By Christy Buena, 17, Los Angeles HS
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There’s a great band you should know about: Home Grown. Their songs are fast and catchy, and their stage show is really fun, kind of like the Vandals. Of their three albums, start with "That’s Business," a ska punk CD that has weird songs about wannabes and selling out and impotency. The band’s EP "Connection," a joint project with a band called Limbeck, comes out March 18. They are four guys from Orange County who are not really known—you might have heard their song "Surfer Girl" on KROQ—but they have a future.

For me, interviewing Home Grown was kind of like that MTV show Fanatic. On the way there, my friend Melissa and I were freaking out in the car. We couldn’t believe we were actually going to be talking to the best band in Southern California (in my opinion).

Pretty soon, we were wandering around backstage with our all-access passes, watching the band members warming up.

I was just hoping I wouldn’t screw up. I had talked to one of the band members beforehand on the Internet and he warned me not to ask any dumb questions so the heat was on! My legs were shaking as I turned on my tape recorder.

[talking into my recorder]


Adam: Testing testing 1, 2, I’m not very bright, testing testing
Justin: Oh what?, we didn’t agree on this. [tape recording]
John: That’s true, recording usually costs an extra $15.
Adam: Are we getting paid for this? how much are we getting paid?
Melissa: Are WE getting paid for this? you are.
Adam: We’re not getting paid?!
Justin: Shut up … go ahead.

Christy: First question, we all know your music is good but how would you describe it to someone who has never heard it before? Like say if you were trying to brag about your own band.

Adam: I don’t know if we have to brag, I think it’s just pretty much the best material out there today. [laughing] Wouldn’t you agree Justin?
Justin: I would definitely agree Adam.
Adam: It’s catchy pop. Think of like one of your favorite bands and we’re better than them.
John: Probably the most original …
Adam: Just the best!
John: We’re probably the most underrated band
Justin: Yeah underrated
Adam: Definitely the most underrated band.
John: And definitely ugh the most best looking band too. I mean we look up to our music you know, I mean we stand up to our music.
Adam: If we could sing like N ‘Sync we would be right there … but ugh.
Justin: We can’t dance like them either though. You know?
Adam: Don’t give away anything.
Justin: Sorry
Adam: We’re on the same level.

Christy: OK, and um … second question.


John: NO.
Adam: Next question … maybe

Christy: What’s one of the craziest things a fan has ever done or given to you? Like play-doh or you know …


Justin: I don’t think I can say that here …

[laughing]

John: Justin!!!
Justin: I’m just kidding.
Adam: Craziest thing a fan has done? I forget. Some girl gave us something she made in ceramics class like a big pot that said Home Grown.
Christy: Oh really …
Adam: Like a pot you put things in not like pot pot.
Christy: Oh I was going to make that. I have ceramics class.
Adam: Really? that was kinda nice … not crazy but nice.
John: Some girl made us this really big bong [laughing] No. I don’t know. Most of the time I was drunk anyways.
Adam: I don’t know … I know we’ve gotten some kewl stuff.
John: Oh, talking about fan letters. I’ve gotten, we’ve gotten letters. Actually got a box. Someone got our first album That’s Business and they hated
it. So they took a shit and they sent it in with a tape broken in half.
Adam: yup
Justin: They did?
John: Yeah!
Christy: That’s not real! that’s …
Adam: Seriously! it was pretty kewl.
Christy: Oh my god!
John: you know what that means?! that means that we’re the shit!!!! [laughing]
Christy: OK …

John: NO!

Christy: Do you plan on being on MTV anytime soon?

Adam: Nope … no
John: Only if they pay us.
Adam: I mean do they even plan on even asking us? NO. But mtv would be nice but I’d say no.
Justin: VH1 would be better. ‘Cuz a lot more people watch VH1
Adam: Really?!
Justin: NO.

———————————

talking about Slipknot

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Adam: Go ahead. [laughing] You gotta keep us on track now.

Christy: OK. How has being in a band changed your life? What are the positive stuff?


Adam: Free clothes, free shoes, um … [laughing] what? those are positive things.
John: Positive things about being in a band … lotta girls.
Adam: Meet a lot of people.
Justin: Lotta girls? John gets a lot of girls.
Adam: We’ve traveled the world. Experience men.
Christy: what? huh?
Adam: I mean like you know like, we travel.
Justin: I thought you just said we experience men.
Adam: No I didn’t say experience men!
Melissa: That’s what I heard.

Justin: See that’s what she’s thinking too. She’s like really?
John: What’s wrong with going both ways!?
Christy: I don’t know … no comment
John: Um … I don’t know, it’s just a good experience. We have traveled for free.
Adam: I think its good for everyone to get out of their city, get outta their state, get outta their environment. The world’s a lot bigger.
John: How will you ever grow if you don’t know inside of you.
Adam: That doesn’t make sense. [looking confused] You don’t know inside of you?

Christy: What sucks about being in a band? Is it all the attention? do you guys ever get sick of it?


Justin: Not me … cuz no one knows I’m in the band.
[laughing]
John: I don’t know. No one really notices us I mean, we kinda. We’re not really like good looking guys when you see us onstage you know. I mean that’s just us wearing makeup you know. When we get offstage, we take off our fake muscles and stuff, take off our masks we’re just a bunch of old ugly … mess …
Adam: What’s the name of those uh … see I’m already spoiling it if I ask what the name of it is. What’s the name of this thing I’m wearing right now? The thing I tie with the strings … It’s not a garter belt is it?
Christy: girdle?
Adam: Yeah! my girdle!
John: Girdle, what’s a garter belt?
Adam: Garter belt is those sexy thing that girls wear …
John: AAHHH oh I wear that too. [laughing]

Christy: Do you guys think your attitudes changed from when you guys first started out?


John: Yeah, well, I my ego has gone through the roof. I’m a cocky asshole.
Adam: Yeah he’s a jerk.
Justin: yeah he’s a jerk [laughing]
John: I don’t know I think all of us became more outgoing.
Adam: It opens you up. there’s no room to be shy. Except for Justin.
Justin: I’m still shy.
John: Give him about 3 beers.
Adam: Makes you a more sociable person. Definitely, which is a good thing.

Christy: On the cover of EP Phone home, Johnee’s the ugly Asian alien why is that?

John: Cuz all Asians should die!
Adam: Isn’t that obvious? [laughing]
Justin: Cuz he’s ugly.
John: That’s fucked up dood.
Adam: We put all our faces in and the monster was too good looking huh, Justin?
Justin: That’s right. [laughing]

Adam: Put John in there and it just fit.
John: I’m the monster in the whole group. I’m the crazy one! like the drummer from Hanson.
Adam: He likes gila monster therefore he was the monster.
Justin: He’s the gila monstah.
John: I’m the young drummer from Hanson.
Christy: ZAC? haahahah
Adam: She knows! [laughing and clapping]
John: Oh shit![laughing]
Christy: No I don’t know [laughing all embarrassed]

John: What did you guys think of our new merchandise?
Christy: It’s good

John: Good shit, huh?
Christy: Yeah!

John: That’s what I’m talking about.
Christy: I’m gonna get some.
Justin: Wait, should we not be cussing?
Adam: Did you say you were going to get some? Do you think you can just walk backstage and get our pants down? Is that what your saying?
John: ADAM!!!!! [laughing]
Adam: What? It’s a joke!

Christy: What’s one of the raddest things you guys picked up while touring?


John: Picked up an STD once.
Justin: I think her name was … [laughing]

Adam: I found good 1995 beastwar Transformers on tour.
Justin: I mean we’ve picked up some girls here and there.
Adam: Yeah that’s in our dreams. We’ve picked up a lot of trash that’s still in our van till this very day.
John: A lot of kewl stuffed animals, which became our, um, mascots.
Adam: We take stuffed animals that we get from the machines on tour, and we stick them on the antenna and someone always ends up stealing them.

Christy: What song usually gets the most reaction out of the crowd besides ‘Surfer girl?’


Adam: Pretty much all my songs.
Justin: Everyone just pretty much leaves when they hear them sing.
John: I don’t know probably our faster songs cuz people like to mosh.
Adam: I’d say like "She’s anti"
Justin: Half way through everyone just kinda dies out.
John: Probably the first part of "Grow up." Half way through people get too tired listening to it, "Gosh another riff? AHH" [laughing]

Justin: Barbie girl. I’d say Barbie girl.
John: I think every song that we have that has cussing in it, people like that. I don’t know why. We know pop culture.

Christy: How long do you plan to play with Home Grown?


John: Till we get enough money to start our own lives.
Justin: Well, I’m getting married in like six months so yeah, I think I might have to quit.
John: I dunno I mean, you never know when the fires going to stop burning. It may burn out tomorrow.
Christy: I hope not…

Adam: As long as we can afford to do it you know? We all love to play but I mean sometimes you get to the point in your life where you’re like "dude, where am I going to be in 10 years?" Like where are we going to be? I mean we don’t have our degrees.
John: But if the money keeps coming in like increasing every year …
Adam: That’s the sad thing, you have to make money you know, in order for it to be your career and to play music. You gotta make money, if you don’t make money then you gotta have a job or you can’t tour, can’t do anything.
John: That’s why we improve on selling out. We promote selling out! Right Adam?
Adam: Weah we sell out then, get paid. What did Metallica say?
John: "Yeah, we sell out … every show in the U.S.!" [laughing]

Christy: Who’s the leader/decision maker of the band or is more of a democracy?


John: Justin is.
Adam: Justin is pretty much the …
Justin: I have no say. I’m just the hired guitar player. These guys make all the decisions.
John: Adam and I make all the decisions because we are the guys who have been there the longest. Justin’s our bitch boy. He’s just learning the ropes.
Justin: Yup learning the ropes …

Christy: What kind of tests did justin have to pass to get into Home Grown?


John: See how many beers he can drink. I dunno. I’ve been friends with him for a while, like before the band. He slid right in like Adam already knew him.
Justin: See what happened is I sold merchandise for the Warped tour. These guys were on Warped tour, and after that, I kinda just slid right in.
John: If you can handle a guy on tour, especially Warped tour, and still get along with him, that’s when you know.
Adam: The thing is, he’s not like honestly he’s not like a very good guitar player but he’s a really kewl guy. That’s all that matters. Nah, he’s good. We get along. We all get along as a band. Its a lot of fun. We got along so well with Justin now it just flows now. So it’s really nice.

Christy: Adam, I know you have your own label, hows that going?


Adam: It’s going very well. As a matter of fact, the release is on schedule for the Limbeck/Home Grown. It’s going to have three new songs from Home Grown.
Justin: [whispering] Plug plug!
Adam: That’s right its a plug! It’s going to have three new songs from Limbeck and it’s coming out March 18th. It should be available in all the stores.
Christy: Yeah because it was pretty hard to find EP Phone Home.

Adam: We kinda got a late start on that as far as production. Um … we didn’t get as many … it should be available everywhere. Especially locally in California. You know since we are over here. It will be available. Since Fueled by Ramen is out in Florida.

Christy: Are you guys planning on making a video anytime soon and can I be in it?


[laughing]
John: It all depends on the question of what label we are going to go to next cuz we’re still shopping right now. It all depends. I mean, we’re planning on making a video.
Adam: We’re actually planning on taking a video camera on tour and like compiling up the live video. We thought that would be kewl.
Justin: We are?
John: Who’s video camera?
Adam: We can get one.

Christy: Do you know for which song the video is going to be for?


John: No idea. Probably one of my songs.
Justin: These guys can’t write any hits. They are coming out with one song that’s just going to do it.
Adam: We failed the one hit song.

Christy: Have you guys run into any stalkers? Would you like to share that with us?


Adam: Justin has had a stalker. John has had a stalker!
John: I’ve had a stalker too.
Adam: I had a guy in Texas, yeah a guy, who wanted me to ride his horses on his ranch.
Christy: [laughing] Did you do it?

John: Play with his cockerspaniel. [laughing]

Christy: Mostly all of the shows I’ve attended included Johnee showing off his bum. Is there any chance of us seeing anyone else’s?


John: I’ve got the best ass outta all these guys. Adam’s is just full of pimples. Justin’s got hairy warts on his.
Adam: I’ve seen your butt.
John: My butt is clean!
Adam: Your butt is flat that’s why you bend over.
John: It’s flat and clean!
Adam: He’s got an Asian butt.
[laughing]


Christy: When you go out on tour, what’s one of the most important things you have to bring along on tour?


Justin: Condoms
John: JUSTIN!! Socks, clean socks! [laughing] warm clothes cuz you never know when it’s gonna rain!
Adam: Something you need to bring … Playstation.
John: Video games, CDs, razor, toothbrush. Make sure you have you have your own razor and hide it well, cuz Adam’s gonna use it in the shower and shave some parts. "HEY GUYS CHECK OUT My Spot, check out my mohawk" [laughing]

Adam: Next!!!

Christy: Anyone have any hidden talents?


Justin: Like what?
Melissa: It’s hidden.
John: I’m probably the most talented guy. My leg got cut off in the ‘Nam war.
Adam:
I’m an excellent drummer. I can play the trumpet. That’s my hidden talent. Justin can golf.
Justin: I’m pretty good.
John: I can smoke a bong like really good. I can make girls go away. I’m real good at that.

Christy: What’s one of the most annoying questions people ask you?


John: The most annoying one is do you guys have girlfriends? s—, I ain’t gonna get a girlfrien’.
Adam: Pretty much all the ones you’ve asked. [laughing] It’s gotta be how long have you guys been together.
Justin: NO the one, how did you get to where you are now?
Adam: Yeah that’s not a good one either.
John: How can our band get a show with you guys?
Adam: How can I get backstage?
John: This goes to all the high schools too. huh? Oh gosh, we’re gonna be dicks, huh?

Christy: Will we ever hear Home Grown ska punk again? or is that a lost song?


Adam: I think it’s a lost sound. Very lost. There will be no ska in the next album. Justin refuses to play it.
Justin: I refuse to play it therefore they won’t write anymore of it.

Christy: Why is that Justin?


Justin: I really don’t like that style of music.
Adam: We’re a rock and roll band now. We want to be the next Nirvana that doesn’t do drugs.
Justin: We’re going to be the clean Nirvana.

Melissa: Would you guys ever play an Elton John tribute concert?
Adam: Elton John tribute concert? I don’t really like Elton John.
Justin: I don’t like Elton John either.
Adam: His music is cool but I can’t stand the looks of that guy.
John: But anyways, that would be like playing for Liberace.

Christy: How often do you guys practice dancing? Once a week, twice a week, cuz you seem to like dancing onstage a lot. Are you guys club freaks or what?


John: NO, yeah we are. We um. We are big techno rave freaks you know. WE like techno music. We watch Christina Aguilera videos.
Justin: That’s not techno.
Adam: Christina Aguilera isn’t techno? I don’t know what I listen to then. Are you guys normally this stupid?
Melissa: yes.

Christy: Who got the most chicks in high school?


Adam: Well, Ian did. Me and John went to the same high school. Me and Justin and Bob but Ian got the most girls. Is this publication going to Estancia HS? Prolly not? Well, I was a player. I was quite debonair.
John: He used to wear shirts that said, let a playah play.

Christy: Is that your final answer?


Adam: Uh i’d like to call a friend. [laughing]
Justin: Why don’t you answer that question. Who do you think got the most girls in HS?
Christy: um … hmm … Adam!
Adam: There ya go, she answered it for you.
John: OH! am i not good looking? [laughing] s—!


Christy: All right, who has the biggest guitar in the band?


[laughing & clapping]

John: Whoa!
Adam: I’m like where’s this question going?
John: Who’s got the biggest guitar??? OHHH!
Adam: Hey put this, our guitars hang very well.
John: They are all well strung. It depends on the weather.
Justin: Our straps hang low.
Adam: No i don’t know. Depends on the ocean temperature.

Christy: Who and or what are your current inspirations when it comes to music. I see you’ve gotten into the emo scene now?


John: No, we actually don’t listen to music. It lets our creativity run low.
Adam: We’re in the emo scene now?
John: Who says we’re in the emo scene now?
Melissa: This guy named Aaron.
Justin: We’re not emo.
John: Aaron can kiss my a–! We appreciate Jimmy Eat World and like Sunnyday Realstate and the Get Up Kids. But I wouldn’t call us emo.
Adam: I wouldn’t say we were into it either. I’d say there was a lot of good emo music though.
Christy: I’m gonna have to talk to that guy.
John: How can you be an emo band from Orange County?

Christy and Melissa: This is our last resort question. Who has the most cavities in the band?


John: I got the biggest cavity if you know what I mean. [laughing]
Justin: I don’t have any I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Adam: I have like 2 cavities. You don’t have any cavities?
Justin: Not anymore.
Adam: What do you mean not anymore?
John: Oh I had oh … I didn’t have a cavity my whole life. I didn’t go to my dentist for 2 years came back and I had 8 cavities. I had to get 8 fillings in one day. I almost cried.

Christy: It’s finished.

Justin: That’s it?
Melissa: Should it be longer?
Adam: Thank you for having us. oh people can visit us at www.homegrownonline.com.
Justin: And what else Adam???
Adam: And if you want to visit Utility Records visit www.utilityrecords.com.