Philosophy of Music

I'm a 2000's bay area punk. We were among the kids who told green day not to come back. I was part of a skate-thrash and powerviolence scene that, for me at least, culturally includes asian man records, 625 thrash records, possessed to skate comps, all-ages venues, super sabado thrash competitions, rocky horror halloween shows, protest shows, potluck shows, shows out in redwoods, 924 Gilman, burnt ramen, the catalyst, house of the dead rat,  KFJC, the san jose heritage center, operation ivy, offspring, afi, rancid, phenomenaughts, sleep, spazz, scholastic deth, sfb, hit me back, heavy heavy low low, hyena suite, our turn, hatred surge, weekend nachos, uzi suicide, in disgust, gulch, sunami, shinobu, hard girls, the albert square, just friends, gnarboots, vantana row, omnigone, and countless other influences from Oakland to Santa Cruz.

Music is historical storytelling that can connect us to our spaces- to share new thoughts and spread complex values (e.g., ethics) thoughtfully and peacefully in a way that teachers or governments rarely can. Rhythm and melody are deeply embedded in early development and learning new concepts (e.g., Americans learning the alphabet with twinkle twinkle little star). Likewise, we recall lost memories in old age by hearing those old, familiar tunes (and those marketing earworms). In short, music is intrinsically a part of development, learning, identity, and expression. It is embedded within individuals and their behavior and remains an underexamined aspect of the technological revolution. 

As with the drive to learn, making do-it-yourself music is a self-driven passion and a repeated path to self-expression, reflecting back to the community uniquely opaque and personal. My best school memories are flipping through cabinets of sheet music for the concert and jazz band or getting the practice room keys for some quiet time with a guitar I couldn't play. In those moments, artists honorably offered the best and worst of our communities with equal footing when few else could.

I admire music, people, and style representing the DIY tenants of skepticism and youth advocacy. To quote SYSK host Josh Clarke, "All the grown-ups are lying to you, kid, even us." 

Here, I've chronologically collected my (and/or my brother's) contributions to DIY music (links as I find them). Special thanks to Kate, Trev, Lettie, Gartho, Andrea B, Bijan, Bob, Mander, Tyler, Brian, Phil, Andrew,  Mark, xAdamx, Boboso, Elijah, Sim, 625Max, Ashley S, Mr. Barbara, Mr. Kay, Mr. Bolvin, mtg punx, retired punx ranch, and others. In memory of Helvi, Drew, Mr. Bolvin, and others.

Utah Care Hotline: 1-888-222-2542

SafeUT (University of Utah): 833-372-3388

Bay Area Community Services: 510-613-0330

Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255

NEW BAY AREA THRASH FROM MY BROTHER!!!

Giant Boy (computers)

Memory Lapse  - Pop Culture Death Spiral

Peaches & Mulberries - Giant Boy (pandemic family lullabies)

Radical Sabbatical (pandemic experimental colab)

Primary (controversial punk)

• Reviewer #1: "It isn't crusty, nor hard."

• Reviewer #2: "My only hope is that some kid who thinks Green Day is punk, doesn't get a hold of this and think this is hardcore punk. It's not. It's borderline Mormon propaganda."

Bradbury (indy)

DDX5 (powerviolence)

DP (grind)

phil&me (thrash)

The Henchies (skate thrash)