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Grammy-nominated musician and composer Adrian Quesada reflects on the spectrum of darkness, and the meaningful experience of connecting music with memories.
(SPF 1000) Vampire Sunscreen is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
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The full transcript of this episode of (SPF 1000) Vampire Sunscreen is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.
Laurie Gallardo: They say a picture is worth a thousand words. So just imagine a single song could be a portal into many different worlds. Welcome to SPF 1000. Vampire sunscreen.
Hi, I am Laurie Gallardo. Thank you for listening. SPF 1000 Vampire Sunscreen is a listener supported production of KUT and KUTX studios in Austin, Texas. If you like what you’re hearing, you can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org. Just click the link in the show notes page. On this episode, a multi-talented Grammy nominated music artist and producer with major bragging rights.
He got to play with Prince.
Adrian Quesada: My name is Adrian Quesada. I’m a musician producer, born in Laredo, Texas and have made Austin, Texas My home.
Laurie Gallardo: I cannot help but brag about Adrian. He’s one half of the Grammy nominated duo, black Pumas. He also received an Academy Award nomination for the song like a Bird from the 2023 film Sing Sing as a solo artist.
He’s created some phenomenal albums, including the most recent Boleros Psicoldelicos as a much sought after musician. He’s played with bands like Grupo Fantasma, and Brownout. As a producer, he’s worked with numerous artists at his studio Electric Deluxe Recorders here in Austin. Prolific is the word I’m thinking of, but it’s more than that.
It’s heart and soul and a deep reverence for all the music that’s inspired Adrian along the way. So now that I have you here, Adrian, I’m gonna ask you the, the question of the ages. What is the darkness to you or what is dark to you?
Adrian Quesada: The interesting thing is like the times right now, the general feeling right now in, uh, in, uh, our country and the atmosphere right now feels a little dark, you know? So I’m like searching for, what is it that makes me feel. Dark because it, the times right now can feel a little bit hopeless and dark. But I wanted to instead focus on not on darkness as something negative, but as something, I wouldn’t necessarily say positive, but I was thinking of it more as a spectrum and I was kind of thinking of the analogy of how darkness is when you can see stars, you know, it’s like it’s really.
I’ve been kind of getting into, I, I mean, I’m like super amateur with it, but like getting into dark sky stuff. I’ve been really kind of getting into stars. I’ve really loved, loved dark sky cities and dark sky places and I was thinking about that. I’m like, there are places where you actually see the most beautiful natural display of lights that you’ll ever see, and they were, you know, by many you use to guide or to uh, or to.
You know, some people live their life according to what the stars are telling them. So I was kind of more focusing on something like that. And in that I was kind of thinking of darkness less as a end point, but more of a spectrum of what it actually is.
Laurie Gallardo: I tend to hear that frequently, whether people say that out loud or not, that it is a spectrum.
And when you’re talking specifically about watching the stars and you know, the nighttime and the place to go and do that is a place with not so many city lights. It’s a great introduction to something that a lot of people miss out on and talking about, you know, finding the best spot. That was such an eye-opener for me.
I never even thought of that until I really started visiting my friends who live outside of the city limits. Not just here, but in my hometown in El Paso and in the desert. And I think looking at it from that point of view, Adrian, I’ve also looked at creativity that way. Now focusing on the wonderful music that you create specifically, I feel a lot of darkness coming from your la well, not only your, your, your last two albums.
You know, the most recent one obviously is, you know, one and two. Yeah, but I think I can also go back a bit and I’m like, yeah, there is something about that in the culture specifically has a drama that has a fire, that has tragedy, and even if it is love, you’re like, oh my God. Mm-hmm. You know, I wanted to talk with you about that because of what’s influenced you, perhaps what you grew up listening to over the years.
Adrian Quesada: Yeah. I do think in that, in that meet, particularly in Bollito, SQL Eagles too, I mean, it’s like I, I always think it’s a really positive thing to have. Something make you cry. You know, it’s a cathartic release sometimes when you have something that makes you sad. I also think just the culture that I grew up in, probably, I’m gonna guess the similar culture that you grew up in.
Like we embraced songs about the heartbreak and whatnot. It was, it was like, you didn’t hide from it or anything. It was like you poured yourself a tequila and a beer, whatever. And like, and, and everybody sang along to that like, uh, sadness. But, um, as far as what I grew up on. That music that’s reflected in Boleros is, is more something kind of that was around me and ingrained in me.
It wasn’t anything, you know, I was the typical like teenager into rock and roll and hip hop and whatever. It was just the music that was around me. I didn’t, I mean, I definitely paid attention to it ’cause it was everywhere, but I didn’t really like put it on myself when I was listening to my music. You know, I was listening to what most teenagers at the time were listening to.
Yeah. When I got. To, I moved from Laredo to Austin. I was 18, was when I started to revisit some of that music. Originally it was through, through going back through the Gu, FSMA guys, we all went and started. We were like, we wanna play the music that was in these bars in Ville Laredo and on the Mexican side of Laredo.
For those who don’t know, um. These kuia bands, like we wanna play that music. And we started to kind of explore that and all of a sudden it all just came so natural to all of us, you know, referring specifically to the guys that moved up here from Laredo as well. And we started Gu fma. I was like, man, this music just feels, I mean, obviously we had to work at it and we had to study it and we had so much respect for it, but it was like, it really came natural to us.
So I think actually moving here and moving away from it is what is what? Moving away from my own, um, hometown and my culture and my family, what made me. Kind of appreciate it more where I was like, man, I love, when I was in Laredo, I, and especially the last couple years of like high school, I just had my eyes set on Austin.
I was like, Austin is so cool and that’s exactly where I wanna be. I got here and I was like, there was something incredible about growing up there and growing up with all that music around and, and whatnot, you know? And I think it made, uh, probably the biggest thing that, that influenced what I would do later in life.
Laurie Gallardo: It’s all around you and I do feel it’s instinctive. I mean, you, you’ve got it in you. I always hear it’s in your blood, but circling back to the dark side, the morbid side of it. Do you think that’s a natural part of our culture? And Yes. I, I do believe we have very, you know, if not similar backgrounds, they’re, they’re absolutely comparable.
Mm-hmm. But I tend to think it is, especially in terms of death or the way we handle mm-hmm. Exactly. Something, you know, serious situations. Mm-hmm. There is a morbidity for sure that I grew up with and maybe I wasn’t even aware of it. And how do you feel about that?
Adrian Quesada: Absolutely. It’s again, like, it’s one of those things that we, um.
There’s a day of the dead, you know? Well, well of course, obviously. And there’s, there’s a, a lot in, in the culture, and I’ll always wonder sometimes if a lot of it came out of, um. Of a reaction to like Catholicism. You know, I think because Catholicism is, is such a big, uh, religion in Mexican culture, Latin culture that I think it was like people hanging onto like the spectrum, you know, of like, well, hold on.
We also, you know, we also have to honored like death and our ancestors and, and things like that. You know, I think it’s like, it keeps everything kind of balanced.
Laurie Gallardo: I just remember, uh, some of the imagery when I would go to church and. Maybe it’s because I was taught, now you need to have this reverence. So maybe I didn’t think the imagery was that spooky, but I don’t know.
I mean, I’m going back and I, yeah, there
Adrian Quesada: was even, I mean, even in, in Catholicism, so if you, if you really look at it, like some of the imagery itself is a little bit, embraces a little bit of that, you know,
Laurie Gallardo: because I, I remember being scared. Yeah. Yeah. There’s
Adrian Quesada: a meme I saw that was like a kid, and it’s like.
Why didn’t you like to go to grandma’s house when you were a kid and, and the, and it was like the pictures at grandma’s house and it was this huge like cross with Jesus looking at you on the bed, like, like bleeding. Looking at you.
Laurie Gallardo: Oh yeah. Oh yeah.
Now kind of getting away from that specifically. I was gonna say, what other types of music, you know, say like, you know, growing up as a kid, do you remember anything particularly, you know, dark or maybe hard or you know, that, that you liked especially, or maybe some of your favorite artists?
Adrian Quesada: You know, I, I listened to.
Entry level metal, but was not as deep as, you know, my friends and I had Metallica and Mega Death and, and you know, whatever. But I think hip hop was like the first music that I like really was just like, wow, that’s it. I’m not latching onto that. But then. I started to play guitar when I was, I think a eighth grader, and like the next year or so was when, like, I remember Rage Against The Machine came out and all of a, all of a sudden I was like, oh, the guy’s sorta rapping and it’s heavy as hell.
Like I, I, I remember kind of gravitating towards that like real quick, my rap rock days stopped hard at. Raging against the machine. I took a hard stop after that. I was just like, anything that came after that, there was very little that I ever, to me, a lot of it, I was like, Nope, not doing this anymore. But like I, I recall that era because suddenly I could like pay attention to the guitar riffs as well, and.
Yeah, that’s one that like jumps out to me that was just heavy as hell. Even if you didn’t understand what he was talking about, like you just wanted to punch a hole through something in solidarity with, with when you figured out what he was talking about that, you know, ’cause some, so much of that was also just over my head at the time.
I was like, I didn’t know about Leonard Paler. I didn’t know about some of the injustices and things like that. I think I was just like a little too young to really, truly grasp it. And also just growing up in Laredo in a town as predominantly Latino, Mexican, whatever you wanna call it. Was like 96% or something.
So there was a different atmosphere in the air that we weren’t like necessarily feeling an injustice down there. ’cause we weren’t like being discriminated against. We were the majority down there. So, but I, that was one music that I like, just jumps off to the top of my head where I’m like, yeah, I remember.
That was the perfect marriage of like heavy, heavy stuff and still kind of into the rap stuff. Yeah,
Laurie Gallardo: definitely. The heavy stuff I used to say in El Paso, if you didn’t wanna listen to the radio, there were two things that saved your life and that was heavy metal and punk.
Adrian Quesada: Mm-hmm. When I was a kid, my aunt took me and my two cousins, my c my, when my cousin, my cousin Poncho, was a few years older than me, and he was like, had the like metal posters on his wall and had the poster of Samantha Fox and like, he just like the straight up stranger things, like teenager, like metal kids.
Mm-hmm. Absolutely. He had all that and he had the, the, the, uh, what was the Iron Maiden? Well, Eddie. Eddie, Eddie. And I remember going my, it was my little cousin, my older cousin, poncho, and my aunt took us to the mall to buy. She was buying us each a cassette tape. And I bought Iron Maiden seven son of a seven son, and she pulled me aside and was like, mijo, just because your older cousin listens to this music, um, you don’t really have to listen to it.
I was like, no, I wanna buy this. And she was like, well, don’t let him influence what you’re, I was like, no, I totally wanna buy this. So, yeah, Eddie, I mean the imagery and all that was just so cool. You know? It was such a, like a whole culture of that kind of music, you know?
Laurie Gallardo: Yeah. My mom hated it. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I don’t, you know, it’s interesting though.
To, she may not have liked it, but when she and my dad would talk, my dad would be like, the bigger deal that you make out of this, the more they’re gonna want. Exactly.
Adrian Quesada: Yeah.
Laurie Gallardo: So. I feel lucky that they were not strict. Mm-hmm. That they didn’t, you know, calm down. Like you can’t do this. Now granted my posters were a different story.
Yeah. You know, having something like as I got older, having Eddie up there myself, I now he’s just like this sentimental figure to me. Mm-hmm. You know, I’m like, oh look it Eddie, I remember a totally ace is high. Yeah. You know, stuff like that. But I feel very fortunate that I was able to kind of explore.
And check stuff out. And I was open to recommendations and I think that was kind of cool, especially in high school, we thought we were such bad asses, Adrian. Mm-hmm. Because I knew about all these bands and Okay, good for you kid. Yeah. But I don’t know, I don’t really remember my mom going, you know, what is that?
Yeah. As long as we. I don’t know, used headphones and didn’t blast everything all the time. Totally.
Adrian Quesada: My, yeah, my parents never, never, um, I mean, they were strict, but they, I, I wasn’t like a rabid child, like running around, but I, they were pretty strict. But I also, but with music, they never censored like anything.
I, I, and I, and I had friends who, especially when the parental advisory stickers started coming out on the. Tapes, you know, like it had to like sneak off and like listen to music to that. And my parents never like censored anything. And it, it also just makes it like, it’s not taboo. You’re not doing it to rebel against your parents.
You’re just like, the novelty of like the bad words wears off if it’s not pissing off your parents, you know? Yeah. It’s like, I mean, I was like way into NWA and I was like, damn, this is, oh, yeah. Hardcore. But then after a while I was like, eh, it’s like. Just what they’re talking about, you know, or whatever.
But, uh, yeah, I, I wasn’t, I had friends whose parents were like, censoring all their stuff and making sure that they didn’t listen to that. And I’m like, it just makes them wanna do it more. It’s
Laurie Gallardo: like, yeah. Like you’re gonna do it more. Mm-hmm. You’re gonna sneak around more. Mm-hmm. You’re gonna get the worst of it.
Yeah.
Adrian Quesada: Yeah. I’m, we’re raising two kids and I always tell my oldest daughter, who when she was just getting into music, I’m like, nothing you’re gonna put on is gonna like. Well, I don’t know. The Cardi b uh, WAP song,
Laurie Gallardo: that’s some stuff.
Adrian Quesada: That one was, I was like, Ooh, maybe I’m not supposed to be listening to this with you.
You can listen to it on your own. But yeah, I remember when that came out, I was like, I’d read about it and I didn’t know what it was, and I was like, we should play that Cardi b song. We played it. I was like, maybe you listen to this one with your friends and now dad should not be played in this one. Yeah.
So anyways,
Laurie Gallardo: I think that’s that’s fair enough. Yeah. You have beautiful kids. I’m like, I’m not worried about them. They’re being raised the right way. Yeah. So yeah, you’re right. Just, I can’t open laugh. I’m like, that, that made me blush. I was like, Hmm, Cardi B. That was hardcore. Yeah. But yeah, I never, I
Adrian Quesada: never had censorship, so I just, I really like dug into all kinds of stuff, you know, all, all kinds of music and, and, um.
Again, like I appreciated it at face value and not so much just as some sort of like rebellious thing. You know,
Laurie Gallardo: when we come back, Adrian talks about the profound imagery created by music even without any lyrics. Stay tuned.
Welcome back to SPF 1000 Vampire Sunscreen and my conversation with Adrian Casada. I connect sounds. All the time. Doesn’t matter what I’m listening to. And I think a lot of that, of course, connects us to specific memories and things like that. And that was one of the things that I’ve been curious to ask you about how you feel about cinema, your connection to film.
And I would think in particular, I had these experiences with, uh, both albums. Um, it was very cinematic to me, but. I just had this imagery. What is your connection to cinema?
Adrian Quesada: I think because I don’t sing or write lyrics, the lyrics in music have not, are usually not the first thing I, I gravitate towards. So when, when I’m listening and when I’m like attracted to music, it’s usually actually secondary for me.
The lyrics usually come second. So when I’m making my own music. Especially with Boleros albums, the music, a lot of it is recorded before it even gets to the singer. So I try to make that a movie. You know, I try to make that like something where you can, the way I close my eyes in like. I can picture things when I’m listening to music without even the words telling me the story.
If it can tell you a story without the words, then my brain gets tickled. So I try to make the music something where you can listen to it and before you even feel the, the, what the singers are talking about, you’re already imagining things in your head. So it comes from that. I also am a big fan of, uh.
Playing albums in their entirety. I think of them like movies. I think producers, most producers are like directors. You know, like film directors is probably the closest analogy. The, the term like music producer is kind of a nebulous term for what somebody does. It can be a million things, but generally we’re kind of like the directors of the film, you know?
And so I just imagine it like a collection of scenes that tell the whole story from start to finish. That’s how I used to listen to albums. I used to love to try to make it from start to finish as it was intended. Uh, which I think is a powerful statement nowadays with streaming and everything. I think we’ve lost a little bit of the art of the album because it’s, the songs just get jumbled into playlists and stuff, and I grew up with mixed tapes and mixed CDs and whatever as well.
But I also, when you can enjoy like a work of art, like an album, ideally it was made like a film, you know? And as a matter of fact, ed Maverick, one of my collaborators on this album, incredible artist, young artist from Mexico, his last album. Somebody was telling me about it, and they’re like, I don’t think the whole album’s out.
It’s only one song. And I’m like, no. And we checked, he released it as one song as the entire album so that you cannot skip it. Like, that’s insane. That’s incredible. I was like, I wish I was as like bold an artist as that, but like, man,
Laurie Gallardo: I wish I could do that.
Adrian Quesada: But yeah, my friend was confused and we looked it up and I was like, yeah.
’cause I, I had heard the album, he had sent it to me before, but he sent it to me as one link like that. Um, but I thought he just hadn’t like chopped the songs up, but no, it’s literally on, on streaming services as one song of one like 45 minute song so that you, you only can listen to it as he intended.
Where I’m like that. Wow. Anyways, it was really cool. Hat’s off. Shout out Adam Maverick. Yeah,
Laurie Gallardo: shout out. ’cause I, well, that’s another evil plan that I approve of. Absolutely. 100%.
Adrian Quesada: Yeah. Every like. Person, every manager, record label person, radio person and everything would like jump off a bridge. You’re just like, no, this is a nightmare.
Like there’s no way to promote it. There’s no way to like get a single on the radio. There’s no way to like whatever. So
Laurie Gallardo: sorry, but I’m not. Mm-hmm. Aw. I think that’s brilliant and um. I’m hoping that that appreciation is somehow coming back in some form or other because of, uh, the resurgence of vinyl.
Exactly. Yeah. And people are falling in love with vinyl all over again. Mm-hmm. And I really do enjoy on a Sunday Ah, just front to back. And I totally, I even say that on my show. You have got to check this out front to back. Yeah.
Adrian Quesada: I appre, I I appreciate that. That’s coming back big time. I think I always think of like.
I, of course I have all the streaming services on my phone. Totally use the hell out of ’em. I can’t be playing records when I’m driving, you know, but, uh, at home I try to put on a record, but I, I think you savor it and you appreciate it a lot more. And I think that I was telling somebody like, it’s like when you go eat one meal, uh, from a chef, you’ll remember everything.
But if you go to a buffet, you just like stuff yourself, gross. Because you paid 20 bucks or whatever, but you don’t remember any of it. You’re just like, you know. So I think like when I’m streaming, I’m just like. I don’t savor it as much as when you have to actually like, physically put on the record and like sit there and wait for it, you know, hear it like scratching off when the side ends and flip it and you’re, you’re like, it’s way more engaged, you know?
Mm-hmm. Than I am when I’m streaming stuff. It just kind of becomes sometimes like background, it can become background music, so. Right. I just think, you know, if you had a, a good meal somewhere or if you had a. A Las Vegas buffet, you’re like, that was awesome. But then you feel gross and it’s just Right, right.
And then you’re like, which what was good? It’s like a macaroni. I don’t know. Like all of it. Don’t recall stuff. My face. ’cause I paid for it,
Laurie Gallardo: I think. Having your record player and changing the, the record, you know, it’s this whole, um, ritual that I grew up with. Mm-hmm. Even with my little tiny player as a kid, my first, technically my first two records, and I say two because it came as a set. Uh, my aunt had given me this big collection of Elvis songs.
That was my first, in terms of grownup music, I didn’t even get 40 fives first. She gave me those. Even that it was a little ritualistic thing. Mm-hmm. With the, you know, and it’s a whole world
Adrian Quesada: too that, uh. When I was a kid. I mean, I’m also obviously, like I did tapes and, but also like CD generation, but even CDs, like the, to have a tangible thing.
It, it was the artwork and the credits and like, it opened up a whole world. I mean, with, it’s so much cooler with a record ’cause it’s that big, but like it opens up a whole world of like, of what the artist, you know, what they maybe look like or what they look like in the studio. And some credits and some, some notes in the words and the artwork and everything.
It’s like, and all that is. Lost too with, with streaming, you know, so, I mean, I don’t want, again, I don’t want to be like the old man on get off my lawn, old man. ’cause I have incredible playlists on
Laurie Gallardo: Yeah.
Adrian Quesada: Streaming services too, that I’m like curating. But I also, but it is a magical world that it, you know, it’s to open up a record.
Laurie Gallardo: I think it’s also part of the story that the artist may be telling. Because it all works together. It feels more cohesive when you can take it that way. Mm-hmm. And for me, it’s a treat, it’s a treasure. Mm-hmm. Or you are looking at these photos carefully selected, mind you. Of course. Yeah. And I know I don’t have to lecture of all people, Adrian.
I know I don’t have to tell you anything about that, but these images are put together carefully, whether just photos or maybe illustrations, it’s the entire package. Mm-hmm. And what a great story. Even though, and I, I keep saying this, I feel it’s very important no matter what the theme may be, no matter what the actual stories in the artist’s head are, we are going to project our own story.
Mm-hmm. For sure. Which I think is a huge part of why music is my, my first love. Mm-hmm. I have an odd question. It just popped into my head. Um, thinking about, you know, looking at the album or even your cassette, and that was me and Kate Bush. Mm-hmm. Um, hounds of Love, just opening it and obsessively reading the lyrics and wondering who the two dogs were.
Which by the way, that’s Bonnie and Clyde. Oh, wow. Okay. And obsessing over side day and side B and the stories that came from these. And some of it was scary and I wanted to ask you. Is there a particular piece of music or an album that still haunts you today?
Adrian Quesada: So much of like, I was just, I can’t remember what I was saying about the other day, but like a lot of it is just what memories you associate with it, but in terms of something that like came out and haunted you.
Okay. I have kind of one that’s not as, uh. Uh, it’s a little more funny and I was thinking about this song the other day, but when Ozzy Osborne passed, I think it was the song he did with Lita Ford, uh, that’s like, uh, where he says, if I close my eyes forever. That one, what was that? What song? I can’t remember the name I I’m talking about.
I think it was Which Ford that is. I
Laurie Gallardo: think so. I remember
Adrian Quesada: being, I was, remember when, uh, rest in Peace, Ozzy Osborne, um, rest in Peace passed Away. I was just thinking about songs and I was remembering when I was a little kid and I had that cassette. And I remember like falling asleep, but I was just like, I would listen to it and I was just, and when it got to that song, I was, I would be scared to close my eyes.
’cause he says, if you close, if I close my eyes forever. Will it all remain the same, or something like that. So I like, I would like force myself up.
Laurie Gallardo: Oh my.
Adrian Quesada: And be like, to fall asleep. Ozzy says not to fall asleep. Yeah. Oh
Laurie Gallardo: my gosh. That one
Adrian Quesada: was, that one just popped into, into my head the other day. But
Laurie Gallardo: that’s totally legit.
Yeah. Like when you hear him say, you know, don’t close your eyes, you’re like, oh my word. Yeah. Yeah. I was, I
Adrian Quesada: was totally like just making sure I did not fall asleep. I just didn’t know where, what world I was gonna end up in. Wow. But more like as an adult music that is haunting, I would say. Um. Oh God, I’m drawing a blank on this one.
That’s okay. That there’s a ELA song, ELA Gutti song that when I was in college, it also had like just when it, when I heard it, when I discovered it for the first time, that’s this kind of sad, really dense song that just builds and builds and builds and it was really slow and it went on for like a long time and I kind of like memories associated with it.
But it was, uh. A really intense piece of music and especially knowing that they like probably executed it live with everybody in the room and stuff. That’s one that pops into my head. Um,
Laurie Gallardo: absolutely. And that’s an emotional experience as well. For sure.
Adrian Quesada: It’s a really, really intense song and, and I will, I will remember it and you can link to it or something in the
Laurie Gallardo: Absolutely.
I will, I will let people know. Yeah. Yeah. I don’t know why that question appeared in my head, but. I don’t know. Just thinking about that and Yeah. Especially if you do attach certain memories mm-hmm. To it. But I don’t know, for some reason there are some songs that naturally get under my skin. I’m like, what are you doing?
Yeah. Which I, I find very funny. But as it’s happening, I seem to think that’s the ultimate compliment.
Adrian Quesada: Mm-hmm.
Laurie Gallardo: And I think this is probably my most recent. The single Bravo. Mm-hmm. And when I hear her say Bravo, there’s a loaded message that comes with me personally. Mm-hmm. It’s like, hold on a second, let, let me just sit here and see if I can praise you for your brilliance.
And I’m saying it in that tone of voice in my head. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. But it crawled under my skin. Yeah. And talk about attaching one’s own memories or one kind of reaction that’s so volatile, and it made me happy after I was like, this is great. So well done, Adrian. Yeah, it just, um, there are things that get to me and I don’t, I don’t hide that.
I’m pretty open about that. Really strange how shut off I am about other things. I, but not when it comes to music freaking me out, uh, giving me, uh, interesting dreams, making me think about. Certain things. Mm-hmm. What a treasure. Yeah,
Adrian Quesada: absolutely.
Laurie Gallardo: All right, Adrian, before we wrap this up. Here’s another thing that you get to do. The tables have turned my friend, and now you get to ask me a question, but make it count. It can’t be what’s your favorite food? Okay. ’cause then I will storm out. The interview is over.
Adrian Quesada: Okay. Okay. Um,
Laurie Gallardo: just kidding. But you know
Adrian Quesada: what song has haunted you?
Okay. Besides Bravo, I know you said Bravo, but like Bravo, something that, that from your like more formative years? Not, not
Laurie Gallardo: from the last
Adrian Quesada: few years.
Laurie Gallardo: I, I was indeed talking about, uh, Kate Bush earlier. Mm-hmm. Hounds of Love, the first side really it seems to be, um, more upbeat and not all of the themes perhaps, but it does seem to be upbeat in Kate Bush’s way.
You flip it and there. Really is imagery with water and drowning and these dreams, and it kept me up at night as a teenager trying to figure things out in addition to, what the hell are you talking about, Kate? I love it. And you’re torturing me. Mm-hmm. Also, and they were just in town recently as of this recording the album Shuttered Room by the fix.
Um, and the way Cy Kernan writes songs, it’s not just lyrical, it is intensity that he’s truly feeling. He doesn’t pen things simply. And there are some songs on there I that gave me nightmares. Okay. And, and, and again, um, it’s just the overall feeling and the sense of it. And there there was a little bit of dread.
There’s a tension. I love it all, but again, I think that one also. Okay. And, and one more and then I’ll stop nerding out. Okay. No, go ahead. Go ahead. And I’m here for you. I, I, I hope anyone listening doesn’t start to roll their eyes, but it’s absolutely true. I think about the, uh, title track to Blunder Bus, but for some reason, that song by Jack White.
Mm-hmm. Again, that crawled. Under my skin for some reason. It’s not a horrific song, but it’s very dreamlike that
Adrian Quesada: I couldn’t shake. He creates Cool wor, he creates cool worlds for sure in in His art, you know?
Laurie Gallardo: And I couldn’t shake it for some reason. I, a friend of mine said, do you think that’s a love song?
And I’m like, well, it could be for some people. I’m not sure why I took it that way though. I have an entire library in my mind where I’m like, oh, what about this one? What about this one? And again, I think it’s something to treasure. Yeah. That’s a gift to yourself. And I think, again, if, if any songwriter knows that they were able to do that, they’re like, Hey, thanks pal.
You know? And that’s just an experience that, that I hope never goes away. Yeah. Adrian, I think we’ve done good, man. Thank
Adrian Quesada: you so much. Yeah, I’m, I’m like, because I don’t wanna like say Fela song and have somebody go put on the wrong song. I’ve been scanning my brain, I think. Yeah. The song was called Confusion.
Laurie Gallardo: What a great title.
Adrian Quesada: Yeah. I, it would drive me crazy. I’ll stay up for a week trying to remember something that my brain can’t remember, so,
Laurie Gallardo: you know. Yeah. It’s, it’s gonna drive you crazy. Yeah. And you have to stop and try and remember. Yeah, exactly. As best you can. Almost
Adrian Quesada: positive. I remember the lyrics. It’s confusion, break Bones, and I think the song is called Confusion.
Laurie Gallardo: Oh my gosh. Yeah. Ela Kuti rah. Yeah, exactly. And I mean, but then again, we’re talking about Fela Kuti, so yeah,
Adrian Quesada: there you go.
Laurie Gallardo: Adrian, I really appreciate you doing this. Um, I’ve been looking forward to it. Thank you, my friend.
Adrian Quesada: Thank you so much. Thanks for having me.
Laurie Gallardo: I will wrap this up by mentioning that Adrian texted me later to let me know the fellow Coie song he was thinking of earlier is titled. Confusion break bones. Many thanks to Adrian Casada for this awesome musically nerdy conversation. Nerding out is good for you. Your Vampire sunscreen, host and creator is me.
Yours truly, Lori Gallardo, editing and mixing by Jack Anderson. Original music composed by Renee Chavez Graphic designed by Dave McClinton. Very special thanks to our engineer and producer to New Thomas, and thank you to our. Fearless podcast leader Elizabeth McQueen. SPF 1000 Vampire Sunscreen is a listener supported production of KUT and KUTX studios in Austin, Texas.
And if you like what you’re hearing, you can support our work@supportthispodcast.org. Please make sure to leave us a rating or review wherever you listen. And now something to keep in mind. We search for the light, but behold the darkness. Until next time.
This transcript was transcribed by AI, and lightly edited by a human. Accuracy may vary. This text may be revised in the future.
