RETURN TO DUST – AN INTERVIEW WITH MATTY & GRAHAM

L.A. based Return to Dust have just released their debut single entitled “Black Road” to amazing fanfare. The band is composed of long time friends Matty Joseph (Guitar/Vocals) and Graham Stanush (Bass/Vocals). !7 year old guitarist Sebastian Gonzalez rounds out the group. Their sound is heavy, dark and grungy. Taking the best from their influences like Alice In Chains, Soundgarden and Nirvana, Return to Dust creates vibrant new music by encompassing modern recording techniques. Their vibe is perfect for the youth of today who are full of pent up angst and anxieties.

“Black Road” is a killer track. Everything hits hard. The vocals are fierce yet remain melodic. The guitars ring with fire while the monstrous bass line is brazenly defiant. In addition, it was produced by the illustrious Jim Kaufman (Anti-Flag/Helmet). “Black Road” is the perfect vehicle for Return to Dust to showcase their remarkable cinematic approach. This is a band with a stupendous future.

Speaking of the song, Matty and Graham share;

“We feel like “Black Road” paints the perfect picture for what we wanted this project (Return to Dust) to start as: this bright/exciting thing in front of us, but also a snapshot that captures such a dark scope our lives. And it’s extremely exciting to have this song, and many more, be actualized as an extension of our growing pains, our jaded youth, our bitter adolescence, and our continual grinding push to adulthood.”

Matty Joseph and Graham Stanush were kind enough to spend some time with AMP.

AMP: Can you give our readers a brief history of the band?

MATTY/GRAHAM: We grew up together in a small town called Midlothian which is the cement capitol of Texas. It was always dark and gray. We began visiting a friend in L.A. who was Jim Kaufman’s sound engineer. When we first met Jim, he was really perceptive. He kind of knew we were musically inclined event hough we technically weren’t a band. Our only experience to date was playing acoustic covers in the only venue in town which was a small coffee shop. Jim asked to hear what we sounded like so we played him a couple of songs. One of them was Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams”.

After that session, Jim totally encouraged us to pursue a musical career. We were halfway through college but we both felt that writing songs was a better choice. Jim asked us to come up with ten rock songs. After writing the tunes, we all felt that they weren’t really that good but Jim saw the potential. We decided to move to L.A. and wrote a few more tracks which we recorded.

Then the pandemic hit and we were stuck in a one bedroom apartment with the two of us and a drummer friend. We started cranking out material and strove to survive. That’s when we started to listen to a lot of 90’s grunge like Soundgarden and Alice In Chains. It fueled our songwriting process. We actually started to write better songs with meaningful lyrics. Jim loved the new material and we recorded eight songs which “Black Road” was one of.

AMP: How does your creative process work?

MATTY: We write all our material on an acoustic guitar. The music is usually vocally driven. Separately but more often together, we riff off our guitars and sing. Then we bounce things off of each other till something sticks. After we are happy, we start building it in the studio. We have a killer 17 year old guitarist and he starts adding his parts. We also like to match the music to the lyrical content which is heavy and dismal, borderline depressing. Tha angst is what we strive for in our music.

GRAHAM: We don’t really write many happy songs. It seems we have found our lane and it’s sad songs with teeth.

AMP: What are some of the themes embedded in your new single, “Black Road”?

GRAHAM: Lots of loss! Also wondering if one is doing the right thing. We want our fans to question everything.

MATTY: At the same time, it has a hopeful message. We want everyone to take the path that is meant for them. Our music can tear you down but there is this uplifting component that can inspire you emotionally.

AMP: Name some your musical influences outside the Grunge scene?

MATTY: My dad grew me up on Hendrix, Stevie Ray and Clapton. That’s where I got my love of the guitar from. I eventually graduated to more modern rock but Graham and I are still fascinated with acoustic folk. It has built a great foundation for us. Recently, I’ve been listening to 90’s pop and new wave like The Cure and The Smiths.

GRAHAM: Since we moved to L.A., I’ve been getting into a bunch of post punk and hardore bands. There is an army of artists playing that genre here in L.A. I like their droning rhythms and they create an amazing amount of energy. Their shows are so much fun with this real cool bombastic attitude.

AMP: Do you feel L.A. is a great place to write and play music?

MATTY: We have only been playing shows for about a year and a half now. It’s really hard to get off the ground. The worst thing is finding venues we can play at. L.A. is over saturated with artists. I went to college in Austin and there was a really good music scene there. There was a tight knit music community. He it’s very cliquey but we are making major strides with every live show. Everyday we connect with more and more people who enjoy our music.

AMP: You’ve worked with producer Jim Kaufman. How was the experience?

GRAHAM: I think he’s the perfect person for this heavy grungy vibe. He helps you get to the absolute source of your song. He definitely pushes our boundaries. When we start recording, Jim is always experimenting with the sound to fully enhance the track. He breathes new life into our music.

AMP: Outside of music, what does the band do to unwind?

MATTY: We play a lot of board and card games like Magic Gathering. Basically we are nerds. Of course we listen to music as we play. We are also quite physical. We like to rock climb and bike.

AMP: What is your gameplan for future releases? Any EPs or albums soon?

MATTY: We got a ton of recorded music in the bank. That’s all we been doing these past few years. The scenario goes: write a bunch of songs, record and let no one hear them. We are trying to figure out our release schedule as we speak. The music business currently has a fluid landscape that always changes. So, we plan to feed off our fans reactions and use that feedback to pave our way.

GRAHAM: I’m just to riff off of that. We haven’t announced it yet but there is an EP in the near future.

AMP: Any tour plans coming up?

MATTY: We are working on it. There are gigs already lined up for the end of July on the West Coast. We’ve already did a successful West Coast run. Seattle was a crazy show and we are looking forward to playing there again. Trying to solidify our fanbase is paramount at the moment. We want to continue the awesome momentum that has already been established. But it is tempting to relocate to Seattle. Those people know how to rock!

AMP: What’s the worst trouble the band has been in?

MATTY: Damn! Probably when our drummer moved out. It was strange since he was totally into the project. He just recently got up and left. That has been the most troublesome part of the band. It honestly shook me to the core. He had valid reasons to leave but it hit me hard. It did reaffirm our resolve and everybody associated with the band felt a stronger bond.

GRAHAM: That’s an interesting take on the question but I think he meant real trouble like running from the law. I’m not sure I should answer this since it’s kind of personal. I’ve been driving a ghost vehicle. Thankfully I haven’t been stopped yet! So I think I’m good. All in the name of rock & roll!

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