All About Gabe:

updated 5/16/03

Hi. I've never bothered to fill this out in the past. Partly because there's something weird about posting personal shit about yourself in a "profile," but mostly because I’m lazy. (Actually it's not even that. It's just that I’m neurotic, and don't want to do something unless I can be really thorough with it, so I always put it off because it seemed like a daunting task. I know, I'm crazy) Well, people complained, and others thought that the fake answers our webdudes filled in for me were real (I mean, as much as I would love to eat a restaurant called the Sex Palace, I have never been there). So here goes... I will start filling out some of this shit, and I will try to update it somewhat regularly--you know, write some crap. Oh, and if it sounds like something I say is really fucked up, I’m joking. P.S. It's 10AM now and I've been writing this since 6AM. I don't know what the hell possessed me to do this now, but I'm delirious. So any other fucked up shit I've written is not my fault either.

Birthdate
10/11/79

Birthplace

Montevideo, Uruguay. That’s in South America. That’s right, I’m an immigrant motherfuckers! I was in the poverty-ridden third world, and I’m all, “yo, I should go to America, where the streets are paved with gold, and become a rock star so I can fuck lots of girls and get free drugs!”

Favorite Food

Chick Patties (that's fake chicken, bitch)

Favorite Restaurants
New York:
Kate's Corner (4th Street and Avenue B) - Deep fried, unhealthy vegetarian food for punk rock kids who don't give a fuck about hippie bullshit, but don't want to eat cows.
Angelica's (12th Street between 2nd and 1st Ave) - Hippie bullshit vegetarian food. As I find myself becoming more of a yuppie, I start caring more about health. This is a good place to go on a date to make it seem like you have class, but you're still "hip."
Odessa (9th Street and Avenue A) - Great place to go when you're trashed at 5 AM. It's shitty and too bright, but it rules. Ask to speak to the manager.

Los Angeles:
Real Food Daily (La Cienega and Beverly) - The L.A. equivalent of Angelica's (organic and macrobiotic, no sugar, etc.), but with more flavor, and more movie stars.
Vegan Express (Barham and Cahuenga West) - Hands down the BEST fake meat I have ever tasted anywhere! They have some secret recipe and cook all the shit there from scratch. It's a secret little hole-in-the-wall, but it rules. I saw the singer of the Chili Peppers there once. He had a moustache and a model girlfriend. He rules. Get the pepper steak sandwich.

What I’m Listening to Now
Recover - Ceci N’est Pas Recover
Armor for Sleep - Dream to Make Believe
Christiansen - New Demos. HA! You gotta wait for the record!
Ol’ Dirty Bastard - Nigga Please!
Turbonegro - Apocalypse Dudes YOU NEED TO BUY THIS ALBUM NOW!
Mars Volta - Deloused in the Comatorium This shit isn’t even music anymore. It’s some fucking cosmological shit.
The Sounds - Living in America Guilty pleasure. Part of me thinks they’re bullshit, but their songs are so catchy and I want to marry the singer.
The Soundtrack of Our Lives - Behind The Music. Why is it that all the good shit comes from Sweden? The first time I saw these guys I had a religious experience. The second time I saw them, I hated them. Oh well.
Death Cab for Cutie - You Can Play These Songs With Chords

Top 10 Albums of ALL TIME, bitch!
1.Nirvana - EVERYTHING. This is the band that got me into punk rock. They changed everything.
2.Pavement – Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain. I've listened to this record every time I have fallen in love in the past 8 years. I rip off their lyrics sometimes too.
3.Superchunk – TIE: On the Mouth and Foolish. All the bullshit "emo" bands today rip-off Superchunk without even knowing it.
4.Pixies – Doolittle The Pixies were able to make incredibly catchy music that was still really strange and different. Plus they were on the soundtrack to Pump Up The Volume. Why does Christian Slater suck now?
5.Sonic Youth – Daydream Nation This was my introduction to Sonic Youth and it totally redefined my notion of what music could be. Somehow though, I still ended up writing shitty pop-punk songs.
6.A Tribe Called Quest – The Low End Theory I’ve been listening to this album for 10 years now--since I was in sixth grade motherfucker--and it gets better as I get older. I now understand some of the "lingo" I wasn't "hip" to before. E.g., "I’ll bust a nut in your eye, to show you where I come from." And by now, I know every word to every song. Ask me to kick "Check the Rhyme," but I get to be Phife Dog. The best hip-hop album of all time. Good jams, no bling-bling fronts.
7.Fugazi – TIE: 13 Songs and Repeater It's one thing to have been at the forefront of a musical revolution once in your life. But to have done it several times, and continue to stay there is unbelievable. Ian Mackaye invented straight edge and was at the center of the hardcore movement in the early 80's with Minor Threat. Then he just dumped all that bullshit and started Fugazi. In between both that shit, he also, along with Rites of Spring, was responsible for "emo" with Embrace. Ian Mackaye doesn't fuck around. Shit.
8.Lifetime - Jersey's Best Dancer's This is the band that made me want to start Midtown.
9.Mission of Burma – Anthology Most under-rated band of all time. Moby covered one of their songs like 7 years ago when he tried to do a rock record. That just made everyone hate them more 'cause Moby’s a dildo.
10.Elvis Costello – This Year’s Model it's weird how people start to suck when they get older, but when Elvis made this album he was bad-ass. I bet he was fucking mad bitches back then.

Runner-Up:
Bikini Kill - The CD Version of the First Two LPs My first punk rock record. Weird, huh? I then realized I couldn’t exactly be a riot-grrl because I wasn’t exactly a girl.

Favorite 80’s Jams
1.Blondie
2.Depeche Mode
3.U2
4.Madonna
5.The Cars

Favorite Movies
I’m not gonna sit here and write comments about every movie, but I will say that “Say Anything” was the first movie I saw when I came to America, and that I’ve seen “Zoolander” 27 times. My favorite pastime is reenacting scenes from the movie, so if you see me, just quote any line from Zoolander and I’ll hit you back with the next one. My favorite scene is when Derek and Hansel aren’t each others’ “bros,” but Billy Zane’s got Derek’s back. I was a clown for Halloween, what were you?

Top 10 All Time
1.Fight Club
2.Do the Right Thing
3.Jerry McGuire
4.American Beauty
5.Say Anything
6.The Usual Suspects
7.Rain Man
8.Reservoir Dogs
9.The Graduate
10.Jacob’s Ladder

Favorite Comedies
1.Zoolander
2.Spaceballs
3.The Kentucky Fried Movie
4.Spinal Tap
5.Rushmore
6.Monty Python’s Holy Grail
7.Austin Powers
8.Brain Candy
9.Office Space
10.Happiness

Favorite TV Shows
I don’t watch TV anymore, but here’s the shit I liked when I did. Actually, I hated MASH, but I loved that theme song; it was so sad. Yeah, the Taxi theme song had the same effect on me. I think it’s because when I was really little and used to get into my parents bed when I was scared of the dark and couldn’t sleep and shit, those shows would always come on late at night. I’m old school, dog.

1.The Simpsons
2.Aeon Flux
3.The Wonder Years
4.Happy Days
5.Liquid Television
6.Kids in the Hall
7.The State
8.Tenacious D
9.In Living Color
10.Ali G
11.Three’s Company
12.Diff’rent Strokes
13.Facts of Life
14.M*A*S*H
15.Yo! MTV Raps

Favorite Books
On the Road by Jack Kerouac – This book changed my life. I read it when I was young (13) and had been brought up to think the only way to survive was to do well in school and get a good job. On the Road made me realize that there was a whole other world out there, and experience was what made life worth living.

Notes from the Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky – After I realized that experience was what made life worthwhile, I realized that my life was still meaningless and nothing could ever change that. This book helped me understand how that could be.

Rethinking Life and Death by Peter Singer – Singer is a philosopher who tackles difficult questions and proposes radical answers for issues that we are not prepared to handle today. He believes that many of our current moral dilemmas are based on the fact that we do not have a clear definition of where life begins and ends. His argument is surprisingly rational and intuitive but it is radical in that it presupposes animals would have the right to life over coma patients with lower brain deterioration. Wow, I knew I learned something in school.

What I’m Reading Now
The Inner Reaches of Outer Space by Joseph Campbell – My friend Louis bought this for me for my birthday in October. I started reading it when we were in Europe with Recover in December, but I haven’t picked it back up since I’ve been home. Oh well— I’ll finish it someday. Campbell says that all religions are interconnected and basically the same. And he argues that the reason for this is because throughout millions of years we have evolved from the same organic matter and hence share a cosmological subconscious with each other and with the energies in the universe. Hence the answers to the mysteries of the universe are located inside each one of us. Hippie bullshit.

Favorite Part of Being in a Band
It’s amazing to start anything from the ground up and watch it grow every step of the way. It’s not about becoming huge, it’s about knowing that whatever you set out to accomplish, you were there at every stage and you did it with your own hands. It’s even better to get the chance to do this with your bros. I also think it’s amazing that I can have an idea in my head and eventually it will turn into a tangible piece of music. And it’s even more amazing that other people respond to it, relate to it, and appreciate it.

Least Favorite Part of Being in a Band
All the bullshit in the music industry. Money ruins art—always. Even if it seems like it’s but a small tarnish. Eventually every negligible compromise will chip away at another piece of what you had initially conceived until you are left with but a hollow semblance of something you once held dear. Compromise is good in co-existing peacefully with others; it is death to art.

What do you play?
Bass guitar
Voice box

Inspirations
I’m inspired by the serious issues people need to deal with. So conversely, I am numbed and jaded by the meaninglessness and bullshit of everyday life. I want to vomit when I hear some of the nonsense people complain about. Sometimes I feel like I can’t escape an empty existence so I find myself escaping in other ways: girls I don’t give a fuck about and don’t give a fuck about me, alcohol, whatever. . . So I am drawn to people who have real problems to deal with; problems that destroy their worlds and force them to rebuild their lives with the shattered remnants. I know that that’s kind of sadistic of me, but it feels real. It’s hard though to get close to someone like that because it requires a huge emotional commitment from me, and I’m already spread so thin . . . But it’s the only thing that makes me feel anything anymore. I don’t know why I am writing all this stuff—it’s kind of fucked up.

People You Admire
As I get older and become more independent, I’ve grown to really respect my father. He was a doctor in Uruguay, but he saw that the country was going down the tubes and decided to come to America so that his children could have the chance at a better life. For over three years, we were here illegally, without a visa or a green card, so he couldn’t get a job or go to school. To make money, he sold scarves on the street. Finally when we got residency permits, he had to go back to school for 6 years (just because you’re a doctor in some bullshit third-world country, doesn’t mean you get to practice medicine here). And so I didn’t really see him until I was 11, when he finally opened up his practice. Then by the time I was 15, my parents got divorced. By the time I was 20 and the divorce was finally over, my father was left with nothing. But he just picked himself back up and started over again. The most important thing that he taught me (and really more by example than by explanation) is the value of integrity. No matter where you are in life, if you stick to your morals, work hard, and you’re an honest person, you will end up ok. Again, it’s kind of weird that I’m writing all of this, but whatever… Yeah, my dad’s a motherfucker. I also dig that Michael Moore guy—he fucks shit up!

People You Hate
I’ve been fucked pretty hard throughout my few years by several different people, but I don’t really hate any of them. I don’t waste time thinking about them; they’re just cut from my life. But I find that as a result, I’ve become angrier and more jaded. And I have less room for love in my heart now because it’s filled with so much frustration and distrust. So while I don’t really hate anyone, I kind of hate everyone. Shit—that’s fucked up.

Fears
I’m scared that I will undoubtedly fuck up anything that is good in my life. I’ll fuck it up partly because I am never satisfied and nothing is ever good enough for me, and partly, or rather: I’m never satisfied because I am so scared of getting fucked and not having control over getting fucked, that I would rather fuck it up myself. I’d rather ruin something myself, than take the chance of losing control over it. Although I am scared that this is true, I am not entirely convinced that I will always act this way. I think I have a strong tendency for this behavior, but so long as I am aware of it, I can at least diffuse it a little. Can’t I? Moreover, as a consequence of the above, I am scared that I will never be happy in a relationship. I’m also scared that my lifestyle is preventing me from having a shot at a normal relationship (which requires spending time together) and by the time I slow down, everyone will already be married, and I will only have the hordes of the lost to choose from.

"I think it's important not necessarily for a band to be political in terms of like to preach, but I think it's important especially for bands that come from the scene to really have ideas and views and develop something more meaningful and deep. Whether it's about the world or about people or about whatever people want to have ideas about. But, definitely to be somewhat focused in something other than just rocking out and having a good time because having a good time is awesome, but I think what has made like the punk, social punk, whatever you want to call it, underground movement, survive is the fact that underneath the fun is a strong foundation of ideas and there's a movement. It's not just punk music, but the punk movement. I don't think that punk necessarily characterizes a type of music. Some people say punk is like Mohawk punks and some people say punk is Sum 41. I think punk really characterizes a type of culture. That culture is, I think of music being intertwined with ideas and spreading a message and having ideas really deviate from what you see in the mainstream. I think that what's most important is not necessarily to deviate, but to deviate in a way to give you a sense of realness. Because I think in the mainstream everything is packaged in a way to try and make you live vicariously through what you see. You see rappers and Kid Rock living these lavish lifestyles and stuff and that's not real. There is nothing real about that. There's nothing you're going to relate to. The only thing you are going to relate to is you're going to be like 'Oh wow.' You're going to be wishing you were that person. But, I think the thing about punk music is that you realize that it's a person just like you, doing something that's real and there's a connection to the music that you can do it and it should inspire you in that way. So, I think that's what is important, for people to continue that tradition."

"I just became a vegetarian when I was thirteen. I was away at summer camp and this hippie dude, I'm totally not a hippie at all you know, was just like 'Listen we're a civilized society. There's so many alternatives. There's no reason to make an animal suffer.' I've always like been compassionate for all living things and that just made so much sense to me. It was almost like I was in the dark for my whole life and I wanted to turn on a light. I was thirteen and I realized that and just abruptly I changed it and said 'Okay, I'm becoming vegetarian.' The thing is that it was so abrupt for me; it wasn't a gradual change. It was so abrupt that I remember I was eating food at a bar mitzvah and my friend was like, 'Aren't you a vegetarian now?' I'm like, 'Oh my God, I forgot.' And I totally honestly forgotten that I had chosen to become a vegetarian just because I had been doing it for so long, eating meat for so long, it just like left my mind. But, since then I haven't eaten any meat. I think like it's just one of those things, you know for everything I believe that there's a universal moral truth; there's a right and wrong in everything and for everything I do I need to find a reason for it. There needs to be a reason behind everything I do and the reasons they come from I don't want to be a hypocrite; I want to be consistent with my ideas. I can't find any reason honestly that would allow me to eat meat that would also allow me to eat people. And it's like those are the kinds of things I just consider morally wrong. And it's not like I'm not making a moral judgment saying that if you eat meat you're an ass or whatever. I think that it's the same thing with slavery. I mean it took thousands of years for people to realize that slavery was wrong. They used to say the same things about slaves that they say about animals now. You know, 'Oh well they don't have feelings. They're lower beings than us because they don't have thinking capabilities.' And it's like they would de-humanize these people. Whoever they wanted as slaves because it worked toward their benefit because it's easier and it made their life easier. And obviously eating meat is easier. It tastes better. I'm not denying that it tastes good. I'm Hispanic. I grew up eating meat three times a day and I love the taste of meat. No doubt about it, but I'm sure I'd love to see the look in someone's eye when I stab them to death, you know. But, I think that what's right and wrong I have to follow first."

"We have a new album. It's called Living Well Is The Best Revenge. It's kind of good. It's pretty good. You should get it or borrow it from someone and keep it or burn it."

"Basically the best thing about it is going on tour and having kids that have never heard your music before there to see you. Say we went on a European tour and no one had heard our music, they could easily get it from Napster. I think that Napster or just Mp3's in general give every band the opportunity to get their music heard by anybody in the world. The only people that are complaining about Napster are the ones that are super big bands that are millionaires anyways, so it doesn't make any sense for them to have any say when in fact there is in fact that Napster might be helping their band by getting their music out. Too many times people have come up to me, and it's a good thing, that have said that I heard your music off Napster and I want to buy your CD. It's great."

AP.net: Well, that’s about all I have for you guys, I want to thank you again for taking the time out to do this and on that note, do you have any last words for the readers at Absolutepunk.net?

Rob: A.) sweet little dudes
B.) b.) www.i-surrender.com (that’s my label
C.) mikeyway.com (the url will be a bit different because some douchebag took took the domain already.

iamsupernova

Remember just two years ago
When our bands were playing house shows
Were fighting for
To make a change
To live our lives the way we dreamed
Despite what they might say

Remember how we struggled though
Remember nights we spent on hard wood floors
Were fighting for
To make a change
To live our lives the way we dreamed
Despite what they might say

You're there when I fall
You'd help me be strong
Even when I lost my faith
We're standing so tall
We made it through it all
We will keep it going strong
Cause I feel it in the songs

To all my friends from around the way
Much respect
We owe you dues
We've got your back
You've got our's too
We'll be there
Should you fall
And I just wanted you to know
You can always count on me

You're there when I fall
You'd help me be strong
Even when I lost my faith
We're standing so tall
We made it through it all
We will keep it going strong
Cause I feel it in the songs

You're there when I fall
You'd help me be strong
You're there when I fall
When we made it through it all

You're there when I fall
You'd help me be strong
Even when I lost my faith
We're standing so tall
We made it through it all
We will keep it going strong
Cause I feel it in the songs

In the songs

MH: Having such a fast start playing your first show in '99 in front of 40 people to the summer of 2001 playing with Blink 182 to 15,000 people, how did that affect you guys as a band and did you ever think you would be here today?

GS: No. I never fathomed we would be where we are and if I had we would have been smarter. We made some stupid decisions early on because we didn't plan for this to be a career. We just wanted to do it for fun as a hobby. So, definitely I had no idea I was going to get this far and it's beyond my wildest dreams which is good. I mean there is definitely goods and bads that come along with that. I think we got this far because we really worked very, very hard. I always say that if you just put your mind to something and if you are really passionate about something you can accomplish anything. We love our band and we loved what we were doing and we gave up everything for it. We dropped out of school. We all lived in a house together. We gave up our house. We moved in with our parents. I don't have a car. I don't have anything. I just have my band. So, we put everything into this band to tour full time. We started touring. I remember our first tour we couldn't afford to stay in hotels and we usually stayed in people's houses. During the shows we would announce 'Hey, I don't have a place to stay tonight.' We met some really cool people that way and had some good times. Sometimes we would roll into a town early in the morning and not know anyone there. One time in Gainesville we just pulled into town and we parked into the parking lot of a hotel and it was 3 in the morning. By 6 in the morning it was so hot. It was like middle of summer. The van was just like an oven, so we got out of the van all sweaty and stuff and walked into the pool of the hotel and pretended like we were guests there and stuff. So, that was our shower for the week. So, I mean from there to where we are now, like on a bus in less than two years, it's just because obviously one part of me... I'm not negating. I'm not saying we don't have talent. I meant I think we are pretty good. I mean we definitely have to be at least ok as a band. I'm not saying we are the best band or anything. You just have to work really hard and make it your first priority and you can do it. You can accomplish anything.

"wow seeing the cobra video all over trl and mtv makes my mind spin. i remember talking with gabe years ago, the friendship we forged, and how much he really believes in this. thats why i support this and him and always will. because its silly, but its real."

Success has its price
And can you hear me now
That I'm dumbing myself down?
Is it filling you with doubt
That I am who you thought?

I know it's just a game
But I'm playing it to win
I won't forget from where I came
But it's time to take over
Oh yeah

And can you hear me now
Someone save me from the sound
Of my own voice
Can't you tell
That I sound like I'm dying?
Oh yeah

I'm tired of waiting
Yeah, I'm tired of waiting
I'm tired of being
The poor, cliche, misunderstood

Tired of waiting
Yeah, I'm tired of waiting
It's time to get faded
Because I can't think anymore

Interviewer: Is there anything other than music you would like to do?

Gabe: I wanna have babies. I wanna have lots and lots of babies.