Interview #10 is with Adam from Funny Face House! Funny Face House is an awesome rock band in San Jose, California. Check out the band and get to know Adam and a little about Funny Face House here:
Pre-interview, I learned a lot from Adam and about Adam. He taught me about California accents, the Thizzle Dance- Mac Dre, I learned "the whistles go wooo", and about how he grew up around hip hop and how it influences his music.
trtlz: So first, thank you so much for doing this interview. I've kind of wanted to do it for a while so it's super neat that it's finally happening! Adam FFH: That’s cool thanks for having me trtlz: Let's start with a little introduction. Can you tell me a little about yourself? Adam FFH: My name is Adam I play guitar in funny face house. I’m 36 I like to paint and make art in my spare time. I enjoy the outdoors and going on trips with my friends. I want to skydive one day while shredding. trtlz: Whoooa wait. Did I read that right? You want to skydive one day WHILE SHREDDING? trtlz: Is that a legit goal? trtlz: Cause that's awesome Adam FFH: Yes plugged into a amp Adam FFH: To 11 Adam FFH: You know spinal tap?
trtlz: I do haha Adam FFH: Cool
Adam FFH : You have to check out the rutles trtlz: I am right now haha
trtlz: Who is Funny Face House? Who are the other members? How would you describe your style? Adam FFH: Funny face house is Mallery, Armando, Ryan, Adam. We’re metal AF but with hippie sad rainbows trtlz: I think that's how I found you guys. I Googled metal AF bands with hippie sad rainbows Adam FFH: Shit Adam FFH: That's so cool trtlz: Haha. For real though, I found you guys on a brainwormradio podcast Adam FFH: That dude knows what’s up. Adam FFH: I fucking love that he gives artists a platform. trtlz: I know, right? I can't disagree with that. It's really cool!
trtlz: How long has Funny Face House been together? How did it start? Adam FFH: Since 2014 in Tacoma we had a venue out of our garage. Hella bands would play but the cops kept showing up. ticket after ticket I eventually got on probation for a year for throwing punk shows in the garage. After that i didn’t learn I eventually got a warrant for not complying with the noise complaints. when I turned myself in I was freaked out I was going to have to spend a night in jail. Turns out there was a cop that was targeting me to try and shut down the fun in tacoma / gritty city. I was in a band called turquoise noiz (however they want to spell it.) Anyways they went on tour with a different bass player so mallerie, me and Dan Cohn of youthriot records started a band but this time we played in the living room so the cops never showed up again. Adam FFH: That’s bad grammar trtlz : Yo that is awesome! One of the funnest (is that a word?) shows I have ever been to was in someone's garage/drive way on Halloween haha. trtlz: That's lame the cop wanted to spoil the fun. Glad you found ways around it. trtlz: Who came up with the name? What's the story behind the that? Adam FFH: Our friend Denise made it up Adam FFH: Its a house we used to all live at in Tacoma trtlz : Shoutout to Denise for the cool name! Adam FFH: Hell yeah D Adam FFH: She works at dominos in Seattle / Wallingford hit her up for a pie. trtlz: If I am ever in that area, I am totally going to do that. Adam FFH: 12032840500 trtlz: Hopefully someone that reads this will be trtlz: Is that the domino's phone number? Hahaha Adam FFH: That’s the number for dominos trtlz: Yeeeesssss trtlz: Can we just all call and be like I just wanted to say Denise is doing a great job?! Adam FFH: Yes Adam FFH: Amazing Adam FFH: Me and her just got in the car and drove to Tacoma we were both homeless at the time so I sold my van and had money for rent Adam FFH : Found a house and named it funny Face House trtlz : I love these kinds of stories. That's dope! Adam FFH : Rent was only 200 a month Adam FFH : So you could eBay make art and collect things at the dollar bins to sell trtlz : What?! That's insane! Adam FFH : Yeah I would find old lawnmowers for free and fix them and sell them Adam FFH : We hustled hard Adam FFH : You wouldn’t believe the stuff people throw away that you can make money on trtlz: Dang! Haha, how do you even fix a lawnmower? Adam FFH : Usually the carburetor needs to be cleaned Adam FFH : Easy way to make 100 dollars trtlz : Yeah man for sure. That's super smart though
Adam FFH : You can do that in Tacoma Adam FFH : Plus people were buying my art and I rode a bike so I had no bills trtlz: Tacoma sounds like a cool place to be. I need to check it out sometime Adam FFH : I love the Puget sound trtlz : That's where I'll go if I get the chance Adam FFH : Check out home plate tavern cheap booze and super interesting locals trlz: Yeah that sounds like a blast trtlz: Do you have a favorite Funny Face House song? Whether it's your favorite in general? Or favorite to play live? Adam FFH : I like kidney thief Adam FFH : It’s just really fun to play trtlz: Who are some of your musical influences growing up and now? Adam FFH : Growing up: misfits and the cure Adam FFH : Now: Howardian, San Pedro el Cortez, the quaaludes, terry malts, younger lovers, no bunny, flight mongoose, scorn dog trtlz : Howardian is fun. I got followed by japanther on instragam one day I'm guessing from following you guys and checked out Howardian and now I like it haha. Adam FFH : Ian rules I met him in Tijuana my old band played with Japanther trtlz: Nice!! That's awesome you played together. Yeah I saw he was a drummer Adam FFH : Yeah trtlz: What is your favorite show you have played so far? Adam FFH : Sutro bath caves in sf or toxic beach in sf all the best shows are generator shows by default trtlz : How did those shows even happen? That does sound awesome! Adam FFH : I don't even know trtlz : haha ok trtlz: How is the song writing process? Do you do most of the writing? Adam FFH: Yeh it’s fun I get inspiration from alot of different stuff food, community, 80s, skating, trees, I write songs everyday. I Always try to record them i do have 2 4 track machines laying around my house so I can record whenever. I’m in between like 20 songs in my head trtlz: That's incredible. It blows my mind that you can write so much and be that inspired. That's very cool. Adam FFH : I released 10% of what i record trtlz: So you've got all these little hidden gems nobody knows about? Adam FFH : Sadly trtlz: I mean they don't have to stay hidden... trtlz: Do you guys have any plans for touring or any new music in the works? Adam FFH : I’m gonna try and record an album in the next couple months. We probably won’t tour ever but you never know trtlz: Is that just because everyone is so busy and no time for it or you don't really want to do a tour? Adam FFH : I'd love to tour it’s just we all have kids and married and dogs and jobs getting older is awesome but priorities are cool too trtlz : What do you love most about being in Funny Face House? Adam FFH : That I get to hangout with my best friends and play music trtlz: Yeah sometimes I wish I was in a band for that exact reason Adam FFH: You play drums right? trtlz: Yep! Drums trtlz : I used to play the trumpet too, but forgot how haha trtlz: I tried learning so I could play ska in middle school Adam FFH : Oh nice we’re looking for a trumpet player Adam FFH : You need to get a trumpet. If you get one you should join the band trtlz: I also need to be in California! I'm on the complete opposite side of the country Adam FFH : They have cars and planes trtlz: Oh yeah, those things...
trtlz: So I know you've been in some bands before Funny Face House song such as Sweat lodge, Turquoiz Noiz, Violet Hour, and Gibby Paul... I think? Would you say your experiences in those bands were different than Funny Face House? In what way (besides the members being different, haha)? Adam FFH : Well all those bands have the same writing process pretty much one writer the main guy demos the songs and plays those only at practice. In funny face we all contribute to the songs writing process and talk about what we like or dislike. Adam FFH : The current line up is the same people I was in band with in 2004 called beware of the birds same drummer and keyboard player trtlz: Yeah! That's awesome. I mean it's cool when someone does most of the writing, but I really love when the whole band contributes somehow and all get to give their input trtlz: Beware of the Birds! Haha that's a cool name too. How come you didn't just put that band back together? Was it a different style? Adam FFH : We had like 6-7 members
trtlz: Wait, didn't you say once that you also make beats sometimes as well? Adam FFH : Yeah noise trtlz: elegant noise? trtlz: Aaaand... You also do your own solo thing, right? Is that something you still have going on? What do you like about doing that vs the band? Adam FFH : Bands are fun, solo can be way too personal Adam FFH : I always record I have a couple 4 track laying around various places in my house i can track an idea any time trtlz: I think that is amazing. And with all the different projects you've had, it seems like you always have ideas going trtlz : You must have a ton of hidden gems like stuff you've never released Adam FFH : I’m singing and thinking about music all day Adam FFH : 100s Adam FFH : I feel like I’ve been demoing for the last 15 years trtlz : Why don't you release more of them? Are you not happy with them or you just like keeping it for yourself for fun? Adam FFH : If someone offers to release them but there’s no money in my art trtlz: doubtful. Adam FFH : People always buy shirts because they don’t have to listen to them trtlz: You mentioned it a little before, but I'm not sure why you don't shout this with like a megaphone. Not only are you an awesome musician, you're a pretty rad artist as well! You've made some crazy awesome paintings and drawings and designs. How did you get into that? Is that something you just picked up on your own one day? Adam FFH : I love skateboarding and graffiti so I always doodled on my board trtlz: Dope. Did you ever design your own decks? Adam FFH : Yeah with stencils and stuff Adam FFH : I want to someday trtlz: I always thought that would be so cool to design my own deck. I've always loved art but never was very good at it Adam FFH : Bad art these days is goods art trtlz: Well I want to be actually good. Not like having dog paw prints on a canvas covered in paint splatters and calling it abstract haha Adam FFH : That’s cool too trtlz : Like design your own deck good haha Adam FFH : I wish trtlz: You could do that.. trtlz : I saw some of your art. I'd want a deck designed by you Adam FFH : Thanks that’s cool trtlz: I remember reading that article about you and your art. You even illustrated a children's book, didnt you? That's so cool you've had so much variety in your art! Adam FFH : Yeah the next thing I wanna do is I have like 10 old Victorian windows I’m gonna paint on Adam FFH : People in Tacoma always support so I might drive up there to slang them trtlz : Oooh that sounds like it would be cool trtlz : Have you done it before? Adam FFH : Yeah trtlz: What is your opinion on the radio? Adam FFH : I love the radio Adam FFH : Its weird to hear yourself on the radio trtlz : One time I went to a music festival a local radio station did and they recorded me saying my name and city and their little slogan thing. And then weeks later, I heard myself on the radio. trtlz : probably not the same though haha Adam FFH :That’s so cool Adam FFH : way cooler
trtlz : Than YOUR MUSIC ON THE RADIO?!
trtlz: false.
Adam FFH : Our music is on the radio
Adam FFH : Oddly
trtlz : That's Awesome! It's not odd haha
trtlz : What would you do if you couldn't play music anymore?
Adam FFH : If I couldn’t play music I would paint work in the garden and Music is kinda 3-4 priority in my life
trtlz: Oh ya aren't you growing like some cucumbers or something?
Adam FFH : Yeah trying to start a pickle business
Adam FFH : Called hella pickles
trtlz: No way. I really need to get over there to visit. I love pickles so I could use some Hella pickles
Adam FFH : I can send you a batch
trtlz : Yeah that would be amazing. When you do that let me know and I'll buy some!
trtlz: Last question I have for you. What is your favorite soup?
Adam FFH : split pea
trtlz: mine is conch chowder
trtlz : Never had that. Its actually good?
trtlz : Sounds terrible
Adam FFH : It’s amazing
trtlz: Well I guess this is actually the last question. Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Adam FFH : Thanks for taking the time to chat
trtlz: Thank YOU for taking the time to chat!
You can check out some of Funny Face House's awesome music here on Spotify : https://tinyurl.com/y5dfjwg5
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