This is the story of a group of guys trying to make it big in rock’n’roll. It’s a story like a lot of other stories in a lot of other cities. It’s a story about young friends who are passionate about music, give up the comforts of a secure lifestyle, move in together, and devote their energy solely to hitting the big time.
But this band story isn’t just any band story. This story is about the local punk boys of The Despair.
Made up of Johnathan Hayes, Nathan Beckstrom, Nicholas Zoppo, Kurtis Randall, and Jonny Wester, The Despair generates big dreams, and the members have even bigger personalities. What they’re most proud of, however, isn’t immediately apparent to the casual observer: “We all have big hearts,” Zoppo said.
He insists that heart is what’s going to make all the difference in their success—heart for each other and heart for their audiences.
“Every day when I wake up I think, ‘What can I do for the band?’” Zoppo said. Then he stretched a little and added, jokingly, “Yeah, my back is getting a little tired of carrying the weight of the band.”
That comment, directed at a Sun reporter during a recent interview, set off a lot of mockingly offended comebacks, huffs, and a shoulder shove from the rest of the band.
Then they each acknowledged their own role.
“Live shows is where I thrive. Everything else, I view it as getting to that point,” Wester said.
“It’s all I do with my free time,” Hayes added.
“I just sit in the back and drum,” Beckstrom chimed in. “That’s all I do.”
“And, I’m just, like, really good looking, and I write a bunch of ladies’ songs on the guitar, and they love it,” Randall said. He seemed to be only half-joking.
The good friends can’t help but play off of each other, and they use that synergy on stage.
They count their musical influences as pop punk bands like Blink 182, Newfound Glory, and From the Top, but also say that they have some hardcore punk influence from Comeback Kid and Guns Up.
Zoppo, who writes most of the band’s lyrics, said that he likes creating material from his own experiences.
“I like to write about real-life stuff, but with a twist to make it fun,” he said.
He often starts lyrics and then collaborates with his bandmates to refine them—and is thankful for the creative atmosphere.
“The best part about it is I’m in a band with my best friends,” he said. “It’s cliché, but if I needed something, I could go to any one of these guys—not so much Nathan.”
Nathan Beckstrom socked him in the arm, prompting a “just kidding” from Zoppo.
Lately, The Despair has played shows around the Central Coast, but they’re anxious to take their sound on the road. Zoppo said that the band is working toward raising funds for touring equipment. They try to stay positive about their goal, but admit that hearing about other local bands finding success is bittersweet.
“It gets to you, though, when somebody says they got on Warped Tour. It’s like, ‘Ahhh,’” Randall said, clutching his chest. “But it’s a big thing.”
Still, The Despair is grabbing attention in its own right. With Zoppo shamelessly promoting the band and keeping the guys on track, they’ll be releasing with a split EP that should come out at the end of October. They’re partnering with a band from Norway. They’ll also be producing a video in conjunction with the EP.
Whatever success they find, Zoppo said, it’s all good—as long as they’re enjoying the journey and following their hearts.
“We’ll just be a bunch of buttheads in a van traveling, smelling bad, and having fun,” Zoppo said.
Growing serious once again, he explained that exposing people to the band’s music would make their journey the ultimate experience.
“If you like us or hate us, it’s okay,” he said. “Thanks for checking us out.”
INFOBOX: Sound check
Check out The Despair at www.myspace.com/thedespair805.
Arts Editor Shelly Cone travels in a minivan with two small boys and a baby who sometimes smells bad—but she’s not in a band. E-mail her at scone@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Aug 21-28, 2008.