demo and sent it off to Henry and Henry.
05:07
DJ Beowvlf
Was like, shout Out Henry Boyd.
05:08
Evin
Yeah, that was it.
05:10
DJ Beowvlf
That was it.
05:11
Evin
Yeah, that was it.
05:12
DJ Beowvlf
At what point did you add Jake, Johnny and Dillon?
05:16
Evin
It was when Henry was like, yo, just do a show. And it like two weeks before. Yeah, yeah, two weeks.
05:23
DJ Beowvlf
Yeah, yeah.
05:24
Johnny
Only band I've ever been in to book a show before.
05:26
Ray
We've actually had the band practice, like,
05:29
Johnny
Discuss the songs or write songs.
05:31
Jake
Can I say something? I was swindled into this band.
05:34
DJ Beowvlf
Swindled.
05:35
Jake
Evan played the game, right? Because anytime somebody asks a drummer, hey, I got A band? Will you be in my band? It's always like, I don't know, man. I got these other.
05:44
DJ Beowvlf
Yeah. Like there's like four drummers in Raleigh and John Meyer's two of them.
05:49
Jake
Yeah, right. So he hits me up. He's like, hey, I'm trying to recruit you for a show. And I was like, oh, you just need like a fill in for a show. He's like, yeah, yeah, we got one book. We just need something.
05:58
DJ Beowvlf
I'm like, oh yeah, I got you.
05:59
Jake
He's like, yeah, Someone else said they might be able to, but I think they're gonna fall through.
06:02
DJ Beowvlf
I was like, yeah.
06:03
Jake
As long as we can meet up for a practice. I'll learn whatever songs you got, we'll play the show. That's fine. Yep. And then we met up for practice and everyone's like, hey, Tyrone.
06:11
DJ Beowvlf
What?
06:11
Jake
And I'm like, what? Wait, is this Yalls first practice? And everyone's like, yeah. And I was like, so I'm the drummer.
06:20
Evin
I'm filling in for the band.
06:22
DJ Beowvlf
You're filling in their dreams, dude.
06:24
Jake
But I'm very glad that we got.
06:25
Johnny
The same line too. It was supposed to be for the show. Hey, can you help us? Help us fill this show out? And you know, then it's like first practice.
06:33
Evin
First practice. Dillon also plays bass. He brought his bass to practice too. Yeah, we had two bases and it was grooving. No, awkward. There is a really good emo band that everyone that who is listening to this interview should listen to Crash of Rhinos. They have two really good records and. Yeah, but.
06:57
DJ Beowvlf
And what does that have to do with two Bases? I was gonna be like, nice plug.
07:03
Jake
Not following.
07:05
DJ Beowvlf
I get it now. Very cool.
07:08
Evin
Very good band with two bases.
07:10
DJ Beowvlf
So when was your first show?
07:12
Evin
It will almost be a year. February. It was February 7th, so it'll be a year and a day since our first show, so.
07:24
DJ Beowvlf
And you didn't tell me this when we booked you, we could have advertised that as Black Surfer's anniversary gig. That'll probably get more people to come out. Maybe not the Black Surfer. Birthday? Dbb, bsb.
07:39
Tyrone
We had about six people there. It was tight.
07:41
Johnny
Six close friends.
07:42
Evin
Yeah, yeah, but like if it felt like a lot. Cause it was at the Cave, so.
07:47
DJ Beowvlf
Yeah, the Cave is a little small. But other than your first show, you guys have played several like ridiculously stacked lineups. Being such a new band to the scene, how did you get connected to those opportunities? And how did you like navigate getting onto such huge lineups like Hopscotch Well,
08:05
Tyrone
I just want to say that Ray is like an ace at, you know, like social networking and getting things.
08:13
Johnny
Raise that guy. Raise the magic sauce.
08:17
Ray
Thanks. I don't know.
08:20
Johnny
And the most humble person you've ever met.
08:22
Jake
Right?
08:23
Ray
I appreciate I'm not all that great.
08:25
Johnny
It's all right.
08:25
Tyrone
Thank you.
08:25
Ray
Thank you. But before I got into Black Surfer, I DJed around the Raleigh area. So I kind of got in with like a couple venues and owners and stuff. So I was able to like our second show, we pretty much booked ourselves.
08:40
DJ Beowvlf
Yeah.
08:40
Ray
And we headlined that show. And I don't know from there a.
08:44
Evin
Lot of people came.
08:45
Jake
Yeah, I couldn't believe it.
08:46
Ray
Yeah. And we just had a lot of support. Cuz everyone in the band, they're all good guys and like, we all have pretty big friend circles who all are coming out to support us.
08:56
DJ Beowvlf
Very, very cool. Talk about some of those shows that you've done. Do you have any particular memories or experiences that kind of like stuck with you or any like, cool show moments that you feel comfortable sharing?
09:09
Johnny
Lincoln Show. Hopscotch. Lincoln Show.
09:11
Jake
That's a big one.
09:12
Johnny
That was amazing.
09:13
Jake
When we stole Truth Club's Truth Club spot.
09:16
DJ Beowvlf
Yeah.
09:17
Jake
Stole their fan.
09:17
Evin
Yeah, we stole their fan.
09:19
Jake
They showed up for them and they're like, all right.
09:20
DJ Beowvlf
I mean, that's gonna happen at DBB too.
09:25
Evin
No, I think for me, really, I think a turning point for the band was there was a slim show we played after the Cave. We played like a Cave show at this. Around. Around summertime. And it wasn't like our best show.
09:47
Ray
It was our third show. I think it was our third show. It was after Wicked Witch.
09:52
Evin
No, well, third show. Our third show was like slim. So we like knocked it out apart.
09:57
Ray
Oh, yeah. So that was a good one.
09:59
Jake
The second Slim show.
10:01
Evin
Yeah, yeah. The second Slim show we played.
10:03
DJ Beowvlf
Gotta get the timeline in order.
10:05
Evin
Yeah, the second slim. Yeah, like that was like a turning point for the band. Like we was in our bag on that cause in the pocket, dude, for sure. Like we just like came off our worst show. Like this cat was like, you know, such and such.
10:23
DJ Beowvlf
He didn't even want to be in the band. Like, he was like, he was just punishing yourself.
10:28
Johnny
Strung him along for three shows. He was like, yeah, forget yeah, this.
10:31
DJ Beowvlf
Next one, I'm gonna ruin. One beat behind. Consistently.
10:37
Evin
Pretty accurate. We was in practice and like you was getting on me about like, hey, I think you're coming in too soon. And like, nah, bro, that's you.
10:46
Jake
You know, like you just he's just projecting.
10:50
Evin
Cocktail.
10:51
Jake
I always do that.
10:52
Evin
You messed up twice. I'm like, man, were all really bummed after that.
10:58
Jake
I have this weird time signature I get.
11:00
Evin
Yeah, yeah.
11:01
DJ Beowvlf
But going back to Hopscotch after. After the Slim show, where you were really good, it was a turning point. This is my skill. I just kind of, like, reorient. We're bringing it back. Tell me the story of hopscotch.
11:14
Ray
Oh, the reason I mentioned the third slim show because is because that was the show that I believe got us our hopscotch slot.
11:23
Tyrone
Right.
11:23
Jake
Yeah. We played with Nathan.
11:25
Johnny
Nathan Price is in another band called Nathan Price runs Hopscotch. For those that don't know his band in whitties, we booked a show with him at Slims and had a really strategic. Hopefully that's where he got the idea to put us on the bill.
11:38
Jake
So it was like the next day he texted you. So I would say, yeah.
11:42
Johnny
We were super excited about that.
11:43
Evin
Jay was like, there's no way you're gonna get it.
11:46
Jake
But, you know, I couldn't imagine.
11:47
DJ Beowvlf
You never know. You know, we're like four shows old.
11:52
Ray
Honestly, I was kind of.
11:54
Evin
You just got to speak it into existence.
11:55
Jake
That's right now in my head. I don't talk like that anymore.
11:58
Ray
In my head, I was logistically, like, going back and checking, like, when they renounced the hopscotch lineup, and I was like, we only have this timeframe where we gotta, like, really knock it out of the park and get known and maybe we can actually get on hopscotch, like, the same year we just started, and somehow it worked out.
12:14
Johnny
Big moves announcement, too. So it was super.
12:17
Ray
Yeah.
12:18
Johnny
Last minute.
12:19
Jake
But, yeah, were pumped.
12:20
Johnny
Like, the message came through. We were all at practice, and I was like, hey, guys.
12:24
DJ Beowvlf
Yeah, that's crazy.
12:26
Johnny
It was super exciting.
12:27
DJ Beowvlf
That's, like, actually very crazy.
12:29
Jake
Yeah, it was that night, Evan, were having hot dogs before they practice, and Evan's like, you think we could play hopscotch? And I was like, probably. Maybe next year. And then that night, Johnny's like, hey, y' all wanna play?
12:40
DJ Beowvlf
So it was Nathan who asked you?
12:42
Johnny
Yeah.
12:43
DJ Beowvlf
Very, very cool. Nice.
12:46
Johnny
Nathan's a part of, like, everyone's, like, friend circle here, too, so.
12:49
DJ Beowvlf
Very cool. Yeah, you're all very connected, which is one of the benefits that you said of having such a large band. But you made the joke that you stole Truth Club's fan. Are you. Your fan base? Are you gonna try to do that again at Double Barrel?
13:02
Jake
Oh, yeah.
13:04
Tyrone
I remember, like, going for Him. I remember going to like a house show with Evan before we ever started Black Surfer and watching that was my first time seeing Truth Club and were just looking at each other like, yo, it's awesome.
13:16
Evin
Oh, sorry, you're good.
13:17
DJ Beowvlf
We're just gonna keep going.
13:20
Tyrone
Yeah, this is awesome.
13:21
DJ Beowvlf
And like this train does not inspired.
13:23
Tyrone
Us to do stuff. We were just like, we just want to play with Truth Club, you know?
13:27
DJ Beowvlf
I'm so glad to make another one of your dreams come true. Yeah, the honor is all mine.
13:32
Evin
We've been wanting to play with Truth Club forever. I've been seeing Truth Club since they've been doing Alex G cover shows and at Radio Shack.
13:41
Johnny
So it was just a scheduling issue, Right. Is that what happened during Hopscotch?
13:46
DJ Beowvlf
Yeah, yeah, something like that.
13:48
Jake
Yeah.
13:48
DJ Beowvlf
It all worked out. A non radio disclosed reason. But regardless, this lineup is absolutely stacked in regards to Double Barrel benefit. Other than Truth Club, do you have any particular acts that you're excited to see or is that something that you would like to talk about regarding your own performance?
14:04
Jake
Debt that shouts to that Colin.
14:07
Evin
Colin, Cam Kelsey. Yeah, yeah.
14:14
Jake
That I've performed with that with a previous band.
14:18
DJ Beowvlf
Get swindled in that one too.
14:22
Jake
And that was like. I think I'm almost positive I played with them at their first show.
14:27
DJ Beowvlf
Nice.
14:27
Jake
And it was just like. Instantly I was like, yes. Energy.
14:32
DJ Beowvlf
No, they're really cool. I guess this is something that I can say on air. If they hadn't said yes, we would have turned to. My brain just went blank. It's John Myers other project. The one that's not Noah Cross. Brutal Jr. Oh yeah. There are two bands that are kind of like pushing the bill right now of like drum and bass punk. Taking it to like a new electronic field. Very cool. I was stoked when Death said yes.
15:00
Jake
Shout out to Ryan Enc too.
15:02
DJ Beowvlf
Absolutely. Yeah, yeah.
15:04
Jake
He filled in for us once, actually.
15:05
DJ Beowvlf
Shout out everybody.
15:07
Evin
Yeah, yeah. We played a. What was it like, Memorial Day show with him.
15:13
Tyrone
He.
15:14
Jake
With the Nancy.
15:15
Evin
Yep. Yeah, filled in. Filled in seamlessly.
15:18
DJ Beowvlf
Seamlessly. I mean, he's incredibly talented. Speaking of incredibly talented. Sure, you don't have to do a lot of work, but what are you doing to prepare for Double Barrel as it is like what, three weeks away now? Yeah.
15:30
Jake
New song, right?
15:31
Johnny
Yeah, we're writing new songs.
15:32
Ray
Yeah.
15:33
DJ Beowvlf
You want to talk a little bit about that for a second? How's that process going?
15:36
Evin
New boys. New boys.
15:39
DJ Beowvlf
The new boys.
15:40
Evin
Yeah, for sure.
15:41
DJ Beowvlf
The boys are back in town and they brought in more new boys.
15:44
Jake
We have New songs that are coming out on an EP that we're putting out within the next hopefully like two months.
15:51
Ray
Ish.
15:52
Jake
That are not online yet. But we're writing new songs.
16:00
Evin
You're like, haven't even been played. Yeah, like we're on this. Like there's this band called the Men that they would do something. They're very good, very similar where they've been like dropper, like drop a record. But they wouldn't like play that record. They would play like just like the, like new songs that they. That they wrote. Really?
16:25
DJ Beowvlf
Such a tease.
16:25
Evin
Maybe like, maybe like a couple songs from the record.
16:28
DJ Beowvlf
Yeah, you gotta sprinkle a little bit in there just to get the fans coming. Yeah, yeah. Talk about your songwriting process. You hadn't even been a band very long when you released your Black Surfer self titled ep, which I believe has four songs on it, right? Yeah, it's Same Wave. Oh, no, they're gone off my screen now. Same Wave, Hair Show, Love Crush. And then the last one is a long title that I always forget.
16:50
Evin
Cocktail Starring Elizabeth Shue.
16:52
DJ Beowvlf
Yeah, that's the one. How is that songwriting process going? I know that you had sent that demo to Henry as we mentioned earlier, but prior to doing so, how did you put all that together?
17:03
Ray
I'd say the songwriting process is very democratic and collaborative. Like, say, I don't know, for one song, Tyrone will bring in a demo or something he already had recorded and we'll just kind of add to it from there and create new parts and it all kind of comes together. But for Samewave, for example, that just came together kind of organically in the practice space, like just kind of jamming out. Serendipity.
17:31
Johnny
It started with the bass riff and then everyone just kind of stepped into place. And that's why we call it Same Way, is because everyone was kind of on the same wavelength. That makes sense for writing that song. Everyone saw where it was going and I've never been quite in that situation before, so it was kind of a magical experience.
17:48
DJ Beowvlf
That is really cool. Any other caveats into the names of the song titles?
17:54
Jake
Oh, yo, tell them about Hair Show.
17:59
DJ Beowvlf
I would love to hear.
18:03
Evin
No, no, it was from. It was from Letterkenny.
18:07
DJ Beowvlf
Great show. Great show. I'm intrigued.
18:11
Evin
But yeah. What's my man's name?
18:14
DJ Beowvlf
Wayne.
18:15
Evin
Main character, right?
18:16
DJ Beowvlf
Wayne.
18:17
Evin
Wayne. All right.
18:18
DJ Beowvlf
Really tough one that fights.
18:19
Evin
Yeah. He was describing to his homie. What's his homie's name?
18:25
DJ Beowvlf
Which one? There's Darryl, who's like Darryl.
18:29
Evin
All right.
18:30
DJ Beowvlf
But I'm Canadian. You kind of have to watch it.
18:33
Evin
But like.
18:34
DJ Beowvlf
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
18:35
Evin
All right. So, like, Daryl was like, getting some play from this woman at the bar. And like, she was like, flipping her hair and whatnot. And then like. And then, like, lame, like, was scratching. It's like. Yeah, like she was giving you the whole hair show. You know what I'm saying? Like, and. Yeah, and that was it.
18:51
DJ Beowvlf
The whole, like, when she flirts with you, she flips her hair just so you see it.
18:54
Evin
Yeah, yeah, the hair show. And. And that's what it.
18:58
Ray
I don't think the song is actually about that at all.
19:02
DJ Beowvlf
Why did you pick that title?
19:04
Jake
Like, works.
19:05
Ray
He just mentioned it at practice that one day when were writing it,
19:08
Evin
It kind of just stuck.
19:10
Jake
We had the placeholder title.
19:11
Johnny
It was better than. It was better than Chicken picking. Chicken's picking.
19:15
DJ Beowvlf
Picking, picking.
19:16
Jake
Also nothing to do with the song.
19:18
DJ Beowvlf
Can you tell me what the song is about then? No, I cannot.
19:24
Evin
No, no, no. Like, it's really just about, like. Just like some internal stuff, you know, that's all. Like, when I write the lyrics, it's all like.
19:35
DJ Beowvlf
It's about you.
19:35
Evin
Yeah. About depression and all that stuff. You know, just being overall sad. Basketball is another thing I'm really into.
19:44
DJ Beowvlf
That you write songs about.
19:45
Evin
Yeah.
19:46
Jake
Same Wave.
19:46
DJ Beowvlf
Which song is about basketball?
19:48
Evin
Same Wave is about basketball.
19:49
DJ Beowvlf
Can you tell me more about that?
19:53
Jake
No, you cannot just sing the lyrics.
19:56
Evin
That's all we gotta do.
19:56
Johnny
Yeah, just say it.
19:58
DJ Beowvlf
Give me a little acapella. Oh, I'm not gonna lie. I do not know what you're saying. On the ep. I have listened to it so many times.
20:06
Ray
That was kind of the goal, I think.
20:09
DJ Beowvlf
Stylistic for sure.
20:10
Evin
But yeah, on same way if I mentioned I see you've been working on your left hand, that's like, you know,
20:18
Ray
Like a left handed layup going.
20:20
Evin
Yeah, like going with your left is me on, like.
20:24
DJ Beowvlf
He means dribbling.
20:25
Evin
Yeah, dribbling. All that stuff.
20:27
Jake
Dribbling.
20:28
Evin
Left handed layup, all that.
20:30
Tyrone
It's about the movie. Love and basketball.
20:32
Evin
For sure. Sanaa. Nathan Omar Epps.
20:38
DJ Beowvlf
I mean, that's a lot of songwriting inspiration right there. The movie's like what, two hours, 15 minutes long or something like that, maybe. Oh, that's. That's content. That's a whole movie you can write about.
20:47
Evin
Also. Also, films are inspirational to songwriting process too.
20:51
DJ Beowvlf
I mean, an artist. I was going to say an artist should be able to draw at least inspiration or ideas from like other forms of media. So whether it's basketball or like, film. They're both valid points to talk about. What is your album cover, by the way? I've always been interested in that. I really love the high contrast between black and white that cuts out of, like, the stairs that are the main imagery. But why did you choose that? Who designed the album cover? What's the thought process behind all that?
21:23
Ray
We reached out to a local artist, Mary Beth. I don't see her last name. Is that. I just budget it. Sorry.
21:32
DJ Beowvlf
Do you know her Instagram handle?
21:33
Jake
Yeah. Hold up.
21:34
Ray
Yeah, well, it also has her last name in it, too.
21:36
DJ Beowvlf
While we.
21:37
Ray
While we look that up. Yeah. So we reached out to her and we said kind of go with it. Whatever. Or one of the songs is about basketball, but other than that, like, yeah, other songs about depression, but other than that, like, just go with whatever you feel like inspires you as you listen to.
21:57
DJ Beowvlf
So she had pretty free range.
21:59
Ray
Pretty much, yeah.
22:00
DJ Beowvlf
Yeah.
22:00
Ray
And I don't know. I can't really speak on her part.
22:04
Johnny
Yeah, we're watching anything, really.
22:06
Ray
Yeah.
22:06
Jake
It's Mary. Mary Beth Eisenstadt.
22:10
Ray
Okay.
22:11
Jake
E, I, S, E, N, S T. Eisenstadt. E, I is the I and then S, E, N, S, T A D, T. So it's Eisenstadt.
22:23
Johnny
Figure this out. We got this.
22:26
Tyrone
Absolutely.
22:26
Jake
I just want to make sure we shout.
22:27
Tyrone
Yeah, I've been, like, following stuff on Instagram for a while, so. So, like, it was when were throwing out ideas for who to do.
22:35
DJ Beowvlf
It, and she just sent you that image and you were like, this is it.
22:38
Jake
She sent us this one too.
22:39
Ray
Yeah, pretty much. They can't see it on.
22:41
DJ Beowvlf
That's kind of sick.
22:42
Ray
This is a non video.
22:43
Johnny
Hold it up to the mic.
22:44
Ray
Yeah, she just sent us a couple. She sent us a couple concepts and were down with the one on the stairs, so we just went with it.
22:55
DJ Beowvlf
As far as you mentioned earlier that not only do you have, like, new songs, like, you have an album that's being recorded and you're gonna come out with it soon. But you got ep. I apologize.
23:08
Jake
Level up one more.
23:10
DJ Beowvlf
The next one's gonna have six.
23:11
Jake
The shortest song on there is three and a half minutes.
23:14
Evin
Honestly, that's content. Honestly, if were being actual factual, it is almost as long as a Joyce Manor record. So it could be an LP if we.
23:26
Jake
One Interlude in a Cell.
23:28
DJ Beowvlf
I mean, the new Manicon Pussy album was only like 20, 26 minutes long or something like that. Which.
23:33
Tyrone
Love that.
23:34
DJ Beowvlf
Yeah. I mean, like, if you think of a song as like four minutes long four or five songs. It's like 16, 15 minutes or 20 minutes right there. You're getting there. You're getting pretty close. Has anything changed in your writing style or production goals between the first self titled EP and what you're intending to release?
23:53
Johnny
I would say we're kind of keeping.
23:55
Ray
The similar formula, just more instrument.
23:58
Johnny
Colin Swanson from Debt is producing this one.
24:02
DJ Beowvlf
Again, nice.
24:02
Johnny
Or, you know, engineering, recording.
24:04
Jake
Is there any producing? I'd call him a producer.
24:06
DJ Beowvlf
Yeah. Is he like. He has a heavy hand mixing and mastering or anything?
24:09
Jake
Mixing.
24:09
Ray
He does a lot of the mixing.
24:11
DJ Beowvlf
So he's producing it? Yeah.
24:12
Jake
Oh, yeah. He has a lot of influence. He'll be like, oh, you guys should add this. And we're like, yeah, sounds good.
24:16
Johnny
He's got a lot of input on too. So we like working with Colin a lot.
24:20
DJ Beowvlf
Is there anything that you found particularly difficult in either iterations of like, album recording cycles?
24:25
Jake
Oh, that Phil. Oh my God.
24:27
DJ Beowvlf
Tell me about it. You can't go, oh, that feels. They just leave us hanging.
24:32
Jake
No. Let's just put it this way. I'm way happier with the drums on this EP2 than EP1. Only because weren't as rushed. We kind of rushed the first one out. I'm not gonna say where because everybody. Oh, it sounds fine to me. And I'm like, oh. But there was this one, like two seconds.
24:48
DJ Beowvlf
Yeah. You can't. You can't pull back the curtain. Then everyone will see it.
24:51
Johnny
Just ask about.
24:54
Jake
I feel. I feel more confident on this one.
24:57
Ray
Yeah. With the first ep, we kind of rushed it out to get it in time for Hopscotch.
25:02
Johnny
I mean, we blame Hopscotch.
25:04
Evin
He was capping.
25:07
Johnny
We wanted to have something.
25:08
DJ Beowvlf
Absolutely. I mean, like you said you had been corny joke. You're Black Surfer, you're making waves in.
25:14
Ray
The sea.
25:17
DJ Beowvlf
And you had to get something tangible out there. It makes complete sense for audience members who have been listening to the duration of this interview. We actually played Same Wave by Black Surfer right before the interview started. I'm gonna take a quick air break, really quick so we can reorient ourselves. And also listen to Love Crush, which is my personal favorite song off of the ep. It's a good one. It is a good one. I would definitely say it was the breakout single. Oh, yeah, it was literally once.
25:46
Jake
This is when we come back.
25:49
Evin
When we come back after this point.
25:52
DJ Beowvlf
You're listening to WKNC 88.1. You're on HD2.
25:58
Jake
Hey, this is Sean with Dying Coffee and you're listening To WKNC rally.
26:25
Speaker 7
I got a love crush Just gonna let it be I know a girl that's gonna conquer me Me I know a girl that's going to conquer me Just another pretty day Just another Just another drink. I got a love crush Just gonna.
27:18
DJ Beowvlf
Let it be.
27:21
Speaker 7
I got a love crush Just wanna let it be I know goodness gonna bury me I don't know that's gonna bury me Just another praise. Just another Just another dream. Sam.
28:41
Evin
Supposed to be not the band.
28:43
DJ Beowvlf
He was this close to being out the band for that.
28:44
Ray
Phil.
28:45
DJ Beowvlf
Well, it's WKNC 88.1. We're getting into the nitty gritty of Black Surfer. Apparently they're kicking out Jake. So you came in on a very hot button issue. See y' all, guys, drummers send you stuff. Singled in, forced out.
28:59
Evin
Thomas McNeely. I got your number.
29:03
DJ Beowvlf
You know, that's one of the four. You know, you're skating on thin ice there, bud. There's three others waiting.
29:10
Jake
Just watch yourself. Hey, tell me it's easy over there.
29:15
Ray
You got a problem?
29:17
Jake
Ain't no problem.
29:18
DJ Beowvlf
I did not know that baking company was in the room. Oh, my God.
29:23
Jake
She got the talk about some. Some guinea talk over here.
29:28
DJ Beowvlf
Some guinea. We have a fan question.
29:31
Jake
Oh, my God. Okay, this ain't a fan.
29:38
DJ Beowvlf
Now, I know he's listening. And just to do it again, I'm gonna say his last name wrong. This is from Jonas Chisholm and he wants to know who Elizabeth Shue is and why she's featured in Cocktail. Starting. Elizabeth Shue.
29:52
Jake
Hey, Joey, we got answer for you coming up.
29:55
DJ Beowvlf
We're taking calls from the audience.
29:57
Evin
Honestly. Do it in that.
29:59
Jake
Come on. You don't know Elizabeth Chu, huh? Adventures in Babysitting, huh? Directed by Christopher Columbus over here.
30:07
Speaker 7
Know.
30:07
DJ Beowvlf
What are you talking about?
30:08
Jake
You don't notice. You don't watch movies. You don't like movies.
30:12
DJ Beowvlf
You're gonna pivot this to Evan, Why don't you? That's enough of that. So we know who Elizabeth Shue is, but why did you feature her?
30:21
Evin
Cocktail is a film starring Tom Cruise, but Elizabeth Shue is also in it. So, I mean, she's like the co star, but, you know, she's the star. Really? She's the star of the film. So that's it? I don't know. It's a song title.
30:38
Jake
Nothing to do with the song.
30:39
DJ Beowvlf
You know what?
30:39
Evin
Nothing to do with the song.
30:40
DJ Beowvlf
You can't read into it too Deep. There's that Beatles song, Glass Onion, that teaches us all that exact same message sometimes. Sometimes it sucks, Sometimes it's just an onion. Dude, it's just a song title.
30:52
Evin
That's facts.
30:53
DJ Beowvlf
I hope that has satisfied our good friend Jonas. He says, ha ha. Wow.
31:00
Jake
I like to think of that as more of like a wow.
31:03
Ray
Like he's.
31:03
Jake
He's learned something.
31:04
DJ Beowvlf
God, what's that actor's name? He goes, wow.
31:08
Evin
Owen Trillson.
31:11
Ray
Yeah. Evan is like a walking IMDb, by the way. So, yeah, it's kind of scary. Yeah. All the film references and you knows all the actors. Every movie.
31:20
DJ Beowvlf
Move over, gearheads. It's film nerds time. One thing that you mentioned, Ray, that you wanted to talk about is how your individual influences contributed to your musical development. Jake, behind the scenes, had brought up the comparison of your sonic differences of the first EP and what's coming out next. So let's dive into that a little bit. Now that Jonas can't breathe,
31:44
Jake
We've killed in, out, in.
31:47
DJ Beowvlf
Let's do it together.
31:50
Ray
Breathe in through your nose. Also out through your mouth.
31:53
DJ Beowvlf
Fun fact. I just had nasal surgery on Monday, so I can do that now. Awesome.
31:58
Ray
Congratulations.
31:59
Evin
I'm happy for you.
32:00
DJ Beowvlf
Thank you. Anyways, sonic differences. How have your influences contributed to writing music for Black Surfer? And what has changed on the new album soon to be coming out? Ray goes, mm, I don't want to answer, but I'm gonna nod.
32:15
Ray
I'll go first myself. I was heavily influenced by the Smiths, like picking up guitar and learning.
32:21
DJ Beowvlf
And you canceled for that?
32:23
Ray
Well, no, actually, let me correct myself.
32:27
Evin
Heavily influenced by John Canceled Morris used.
32:31
Ray
Heavily influenced by Johnny Marr. And so a lot of what I played on their first. Well, I don't know. I guess most of our songs still is more melodic, higher end lead stuff. But coming into this, I mean, the.
32:45
DJ Beowvlf
Lead in Love Crush is killer. It just gets right in your head.
32:49
Ray
That was. Tyrone wrote that. But I played it.
32:51
DJ Beowvlf
I take it back.
32:54
Evin
He does play the lead on that.
32:55
DJ Beowvlf
Okay, then you can have the compliment again.
32:58
Jake
Thank you.
32:58
Ray
I'll take it back.
33:00
DJ Beowvlf
Otherwise it would just go to Tyrone. There you go. Anyone else want to throw in some things that particularly inspired them?
33:08
Speaker 7
Answers.
33:08
Jake
I. So as. As far as, like, writing for this band, the band that I was in prior to this was Essex Muro, which was. Or Miro, we said it both ways. Was just hardcore punks. Just straight up hardcore punk.
33:24
DJ Beowvlf
Yep.
33:24
Jake
And I. I was in an indie band before that. I played along to my favorite band of all Time is Radio Head. I played along to them to learn how to play growing up. So I went from like indie rock to just hardcore punk for like two years and then back to, yes, like, college. No, no, no. No college. So I kind of have a heavy hand now, like through the job, like. Like in my head is all Radiohead. But then when I play, it's just like, just punk. Just heavy. So I think that's influences the songwriting on my end because I'm always like, okay, I want to hit this really hard. I want to blast the symbols here. And everyone's like, let's not go that heavy. And so it's just kind of like a nice blend of like.
34:17
DJ Beowvlf
It's like.
34:17
Jake
And just.
34:18
DJ Beowvlf
It's the classic thing that when you ask your parents for, like when you're young and you want an allowance and you ask for more money than what you're going to get. Play louder so that when they tone you back, it's still clear and it's there and it's what you want. Yes. What has changed on the new album that you're writing? You said that fans might be not shocked, but surprised by it.
34:37
Jake
Oh, just happy.
34:38
DJ Beowvlf
Happy, yeah.
34:39
Evin
It's just.
34:40
Jake
It just improves upon everything.
34:43
DJ Beowvlf
Can you give me any adjectives, any descriptors?
34:46
Ray
Substantial.
34:47
Jake
Yeah, more stuff.
34:49
Johnny
More melodic.
34:51
DJ Beowvlf
I mean, the self titled came out really quickly as you mentioned, like four hopscotch. So you now have the ability to, like, take your time for this one. Have you made any changes specifically now that you have a little bit more leeway?
35:04
Ray
We've added a little bit more instrumentation. I know Dillon's been working on a couple patches for like, the synths and keys, really dialing those in.
35:14
Johnny
He's super excited about this.
35:17
DJ Beowvlf
I wish you could be here to tell us about that. I truly know nothing about. God. I'm really going to humble myself here. I truly know nothing about, like, electronic production in regards to, like, synths and like all those various. Like, if he's using like a Moog or anything like that. Which, by the way, is it Moog or Moog? Moog. Okay. I said Moog forever. And then someone was like, it's Moog. And I was like, no, it's not. And they're like, it is. And so I changed it out of peer pressure because it's like Moog Fest, right?
35:48
Evin
Yeah. They would cap him, bro.
35:49
DJ Beowvlf
But you know what? I'm gonna start saying Moog again and, you know, someone's gonna correct me and I'm never gonna know it's gonna be make them pay.
35:56
Johnny
You,
35:59
DJ Beowvlf
Max, my boyfriend. You owe. Oh. Other than releasing the album, which isn't out yet, what other stuff have you been working on?
36:14
Evin
Music video.
36:14
Ray
Oh, yeah?
36:15
DJ Beowvlf
When is that coming out? Tell me about it.
36:18
Evin
Tbd.
36:20
Johnny
We're waiting.
36:20
Jake
It's an editing process.
36:21
Evin
Yeah.
36:22
DJ Beowvlf
Can you give us any insight as to, like, what's the setting of the music video, who filmed it, which song it's to, perhaps?
36:29
Evin
Oh, yeah.
36:29
Tyrone
Hunter Davis.
36:31
Ray
Shout out to Hunter Davis.
36:32
Tyrone
Yeah, he's out of LA and he's a good friend and he just was really into the song Love Crush and, like, wanted to make a video about it, which is really cool.
36:44
DJ Beowvlf
I guess you can't give away too many spoilers because that would just ruin watching the music video. But is it like a storyline? Is it gonna be one of those classic grindcore, just like squatting in the forest, playing your instrument type things?
36:55
Evin
It's that one.
36:57
DJ Beowvlf
It's that one. It's that one.
36:58
Evin
But it's in a character. Char grill.
37:00
DJ Beowvlf
The Char grill. Just like the bench is there and they were just. Yes. Like, squat rhythmically.
37:06
Tyrone
It's funny that you mentioned that because, like, I think one of the cool things about this music video is that the production value is, like, really crazy. Yeah, like, a lot of, like, you know, a lot of. I see like, a lot of, like, local bands, like, drop their videos and like, you know, our resources are very limited, but, like, you know, sometimes they're like, pretty, I don't know, just like low budget and it's just like, not really that fun to watch. But, like, I feel like this one in particular is so. It's just like the. The value is just so high that it's really fun to.
37:37
DJ Beowvlf
Nice, quick music video. Shout Out. An artist that does a lot of music videos in the triangle is Dot Wave Media, who's playing Night one of Double Barrel. And they're always, like, mad well produced. Like, they've got one music video where they. It looks like they're in a desert or something. Yeah. And they filmed it with a drone.
37:54
Jake
Like, you know who films them?
37:56
DJ Beowvlf
I do not know. I have not had the absolute honor of interviewing them for this. This tour cycle yet. So I have empty brain when it comes to Dot Wave Media.
38:05
Jake
I don't know if it's. I don't know if it's him, but Shout out to Pat Lincoln. He shoots, almost swore, a buttload of music videos in the area. He's done a lot for Pat Jr.
38:17
DJ Beowvlf
Speaking of shout out, Pat Jr. Headliner night one.
38:21
Jake
And he actually just put out a documentary about Pat's album release at Cam,
38:25
DJ Beowvlf
Which I was coming out soon. We talked a lot about that in our interview.
38:29
Jake
Yeah. So shout out to Pat Lincoln. He's just. He's amazing.
38:31
DJ Beowvlf
Shout out Pat Lincoln, Pat Jr. Incredible creatives in the triangle. We're going to wrap up really quick. What goals do you have for the band going forward other than releasing? Probably way more music than we, the humble listeners deserve. And a music video and playing Double Barrel. What else you got in store?
38:48
Tyrone
Definitely touring.
38:51
Evin
It's coming in New York City. We on the way.
38:55
DJ Beowvlf
Henry said, I'll be there.
38:58
Ray
Sit.
39:00
DJ Beowvlf
Anything else in particular that you have in your sights or are already planning?
39:06
Jake
There is a show that.
39:08
DJ Beowvlf
Go ahead and shout it out.
39:09
Jake
Well, we've. We've confirmed with them, but it hasn't been put on the social medias yet. So maybe I don't want to say who it's with, but. February, February, March 7, March 17, St. Patrick's Day. That's right.
39:26
DJ Beowvlf
That's gonna be Rowdy.
39:27
Jake
It's gonna be my favorite show. It's like, well, it's gonna be my favorite band I've ever played with. Like, I'm beyond excited for this.
39:34
DJ Beowvlf
So how about give me this information? You've teased the show. Where can people connect with you to find out further details about that when they do come out?
39:44
Ray
Yes, you can. Huh?
39:46
DJ Beowvlf
The class, huh?
39:56
Ray
For everyone who can't see that he.
39:57
Evin
Was just pointing at the ceiling.
40:03
DJ Beowvlf
You really. I literally looked up and went, huh?
40:07
Evin
We up, baby, we up. That's what I meant.
40:11
Jake
I really thought you were going to.
40:12
DJ Beowvlf
Get like mad religious real quick and.
40:14
Jake
Be like, he knows Jesus.
40:19
Evin
Jesus.
40:20
Tyrone
We're actually Creed.
40:22
DJ Beowvlf
Evan said two things. Bernie Sanders and Jesus Christ. Only one of them is white, though.
40:28
Jake
That's true.
40:29
DJ Beowvlf
That is true.
40:30
Ray
Good point.
40:31
DJ Beowvlf
But seriously though, where can they get connected with you? Where can they follow you on social media, stream your music, that kind of stuff? Where do you live?
40:39
Ray
I'm really good about keeping our Instagram updated. It's Black surfer band or at Blacksurfer band on Instagram. And then we have a Facebook page too. Jake usually takes over that more so lately.
40:52
Jake
I need to.
40:54
Ray
Okay.
40:54
DJ Beowvlf
Supposed to be go onto their Facebook comment something like, Jake, post more or screw you, Jake. Or Jake got swindled is going to do it.
41:04
Jake
Now watch.
41:05
Evin
We don't have a.
41:06
DJ Beowvlf
He might do it.
41:08
Evin
We don't have a Twitter yet.
41:09
Ray
Oh, yeah, we need to do that.
41:11
DJ Beowvlf
No, you literally do. I think you do, right?
41:15
Jake
If we do, it might be black. There's a band called Black Surf the uk. Maybe you saw that perhaps we.
41:21
DJ Beowvlf
We might have been tagging them. Then.
41:25
Jake
They're like, I don't know.
41:27
DJ Beowvlf
We're playing this gig.
41:28
Jake
But across the pond, they're gonna show.
41:31
DJ Beowvlf
Up and be like, we booked flights for this dude. We're not on the lineup. Well, that's not at all the accent. We book flights for this dude. We're not on the lineup.
41:40
Jake
All right.
41:42
DJ Beowvlf
It's all right.
41:43
Ray
It's all right. Stuff up on Bandcamp, too. All major streaming services. Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal. What else is there?
41:54
Evin
I don't know. Google Play, YouTube.
41:57
Jake
We got our YouTube set up.
41:58
Ray
Oh, yeah, we got a YouTube set up primed for the music video Black Surfer Vivo. It's like an official YouTube artist page.
42:06
Evin
So, hey, Merge Records, we are also big fans of that. Of that.
42:12
Jake
So we're like, sign us.
42:16
DJ Beowvlf
Hopscotch. Book us, Merge. Sign us New York. We're coming.
42:22
Evin
We coming, baby.
42:23
DJ Beowvlf
Black Surfer and Unstoppable Force. There are six people in this band, so you know they've got a lot of stuff going on at all times. And if you want to see the excellence that is Black Server, come out to Double Barrel Benefit Night Two, which is February 8th. Both nights will be held at Kings in downtown Raleigh. They can be playing with such other legendary names as Junior Astronomers, Truth Club is headlining, and Debt, as we've mentioned multiple times, is opening the show. And they are incredible. You can find out more information on all of the WKNC social media, Eventbrite. the Kings social media, the Facebook event page. I'm literally telling you all of the reasons you have no reason not to come.
43:04
DJ Beowvlf
Black Surfer friends, do you have any final comments or information that you would like to share with the band? Jake, that looks good.
43:12
Tyrone
Yeah. If you buy a T shirt and take a picture of it and we'll put you on the Instagram.
43:17
Ray
Oh, yeah, that's the whole highlights thing. All Swags fans are up on there. Yeah.
43:22
DJ Beowvlf
You know where you can get that? The show.
43:24
Ray
Yes, yes, the show.
43:26
DJ Beowvlf
Barrel Benefit, Double Braille benefit, the 17th iteration of this fundraiser for WKNC. Double Barrel benefit 2020 at Kings February 7th and 8th. This has been WKNC 88.1 on HD-2. DJ Beowvlf and Black Surfer in the studio. We're going to finish up by listening to Hair show by Black Surfer.
43:45
Jake
Thank you.
43:45
Ray
Thank you, Beowvlf.
43:49
DJ Beowvlf
Oh, wait, I have to do the thing that Jonas likes. D.J. Beowvlf out.