Hello Rockstars! Today’s Artist of the Week is Hardcore / Thrash Punk band The Brown Sound 13!
Here’s their story in their own words, enjoy! 🙂
VMS:
“When did you start writing and performing your music.
What’s your backstory and current lineup.”
The Brown Sound 13:
Sal – “My brother Hector and I have been playing together since we were kids. Some of the songs we played then we still play now; “Enter The Thirteen & No Mistake“ to name a few. We originally started in the 90’s with JS. Summoner of L.A’s Black Metal band “Bourn Ultra” on guitar and another friend Adrian Hernandez on the vocals. This was back in our home town of LynHood (Lynwood) Ca. Fast forward through life Hector and I both end up here in wonderful Vegas.
In 2013 Hector and I started making noise again, off and on. By 2019 we had already jammed with lots of folks around town. I was playing rhythm guitar with Joe D of “Kreepmyme”. One day we were playing at Hard Hat Lounge with Super Zeroes and Radio Silence. Nate was playing with Radio Silence at the time.
I was looking to expand my network and I followed Brandon and Nate on FB.
Months later Nate put a post up on FB and I responded to it and the rest is his story.
Our current line up consists of:
Hector on Drums and vocals.
Nate on the guitar and vocals
and Myself (Sal) on bass and vocals.
Nate – “I play guitar and microphone. I started writing when I picked up a guitar at 16 years old. I almost quit at 20 when my first band Boba Fett Youth was formed in 1992. I started Part Time Whore after BFY, then to Broken Trust. Each of those bands toured and the first 2 put out records on our own labels. I took a 7 year hiatus to get my MBA, and back to music! I formed EON, then Radio Silence, then Anubis which has been on pause for several years. Until 2000, I also did my own zine with an anti-racist theme called “Equal”, and then changed to “What’s Up With That!?!”
I also played in Lickety Split and SPX in the 90’s. Finally, I joined Sal and Hector to form this iteration of The Brown Sound maybe 5 years ago. These guys are the best people I’ve ever played with and the dynamics are great. True friends, and brothers!”
VMS:
“What artist or bands inspire you and your sound.”
The Brown Sound 13:
Sal – “I’ll always say that Eddie Van Halen inspired me to pick up and play the guitar and want to be in a rock band, but so many bands and types of music has inspired me since. The Beastie Boys when they went instrumental and funk like Medeski, Martin and Wood. The heaviness of Black Sabbath to The Melvins, COC (old school /new school) DRI.”
Nate – “I have always been inspired by the North Cal East Bay scene, Fifteen, Crimpshrine, Neurosis and so many. Although my true inspiration has been the Vegas scene and all the bands and individuals who make this place so special. With all the diverse bands and venues, art collectives and movements, I really don’t need anything else!”
VMS:
“What’s your writing process and inspiration for your lyrics.”
The Brown Sound 13:
Sal – “I like to sit and play and develop riffs. Then put the pieces together and hear if it sounds good to bring it to the band. I usually don’t bring them because I over think it. This is why I rarely write word to music. Nate says I take someone’s stuff and change it. Which I kinda did with “Hope For War” however I call it a collaboration.”
Nate – “I have never had any formal music training and I normally just start playing guitar and get excited about the sounds coming out. I play a new song on guitar every day and almost always forget it afterwards. Lyrics tend to be more of a social moral and ethical theme, but honestly I write them in the car on the way to practice.”
Watch “Disaster Mode” on YouTube:
VMS:
“I love your song “I Can’t Breathe”. What is the inspiration or story behind this song.”
The Brown Sound 13:
Sal – “Thank you, I love it as well. The music for that song was written over 25 years ago back in LynHood. I was going through some dark times then, and was listing to lots of rap music at the time. So the song has a definite groove to it. Very Eminem. At the time I was playing with a buddy Ralph, who had just moved from Mesa, AZ. We talked my old friend Mark P to play drums with us. I’d been playing these riffs for some time and showed Ralph. One night, after hours at “BDC Chrome” a shop Mark and his father Raul ran. We set the band up for a session of noise. We ran through a few songs that we’d run through with Mark and his brother Relic. Then we played the song I’d just shown Ralph that he named. No word just music. It was epic for a bunch of stoners in the early 2000’s.
The lyrics came to me during the shut down. I was on the bus headed to the store to pick up some meds. Once again in a dark place. The words just came to me. It’s about being tied down to a situation and everyone is doing the same thing. However, everyone wants something new but still wants to hold on to the old and that can make one a little unbalanced and feel like you can’t breathe.”
Watch “I Can’t Breathe” on YouTube:
VMS:
“I know you guys are working on new music for 2025, what can we expect for the musical evolution of your band.”
The Brown Sound 13:
Sal – “For Grandpa’s like some of us here and those that are still making noise, we are just trying keep up with the kids, work and family. We are so very fortunate to still have a creative outlet. After five years playing with both Nate and Hector, we are still learning each other’s styles and meshing them every time we rehearse. We’ve got lots of riffs and many projects and with that. Some more noise coming soon.”
Nate – “I always want to do everything all at once and I am glad that the guys encourage my creativity while keeping me reined in at the same time. Hopefully we will hit the road this year and keep playing with awesome folks!”
VMS:
“Which local artist would you like to work with and why.”
The Brown Sound 13:
Sal – “There’s so much talent here in Vegas that it would be a disservice to choose one. I like what the Najera brothers are doing. Talented group of guys, their two bands are “Eloteros” and “Skabrones“. Those boys are a busy bunch and can easily build you a House.”
Nate – “There are so many awesome people making my favorite scene work! Billy and Scumbags, Cody and Asteroid M. Victor Moya is the best artist in the scene! Assinine was our first buddy band and they rock! Larry Brough is putting Vegas on the map all day! Josh Tussinger, John Feeney, Clay Heximer. Josh and Brad from Rebel Rhythm. So many wonderful, driven, creative people. Steven Goldberg, Patrick Trout, the guys from Trivial Menace. Just on and on, this is my favorite scene easily. 2 Vegas folks I have yet to work with but would love to are Pauly Mac and Fatty. Cheers to Vegas!”
VMS:
“What’s your overall theme or message of your music.”
The Brown Sound 13:
Sal – “In my life there has been at least thirteen people that have directly influenced me in my musical journey. It all started with my mother’s father. My grandfather, Don Chepo. He played the Stand up bass as did his sons, our Uncles. Grandpa Chepo was a featured musician on T.V in Mexico. I believe that we all have those thirteen that move us, motivate us in some way or fashion. Let’s acknowledge and give them thanks. I named a few here today. Thank you and let’s make some good noise!”
Nate – “I want to personally inspire others to be creative, intense, and awesome. We play a very dark sounding style because that’s what we like but there is usually a positive message underlying everything. I want to leave the world a better place than when I arrived and I’d encourage everyone to do the same.”
VMS Thoughts:
What I love about The Brown Sound 13 is their balls to the walls attitude, killer songs, and their passion and love for their music and this city. Besides being incredibly nice dudes, they have some of the grittiest, hardcore songs that just make me want to get up and Mosh, getting lost in their amazing music. I love how openly honest with their personal struggles and how they have created that pain into some truly wonderful songs such as “I Can’t Breathe”, which talks about struggling being stuck in a bad situation and “Streets”, which is a social commentary on the way our world has just become so dependent on technology, that we are literally walking around like zombies and being complacent in our mediocrity, (or at least that is the interpretation I got from that song.) I appreciate their honesty and raw emotion in everything they do.
Musicianship-wise they are incredibly strong and you can tell have been doing this for a long time. Their instruments are literally a part of them, and their passion for what they do, jumps out in their sound and takes hold of the listener, never letting go. I encourage you to definitely go see them live, since they put on an absolutely killer show that just needs to be experienced. If you want a night of true authentic hardcore punk rock, then they are the band for you. They will definitely give you an amazing one of a kind experience, so if you see that they have a show, you better fucking go, cause your going to miss out on something truly magical.
Overall, I love that The Brown Sound 13 no matter what has always stayed true to who they, their music and lyrics are like an open book to their minds and I cannot wait to see what other amazing musical journey they decide to take us on next, I know it’s going to be a crazy and amazing fucking ride!
For More Information about The Brown Sound 13, please visit their Instagram!
——Vegas Music Scene. xoxoxoxo