DAVID (vox): Satch (guitar) and I went to high school together and met through a mutual friend. We were in a deathcore band back in the day, and since it ended, we’d always talk about starting a new project eventually. It took about 11 years but we ended up developing SMOKED from that idea.
We went to Manny from H6 Audio and recorded Tied Up Vol. 1 by ourselves. He’s had an undeniable impact on the Inland Empire heavy music scene and has worked with tons of our favorite bands from the area. The first project got good traction, but we knew we needed a human drummer to play shows. I put a call for another member, and Rodney reached out. I heard he used to play in Impending Doom. We linked up at MPS, and Satch hit it off really well with him from a jamming perspective. We knew pretty much right away that he was who we wanted; we were lowkey trying out for him now that I look back.
We played a couple of shows as a 3-piece, then decided to fill the rhythm guitar and bass slots with Caesar and Rigo, respectively. Rigo was always filming gigs and making super sick videos; you could tell he was stoked to be part of the scene, which is exactly the kind of person you want in your band. When the time came, I reached out and he was down immediately. He opted to do our designs & merch too, which has played a significant role in this band. Sorta the same thing with Caesar – he was at almost every show taking super dope pictures, playing in a couple different bands… I think Rodney was the one who brought up that we needed a rhythm guitarist to him. He bought a 7-string and started jamming with us shortly after.
World of Hate in Pomona, thrown by Nate Bena™️, was our first show as a five-piece. There was a time when Satch had to take a bit of a step back and wasn’t able to say yes to as many shows, so to keep things moving, we linked up with Stephen first as a fill-in. Eventually, we just asked him to join the band full-time after realizing how solid and reliable a guitarist he is. I’m pretty sure Satch was referred to him to get his guitar set up, and they just hit it off. Satch pretty much told us, “If there’s anyone who’s going to fill in for me when I’m gone, it should be him.” Now we play with 3 guitarists when we’re all available.
RIGO: As I got to know everyone, new aesthetic directions started to emerge. David and Satch were into things like Dungeons & Dragons and Lord of the Rings, while Rodney and I shared a love for 2000s street skateboarding – brands like Baker and Toy Machine. We were both drawn to the energy and youthful recklessness of that era. When I started designing for Smoked, I channeled all of those influences, finding a mix of gritty color and playful/unserious design as the magic formula.
I try to write from what I know. Lots of anger and resentment for sure. I draw from past experiences, but keep it a little vague so it’s relatable and not so pointed at 1 specific person. I do feel like I’m still sort of finding my voice lyrically, even after being a band for a couple of years now. It’s all a learning process.
Sometimes I’ll write a line that sounds cool to me and then build other lyrics around that one line, trying to shape a lil narrative. Other times, I have an idea for a topic and hash out lyrics around it over time, top to bottom. Humor’s another part of the mix, and is often juxtaposed with tragedy in life. So I don’t see it as jarring or super out of pocket when overly heavy and aggressive bands show off their humorous side. I don’t have a single consistent writing process, and neither does the band. I think that keeps things fresh.
I think everyone should be proud to claim where they come from. It’s not something you can change.
At the end of the day, the Inland Empire is home to me. It’s where I grew up and lived my whole life: San Bernardino, Riverside, Redlands, Highland, Devore, Rubidoux, Mentone. When I’m coming back from visiting somewhere and I see a Baker’s, I get stoked as f*ck. Not because it’s the greatest burger I’ve ever had, but because it means the people I care about are close to me. Shoutout Stater Bros, too. Same vibe.
-SMOKED909 for Dead Relatives.
