By While a genre like ska may not be thriving in the mainstream music industry, bands like The Two Tone Boners have helped keep the music scene alive in Los Angeles and Orange County.
The Two Tone Boners started to wreak havoc in the summer of 2011, playing backyard shows. They performed at Cal State Long Beach’s Nugget Grill and Pub as part of the CSULB Underground Music Society’s first concert last semester. Recently, they performed at The Observatory alongside well-known ska bands like the Mad Caddies, Buck-o-Nine and Voodoo Glow Skulls.
The band consists of Robert Carrera on guitar, Jovan Loera on saxophone, Alfredo Barrios on trumpet, Julio Gurrola on bass guitar, Tony Garcia on drums and Nate Phung on keys. Carrera, Loera and Phung also provide vocals for the band.
After performing for three years, the Two Tone Boners have finally released their first EP: “Troubles Come and Go.” The Daily 49er caught up with Phung, a CSULB graduate student, to talk about the band’s experiences in the recording studio.
Q. This is your first EP. Are you already planning for a full-length?
Nate Phung: Yeah, this is our first studio quality release. It’s six tracks and about half an hour long. It’s the springboard cause we’re in talks of recording a full-length.
Q. Are these six tracks your best ones, or do they convey your band’s music best?
NP: We took a different direction. The concept of the EP started off as a single or B-side, but we figured we’d finish up more songs. The concept goes off of ‘Troubles Come and Go,’ so a laid back, carefree feeling. That’s what we wanted to convey from this [release.] It’s more of our softer side of ska, even though we play everything from two-tone to ska-punk.
Q. How was the experience of recording the band’s first EP?
NP: It was tiring to say the least. One fun fact is that none of those tracks were recorded earlier than 11 p.m. Actually, all the vocal tracks were tracked after 2 or 3 a.m. We pulled a graveyard shift to try and record this EP. [I asked my bandmates], ‘when are you guys free? Oh we have school and work, but what about later? Is it cool with you guys? Let’s talk to the sound engineer.’ He was cool with it cause he lives [in the studio].
Q. Was it a DIY house thing?
NP: We recorded with Joseph Quinones of The Steady 45s and The Delirians. He lives in Uptown Whittier on top of a storefront — across from where the Fenix used to be. So, if you hang out there, you can catch them rehearsing. Also, a second fun fact, Chris Murray likes to hang out there too.
Q. How was it like to record with the help of these musicians?
NP: It was a huge mix of emotions — surprised, excited [and] getting our butts kicked.
Q. What’s something you’ll never forget from the recording process?
NP: There was this one time we were about to track vocals and it was 2 a.m. and we hear, ‘Is that ska music I hear?’ coming from the window. We look [outside] and this lady kept rambling and it’s this homeless lady. It was nice that someone appreciated ska even if it was a homeless lady.
Q. What’s next for the Two Tone Boners?
NP: We’re fundraising for a tour van and we’re trying to hopefully get out to Texas over the winter. We want to record our full-length by the end of the year. We’ve got a bunch of shows lined up.
For further information on the band and their tour dates, visit: www.facebook.com/The.Two.Tone.Boners. Those interested in purchasing an EP for $7 can visit: thetwotoneboners.bandcamp.com.
