High Ground
Compton, Calif.
April 27, 2019
TEAR DOWN: A Q&A with High Ground
Liam, vocals; Rory, guitar; Juggs, bass; Chaz, drums
*Interview done as the band walked down Compton Boulevard right after their set.
Bat. Out. Of. Hell.
That about sums up High Ground out of the gate, with every one of their sets. The Fullerton hardcore band is about two years old, often found on the bill with peers such as Chemical X, Diversity, NNN, Tanzler and Capital Wasteland.
They’ve got one five-song demo out right now on Bandcamp with more songs in queue ready to be recorded likely some time this year.
High Ground, fresh off a set in Compton, let Paradigm take a walk with them to Rite Aid and answered a few questions tossed their way. Here, an edited version of the conversation.
Rory: Juggs wrote two songs and then I wrote all the other ones.
I’ve never been to this venue. Have you guys played this venue before?
Rory: No this is the first time and we like it. Cool spot.
OK, so you’re based out of Fullerton?
Rory: Yeah, but Juggs is La Mirada.
Juggs: I’m like the only one from La Mirada. No one knows that. Everyone thinks I’m O.C.
Liam: He’s our second bassist, but he’s also the bassist.
What year did you guys start the band?
Liam: I don’t even remember. 2017.
Chaz: When did we “found” the band?
Rory: We didn’t start playing shows until three months, four months later.
Chaz: It was two years ago. It was at Max Bloom’s [Cafe Noir].
Rory: That’s where we started off most of our shows.
Chaz: Yeah, little, local cafe where all the other local bands would get some shows together. There’d be open mic night, usually on the weekends, but we asked the guy [owner] ‘Hey, let’s get these bands over here.’ So we threw all these shows at this coffee shop venue.
How do you know one another?
Chaz: We’re just all buddies.
Liam: We’ve been friends for a really long time.
Juggs: I just met them at shows.
Chaz: We all went to Fullerton High School, except Juggs. So I found Liam and then we found Rory, and we’re friends with Chemical X.
Rory: We all had a studio together and we used to practice all the time there.
Liam: We even threw a show there.
Rory: We did throw one show at our studio and, basically, the rent kept getting higher because we kept fucking around. So we had to move out and now we bum off other people’s studios. Too many parties and shit.
Liam: They tried to blame us for everything though because we were always rowdy and shit.
Rory: But half of the time it was us.
Liam: Yeah, it was.
Rory: Maybe a little more than half.
And what about releases. What have you put out that people can listen to?
Chaz: We came out with a demo in 2017 was it? 2018.
Rory: We wrote the songs in 2017, but we took forever recording. So we released it next year. Now, we’re working on a new EP. We’ve got about six new songs, but we have not yet recorded it. But we will.
Liam: They’re all written.
Rory: But hopefully it will be released by the summer. That’s the goal.
What’s your longer term vision for the band. Would you prefer to get bigger?
Rory: Well, I mean, we have fun playing at the shows now. When they get good, they get good. But, at the same time, obviously I couldn’t say ‘no’ to something bigger. We’ll just keep doing our own thing.
What do you think makes High Ground unique from other bands in the scene right now?
Chaz: Nothing. Nothing at all.
Everyone always says that.
Rory: It seems like a lot of bands are playing hardcore, but it’s a good thing. I feel like a lot of bands are trying to go for something harder and we are too. So I feel like us and a lot of other bands are doing the same thing lately. A lot of people have been just playing simple, four-chord punk and I feel like a lot of people are progressing.
What other bands are you in?
Chaz: Rory plays in Chemical X and his band before that was Apollo 69.
Rory: Apollo 69, it was bad. But for being a 14-year-old kid, it was alright.
Chaz: That was with Rory’s two little affluent friends at the time but they kind of ...
Did you say affluent?
Chaz: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Up in like Brea.
Rory: We just had two different music tastes really, and I enjoy playing with these guys more.
Chaz: A lot of kids go into like the softer genres or more like the Burger Records-sounding poppy bands. Everyone has their niches, but you can just tell who goes to shows and who doesn’t.
Rory: One of them’s in a grunge band now.
Chaz: We really just formed because all our friends have bands and they play and it’s, like, we can do the same thing so why not? We can do the exact same thing. We just want to play. We just want to have fun. Just go somewhere, get in for free because we’re playing.
Juggs: Honestly, that’s the thing. I will not pay for a show.
Chaz: Yeah, especially like $5. Five dollars is the max.
Five dollars is the max? Wow, OK.
Chaz: Yeah.
Liam: We’ve got a broke and young crowd. So that’s how it kind of works.
Juggs: We’re not going to Rite Aid bro.
Rory: We’re not going to Rite Aid? Are we going to Rite Aid?
Eddie [from Chemical X]: They’ve got tall cans. What do you need?
Alright, anything else people should expect out of you guys this year?
Liam: So far, just new music. Hopefully, it’ll be released by the summer time. That’s the goal. We want to make some shirts and just keep playing shows anywhere.
And local bands you’re into or recently discovered?
Liam: He’s [motioning to Juggs] in Capital Wasteland. They’re pretty good.
Yeah, you guys are pretty good [said sarcastically/jokingly].... I interviewed them three years ago. Remember, the sky was exploding?
Juggs: Yeah that was crazy. That was a crazy night. I forgot my guitar.
Liam: The band we just played for a second ago, Diversity.
Chaz: Yeah, Diversity’s great.
Liam: 1034. They’re the big shit right now.
Juggs: Chemical X.
Chaz: Nah, nah, nah. Not Chemical X. They’re cool but they’re getting a little old.
Juggs: Oh, shit.
Are you being sarcastic or –
Chaz: Uhhh, it’s getting there. They’re kind of like people see them – they’re forced to headline a lot of shows they really don’t want to because then they have to stay there late. It’s just, they’ve been around for a few years. They’re kind of like the Grandpas in the thing because it just goes so fast that five years...
Juggs: Are you saying they’re Dads?
Chaz: They’re Dads, honestly. They’re getting there.
Rory: But we’re [Chemical X] releasing new music, also.
Chaz: Not to talk shit. We love Chemical X. I mean, but just being truthful. Out with the old, in with the new.
Aren’t they buying food for you guys right now?
Chaz: It’s fine. They’re fine.
Juggs: Yeah they’re buying food.