IAN: This is Ian, I'm here talking with the guitarist of Castaway; what was your name again, man?
BENJAMIN: Benjamin.
I: Benjamin. Alright, well you guys just finished up here at Awakening out here in Murrieta; You're from San Jose, that's a long way from home
B: Yes sir
I: How long have you guys been touring around on this stretch?
B: Almost 2 weeks, I think this is the twelfth day
I: Have you guys been down this way before?
B: Yeah totally. We played at a house in...I don't know, I forgot the name of the city but it started with a P.
I: Pomona maybe?
B: Yeah, Pomona
I: That would make sense. So how long have you guys actually been playing? Because you're very together [sonically]
B: As a band or as individuals?
I: Well I guess as a band, but...
B: About 3 years
I: Have you guys been involved in other projects before that?
B: Oh yeah totally. I'm 19 now, so [I've been playing] since 13, so 7 years straight
I: Damn, that's what's up
B: Thanks
I: I'm 28 and still haven't even toured so keep on going on. So, the song I was mentioning to you that I really identified with is "Long Lost;" is that from the most recent album or is there anything that's come out since then?
B: Yeah, the last thing we released was an LP called "No Comfort" and it was on that.
I: I really liked the theme of that, like you can't take certain things back, you know?
B: Totally, totally
[email follow-up question:]
I: During our initial convo you had said the rest of the band doesn't really like playing [that song] so my question is why is that? Is is the music itself or the lyrical content? Why do you think you're the main supporter of keeping that song in the set?
B: Shoot I should've kept my mouth shut about that haha. However, "Long Lost" is the oldest song in our set so we have been playing it the longest. And as true as that may be, I still think it can be enjoyable for new and even old listeners. Doesn't matter if the performers are tired of playing it. It's about what the fans want to hear. Until a new song of ours outshines "Long Lost" is when I think we should stop playing it
I: So the scene in San Jose and the Bay Area in general is kind of - I've been there a couple times - it seems like the melodic hardcore stuff is alot more prevalent there than it is here in Southern Caifornia
B: Yeah it's a pretty new genre
I: It seems like here in this area it's still more of the aggro stuff. I mean, when you've come down here have you ever felt, like, out of place at shows or anything?
B: Oh totally, yeah. We're on tour with a band called Spirit now and they're like a post-hardcore band and we've played nothing but post-hardcore shows all tour so we've been sticking out at every show really. We were kinda worried about it at first.
I: I would think that crowd would appreciate you guys more than like the beatdown crowd
B: Either way, I think it's right in-between really. It just depends on whether [people] like it or not.
I: Word. Well, the show's over and I missed half the bands unfortunately
B: You fucked up man
I: Was Spirit not here tonight?
B: Yeah, yesterday was their last show with us and they just had to go home today cuz one of their bassists got pretty sick
I: Oh that sucks. Well where are you guys going from here?
B: We're going to Fresno tomorrow and that's the last day
I: Finally home
B: Yeah, yeah...It's kinda sad, kinda happy to be home so I can see my dog and stuff
I: Do you guys have plans from here for like another release or another tour; what's your itinerary?
B: We just got gone writing and recording a new EP. We haven't named it anything or released it
I: But it's already recorded and everything?
B: Yeah it's already recorded. We're waiting for the mixes and the masters back
I: Hell yeah
B: We don't know when they'll get back to us
I: Well I'm gonna kinda end things out here; something I like to ask people although it's not related to anything: What's your favorite breakfast food?
B: That's a good question. I like to get, at Denny's - we go to Denny's alot cuz it's cheap - I like to get chicken-fried steak and eggs
I: Oh yeah, like with the gravy
B: Oh yeah dude that's the best part
I: What I do is I get the hash browns and then you the mix the gravy [with them]
B: Yes. Over-easy eggs, cholula, dive in
I: There ya go. Well, thank you much for your time Benjamin and good luck on your travels!
B: Thank you for coming out
https://castawayca.bandcamp.com/
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