In Conversation with The Bogeys at Shabang Festival
[UNPUBLISHED:] Since we know you’ve played Shabang before, what’s it been like to see it grow and to see the change?
[JOSH:] My first Shabang was about five years ago in 2017. Back then, I thought it was pretty big to just have a music festival here in San Luis Obispo. To see it continue and come back after the pandemic and to hear the excitement about it, it's really cool to see.
[ETHAN:] This is my first Shabang with the band. I joined about two years ago, so it’s the first time getting to play this festival. It’s cool to join in on something like this!
[MORGAN:] One thing I think Shabang has done well is not going too far away from the vibe of the area. It's important. I hope they continue to do that because it's cool to see Shabang give back to the community. In a way, the community is also giving back to Shabang and bringing their vibe.
[AJ:] Yeah I think it's cool seeing the growth. I remember when it was on top of Cuesta Ridge, the original days, years ago. Now, people outside of SLO know about this festival. I had my cousin randomly message me and say, “No way you're on this bill, my boyfriend and I are planning on coming to the festival.” It’s cool to hear people outside of SLO know about it.
[UNPUBLISHED:] I can hear a lot of influences in your music. Was it difficult coming into your sound, or did it come organically?
[JOSH:] I would say organically just because it was hard to really pinpoint what the sound was and we all have very different backgrounds, kind of just came together.
[AJ:] Josh and Ethan definitely made things a bit heavier. We started, you know, experimenting more with Distortion and overdrive. That was the shift from Surf Rock to just being more of a Rock band for us.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Do you go through a similar process when making different tracks or do you find things coming from unexpected places?
[MORGAN:] To me I think of a tent pole and then you have four pieces of rope and it stays straight. The process is kind of like setting one of those forks, one rope gets connected and pulls it in one direction and then someone pulls in the other direction and it starts to stabilize. And then each person is pulling that tension, eventually, you get something that's sticking straight up, and then you know you have it. So the process of tensioning and pulling and pushing is like the sound that you're making. Generally, start with one person pulling it up. And then everyone else is kind of figuring out where they can connect.
[UNPUBLISHED:] It seems like you all have a wide taste and bring your style together to make what this band is, how do you feel you fit all your styles together?
[JOSH:] As the drummer, I just try to implement what I hear when either AJ or Ethan or Morgan comes up with something. Just jam it out. I can't go, “listen to this beat and come up with something.” I trust what comes organically. Whatever I'm feeling just comes out.
[ETHAN:] Yeah, usually, one of us will come up with something. We all have our different tastes and try to find something that complements what the other person is playing. We all try to keep the song and other instruments in mind.
[MORGAN:] Yeah, I try to be a resource to other parts. If I hear something I think, “how can I support that?” Or maybe it's a counterbalance, but thinking, “how I can be a resource to someone else's playing?” At the same time not being afraid to start something different. Taking a risk is important. Sometimes being able to like add a certain flavor without letting that just overpower everything else.
[AJ:] When I first met Josh, he was super into 80s Metal. We always joke around and say he’s our version of Tommy Lee these days. Ethan has more of a Punk background and also Metal. Morgan I would say is very Math Rock and has a lot of melodic riffs and progressions. My style is very much influenced by Classic Rock. I love jam bands. So I'm totally into the jamming element of improvisation and creating something on the fly. So it's kind of neat, because, you know, these are all ingredients. Then The Bogeys is the main dish that you get as a result of mixing these ingredients. Ethan had a really good analogy. Do you remember who was who in the food analogy?
[ETHAN:] The way that I kind of describe our band, it's like a chimichurri sauce. So your parsley is the drums, like your base of the song. And then you add your spices, salt, pepper, chili flakes, garlic, you know, whatever flair that you want to add, that's like guitars, you know the kind of the higher end stuff. But then you need your binding agent which is the oil, it gets the flavors all mixed up with the parsley and your seasoning and then that's the bass, you know the low end. Bass keeps everything together. That's kind of my approach to how I play the instrument.
[GRAHAM:] What's your Instagram handle Ethan?
[ETHAN:] Not trying to plug, but it’s BasstryChef.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Moving away from singles and EPs to SamSara, your full-length album. What surprised you about the process of a new type of project?
[AJ:] Took way longer than it should have.
[JOSH:] You come up with a plan, and then you realize we're not going to meet this plan.
Then you just have to adjust.
[GRAHAM:] We turned my house into a recording studio during COVID. The majority of the album was tracked, aside from Josh's drums, in my bedroom and living room. Thank you to my neighbors for being patient. Yeah, that's major. A lot of retakes getting it right. It just took a little bit longer than we wanted it to, but it all ended up working out.
[AJ:] This is our last album even though it is our first debut album, it's serving as a closure album for this lineup of musicians. Josh and Ethan are going to be moving to Texas. This Shabang set is the last time the four of us will ever play together.
[UNPUBLISHED:] How are you all feeling about that closure and what are your thoughts heading into this show?
[ETHAN:] It's pretty bittersweet, it's been such a beautiful time in this band. Huge growth process for everyone that's been involved with this album. Growing up here on the Central Coast I'm ready for a change, something different in my life. I'm looking forward to it and very grateful to be on the bill. It's such a cool festival. I've been part of this beautiful family and looking forward to seeing where it goes.
[JOSH:] I just think it's fitting that Shabang is the last show.