JC Lobo of Ritualz, in full

0:00really looking forward to people listening to it. It's going to be I'm really curious about the reactions to it. I I'm sure. H how long um have you been working on this particular album? Um it's weird because uh a lot of the um work on the music was already done because these are new versions of old songs as they play as I play them live. So this like some of the songs are pretty much done since like maybe six, five years ago and some are a little bit newer. Um but like all the arrangements and stuff was already done because that's how I played them on

0:44tour. Uh, but I like re-recorded the vocals in like late March or early April and uh been working on I working on it for like like mixing and mastering for like a month or two. Uh and yeah, now it's most ready to to come see. That's so cool. I do you feel like like all the live shows have informed you of kind of how the direction that you wanted to go in with the album and the Yeah, not just not just the album but like in general with my uh project. Um like when I started I had some pretty uh slow like uh moody songs and some a

1:30little more uh energetic. And um I could tell people uh like some people like more uh the mellow like moody stuff and some people like the energetic stuff a little bit more. So I kind of uh wanted to reach a middle point in that sense like I don't want to be yeah like super slow and droney but I also don't want to be like straight up like dance music. Um, so I I worked uh maybe subconsciously and I noticed later that uh that I was working to like kind of mix both worlds and do something like that. You know, like there's a beat and it's not like as slow as my earlier

2:13stuff, but it's also like really dark and and moody still. Like it really takes you on a journey Yeah. Yeah. That's really cool. Um the album is called uh Forever. Um it's interesting because I was actually reading um an interview for your 10 year anniversary. Um and like from where you were um then to where you are now. I feel like you probably have gained a lot of um I don't know like inspiration along the way between the five years. Did you do you feel like you have a different approach from the the two albums? Um yeah, it's I mean the last uh five years have been so

3:01weird to me like well to everyone you know like this project turned 10 years when during the pandemic you know uh I was about to go on a European tour when the pandemic started like in May 2020 and I it obviously got uh postponed and cancelled and uh radical macaw was almost finished by Then I wanted to release it for the tour. Uh but I sheld the album and I was like I don't know if I'm not release it now. So should I wait? What's going on with the world? And uh like a year later I started working on it again. Like I know what I want to do with this album

3:39now. I like I have this vision of what it should be. So I started working on it. Like I spent most of 2021 like uh reworking the songs and uh working on all the bides on the covers and all that because like it was like a huge release. The deluxe uh box set had like 40 tracks something like that. Um, and after that I went on tour uh like like I tour heavily like the second half of 2022. But then when I came back I had some uh health problems and um like you know Mexico City is like really gentrified now. So it's really hard to

4:21find a a decent apartment at decent price. So I spent like the first half of 2023 just on that like trying to find a decent way to live. Um, so it was a really weird time and then uh I um I don't know I like like I wasn't really working on music at that point but in 2024 I was like uh you know the 15th anniversary of this project is coming out and I had this idea that I want to do a cos I wanted to do special release with the versions live versions of the songs. So I talked to Wes at Dmission. I was like,

5:00"Hey, I have this idea for these two albums next year, like do you want to release them?" He was uh really uh interested in the idea. So uh we uh we were like, "Okay, let's do it. Let's uh release uh the covers album like uh early in the year and then the the other album like uh in the summer." So um yeah, I spent like uh 20 24 sort of uh figuring out a couple of things and started uh working on these albums like really slowly but then uh by the end of the year I really picked up. So, like if you really think about it, like

5:36I haven't really worked on new music in a really long time, like three or four years, because I just there was just so much going on with the world and with me like personally uh that I haven't had time to focus and sit down and be like, I want to do a new I want to do uh this for the new album, you know. Um, but I also I have all these ideas in the back of my mind about what I want to do next, where I want to take this project and everything feels like it's going to change a lot. So, um, I felt like I had

6:11to do this like finish this as a sort of how do you say this? um like a stage for this project, you know, like like the end of an era to say like in a way um before I go on work on the on the next store. So yeah, uh it's it's been it's been weird. So it's uh it's been mostly uh reflective last couple of years. Yeah, I can imagine. Um I I was curious as you were sharing um like when you get an idea um do you like have a way of recording it or writing it down? Like I was just curious about your process like

6:57um like when you get an idea for your vision um is it something that you just immediately put down or is it just something that just keeps brewing in your head before it all comes out? Sometimes I'll have an idea and I sit down and try to uh you know like put down on on the like as best as possible. Uh but most of the time it's just like experimenting uh you know like uh with new sounds uh new beats, rhythms uh just making sounds and then those sounds usually become beats and those beats become songs and um yeah it's I I say that's the

7:40way I mostly work on on music. um sitting down with with an idea like I want to do this is I it happens but it doesn't happen happen as often as the other way. Uh it's mostly just like experimenting and I usually have like a beat or sound a melody or something and I'll be like okay how can I make this work or ritual and then uh the real work Yeah. Yeah. It's I I like how you put that because I feel like it's like it's one thing to have an idea, but it's another thing entirely to like really develop it and, you know, turn it into

8:21like a whole song in production. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. And I usually leave uh vocals for the end, like the very very last thing until like I'm really happy with the instrumental. I'll be like, "Okay, now I can lay down vocals." And uh sometimes I'll work a little bit more on the music to fit the vocals in some way. But uh I usually have the music like 99% done before I put down any vocals. And I know a lot of people do it the other way around. They'll sing like a melody and then start working on the music after. Yeah. Yeah. It's it's I think that's

9:01interesting because that probably really um like inspires the melody, right? when you have like all of the the framework in place. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. For me, like the instrumentals are really important because uh I think like and I don't speak for everyone of course, but for me the vocal melody can be like something that brings you back to the song, but the instrumental is what sets the mood completely. Uh So it's like it's way more important for me that the music is something already before I put down vocal side. Yeah, for sure. So, um I I was I was reading about how you uh rituals uh is

9:48your is your main project, but you you were in bands before rituals. Um did you play like different instruments in different bands? well, I grew up in the suburbs in Mexico City, so there wasn't a lot a lot uh to do in the area, so uh, everyone played something and we all had bands together. Uh, so I played bass mostly for a while in different bands. Uh, but I also had a guitar. I'm not a great guitarist, but I could like play some stuff. Um, and especially like uh since I like black metal since I was like really young and I learned to play like really fast. So

10:30I'm like really good at like tremolo and stuff like that, but I'm not really good at playing chords or like uh picking. Um, but yeah, I I uh I wasn't really uh like I consider my main instrument now to be the keyboard, like the synthesizers. Um, but I I started uh producing music on the computer first and it wasn't until many years later that I got a MIDI controller and I started like, oh, I can like play with my hands like some of his stuff and then um it just started becoming more and more important to me. And the last band I was in before

11:10Rituals was like a a metal core post rock uh mix uh band uh was my band's uh my friend's band and he invited me to play keyboards on it. So I u had my laptop and a mini controller and just like do like ambiance and stuff like that because the songs in in the band were already done. I was like I'm just going to add some stuff. Um, so but yeah, I I played bass in a couple bands, guitar in a band and uh since in this band. Um, yeah, after that I I was like making music by myself like during all the time I was making music by myself like on

11:52through loops before it was sele studio. Um, there you know like really noisy experimental stuff. Um, but yeah, that was like my my upbringing up upbringing musically. That's amazing. I mean, I feel like probably also like really helped you um kind of get an idea of like different ways to approach your keyboard playing like having an understanding of the bass um because I feel like that really it's like to me bass is two instruments. It's like it's the melody and the rhythm, right? It's kind of both. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. And um Yeah. And also like I feel a lot of my musical style is informed by the stuff

12:42that I learned uh to play on the bass when I was young, you know. um like a lot of alternative uh music um like some uh industrial rock uh marin man stuff like that that was like the stuff I like to play uh and uh and and metal um you know so yeah that really uh had an impact on my style later on. That's so cool. I I was wondering um was it with um Rituals that you started touring or did you tour with any other projects before then? No, the rituals was the first time I toured. Um was like a year after I started Ritual

13:30the tour first uh because I I started producing as Rituals on April 2020 2010 sorry and uh I spent like the rest of that year just playing local shows. By the end of the year I was opening for uh American bands um touring in Mexico. I played uh with like health the first time that I played in Mexico City and Gatekeeper from New York. Um yeah, I was just playing a lot of shows and then um in in early 2011 I uh was contacted by Robert Elephant a small label from uh London and they wanted to release a split with me and Foster Care another

14:18like which house artist from Philadelphia I think and uh they wanted me to play a show in London. I was like, well, if I'm going to go over there and play a show, I might as well do a tour. And I had no idea how to do it. So, uh, but, you know, there was a lot of, uh, interest in the project on the internet at the time. So, and like Facebook was really young and still not useless for bands. So, um, I posted a a message just saying like, "Hey, I'm going to be in Europe in the summer, so if you want to book me, just write." and I got a lot of

14:54people writing back and that's how that first tour came out uh came up. It was was it was weird. It was uh really like I have no idea what I'm doing with it. I'm sure we can make it work. So like how did you approach your first tour? Like I don't I don't know like in terms of like um gosh figuring out like the gear that you had to bring and all that sort of thing. Yeah. My my life setup at the time was simple. It was just my laptop and my MIDI controller. And um I had a small uh audio interface for my microphone and I

15:36was running everything uh through Reason which is not made to play live at. So um was kind of a weird setup but it it worked. And yeah, since I was already playing shows in Mexico, I thought uh um a small enough setup to bring on tour. You know, it's going to be the same. I don't want to change anything. I just uh prepare the visuals for the shows and ask for [ __ ] machine on every show. So, like uh I'm going to need a projector. I'm going to need a [ __ ] machine. But, uh other than that, just like a mic stand. I have everything else with me.

16:18And um and I had a small uh mixer with me. Um like analyses that was like something like 30 bucks like that. Like all my equipment was really cheap at the time. and and um the travel logistics though it was uh it was my first tour so I had no idea how to do it. So there was no route planning and I did it the worst way possible. I was uh staying with a friend in London, flying to other countries, playing uh two or three shows at each country in different cities and then flying back to London. So I did that like five or six times. And of

17:03course eventually uh the uh immigration agents at the border was like why are you coming and going so much to other countries and I was like uh I don't know just like on vacation I'm staying with my friend. They were like no no no um we we don't have to go through your bag. Of course, they opened my bag and it was like I had no clothes and in the bag you just like merch and I keep watching. And they were like, "You're touring. You're obviously touring and uh you need a permit for that." I was like, "I don't know, man. I'm just like I already play like 10

17:39shows. I don't know about um so yeah, they were like pretty angry about it, but uh I didn't get in any serious trouble. was just like, "Are you gonna go um play at in another country and come back again?" I was like, "Yeah, I still have Germany there." And like, "No, you're not going to do that." Like, you know, you're going to go to Germany and you're going to go back to Mexico. We're going to let you in in the UK again. At least not this time. You know, I was like, "Fuck." Okay. So, my uh flight back home had a layover in in Spain. So, um, I called the airline, was

18:15like, "Can I just, um, take the second flight like in Spain and not fly from the UK?" And I was like, "Yeah, yeah, that's possible. I'm cool. I'll see you in Spain." So, I just went to Germany, played the show, and then had to buy another flight to Spain and stay there for like five days until I could uh fly back to to Mexico. But other than that, the tour was amazing. It was like super DIY. A lot of like really nice people. I met a lot of people. some of them I'm still in touch with like on Facebook. Um and yeah, I had a great

18:49time. It was really really amazing first tour. Uh but after that I realized some things that you should and shouldn't do. So after that I I figured that I had to plan things a little bit better. Well, besides the I mean the the figuring out of the the permits and all that, like what are things that you would tell like your younger self for the first time? Like here are things you need to think about when you're touring for the first time? well, the uh plan that they the route the schedule for the whole tour like flying back and forth is not a good idea. like expensive

19:37and a waste of time. Um so that would be the main thing and that that was like the main thing I learned from that tour moving on and so that would be like the absolute uh main thing what else? Um probably um ask for more money. So I I think I did those shows for very little money at the time, but I I still I had no idea and was like, "Yeah, that's good." And um but yeah, I think that that would be yeah and uh don't use reason to play live. Uh like find another way to do uh but yeah, there wasn't many options at

20:27the time. Uh things have really changed since then and I I prefer using hardware now. I don't trust uh computers to play I feel you on that one. Yeah. Well, you mentioned Germany. I've I've heard such amazing things um like um from from place to place that you went on your on your European tour. Was there any places in particular that were like highlights in your mind? Oh, yeah, absolutely. Uh, Poland. Uh, Poland has always been my favorite place in Europe to play. Uh, I think it's the country I played most cities in. Uh, every show is always great. Uh, the people are great. I think uh there's

21:19something about my music and and Polish people that they get it in a like a deeper level than anyone else does. Um and I know I just uh always always a really good uh time playing in Poland and the people are really nice. The food is really good, the shows are always really good. um they have they have this energy that is uh way different from other countries. Like I remember playing one time in Hamburg in Germany and the people were like standing still for the whole show. I was like [ __ ] they're hating this. Like I was feeling like really awkward on stage and when I finished uh playing

22:05they were like clapping for like five minutes nonstop. Um, so I was like, "Oh, they they were just like being German, you know, being really respectful in this show. It's like not making any noise or whatever." And in Poland, there's always people like dancing and screaming and whatever. So, uh, I'm more used to that being from Mexico. No, people in Mexico like that at shows like every show is like that. So, uh, yeah, it's like an an energy like that you as an artist on stage can really react to. So that that's also really really nice about playing at B. Uh but that first tour I I had really uh good experiences

22:44in um in Romania. Uh I played Booker Cluish and Timisara. I don't know if if you pronounce it like that. Uh but uh really great shows all three of them especially the one in Bucharest. And it's a shame that I haven't been able to come back to Romania since then. Uh but yeah, those are some of the shows that I remember most fondly. That's amazing. Um yeah, I it really does make a huge difference too, like you were saying when when you really feel people's energy. I think um and sometimes it is surprising like afterwards like you were saying in Hamburgg um when you're like, "Oh, I

23:27didn't know you liked it." Okay, here we are. Oh. Um, actually, uh, we're getting a question, uh, from from Dark Realm GM. Thank you so much for your question. Um, uh, I wanted to ask you, do you make your own beats or do you use presets installed in keyboards? Uh, no. I try to make my own sounds. Uh, but the sounds I started with, they are modified presets from this pack I found online. uh like 17 years ago or something like that and um and you know it's like that super so um sound that's like pretty much in every ritual song um and but yeah it's it's like a preset pack that I

24:23modified and then like selected some presets I was like yeah these are going to be the sounds for this press or whatever but after that I started uh using different synthesizers because uh the the first EP the first two EPs um it was mostly uh Thor uh synthesizer in Reason um it's a really good synthesizer um but after that starting um trying other instruments and BSTs and hardware um and now I just uh use whatever is at hand but like I said when working on music, I try sounds, melodies and beats and samples and whatever and I start working on songs from the results of those experimenting sessions.

25:15Very cool. I mean um speaking of the the hardware, um we have a question of uh what what kind of hardware that you use to play live now? Live now I use the MPC1. Uh that's pretty much the only thing I have on stage with me with a MIDI keyboard to play. Uh because the new MPCs are really cool and you you can uh sample your synthesizers and so you don't have to bring the synthesizers with you. You know, it's like um saving your own sounds, your own presets without having the need to bring the synthesizer. Uh so I like you can have 10 20 synthesizers on the MPC uh just

26:01running as programs. Um you can play with a media keyboard. So I sample the all the sounds I need uh for my songs on the MPC and I just bring that with me and play that. And I have this um V500 as a vocal pedal I use. Uh it's like the uh how you say um sequel to the V20 the red boss pedal that everyone has. Um this is like a newer version with a lot more uh effects and a better uh interface and a editor for the computer. So it's like u you can really fine-tune everything uh in in this pedal. So I like it a lot. Um

26:46but yeah, that's pretty much it. when you're um going from because every every venue is so different. Do you ever find that sometimes um like the the sound systems aren't able or it takes them a little bit to figure out how to use like especially the vocal effects? Yeah, the vocals uh since I use a lot of uh delay and reverb and it's also uh like really compressed, some songs have uh this like uh heavy chorus effect. Uh it can like the mix of all these effects on the vocal chain can cause a lot of feedback. So, I've definitely had some bad shows where it was impossible to to

27:30do the set without having feedback all the time just because the space wasn't set for like a live performance, you know, was maybe more thought for like DJ sets. So, you have the speakers like and it's like feedbacking on the microphone like really heavy. Uh but uh when you play uh more like an pro uh venues uh I mean it's not like huge venues, you know, but like with a better sound system that taught for live performances and you have a a good uh engineer that know how to how to work around u your effects to not have feedback. Uh that's the ideal situation every time. Um

28:16yeah. So yeah, it can be it can be difficult but uh fortunately doesn't happen a lot. Um you know I think my last uh two or three uh tours it happened once or twice. yeah. Well, I mean what what do you how do you handle that? like when you're get, you know, you're getting ready and you're getting ready for the soundtrack and and you start getting these technical issues, like how do you actually handle that? Um, I try to dial down the um like the wet signal on the on the effects and and turn up the dry like so it won't be all effects. And also I started using and

29:02this is really important. I started using in ear and I asked the venue to kill the onstage monitors so I won't have any noise on stage. I also changed mics. Uh I used to uh carry around uh sure um the 58 the one everyone has and this sound guy in Seattle amazing guy at Cherry I don't remember his name but shout out to this guy he was like do you want to try this microphone and he uh gave me the beta something I I don't remember the name sorry but like a blue uh shore microphone really similar to a 58 but with a different uh pattern uh in

29:44the mic. So, it really really helps with the feedback uh because it's like um it's only picking up from the front, not the sides. And um it's higher quality also. And um but yeah, that's that's usually uh kill monitors on stage. Uh use in ears and uh get a good mic. Yes, that helps. For sure. Yeah, for sure. For sure. Yeah, it's like um the in ears I think help a lot because a lot of the feedback does come back from the the monitors on stage too. Yeah, I I would recommend everyone to get in ears like as soon as possible. They're not that expensive. Uh I have a

30:29a transmitter receptor u I bought on Amazon. It's like a Chinese uh thing. It was uh relatively cheap for for what it is. you don't have to buy the short ones that are really expensive. Uh, and it not only helps you uh kill issues like feedback, but it also lets you hear yourself better. So, when you're singing, that helps a lot. And when you're playing and like maybe the monitoring in some venues can is not ideal and like you're not sure what you're listening to like uh that doesn't happen with in ears. Uh, and also it's like if you practice within ears when you're on stage, it's going to sound

31:09exactly how you practice. So, Yeah, that's my recommendation to anyone and Yes, for sure. I was curious actually um when you're traveling from to different countries, um, do you have to think about like different power um, do you have to bring some kind of adapters to adjust for different power supplies? besides the uh like thing you put on the how do you how do you say for sorry I forgot the word for that? Oh maybe adapter. It's like a little Yeah, like the adapter but for but like the tip on the power supplies. How do you call that? Uh well those things. Uh but there are adapters because the

31:59the plugs are different in in the UK. the plugs are different in in Europe to the ones in America. Uh so I I used to just travel with that but a couple of years ago I bought um a like a thing with multiple uh like sockets or what I don't know how you call it. U but it's like a universal one. So in the in the same output you can plug in American, European, UK and like a Australian or or whatever. So um and it's made so you can use it to read anything. So you know the current and the voltage aren't going to affect it

32:44because it's made for everything. So I would recommend getting one of those if you're traveling from uh country to country. Uh because just getting the adapter it sometimes might not work. Uh, it happened to me in the UK that I was about to play a show and I thought my like my micro corg fried. Uh, turns out it was just the power supply. But I found out it was just the power supply like two years later. I it like I just came back with a micro cord and I like put it on in storage and I was like, no, no, it's dead. I'm not going to use it

33:18anymore. But then I saw something online about how it can be only the power supply. I was like, god damn. I got another power supply and yeah, the microcore was still working. Um, but it happened because I was just using the adapter, not something that also regulated the voltage and and current. Um, but yeah, I would recommend getting one of those. Uh, [ __ ] I forget the word for that. I always uh I always ask for for those um whatever like this box with a lot of I'll have to look it up. But yeah, that's I was curious because um as many countries that you've been to. I was

34:00looking at your past um like uh tour list and it's incredible how many countries you've been to and I was wondering like especially about power. It's a simple thing that maybe some people not might not even realize or think about that it's different, you know, from country to country. Yeah, absolutely. My friend uh Rafa from Prayers was posting about it the other night like, "Oh [ __ ] my my KP3 fried before the show during sound check." I was like, "No, no, no, dude. It might be just the power supply. Get another power supply. Don't throw it out. Don't buy another one. Check the power supply." Um Oh, you had a question. Um have you

34:40ever played uh Wave Gothic Festival in Liipc, Germany? No, sadly no. I got an offer a couple years ago. Well, not a couple, like a large um I think for maybe 2017 or 2018, but my booking agent at the time didn't accept the offer. And I was like, it's like we've got the Triffin, you take it. And I was like, oh, sorry, I already said no. so yeah. No, hopefully someday. Yes. Yes, absolutely. I was I was curious because um we've we've never played in Mexico, but um like and you've obviously toured the US, but what uh what is what is the differences that you've seen um from shows in Mexico

35:27versus here in the US? It can can be really different for me to an American band coming and playing a show in Mexico. Um, people here love foreign band even if they don't know them. They're like, "Um, oh, this foreign band is playing at my favorite venue, favorite club, whatever. I'm going to go. I'm going to see them. I'm going to like um so they're they're going to be there and they're going to like it. They're going to be really energetic because people here at shows, they always are like, we have to scream, we have to dance, we have to do all this." Um, but for me, I've had like really good

36:10shows, really bad shows. Um, you know, it's it's kind of weird. I feel sometimes like people take local acts for granted. It's like, yeah, like he's local. I don't I don't really care. Um um which feels really weird when like you know play a show here and I don't know like half the people are like just like drunk and talking during your set but you travel half across the world and there's a lot of people like really into it and uh like they they were expecting for months sometimes you know and that's always been weird for me like I'm not talking about my project I don't

36:52know about other bands Um because it doesn't doesn't happen to to everyone. I've been to really good shows uh for local bands in Mexico City. Um yeah, it can it can be weird um for me Yeah. Yeah. But I think it's really amazing still that you are able to like um that you've toured and and gone to so many different places too um to have a real appreciation. I think that's definitely the power of the internet. Um yeah, definitely you know. Yeah. I think I think this project wouldn't have existed without the internet. too. It was um it was in on the internet that it found

37:38an audience and yeah like this arrow found me on MySpace before he offered to put out the the first TP and uh everything has happened because of the internet like I haven't uh like in real life you know I I do go to shows I know people, but I I'm not like, "Hey man, you should listen to my band. Here's my demo or whatever." I never did that. It was all internet Yeah. Yeah. And a lot of luck. I have a feeling it's more than luck, Yeah. I mean, it's it's a testament to the fact that people really connect to your music. Um because like you were

38:25saying from your very first tour when you were like, I I want to go to Europe. Um who's interested? And then you got hit up by a lot of people. Um, and I don't think that would happen just from It must be though so um like really uh I don't know, inspiring I guess maybe is the word to to see um like how how people really really care and want to you know um hear more of your music. I know that, you know, here in Los Angeles, um, I personally am looking forward to the next time you are here. Um, I was very sad to hear about your

39:07your tour getting cancelled and and very sorry about that. Yeah, that sucks really really bad. But, um, you know, I I kind of always it would happen eventually, you know, because I'm, uh, I'm not I'm not afraid to say I've been always open about it. I always tour without a work permit. I don't believe in laws that are like u uh affecting art or I don't know how to say it but like I'm I'm I'm traveling playing music because I like music and because people like music and it's all about art. It's not like I'm gonna make a billion dollars just from playing shows and and

39:49like small venues, you know. Um, so I kind of always figured it would happen eventually that I was going to get scot in some way. Uh, but I never expected it to happen like this, you know, to have someone write us out to the government and then have the government reach out to venues and be like, "Hey, we know he's coming and uh we're going to take like a huge uh tax cut from from this event and that's going to like basically ruin the whole tour, you know." And then then during a time when the social political um like u um climate in in the US is so bad that

40:33there's a a risk that you can be playing a show and then like the [ __ ] American hap is going to show up and and deport you. Just not worth it uh for for someone like me. And uh and it just not just me like a week or two after this happened I saw um two Mexican band like a big local Mexican bands they play festivals you know they are popular they have like uh 15 20 uh year careers they also can tour because the was u contacting venues and saying the same [ __ ] you know like we're going to take this huge tax cut because they're Mexican artists in in in the

41:16And it it makes me think that it's the government targeting Mexican bands specifically because like a week later after uh that I after I saw these bands also cancelled their their tours. Uh you had like a cruel world in LA with all these uh bands from Europe and no one was getting any threats or or whatever from the world, you know. So, it's uh kind of soaks that that's where the US is right now. Yeah. Yeah. And um I don't know, something that really um hurt my heart um and this was specifically for you is that you mentioned uh in one of your posts that um you had all this merch

42:02printed up and um you know, I speak for a lot of uh smaller artists. Um, I'm I'm an indie artist myself, so no label, but um, it's like you you put so much love and time and energy and money. Um, and then like not being able to like um, you know, you know, you lose when you lose money like that. Um, and like you said, like it's not like you're in it for the money, you're obviously in it for the love. You know, we're not making a ton of money in the in the dark underground You know. Yeah. Yeah. Um I I did want to

42:36share um uh if if as for the people that are watching um like where people can go and get your merch um and support you um is Band Camp the best place for that or is there any other preferred platforms? Uh I actually prefer and use uh big cartel um mainly for to sell merch. Uh it's rituals.bcartel.com bec.com, but um you can go to rituals.com and there are links to everything everywhere um on my site. Um that's that's a thing not a lot of bands do these days have a a website for for themselves and it's all social media and stuff, but I do uh keep my my site up to

43:20date. Um so yeah, you can you can go there and and find the link to my merch. Um, I do have some merch on on Band Camp, but I uh I don't like the uh Band Camp merch. Um, you know, so I prefer to to sell on on the card. Yeah. So, rituals.com. Rituals.com. Yeah. With a Z for the people just uh finding out about me today. No, I think I mean I it's it's one of those things where I feel like um as an artist um you make the art I think first of all because you have to. It's who you are um and you can't help but make your

44:06art, right? Yeah. Totally. It's um like I've thought so many times about just doing something else and it always comes like what the [ __ ] am I going to do? I'm like I don't like doing anything else. Like I I I know how to do a lot of things because there's a lot of skills that you know you need to know as an artist today you know you know you have to know uh video editing, social media, um copyright and whatever. Uh but it's uh it's all like secondary skills you need to learn to promote your music but the music is always first and that's the one thing I like. Um so yeah

44:52uh music first and it's it's about yeah being an artist um and creating. Yeah, absolutely. And I I I think it takes so much courage to um not only create but to to share it out because it's one thing to create in your bedroom, right? But it's another thing to to share it with other people and to be like, "Hey, this is actually um an expression of me." Um and um whether or not people are resonate and connect with it, it's just it's you know it's up to them, but you put it out there in the world. Um and it is amazing when you do

45:28find people that really connect with it. Yeah, that's true. And that's uh probably one of the best feelings uh you can have as an artist, you know, when you put something out and someone reaches out and it's like, "Hey, I really like this." or you know I I've gotten so many messages across the years from people uh from you know like this has inspired me to make my own stuff or um uh I don't know I I met my girlfriend because we both like your music or whatever to the you know literally saved my life know it's always someone u that really connects with your music and a level

46:11that you didn't expect to, you know, but I'm really glad it happens. Yeah, I feel like that's just um that's really Well, we're getting some amazing uh comments here. Um music is like our life support and art should have no boundaries. 100%. I love that. True. Yeah. Yeah. Um you are getting a question. Um do you have your music on Spotify or Yeah, it's in every streaming service. uh Spotify, Apple, Pandora, YouTube, Amazon, all of them are covered by my Distro. Um the one thing that you can find online is uh my last album Mimic in Mexico. Um some rights issue because it's a covers album. You don't need u

47:02licenses to release it and the rest of the world, but you do in Mexico and was not going to waste any time on that. Um, but yeah, and I I also have a Soundcloud. Um, you can uh listen to some older stuff that it's not on any albums on there. Um, like uh some cover songs or remixes that I've done that are only on Sunfeld. Um, but yeah, all my albums and EPs are are on on streaming services. Awesome. I I love that it's um again we were talking about the internet, but the fact that it's um a place where people can easily access it no matter where

47:47they are in the world. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I always, you know, on the uh Spotify artist app that you have a map uh that shows you like where people are listening to your music. It always uh amazed me that you know that like two people isn't in Iraq and it's like what like that's really really cool because you know like Europe, Russia, Japan you expect it you know it's like u like uh yeah it's expected like some people will find it on place like that but like there's like Iraq or Myanmar like like Congo you know it's like who is listening to this or

48:28Yeah, I think that's amazing. And like, you know, you just never know, you know, I some it's like I use your imagination and you're just like, I wonder who those people are, you know, those random Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I wonder like uh what kind of people they are like are like are they are they are they like actively listening or just like confused because of the name you know rituals like oh you never know. Yeah. Yeah. Like for a while I was getting like uh hundreds and like this was like 12 years ago but I was getting hundreds and hundreds of new followers

49:09on on my Facebook page and it was all these people from uh Pakistan and I realized they were liking the page because of the name. They didn't know anything about the project music. So I had to actually block u package from liking and seeing the page because uh it was making my audience like grow a lot and diminishing my reach to the people that were actually liking the page because of the music. one of those first social media issues that I ran into like really early on like 2013 2014. Yeah. Oh gosh, that can happen. Yeah. Yeah. Especially when um it's also like uh different when there's different

49:57languages too and people don't quite understand what they're getting into. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like I um like it's kind of like the idea behind uh Provin Grace album 20 just one great like evolved and twisted into this like dystopian social media. No, like we're just going to make some Well, I was I was curious um like um in terms of any countries because you've been to so many. Are there any that you haven't been to that like is on your bucket list where you're like, "Oh, I would love to tour there." Oh, yeah. Definitely. Uh Japan first. uh like uh I've been wanting to go to Japan

50:56uh like since I started touring and uh it's weird because I don't know anyone there. Uh never has ever reach out to me. I have no idea where to look to even go there. But I do get merch orders from Japan regularly. Uh I mean not not a lot but like every couple of months uh one or two orders to to Japan uh especially Tokyo. Um, but also weirdly enough, I have never played a show in Spain or Portugal. And, uh, I would really, really love to play there. Uh, but yeah, this um, pretty much every other country I've wanted to play, I played already, thankfully. So, like,

51:38uh, I've been very lucky in in that regard. So, yeah, Japan, Spain, and And also, like I've never been to South America, so I would love to play a show in South America. uh like what wherever you know the Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia um anywhere. It was really really cool to play South America too. Oh yeah, for sure. Yeah. I um have you ever been anywhere in South America uh touring wise or I just have none of those countries you've been to? I've never been like uh I haven't even been to South Mexico. Um like I like um I live in Mexico City which like

52:23the center of the country and I've been to um like Akapulco I think is the most south I think and it's like not that south from Mexico City. Uh but I've never been to the to south of Mexico and none of the countries below at all. Gotcha. Gotcha. Well, it will happen. It will happen. You're getting some support here um saying you anything is possible. So yes, we we believe this is going to Um do you have any shows coming up this Uh just one in Mexico City. Uh it was going to be the final um show in the tour. Um it's at the Dakis uh club um

53:05goth venue, one of the oldest though they are at their new location. I don't know if the second or third location, but uh yeah, like I used to I used to go to to this club when I was like 16, 17. Um so I'm going to play there now. uh with two local bands uh Attention Horse who I recommend to anyone uh listening noise industrial gabber witch house really cool band and um the Senate which is like a more uh old school goth band u punk you know um they're going to be opening show it's going to be it's going to be a cool show um yeah July 25th in

53:49Mexico City oh that's coming up. Yeah. Yeah. Been just a little over a Wow. So, how do you actually get ready for shows? Do you have anything in particular that like um I mean, do you already have kind of like a set in mind or is that something that you change for every show? I do change the track like the set list a little bit. Um, I I'll take ad song take off and add songs uh depending on on the shows. Um, sometimes I'll do longer sets and sometimes I'll do shorter sets. Um, and the visuals I usually that's usually what changes the most between shows. Um

54:42because the songs are are um you know they're on the NPC already so I just have to um put them in in the order I want to play them. Uh but the visuals are uh because I play to um to this uh it's like videos I made for for for the live shows. Have you ever seen the pitch mode live? How they had videos like sync to the music uh in the background? Something like that I tried to do. So I I project uh these visuals on behind me and they're sync to the music. So I I trigger them from when I start the NPC on each track. So it's

55:21like sync to the music and it's really it looks really really cool. But I I change uh some things like sometimes I'll be playing a song and I like this is too bright like I need to like uh make it darker for the next show, you know. Um, so I I don't like having the stage being u too light, too lit up. I like like darkness. So um yeah, I that's that's the only thing I like. I I'll tweak the visuals uh Um but yeah, everything else is like I'm I'm so happy with my live setup right now that I don't really have to change

55:59anything from show to show. Yeah, I think that's really really awesome that you have um your visuals that are synced to your music as well. It really I feel like it that adds a whole different dimension to a live show. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I It's funny because um I've seen like uh photos from the live shows uh from the last tours and like half the people are like looking at the at the visuals, not me. They're like really into it. It's like, wow. Like people taking photos of the visuals because they I mean, not because I made it, but they're really cool. They I'm I'm I really want to see

56:43I've seen I've seen like some of the pictures online, but I'm sure it's amazing. Even more amazing um in person. Yeah. I was um uh a question from Alan Keen was asking um I know a lot of countries have their own customs and rules and guidelines. Um do you have to learn them all before you go somewhere just so you won't get in trouble by not following the rules? Uh no, not really. Um, I mean, I I I do think I'm really chill and polite when I'm um like talking to new people. Uh like I have I have a dark sense of humor, but I I'm not like I'm not going

57:28to say something that going to offend someone if I don't know them. So, um, and I haven't any any run into into any issues like that anywhere. And yeah, but also I've only played shows in in the Western world, you know. So, it's basically it's like so uh the same everywhere, you know. Uh like I think the the weirdest thing that has happened to me touring like that is that when I played in Russia, I was like uh having a cigarette and someone's like, "No, you can smoke here." Like you can't smoke on the street in Russia. Like you have to go to these designated

58:07places where you will see ashtrays and you only can only smoke next to these ashtrays. So uh I was like, "Is this a big deal?" and and they were like, "Well, the police can say something about it." Like, "They're not going to arrest you, but they can come up to you and say something about it." I was like, "Okay." So, for the rest of the trip, I was like really careful about um where I was smoking. But other than that, um it's never been u an age like that. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I feel like um music is so universal. uh people that really um support live music and are in music.

58:48It's like it's like such a common language that I feel like it that's what brings us all together, you know. Yeah, totally. Especially in this like dark underground music scene, you know, it's like it's pretty much the same everywhere. Uh so like uh like people's sense of humor might be like the most uh different uh from city to city or country to country but other than that it's pretty much the same Thanks to that. Um oh Jessica is asking uh what is your favorite tour snack? Well, I have this thing that I try um different chips everywhere I am. Uh it doesn't matter what kind. I just want to

59:40try them and I rate them and I post them on Instagram. If you go to my Instagram and you see uh my story highlights on my profile, there's a a highlight called chips and you can see like dozens of chips. I've tried it everywhere and rated like I I rate them. Um that's my favorite thing to to do uh on tour. um like food wise. Um but yeah, chips like uh if if you ever see me um anywhere special, like bring me a bag of chips and I'll be so grateful to you. Now we know. I love chips, too. It's It is an awesome snack for sure.

1:00:20Yeah. Yeah, I love them. Yeah. Do you I mean I'm sure we we'd have to go and look at the highlights, but do you have any favorites off the top of your head? Yeah, my absolute favorite are the Dorito tapatillos. Um which are only in the US and you can buy them in Mexico because we have some stores that import snacks. Um but they're like really expensive. So I I don't um buy them uh frequently here. But yeah, the Doritos Tapato are my favorite. and rancheritos from Mexico. Uh you can find them in the US. Uh the absolute best. Yeah, those those two are my favorite.

1:01:01Those are those are pretty awesome. I haven't tried the tapato ones though. I'll have to try that. Oh, they're they're so good. It's really spicy, but they're so good. So, uh Pete is asking, uh when you tour, um do you go with anyone or are you traveling solo the whole way? I'm usually by myself touring. Um only in the last uh two or three years that I started playing shows like um series of shows with another band. Like my first uh like co headlining tour was with Sibling in 2022. there from Portland. Um we did a west coast run from um San Diego to Seattle. Um and we were like,

1:01:53you know, all of us in a van like driving from all the West Coast from San Diego to Seattle. Um but other than that, I'm I'm pretty much uh by myself always unless in in Europe. uh one of my best friends. I've known him since like Um 20 um 2005 uh 2004, something like that. Uh he lives in Paris now. Uh he's he's from Mexico, but he lives in Paris now. So um he'll join me on tour sometimes for like a couple of days, you know. Um just because he has this flexibility with his job that he can go uh for the weekend. um just like I'll

1:02:37join you. And um so it's pretty cool like uh having someone with you cuz uh uh it's it's cool that you get to uh meet all these people when you're touring and uh sometimes you make friends with them. Uh but other than that, like in between cities, you're like by yourself in a bus or a train or airport or whatever. Um or like I'll I usually when uh I finish a tour, I I'll stay in the city, I finish for a three or four days to like sort of a small vacation and it sucks like uh going to all these places like museums and all

1:03:19these landmarks and [ __ ] and not being able to have a a photo of anything where I'm on it, you know, like I'm taking pictures of everything but nothing. That's not like a shitty selfie. U so yeah I I do appreciate having my friend with me when I'm playing in Europe and we can take photos of each other at these places. You know it's funny when I travel um and I look back at pictures I feel like I it's like I always look at more of the pictures of the people than the places. You know like those are those are the things that my eyes always gravitate towards and I'm

1:03:54I've tried to get better about that where I'm like it's all about the people for me. I think like you were saying. I think I I it's it's weird because there are um some really good friends that I I' uh I've made uh touring that I don't have a single photo with. Uh just because we're like having such a good time when we're together that we forget about taking any photos. Uh which is a really weird thing. Um and I'm always like come back after a tour. I was like, "How do I not have any photos with them? Yeah, which is great that you're in the

1:04:30moment. That's awesome. But yes, it's always nice to have those memories, too. For sure. Yeah. And I I love I love uh photography in general and uh for me uh it's a really good way to like um keep your memories and you know uh like I I don't I don't post photos online to like share. It's just like more for me, you know, to remember what I was doing at that point in time and then it's fun to look back on it and it's not just like sitting on a hard drive, you know, I'm not going to look at it again. So, I I like going on my Instagram be

1:05:11like, hey, yeah, like two years ago I was here and doing this. For sure. Yeah. I love that feature on Instagram to to highlight because I you know you can look back and you it's like even just like one tour you can be like wow look at all these different moments that kind of represents that particular Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. I that's like the one thing I do like about social media. Yeah. Yes. Yes. It's the positive for Yeah. By the way, um Alan said that if you are ever in Witchdaw um that they will bring you lots of bags of chips, now that we know that you like chips.

1:05:55Yes. Um I like that. Um uh so Dark Realm says that just because you are in your element, that's why you make friends with everybody and that's the best part about being a musician. that's true. Yeah, really true. It's It's way easier to make friends on the road than going out in the city where you live in. Oh my gosh, that is so true. I'm so shy. Um, naturally, I'm very shy, so I never I hardly ever go out. Um, but it's when I'm on tour that I'm like out and about and you're in your element and it's a lot more natural, I think, to

1:06:32That that's a really positive aspect about touring, too. Uh, I think I became way more social. Uh when I started touring like not that I was shy before, I was just like not into like meeting people like I had my friends and that was like and I was uh but when I started touring I started meeting all these people. I was like I started getting this interest in meeting people you know and finding out more about them. It was like always um like oh what what kind of people am I going to meet next you know like like I'm going to this small town that I've never

1:07:09heard of I wonder how the people are there and you know or like I've always wanted to go to London I'm I'm uh going to love like meeting people from but yeah it made me way more uh sociable just u touring for I think it really um also like it really broadens your perspective. I think because it's like um you know when you're going from place to place and people have very different cultures sometimes and very different outlooks I think that it really kind of opens up your perspective you know. Oh yeah for sure. Yeah. Yeah. Um like I like I like um when you have like a maybe not a

1:08:01negative but not a positive uh opinion on something and then you meet someone that is like all about that and you're like oh that's like really cool actually like they're nice people and whatever. yeah, just like I met people that have like like I've never been a sort of pets that are not cats or dogs. Uh, and I met people that have like snakes and bunnies and [ __ ] like it's actually kind of cool, you know? It's not at all like I was gonna uh like I was expecting. It's not smelly and dirty. Yeah, I know. It's it's it's very interesting and um you know we've we

1:08:53haven't done a lot of touring outside of the US. Um we've we've been to a few places but um you know it's something even within the US I've I've noticed like it's very very different even from city to city sometimes you know um here even in California like it's different in LA versus San Francisco versus you know Ventura or San Diego. It's all very very different. So yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It can be um like uh the the like I did a tour in 2022. It was really long. It was like all across the US and just going from the I think it started in start in Texas and

1:09:40I went to Chicago and then I did the West Coast and then the East Coast. It was all so different. Um, but you know, it's weird because it's also all the same because it's like underground music, but it's also not at all like city-wise, you know, like the culture of the city is really different everywhere. Um and it's really interesting to see uh those those uh kind of changes and it just uh broadens uh your perspective like culturally uh in ways that are not possible um if you're not like traveling you know like after I started touring I would like and now I get why people love

1:10:26to travel so much you know it's it's not just about like taking photos and like oh I I D here and and there and whatever. No, it's it's also like a really big cultural element to to it. And uh it's like about meeting people and um seeing different places that are really different like like the US is a relatively new country and there are many many way many things to see in some in some places but then you go to Europe it's like the venue I'm playing in uh it's like a 200 year old building or more like three whole 300 year old building that they renovated inside to

1:11:05make it a venue you know it's stuff like that. Uh can be can be really impressive. Uh yeah, I I love that that kind of stuff. Oh, I do too. Yeah, it's so it's so interesting like you were saying when um you go to a place where it's like you feel the history like you just by looking around you just feel the history. There's so so much. I mean the energy there is is it's very palpable. Um, you know, especially in like places like Europe where you're like, "These buildings are so old as opposed to here." Yeah. Yeah. And I, uh, like u, you know, everyone always talks about

1:11:44how different LA and New York are. And I two or three years ago, I was uh, able to spend a week in in Chicago after I played the Callway Festival. I love that city so much because it felt like a mix of both. Like it's not as crazy as as slay and not like as snowy as New York can be. Uh sometimes you know it like perfect. Chicago is so amazing. I love Chicago. Um yeah, was one of my favorite cities for Yeah, Chicago is amazing. Did you get to I mean I know this is a probably a very common question but you did you try some

1:12:23pizza the Chicago pizza while you were Yeah. Yeah. Deep dish pizza. Yes. You That was actually Yeah. That was actually like the one of the main things about the the week I spent there, you know, trying food. I was like at this list places I wanted to try and things I wanted to do. So it was like um basically a schedule like I'm going to do this and this and this but in between things I'm going to eat here and here and here and I was trying not to eat a lot so I could I wouldn't be like so full the rest of the day I can try more

1:12:56but yeah the food is like was amazing. Um, not just like of course like the pizza and chico is really good, but not not only that. Uh, like the forgot what's the name of this like the sauce like the roast be sauce uh I don't I don't know they have a name is it like a hogy I think. Is it? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. Yes. Yeah. And like like Italian hogy. Yeah. Uh so good. So amazing. Um, Jessica was asking if you've ever played in New Orleans. No, the this tour that was canceled was going to be my first time in New Orleans. It was going to be my first

1:13:39time in a lot of places. Florida, uh, New Orleans. Um, where else? My first time back in Philadelphia after like 12 years or something like that. Um yeah, it's a shame that you got cancelled because I was going to go to a lot of places I haven't been before or haven't been in a long time. but yeah, definitely um want to want to go there for sure. Um New Orleans, uh uh Miami. Yeah, there are places that I I wanted to visit for a long time. in the future. In the future. Yeah, we have. Yes. In the future. Well, I was wondering um like after a

1:14:23tour is done um I I know personally I'm always I always have to kind of recover and I was wondering if if it's the same for you if you have to go through kind of a period of recovery and if so um like what you do to recover from a tour. Um yeah, it usually take a week uh to like uh decompress from tour. Uh, it depends on how long and exhausting the tour was. Um, on what I would do. Um, if it was a long tour, I usually just like watch movies for a week. I would, not really do anything. Um, but um, sometimes I'll be just like um just

1:15:10going to go out, you know? I I like I've been out for for like touring, but it's not like the same as just like going out for fun. I'm going to I'm going to have uh dinner at this place. I'm going to go to this museum. I'm going to go to the cinema see a movie. Uh going to go to a show and I don't have to play. Uh yeah, it varies. But um yeah, that and uh and I usually uh decompress uh playing some like RPG and um the Nintendo. Um that's uh one of one of my favorite ways to to decompress either after a tour or after an album. So yeah.

1:15:55So do you have any favorite games that you like to play? Um, I'm always playing and something new like uh like I I'm like to finish games and then start a new one. Uh, yeah. But I do have my favorites. Like I love the Dragon Quest series. Um, like I think I play most of them by now. I think I'm only missing one or two. Um, uh, I've been really into Valatro lately. Uh, this a card game on Steam. It's really crazy. And um and I love Mario games. Just any Mario games like uh Mario RPG or Mario World or whatever. It's just always fun to play a Mario

1:16:39game. Um I'm not like I like video games a lot, but I'm not um like a big gamer. Like uh for me it's like it's actually a hobby that I don't spend too much um time on. Uh it's not like other people that are like really invested into it. Yeah. Yeah. But it's good. It's a nice way to decompress like watching a movie. Yeah. Yeah. It's a It's a relaxing. That's the only thing. I don't like uh stressful games like I won't play all the ring or or games like that. So, it's that's not relaxing at all. I want to I want to relax when I'm

1:17:18Yes, agreed. Well, I was wondering um like if you had any advice um to share for for artists that are um getting out there for the first time, like what would you what would you share with them? Um anything in particular in terms of getting out there for the first time? plan your routes. Uh that's really important. Uh make it make sense uh financially. Don't go to one place uh and then uh like drive back and then you have to go on the other direction again. That's uh never a good idea. Um make an inventory of your merch and every night after a show, count all your

1:18:09merch and make sure you know what you have and what you sold. And uh keep your money safe. That's always a good idea. Don't drink too much. Don't get drunk. Uh do not drink before playing. People will notice and you don't want to see someone drunk on stage. That sucks for everyone. Um if you want to get drunk after the show, go ahead. But always uh remember you're on tour and you're probably going to play the next day and you want to you don't want to be hang over for a show. Um this is a something very personal for me, but don't do drugs. Um, like if you want to smoke weed,

1:18:50that's fine, but don't do anything that could jeopardize you or anyone around you. Uh, because I've seen so many things go so bad from stuff like that that you don't want to be involved in anything like that. And what else? Um, always be nice to people. Don't antagonize anyone because I met so many people that do that. that they feel like they're entitled to be mean to people just because they're like playing a show. They be feel they're an artist and they're better than someone else. Don't do that. Always be nice to people. Um, and it's not uh it doesn't do anything for anyone when you start fights with

1:19:40people like uh don't criticize people, don't message people out of the blue to like attack them because that also happens a lot. Uh don't do any of that. No, it's uh being an artist is about uh individual expression as much as it is it is about community and communities can only be tried if everyone is like on the same um wavelength, you know, and a positive wavelength, you know, trying to help everyone grow. Um that's really really important. I I it suck that I see so young people try to start [ __ ] uh for no reason at all. Uh like yeah, be nice. Uh uh what else? Um

1:20:32know your place also. That's really important. Uh don't think you're better than anyone else. Uh even if you get big, even if uh you're frustrated because you're not getting big. Uh, I mean it's it's it's kind of go goes along with being nice to everyone, you know, but uh it's it's important to know where you are and where you want to be. what else? Um, what else? Um well, food wise, um be smart of what you eat and what you spend uh and what you spend on on food because uh it might sound really good to to spend a lot of money on something delicious while

1:21:26you're on tour, but uh it might not be the best idea. Sometimes you if you want to actually come back with some money like every penny counts like uh trust me it's better to uh have uh McDonald's for taco sometimes going to a nice place if you want to save money. I know not a lot of people like fast food and some people won't eat it at all. Um but for me that works. So if you can handle it, do it. It's worth it. And uh oh yeah, when I started touring, I would buy [ __ ] all the time. Like go to a record store, buy records. Go to a

1:22:07bookstore, buy books. Try to be smart about it. I'm not saying don't do it, but be smart about it. Like I've stopped I stopped buying vinyl when I'm on the road because it's it becomes a a completely new issue when you're traveling carrying vinyls around. Um, so I only buy CDs now because I can put them in my backpack and have a lot of them in my backpack. Um, but there are no big books like um or like um like big synthesizers or something like that. Like if you're going to buy gear on the road, do it at the end of the tour, towards the end of the tour. You

1:22:45don't want to carry around something you're not going to be using. Um, what else? Um well this this actually is this a really good advice. Not everyone is going to be able to handle it because it's really difficult. Uh but most of the tours I've done if not all have been uh done taking Greyhounds um trains and short flights instead of driving or um renting a car, you know. And it might be really annoying to have to get up at like 7:00 a.m. to catch a bus because you have to be on the road for like 9 hours to the next show. But the amount of money you're going to save

1:23:31doing that is huge. Of course, no not everyone's going to be able to do it. Depends on on how many people you are on the gear you bring with you. But in my case that I'm one person and I only have a suitcase and a backpack with me at all times. that has saved me so much money made every every tour I've made profitable. Um, it's not for everyone and uh and it it can be really exhausting after a while, you know, to to be on the road like that, but uh if you're starting out and you want to actually come back with money, look into

1:24:09Yeah, it makes that's very very solid advice because I think that um uh many artists don't even think about that, right? About like, oh, I could actually come back with money. Um Yeah. Yeah. I've I seen so many bands that, oh yeah, we're renting a van or we're renting a small bus. It's like, can you even afford that? Like, are you going to come back from with money from from doing this? Like, doesn't doesn't sound like a really good idea to do it like that, you know? like uh like if you're just a couple of people, three people, get a car, not a not a not not a

1:24:44big van or or a bus, you know, and if you're by yourself like uh you can you can find other ways to travel. Yeah. And and to that um you know it makes sense too to think about like um the things that you're carrying with you can since you have to actually physically carry it um to really have to think about that. Yeah, that's another thing that like it might might uh look really cool to have big gear on stage, a lot of gear on stage, but uh it's sometimes not the best um idea logistically, you know, because uh you're going to have uh you're going to

1:25:30need to have cases for that stuff because you don't want to get get it uh ruined like touring. And uh cases are expensive and heavy and uh they take up a a lot of space also. Uh so be smart about your setup, you know. Uh there are so many good options to play live shows these days. Uh the new NPCs are a great great way to play live these days. So they're basically a computer that won't uh crap out. Um even even even if you want to use a computer like Ableton Live, Ableton Live is really really good uh to play live shows these days. A lot of people use

1:26:13that. Um but yeah, like we're in an era that every big company is like releasing group boxes and centers that do a lot of stuff and um so yeah, look look into the way best way to like transfer your your music to a live setup. Like you don't have to do it exactly as you did it in in the studio like uh like there are very little people that be like oh he is like playing back or whatever you know it's like yeah it's like one person dude I'm like carrying like gear and marriage and clothes and whatever with me you know um but yeah it's yeah be smart about what

1:27:02you bring with you on tour. Yeah. Absolutely. Because um it's it's it's like a cost actually. Every every pound every extra pound is is literally a cost. Yeah. And and speaking of cost, also try to do your own merch. And uh like I know it's so so easy to have someone helping you uh with those things, you know, like um a tour manager, a manager, a booking agent, a merch person, all of those can uh lift away from your shoulders and let you focus on the music. But uh realize where you are, where what level you are at before you even start thinking about stuff like that. And also I I've noticed

1:27:55people really appreciate when you when you do your own merch because they want to talk about uh they want to talk to to you after the show and you don't have to go run backstage and not come out until like a couple of hours after the show. You can just walk around and talk to people and sell your own merch to to the fans. People appreciate it. I I do with an artist I I see live and I I people have to say say that to me when I'm selling my own merch. So yeah, I mean I'm a big believer in DIY. So when I

1:28:31when I say DIY, it's like really DIY. do it yourself. Yeah, absolutely. That's um that's something that we um find a lot of joy in actually. I think that's um there's a lot of joy to be fun because you can get really creative too um when you get to do it yourself and find different ways of doing things. Yeah, it's it's a whole thing. Um it's really fun and it's really satisfying too when like after everything's done and everything went fine. It's like you can be so proud of yourself that you managed to to do it. It's it's really really good feeling. I recommend it to anyone

1:29:12to uh keep DIY, you know, like music doesn't have to be a losing game, you know. You can it's it's like being an artist doesn't have to be about just doing it for the art. You can find ways to make it work economically, like financially. So just um there's a lot of advice uh you can try and then you will start figuring what works for you, what doesn't and then you'll come up with new ideas. Um that's that's the way everyone goes. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. I mean it helps I think when you have other people um that that kind of point you in the right

1:29:53direction, you know, when you're like, "Okay, how do I how do I do this?" and you know and and event and I find that a lot of people are really willing to help if you just ask for the help you know. Well, absolutely. Yes. Uh a lot of people may think that uh like other artists are going to gate kit. They're like I'm going to explain my setup to you how I do my lightning. Um it's not that like that at all. Like most people are happy to uh share their knowledge with you. So, definitely talk to people. Talk to everyone if you can. Um well, my my friends online, thank you

1:30:36so much for um taking the time to to hang out with us and to for your amazing questions. Um oh, uh Pete is saying, "I remember Fugazi not wanting to pay a merch person and not wanting to use the music as a vehicle to sell shirts, so they just didn't sell merch at their That's interesting. That's really valuable. Yeah. Yeah. Well, um, thank you all so much for for taking the time to hang out with us. Um, JC, thank you. Um, and we're really excited about your upcoming double album. Uh, it's coming up in July, isn't it? Yeah. July 18th. July 18th. Yeah. So, we'll be keeping

1:31:19our eyes out for that. Um, and in the meantime, uh, just wishing you the absolute best. Um, and I can't wait to see you live. Thank you. Thank you so much for having me and I I hope I can make I get back to the US uh rather sooner than later. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Well, in the meime, thank you for everyone watching and chatting. Um, thank you for your questions, too. Yes. Yes. Sending much much love out to