Touring & performing.

 

"Having not had the opportunity yet to do any real extensive touring, this is a pretty tough question to answer. I know this, I have a family at home and leaving them for a long period of time is extremely difficult for me. So while it is fun for me to go out on the road and gain all these new experiences and interact with all of Core 10’s fans I will always wish I was back home hanging out with my family. The payoff is performing live in front of a great audience…It’s kind of like a drug, I do feel that I would have part of my soul lost if I was unable to keep performing…I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to get that out of my system."

 

Inspiration.

 

"Inspiration comes to me from so many things; I am an avid surfer and live close to the ocean so certainly, a lot of my inspiration comes from there. Obviously my family inspires me as well; I take in a lot of joy from watching my son grow up. Music inspires me, not even the music I create but the music that I listen too. Listening to bands like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Alice and Chains, Tool, as well as just some more diverse bands like Rage against the Machine, System of a Down, Bad Religion, and Public Enemy can either pump me up or get me through some periods when I’m feeling down. Although I hate drama, it does seem to be a part of my life so will always be rough patches that music really helps get me through. Definitely in those moments some of the greatest creativity seems to flow through me."

 

The beginning.

 

"I remember when I got my first guitar when I was in high school I was so stoked to finally get one. I had no idea how to play it, but I was fascinated with Jimmy Page at the time and I was determined to figure it out. A friend of mine showed me how to play bar chords and I pretty much just started messing around after that. Since I really wasn’t good enough to figure out any of the songs I liked I just started to make some stuff up. I absolutely remember the way I felt after I actually wrote something coherent and structured. It was an amazing feeling and it gave/gives me a really deep sense of satisfaction. The first full song I ever wrote ended up becoming one of the songs I played in my first band, and I am currently restructuring it to use for the next Core 10 album."

 

Family against dream?

 

"It’s an impossible choice to have to make, choosing family over your dreams will mean that you will ultimately resent the people you feel held you back, but at the same time choosing your dreams over family will also cause you to feel remorse. For me, I couldn’t imagine not having my family around. Abandoning one for the other should never have to be the answer so I feel terrible for anyone who is forced to make that choice. Ultimately, there is a responsibility that comes with having a family, and you can’t just run away if they are struggling to make ends meet. However, if everything at home is handled and they are adequately taken care of then the person who is giving you the ultimatum may not understand who you truly are or just not care. So, you need to ask yourself if you’re with the right person. No relationship worth having will be absent of compromise, but hopefully you can find the kind of person to be with that understands what it takes to make you happy. Then you need to do the same for them…whatever that compromise may be."

 

Dreams.

 

"I have always been a dreamer. I used to daydream all day long in school and got less than average grades. There was just too much going on in my imagination I couldn’t contain it, and I’m glad I never tried. I still have huge goals and dreams that I push myself towards every day. I visualize them and put myself in a position to make them a reality. Dreamers don’t live in or are restrained by rules or laws. For dreamers, anything is possible. Just because someone tells them something can’t be done will never stop them from trying. And for society that’s what we need to push ourselves forward and past the status quo. It doesn’t take an artist to be a dreamer; technology and science have also been heavily influences and pushed forward by people thinking outside the box. As Einstein said, “Logic will get you from A to B; imagination will get you everywhere”."

 

Reviews.

 

"Negative reviews and critics come in a few different forms. There are haters who will always find any excuse to try to bring you down just to make themselves feel better, and then there is the constructive criticism that is ultimately helpful if you can just open yourself up and use it to your advantage. The first type can be tough to swallow…especially when it comes from the press. You have to try to brush it off because ultimately it doesn’t matter what some people think. If you believe in what you are doing and feel like your music is getting through to others and they are feeling the same vibe as you…if you really feel like you are “on to something” with your music, then that’s all that really matters. The criticism that is constructive can still be tough to swallow, but it’s also important to keep an open mind and try to focus in on the parts that will ultimately help you move forward. It can be very important to see yourself from an outside perspective, and make some changes if you see them to be necessary."

 

The most important thing ...

 

"I’m in a place right now where what’s most important to me right now is making sure my family is secure. I feel like until they are completely safe from financial and physical instability I can never truly go out and try to finish what I need to do musically. In order to do that, I work as hard as I can until the day comes when we go back out on the road to support the new album. Second to that it really is all about pushing myself both physically (surfing, snowboarding, skateboarding, rugby), as well as musically (vocals, guitar, recording, mixing). If I can get to a place where all I have to worry about is how the waves are, while I’m writing, recording, and performing music, that’s when I know I’ve achieved my dream."

 

The meaning of music.

 

"One of the greatest aspects of music is the way it can inspire people. I think inspiration is really the thing that makes ordinary people to do extraordinary things. In that regard music’s impact on the world and what the human race has accomplished cannot be understated. Every time someone elevates themselves and reaches the next level in any form, the whole world wins. I think music plays a large part in helping people achieve things that most people before them thought would be impossible. Every time I hear that someone was listening to Core 10 before they surfed, snowboarded, skated, hit a jump on their bike I feel like I’ve done my part. When I hear our music has inspired people to go out and hit that next level on anything they do I get so stoked!!!"

 

To young musicians.

 

"I like the idea of getting honest opinions about the more exocentric aspects of music as a whole from people who have immersed themselves into their music and devoted a great deal of their lives to it. Even though the music industry is no longer very lucrative for artists, I think that people who feel the draw of creating and performing music will never stop. It can be very difficult to find financial security in music anymore and we have to be a lot more creative in how we earn money from our art. As artists I feel we should always try our best to support our local music scene. We all should remember to get out there and see some local bands. There are some amazing bands out there that really need and deserve our support. So buy a CD or a T-shirt from your friend’s band, get on ITunes and download their songs…it only costs you a few dollars but it helps them so much!! For any of the young musicians out there I just want to say If you beleive in what you are doing, if you got something that you know is good just stick with it. Dont let adversity stop you, cause it will try. Some bands have a record deal fall in their lap…most dont. If you have a good product people will notice. If people notice, the music industry will notice."

 

Last words.

 

"Check out Core 10!! We really do have a unique sound that needs to be heard to be understood. We are a two singer band and while our music isn’t necessarily metal, it certainly touches on that. We have a riff driven, heavy groove that is heavy enough to mosh too, but keeps still will keep you grooving. The vocals come from all influences that we like all the way from hard rock, to metal, to punk, and even has some heavy hip hop driven verses. I think I heard it said best that we sound like everyone, and yet we sound like no one… We are currently finishing up recording our new album with some heavy hitting producers Ronnie King (Offspring, Rancid, Pepper, NOFX, Pennywise), and Darian Rundall (Pennywise, Strung Out, Suicidal Tendencies, Dokken). Our new songs have been getting great response live and we are really looking forward to laying down tracks for them to be recorded. Ronnie, and Darian are two of the best and we are stoked to be able to work with people of their caliber. Follow them on Twitter!"