Last year, I had the privilege of engaging in a one-on-one conversation with Kyle Rutchland from Havoc Faction on the Hawk-IT Podcast. I have transformed this insightful discussion into a post to share his musical journey, details about his band, and his diverse interests with you. I trust you will find it enjoyable and informative.
AA: Where are you from? Tell us your origin story.
KR: Oh, yeah. For sure. So, I was born in Oregon in 1990. I grew up in Oregon, Southern Oregon, in Medford, until I was about 10. Then my family moved to Maui, and that was in 02/2001. I lived in Maui until I was 18, when I graduated high school in 02/2009. Right after high school, I moved to Los Angeles, and I've been here ever since. And I just made fifteen years, which is kind of wild to think about.
AA: What was your upbringing like, you, man?
KR: I was honestly really, really blessed with a good family. I had two amazing parents who gave me a younger brother, Corey. And he and I have been close our entire lives.
KR: Also, we were in a band together at one point. But yeah, it was good. Of course, everyone has some sort of hardship in their life. I had to go through the event of my mom battling cancer when I was young, which was kind of a whole angsty time. It was right after our move to Maui.
KR: She was diagnosed with cancer, and then she had to battle that for a few years. Ultimately, cancer won, unfortunately, but it was, you know, it was something that shaped me to go through that from 11 years old to 13 years old. But then my dad eventually remarried, and my stepmother is pretty incredible. And we've always just been a tight-knit family. So, even throughout the hardship, it's like I can't complain because I'm lucky that my dad was always there. He was always there for my brother and me. So yeah.
AA: How has your favorite childhood memory influenced your music, which eventually, as you got older, you decided, I'm gonna start to be in a band or start my music career?
KR: Oh, that's an excellent question. I like that question.
KR: I would say that music has always been so important to me. Ever since I was little, I
remember when I was kind of wild. My long-term memory is really good. I remember the day my brother was born in 1994. I was three and a half, and I still remember that day.
KR: I remember walking up to the hospital with one of my mom's friends and, like, was there for that whole event. So, like, my long-term memory is pretty great. I remember always wanting MTV on when I was tiny; my mom would put it on. And, like, it was always music videos and just music, and I was just, like, exposed to all this different stuff. And I would dance to it, and I was just obsessed.
KR: There's, like, video of it on, like, VHSs, of me just, like, wanting to dance to MTV all the time. And then as I got older, I became obsessed with the boy band stuff. I was really into the Backstreet Boys and NSYNC, ninety eight Degrees, all that stuff. And then that blossomed into Blink One Eighty Two and Creed and Life House and, like, a bunch of just kind of alternative rock music, nineties alternative, like Third Eye Blind, Goo Goo Dolls. Like, I've always just been obsessed with music.
KR: And I'd love to just, like, sing and dance. And my mom always said, I could see you doing something with music. Like, she always kinda said that. She's like me and my brother, because I would get him in on it too once he got old enough. We would just be singing and dancing and putting on little performances at home and stuff.
KR: And, it kind of, like it's just it was always there and instilled in me. And then as I got older and, like, I got into the music that really shaped me, which was, like, a lot of Nemo and post hardcore and punk and metal and all that kind of stuff. That music just meant so much to me because it gave me an extra layer of depth that it just you know, all those lyrics that were super, like, meaningful and heartfelt got me through, like, hard times, you know, just everything that everyone's kinda goes through during those formative years. It kinda just transcended into that, and then I became, like, I got to a point where I was like, yeah. That's all I wanna do.
KR: I just want to make music. And then I was like, okay, now I have to learn. I have to learn how to make music. But it was, yeah.
KR: So it has been instilled in me as a big part of my life since I was little.
AA: How long did it take you to learn music and eventually start with your band with your brother, which was called Green Line Theory?
KR: Dude, it was a journey. I remember, like, when I first started, trying to teach myself guitar, like, we had an acoustic guitar in the house, because my dad was gonna try to teach himself guitar, and he never did. But at least he got a guitar, because then my brother and I started teaching ourselves.
KR: He got better than me faster. So, I switched to learning bass, and I kinda I went to a three eleven concert, and three eleven's bass is fucking rips. And I was like, dude, I'll play bass. I just went and bought a bass the day after that concert and started learning bass. I had a friend named Andrew who's a killer musician. He could, like, literally do anything. Having a friend like that helps because he is able to, like, he can, just teach me, and he made it look so easy. And I'm like, okay. Cool. I can
do this.
KR: But it was just kind of a journey. It's just tea, like, teaching myself everything and having friends help and learn like that. And then, that was, like, when I was in high school. And then when I graduated and moved to LA, I had to take it upon myself to be like, okay. If I want to do this, I really have to, like I need to buckle down and try to get better and learn more.
KR: So I had two I was in, like, two female-fronted bands before Greenlight Theory. And we played one show, and then that was it. But it was fun. I learned a lot from that. And then the other one, we played a couple of shows.
KR: And, we actually made, like, a little bit of money off of, like, one or two of the shows, and I was like, oh, shit. I'm getting a taste of what being a performing musician is like. But then that ended as well. And then it was after that, I was like, okay. I'm, like, hungry for this.
KR: Like, I feel like this is attainable now. And so, when Corey finally moved to LA with me in 02/2012, I was like, he got good at guitar and singing and stuff. So, I was like, let’s start a band. Let’s write it, let's at least just, like, write a song together and, like, go from there. And he was like, at first, he wanted to be a musician too.
KR: Like, he played. I remember he played an acoustic show back on Maui in Hot Topic with a friend of his. He had, like, a little project, a little Myspace project called Pretty Going Fast, when he was in high school. So, and he, you know, he wrote some cool songs that I was like, dude, like, this is actually pretty good. Like, I was really impressed with my little brother. I was like, I was like, dude, let's fucking let's write a song together.
KR: So we wrote, what would be Who's Lost and Found Now? And I brought that to one of my good friends at the time. Well, he's still my good friend. But at the time, he was a pretty new friend. We just became friends, my friend Scott Waltman.
KR: And I know that, like, he was in a band called Little Beach, and he used to be in another band called City Drive and which was signed to, like, Columbia. And they did, like, touring. I think they did a year-long war tour or something like that. I can't remember. But he had experienced that, so I brought the song to him.
KR: I was like, hey. What do you think of this song? And he was like, oh, shit. This is really good. He's like, You guys need another guitarist? And I was like, yeah. We do. And he's like, alright. Let's do it. So then that's how we got Scott, because of that song.
KR: He's like, I believe in the song. I was like, if you guys can do more like this, like, this could be this could be something really cool. He's like, if you guys just listen to me and, like, just kind of follow my lead. Like, I think we could do something with this. So then after that, I hit up my friend, Drew.
KR: He was a fellow barista. He says we're gonna Starbucks at the time. He was also a barista, and I knew he played drums, so I hit him up. And I was like, hey, dude. Here's some, like, kind of demos of some songs you're writing if you wanna be part of this. And he liked it too, and he's like, alright. Yeah. Let's fucking do it. So that's how Greenlight Theory formed. That's cool.
AA: What were some of your memorable experiences during that time? Did you do any concerts or anything like that?
KR: Oh, yeah. That was when I really experienced what it's like to be a musician and to play, like, legit shows and sell merch and hustle and have a fan base and everything like that. Like, we kinda did it.
KR: Like, for three years, we kind of accomplished a lot. It was really impressive, and a lot of that was definitely Scott's experience in the music industry and everything like that. Because, obviously, Corey and I had no fucking idea. So he was really able to take some of the reins, kind of, and, like, handle some of that business aspect that gave us a lot of opportunities. Like, we got to open up for Hawthorne Heights in New York City.
KR: We got to play with Against the Current in New York City. Our very first show as Green Line Theory was actually at the Roxy. That's nice. That's cool. And that was, like I think we brought, like, over a hundred people to that show.
KR: And, it was wild. Like, it was like, when those curtains first came up, like, I was so
nervous. I was like, holy shit. But I was also so excited. Like, it was like, I was nervous, but also was like, this is exactly, like, what I've dreamed of.
KR: Like, this is this is, like, everything I've ever wanted. So it just also felt like this is where I'm supposed to be, as nervous as I was, but it's just like I was just kinda more excited. I was more like, yes. Like, it was like, fuck. Yeah.
KR: This is it. And, ever since then, I've just I just can't I just can't stop. But, yeah, all the experiences I had in Greenlight Theory definitely shaped me, and I learned a lot. So, going back to your very first concert, you did, were you when you were performing, were you paying attention to the audience, or were you just trying to, like, let me get through my set so I wouldn’t mess up? Honestly, I would probably say at that point, after I've had a couple of little shows under my belt, I definitely was just I loved being on stage. And as nervous as I was, I definitely remember, and I think I have pictures of that that kinda showcase it. I was definitely just I was in performance mode, and I think that honestly is where I shined because, like, my bass playing, mediocre at best. But I loved just performing. Like, I loved having energy, and I loved singing, and I loved, like, playing music. Even though I was, like, kinda sloppy here and there, it was still more so, just I had fun playing and performing and being, like, in front of a crowd.
AA: Do you have any rituals or anything to do before you start performing, like a warm-up session with your voice, anything like that?
KR: Oh, yeah. Especially, especially now. I have to because screaming can take its toll, especially if you're not warmed up or, you know, if you just go in raw dogging your voice, it can definitely lead to damage.
KR: So I make sure I'm really well warmed up. I also have a thing I enjoy, like, whether it's before practice or before a show, if there's a 7-Eleven nearby, I love getting a French vanilla cappuccino, half French vanilla cappuccino and half just coffee. That's always just kinda been, like I don't know why. It just became my thing, that's what I drink before I perform because it's, like, a little bit of caffeine, but not too much. It's warm, sweet.
KR: It's just kind of, like, comforting. And there's always a seven eleven usually kinda nearby wherever I'm performing at, so I've always been able to have access to that where it's, whereas a Starbucks or something that has like tea is, like, kinda a little harder to get to sometimes. But I can usually find a 7-Eleven and, like, get my hands on a little French vanilla cappuccino coffee thing that just I don't know. It just kind of became my new comfort thing after, like, ten years.
AA: So now tell us about your new project, Havoc Faction. When did you get started, and what is it about?
KR: So, Havoc Faction, I technically came up with this idea kind of I think it was in 2016, before Greenlight Theory officially broke up. At that point, I loved when we were doing Greenlight Theory, and I really thought that there was gonna be longevity to it. So I was kind of like, okay.
KR: Cool. If we're gonna be doing this for a bit, I also wanna kinda make, like, a side project, something that I can kinda just put my heart into. Because, I mean, I've put my heart into Greenlight Theory, but I wanna do, like, something different. I wanted a different kind of style of music. I really love heavy music.
KR: So I was kinda like I want to kinda have my own little side project that I can kind of front and, like, kinda maintain myself. So I thought Havoc Faction was just gonna be this science fiction y side project thing that, like, would have, like, just a little cult following. And, you know, I'd be able to use kinda Greenlight Theory fan base on it, but also, like, kinda garner, like, new fans too. But I never really, like, thought it was gonna be, like, my main thing. I thought it was gonna be this just fun little side project I just kinda work on in my own time.
KR: But then once, Greenlight Theory ended, later in 2016, I was like, well, shit. I guess I'm gonna make this, like, my full thing because I asked for you. I was like, do you wanna continue Greenlight Theory, or, like, what do you wanna do? He's like, nah. I don't really wanna do music anymore.
KR: I was like, well, fuck. Okay. Well, I do. So I guess, Havoc Faction, it is. And, Havoc Faction always had this, like, kinda science fictiony story element to it that I wanted.
KR: It's gone through a different a few different, like, kinda incarnations. But once I settled on, like, the idea of being a vigilante in a post-apocalyptic world, that's where I was like, that's it. That's what a habit faction is. And then I started coming up with concepts and designs for, like, how I wanna look on stage and, like, what kind of like like, what would a vigilante in a post-apocalyptic world look like? And I wanna incorporate, like, kind of that punk influence that I have and stuff like that.
KR: So that's kinda where that aesthetic, like, came from. And so once I kinda got all that locked in, then I started writing a song. And I always had this riff, like, this, the kind of picking and and boards that for a song that I never really did anything with, but I had it since, like, 2012, I think. 2011, actually, is when I first wrote it. And I was like, well, this isn't a good time to finally finish this song that I wrote five years ago.
KR: So I turned that into a song, and that became Keyboard Warriors. And that was the first song that I released, and which is perfect because I think it has a cool eerie, like, sci-fi vibe to it. And I was like, alright. Cool. This is it.
KR: I'm doing it. I'm doing this. And this is when, like, I really had to push my vocals because I knew I wanted to write kinda heavier music, and I was so used to singing a little higher pitched, like, really pop punky kind of stuff. And I knew I wanted to scream, and I didn't know how, and I had to learn that. So it was just kind of this process that I learned, actually, like, while in the recording studio, which was with my friend Joel Ferber, who's the guitarist of the band True North.
KR: He found Greenlight Theory and reached out. I was like, yo. I just finished mine. I would love to, like, produce you guys if you have a song. At the time, I was kinda running, like, the socials for Greenlight Theory, and I was like, hey, dude.
KR: Greenlight Theory unfortunately broke up, but I'm starting a new project, and I could definitely use a producer, so maybe we can work on that. And he was down, so we met up and told him my ideas, and went to his home studio and recorded Keyboard Warriors. He actually played the lead guitar parts in that song, the guitar solo, and stuff. I played everything else. And then Tim, their singer, actually kinda helped me learn how to scream while in the studio.
KR: And that was that was a lot of fun to kinda get to that point. And hearing those screams back on that song, that was, like, literally my first time screaming. And I was always like, fuck. These are brutal. Like, I can do this.
KR: I think I could actually fucking I can scream. I just gotta, you know, practice it and get it down. But, yeah. So that's that's, like, really how Habit Faction started.
AA: So do you do you, did you have a comic book a favorite comic book character or
comic books you read when you were a teenager or a kid?
AA: When I was looking through your YouTube channel and your band, I saw a lot of influences from my comic books. Did you grow up reading any?
KR: Yeah. So, my first introductions, for sure, were the Batman animated series as a kid. Batman, X-Men, Spider-Man—that, like, is what really got me into that world. I would say, like, I got into actually reading comic books. Actually, in my twenties is when I actually got into reading books. And I would say, like, I started off with Spider-Man, got into that, and then Nightwing actually became one of my favorites. I enjoyed I enjoyed night I feel like I, related to Nightwing more than Batman.
KR: That's cool and stuff. But it was reading the Nightwing comics that was where I was like, oh, I like this. This is for sure, this resonated with me a lot. So, having read a lot of Nightwing, that's kind of, like, what inspired my look for Backdraft. A bit of Nightwing and then a bit of Red Hood.
KR: Like, I love the backstories of all the different Robins in Batman, and I kinda just took
little bits of those characters, and that's kind of what inspired Backdraft, basically. But, yeah, the comic book aspect, like, I fell in love with just the world building and the character arcs and everything like that, the art styles.
AA: So now going back to the Havok faction, could you tell a story about all the characters, the costumes, superpowers, or villains in the world that you either thought of or, like, already are out there in the world that people can, like, think about?
KR: Absolutely. So, like, kind of just in a nutshell, the world of Havoc Faction is kind of this post-apocalyptic, kinda wasteland world that was forged by, originally, a disease that kinda overtook the world, and it was manufactured. It was a manufactured virus that overtook the world. And in the midst of that chaos like, there was some little bit of nuclear fallout because they're trying to contain everything. It's just the world kinda really turned to chaos.
KR: It just turned completely upside down. In the midst of all this, the people who put out this virus, who manufactured the virus, they're the secret society, and they went underground while, like, the world kinda just bore itself apart. And then years later, like, a couple of generations later, they rise back up to the surface, and they form what's called Unity City. In the midst of this, they only have so much room in their city walls, so they had to kinda push people out. But they also wanted these people to be the, quote, unquote, explorers.
KR: So, these people are now building settlements outside the city and trying to rebuild in this wasteland. But then they realized, oh my god. No. This world is still in turmoil. This is not how we planned.
KR: This is we thought, like, we could reset this world and, like, make it beautiful, but it's they they learn that, like, oh, we actually fucking destroyed everything. So, but they're like, no matter. It's fine. We'll still we gotta stick to the plan. So in the midst of that, you do have people who are living outside the wasteland and everything.
KR: And then the people who were pushed outside to settle there have kids. And now they're all trying to survive and be out there, and then they realize, oh my god. We got fucked over by our government and the city. Like, they just put us out of here to die, basically. So now there's this kind of class war between the people who are out in the settlements, out in, like, outer haven, and the wasteland, and then the people, like, inside the city.
KR: So that's where that turmoil kinda starts. And backdraft and the other acolytes, I call them acolytes. These are people who had their genes kind of, like, also manipulated in order to survive in the wasteland. So it's kinda like I call them acclimations because it's like, you know, you get acclimated to your new surroundings, your new environment, stuff like that. So I call them acclimatize with acclimations. And, this is where I take a little inspiration from X Men. I always thought X Men was really cool. I love, like, the ensemble thing. I love the superpowers. I love, like, they're mutants, and they're born that way, and all of our things. But I also really think that people will be able to manipulate genetics and stuff like that. And I was like, damn.
KR: That's technology that exists. Like, that's crazy. So I kinda really took inspiration from that, and I made it so, like, these people could actually manipulate their genes and give themselves these abilities. But it's only a technology that I made it so only one person had it, and they're the ones who kinda did it to all these kids and all these other people, and it kinda just spread like that. So you have these acclamites who live outside trying to survive, and they have these new abilities.
KR: So that's what kind of what forms havoc faction. It's these kids who grew up, and they have these abilities and stuff. And so they kinda take it upon themselves to be the protectors of their settlement outer haven out in the wasteland because the city is not doing it. So within that realm, the Havoc faction is now the protectors of their outer haven settlement. But they also wanna be the liberators of Unity City because they realize that the governor who's in charge of all of this is actually just corrupt as fuck.
KR: And there are people who live within the city walls. There's just conflict in that city as well. There's conflict. There's people who, like, absolute who, you know, have a bleeding heart about the people who are pushed out or screwed over and just living outside in the wasteland. They feel like they need to be helping everyone, then there are the people who are more like, no. Absolutely not. We need to stay with we need to just stay here. This is our sanctuary. Like, everyone else can just fucking suck it, basically.
KR: So, there's that whole inner turmoil as well. So, basically, I'm just kind of taking a lot of inspiration from a lot of real life, like, you know, politics, or scenarios, or class wars, or just philosophy and things like that. And I've been just kind of building that world.
AA: Because I know there's your character. You're the front man. And who are the guitarist, bass player, and drummer? What are they representing in the faction? Yeah.
KR: So, I finally have kind of a stable lineup because I've gone through, I've gone through a few different characters. I had to kill one character off my original drummer, Paul, AKA Brace. He was kind of the first one to leave the band, and he's also, like, my closest friend. So I kinda was like, dude, I'm gonna, is it cool if I kill you in the comics? He's like, oh, yeah.
KR: It'd be an honor. So I gave him this, like, kind of death that sets backdraft on this path, of trying to find new faction members and everything like that. So I recruited my new drummer, Kevin, AKA Zero. His ability is that he can make people sick by touch. That's why we call it, like, patient zero.
KR: So he's like he can't get sick or anything like that. He's, like, impervious to disease, viruses, everything, but he can make people sick by on contact. And then there's Joel, my backup vocalist, rhythm guitarist, AKA FaZe. His ability is that he has, like, super hyper, senses, and reflexes. We can kinda move really quickly. Not necessarily the Flash. He's not like a speedster. He can, like, run really fast, but he has reflexes that he can, like, just kinda really move really quickly, and he perceives time in a different way. Like, he can kinda see things, like, moving at slow mo.
KR: He kinda sees how things are, like, kinda moving in general, and it gives him this, like, extra reaction time. And that comes with, like, all his heightened sentences and stuff like that. And then I have Neon, my lead guitarist. He has the ability to conduct electricity through touch. So, like, he can power things, like lights, vehicles, things like that, whatever, like, needs electricity.
KR: Like, he can kind of conduct electricity. But it can also be a thing where you can use, like, you make anything a weapon, basically. Like, you know, if there's, like, enemies that are, like, on, like, touching metal or water or anything like that, you can kind of just send that electricity through and take them out like that.
AA: So now, from all the songs you have released so far from your past band and now, what is your favorite to perform, and what do the songs mean to you personally?
KR: Oh, that's a good question. So since our start, we've, I mean, we honestly, in the past, like, got we released our first EP in 2018. So since I released, see, I've had two EPs and, like, a couple singles. I have only had seven songs that we've performed or, I guess, eight now with including the newest one. I would probably say My Human Condition is one of my favorite songs that I've written for Havoc Faction.
KR: The music was written by my former member, Ty, AKA Nomad. He wrote all the music for My Human Condition, and I was able to write the vocals over to that. And that was always one of my favorites. It's a ballad. It's the one that, like, kinda tells the most story, I think.
KR: I really try to paint a picture in that song. It's also the song that anytime we have a fight scene when when my villain shows up at shows, we usually have a fight scene, and I usually have him win because it goes perfectly into my human condition because that's it's a song about picking yourself up after losing picking yourself up when you're defeated, which is something, like, you know, you can take in the literal sense of, like, losing a fight and picking yourself up, which is kinda how I wrote it. But it's really a metaphor for just when you feel defeated by life. And that's why that song has always meant a lot to me because it's really, like you know, it's something that everyone, I feel like, can that just goes through. You just there's so much time, so many times you're just like, I feel so defeated.
KR: How do I get back up? So that song was written to kind of be a song about that. So that's one of my favorites, especially when we perform it after the fight scene. I feel like it's always had this, like, extra, like, layer of depth to it that makes it really powerful. But, honestly, I would probably say Home Wrecked is one of my favorites to perform live because that song is our probably most upbeat song.
KR: And it's bouncy, and it's catchy. It always gets a pretty good response, and jumping around to it is just fun. But ending our set with, like, Welcome to the Fight is also really fun because that's our heavy, kinda more metal, core kinda song. So that one always like that one, usually gets a pit, and people go hard to that one. So that's always fun.
KR: And then, like, the way it ends with the outro, where I'm just doing harmonies and stuff with Joel. And I get to kinda take a little lead part, just kinda sing it almost like in a poppy way when I'm just kind of, like, singing that to take a little lead part kinda outro. It's just kind of different, and it's a strong way to end the song and end the set. So that's always a good one too. I would say those are my top three.
AA: How do you handle criticism or negative feedback about your music, and what steps do you take to improve your craft?
KR: Oh, that's a good one. You know what's funny is, I would probably say the only, like, negative criticism I would ever don't even really consider it, consider it negative. I've only received really constructive criticism, which is that, you know, sometimes, sometimes my vocals are a little hit and miss, which is understandable because I do a lot.
KR: You know, I run around. I say I jump around. I'm singing and I'm screaming. So sometimes I hear there's a little bit of inconsistency there, but that's really coming from, like, people that are, like, my harshest critics. And I, so I just take them, like, okay. I'm gonna make sure I work really hard to just be on it and just really put myself to that next level. But I've never, like I would probably say the only negative stuff I've already received, like, online or, like, from, like, strangers is, you know, they love to lean on your band's just a gimmick. And to that, I always say I'm like, it's not a gimmick because it has intention. Like, I don't just. It's hard work. It's not easy to be a band and, like, grow out and go get popular. It's like it's steps involved. People don't understand that, like, new bands struggle for a few years, and then when it hits, you guys get popular, then it's like, okay. Then you have made it wherever your goal is.
KR: Yeah. Exactly. And so, like, I always kinda hate when people have that mindset of, like, oh, you wear costumes. You're a gimmick. And I'm like, I don't even I honestly don't even know what the fuck that means. But because for me, I'm like, no. I wear this with intention.
There's meaning behind it. Mhmm. Like, honestly, like, it's almost more of a gimmick to just kinda go out and not give a shit about what you're wearing. You just kinda look plain. Like, to me, that's almost because, like, it's almost like that's your theme.
Your theme is just unintentional clothing. Or it's like with us, it's like everything's intentional. Like, we wear this because it fits with this other story that we're building, and, like, we are these characters. Like, this is who we are. Like, there, there's no, like we don't do this for attention.
KR: We do this because that is the theme, and that is what we are building, and that is that there's a point to it. And also, yeah, we do wanna be memorable. We do wanna be a band. If, like, if you see us, you have no idea who we are, but you're like, oh, yeah. The band with, like, the masks and the lights and stuff. Like, we have, like, things that are on us that when we perform, people will remember. And they can, like, kinda gravitate to and be like, oh, I love that. I love this aesthetic. This is so cool and different. I feel like this day and age is like, if you're not striving to be memorable and different, you will just be lost in the shuffle. Other things that are on us that people will remember when we perform.
AA: So now are you working on any new projects that you'll be releasing soon, like music, comic books, any based on your band?
KR: Yeah. So right now, we are working on an acoustic EP. We took five of our songs. We recorded acoustic versions.
KR: I recorded a new original song. That's an acoustic song, so that'll be on there too. So that acoustic EP, we're hoping to release that probably maybe in the fall. But on top of that, we are writing a full-length album, and that is kind of, like, our big goal right now.
KR: We've written, I wanna say, about four songs so far. We wanna do three more and then kinda go from there. We kinda really wanna lean into the conceptual side of this record and give it, like, a couple interludes and, like, little story elements in the album. Like, kinda how I don't know if you're familiar with Star Set, but they're kind of, like, a big inspiration on why I wanted to be a concept band. Because of their records, you listen to that record from front to back.
KR: It's just there are awesome little things in between songs that just kind of, like, really kind of immerse you into the listening experience, and it's like listening to a story, basically. So that's what I wanna do with this, but in my own way. But that's what we're working on on top of, yeah, the comic book. I'm working on a comic book sampler right now that I can start putting out at shows and selling online, and stuff like that, just to get people or pass out even. I wanna be able to pass it out at, like, Comic Con.
KR: I wanna be able to have, like, something tangible that I can get people interested in before I actually release the seven-issue comic book. So that's what we're working on right now.
AA: What hobbies do you enjoy when you're not, like, writing music or just when you wanna relax?
KR: Oh, so I'm like I'm a balance between I love going outdoors.
KR: I love surfing and hiking, and rock climbing. Even though I haven't rock climbed as much as I used to, I do miss that a lot. I love being outdoors. I'm actually gonna go surfing today, or after our discussion. So that stuff means a lot to me.
KR: But equally, on the other side of it, I really enjoy watching. I'm a big movie buff. I love watching movies. I love watching good shows. I recently kinda started getting back into playing video games.
KR: I haven't, like, played video games in a long time, but I picked up Devil May Cry. Because I heard they will be doing a Devil May Cry anime on Netflix. So I kinda just been, like, getting all back into Devil May Cry, which is, like, probably one of my favorite franchises or, like, favorite IPs. Like, favorite video games in general.
KR: I love the Devil May Cry games. And I honestly like, I was playing Devil May Cry three the other night, and I was like, dude, if I can have, like, a havoc faction game that kinda plays like this, I would be so happy. Like, that would be so fun. So I've been kinda getting back into that. Just kind of yeah. Just chilling and getting inspiration from things that I love, movies and stuff like that. So, what are some of your favorite movies that you enjoy and why? Oh, so I'm a big, like, sci-fi person. Like, some of my favorite movies are, like, I love Blade Runner, movies. It used to be just, you know, the one.
KR: But ever since they came out with that sequel, I’m like, well, I love both of those movies. I love Blade Runner. I love The Matrix. I also really love comedies, like old school, like, Van, Van Wilder is, like, one of my favorite comedies. Wedding Crashers, stuff like that.
But, of course, like, I’ve actually been showing my girlfriend the X Men movies. It's been kind of fun rewatching those. Kinda fun. Because there's, like, there's fun aspects to it, but there are often times, like, god. There are so many missed opportunities in this, or, like, you know, things that they're, I'm like, why didn't they, oh my god. So I forgot, like, some of the things that, like, drove me nuts about some of those movies, but it's been so fun to kinda rewatch them because we're getting ready for Deadpool. Because I'm excited for Deadpool. I feel like Ryan Reynolds is gonna make sure that it's good. And, you know, having Hugh Jackman back as Wolverine and the yellow suit, like, there are things I'm excited about with it.
KR: It's and it's nice to feel excited about it because there have been so many other things I'm just like, I don't care. I don't care. Like, the acolyte show didn't even bother. I didn't watch any of the Star Wars stuff. I stopped watching Star Wars after the last movie with Harrison Ford, in which he was.
AA: I was like, I'm done with Star Wars. That last movie’s movie was, like, my end with Star Wars. Like, I'm done with your franchise. You've also taken it down to the gutter. Yeah.
KR: I, yeah. Same. I just can't I mean, they're Rogue One was cool, and, like, the two seasons of Mandalorian was good, but, like, it's just hard to even enjoy those when everything else surrounding us just kinda crap. So it's just, like, it's been rough. But what else have I enjoyed?
KR: Trying to think. Oh, dude. The last Top Gun movie was probably one of my favorite movies that's come out recently. I watched a lot of movies, so sometimes I forget, like, oh, what else did I just watch that I really loved? I try to have a list of, like, things that I watch that I love.
KR: But, yeah, I love me a good action, love me a good horror. I kinda wanna go see that new, Long Legs one. It's that new horror movie that Nicholas Cage, I think, directed or something like that. I'm gonna try to go see that this weekend. I think I'm gonna try to go see A Quiet Place day one.
KR: I like the Quiet Place movies. So, yeah, I have the AMC, Stubbs premiere thing, so I can go see, like, a few movies a week. So it makes it fun. It makes me think, oh, okay. I might as well just go check that out.
KR: Check out something I maybe normally wouldn't have. So You know, what are some of your favorite TV shows that you enjoy watching? I've been watching The Boys. This season's a little up and down compared to the last seasons. But I've also just been kinda getting back into anime.
KR: I started rewatching Attack on Titan and My Hero Academia, because I never finished those. I I I just fell off them, like, after a couple seasons, and I'm like, I need to go back and rewatch these. So I've actually been rewatching some anime. I just worked Anime Con just a couple of weeks ago. So it kind of, like, really just kinda invigorated, like, my love for anime again. And I was like, I need to get back into anime. It's been a minute. So, yeah, just kinda getting back in anime and stuff. Other than that like, some of my favorite shows that I can rewatch are, like, Altered Carbon. I love the Altered Carbon show on Netflix.
KR: I think that show is really cool. I'm really excited for them to do the BioShock show on Netflix. I think that could be really cool. How I Met Your Mother is, like, one of my favorite shows. I'm usually I usually throw that in my rotation when I just need to throw something on, just to, you know, feel good.
KR: I'll throw I've watched how I've watched How I Met Your Mother probably, like, four times. So that's one of my favorite shows. Same with Friends. But, yeah, that's pretty much on top of my head what I can think of.
AA: So now tell me about the three most influential people in your life and how they affected you positively or negatively.
KR: You got these good in-depth questions. I would start off with Dustin Kenthru, the singer of Thrice, is probably one of the most inspirational people to me. Thrice was always my favorite band. Dustin Kenthru is just such he's a very strong character. He's very guy he's kind of like like, his moral compass is just so I don't even know what the word is, but he's just, like, gravitational.
KR: Like, he I he I feel like it's because of him, is why not solely, but, like, a large amount is because of why my moral compass is kinda set, like, strongly. Like, listening to his music and his lyrics just really inspired me to make sure I'm being, like, a good person, basically, is what I'm trying to say. Like, and to look outside myself and look inside myself and look at the world and look at just everything through such a lens that allows you to see things for what they are and but also have an open mind and everything like that. So getting to meet him actually, like, was one of my favorite moments in my life. So Dustin Kensby, for sure, is one of the most inspirational people to me.
KR: I probably have to say, honestly, my dad. I feel like I can't go without saying, like, my dad went through so much and has also stayed such a strong, consistent person. He never let the hardships of life derail him or deter him from being his authentic self. And, like, there was really, it just feels like there's nothing that can, like, bring my dad down. And for that, I just have so much respect for him, and I'm grateful that my dad is that way.
KR: Like, losing my mom, he was there for us, that he that, like, that didn't even derail him from being a good dad. My parents, unfortunately, lost their house to a fire in 2020, and even that didn't derail them. Like, they stayed strong, and they came out, and they found an even better house that they love. So, like, they just go through these things that just, and they just come out, like, still solid, and I love that. And then I'd probably say the third one is gonna be a fictional character, and that is gonna be Dante from Devil May Cry.
KR: I fucking love that character. I just love him, I just love how he handles life. I love that he's fighting demons and does it with a sense of humor, doesn't take life too seriously, and kicks a lot of ass and just enjoys doing it. And I love I love I love that he doesn't take himself too seriously. I think that's great, and I just always try to remind myself that I don't need to take myself too seriously.
AA: Now if you could have dinner with any three people, dead or alive, who will those people be and why?
KR: Dead or alive. Well, obviously, it would be nice to have dinner with my. If you could have dinner with any three people, dead or alive, who would they be? It would also be nice to have dinner with Ryan Reynolds. I feel like that would be a great time.
KR: I would love to have dinner and drinks with Ryan Reynolds. And then I would also I would also love to have dinner with Jesse Leach, the singer of Kill, Swish, Engaged, because he enjoys whiskey as much as I do, and I feel like we would just get into such good conversations. I actually was fortunate enough to have a conversation with him recently online over a video, over video like this. And getting to talk with him was so great. I love his energy.
KR: I also love him; he's actually up there with Dustin Kentreu. Like, he's really helped shape me with everything, including my muse like, my lyrical standpoint, but just life, how he looks at life, and how he attacks life, and just how he is as a person. So, like, getting to have dinner with him would be so fun because I feel like we have a lot of similarities, but, also, I would be able to, like, learn from him, but also just have a good time, have a good dinner, enjoy some whiskey, and just kinda shoot the shit. So that would be, I feel like that'd be a good time.
AA: If you could travel to any time, any history, and any time, where would you want to go and why?
KR: Honestly, I would have loved I I would probably go back and watch Star Wars when it comes out in, what was that?
KR: Nineteen seventy-six, seventy-seven. I would wanna go and be able to go back in time, watch the original Star Wars movies when they originally came out, and just be part of that experience. That's what I would like, I would love to just witness that and be part of all those people and just that whole phenomenon just when it's first coming out to see Empire Strikes Back, the fucking day it comes out. Because then you're also, like, in the seventies and eighties, where it's just like, life was just so chill. I mean, at least this is what it seemed. It seemed like it was just a good fucking time. The music was good. The movies were good. Everyone's chilling.
KR: No one's just on, you know, cell phones. You had to, like, give out physical numbers to get in touch with I feel like that would be a fun time to just experience.
AA: So, now going back to video games, did you ever grow up with a video game system? If so, which one was your favorite and why? Oh, yeah.
KR: My very first video game system was, Sega Genesis, and I loved my Sega. I had all the Sonics. Sonic was probably my first favorite video game. I was obsessed with Sonic. Like, I was a Sega kid. I had friends who, you know, Mario was their game and, like, you know, Nintendo was their system. But, like, for me, it was Sonic and Sega. And then that's also when I had, like, Spider-Man games and X Men games and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle games, Altered Beast, Streets of Rage. Like, I was obsessed with my Sega. I loved all my games.
KR: And then after that was the PlayStation PS one. And, oh my god, I'll never forget, like, playing, like, Phantom Menace, the Star Wars episode one game on PlayStation with, like, my friends, just staying up till, like, two in the morning playing Star Wars, getting through that game. So fun. Twisted Metal was, like, a favorite, and we're falling in love with that. Soul Reaver. PlayStation was, like, a lot of fond memories. Tony Hawk, the very first Tony Hawk game. Yeah. All of that definitely shaped my childhood.
AA: If you had the opportunity to live in a video game world, which one would you choose and why?
KR: I probably only played it a little bit, but I love the cyberpunk world. I think the Cyberpunk 2077 world is really cool. I love that a lot. But, also, I really love Fallout. Like, Fallout three and stuff, like Fallout New Vegas. And that's tough, though, because I feel like I would live a week in that world. I'd be like, alright. I'm over it. I'm over this fucking wasteland. But it would still be fun. I still have, like, I still have this weird, like, kind of obsession with post-apocalyptic worlds. So, I'd probably enjoy it, probably make the best of it. I just love the lawlessness of it and the survival kind of thing about it, and you're just trying to get by and survive, and there are all these creatures.
KR: I just I love that I love that kinda that world. But, yeah, 2077 would definitely be a world I'd rather live in because then it's really cool technology that exists, and I can still kind of, like, live a comfortable life, but you're getting this whole kind of, like, sci fi aspect to it that would be kind of interesting. But yeah.
AA: What was the most challenging thing about gaming for you?
KR: Oh, man. The most challenging thing about gaming I I think the most challenging thing about gaming I've ever experienced is online playing. Like, I remember trying to play Call of Duty online and just getting wiped out, or trying to play Smash Bros online when you're fighting to get someone on online on Smash Bros, getting white. Like, anytime you're doing any fighting or first person shooter online, you I'm just like, fuck all you guys, dude. Like, where's the computer?
AA: What is giving you hope right now?
KR: Oh, what's giving me hope? Honestly, I would say probably interactions like this.
KR: I like the fact that you reached out, like, you found me and you're interested in my life or what I do as an artist, and you wanted to have a conversation with me. Stuff like that gives me hope. I love connecting with people. I love that the Internet gives us that access. I love that we can find people that we we never cross paths with them physically, but we cross paths with them online, like, we can connect still.
KR: And that gives me hope because I think human connection is what we're lacking, ironically, but is what's absolutely necessary to, like, have, like, a functional, but also, like, flourishing life. So this kind of interaction is what gives me hope.
AA: Now, if you had the attention of the world for five minutes, what would you wanna tell them? This could be about anything you want. Oh, just kinda just go on a little just go on a little thought rant.
KR: You know, I guess they would be one thing I just would love to say to people is, you don't have to make everyone your enemy. I feel like people are so quick to think of someone as their enemy, especially if they're different from them or have, like, they come from a different background or they have a different perspective. I feel like people are really quick to kinda just put people into a box and group them together.
KR: And if there's just one small part of them that aligns with someone that they don't like or they think is bad, those people are now bad. And they're losing like, I feel like they're losing this individuality. You're not letting people be individuals anymore. And that's something that I've been having a really hard time with, one, experiencing myself, you know, from a be being on that end of it. But also, I hate to see other people, like, when I see it online or something, or I see, you know, or even just people having a conversation with each other.
KR: I'm like, guys, it doesn’t need to be that not everyone needs to be your enemy. Like, you don't doesn't have to be, me versus you, us versus them, them versus them. Like, it doesn't it's just it's just a lot of conflict, and it's a lot of division. And I don't know. Growing up, I never really thought that would be a world I'd be living in.
KR: Because growing up, I never really felt like there was a lot of diversity, at least not in, you know, my childhood with other Same with me. Same with me. I feel like there was not nearly this much division. And even as a young adult, even in, like, in my really early twenties, it seemed fine. I would say, like, this whole polarizing kind of thing really came about when social media became politicized.
KR: Like, when Instagram first came out and Facebook was first out, it was fine. But then, once the media started being able to weaponize it and turn it into a propaganda machine, they could start making things that influence people's thoughts and opinions. I would say probably, I mean, this, I feel like it really started happening in 2015 before the election, with Trump and Hillary. I feel like that's when so many things were just being pushed around and creating all this division. And I was like, dude, what is happening? And I'm not saying that, like, that's never happened to a certain degree throughout life. The media has always kind of had some sort of influence and done like that way. But now it's just become so personal. Mhmm. Yeah.
AA: I've noticed the same thing. People here's I here's here's the thing. People listen to what other people they're saying, and then they follow their actions. Like, people don't know how to think critically anymore. Yeah.
KR: Because we have all these influencers, Mhmm. Telling you what to buy and, you know, all that stuff and what to what what to how to think or what you should who to vote for and all this stuff. And it's and it's like I don't know. Like, I understand. It's nice to, of course, be like, oh, I respect this person.
KR: Like how they think. They kinda think like me. They, you know, they live a life similar to mine, so, like, I can hear them out and respect what they're doing. But then it's like the moment they'll have a difference of opinion, they'll just cancel and be like, oh, never mind. I don't like that person anymore.
KR: And it's like, no. That person's still that person. They just have a different opinion from you. Like, maybe you should hear him out a little bit or something. But then you also get those influencers or people that are bought and sold, who, yeah.
KR: They were living a life a certain way, then all of a sudden, they were offered a lot of money to start giving a different opinion. Mhmm. And it's like, who's to say when that happens? Or who's to say if they develop their own opinion on themselves, or if they were bought and sold to sell this opinion now? So it's just a lot of you don't really know what to believe anymore.
KR: And so, yeah, like you said, more than ever, people really need to be able to take a step back and think for themselves and think critically and not just be influenced. I feel like we're living in a world of just being influenced. And it's funny because more than ever, like, for me with my punk roots, my punk roots were always about, like, if everyone else is doing it, I don't wanna do it. Mhmm. I thought that was what punk was about.
KR: Like, you do the like, opposite, or whatever, and what else is doing? Now it's like I noticed, like, I'm not gonna name bands, but I noticed that they're doing that. Like what they say, their fans will also follow them. It's like that it was, like, and not follow the crowd, have a mentality. Exactly.
KR: And, yeah, I see a lot of punk bands that are promoting a certain opinion or a certain thought that I'm like, it's not very punk rock of you, dude. And that's why, like, you know, like, before, I I used to be kind of it's tough because I I I I do I am kinda like I do have strong opinions and stuff, but I typically don't like to push them or or share them in a way that I'm like, you better like, if you are fans, you better be doing it this way. Like, I don't ever fucking think that. Like, I don't I want I want fans from all walks of life. I want fans who have all kinds of thoughts and stuff.
KR: Obviously, like, yeah, I have certain lines where I'm like, there's no there's no room for segregation, racism, you know, shit like that. Like, I don't have any tolerance for that, but there are other things where I'm like, no. That's fine. If you think that way, like, I'm not gonna, if you're religious or not, if you believe in this kind of god or this kind, I don't care. Like, that's there are certain things I'm like that people care too much about, that I'm like, no.
KR: I absolutely don't care as long as it takes for you to be a good person, believe whatever you want. But, yeah, I like how I am with my band, I try to stick to the real punk roots, which is, like, if everyone else is doing it, maybe you should not do it. Like, look at why. Look at why. Why is everyone else doing it? It? I don't know. That's always been, like, my mentality. It's always like, no. I'm not gonna just I'm not gonna do it just because you're doing it. It's it goes back to the old adage of, like, if everyone else is jumping off a bridge, you're gonna jump off a bridge. Like, it's basically like that. And that's what people are doing nowadays. They're literally well, not jumping off the bridge. But using our analogy, that's literally what they're doing. Like, they're still influencers. They're gonna go buy the same products that I don't understand. I don't understand society anymore. Yeah. No. Exactly. Especially with TikTok and all, like, you know, a lot of social media. It's a lot of just, yeah, it's a lot of I mean, that's the thing that's the thing, though, is, like, with social media, we are promoting or not we. I mean, I say we. I say we because I don't like to really put myself separate from the rest of humans.
KR: But, but they, as in the social media companies, are they make it so that if you want your post or your content to be boosted, you have to do the trends. Mhmm. You trends in order to be seen. Like, you are now getting rewarded for following trends. And it's like, dude, when social media started, it was like you were rewarded if you were original and different, and you were doing something outlandish, or you were doing something that just was so different. And every and, that's how you would get seen. It's like, well, check this out. No one's done this before, and it was all about that. Now it's just like, you have to use the trending songs. You have to do the trending things. You have to make it look this way. You have to make it look that way, and then you'll get seen. And it's just like for me, I'm like, this is so fucking gross. Like, this is so toxic.
AA: Same with me. I don't do any of that. I I just throw my stuff on Instagram, TikTok, whatever social media platform you want. I'll let it grow organically. People don't see it, I personally don't care. Someone will.
KR: That's my thought process. You'll reach the people that it's meant to reach. And, yeah, that's kinda for me, I kinda like, I'll pay for some ads to kinda get my stuff seen, but I do my own thing. I do my own style of videos. I do my own content.
KR: And, like, I know I could do more, and I want to. I'm actually getting to a point I've been kind of just reevaluating what I can do to grow because I really do wanna grow. I just was being such a, like, nah. Fuck the system. Like, I don't wanna do it that way. But I'm kinda the same way. I'm literally the same way. Yeah. Exactly. So, but now I’m kinda getting to the point where I'm like, okay. How can I kind of adopt these things that kind of earn success or whatever, but I can do it in my own way because that's what I would rather do? Because at the end of the day, I know that there are people like you, people like me, who are, you know, they're yearning for individuality. They're yearning for people who think critically and want to be in that community, wanna be around people who they know they'll be free from judgment. Because I feel like there's just so much judgment from certain communities that I don't even wanna, like, be in. Like, even in the in, like, the emo and punk community, like, there's a lot of judgment.
AA: The same thing in the podcasting community. I used to well, I wasn't really in the podcast community when I would listen to stories. Like, yeah. I'm not, it's not for me. I'm gonna be independent and do my own thing.
AA: I can't deal with people, like, who are, like, backstabbing and all that stuff. Even if they're with the same group of people that are doing the same things, like, I'm good. You guys couldn't do that. I'm gonna walk away from that. Yeah.
KR: Exactly. I don't like I don't like any of that type of shit. But, yeah, I don't like the judgment. I don't like the whole, like yeah. No. I don't think that. And they're like, oh, you don't think that? Oh, well, then you're obviously a piece of shit. It's like, what? No. I'm not. I swear to god. I'm a good person. So I just, yeah. I wanna create a community where it's like, nah. You can absolutely don't have to think like everyone else. You don't have to do everything else. Oh, you didn't get that COVID vaccine? You're safe here. It's fine.
KR: I don't care. You don't care if you got it? Okay. If you don't get it. Like, I just hate the whole, like, this or that. I can't stand I can't stand segregation in any form. And the fact that we experienced, like, that form of segregation during the whole COVID thing, about the whole vaxxed or not vaxxed. Mhmm. I'm like, yo. This is twenty-first-century segregation.
AA: This is fucking wild. Nobody was thinking about that. I've been down that rabbit hole. I was a conspiracy theorist. I'm not gonna lie.
AA: I did all the research on nine eleven, all that conspiracy stuff. And there's one thing you just brought up that no one was really thinking about. You're separating two different people groups, people who have not had a shot and people who have. And yeah. It was just going over people’s heads.
KR: Totally. And I, like, I would tell people that I'm like, dude, you're just you're promoting segregation. They're like, what? No. Not.
KR: It's a choice. And I was like, well, no. Not for everyone. Not that there are people who are told, like, no. You shouldn't get this shot yet because of their health, and you're grouping them in that box, too. Like, there are all kinds of reasons. That's why not everything's black and white. That's why I don't do don't segregate in general. Just don't do it. It's not good. So, it was a wild time. But I feel like some of that thought has dissipated, thankfully, but some of it still exists. And I'm, like, at the end of the day, I've stuck with my roots. I haven't changed.
KR: I have some, you know, I know some people who definitely, totally did. They went in no direction, and I'm like, yo. What? I never would have thought that you would lean into that. That's wild. Like, but fear does that. Fear kinda will bring out something in you that’ll make you act outside your character. And I feel like that kinda happened for a lot of people, in which you know, I can't fault them because fear is a very strong tool, and its why politicians and media uses it.
KR: So, anyway, I forgot where exactly I was going with that thought. But I've, yeah, I've just I've always just tried to stay true to my roots. And when I find myself not changing while the world's, like, kinda going through change or people are changing in ways, I'm like, what? It just kinda further solidifies. I'm like, nope. I gotta stand exactly where I am. This is where I can trust this ground. But this is where I will stick; I’ve made it through. And I' like, yeah. Cool. I that none of that changed, like, my character, in which I'm I can say that probably. But I just kind of what I do now is just take that into my music and my stories, and they kinda just kinda translate that experience and put it out like that, and then other people can gravitate towards it or, you know, relate to it and stuff like that.
AA: We appreciate Kyle Rutchland for kindly sharing his story and interests with us.
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