ONE ON ONE: AN INTERVIEW WITH DAMNAGE!

DAMAGE BRINGS TOGETHER THREE VERY PERSONAL STORIES — HOW DO YOUR BACKGROUNDS SHAPE THE SOUND AND THE MESSAGE?

JONNY: DAMNAGE's sound is the combination of our three journeys. We bring our differences to the table, and that is what's shaping our current sound and message. It's Tim's East Bay upbringing, along with his musical influences of Suicidal Tendencies and Fishbone, my inner-city grit and attitude, reflecting on my struggles and confusion, and Tosh's explosive drumming and electric personality on and off stage. We are all different but at the heart of it, we each attack life and music the same way.

DAMAGE FEELS LIKE A REACTION TO THE POLISHED AND FILTERED SIDE OF THE INDUSTRY. WHAT ARE YOU REBELLING AGAINST MOST WITH THIS PROJECT?

JONNY: It's cool that we're unpolished yet we landed on the more polished pop side of the industry. We naturally rebel against what the industry norms are, and we don't care about industry status, numbers, age or image. We're going to make raw music from our hearts for as long as we can, unapologetically and without any filters, no matter the outcome.

YOU’VE PLAYED FOR SOME OF THE WORLD’S BIGGEST ARTISTS, LIKE LADY GAGA, THE WEEKND, MACHINE GUN KELLY — BUT WHAT DOES SUCCESS PERSONALLY LOOK LIKE TO YOU NOW?

TOSH: For me personally, success is being able to wake up every day and do what I love. Any day that I get to play drums is a successful day. Any day I get to make music with my brothers in DAMNAGE is an even better day. I have never really thought about money or fame, just how I have been blessed to be able to do what I love with the people I love. To me is success.

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE ABOUT MUSICIANS WHO PLAY FOR POP SUPERSTARS, VERSUS WHO YHOU ARE IN DAMAGE?

TIM: Honestly, there shouldn’t be any misconception. We are the same no matter the stage. It's all music and expression. It would be corny and inauthentic if we didn’t embrace all the experiences. I don’t think we ever wanted to be confined to one style or genre. We just love music and feel lucky to be a part of it at all.

CONGRATUALATIONS ON YOUR DEBUT SELF-TITLED ALBUM. THE ALBUM DOESN’T PULL PUNCHES. HOW IMPORTANT WAS IT FOR YOU TO BE BRUTALLY HONEST, SONICALLY AND LYRICALLY?

TIM: Thank you. I think it's very important to be brutally honest and vulnerable when creating music. Sonically, we decided not to use too many modern tricks in the recording process, and just let the music be what it was in the moment. Lyrically, we wrote from the heart. We allowed ourselves to capture whatever raw emotions we were feeling at the time. Recording this album was a therapeutic process for us.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO CREATE MUSIC THAT REFLECTS REAL-LIFE STRUGGLES, NOT JUST RAGE, BUT GRIEF, DISILLUSIONMENT AND INTROSPECTION?

TIM: It's important to be open with all of our emotions and to be free enough to access all of those feelings when writing. It's a scary process, but I think it’s the honest approach. Sometimes it’s rage and frustration or deep introspection, but then other times it’s a fun light light-hearted vibe. JONNY - It means the world to us. We write from the heart, and every song has its own lived experience. We aren't afraid to talk about our struggles or losses just as equally as we do all the wild and fun stuff.

WHEN YOU’RE WRITING, ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT LIVE SHOWS, OR IS IT ABOUT THE STUDIO CATHARSIS FIRST?

JONNY: It's a combo of both between the three of us. Tim is our studio savant. He spends most of the time working through our demos and bringing them to life. He's also one of the only guys I know who can shred on the spot without even warming up for one second. He knows his way around the guitar and stage. I think about the stage while I write. The live show is the best part of creating music. Tosh is a loaded weapon, and he's going to show up shirtless, ready to throw down in the studio and on stage. I don't think it matters to him!

IN THE AGE OF STREAMING AND SHORT ATTENTION SPANS, HOW DO YOU CREATE MUSIC THAT DEMANDS A FULL LISTEN?

TOSH: I think keeping people interested is definitely a difficult thing to do, but we try to make music that we genuinely enjoy, not only making and playing but also listening to, and we hope that it can translate to others.

AND HOW DO YOU STAY AUTHENTIC IN AN INDUSTRY THAT OFTEN REWARDS CONFORMITY?

TOSH: DAMNAGE is composed of three musicians who are also true music lovers. We put the music first, and I genuinely feel that our authenticity can translate to any audience. Each of us listens to so many different types of music, and it naturally translates into what we write. I believe that if you are true to yourself, there can be an audience for you anywhere in the world.

IF YOU COULD SIT DOWN WITH YOUR YOUNGER SELF, JUST STARTING OUT IN MUSIC, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THEM?

TIM: Stay true to your authentic self, even when the world tries to mould you. Endure the challenging times because they won't last, and enjoy the success with the people you love and trust. JONNY - You have to stay true to what made you fall in love with music. All of the countless hours, sweat and tears will pay off, so try to be kinder to yourself.

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