The Sailor Jerry Podcast

64 - Akil Godsey of End It

• Hosted by Matt Caughthran • Season 1 • Episode 64

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This episode really does have it all! First, legendary artist Buff Monster stops by to share the details of his latest tattoo escapade with Mike Giant as well as his latest clothing collaboration with The Minions. Then, Akil Godsey from hardcore outfit End It lets us peek behind the curtain of his creative process and the forging of their next album. We crank up the volume on the intricacies of studio, toss our hats into the ring of the great Beyonce versus Taylor Swift debate, Youth of Today versus Gorilla biscuits, Terror verse Hatebreed, tattooing under anesthesia and so much more. And don't miss out on Akil and End It as they hit the road with Drain this May. As always - brought to you by Sailor Jerry!

https://www.instagram.com/aloneinakil/
https://www.instagram.com/enditbaltimore/
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Speaker 2:

Oh yeah, what's up everybody and welcome to episode 64 of the Sailor Jerry podcast. My name is Matt Cotherin. I am still your host. Today is Thursday, march 7, 2024. And Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum is still made the old school way 92 proof bold and smooth as hell. I hope everyone out there is feeling good. Shout out to our listeners worldwide. If you're watching on YouTube, you might be wondering what the hell is going on right now. This is not the normal setup and that is because this is not the normal day. Ladies and gentlemen in the house coming through to say what's up, we have the one and only buff, monster buff. What's up man? What's up man?

Speaker 1:

How you doing, what's what's going on with you? Well, we just spent three weeks in San Diego. Very nice, hell yeah, shout out San Diego. And now we're just on our way to LA. So we got a week in LA, nice, nice.

Speaker 2:

I heard you got tattooed. What's up with that?

Speaker 1:

That's true, I got tattooed. I guess that's actually what you do when you're in Southern California. That's part of the culture we went by. We went by this tattoo shop named Lions Den. We're Steve Jones with painted some Sailor Jerry stuff.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

They're painting stuff, and the owner of the shop told us that in San Diego there's 500 tattoo shop. That's insane. That is insane. That's what I'm saying. Like I guess when you're in Southern California you just get tattooed.

Speaker 2:

That's what people are. I heard you, uh, I heard you ran into the legend Mike Giant.

Speaker 1:

That's right, mike Giant, I was happy to run into him a few times and, uh, yeah, he did my first tattoo 22 years ago Awesome. And he did a couple since then. And, uh, he tattooed me, uh, which is very nice. Uh, yeah, he's got a private studio, you know, so he just tattoos out of there and just like Sailor Jerry. Actually, you know, he's really about like the bold hold. Yeah, yeah, like you know?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, absolutely, mike Giant is the uh man absolute legend out there. For you guys who don't know, you can check him out on Instagram Mike Giant Uh, you could also check out Buff Monster on Instagram, of course, where he's hopefully going to be showing some photos of those Mike Giant tattoos, maybe.

Speaker 1:

Yep, I posted a funny photo of me and Mike. Yeah for sure, yeah for sure.

Speaker 2:

Nice, nice, and uh, you've got a giant drop coming out today. That's true, tell us about it.

Speaker 1:

That's true, I'll be at Universal City Walk in LA. Uh, my second Minion collab the first one came out in 2016 and so, yeah, it's a. It's a nice little capsule collection. Uh, I did some. Uh, the first collection was me kind of interpreting Minion character. Yeah, the way I would do it At this time it's different because it's actually my character interacting with the Minion characters, and so that's, for me, a lot more interesting. Yeah, you know, because I never really do that. Yeah, so, yeah, so it's a bunch of shirts and hoodies and you know all that sort of stuff and hell yeah, hell yeah, but will that be available to the general public?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, but it's only there, it's only at the City Walk in LA and the City Walk in Florida.

Speaker 2:

Florida, in LA City Walk. You got Buff Monster. You got Minions collab. What more could you ask for, ladies and gentlemen? Uh, big thanks for stopping by here on your way up the coast Appreciate it Good to see you, brother.

Speaker 1:

It's always good to see you. Yeah Well, we placed the pool last time. Oh yeah, yeah, with Christian the soil, that's right. That's right. He is the best person I've ever played.

Speaker 2:

Oh no offense, it's okay. If you ever see Buff Monster in Full Hall, hide your wallet, I'll just say that Legitimate shark over here. Thanks for stopping by, buddy. Thanks man, Awesome man. It's time for episode sixty-four. Akhil Godsey is dialed in. In this episode.

Speaker 2:

We check in with the ended front man to discuss the trials and tribulations of a hardcore lifestyle. Akhil's band and it is currently writing their new album. So you know, we get the scoop on that. I'm talking about lyrical influence, creative direction, pushing yourself as an artist, a songwriter and a singer. It's all on the table, ladies and gentlemen. Plus, we talk about why getting tattooed under anesthesia is one hundred percent not the way to do it, and so much more. This is a wild episode, ladies and gentlemen. So sit back, relax, pull yourself some Sailor Jerry and let's go. Akhil Godsey here on the Sailor Jerry podcast, episode sixty-four and it Baltimore in the house. It's a pleasure to have you on. Yeah, man, I'm a big fan of the band, big fan of you, and you know I'm stoked to talk to you about music. So thank you so much for being a guest man. Thanks for having me.

Speaker 3:

Thanks for the invite.

Speaker 2:

Awesome, awesome. First and foremost, how's the vibe in the band, how's life in general right now?

Speaker 3:

Are we chilling? I'm off today. What's it? It's a Wednesday, yet we're off. We've been hitting the studio. Finally, we've been telling people we're going to the studio. Now we're probably actually in the studio. So that's been cool and life. I'm going to a tattoo shop. I'm chilling.

Speaker 2:

Oh, hell, yeah, man, hell yeah, yeah. I'm stoked you guys are writing some new tunes. Last thing you put out was two thousand twenty-two. The EP. Right, we have a single. The single came out. The family single came out in two thousand twenty-three in the audio tree session. But yeah, people are, people are hungry man, people are waiting for that new end. It dude, it's right.

Speaker 3:

Yeah it's going to be awesome.

Speaker 2:

We're pulling an eight-breed right now. So how far along in the process are you? Where were you at in the studio with the songs?

Speaker 3:

How many songs Once again this way From all the time we've spent together. The songs are essentially written. We just gotta we've just actually had time to come together and get them out of our system. You know what I mean.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, cool, cool. So new EP, new seven inch, whatever it's going to be, you know you go into the studio. Maybe it turns into something, maybe it turns into a full length, who fucking knows.

Speaker 3:

But what's the goal?

Speaker 2:

Hell yeah, dude. Yeah, yeah, I was talking to uh, to Lee Speelman from Trash Talk, the other day, uh, at the ceremony show. But, dude, the ceremony show was dude, it was, it was awesome. I was so stoked to be in the building. It was such a cool moment for California, hardcore punk rock. Um, you know, it was just, it was one of the best shows and just overall vibes I've been a part of and and been to uh in in a really, really, really long time. Man, it was, it was so cool and infest crushed it. Infest was awesome. Um, and you know, ceremony came out. Of course they played Ronit Park and uh, but they also did, you know, they did, they came out, they played that album. It was awesome. Crowd was going nuts, there was a barricade but no one gave a fuck. It was, it was perfect. And then, uh, dude, they went into California Uber Alice by the Dead Kennedys and dude the place like just I was like does that?

Speaker 2:

whole room erupt, dude, it was so sick and you know them being from the Bay Area. Dead Kennedys, of course. Bay Area Band. The history of punk rock at the Palladium, california in general. Uh, it was just when everyone that chorus came in and, dude, everyone was just singing along. It was so sick, dude, it was awesome.

Speaker 3:

That's awesome. That's amazing.

Speaker 2:

I can only imagine I was talking to Lee, you know, because they're working on some new stuff right now and we're just talking about, like the, the classic, uh, you know, single verse, seven inch verse, ep, verse album, and he was saying that for hardcore, he, he thinks it's the EP, is the perfect, the perfect release, you know, and, and I get it, but I, I end it full length, if we, if we get blessed with one, would be sick.

Speaker 3:

So it's funny, like I said, we in the studio and we're still in the very Formative stages of this album you know what I mean with all the taunting shit. But as a right me songs, I'm like clock. No, I'm like that's only a minute. Minute 30, minute 40. We got right, like we got essentially right. This is my first time ever recording a full way. So we got a right like at least 20 to 25 of these. I don't know if we can write we've never written a three-minute song Little goofy shit like that. So you don't get a full if it may just be like fucking 15, 45 seconds on.

Speaker 2:

Okay. So there's, there's a couple ways to look at that, right. Like you look at, you can look at like the album length, or you can Look at the song, like the number of songs, right. So it's like yeah, who, like if the follow songs are short and it's cuz, I don't know if it's, you know, like the anal cunt records and all those records that were like I'm sure a lot of those titles were just placeholders and then by the time they came to record like fucking, just that's what we're calling me.

Speaker 3:

No, no, do we? We make it a power ballad. I want a power ballad dude, okay.

Speaker 2:

so, and, and this is, you know, one of the things that I Love about the band is is your voice, okay, and as a singer myself, I love, you know, I love punk, I love hardcore, but I I am not afraid to say that I actually love and appreciate the art of singing and and vocalizing as well. Yeah, you, you, we man, you, you got a great voice, you got a great, you know sensibility with your melody and phrasing and and lyrically speaking, is, you know, it's, it's poignant and it feels like you mean what you say and that's like, that's like firing on all cylinders for me, you know, you'd like, it gives me a Vocal boner, you know. So it's just like.

Speaker 3:

I'm only complaint I've ever had in terms of like hardcore, like one of my favorite bands 25 the life. I'm not the 25 the life, because it's 25 the life, but no one knows what Rick is saying.

Speaker 3:

You know, they just get and a lot of people who have been able to just get up there and just Grunt and growl and barking shit and that's fine, but I've never. I hate that. It will be like the sickest riff with all types of nonsense over top of it, like you wasted. You wasted a perfectly good moment. I'll be honest a sec. You came in 40 seconds shooting for the bunch of other drawers back, or like you fucking ruined it. Hating, I hate it so much, like the hearty shit would just get ruined with dog shit vocals. Open your fucking mouth. Open your mouth. Open. This is your moment to express yourself. I need to understand what you're saying. Open your mouth.

Speaker 2:

And you know, even though they might not express it, you know, if I was a guitar player and I wrote this sick ass riff and Then the singer in the band just blew it, I would be like Like I mean not to get all crazy philosophical, but you know the band I mentioned.

Speaker 3:

How hard it is to get Four dudes to be like okay, we agree, this is what we do in the time is writing everything, and then that 15 comes over top. Just shit on it.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 3:

That's all that remember.

Speaker 2:

That's true, it's true, it's a lot of responsibility, man, especially like you're saying, dude. You know when, when you appreciate the, the, the art of songwriting, and you appreciate, of course, the other members in your band and what they're working on and what you're all working on together, and then you know, usually in the studio vocals are last too. So if you're lucky, you get the luxury of, like the full effect. You know you get drums, you get both guitars, if there's two, you get bass, you might even get some leads, you get. You know you get a sing over what's pretty much going to be the done deal, and so you get to really, you know Unleash yourself in your, in your final form, so to speak. You know the lyrics got to be, you know, done. For the most part, melodies are decided on and you got to show up and you got to knock it out. You know you got to pay respect to the song.

Speaker 3:

Well, honestly, I'm not the bass, you know, like if we were a Sunday. I'm not the ice cream, I'm sort of kind of just a sprinkle. All the hard work is everything that goes on at the bottom. I just sort of kind of come up, come on top and talk my shit. Those dudes could do it without me, but also I can do it without them.

Speaker 2:

So I am see you know, yeah, that's, that's what a band's all about. So, so, going back to the sound, your voice and the way you sing, you know, as the band has progressed on and honestly, just from Jump Street, you've kind of, you know, you've had your own style and you've shown flashes of being like, hey, guess what, I'm about to go outside the box. You know what I mean I'm about. I'm about to go outside the box. You know, yeah, you done some. You've done some singing, you've done some hanging on notes.

Speaker 2:

You know, letting stuff out there and Honestly and I know I'm not alone in this that stuff is so exciting to me, you know, because it's like, you know, this is a scene where a lot of stuff sounds the same but there's also so many great personalities and musicians and styles and when you are able to be confident enough to be yourself and stand out in your own way, it's it just separates the band from the pack. You know what I mean and, and I think you know, musically, you guys have that, but I think you have that, you know, with your voice and everything you're doing. So Going forward, if you got things you want to try, you know, are you, are you just gonna let it out there if it feels good.

Speaker 3:

Well, of course, whatever sounds good I'm going to do, but I really am looking forward to the opportunity to like. So case in point boom, there may or may not be a Max1 penalty cover.

Speaker 3:

You know that band, maxpenney from New York and they had a more melodic style or whatever. I got to meet those guys and with where hardcore is going, I'll have the same confines I once had when I was a teenager. You know, like you're a teenager trying to be in a hardcore band, it needs to be fast and pissed off and blah, blah, blah. But now I mean shout out to the homie Jerk. Jerk said I don't give a fuck if it sounds like hardcore or not. If I'm in it it's a hardcore band. Yeah, so that's how we move in these days. I'm a hardcore kid. Whatever we make is hardcore music. You?

Speaker 3:

know like trust me, you know.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 3:

It may be. It may be something you got to. It can sound definitely, but still be a hardcore thing if it's written correctly. Now, if I saw making pop pop, I'm a pop pop artist, but it ain't got to have you know.

Speaker 2:

So when you say, when you draw Powerballad, what, what, what, what field of reference here are we talking about Cause, you know, powerballad is big, that's a big field Lots of loophies, was still a thrash man, right yeah, but if you ain't never weeped a little better than November rain, aren't you human?

Speaker 3:

No, no. Like the undertaking. But that's where I'm going. We don't know yet. We still figuring it out, but there's gonna be something sentimental in there.

Speaker 2:

Awesome man. I like that and I like bands that aren't afraid to try different things and evolve and and shout out to justice. Of course, I had him on the pot a while back and he's he's the fucking man and everything he's doing honestly, you know, with Angel dust and his production stuff, that's a guy who you know is like you said. I mean, whatever he's going to do is going to be him and it's going to be hardcore, but he's not afraid to try different shit and that's how. That's how the scene gets pushed forward. That's how music gets pushed forward. That's how genres and artists push forward. It's all part of fucking. You know the weight of the artist. You know you got to push your boundaries, man. You got it. You got to express yourself to your fullest capabilities and I'm stoked that ended is one of those bands, man, oh, thank you.

Speaker 3:

Also we got. We got Blaine McTarzan producing this next one.

Speaker 2:

So he's running a corner. Damn, what studio is it at?

Speaker 3:

I don't think the studio has a name here Cops up Nova and Washington Heights which is like outside of Baltimore city. It's pretty sick. I'm going to be there tomorrow.

Speaker 2:

Hell yeah, man, are you tracking vocal tomorrow?

Speaker 3:

I got some stuff written so we just the homework was coming with a ref. So it's pretty crazy this writing process. So normally it would just be like Ray and Chris. They send us something and then, like the first couple of efforts, it was me and Ray were real close to one point and then I had my daughter started getting older. Life went on, so it became more him and Chris, but now, as long as the four of us in the room, all you got to do is give us a ref and by the time we leave two hours later we have a song. So I got a bunch of shit to write to. Obviously, a lot of my lyrics and vocal styles and whatnot are in relation to what's happening in my life. America's going through some crazy shit, obviously, so I almost have too much to speak on.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I mean, the world is a dumpster fire right now. There's so much happening, and so there is the classic quote of an artist being a reflection of the times. That's something that I think every artist embraces, and it seems like you do too, but you also, like you said, as the band gets bigger, you got fans. So are you a little worried about being more conscious about what you're writing? Do you care about that, or does it affect your writing at all?

Speaker 3:

I'm just trying to figure out how to maintain the same theme and motif but express it differently.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I got you, I got you.

Speaker 3:

You know it is ended. I'm never going to want to not be alive, but at a certain point now you're just being hypocritical, yeah. So it's just trying to find that balance, so to speak. But also don't want to go too ignorant, but in some regards like case in point, a young man just let himself on fire yeah, the best he thought he could do is to get out of here. So, like, how do you even approach that? Because he can't send the world in the full energy? I don't know, I don't know.

Speaker 3:

It's a weird space to write in right now.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, it really is. And it's like nowadays, for fucking, you know, every this there's that, for every fucking side, for every action there's a reaction. So it's just like fuck. But you know, I think one of the stone coldest things you can do as a writer is just say what the fuck you want to say. You know what I mean. Yeah, it's like it's a wild world to be writing right now, like you're saying, because it's like one. There's so much stuff to write about and it's hard to actually put into words, like you know, like to get through your thoughts and get it all down on paper. But then it's also about releasing that as a fucking statement from yourself and the band out into the world, being like this is where I'm at, you know, like that type of thing. So it's a crazy time right now. It's a crazy time, man.

Speaker 3:

Because obviously, as you know, we got a different set of eyes on us these days as opposed to the years before. You know like the people want to hear hardcore, but the thing about hardcore is not giving the fuck what the people want.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 3:

Just like play hardcore, right, right. Also, I'm 34 and I can't keep wild Like I'm certain for you. You just have to grow up as a whole. Stay in the world. We're doing just fine over here, yeah.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's a trip man. It's a trip that's gonna be. I'm looking forward to the new music man. That's an exciting thing. I know it's gonna be killer. I know you're gonna knock it out of the park. All right, ladies and gentlemen, it is time to take a quick commercial break and refresh our Sailor Jerry cocktail. New year, new cocktail, 2024 is all about the Jerry Cola. I'm talking about two parts Sailor Jerry, four parts cola and, if you're feeling fancy, we're gonna put two Meraschino cherries on top. You know we're building it in a cocktail glass. You know we're gonna pour it over ice. That's it. Clean, simple, refreshing Jerry Cola baby. Visit SailorJerrycom for more recipes just like this one. Now back to the show. You know you guys are doing South by Southwest coming up too. Is that your first time doing that? Have you done that before? Feel like?

Speaker 3:

we were down there around the same time as South by, but we didn't actually participate in South by sanctioned events. So yeah, this will be our first time.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, I saw that there's a flat spot show at the Mohawk right and then that's gonna be the-.

Speaker 3:

No one told me, so we got three shows that weekend. I just thought we were flying in. I'm kidding, I thought we were flying in during the one. Going home they were like yes, so we're playing three of them in two days. Have fun.

Speaker 2:

Dude, that's honestly dude. That's you're getting away easy with that Cause South by is notorious for that. It's like, oh, we're gonna. You know you're playing this Levi's party and then you know this company's doing that, and then there's a record label doing this over here and you end up I mean, dude, it's such a you know it's a good time, dude, it's a good time, but you always end up playing your ass off and you always end up playing at least twice a day. You know what I mean. So I know I know you guys will have fun. I fuck with Austin, texas, man, it's a cool. It's a cool fucking city and music. Cool city for punk and for hardcore. That's dope, that'll be good. And what else you guys got coming up this year of show wise. You got tied down to Troy.

Speaker 3:

I would say we got tied down to Detroit and I believe in May we're gonna hit the road with Drain.

Speaker 2:

Hell yeah.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, with a Drain style pair. It's like a whole. How do we have first full US Boom?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, hell yeah. That's gonna be sick, dude, that's gonna be sick. And you guys? You guys went to Europe last year, right? How's Europe for you guys?

Speaker 3:

Well, we went to Europe twice. We actually get a pretty good response in as much as my own personal feelings about the country in Germany in relation to how the people were. It was fine, but I enjoy going to Europe. I really like the Netherlands a lot, yeah, yeah yeah, but we spent most of our time in Germany. Shout out, stick to your guns.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, hell yeah, yeah they crush over in Germany, dude, so like I said I'm from Baltimore, I'm an American through and through, so I had no care or concern what happens in Germany. Yeah, you know, I didn't know that. Stick to your guns can go play to 3,000 people in Germany and like clean up for real, Like it's different over there because they're excited room. Our excited room, our excited room, mass pain, people kill each other. Their excited room is oh, this entire room knows the words.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 3:

That's crazy, that is fucking crazy, it was cool, it was a good time.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, did you ever? Did you get any experience with German press? Did you get to do any interviews over there?

Speaker 3:

I did an interview in Paris, I didn't. If I did do an interview in Germany, I don't remember it.

Speaker 2:

They're like it's like blunt honesty, but it just comes across as just like it did it so funny. It's just like your new record is not very good. Why. Why is that?

Speaker 3:

Why, why, why don't you have black shirts? Well, these are, we got gray and we got white, but a black shirt. Can I try it on? Sure, try the shirt on, I guess what? Yeah, they're interesting, fucking crap.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, man, I wanna wrap with you real quick about the art of being a front man. Being a front person, okay, being up on that stage for you, what's your feeling, what's going through your mind and what being a front person of a band means to you and what you think it's all about.

Speaker 3:

Well, obviously you the face, and more often not the voice, of the band, at least in my instance. My dudes don't have as much of an internet or social media presence as myself, so any goofy shit I say or accidentally say is on their shoulders. I'm mostly the vocalist for a band because that's the, the instrument I've been given the talent to play. You know what I mean. And a lot of people, a lot of people, don't really understand sometimes because, like I said, I'm mad ignorant in some regard.

Speaker 3:

I didn't know that dudes would join, but like I knew it, but it never really clicked that like a dude would join a band to try to gain female attention. You know what I mean. So, like in the, I had to realize in the course of me being up there doing my state that a lot of people think I'm doing that To intentionally be entertaining. You know what I mean. Like I came up here with an agenda and a purpose, but the purpose is just to play these songs. Yeah, goofy shit in between is cuz well, I'm here, I might as well talk, because that's actually how I exist. Those same conversations will be happening If no one else was in the room, because I'm actually out of my fucking mind.

Speaker 2:

You know what I mean. All the good ones are baby.

Speaker 3:

So I just uh, like I said, I'm the vocalist because I don't if I play bass I'd be a bassist, but I'm the vocalist, so it's just what I do. Enjoy it.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, it's, it's the. You know there's. There's no greater feeling. I mean, you know I'm sure there are some better feelings out there, but we're on stage and the band is ripping and you know you got the crowds going off and you know, in between songs You're just fucking lighten people up or saying what you want to say and it's just all happening. It's. It's one of the coolest things in the world and and like you said, you know, like being in the band, it's just, you know everyone contributes, everyone's doing their own thing and I just really can't wait to see you guys live man, because from the videos I've seen and the people I've talked to about it, it's just an incredible experience and I love that. Crazy, like rock and roll, punk rock, hardcore energy. Like I like the unpredictable, I like a little bit of chaos, I like to walk into a room and kind of, like you know, have to keep my head on a swivel a little bit.

Speaker 3:

You used to feel that at every show. Yes, yes, and it's not just because we've gotten older, it was legit. Like last time I was in here I saw a block fall out of someone's pants leg, so I don't really know what's gonna go on. All of those dudes in the corner got the same shade on and they're very big, and I got a walk-o. Let's do it, you may I miss one, like I didn't know if I was gonna make it home alive, you know.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2:

So what you're when you're writing lyrics? Are you writing all the time or do you just write when there's music to be to be Written?

Speaker 3:

so, like I'm always freestyle and something I got here from hip-hop like I came here from rapping, so I always got something in the chamber if necessary. But in terms of like right, unless I wake up and really remember something that I know is gonna be good, I mostly just right in a moment. What's, what's your rap?

Speaker 2:

background.

Speaker 3:

So, um, my two old, my oldest brother Was in a rap group when he was in a Marine Corps.

Speaker 3:

Called torture in the chamber and he came home and he had All the studio equipment, everything, like I'm talking when the cord Triton was like we had a Triton and it was like, oh shit, he really swears on it. And then no, those two. So that's my only this brother. I'm one of three, so my second oldest brother is that's actually my blood brother and me and him, you know, we grew up together and he'll be like you give me 16 and I try to be all shine, shape Because he's seven years old me. So I would say no and he would three-piece me and then I'd be like, okay, and so that's how I learned how to freestyle and rap. Really just been in the studio my whole life and everything. When we first our first album, the boys will let you. The guys up in the band at that time were kind of amazed like damn, he really only take like two, three takes right, yet yeah.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, we don't have time.

Speaker 3:

We don't have time for this. Like you just wrote it, now go spit it.

Speaker 2:

No, so do you have. Are there releases out there that people can listen to?

Speaker 3:

um, there's one or two songs on YouTube you can look up a kill God. Like my first name, a k il, then gld, and just the letter c, and and some of that shit will pop up hell yeah but I was always. I was always been a hardcore kid. I never ventured into the hip hop scene or wanting to do, none of that. My brothers did club music for a while and then I found this hardcore shit like they. They went that way and I went this way.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah. It's cool though how it all you know I mean at all Musically speaking ties into each other. You know You've been able to freestyle and you know getting the the chance to record and then you know getting into a hardcore band and all that stuff. It's all connected, man, it's all connected and you know it all you know Kind of feeds into your creative process, which is cool to know. You know you mentioned, you mentioned you're working at a tattoo shop.

Speaker 3:

Are you a tattoo artist or no, no, I would never so Shout out. Dear Durakian triple crown tattoo up in Towson. Dean sees me be on the road and whatnot and she's like you know I need a counterperson and you will be great. So I just work counting and it's the best job anyone can answer.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, hell, yeah, hell, yeah. Well, it's sick. This is the sailor Jerry podcast. Norman Collins was one of the godfather Traditional tattooing, so that's pretty fucking awesome. What was the? What was your first tattoo?

Speaker 3:

My first tattoo was skinhead inside my lip.

Speaker 2:

Oh yeah, what about your latest tattoo was last one you got.

Speaker 3:

Oh, I got this humbly well for my face. Oh, hell yeah.

Speaker 2:

I was gonna say what do you feel about people going under anesthesia to get tatted?

Speaker 3:

We would talk about that shit last night at work. No, that's cheating, like that's half the. So, if anything is a commentary on the world, you want some shit that represents Strife and diligence, but you don't want to have to put forth or deal with any strike and no, no, that's a cowards way out. This shit hurt and it's not cool or fun. I had a couple people yesterday I worked yesterday. Oh, do you suggest any numbing? And I'm like you shouldn't numb it because, like, if I go to pierce you, right and that part of the body is numb and you react poorly to the piercing initially because the body parts numb, how do we know if this is good or bad? The body can take care of itself. It reacts.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 3:

No, I don't like it. Yeah, Also they get like full body please For some sick shit. Nah, fuck that.

Speaker 2:

I saw this one headline today where it was like a guy got like four tattoos and like dental work done while he was like under and I was like what the fuck's going on Like?

Speaker 3:

why are you doing that?

Speaker 2:

All right, a couple more questions, akil. I don't want to keep you too long here, man. A couple questions to go along with the player headers ball video for Hate Keeper that you had A couple. We're going to call us the hate section. What is your least favorite instrument?

Speaker 3:

Maybe clarinet.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, clarinet, not a giant fan of clarinet.

Speaker 3:

I like most woodwinds. The old one kind of pissed me off, but like I get it.

Speaker 2:

Mine's a harmonica. I hate the harmonica yeah.

Speaker 3:

I've been given a very strict no harmonica on the full length policy, which has my heart as a Billy Joel fan. I'm like not even a little bit. I'll put it in a skit. No, get prepared for the skits on this full length too. Oh really, yeah, we taking advantage of like that early 90s shit, just throw a skit man, why not Good, good, good.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, you need skits. You know, Snoop Dogg records, Dr Dre records, all those. Oh God, they were so good. Oh, like. W shit yeah W balls, all right. What's the worst genre of music?

Speaker 3:

I'd have to say gospel music. But like gospel music got some bangers and I'm black and I can't say that out loud, I don't know. In the most cliche way, I like all music because I went to school for it.

Speaker 2:

So like oh nice, I didn't know that. Where do you? Went to school for music.

Speaker 3:

Well, I had to have two scholarship opportunities for vocal performance. I didn't want to.

Speaker 2:

I want to get home and high school.

Speaker 3:

I went to high school center for vocal performance. So do that stick, man. I can really sheet music and you know I was a tenor and did all that shit, but I was still going to shows and whatnot.

Speaker 2:

That's fucking dope dude. I love that. Yeah, I love that. There's, you know, like a deeper musical, you know well than what people might see from the surface. Man, that's really fucking cool and it makes sense, like you know. You dig in a little deeper vocally, you know it makes sense. I could tell that's something you really really care about. That's fucking cool.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, well, you're breathing and you're phrasing. You know what I say. You got to get it all works together, yeah. And then the hip hop.

Speaker 2:

That's two. We're going to go. We're going to go pick one here, ok.

Speaker 1:

OK.

Speaker 2:

Stage dive or slam dance. Slam dance, nice Street art or fine art, street art John Joseph or Harley Taylor's, beyonce or Taylor Swift?

Speaker 3:

Beyonce. The Swifties got not as that on the day man, they tried to pop in that shit. I basically said, like y'all love Taylor Swift because y'all like easily digestible shit Hospital food, bland, no salt, get it, don't even mix. And they were so upset they couldn't even decide for the argument. They think I'm talking shit on Taylor. Get at how you live, sweetheart. She's a billionaire. I'm an asshole. What I'm getting at is the fact that y'all had enabled her to become a billionaire, when all she's doing is cutting the crust off her white bread she didn't even put in that normal motherfucker and y'all eat it up. It's insane. She ain't toasting, it Ain't no butter.

Speaker 3:

I think they just oh damn, I love her so much. I've seen a quirky white bitch before. Like, too, I love that. That's how it all. Who am I? I need to stop. You need to stop. She's probably a great lady. I don't care. She's just some white lady from Pennsylvania. Dog, calm down, calm down, so she heel flip. Because if she came out there and does like a heel flip, I was like Taylor, you got it.

Speaker 2:

If Taylor dropped the heel, flip that would be. That would change a lot of things, I think, and Taylor couldn't dolly inward heel.

Speaker 3:

I'd be like I'm just trying to fuck up, you got it, but she can't.

Speaker 2:

Hell yeah, what about a youth of today? Or gorilla biscuits?

Speaker 3:

Gorilla biscuits. Shout out to Sam. Shout out to our office. Shout out to Charlie. Shout out to all of them.

Speaker 2:

Love them, love them, oh yeah. Draker Kanye Holmgay, oh yeah.

Speaker 3:

I was drop out.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, heypreet, or terror. Sorry, scott Heypreet.

Speaker 3:

Oh, heypreet, all right, so hand me out. It's funny that you would make me do this, but I'm going to do it. So when I started getting into this, remember I had no mental for real. So all the white boys wearing the terror shirts were doing were like mashing. But I'm a new jack, but I'm still like a crust, like a punk. So I'm still doing that like circle pits, not karate, kick shit.

Speaker 3:

So I would see that shit and be like I hate that going on. You know it'll be like why are they doing that? And then I turned like no, I started having sex. And then I was like I get it.

Speaker 2:

Wait, so are you saying that there's a correlation between not having sex in circle pits and having sex and hardcore dancing? Yes, in my world, all right. Ice tea or body count, body count, nice, nice, all right, trash talk, or trapped under ice.

Speaker 3:

TY, baby, yeah, TY, I mean trash talk is trash talk, but TY, that's the holy, that's family right there.

Speaker 2:

That's true. That's true. All right, Last two questions here. If Bill and Ted came down, they had the time machine with them. They said yo, Keele, anywhere you want to go in history, let's go.

Speaker 3:

Tell me where you want to go and why I'm going to need them to drop me in either Colombia or Florida circa 1978, 1982. You feel me? We going to get busy one time. Take me there. Take me there, poppy. I'm Dominican. I'm not black, I'm Dominican. I'll figure it out.

Speaker 2:

All right. Last question what do you, Akhil Godzi, is the meaning of life?

Speaker 3:

I had no idea what the meaning of life is. I tell you what you should be. Just follow the rule Treat everybody the way you would like to be treated. It's real simple.

Speaker 2:

Hell yeah, man. Awesome, akhil. I just want to say thank you very much, my man, for being on the Say the Jerry podcast. Thank you for having me. It's been a pleasure man. So everybody keep a lookout for End it. This year they got a lot of stuff going on New music in the works Shows all over the US. Thanks again for your time, akhil.

Speaker 3:

Right on. Thanks for having me. I'll take it easy.

Speaker 2:

Oh yeah, that's a wrap on episode 64 of the Say the Jerry podcast. As always, huge amount of respect and gratitude to our guest, the one and only Akhil Godzi of End it. Akhil, thank you so much for your time and energy. My man, it was awesome talking to you. You can follow Akhil at alone in Akhil on Instagram. You can follow End it on Instagram, of course, and watch out for them on the road in 2024. They got that big tour with Drain just announced. They got tied down in Detroit and, of course, south by Southwest, right around the corner in Austin, texas. And also huge shout out to Buff Monster for swinging through in the monologue to say what up? Always good to get some time with the Buff one. So thank you very much, buff Monster. Look out for that Minions collab that dropped today. You can follow me at 2-3 Matman. You can follow Say the Jerry at Say the Jerry, I'll see you in two weeks. Peace, slowly.