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I am Brandon Hardesty, an independent singer/songwriter who's been living in a van for the last decade. AMA!
Hello! My name is Brandon Hardesty and I'm the singer/songwriter of Maryland based ska/punk/reggae band Bumpin Uglies. We've been touring the United States since 2008 working on building up a fan base one fan at a time. We've done and seen a lot of crazy stuff over the last ten years and I would love to talk with you about it. We're currently on the road somewhere between Houston and Louisville so I'm gonna try to respond to questions as quickly as possible. AMA!
edit gonna be passing around my laptop to the other boys in the band, so if you have any questions for the band or crew ask away!
edit 2 sorry, got wrapped up in the show yesteday. gonna go back through and answer everyone elses questions now.
bumpinugliesmusic10 karma
i'm gonna answer this, but its gonna require a lot of writing so i'm gonna come back to it later!
AngryxReaper10 karma
Hi brandon! if you had to pick one of your own songs, which one is your favorite and why?
Greetings from Chile!
bumpinugliesmusic18 karma
whoa! would love to make it to south america one day. right now my favorite song is called optimism in F#. its the last song on the record we're about to release. i struggle with depression and tend to see the worst parts of situations and i wrote that song as a reminder to myself that i don't want to think or live like that. i don't listen to my own music or anything, but there's something therapeutic about being able to look back at a thought that you wrote out and thinking 'ok, i thought like that. i can think like that. lets think like THAT, and not like THIS.' not sure if that makes sense, but essentially it helps pull me out of funks when i'm feeling depressed.
meowmoreplz5 karma
Is that the song y’all sang last in Pensacola when there were a few minutes left in the set?
SlinkiiSaurus8 karma
Why did you choose Cleveland for your CD release party?!? Was it because CLEVELAND ROCKS!!?? 😂😂
bumpinugliesmusic12 karma
as a band we're infatuated with drew carey. there really was no other choice
tbrust238 karma
Is it "boy's soul" or "boy's hole"? It sounds like you're saying "boys hole".
judewalkeratx7 karma
What are your favorite parts and least favorite parts of being on tour?
bumpinugliesmusic16 karma
being away from my wife and dog sucks. tour in general is very lonely. you're constantly around people but you still feel alone most of the time. it's bizarre. i love meeting people who've been touched by our songs and i love actually performing, but thats a very small part of how your time is spent. most of it is spent driving and eating shitty food.
Foxondarun7 karma
If you were a WWE or WCW (let’s be honest WCW was the best) wrestler what would your intro song be?
Tjohns0217 karma
Yo! What's the craziest thing you've ever had happen to you while on stage? Much Love from South Dakota!
Ugliesnation!
bumpinugliesmusic13 karma
man its hard to pinpoint, but one time we played a festival next to a corn field and somehow or another wolfie ended up with an ear of corn. he proceded to play a gnarly slapbass solo using the ear of corn and the crowd lost their shit. it was incredible
stonergasm7 karma
Love you guys! Beyond stoked for your Long Island gig.
Question for all members - What is one "big name" band that you would love to tour with? Do you all have a set one, or do you each of you have your own "dream band" to share a stage with?
bumpinugliesmusic14 karma
we definitely all have different ones. i'll ask.
brandon - slightly stoopid
tj - iggy pop
chad - papadosi
wolfie - the slackers / miley cyrus
carl - goldfinger
justin - the dude from youtube who turns every song into allstar
bumpinugliesmusic8 karma
honestly i got into reggae after i got into ska/punk. i don't really consider sublime reggae, they're a melting pot of a lot of sounds, one of which is reggae. i'm not sure exactly when i got into it but it was sometime in my early twenties. i was immediately really drawn to dub like scientist and king tubby. i loved the psychedelic aspects of it. been really into chronixx lately too. his latest album is insane.
itsjustmattguys6 karma
Hey man! Any chance you can perform at the restaurant I work at in Davidsonville when you come back home?? My boss would be so pumped. He even has a dessert he’s waiting to do named after you guys!
bumpinugliesmusic5 karma
ha! what restaurant? i do a lot of acoustic stuff when i'm not on tour so i'd be down to do something like that there
UgliesGetSchwifty6 karma
What was the inspiration behind the lyric "Hit them in their eyes with my creamy surprise"? 🤣🤣
JustCallMeKev6 karma
Where is your favorite place to perform and why (or why not) is it The Saint in Asbury Park?
I don’t really have any other questions but wanted to say thank you, your music has gotten me through some hard times.
bumpinugliesmusic7 karma
thank you, that means a lot. that's all you can hope for as a songwriter. I really do love Asbury Park, the energy is always insane. Would have to be Asbury Park or Ohio in general. i love it when the crowd is raging.
captobliviated6 karma
I used to love this band called Sweet Wet Earthly Desires ever heard of them?
MegatronGriffinJr6 karma
You guys have been my favorite band for many years now. I got to see you perform back in 2013 and is still one of my favorite memories. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to make it to any shows since but please come back to central Florida soon!
Q: is there any one song of yours that you ever get tired of playing?
Uglies Nation!
bumpinugliesmusic5 karma
anything can get tiring if you're doing it every night. whenever we get bored of playing something we'll phase it out for a week or two. we'll be back to florida in the fall!
Art-by-Jes6 karma
What has been your favorite tour stop so far? if you can't pick one, how about top 3?
bumpinugliesmusic12 karma
oh man, thats a hard onw. for this leg i'd have to say Tulsa followed closely by St Pete. HUGE crowds, and crazy energy at both shows. Tulsa was a bit more wild, which i like
bumpinugliesmusic10 karma
that would be me (brandon). I believe that I'm lactose intolerant and I refuse to adjust my diet.
FractalWizard6 karma
Hi Brandon... long time listener, first time caller! My question is would you rather fight one horse sized duck or one hundred duck sized horses? #ugliesnation
bumpinugliesmusic13 karma
HA! This guy reddits. One hundred duck sized horses, every time. A giant beak has the potential to be catastrophic
Not_Really_Famous6 karma
Hey Brandon, what is the greatest city in the US and why is it Annapolis?
bumpinugliesmusic6 karma
all jokes aside, i love Annapolis and am super proud to call it home. we've got a dope music scene, a great art district, and slammin food. i will live continute to live in annapolis as long as i can afford to do so!
Not_Really_Famous3 karma
thanks for the reply dude! Annapolis is awesome. I’ve been a fan ever since I got your CD Ninjah Reggae Assasins as a handout at The Whiskey.. rip
DrFeeIgood5 karma
Hey Brandon! I'm gutted I will miss the show in my home town tonight :(. Hope you guys have a good time! Would love to see the band at Mercury Ballroom here in the ville sometime.
My question is how do you start the songwriting process? Do you lay down music then words or vice versa, does the band come together as a group, drums first etc?
bumpinugliesmusic3 karma
i usually write everything myself on an acoustic guitar and then we get together and turn it into a band song
kestrel0055 karma
Brandon, my wife and I met you at the Urban Artifact in cincy ohio.
She got smashed and screamed "i love tropidelic!" And then gave you a hug and told you she wouldn't let go until you sung to her.
Do you remember that? Because if you do I will tell her and she is going to be super embarrassed.
Also, what was your favorite song to work on?
And what is your favorite Ballyhoo! song?
bumpinugliesmusic6 karma
Ha!!! Yes that was super funny. Yall gonna be there on Thursday?
My favorite song to work on is on the new record, it's called Apathy. Super crazy instrumental outro. Favorite Ballyhoo! song is either Close To Me or The Struggle. I like the sad boi jams
shinnguard5 karma
Hey Brandon! I know you guys get into some crazy antics on the road. What is the worst injury anyone in your crew has sustained while on tour? and is there an epic story behind it?
bumpinugliesmusic5 karma
our original drummer had his ankle broken in an accident in new orleans in 2012 or 2013. we were dropping our trailer and some lady took a turn too sharp and hit the trailer. it pinned his ankle between the trailer and the curb. it was horrific.
winedineshawty5 karma
not really a question, more of a request. can y’all please avoid playing at house of blues in the future? thanks!
bumpinugliesmusic6 karma
haha we'll do our best! sorry you had a bad time at the venue. we'll be back this summer and the show is definitely not at HOB
dawng685 karma
Hey Brandon - Loving the new songs that were released early on the pre-order of Beast from the East!! Thank you!! Do you plan on adding a horn section for your live shows soon?
bumpinugliesmusic8 karma
YES! we have a horn section that will be playing the album release leg of the tour (louisville, toledo, cinnci, cleveland, grand rapids, and chicago). I want to have a full time horn section but we're just not there yet so for the time being we're going to be using them when budget and space allows for it. usually around festivals and bigger support gigs. one day I hope to be in a place where it can be a permenant thing. i love horns!
bumpinugliesmusic6 karma
Carl is light, Justin is dark. Carl is Luke, Justin is Vader. Different twin for a different job
captobliviated5 karma
My question is for Mr Wolfie. How sir have you managed to be such a safe driver over the years?And how often do you let Brandon drive?
bumpinugliesmusic6 karma
Wolfie: Practice. Keep it between the lines. As little as possible.
UgliesGetSchwifty5 karma
What do you guys do in the van when touring for fun or to just pass the time?
KingOfBuckets5 karma
What is your mentality when it comes out to pumping out so many versions of the same song? (I love it)
bumpinugliesmusic4 karma
I write everything on an acoustic guitar so everything kind of has an acoustic version ready to go. We've had a bunch of line-up changes over the years and every new player bring a new vibe to the songs so sometimes we'll get really excited about a new arrangement and want to record it
champzors4 karma
Hey Brandon, I'm a horrible singer, so what's it gonna take for me to get on stage and sing a song with you guys?
bumpinugliesmusic10 karma
learn a verse from the limp bizkut song of your choosing and we'll have you up on hard liquor
THedman074 karma
Why did the guitar part in Snowflake change so much from Load In/Load Out to Keep it Together? Seems like the main lick was simplified.
Also, how about an encore with "Struggling" or "They Remain" next time you're in Houston? I haven't heard those live and they're some of my favorites.
bumpinugliesmusic7 karma
Next time we're in Houston we won't be headlining so we won't get an encore, but if you hit us up on one of our socials I'll def play you those songs by the merch table or out back.
So the live version of snowflake was with a different drummer. When TJ joined the band he changed the drum groove to the song and the lick wasn't sitting well over it. The new groove was super dope so we changed the lick to make it work
varren574 karma
Hey Brandon- Currently listening to White Boy Reggae, by far my favorite song of yours. What is your favorite song that you have written?
Also, I feel bad because I don't know the names of everyone in the band, what are they? And how long has your bassist (He goes by Wolfie I think I read somewhere) been growing out his hair and beard?!? That shit is majestic AF!
Love you guys so much!!
bumpinugliesmusic5 karma
Hell yea! Right now my favorite song is Optimism in F#. Wolfies been dreading his hair for like 4 years now. They require their own green room at this point.
milljoh134 karma
What’s up Brandon, fellow musician here. I’ve always been curious as to what your writing process is for songs? Do the lyrics come first or the music?
bumpinugliesmusic5 karma
it varies from song to song. my phone is filled with lyrics in the 'notes' section and riff ideas in the 'voice memos' section. eventually they meld together to form a song
raenava4 karma
Hey Brandon! Big fan from the ATL :) will you guys be coming to Georgia any time soon?
bumpinugliesmusic4 karma
a really shitty love song that i played in my high school talent show. i don't remember it, i just remmeber that it was bad
meowmoreplz4 karma
Hey! Could y’all do me a huuuuge favor and meow more please? Your meowing is significantly lacking.
Rusty_Shaquilleford4 karma
You’ve come a long way from playing at Looneys! What is your idea of a successful musician and would you consider yourself one?
bumpinugliesmusic6 karma
Success is such a tricky thing to measure. I think there is artistic success and economic success. For me, artistic success is getting across whatever I’m trying to say in a way that makes people feel something. It varies from song to song. Some songs are success, some songs are failures. Economic success for me is being able to support myself off my art. It’s a work in progress, but’s it currently working so it’s currently successful.
dawng684 karma
Beast from the East has been getting amazing reviews - do you think this is your best album to date? What is your fave song to play live off of it?
bumpinugliesmusic5 karma
I love it! It's definitely our best work sonically. Hard Liquor is a lot of fun to do live, especially when we get people to do guest verses. Keeps it fresh and exciting.
wakeup_andlive4 karma
Hola friend, can we get a shout-out for Rombello? Love you guys!
Also, how did Stan get his name?
bumpinugliesmusic4 karma
FAMBELLO!!!! God, I hope they bring that back. So much fun. No great story for Stan's name, we just thought Stanley was a cute name for a dog.
KingOfBuckets4 karma
What are some current bands that you would consider in your same genre?
Ur_moms_a_hookr694 karma
Brandon! Did you catch the rick and morty episode that was streaming on the Adult Swim website yesterday?
bumpinugliesmusic7 karma
haha the other guys did. i saw about 30 seconds and decided i'd had enough
dawng683 karma
Which band member / team member would you pick to have your back in a street fight ?
AlvarHanso_3 karma
What's your favorite place to play in Lincoln, NE and why is it Bodegas Alley?
WanderbuskKing3 karma
Love you guys to death, but what's the craziest on tour story you have?
bumpinugliesmusic2 karma
got caught in a hail storm / tornado warning last summer in western kansas. shit was terrifying
bumpinugliesmusic5 karma
if we're talking strictly whiskey i'm gonna say jamesons. been really into scotch over the last few years though. i really like laphroaig
thelen603 karma
Hey Brandon, big fan and fellow song writer here. I'm just curious about your writing process. I know you out a lot of thought in your song writing and it shows.
What I'm wondering is if you sit down and force yourself to write or do you wait for it organically? Do you start with a catchy concept or hook first?
bumpinugliesmusic4 karma
the ideas have to happen organically. you can't force a hook. once i have a good hook i can usually sit down and make myself write something. the best songs are the ones that just pour out of me though
rondave3 karma
With rising popularity, is it hard to fight off the massive amounts of pussy being thrown in your direction? Especially with a band name like Bumpin Uglies - I mean you guys fuck amirite?
bumpinugliesmusic11 karma
3 of us are married or in serious relationships so TJ is the unquestioned president of slam town. It’s right next to Space Mountain, if you’re curious.
thedirtyboyz2 karma
I'm a little late to this as I live in Guam now, but I saw you at Vinoy Park, St. Pete, Florida last year (?) Or the year before that at Reggae Rise Up.
The set changed my life and been a fan ever since we made eye contact and took a shot, yours was a flask, mine was a sunscreen bottle.
Anyways, did y'all enjoy your time at the festival and would you go back? ...or were you too drunk to remember most of it, like me!
Cheers from Guam!
Also everyone loves you out here if you ever wanted a vacation/overseas show
bumpinugliesmusic2 karma
oh HELL YES, that was a great festival! florida is a hot bed for our scene and RRU does a great job with their production. would love to do that festival again in 2019!
would love to make it to guam one day too! fingers crossed....
bumpinugliesmusic3 karma
xbox these days cause a bunch of my friends play on there. way better game on PC, though
WiloStyle2 karma
When can we jam man? I'd love to pick up a few techniques! I've almost perfected Grind, just that first chord after the intro trips me up. I play two versions of that chord and I'm not sure which one it is.
But about the jamming.....I'll definitely drive!
pepperdawgy2 karma
Not a song writer, but a writer writer. Do you ever get nervous about sharing such personal stuff, and if so how do you over come it? Also you guys rock please come to Minnesota more! Also if you go on reddit a lot, r/vandwellers is right for you! Would love to see the kind of set up you have!
bumpinugliesmusic2 karma
i dont really get nervous anymore unless i'm putting someone elses business out there. i'm an open book, but i'd had to fuck up a relationship with a friend because i wrote about something that they don't want being out there
arcessivi2 karma
I don’t know how but I never knew you guys were from MD! Probably because I’ve never discovered a scene around here. So basically, how is the scene in MD, and how do I get involved in it? (I’m from Maryland if I didn’t make that clear)
bfeliciano2 karma
Any advice on how to be a ska band in 2018? Asking for a friend who is not me and definitely does not play in a ska band in 2018.
bumpinugliesmusic2 karma
try to make it work with as few members as possible. you gotta tour to get noticed, and the more mouths you have to feed on tour the harder its gonna be. we have horns all over our studio shit but we cant afford to tour with them so we don't. it's all about minimalism
bumpinugliesmusic1 karma
so living in a van is kind of a metaphore. we're on tour about 6 months of the year and we spend most of that time driving so it feels like we're living in the van at times. we crash at friends houses most of the times and we get hotels when we can't find somewhere to stay for free. try to shower daily.
JeRmZ_W22 karma
UGLIES NATION!!!!!
Brandon - Who was/is your inspiration for your music? I hear a lot of SKA/Punk influence in your earlier material and was wondering what bands/groups you would attribute that too?
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