Back in 2010-2011, the underground music landscape was un-aware there was a potential for a new Despise You record. A decade had passed since the groundbreaking release of Westside Horizon. Phil Vera and I found ourselves electrified by the mere prospect, a surge of excitement sparking as we swiftly charted our course toward Dave Bianco’s studio- Dave’s Room..
The studio buzzed with an electric energy as we geared up for this monumental venture. Rob Alainz’s drums took center stage between his two sets of hi-hats one left, one right and a tumult of broken cymbals. Chris Dodge’s bass was dialed into a punchy, bacon-sizzle sound, and Phil Vera’s guitar, a Peavey Butcher in harmony with my Marshall JMP, was the sonic linchpin that tied it all together for tracking live.
Locked in and ready to unleash, we embarked on two intensive six-hour sessions—a whirlwind where time seemed to bend around our creative fervor. All along working around Bianco’s mixing schedule, we captured lightning in a bottle. Twenty-five songs (20 ended up on “On and On…”) erupted from our collective energy, each one a testament to the raw, unfiltered passion we poured into every note and beat.
What emerged was beyond expectation—pure, unadulterated angst and ferocious energy. The recording sessions forging 20 of these tracks into a sonic embodiment of the visceral emotion that is Despise You. Collaborating with Phil and the band was an adrenaline-fueled rush, an artistic synergy that left a mark on each of us.
This collaboration with Phil Vera turned out to be more than just a studio endeavor. Our creative camaraderie and our continued relationship around recording prompted him to throw my name into the production hat for the Seattle band, Filth is Eternal.
Thank Phil!