Guantanamo Baywatch Interview

If you're familiar with Crap Eyewear you know they have an amazing family of ambassadors that consists of skaters, surfers, artist, and musicians. Our favorite Crap family band is Guantanamo Baywatch. The band is from our home, Portland, OR, and they just released their excellent new album "Desert Center" earlier this month on Suicide Squeeze Records. We were so excited about the album we teamed up with Crap Eyewear and the band to give you their new album for free. We also grabbed Crap Eyewear Brand Manager Tony Accosta, who is a longtime friend of the band, to chat with band about their new album, life on tour, skating, and their favorite Crap Sunglasses in an exclusive interview.

Check out the interview and photos taken at the band’s home in Portland, OR as well as their record release show at The Know and shop all Crap Eyewear here to get your free copy of "Desert Center".

Questions answered by Chris Scott

Sup Guantanamo Baywatch. Your fourth full length album just came out on Suicide Squeeze Records. What’s in store for the band closing out the summer and heading into fall? Wassup Tony! Our new album Desert Center came out August 4th and we will be doing a west coast record release tour starting in Portland and ending in San Diego, after that we will fly to Europe for a 5 week tour promoting the album and more big tours to follow.

Did you record it at Desert Center? Is that an actual place? We recorded half of the album in Atlanta, GA at Living Room Studios and the other half at Jungle Muscle Studios in Mesa, AZ. Desert Center is an actual place off the I-10 in California. Famous for its three ring circus and really strange history.

The album sounds so sweet, did you think about calling it Dessert Center? Wow, Tony.

The three of you have been all over the world together. Describe your dynamic while in the van.Well on the American tours Chevy drives the most and Jason drives the most after that. I don't drive at all cuz my band is terrified of my driving skills so I sleep most of the time and occasionally make a bad joke or two. We usually have country music or The Ramones playing in the van. We also listen to a lot of podcasts, we like the murder mystery ones and the supernatural stories.

Any stories of being a bad driver you wanna share?Yeah, Chevelle and I had to drive from Bakersfield to Portland in one shot and I didn't even have a license at the time but I had to help with the drive. About 10 minutes into my drive Chevelle had to grab the steering wheel to keep us from crashing into a truck because I don't know how to look over my shoulder while keeping the wheel straight.

What about when you guys are in the hotel. Cable can be such a hit or miss. Any movies or TV shows you’re always hoping to catch?ALWAYS stoked to find Seinfeld playing in the motel, we also love watching Forensic Files and Unsolved Mysteries. I really love getting stoned and watching late night infomercials.

Anyone hog the remote? Chevy.

The band’s roots are in Portland, I know all of you are in different cities now. Is Portland still considered home base for Guantanamo Baywatch? Portland definitely has that home feel to it still and we have so many friends there and our favorite bar Star Bar is there so yeah it's still a comfortable place to be.

What are your fondest memories of playing early shows in Portland? Dude back in 2008-2009 maybe 2010, all of our friends were in bands and a lot of us were in bands together and back then we all played house shows or basement shows. I remember being able to walk to 4 or 5 house shows a night sometimes! Those parties were so insane just young kids away from their parents for the first time and going absolutely bonkers.

What's your first memory of music? Jason's mom put headphones on her belly while blasting whale sounds.

What are you listening to right now?

Jason: 101 Instrumentals via Spotify

Chris: Blink 182 The Mark, Tom & Travis Show

Chevelle: Joe Diffy

Being part of the Crap Music Fam, what are your favorite pairs of Crap shades?Right now I've been rockin the Polarized Pop Controls and the Cosmic Highways, Jason rocks all the Nudie Clubs and Chevy's been sportin the Pop Controls.

Great music and skate videos go hand and hand. Are there any songs/bands that you've been turned onto through skate videos?

Chris: I remember seeing the Misled Youth video and loving the soundtrack because it was like Iron Maiden or Black Sabbath and then Black Flag into Bohemian Rhapsody and then The Who's Baba O' Riley for Jamie Thomas' part. So epic!

Jason: Mike Maldonado's part in Welcome to Hell was the first time I had heard The Misfits. I watched that video over and over. I love “London Dungeon”. Welcome to Hell and Jump Off a Building have such sick soundtracks.

Did you have a favorite skater growing up?

Chris: I was a huge Eric Koston fan as well as Mike Carroll and Rick McCrank. That OG Girl/Chocolate team was Incredible!

Jason: Marc Johnson is probably all time favorite, but I was a big Ed Templeton fan too. Wanted those shoes so bad. Brian Anderson, Geoff Rowley...

Wanna give any shout outs? I wanna give a shout out to Suicide Squeeze Records for putting out our albums and shout out to the CRAP fam and thank you CCS I used to sneak the catalogs into my text books during class.