Jager Bonham On The Comeback of Pop Punk, Led Zeppelin & Dream Stage | DSH #182

Got into music, started making music really young, like always played instruments, always kind of messing about with the guitar and drums.

So I think I already know the answer based on what you've said so far, but would you rather be famous and broke or rich and have nobody in the world know your music?

Oh.

Wow, that is tough.

That's actually a really good question.

All right, welcome to the Digital Social Hour.

I'm your host, Sean Kelly.

I'm here with my co-host, Charlie Cavalier, and our guest today, Yager Bonham.

How we doing?

Good, man.

How are you?

Good, man.

I'm excited to hear your story.

Yeah, me too.

I got the call to do this, and I just thought, why not?

Vegas for eight hours.

Eight hours?

Yeah, we landed last night and

Vegas is already winning.

Oh, you gambled.

Gambled some clubs.

They got you guys good.

Yeah.

Yeah, I'd love to hear your journey, though.

Like, what age did you get into music?

Got into music, started making music really young.

Like, always played instruments, always kind of messing about with the guitar and drums.

And

that was just because, you know, pops played.

But then, like, at like 15, I remember like freestyle rapping and like thinking I could sing, but kind of understood it and then met one of my best friends, Chris, around the age of 15.

And me and him, we just sit after school every day, grab a mic, record some music, and just kind of went from there.

And now I've moved out to L.A.

a year ago.

went on a U.S.

tour.

So it's kind of like, you know, you never really see where it's going to go until it actually happens.

And it feels like it's on the right track, but we just got to keep working because you're never there until you know.

I feel that.

As growing up as the grandson of the drummer for Led Zeppelin, did you feel like you had to be in the music industry?

There was a time.

There was a time where I definitely felt like the pressure of like not only just being in the industry, but like being a drummer.

Because like I would go somewhere and people would be like, oh, do you drum?

Yeah.

Or like the comments on YouTube videos would be like, he's not a drummer.

So it's like...

You definitely feel that pressure coming into it.

But I think as I aged and like grew to like understand the industry and how there are so many other people out there who have had parents or grandparents in the industry doing their own thing, I kind of felt like a lot more comfortable and was like, you know what, like I'm proud of like, you know, who my family are and what they did.

But it's like, I'm so happy now that I understand that I can take my own journey and be okay with it because it really doesn't matter what everyone else is thinking as long as like you're enjoying every step.

I feel that.

There's a lot of musicians that for them, it just is a journey.

It's for fun.

For you, when did it go from just being something that you enjoy doing to maybe this is going to be a job or now i am in the industry as you said well it's still always like every day i wake up and it's just fun for me but i think the uh the craziest thing is is when you realize that money is a thing and you get to that age where you're not like 15 14 anymore you know just going to subway for cookies yeah and hanging out with your friends and you have to like pay bills and i think that's when i like Realized that I have to turn it into a job because it's like not only something I'm so passionate about and love, but it's like I can't see myself doing anything else.

I've had nine-to-fives.

I've had, you know, I've worked at gas stations.

I've worked at a subway.

I've worked at gyms.

And it's like, I just can't do it.

Right.

It's like, I have, in a non-like selfish way, I have to be my own boss.

Right.

Because like, you know, I can't really listen to other people telling me what to do.

Yeah.

But when you get to the industry, you think that's how it's going to be, but then it's just right back to people telling you what to do.

I feel that.

How is the music different in the UK where you grew up compared to the US?

UK is, there definitely was like more of a grunge scene back then, but I was also pretty young.

So it's like I would see it and it was like

what I would think of it is like, oh, like those kids are punks.

Yeah.

And then I kind of grew up to becoming one.

Okay.

So I would see a lot of like the grunge scene like growing up there, but.

Nothing too much because I moved over to America about 12 years old.

So pretty young when I came here.

Got it.

What were your favorite bands growing up watching?

I used to love The Cure.

I still do.

I literally have Cure lyrics tattooed on me.

Robert Smith is just like one of my biggest inspirations.

The way he like dressed, the way he didn't give a f what he would do.

Can I curse on here?

Oh, so he didn't give a f.

He did not give a f.

It was great.

Like, he would just rock lipstick, eyeliner, hair that was off the chain.

And also Billy Idol.

Billy Idol's just like, you can't compete with that.

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I played a Billy Idol cover, Rebel Yell.

That was like one of my favorite songs to play.

Cause, like, you know, you see these bands go on tour and they play a cover that everyone knows.

And I'm playing to a younger crowd, and I'm playing a song, and people are looking up, like, what song is this?

Yeah.

And it's like they have a higher chance of knowing my music than the cover I'm playing, which, you know, to me was fun.

But Billy Idol, the cure,

definitely loved listening to like van halen sammy hagar's just you know 75 years old great voice still still very old school yeah no green day or anything no i liked green day but like growing up i think it was more of like that and then once i like got older it was like the green day

the uh

all-american rejects yeah they were good but they weren't like my top yeah they only had a few bangers yeah like green day paramour Paramore I was like a big fan of like also like other genres like I would go listen to country music music i would go i would go listen to rap like me and him would freestyle in the cars all the time and you can't see him but that's my friend over there from florida his name's rose we moved here together how good's your freestyle game you might have to draw on a beat here uh we were we were all right we weren't the best but we would just like enjoy it you know it was the fun yeah but um yeah i would listen to all genres like a lot of people think like you know just because i rock eyeliner and a certain style they're like oh yeah probably only listens to like emo music and he's sad all the time dude I'll be in the car screaming, making my way downtown if it's on, you know?

That's a banger.

That is a banger.

That's a banger.

You know, you never go wrong with anything.

So how often do you think you run into, you know, getting judged by your looks?

People try to like categorize you into, you know, being a descendant of obviously, you know, famous musicians or try to like keep you compartmentalized into what they want you to be instead of what you want yourself to be.

The judgment by the looks is funny because we were just walking around yesterday and there was like some people looking at me.

Like I had my like full-bone makeup over the eye, and there was just a lady that looked at me with like disgust.

She was kind of like,

What is happening?

She might have been jealous, she doesn't do her makeup as well.

Yeah, it could be that, it could be that, but um, I think like

people are all gonna have their own style, and I think that's what I came to realize living in Florida is

how I dressed there was me hiding who I truly was.

Because as soon as I moved out to LA, I felt so comfortable because it's like I'd go out and I felt underdressed.

So it was like,

it kind of depends on like where you're living.

Because like, I mean, for me, I was definitely scared to be myself in a hometown with everyone I knew, family knew, people knew my family, you know.

But then I think just kind of having your own look is what makes it so cool and unique.

Because it's like, I go out and it's like I'm wearing a shirt that's like spray-painted with one of my songs on it or a tie and a jacket that's all pinned up.

And people are like, oh, dude, that's like what you wear all the time.

And I'm like, yeah, it's it's what i want you to know me for wearing like i'm not doing it just to wear it but i definitely think the other thing you were saying how it like categorizes with my family and stuff is uh my dad used to dress like this when he had hair he would have the crazy hair all bleached and spiked up and the makeup and i think like i didn't even know that i would just kind of like be like no he doesn't wear this he just wears black jeans and a shirt but uh it just was the funniest thing to me realizing that he does because it's like we all have that time in our life where we take a journey and figure out our style.

Yeah, you know, I think I went through the oasis phase and then the big DC phase and then the baggy pant phase to the tight pant phase.

So it kind of like circles back to just going on a journey and having fun and figuring out like what is your thing, you know?

Yeah, I love that.

Why do you think pop punk pretty much fell off?

Like, it had a peak in the 2000s.

Yeah.

It just fell off from there.

Do you think it will ever make a comeback?

I don't know if it'll ever be a mainstream, like, top-selling genre again, at least not for a couple of years.

But I think, like, where it's at right now is where it's come back to.

Like, with artists bringing the genre back.

And I think the reason it fell off is just because

times are changing.

There's like the way the world is is we all have five-second attention spans.

So once something new or a new trend happens, it's like that's where everyone turns to for that time.

And

the new music that came out, like, you know, those artists are crazy.

Like, like Drake,

one of the best artists out there right now.

Like, you know, when people like drop new music, I think a new wave starts.

And that wave is then taken over, you know.

And a lot of the new music has turned into a tsunami.

Like, it's just overshadowing everything else.

But I think with the way it is right now, like music is going to come back because

it has that circle right now.

Like, with artists like Machine Gun Kelly, with artists like Youngblood, with Paramore going back on tour, with Avril Levine back on tour, and now like crazy Blink 182 is going on tour, right?

So it's like childhood dreams.

And the band I got to go on tour, Beauty School Dropout, great friends.

If you want to check out their music, Beauty School Dropout's an insanely talented band.

They're about to go on tour, opening for Blinkon82.

Wow.

So it's kind of like taking that old generation that we all like grew with with Blinkon82, which is a band I probably should have mentioned that I listened to,

and now bringing that new wave of the punk alternative, you know, rock and roll on the tour with them.

So it's kind of like, hey, this might be our last tour ever, but here's that new music to check out, you know, which I kind of love.

I love when artists bring the next generation around.

Yeah, that's sick.

It's cool to see that.

What's the biggest stage you've performed on, and what's your dream stage that you want to perform on?

I think the biggest I did was crazy enough my hometown.

Okay.

I got to open up for my pops in Florida at the Fort Lauderdale Hard Rock.

Nice.

Where I used to be a security guard.

I just went there.

Let's go.

Yeah.

It's a beautiful hotel.

I was a security guard there like every day.

I think my shifts were like

7 p.m.

until 10 a.m.

the next day or something.

Wow.

Like overnight shifts.

One lunch break cafeteria for the meatloaf.

I do love meatloaf.

Yeah.

It was good.

Every day it probably gets people hated on it, but it was actually not bad.

I used to work with this kid who would put mayonnaise on it.

And I was like, I'd question it.

I'd be like, what's happening?

I've not tried it, but it sounds

like

meatloaf.

Interesting.

I think that was the biggest crowd I did.

I think it was 6,000 people.

Were you nervous?

Going up there, yes, because it was a hometown show.

So I knew

everyone going.

I like remember, my high high school teachers were there.

College teachers were there.

Girls I have crushes on were there.

I was like, if I mess up right now, this is it.

Like, none of them are going to want to care.

So, was there a leap of faith moment for you when you quit the nine-to-fives or do whatever you did, where you went all in on now being in the music industry?

Yeah.

Believe it or not, I moved when I moved to LA.

I got a job.

I worked at a little snowboard shop on Fairfax.

And it was kind of cool because Fairfax is like a popular place.

So you'd have people walking back and forth, like there were artists.

So I'd actually network a lot there.

And I would meet people.

I met someone who shot our first music video from working at my job.

And it was one day where I would get a text and it was like, yo, man, come to the studio.

I'm with so-and-so.

Let's make a hit.

Oh, man, I'm working.

Next day, yo, man, come here.

We're doing a photo shoot.

Let's get some cool flicks.

Nah, man, sorry, I'm working.

Next day.

Hey, man.

Are you working today?

We're at the studio.

Yeah, I'm working.

Sorry.

And then it was like, I really just kind of realized it.

And I called my brand that I moved here with.

And I was like, dude, I just got to get out of it.

And he was like, yeah, man.

Well, what'd we move to LA for?

Yeah.

And

I kind of just looked at my boss and I was like, look, man, thank you so much.

Great opportunity.

And I saved up some money, but I got to go.

And that was kind of like the turning point where I really realized like I moved out here.

I might as well give it my all.

Yeah, so you took a chance.

Yeah.

And it's paid off, it looks like.

Yeah, so far, so good.

You know, fingers crossed.

But we're just hoping for the next step.

Like,

just want to have fun with it along the way.

And, you know, make sure that everything goes smooth and enjoy every moment because it seems like now a lot of artists don't even really get the time to enjoy a lot of moments.

I'm curious, the business model, the music side, do artists make a majority of the money from their streams?

Streams, no.

Streams, you barely make anything.

So it's off merch.

Yeah, most of the money is going to come from touring, merch, or like

technically you're not earning it, but if you like, you get signed to a major label and you're advanced.

Right.

But that advance, you know, they have to recoup and you have to spend that on music stuff.

But like most of your money, that's why you see a lot of artists now just touring all the time.

Right.

Bad money is touring a lot.

Yeah, like because that's the way to make money.

And it's not only just the way to make money, it's the way to grow new fans.

It's the the way to have people see your live shows and sell merch.

So it's like, as much as it is the most

cost-effective to grow income is touring, it's also the most effective to grow a fan base.

Because it's like, without touring, no one's going to really like see you and get to hear your music other than iTunes or Spotify.

Right.

Yeah, that makes sense because Spotify only pays like a couple dollars per thousand, right?

Yeah, like my friend, I remember I hit my first 100,000 streams.

My friend was like, bro, you're you're rich.

And I was like, what do you mean?

And he was like, dude, $100,000.

I was like, you think I get $1 a stream?

I said, dude, if it was $1 a stream, I don't think many people would be in business.

Like, Spotify wouldn't be charging that little for a membership.

And he was like, what do you mean?

I was like, bro, it's probably less than a cent.

And he was like.

You don't know?

I was like, I don't check it.

I don't want to disappoint myself when I go into the like distribution company and I'm like, oh, ten dollars.

Yeah, here we go.

But it's like, and that's when I think people like understand that like music's more than just us trying to make money.

Like, I enjoy just making music.

So it's like, you know, if it came down to it, like, if I could live day by day, eat, and have a roof over my head.

That's fine.

As long as you can get cookies at Subway, you're sad.

Cookies at Subway and let me make music.

Okay.

So you don't do it for the money.

No, I'm, I'm, I mean, end of the day, anyone who says they're not doing it for it, they could be lying because most of us, we do need, like I said, to pay rent.

But I do it because I enjoy it.

And if it goes somewhere, cool.

But right now, like, I'm just enjoying the moment and living in it

day by day.

Do you feel pressure from your grandfather's massive success?

Yeah,

that's like one of the things that I feel the most is like,

with him passing away and like still being such a legend.

I I always feel like when I'm like in a room full of people, they're just kind of like, oh, he's in that room because of this.

You know, you know, he didn't earn to be in this room.

And I think that's the hardest thing is like a lot of people think that.

And there's a lot of artists, you know, whose family members are big that probably deal with the same thing.

And I think him having that legacy, like

I wake up every day, like, you know, how can I grow to leave a legacy like that?

And it's one of the hardest things to think think about because you never will.

You know, like I truly can say, like, I don't think I could ever leave the type of impact that he left.

And I'm not saying I'll never be as big, you know, because high hopes dream big, but it's like the impact he left on the music industry and the drumming industry because times were so different back then.

You know, he was doing things that drummers do now, but he was doing them with a single pedal.

Or he was playing a certain way that we now do in a different way.

And we made it easier.

Right.

Like he was just, okay, I'll use my hands.

He was wrong.

Yeah.

Like my grandma, she told me the craziest story that he would come home and during the Mobi Dick Solo where he throws the sticks to the side and does with his hands.

And he would come home with just cuts and blood all over his hands.

Wow.

Because he would just go and play and like play his heart out.

That's crazy.

So it's like, as much as I want to grow and be, you know, a successful artist, I think it's.

One of those things where it's like, I have to understand that he set a bar pretty high.

Right.

You know?

Very high.

yeah not much higher you could get yeah and it's going to be hard right like because you're you know obviously it comes with the good and the bad about it what is for you been your lowest point in the music industry

um i think when i put out a song and it flopped okay uh i've i put out a song and i was you know expecting a million things you know it was my first song i ever put out i was like it's gonna blow up it's gonna be this it's gonna be that and i think that's when like reality sets in that there's a lot more that goes into it, like distribution companies publishing,

the correct management, getting it seen by publishers and artists and articles and playlisting.

Cause it's like when we see an artist drop a song, you know, it's not just their fan base going to it.

It's a playlist, putting it on their playlist.

It's Apple Music throwing it on one of their charts.

It's the radio.

It's this and that.

So it's like, I put this song out.

I posted it, put it on my Instagram story with 6,000 followers at the time.

And i was like hey guys new song go stream it and it was like five weeks in and i had like 10.

wow and i was like

oh this is going to be a lot harder than i thought um

but yeah i think that was my lowest point when i really and it wasn't even that low it was just like i realized like this is going to take more and work a little bit harder yeah What do you think about music labels?

Because they get a bad rep these days.

See, a lot of people always say like, you know, the labels can be bad and good um

it also in my eyes just depends on where you're at

like for my following right now like if i signed i find it would be a little bit pointless because i'm still so low and i feel like when you're signing you have to kind of have leverage momentum you know like i have to be able to say like well i provide this so this is how you can help me but um i feel like it also yeah like people get a bad rep for doing anything these days i think labels are great okay you know they help artists a lot with networking with paying for things like music videos promotion and stuff like that and touring you know yeah um was led zeppelin signed to a label yeah i think they were on atlantic okay which is a major major label but um

yeah i think labels are great they just They get a bad rep because they take on these new artists as soon as they blow up.

And, you know, they're obviously making more money than that.

Like if you come in and you just popped off on a song and they're like, oh, sign right away.

You know, you don't know what other options are out there on the table.

And then these artists, like when they're not making $10 million in their first year, they're like on Instagram, like, oh, labels are bad.

It's not doing anything for me.

I think it's more of just like the correct timing to sign.

Cause it's like, if you sign at the right time, why would it be bad?

You know?

Yeah.

But if you can do it independently, do it.

If you have the following and the momentum and the fan base to grow and tour with your own funds and sell merch with your own funds and shoot music videos with your own funds, why not?

All you're doing then is spending your own money that you're going to recoup.

A label is kind of like the middleman.

Like, it's the bank.

It's a cash advance.

Yeah.

It's just helping with financial things.

So it's like, it's where you kind of got to take into consideration, can I finance this?

Can I not?

Right.

That makes sense.

So I think I already know the answer based on what you said so far.

But would you rather be famous and broke or rich and have nobody in the world know your music?

Hmm.

Tough.

Wow, that is tough.

That's actually a really good question.

Famous and broke or rich and have nobody know

I think.

Oh, wow.

I'm like stuck.

I'm like, oh my God.

Right.

So you're either either rich beyond your wildest dreams with, you know, three streams,

or you have, or you're broke, but you've got a song with a billion streams on spotify

i think i'd say rich and nobody know my music okay because

no i would have guessed the opposite because you know you gotta pay rich famous is cool being famous is cool you know i feel like you know i'm i mean i'm not but you get to that level i think you know that would be kind of something thrilling and exciting but i'd also rather just have the money to like take care of family and stuff and i feel like if i'm like at that point of what rich Rich, you're saying, I could definitely take care of my sister, take care of my mom and dad, and take care of like family if they ever needed it.

Right.

So, I think I'd rather be there.

Plus, you could use that money to get famous.

No, no, no, that'd be breaking the rules of the show.

Yeah, there's like a rule to it.

Yeah,

but it's not the loop.

It's been a pleasure, man.

Any closing comments where people can find you?

Um, I got a new song dropping May 5th.

It's called Freak Show.

We just shot a music video.

Okay.

Self-funded.

So please help us recoup and go go run it up.

I'm popping a barbecue that day, so I'll play it on the speaker.

Yeah.

But yeah, no, that's it.

Just step by step, enjoy the journey.

That's why we're here.

Awesome.

Well, you heard it here, guys.

Digital Social Hour.

Thanks for tuning in.

See you next week.