Above the bridge
Entertainment and conversation
Above the bridge
Episode 182 HO'ONU'A ( Island Reggae Artist )
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A band can disappear from the release radar and still soundtrack your whole life. That’s why sitting down with Ho’onu'a felt like a full circle moment for us, from the classics we grew up on to the new music they’re finally ready to unleash. Jared and Christian share what changed since the peak island music days, what stayed the same, and why coming back now is less about “nostalgia” and more about purpose, family, and perspective.
We go deep on the stuff nobody warns you about: the financial chaos of kids’ sports, how raising daughters rewires your mindset, and how time gives you a wider view of your own lyrics. Then we zoom out to the bigger question fans always argue about, the status of island reggae and Hawaiian music today. They break down why comparing eras misses the point, how roots reggae and R&B influences opened new doors, and why a good song still stands the test of time when the hook is real.
On the business side, we talk modern music production and promotion: recording on laptops, collaborating across Hawaii and the mainland, giving producers credit, and the grind of social media marketing for independent artists. We also get real about live concerts, viral moments, and the challenge of getting people to put the phone down and actually be present. If you love island music, band origin stories, and honest behind-the-scenes artist talk, this one delivers.
Subscribe to Above the Bridge Podcast, share this with a friend who grew up on Ho’onu'a, and leave a review with the song that brings you straight back to Hawaii.
Welcome And Day Party Invite
SPEAKER_06Okay, welcome to another edition of the Above the Bridge Podcast. My name is Thaddeus Park. Thank you for tuning in. Please like, subscribe, tell your friends, whatever platform you're on listening to this, I appreciate you. And I want to invite all of you to an RB day party that me and DJ Hoppa Boy are throwing May 24th at the Capitol Modern. Good food from Whiskey Smoke. It's Laid Back Vibe. It's called Laidback RB. Please get your tickets now. This thing's gonna sell out. Go to laidbacrb.com and get your tickets now. Aloha. Okay, this week I have the pleasure and honor to have these guys on my show. One of my favorite bands from back in the day. And they sing one of my favorite songs, island music. When I think about you, that's been always one of my top favorite songs. It's Ho'onur. Yeah, Jared and Christian. What's up, guys?
SPEAKER_01What's up? Yup.
Ho'onua Returns With New Music
SPEAKER_06Bruh, I appreciate you guys, bruh. I can't believe you guys are on my show. This is kind of a full circle moment. I always was a fan of you guys, and um, it's been a minute since you guys been been making music. What's been new with your guys' career right now?
SPEAKER_01Just me, man. Yeah. It's stoked to be here, bruh.
SPEAKER_04Thank you for having us, man. We're stoked, bruh. And you know, people so rarely say when I think about you, usually it's blue light, man. So hey, right on for that.
Parenting And The Sports Money Trap
SPEAKER_00Okay, okay, okay. All right. Go ahead, Jared. Go ahead. What's new? Oh, yeah. I mean, sure. Yeah, a lot's been happening, man. I mean, I I live mainland now. I live in Utah, you know, shortly after 2010, I would move up there and just, you know, busy, man. You know, I'm proud dad of 15-year-old twins on boy and girl. You know what I mean? And and now we just, you know, as joking around with my wife, we go, yeah, coming back to make music so I can pay for all these dang sports, bro.
SPEAKER_05Oh, bruh, I get it.
SPEAKER_00As we speak right now, my son is flying with our team to Dallas for his club seven on seven team. We just got back from Vegas a couple weeks ago. My daughter's volleyball is the biggest racket in the I tell you we're in around. Oh, bro. Volleyball, we go over there. I swear, I mean, had 150 courts. So you figure 14, probably 600 teams. And that's like that was weekend two.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_00Bo Napoleon was over there. Shout out to Brother Ball. He was over there, we're catching zips after there. So yeah, I mean, but yeah, you know what I mean. We just for the kids now. You know what I mean? So I think a lot of it, even now, like you know, I was telling Christian, come back, make music. Sometimes gotta have a message for the kids too, huh? So, you know, just staying busy, you know, that night, you know. Yeah. I'm about to eat. Um, yeah.
SPEAKER_06Bruh, my daughter plays volleyball, and we just came back from Vegas uh in March, and we're going to California next week or next month. And bruh, I'm like slaying crispy creams on the side of the road, about for sell blood. Like, I don't know. Yeah, you're right. We're in the wrong business. If I'd known this back then, I would have been I'd been making a club and doing tournaments or something.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, man. If we move updates, I would have been. I was like, more friends, I was like, bruh, you should have started on club way back then. You have the knowledge, uh, you know what I mean? Like more of your sitting coaching coverages in football. I was like, bruh. So all good, all good.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. So yeah, so I I have a seven-year-old daughter, and her newest sport trumps all the rest of the boys' sports combined, but I thought I mean everything from from from football, basketball, baseball, volleyball, all of that is nothing compared to cheerleading and dance, bro. Oh, let me run. Nobody even equipment.
SPEAKER_00Nobody even equipment.
SPEAKER_04My equipment was like fifty dollars just for going to the place for watching dance, and the the dance was two minutes. I was like, wait, that's it?
SPEAKER_00Bro, you gotta think you gotta you gotta think Shannon go in with the camera, and you just think, yeah, oh let me park the car or the dance party.
SPEAKER_05Okay, well, you win, bro. You're right. I think you're right.
SPEAKER_04It is crazy. It's like pageant moms, you know, pageant moms, but it's just mental, bro. Mental. And nothing but love to all them pageant moms, but oh my goodness, that's that's craziness, man. Yeah, more than all the boys' sports combined.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah. Okay, I get it. Super expensive, bro.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. But I appreciate it because now I feel like understanding where your guys' mindset is at because of having daughters and kids, but mostly daughters, because it's different, bruh. When you get daughters, and I mean you guys are pretty popular back in the day, and and I'm sure you know how it is having a daughter or being around girls, and bruh, it changed my mindset because I have a 15-year-old daughter, and it's like, wow, uh okay, now now I get it. I all the stuff I was doing naughty, now it's coming back to me because now I gotta protect her from all that kind of oh absolutely.
SPEAKER_04Absolutely. You know, I you know, I think just adding to what Jared said as far as like us nowadays, uh, you know, you just as you live longer, you just gain more perspective, you know, and and certainly the kids are are what you know causes that change in perspective. But I think just life experiences and time too, man. Just like like how you said, like being around all those people for all this time, man, it's just so more experience and more perspective, man. That's why I'm stoked to come back and do new music, man. These are songs that some songs we created while we were recording, and some songs we've had for a long time that we just been wanting to get out. So so we're coming. The the clip is loaded, and we're just we're gonna fire new songs, new music, uh that that other music overload, man. Let's go. Let's go.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, I agree, and I'm honestly a fan that's excited to see what you guys got going on. And I know you dropped a new uh release, and I played it in the car for my wife and my daughter, and my daughter was kind of tripping, and I'm like, check this out. And I went through the catalog, and I'm like, right, this is what's up. These are the guys, and she was just kind of tripping out, and she she knew a couple of the songs, and um I was like, Oh, they're gonna be on my show, and she was all stoked. So I was like, okay, I'm stoked that the younger generation still can be impacted by even the stuff you guys uh put out long time ago. And and for me, great music I always thought can stand the test of time and it and it has. And how do you guys feel about the status of island music and the new stuff that's coming out compared to the old stuff?
SPEAKER_00Um, I don't know. For me, I mean I'll take it just because so I've been in the mainland, you know, for quite some time, but been fortunate. I mean, sometimes fortunately, sometimes unfortunately, or unfortunately, you know, like um I I come home probably a few times, especially before we start making music consistently. I would come home at least maybe two, three times a year, you know, enjoy some of the music. Sometimes it was for graduations, weddings, sometimes funerals, you know, that kind of stuff, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00But and I mean, I think I think that music is always I remember um a good friend of ours, in fact, brother Norm. Shout out to Brother Norm. I remember he's like because he's Sonny's cousin.
SPEAKER_01Thompson Thompson.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, Norm, Norm Thompson. Um, you know, and he said something that he said, you know, music is to be shared, not compared. Right? And so I was thought, yeah, you know, because naturally you can compare with ID, you know, but I think now being more, I want to say more, you know, more gray in the hair, you know, now we know to me, I can appreciate because I think about when we was young, I mean, we had guys like Fiji that was um he was more of still very involved in the music industry. He wasn't necessarily like kind of mentoring us at that time when we were, you know, in our, you know, because he was still busy doing his things, right? So I see all the young guys and they get they were fortunate to have him like, you know, be act like one big brother, you know, jump in the studio, help them, write, compose, all that stuff. And I think we had kind of, I had left right around where, you know, where where he was coming in, because I think Bug was getting just kind of getting his legs under him. I remember when I moved to Utah, Common Kings was doing one show down and like one little, you know, I was and my sister was like, hey, check out these guys, you know, so they was all kind of getting started just a little bit right after we had kind of went our ways back in 06. But then I look at all the music now and I think, hey, everybody has their own way of like expressing their music. But you know, we've been we kind of we you know, we we're the old guys now, uh, you know. Yeah, but so you kind of look at our time and I thought what was cool of our era is you had you know like Honoa, Tree Plus, I mean Ecolo has still been holding it down since then, right?
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Tens feet, natural vibes, even Ookla, um, Kya Hivai, OP Pickers, you know, all this everybody had kind of like that very distinct sound. Everybody was a little bit just a little bit different from each other, yeah. And so that's kind of what I appreciated about our era. Um, but I will say I'm a fan of a lot of the young young kids' music too, you know. Because, you know, I mean, I think I I really enjoyed Roots from my uh from the Reggae standpoint. I like, you know, Gregory Isaacs, you know, Alpha Blondie, you know, those kinds of like we were rootsies. And I think when we were coming out, that wasn't necessarily radio playable at yet. Yeah, yeah, Chris. It was more was more the island stuff, yeah. But now I feel like the kids they get to play that. So that's why, like Kanaka Fire, when I first heard his song, I was singing a barber. My barber one dropped that. He was like, Chick is kind of he's from Hawaii. And I was like, Wait, this is what I think last year or the year before. When did only John J come out? 24, I think, something like that.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, yeah, 24.
SPEAKER_00And I was just sitting getting my hair cut. And my barber, he's you know, he's tonguing guy from Utah, but he listens to all the island music too. And so I was thinking, that is Sunjam. And then sure enough, the next next trip home to Hawaii, I was like, Oh yeah, it's all over the place. So I think there is a a just there's a kind of a distinct difference, if you want to use that term, but I'm a big fan of all the young, the young guys' music too. You know, and you still got those guys that are I want to say they're they're not the young guys, they're more of the I guess the more seasoned guys that are that were coming out when we kind of left, you know, like Chloe Kai doing his thing, major, you know, Comic Kings, Boog, you know what I mean, Maoli, you know what I mean? Shoot, when we did what what did we do that show for him in Maui? Maybe 2016?
SPEAKER_04Maoli was yeah, that one was like before, yeah, before they even blew up, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Like he was still by Glen because he did it he promoting his own show. I remember the Mar out, not Mar outs, it was like the Civic Club was something that that big field.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, at that time they were already like touring, but they would go play like little 300-person clubs, but they were I remember being so surprised because they were in like Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and like I'm like, wow, this this local band from Maui is just reaching far, and they're just doing it on their own. I mean, you know, at that time was like little, little teeny tiny venues, but no look, you know.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, a lot of teeny tiny venues begging for them. Like, oh sorry. Uh yeah, check my let me check my schedule. Oh, I'm open in 2042. You know that you know, like shoot. But nah, I mean, yeah, to answer your question, I like I like what a lot of the bands are doing just because it's I mean, yeah, I don't know any other way to say it. Like back in our day, like they wasn't so open to playing a lot of the more rootsy reggae, you know. Yeah, I use rootsy in that term, even though it's very vague. But um, but yeah, I like, you know, I I mean, yeah, I like a lot of the young bands. You know, kind of fire. I love Wavy, they I like their groove, man. Those guys are solid. And then of course, you know, I water, they get their thing going on, but yeah, but still I think it's I you know, when you go to a show and you know, you can kind of like you do the holo, you know, the Holofest, all raid, do all his shows, you know, that kind of thing.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00There's a different vibe in a groove, and I think that's the beautiful thing about the island reggae groups, you know what I mean? Because it's reggae music, but you're not gonna you you're gonna get one different taste of a little bit of everybody. So that's what I like about the young groups. They still get their own little they get their own actions, you know what I mean, their own style to put down to it. So yeah.
SPEAKER_06I think you guys are responsible also for laying like the groundwork down for these younger bands. Like you guys doing it for so long, it gave them a path or direction or inspiration to even even pick up something and start start their own band and groups. Like you guys are responsible for that. Like you guys kind of are pioneers, not say you guys old or anything, but like you guys did it for a long time and kind of laid groundwork down for bands to keep it going now. And guarantees some of these young bands got inspired by you guys, you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, and I feel like, you know, I I feel like we owe that to them because we had we certainly had those those you know, bands who were our who laid the framework for what we did. Like, I mean, I was a huge fan of Israel, and I mean Calcrator Boys was all I needed, but after that was like, you know, like everybody in our generation, pick up the ukulele and learn all choice songs over and over and over circles first, you know, and then Monol too drunk. We all need but you know, all you know, I truly feel that it's like good a good song is a good song, regardless of the generation or the genre. Like, I mean, good music is timeless, you know. Hit songs and great hooks are timeless, you know. So I I feel like, you know, like I'm jumping around a bit, but like, you know, that also the notion of like, oh, don't meet your heroes. I never wanted that to be the case when a young musician came up to me, you know, because I had the some of the I'm not gonna mention names, but some of these guys who were huge influences on me, you know, like when you finally meet them, oh, it wasn't what you expected it to be, you know. It's like like don't meet your heroes, right?
SPEAKER_00But I told you I'm sorry about that earlier.
SPEAKER_01I apologize for that, because I I yeah, bro.
SPEAKER_04I you know, I committed to that from an early age. I felt like, you know, what once we're gonna, you know, if and when we continue to do this and it's uh, you know, we achieve success, then when these new kids come in, bro, whatever they need, I'm an open book, you know. Meet your heroes, bro. Let's go. So it's it's you know, every generation, it's just that generation's interpretation of music. You know, the generation before ours was heavily influenced by country music and and you know, like Krooner's type, like Frank Sinatra and all that. Like I'm talking about the Melvin Lead Loyal Garner era era and all that kind of thing. Huge fans of those types of music too, you know, like uh and then you know, like traditional Hawaiian music, all all across the board, man. Um it's just that generation's interpretation of music because nothing is really, really truly Hawaiian unless you chanting, chanting and playing the right. That's about it. I don't even know who he poo was there from the beginning, but unless it's kahiko. That's the only real, you know. So anyway, I think it's just just this generation's interpretation of music, and now it's heavily more influenced by like Jared said, uh Roots music is more widespread and more accepted, and then also RB, you know, RB was already influencing in our generation, and now even more so. Well, comic kings, you know, and then country making its comeback with Maoli, you know, it's just like mixing it with reggae, you know, mixing all these other genres with reggae, and just it's like Hawaii does with everything, with food and you know, whatever. We're just uh we're just a fusion, a fusion of of many different styles, and and that's our culture.
SPEAKER_06That's a good way to look at it. That you're right. I never thought of it like that. Our music is that diverse, and it's it's kind of a hodgepodge of different stuffs, and it becomes our own unique sound. Happily, I can say that your guys' music stands the test of time because like I said, I played it from my daughter and she's rocking on to it. And she is the first person on earth to tell me my stuff is old. If I play other songs, ah dad, that's older and she she dug your guy's stuff, so it definitely stood the test of time. And kids, they don't BS when it comes to that kind of stuff. They they happily like let you know that you're old.
SPEAKER_01We appreciate you.
The College Stairwell Origin Story
SPEAKER_06Okay, let's take this short break from talking to Ho Onu and shout out our sponsors, Defend Hawaii. They are my first sponsor and they've been with me from the beginning. They have a store in Winward Mall called No One, they have some new spring drops they just released. Go to their website defendhawaii.com and figure out what you want. Use promo code ATVPod upon checkout, and you'll get 15% off your purchase. Uh let them know above the bridge podcast sent you. Aloha. Um, taking it back, bro. How did you guys even link up to start out?
SPEAKER_00Alex, could you take that one? This guy's fully coming through my hood.
SPEAKER_05Oh, okay. This is way back.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_04You know, he he he was the all-star football player. He he was the man, he thought he was the man, so come in with me out of this, come in that, and like, you know, so you get free lunch and you get all those, you need all those perks that you thought was you just thought was normal.
SPEAKER_00You know what I mean? I was like, wait, what? You got a I mean, I had three siblings going over there. Never know I had tuition. How's that? Never know how tuition I come in at the same time. Not anymore.
SPEAKER_04No, you guys get free lunch and free school.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, yeah. That's right, huh? I get on grant, my daughter got on grant from them, so it it they've been helping me out. They're never like me or her, but they're giving us a grant.
SPEAKER_01It's winning the lottery, man. Winning the lottery. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04But uh, yes, we just met in uh we met in college. We were we graduated the same year. I went to Iolani, Jared went to Kameh, and we were two of four freshmen who went to play football at this small Division III, turn Division I double A school, the University of San Diego. And I tell you, we're so lucky and fortunate to go to this place because back then, I mean, I mean, yeah, there's no way to get around the age thing. But we never have internet like how it is today. We couldn't just research and just full on like do a deep dive in what school we were going to. A lot of it was on the uh on the pamphlet that they s they sent to us, you know. Of course, every school. Yeah, the brochures. Every school, no matter what school. Yeah. They make their school look the greatest, right? And we're just choosing off of the brochure, you know, and like and a lot of my classmates went to Oregon and didn't even last a semester because you know, the brochure doesn't say there's nine months of rain and and and and clouding and ex, you know, but we just lucked out now. We got beautiful San Diego, California. We got we went early, so the four of us became very close because you know none of us had left home before to live anywhere else, and and we were you know away from home for the first time, and and before the whole rest of the school got there, too. We're it was a small school, but we had cat football camp, so we're there very early, you know, and we're the only ones on campus, man. So we we we got very close, and that is how our whole first record was was born songs about homesickness, and that that's what we should have called the thing. But uh, but yeah, just being homesick and just remembering Hawaii, and that's uh that's how we got started.
SPEAKER_06That's super cool, but I didn't even know that. That that's a cool story. Uh how did you guys know you guys had action? Like, what you guys just started singing, like, oh bruh, you sound good, and then you guys just started just like, oh, we're good.
SPEAKER_00Oh, so the Christian will tell you the real story. He was walking around San Diego, the campus with his ukulele, just luring he was he was like the kind, bro, the feeling on the roofs, walking around with all these holy girls following him around.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And then his door was his apartment, was his uh dorm room was two, two, three doors down the hall from me and my roommate. So we just get together, sing, you know, that kind of stuff. Obviously, it's one of those buildings where you, you know, the hallway, you know, every hallway, stairwell type, you know, get good acoustics. So we just keep jamming music, and you know, freshman in college, you just kind of all the boys you hang out, yeah. You know what I mean? Back then, I mean there was no internet. I mean, you have to go to the computer lab to use the internet send emails, you know. I mean, that's how bad it was, right? So, yeah, I mean, our only distraction was Genesis, remember freaking Genesis? Holy smoke.
SPEAKER_04Everybody's on on their own, sitting in their dorm rooms on their devices, you know. But back then we never have devices, bro. The devices was meet each other and you know actually, gosh, like technology, man, it's like made everything so impersonal.
SPEAKER_01But anyway.
SPEAKER_04But yeah, no, that's that's how it was, bro. We just find whatever stairwell we could and and bust out to Ukulele and just do college things. You know, that's happening. That's not wasn't only our story, that's happening at college campuses across you know across the world.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think I think that's a similar story, the local brothers over there. You know what I mean? That's super cool. You know, one groove, all those guys, you know what I mean? It's just like all those bands that came, you know, and it's very similar, similar kind of origin stories now, especially the college bratas, uh, you know. That's super cool.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, you come out of linemen make make music. What happened to all the receivers? They know all the the thing in there.
SPEAKER_00I was running back, even though I look like one lineman now. Yeah. I was a fool in college, but yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_06Um, yeah, I don't know why. I don't know why. So I get it, bro. Ho'onua was formed because they was jamming out one college trying to impress chicks.
SPEAKER_00And then I Christian was impressing the chicks.
SPEAKER_05Guarantee, bro. They heard you guys say guarantee.
SPEAKER_00Like I can come see with you later on. I gotta go study my homework right now.
SPEAKER_06That's such an awesome story. I'm glad I asked that question.
Reuniting While Living Two Places
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_06Over the years, but you guys been um killing it and since you moved, how was it getting back to kind of reuniting playing music with each other?
SPEAKER_02Are you guys constantly been doing it?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you know, I never left.
SPEAKER_04I still my full-time job. I play all all throughout Waikiki throughout the week and oh nice. Uh yeah, yeah, I never left Hawaii. I've I've been living here ever since and um yeah, I make a living very grateful to make a living playing music, but uh but Jared would come home, you know, a couple times a year and we would always try to see if we could at least do one or two and you know, just take them as they come. But um, but yeah, we never we never really fully, you know, stopped playing music together and then uh and then I'll let Jared continue as far as you know how we got back.
SPEAKER_00No, yeah, I mean you think about it, right? Because you was you was part of it, right? So I mean when when I moved to Utah, I mean I left the music scene in 2006. I was just very I had um callings in church and you know just different, right? Different directions as far as what I want to do. Uh my wife and I were focused on, you know, trying to start a family, that kind of thing. And then 2010 we moved to Utah, and then my twins was born in 2011, which is when we came home for the major age. Yeah. And I remember telling Reds, like, bruh, because my wife could give birth to twins, bruh. And I don't know if I'm good that or not, but I can't, I know I cannot just dig out on her two months after she gave birth to twins, right? Like, you know what I mean? I didn't know you know if I don't even know if I know how to change diaper yet. I don't know, you know. Sounds like catch a fire, catch a fire, color fire. Catch a fire, kill on your car. It was called the final set. The last of final. Yeah. So I remember we went corner. So my wife and the babies was at the hotel with with my in-laws, and then me and the all of us boys went corner. Remember, we did the Cupona show, that was on. He came back in in the show, right? Yep. And then I think after that, two years later, I remember um Paulele was doing the I don't know if he called it the Revive the Live.
SPEAKER_06Revive the Live at um Republic, and that was with us also. It was Republic, that was with us also. We did them every Friday.
SPEAKER_00Yep. Perfect. Because I remember that, and I was like, dang, that's some good little vibe, right? I just remember. So we did that, and then I think every maybe a year or so, he would bring us back to Revive the Live. And then we'd have some random like people would catch when that, hey, you guys did on the show, can you do this? And it was like, oh, you know, and then it'll, you know, you think about like right around 2018, 19. I mean, now I started coaching my son because he's you know he's at the young age, like played football, so that kind of prioritized thing. But we would probably do maybe one or two maybe shows a year, yeah, Christian, something like that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And then, at least for me personally, I really wasn't intending on coming back to music. But you know, I have stuff written down in journals and some lyrics become, you know, like poems and things like that. And then it was again my daughter, you know, all the local girls, they love the island music, yeah. So my daughter was rocking out to Tonor them, Tree Plus. And then I my son was like, that's dads, friends. Because we'll like literally the previous summer when bumping to Tonua in Mesquite, his son played football too. So one of the governments, yeah. So I'm introduced my son. Then when we drive back from Mesquite, it's like four hours back to our house. And so I would play Tree Plus to go right now. This Uncle Tono, you just met him. He was like, Oh, okay. But my son is like, you know, you know, mainland boys, they you know, they like the island music, but they like the little mumbo rap, you know, they like all that kind, you know, just different kinds of stuff, yeah. And my son is weird because he likes Billy Joe, you know, he he listens to all the old kind crooner stuff too, but Island music is probably six or seventh on his list, you know. So he was saying that, and then my daughter was like, What? And then then she kind of realized, like, you know, then she went down the catalog and saw all of our stuff. And so it's been fun, but she was kind of the more motivating force around me wanting to come back. And then you think about it, when Fiji passed away, and I thought, man, you're gonna have a lot of stuff. And this is just my own personal feeling, like my gut feeling. I was like, man, I gotta have stuff, and my kids gonna know me as dad, like you know, he's just dad, you know. But then I realized, oh, okay, maybe this is something, and my daughter, she loves music, she plays violin, uh, she gotta get back to she's doing all that kind of stuff. And then I realized uh I do have a disservice to my kids if I don't use the talents that I had to bring joy and happiness to all these other people, but I never do it to my kids, you know what I mean? So yeah, that was kind of the only reason where I felt that's so I told Christian, hey, well, if we come back, if you come back, I'll come in like all in, you know what I mean? Like get this music out, you know, do that stuff just to build it so it has legs, you know, that kind of stuff. And then, but mainly it's just you know, somewhere down the line gonna be, you know, maybe my daughter might be telling her granddaughter, hey, this is your grand great grandfather, you know, look, oh my kids was doing one skin to it. I don't know, you know, you never know, right? Just down the line, you know what I mean? Yeah. Or somebody did a remix of cartridge and you know, sweet wahine, or you know, when I think about you, and all of a sudden you're like, oh bro. Yeah, you know that you know that kind of stuff. Yeah, so but it's fun, like you said, right? Good music, if it'll stand the test of time, you know, and I think my perspective, I was I was sharing with Krishna, I was like, the funny thing is, man, now with with the way the music can reach, like in our day, you have to perform in front of you know 20, 30,000 people, 100,000 people, you know, or 10,000 people in 10 different venues to gain 100,000 fans. And now with the beauty of technology, you know, we get fans in all over the place, right? You know, just like all the musicians, right? You get fans in, you know. Now New Zealand and Australia is becoming kind of an extension, like a little bridge, right? A two-way bridge between Dawai, you know, Philippines. We see, you know, like Koloikai went down there. And so, and we see it now. It's pretty cool to see, like, oh yeah, we get a couple fans. Hey, we get a couple hundred streams in this country and that, you know, it's it's pretty cool.
The Blue Light Glow Stick Panic
SPEAKER_06So that was I definitely have an issue with that final set in uh the shell. And I'll tell you that story why blue light gun uh like a good bad vibe with me. I like the song, but bro, give me anxiety. We before that show, Ray and and us was putting that thing together, and for some reason he had this issue where he wanted to give plenty of the people at the concert glow sticks that are telling him why we're not on rave, like we're doing local, like it's a major rage, we don't need glow sticks, like and he just was adamant and bruh, he we didn't buy$5,000 worth of glow sticks, and I'm thinking we bruh, that's two$2,500 each, you know. We never need to do that. And when you guys play blue light, bruh, those glow sticks was blue, and that just gonna open the floodgates, and everybody started whipping them and look super cool, was going everywhere. That and I'm like, oh my god, somebody hit in the eye, and we're gonna get on lawsuit. And oh it would, but and then I had to I had to eat my pride because it was cool, and Ray was like, see, I told you it was gonna be cool. I was like, ah frick, uh, you right, but you know what I mean? But it gave me super planned anxiety. But that moment, and that was my first big concert um promoting, and we did it with Ray, and it would that moment will always stick out in my whole life, and I guarantee I'll always remember that song because of that, bro. I don't know if you guys remember that.
SPEAKER_00Oh bro, I remember coming off the stage. That's my only regret because I saw part of it and I was like, what? And I think I missed, you know, I I caught the tail end of it. Because you know, we go off stage and we just kind of exit our ways and it's like, you know, we're breathing hard and we're like, oh yeah, that was a solid set. Yeah, you know, he's kind of like feeling good. And then, if I remember correctly, was right after that, but then the DJ would drop. Whoever the DJ was would play something, and then that it kind of turned it into that too, yeah. You know, so but I remember seeing all the ghost sticks going during Blue Light, and I mean, think about it. If if social media was the way it is now, that that would have been a viral moment, yeah.
SPEAKER_06Guaranteed that would have been, yeah, that's probably when we would have got uh sued for something.
SPEAKER_04Um yeah, yeah, yeah. Guarantee somebody got their eye taken out, too, by the oh man.
Scheduling Studio Time With Distance
SPEAKER_06Okay, let's take a break and shout out our sponsor, iRip Detail Supply. They're your one-stop shop superstore for everything you need, a detail, whatever vehicle you have. They have a store in Temple Valley Shopping Center, they also have one in Las Vegas, and they're about to open one in Waipeel. But go on their website, iRipDetailsupply.com, views promo code HBPod Upon, checkout 15% off your purchase. I would personally recommend going into the store and talking to the staff. If they have if you have any questions, they are more than happy and knowledgeable to help you with whatever questions you have about all their products and everything. I enjoy going there and talking to their staff, they're amazing. But i repdetailsupply.com. Aloha. But yeah, I do I do remember us um Lele booking you for Revive the Live, and we were his first year doing Revive the Live, he wanted us to help him, so we worked with him for the whole summer, and you guys was there, and um you guys always rock the house, and it's it's cool to know that you guys are coming back and making new stuff. How hard has it been to make new stuff if you guys are on two separate, like you're in the mainland and you're in in Hawaii? How do you guys make that work?
SPEAKER_04I I think it just takes more planning, you know, more more planning in that uh we really try to maximize the time when when Jared is on island. So so it's just it's just you know, ahead of time, just scheduling studio every time he's in town. And and that's because we yeah, we don't have everything already recorded, but we just have all the songs ready to go. So it's just planning. Yeah.
SPEAKER_06And what the creative process is kind of similar to how it was when you guys were doing it back then or is it different now?
SPEAKER_00Um, I mean, I I would say it's more different now because we're not physically there, yeah, you know, yeah next to each other. But like um I think yeah, now we just kind of creatively say, okay, let's do this here's how I envision it, you know what I mean? And we just kind of collab on it, you know, whether it's something that Christian, you know, started or, you know, or vice versa, you know. But it's yeah, I mean with technology is like, okay, this we got laid on the reference, boom, sit on it, okay, and then come back the next time and we just kind of adjust, tweak, and and get that going. So yeah.
Collaboration Magic Comes Back
SPEAKER_04With um, what is that? Go ahead. No, and see absence is great, man. Thanks the heart grow fonder, so we're we're more collaborative when we're together. You know, I feel like even the the first song we released was called Good For Me. That was uh this past Thanksgiving, and then that one was like the most we've collaborated on, you know, on a song in a long time. I mean, we're literally in the studio, you know, going uh line for line on the verses and and singing the courses together, and yeah, it's just got back to really when we first started doing the thing in the you know in the in the stairwells in college, man. That's that's the feeling I have.
SPEAKER_06That's the kind of stuff I like to hear. That's that's magic right there. That what you just said, that's magic. And for you guys to be doing that again and and feeling that vibe, that's that's super cool. I mean, I can't even imagine creating something to share with the whole world and it catching, but after all these years, you guys catching that same vibe. That's that's super cool. I like the fact that new stuff is coming out, and how has the younger generation been receiving your guys' new stuff?
SPEAKER_01I don't know what you're saying, Jared.
SPEAKER_00So I don't know, I mean, I thought it was cool just because I mean you get like we did, I mean, we did one of Lily shows in the summer, I think it was the bash, summer bash, right? And it was kind of funny because you know, we we we the uncles, right? And it was, you know, I think I went and I was like, because my kids was my son was still there, and then my all my nephews and nieces, they was all there, right? I mean they teenage us. But it was funny because you know, before it was like, oh, open a chair, like take pictures, you know. Now I was like, Uncle, can take a picture with you, you know. And I was like, let's go, baby girl, come on, come on, come on, come on, bring out the back. What about you? You know what I'm saying? Like, and then you realize it's like, yeah, but you know, so for me, that's the good part about it. Just because like even for my church, I serve in the youth organization, yeah. So I I already see kind of the youth and stuff. And I mean, you know, it's like, hey, if they're out there listening to the music, then that means they're in a good place. Yeah, you know what I mean. There's there's enough bad danger, whatever you want to call it, that our youth can be getting in trouble, yeah. You know, so it's like, eh. So I think, I mean, I'm grateful, at least from what I see, you know what I mean. It's it's just a matter of um them having the opportunity to just hear our stuff. I'm pretty sure everybody, and no matter how old you are, young, you know what I mean. If you hear our stuff, you either gonna like them or you you maybe gonna like something else more, but you're still gonna enjoy the music. Yeah, you know what I mean. That's that's the way I look at it. So it's been good, at least from what I can see, you know.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_04You know, I I I feel for our old stuff too, I it's really full circle for us now because these kids that are in the club partying are are our fans' kids, you know. So like it might not have been as it might not have been that way ten years ago because you know our fans weren't old enough to have kids yet. But but now, man, all these kids is singing the the lyrics to the old songs, they actually know the songs just like when we were kids and you know our parents were playing C and K C and K songs or whatever, and we would go to those shows and know those songs. And so yeah, so look the old stuff that the the young kids is vibing, which I like. I I think that's great. And the new stuff, yeah, like Jared said, it's just you know, just giving them the opportunity to hear it. And you know, not so many people, I mean people still listen to the radio, but not like how it was when we were first coming out. So so it's just mastering um the art of content and you know, really just trying to blast it as as wide as we can and just get it on as many playlists as we can. It's a totally different game, of course. You guys all know nowadays it's so different, but we gotta just really, really you gotta commit to that full-time job of posting all day, every day. I mean, it's that's a lot of work, man. But you know, yeah, you know, no matter how many times we post, it's not oversaturation, bro, because there's so many people who haven't heard the song yet, you know. And and you know, we're grateful to the radio stations giving it a chance to because we haven't released music in so long. But it's I think it's a combination of everything that's gonna get it to the point where they're finally gonna hear it and be able to really connect with it, you know.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, I agree. And I think when you guys do perform, especially at the big shows, it gives a chance to have, like you said, your fans' kids enjoy the moment with each other. Like, bruh, I I I'd be in the stands with my daughter, and if your song came on and we're singing it together, and now you just bridge that generation gap. But ho, some of these aunties, when they hear some old stuff, come on, it is like head from God, bruh. They get into it. It's fun to watch, man. It's a good thing. It means something something, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Oh my god.
SPEAKER_06They get the Wonder Woman Hawaiian bracelet, and they singing up, bro. And like yo, that's the thing. And it's because those songs reminisce about certain moments in their life, and it hits because it it reminds them of great moments, and to share it with their kids, that must be a cool feeling. And watching that, just when I see it happening, I I can't even imagine as an artist how that that would feel, bro. That that's super cool.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's fun. I mean, we we've been fortunate to be on those stages where I mean we were in Hilo in January. That was just always got love. You know, the Outer Islands always got love for us, um, Big Island especially. But yeah, Hilo was good. We'll be in corner next week, um, May 2nd. So it's it's it's good to be kind of to be a part of that, to just see that, you know, see that the the reactions, you know, and and how it's evolved from I recognize you, oh, oh okay, that's your mom and dad. You know, that's yeah, you know, yeah, it's yeah, it's fun.
Laptop Recording And Producer Respect
SPEAKER_06Yeah, that's super cool. Recording-wise, because technology is so different, how has that been just with equipment? Because now they you can do you can set up a studio at your house now and get quality recordings. How has the benefit of technology been helping you guys um like bang songs out on an easier way or not a sh not like such a drawn-out process like how it was before?
SPEAKER_00Man, it's made it easy for me because I'm not a big producer. I mean, we've been fortunate enough to work with Osna, right? He's got a lot of stuff going on. And then for me, I mean, we just you, you know, like the technology allows you to do just very simple pre-production, right? So we get the hook in there, and then and it's like, okay, here's our ideas, and then and that's what I I that's what I I really enjoy seeing because there's so many producers where I find myself being kind of a credits nerd. Oh, who produced this song? Who's who's doing this? Who's doing this, right? And so back in the day, I never really paid attention to that. At least me personally, I didn't. You know what I mean? Because I mean our I mean, our second album was on what was that, Artie's? Whoa, I don't know, 500 candles and a huge board, right?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, that was George George Benson's board from the studio at Maui.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Oh wow. And so and then Dave Tusserone produced it, right? And then the third album, we did a mixture of What was that Wendell's first album? Wendell's, yeah, Wendell's Studio, you know what I mean? But still, like, and then now our albums are being produced on a laptop. You know what I mean? Like just the technology and the software that's available. But for me, it's made it easy for me because that way, you know, when you get gout in your hand, you cannot play the can just tweak them on the computer. Yeah, okay, right. You know what I mean? Like, but then you can do some pre-production and it basically, again, right, all you're doing is you're getting your expression into a format that people can listen to it, right? And so that's kind of what at least for me, and then I talk to check this out, you know, oh yeah, you know, and then so all of a sudden we start game planning, and then it makes it easier too when we have everything available. And it's cool because I think I saw, I can't remember who it was, and he was talking about um what's the the most what what's his name? The sax player that he plays the like the Auto Sax. Ah shucks. Kenny G. Kenny G, yeah. Kenny G. Someone was like, Oh yeah, I always wanted to do a song. Kenny G. And he just he shot his shot. He just boom. I can't remember what how what all the details of the story, but he I think he just DM'd him and said, Hey look, I would love to hear you possibly on this on a song I have. And Kenny G was like, Yeah, send it to me. And he said, Okay, he listened to it, and then I then basically he says, Okay, give me an hour. And then he sent back the song. So you know what I mean, using technology in that way. Now you can collab with people that spread across the, you know, across the world, right? So and the funny thing is like like Paul Napoleon. I, you know, we DM him and then we bumped into each other. We kind of every now and then, but she's kind of find the time, right? Because I would love to, you know, collab with him. I mean, shoot, he you know, he write he writes some bangers, right? I mean, oh yeah, yeah. You know what I mean? Like, I totally forgot, but I mean, common kings, they're bangers, right? Oh yeah, uh alcoholics. That's boy, you know. I'm a part of it, you know. So it's like, let's go, boy. What you got for honour, you know?
SPEAKER_04What'd you mean? He wrote songs for common kings? Yeah, we joke weight in the water and alcoholics.
SPEAKER_02He was part he was on that. Really?
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Well, we gotta DM him by slide in his own.
SPEAKER_01That's right.
SPEAKER_00No, but he's super talented, right? And I totally forgot. Remember 4th and B, Christian, and you was it's San Diego? I never was mono went reminding about that. That his dad was the kind of nappy. Yeah, nappy. What was their group? Kuana, Kuanna, Kuanna, I think was 2009 with a group. Yeah. I mean, we talk, we're going back to like 98, 99, kind. Yeah. So yeah, I mean, yeah, that's why that's what I was saying. Like now I've turned into a little credits nerd because if I hear them jam, I was like, oh, who did this? You know, just kind of go. But it's it's cool because I like seeing, you know, with with the use of social media, I like seeing producers now getting their flowers. You know what I mean? It's just the artists, you know. You see like Pana and Cronin and Lava and all these guys, right? You know, shout out to Lava, you know, help mix our sweet wine vocals, you know. So it's just, and the cool thing is, at least for me, right? I don't know if Christian comes across them often, but I was like, hey, I gotta beat this guy. You know what I mean? Because he he helped out with this, you know, with this stuff. So Lava, you see, if you see me walking in the street, say hi now, because I gotta do it.
SPEAKER_04So, you know, Lava Lava's dad is the he's the lead singer of the band that was on before us at the Kamemia Ho Aloleah. Sons of Yeshua. Oh, that's the dad. That's lava's dad.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, he's a tattoo.
unknownNo.
SPEAKER_04That one with the tattoo. Yeah, yeah. Wait, that's lava's dad?
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Oh, he looks good, bro. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think that I'm pretty sure that's Lava's father, yeah. Okay, we just started here with that.
SPEAKER_00Are you sure?
SPEAKER_04No, I'm pretty sure. Uh I'm I'm I'm sure. I'm sure that is, yeah, yeah, yeah. Lava's second, second, at least second generation, if not more. But well yeah, hey, shout out to these producers, man. Yeah, Pana, too. I gotta uh I'm trying to get him to get him to do a track for us. See, that's what I really like. You know, and speaking to technology, but like um I I I want these producers to like give us something that they don't like. I don't I don't want to say make a song with Hoono in mind. I want to say just give us a track and let us make it ours, you know. I want I want I want reggae, I want you know what what you envision for a current current sound, you know. So that that's been great. That's I said gotta shout out Ozna, man. He's he's got great ideas and he's got a lot of things that you know he like might have like had with Fiji in mind. We try to pull some of those beats, you know, and like we're trying to just do do you know write originals to things that weren't necessarily our sound back in the day. Like so evolve and but you know, not go too far away from from the original um equation, but but certainly evolve and and become more current and more modern, you know.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00You know, it's funny you say that, Christian, man. Sorry, it's funny you say that, Christian, because I was just kind of just uh rocking out with um like common kings. They did, you know, songs of songs in the key of Diane, right? And so I think it's um rhythm of the night.
SPEAKER_01The rhythm of the night.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, sorry, yeah, and I was like, that's I mean, and they didn't waver too far from the original. But to me, it's like I like when you know artists get to try whatever you like, you know, do you know record stuff that doesn't make sense to just be out there and make music for the benefit of other people. Gotta feel good to you too, right? Yeah, that's the that's the beauty of it. You feel good to you, other people. So yeah, I I'm all about being able to do that, you know, especially now.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. That that is what I feel has not changed at all since we first started, since we recorded our first song, and and more importantly, got on the stage for the first time and had uh you know, like people are very grateful and they're thankful for like, oh we oh we love seeing you guys, the music was so awesome, but but it's equally I mean it's equally as important for us to get get that out, you know. That's that's the therapy for us is being able to be on stage and sing, man, and and and perform. So, so the whole goal is to make people feel good, and that that has not changed at all, man. So no matter what kind of song we do, what genre, who's providing the beat, you know, where we wrote the song, well, what it was about is does it make you feel good? You know, and and yeah, they make you dance your dance your ass off, you know, get up and dance, man. So that's what it's all about.
Social Media Grind And Family Life
SPEAKER_06That's super cool. And that's what aloha is, right? That's sharing something to make people feel good. So that's your guys' way of sharing aloha. Okay, let's take a break and shout out our sponsor, Medicinal Mushrooms Hawaii. They're a locally based medicinal mushroom company, and right now they have five different mushrooms available for purchase. They extract them, put them in these tinters. They have lion's mane, chaga, turkey tail, red raishi, and also cordyceps. And I take all five religiously. If you go to their website, medmushroomhigh.com, you can uh learn about these mushrooms and what medicinal properties they have. They've been benefiting me for the past couple years. And like I said, I take them religiously. If you decide you want to buy some, use promo code ATBPodapon. Check out all capital letters, you'll get 45% off your purchase. Medmushroomhigh.com. Aloha. I think um nowadays with social media, like you said, it's been easier to put your stuff out there on a pretty much a worldwide scale. And you guys are starting to get into it. How different has it been with social media? And and like you said, it's kind of like work. How hard has it been to get out there on social media and be consistent and and do all those reels and the stories? I mean, I I'm I've gotta gotta do it too, also, but it is like you said, is is it's work. And how has it been for you guys?
SPEAKER_00Bruh, we're still trying to figure that out. You know what I mean? So uh I mean a year ago today, probably I was in the only my only involvement with social media was just you know uh helping my son put his you know his his his stuff out there, you know what I mean? Because you know he he he aspires to play at the next level and it's college lead and that kind of thing. So I thought more you gotta build your brand, you gotta, you know, so that's kind of what it's been. But yeah, just kind of learning. But I mean it's it's basically marketing as different, right? In our day it was in our day, it's it's crazy to say, but in our day it was easier. Yeah, we just gigged Wednesday here, Thursday here, Friday here, Saturday, and then you just rotated, right? And you just we gigged a lot, you know, everywhere. And people were able to see us, and and then the the social media at the time was just people just kind of spreading the word and you missed out, oh no, this week, okay, where are they next week? You know, that kind of thing, right?
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00But now we gotta be able to get out there and we gotta stay fresh in social media. So it's I think it's cool. There's definitely some perks, but because we can now reach fans across the globe, right? So you just gotta put in work. But yeah, like you should say, it's just it's a whole new ball game, man. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04See, of the two of us, Jared is certainly the more organized one. And he's also he's also the taskmaster. So if I can just live up to the the schedule he's creating for us, then then that would that that would be great. Because I feel like there's a a bigger upside, you know. We can touch so many more people, but I mean, you really gotta commit to posting every day, you know. And it's you get kids, you get family, you get work, you I mean, uh, it's just not enough hours in a day, right? So it's just it's just figuring it out, man. Figuring it out and making time for it. If it's worth, you know, if it's worth it, you'll make time for it. But that's what we gotta do.
SPEAKER_06I agree. It's it's definitely not easy. What you just gotta make sure you get more followers than your kids, bro.
SPEAKER_00But they're gonna start. Yeah, but we started, bro. We started, my son had more followers than us.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. Yo, that's the best.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah. Oh my gosh, it's funny, man.
SPEAKER_05How is it?
SPEAKER_04My daughter's my kids on social media, bro. What's they all?
SPEAKER_00No, don't put them on, bro. Oh, yeah, bro. The funny thing about kids in social media, like, because I I you know, my thing was like, no, I was telling them, stay off TikTok, you know, because then, you know, all the statistics, yeah, I tell my son, you know, here's the statistic from this college coach and this NFL coach and this NFL player. And, you know, everything is if you want anything to shatter your dreams, you know, and then you're talking specifically to like one football player, right? Yeah, anything to shadow your dreams, girl, and phone. Oh, yeah. You know, they get all the stats. Yeah, you spend one day on your phone, that's two weeks of training time, you know, because it's one hour. This you spend one hour every day. True story, bro. Yeah. Like 265 hours, they do the math, right? They said now, imagine if you do two hours, that's one month of training, right? One month of training a year that you behind me, you know. So kind of used all that.
SPEAKER_06But it was like I definitely playing this to my daughter.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, no, yeah. And it was a crazy story because all of a sudden I'm like, wait, you have a TikTok account? And I was like, dang, like my daughter get like a couple, I think it was like 100,000 views, but she's fault because she was, I was like, she just, you know, she's a volleyball setter, that's just the funny kind, like, boa. It was like, oh yeah, when you when when you think your jokes is funny, but you're the setter, and then it was like all her hitters outside here.
SPEAKER_05Oh, they gotta laugh. Yeah, or is she not gonna set them up?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah. So and then I look and go, oh, you get 100,000 views on this thing, you know. Oh, just random, but it's like I think, yeah, it's you gotta find the balance. Yeah, you know what I mean? Like, yeah, it's just I have these conversations with my kids all the time. It's like, yeah, you can use it for good or bad. Yeah. Or you might as well use them because now, I mean, nowadays these guys, I mean, you look at it this way, like, we get kids that that we know personally, like um, you look at the we're just talking about the NFL draft, right? And you seem like Spencer Farnal, man, love that family. I mean, he went he went ninth, bruh. So think about that. And then I look at that and I see, oh yeah, he does his little key, come with me, join me on the you know, draft, and you know, he he does that because that just adds to his personality, you know, like Mendoza. I'm not surprised at all that he's the number one draft pick because they're gonna less than an offer take on the interview, go watch that again. Yeah, like eye contact, very energetic, you know. So I think there are things that kids can learn from social media-wise that can help them. So we use it obviously for music, but anything, you know. I think you, you know, how you want to be, how do you want to represent yourself? Yeah, and then that's my biggest thing. I I kind of tell my kids, yeah. Maybe you're not faking it, bruh. Like you go, that's why that's my thing now. I just do it from the plane, or you know, because I gotta travel. Like, and I then I realized like, oh, I look like a creeper because I'm trying not to talk loud. I'm like, oh so this is Jared. I'm gonna just wait for my flight. I never know what to say, but uh then I remember just post anything. It doesn't matter. Post anything, you know what I mean? It not not every post gotta be perfect, you know. So yeah, it's you know, we're just learning, but yeah, it's just a little tool and a tool belt, right? You know, yeah.
SPEAKER_06So once we figure it out, you watch out, what you let's go. Bruh, I get it. Bruh, that TikToks, bruh. My daughter them stay in the middle of Target making dances. Bruh, we I waited for her because she get she just finished football practice and she gotta go volleyball. And I'm waiting in the car. I'm like, what the hell is taking her so long? And she's on the side of the gym doing TikTok videos. I'm like, hey, get your ass in the car. Like, what are you doing? Like, oh, I gotta. I'm like, you get like five followers, nobody cares.
SPEAKER_00Like the Red Rock, because it was it the Red Rock that you had to get. Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_06No, we went to the other one. We went to that one last year, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so be able to. But they all doing them like, bruh, between games. Because you know how the volleyball tournaments, you either play, so you get two teams playing, and then one team is resting, they gotta do it, they gotta work. So the fourth, the other team is resting, and we still have to watch the game. My son, I was like, bruh, we gotta get out of here. He goes, Why? You look everywhere because you know how the tournament set up, they put the phone on the pillars, yeah. You know, on the chair. You get like 500 girls doing TikTok and they all coordinated, bro.
SPEAKER_05They know all the moves, all this kind of stuff.
SPEAKER_00So yeah, but our jam, our next jam, Christian, no worry. Shout out to all the girls out there. Anybody that wanna do a TikTok for Holders next song? Let's go. Oh, that would be good. I'll tell my daughter, get it going.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, so good. That would be smart. That would be good marketing. That would be super good marketing. Scale and hook that these blue kids.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04Bro, even like the duet thing that the Hawaiian hammer did, that thing is everywhere, man. I love that, bro. I'm so happy for him, man. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. Oh, yeah. My boy, my clo one of my best friends, and he he do all the promotions with me is uh DJ Hoppe boy, and he came out with one of those, yeah. That's my brother. Like, and um that's tiny son, huh? Tiny son. Yeah, yeah, tiny son. Yeah, yeah. And he's been like me and him been doing this RB day party on um at Capitol Modern every couple months. And yeah, okay. He's he did that that um Hawaiian hammer, and he did him like DJ style and remix them and came out of like that's cool, too.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, but side note, you know you're old when you when you know all the popular people by whose parents they are. I mean, whose kids they are.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, DJ boy. Oh, that's Tiny's boy.
Put The Phone Down At Shows
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah. That's so funny. But yeah, with that whole thing, like, I mean, I I definitely think it would be amazing for a kid to create a TikTok to our song, but that's like it's it's one of my goals, man, in in these live shows. That you know, the more live shows we do, trying to get all these people off their device, bro. Yes, I want them to record it and I want it to go viral, but like I also want them to like put the phone down and let's really enjoy the moment, you know, like get back to being a human, bro, and like in human connectivity with each other, bro. You know, grab somebody and just just jab, we'll dance together, you know. So I think that's a that that's a goal of mine, and and uh that's why I love being able to perform live, man. That's always been our one of our, you know, it's not our our most favorite aspect of the music is being able to perform it live.
SPEAKER_06Bruh, I feel you on that big time. And I went to a Metallica concert recently, and I had to stop myself from trying to video and all that. I was like, bruh, this is a moment. And when I went to it uh a concert in the Republic and it was third eye blind, and the lead singer called everybody out, bruh. He's he said he stop the music. He said, Okay, this song, put your phones away. I don't want to see one song. I like everybody lock in with us and us with you guys and be in this moment, at least for this one song, and just be present. And they went jam, and I was like, holy shit, that was like that, like you could feel it, and that's how it used to be. No, we never had phones and stuff back then, like and like the shell would be raging, everybody be singing. You wouldn't see anybody's screen or looking at it. You were locked into the band, and the band was locked into you, and that's a moment that's that's strong, that's a feeling, and like it's kind of sad sometimes. Now it's like everybody is so in tune to want to show everybody what they're doing. Say, I like show everybody I'm at the whole new concert. But you're not even there, you're on your phone, like be there at the concert. And and when Third Eye Blind did it, it it I felt it. I was like, oh bruh, that's that's um, that's something real, and and that's something that's that's new to this generation that we never had to worry about. And it's cool to have the video, but how much time you really gonna rewatch the video? You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, well, that's why I see that's why you gotta bring back ghost sticks. Because right because darling gonna be on their phone when we catch on to the head sticks. So I don't know. We gotta tomorrow, Christian, you gotta buy 800 glow sticks for Monique for tomorrow night. Glow sticks, go buy the glow sticks. And then right at the end, we'll be like, Yeah, this is for brother Tad. Let's go.
SPEAKER_01Right I'm across the room, bro.
SPEAKER_04That's what that's what stand-up comedians call a callback, bro.
SPEAKER_00That was a great callback, Sherry to the glow sticks. Yeah, callback, yeah, yeah. Yeah. But doesn't isn't um like doesn't Bruno Mars somebody like you can't take the phones inside, right? Is it Bruno Mars that does that? I don't know. That'd be awesome.
SPEAKER_04But I know they're thinking that when he did his Vegas uh one of the shows or something or something.
SPEAKER_00He couldn't take your phones in. Yeah. Oh, that's super cool.
SPEAKER_06I like that.
SPEAKER_00That's yeah, you have to like put them in on box and then you pick like you know, it's like dropping off your coat, kind, you know, like coat closets.
SPEAKER_04I want to say that's for that might be for his newest tour, the romantic thing, or or it was for his Vegas residency. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Something like that. Yeah, it was like a while before.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_06Oh, that's super cool.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_06Well, well, guys, we've been going for an hour, and I know you guys are getting ready to get get your shows going on this weekend. I can't express the gratitude I have for you guys coming on my show. Like, this is super cool for me. And you guys are as advertised, same aloha, same vibe that you guys give on stage, and talking story with you guys has been super awesome. Um, what do you guys have got planned for the future before we sign off?
SPEAKER_04Uh, whatever artist group network is doing next, bro, sign us up.
SPEAKER_06You guys won't be playing RB then at the Capitol Modern, because we're not in the clones anymore. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Artist Group Network, and then we get we should get Cheerleader, you get water polo, football, baseball, I get football, volleyball, you know. I mean, and then sprinkle in this or whole. I think yeah, but I mean, yeah, I mean, we get we get um an exclusive um we we're jumping into the merch game, making might as well make sense, right? So we get sweet Wayne gets some limited merch. I don't know when this thing would air, but I mean next week in corner is gonna be the launch for the Sweet Wayne merch. Could be limited. Okay. Um, you know, but we get that going on. We jump into the studio, our next single. Um LTG, we'll just say that. LTG is gonna be coming out probably within the next, I wanna say maybe six weeks at Christian if we're if we're on schedule. Um I know Christian Gil not a banger in the in the in the pipe too. So we'll come up with at least two more songs by the end of the year, you know, and then I mean next year is our third year, I think. So well we yeah, but we're doing, I mean, obviously we can continue to to gig. It's kind of like it reminds me of when I remember one time I was at the shell and and and you we watched UB40, right? And you and I was just waiting for King Kingston the whole time. You know what I mean? Like, you know, and then or Carey O Baby, you know, I was waiting for it. And they played a lot of the new stuff, and then so I realized for me, I think, okay, as we add the new music, then it's like, okay, we still gotta do the stuff, the classics that I know everybody loves. Like, you know, when I think about you. I remember Michael when we did Moane back in September. He was like, I felt so good to hear like When I Think About You, you know, found out later his favorite song was Your Mine, you know, and she was good. It was a good vibe. Yeah, I mean, because we had there was a mixture of, I would say a mixture of 20 somethings, 30 somethings, and beyond. But they was all singing our stuff. So I think that's kind of the same vibe we're probably just gonna keep carrying on. You know what I mean? And you know what? Gotta make sure to stay away from that high protein uric acid food, man. That's what I gotta tell.
SPEAKER_05Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_00Otherwise, I gotta have that green pill with me wherever I go.
SPEAKER_06Oh yeah, all our security body treating green uh gout pills for Pacalolo.
SPEAKER_00I know, man. I was like, oh my goodness, but just a little bit more accuracy. I mean, yeah, just you know.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04I think that's it, man. Just uh getting more music out and uh yeah, still doing the still doing the the songs everybody wants to hear, but just making sure these new songs get great hooks so that you know people want to hear those two, man. That's it. That's super awesome.
SPEAKER_06Well, I'm super stoked you guys are making new stuff because your old stuff already stood the test of time, and now you're on a whole new generation that can rock out to you guys. I think um moving forward, it's only gonna get bigger and better. And bruh, you guys might start touring again, bro. Like you guys gonna be in Australia and New Zealand and um all those big shows they have out there with Kolohikai and stuff, like it's sky's the limit. And like you said, you guys gotta make money for pay for these kids' sports, cuz bruh.
SPEAKER_04Bruh. Yes, man. Never ends, bruh. Ever ends.
The Island Food You Miss Most
SPEAKER_00Yeah. No, it's yeah, it's it's good, man. It's good.
SPEAKER_06So, last question: what is the thing you like most to eat when you come back on the island that you gotta have when you come back to visit? Like you, oh, I gotta grab this food.
SPEAKER_00Everything, bro. Everything, everything, yeah, everything and everything. Usually if I stay on Holo side, I always go like ball guy. Shout out to the club of his, I love his ribs. I still never made my way to Rice's Pokemon shop because I mean he stayed taking over the world, brother. You know, like he stayed in California, you know. Um, but I mean, sometimes like when I get my son, like even 7-Eleven, get everything you need, you know. Oh yeah. So but yeah, I like everything, bro. Oxtail Sue, sometimes I like it, Khalil or the Summons. Campbell. Oh yeah. And you know, Chamokam, everything, you know, everything in everything, you know.
SPEAKER_06Right on. Well, I appreciate you guys. Um, shakers for the cameras.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. Thank you for having us. Thank you for having us, my brother. Nothing but love to you. Right on.
Gratitude And Final Aloha
SPEAKER_06We're out and shout out to the artist with network. Aloha.
