TIH 437: Brandon Boone on The NoSleep Podcast, Making Electronic Music, and Goosebumps

Michael David Wilson 0:07

Welcome to This Is Horror, a podcast for readers, writers and creators. I'm Michael David Wilson and every episode alongside my co host, Bob Pastorella. We chat we're masters of horror, about writing, life lessons, creativity, and much more. Now, today's guest is Brandon Boone. He is a composer who is perhaps best known for his work on the no sleep podcast. But his music has also been featured on the lines of scarlet hollow, white vault, dark dice, the hidden frequencies, and many more. Now, as with a lot of these conversations, this is a two parter. And this part we of course, talk about no sleep. We talk about Brandon's origin story with them. Talk a little about making electronic music how that came to fruition for Brandon, we talk about RL Stein's classic goosebumps. But before any of that, a little bit of an advert break.

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Michael David Wilson 2:57

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Brandon Boone 4:06

Hello, how are you guys doing?

Michael David Wilson 4:07

Yeah, not too bad. Thank you excited to have this conversation. We've listened to a lot of your music over the years on no sleep. And of course listen to a number of your albums as well. So excited to do this. Me too. And so as we have a lot of these conversations, I want to go all the way back to the beginning. So I'm wondering, what are some of the life lessons that you learned growing up?

Brandon Boone 4:39

I knew I knew it was gonna start with this and I've been thinking about it. But I still feel so unprepared life lessons are such a big thing. I don't know. You know, I think back to like my earlier life lessons. My dad was a very hard worker. So I think hard work has always been kind of a forefront life lesson. For me, and when it wasn't, it was, you know, pressed upon me that it is important. But other than that, I don't really know, it's hard to say I think just, you know, follow what you find interesting. And as long as you keep with it, I think things will happen and things will come about. If that makes is that vague enough.

Michael David Wilson 5:26

I mean, you can be as vague or specific. But as you know, having listened to these, if you're vague, I'm gonna drill down and try and jump into the specifics. Defend depends how you want to do this. But I mean, in terms of following what you find interesting, I mean, that's such a key lesson. And I mean, to be honest, like, it can be one that we don't find out till much later in life after failing and trying these things that weren't so interesting. So, I mean, that's a good one to have early doors.

Brandon Boone 6:02

Yeah, I think so too. I think it's one of those things that as you get a little bit older, you start to, you know, you might regret that you hadn't started on something, you know, as early as he would have liked. And I felt that way, I didn't start really doing music seriously, until my mid 20s. I played guitar when I was a teenager, very badly. But other than that, I just kind of messed around with like, Fruity Loops and stuff like that. And then when David brought me on to no sleep, I was like, I should probably learn to play the piano. And so I started teaching myself piano and it kind of learning the piano kind of made it click. And I really, like my first thought was, Wow, I wish I would have done this sooner. And I kind of was depressed about that, at first, but then you know, the more you think about it's like, okay, well, if I, I literally can't, if I don't start now, I'm just gonna keep starting at a later point. So just forget all that regret nonsense and start when the passion strikes? And, you know, got plenty of time left.

Michael David Wilson 7:01

Right? Yeah. And I think, I mean, the problem with regret is just a little bit futile. Because unless there's some sort of Time Machine is invented, we can't go back and actually revise things. So if we concentrate on these negative emotions now, then we risk ruining the present as well as the past. So we might as well just get on with it and do what we can control at this moment.

Brandon Boone 7:31

Exactly. It's just wasted energy. And, you know, if you if you started, when you were 26, you'll regret later and started until you know, when you were 20. And by the time you're 30, you'll think oh, why don't I start when I was 26? So just just go for it?

Michael David Wilson 7:46

Yeah, yeah, that's sick. And I mean, what do you think, is the first thing that you worked really hard on? I mean, you said that your dad was a very hard worker. So that was a lesson he kind of impressed upon you. So yeah, what did you first really put a lot into.

Brandon Boone 8:10

I mean, I grew up, I worked for my dad for about 17 years before I started doing music full time. But just growing up in general, I kind of learned to accept being bad at something pretty early on, I used to skateboard when I was really young until I broke my back doing it. And I you know, whenever I would fail at something skateboarding, my dad would just say, if it was easy, your grandma would do it. So I just, you know, I just kept getting used to that just keep falling and getting back up mentality. And so I would say, No, that didn't really answer your question. The first thing I worked hard on was probably the first time I did it, no sleep score, I was really nervous. I really wanted to impress David. I mean, this was season three, this was super, super early on. But this was the first kind of situation where I thought, you know, people are going to hear my music, whether they want to or not. So I should try to make it as good as possible, having basically no idea what I was doing. So I worked really, really hard to make sure it sounded good. Or at least what I thought sounded good. So yeah, I kind of definitely poured myself into that.

Michael David Wilson 9:12

Yeah. And in terms of the origin story, and starting with no sleep, I understand that you reached out to David during season two, because obviously, you know, running that podcast single handedly was pretty difficult and you volunteered your services.

Brandon Boone 9:33

Exactly. I've tried to get back and find the message because I was a fan of no sleep at first. And I remember him saying, you know, he kind of put a kind of call out there and he's, you know, he had opened the show with Hey, this is a lot of work and it's it's becoming really tiresome and kind of just made it sound like he needed some help, and at the time, had no musical training, no musical background. The only thing I had done was my wife who's been on the show Tisha, she volun teared locally in Cincinnati at this radio station for blind people. And they would produce these audio dramas. And I had written music for a couple of those. And so I sent those examples to David, as kind of like a demo reel, like, Hey, I've done some kind of audio drama stuff, here's some of the work. You know, I'd love to, I'd love to take some of the music off your hands and help you with the show. And it was kind of like a whole volunteer thing in the beginning. And he let me start by doing like, one story per episode, starting in like the middle of season three or something like that.

Michael David Wilson 10:32

Yeah. And I mean, you said that that was one of the things you worked so hard on. So I imagine being such a big fan. And knowing what an opportunity it was, there must have been a lot of pressure for that first score that you sent in to make sure that you've got it Absolutely. Right.

Brandon Boone 10:54

Absolutely. And in my mind, I had thought like, I wouldn't, I couldn't have pictured what no sleep would become. But I was such a big fan of it. I knew when I was starting this, and he you know, and he kind of brought me on, I had already thought to myself, I want to do all the music. I don't want anyone else to write music for the show. I want this show to be like, my place for music. And so, you know, eventually, I started doing more and more for the show until I think it was like season five. It was all mine. Like, you know, front to back. I did all the music. And that was such a huge moment for me. And I felt like that, you know, all that work I poured into it kind of paid off.

Michael David Wilson 11:35

Yeah. And in terms of those piano lessons. So could you not play the piano before? No sleep? Is that right? In terms of the timeline?

Brandon Boone 11:47

Not at all. It's actually funny when I was first starting to sleep, I was also in a band. And I just told the band that I could play keyboards I couldn't write. But like I was still struggling to find like middle C like I was I had no idea what I was doing. And I eventually signed up for piano lessons. Once David brought me on, I thought take this more seriously. And I got I took two months worth of piano lessons. And kind of started to understand it a little bit better. But yeah, I just it was very much trial by fire. It was, oh, look, I'm in a position where I have these deadlines where I have to get music to David. I should probably learn how to write music. And just kind of every week I would kind of learn more and more about what I was doing.

Michael David Wilson 12:34

Yeah. And I mean, obviously, you brought quite a lot in terms of musical knowledge to those piano lessons playing the guitar and having made electronic music. But I'm wondering, how long did it take you to feel like okay, you're pretty competent at this now. And you know, you're less faking it and more making it use those terms.

Brandon Boone 13:00

Are you suggesting that there will come a point where I'll feel competent at this? I would definitely say years, it was a really long process. And I still, I still feel like I'm learning stuff all the time, I still sign up for various classes. And in try to learn from other people. I've taken some master classes from like Hans Zimmer and Danny Elfman and um, I'm in a video game music community where we kind of pass stuff back and forth. And you know, any chance I feel like I can work and learn something new. It's really exciting to me, because it kind of opens a new door that I wasn't aware of before.

Michael David Wilson 13:35

Yeah, yeah, I really feel that. And I mean, I've said in terms of my writing, or any creative endeavors, if it ever gets to a point where I feel like I'm stagnating, or I just can't get any better, then I'll stop doing it. And I'll start another creative pursuit because I just don't want to be kind of going along and not progressing. I think we always want to be getting better.

Brandon Boone 14:01

Absolutely. And along with good along with getting better. You're also like trying new things. And that's what keeps it interesting. And, you know, that's what I love about it is I'll hear a score and I'll think, Oh, that was really cool. When he did, I'm going to try to do that and see if I can, you know, make something that sounds like dune or whatever.

Michael David Wilson 14:18

Yeah, yeah.

Bob Pastorella 14:21

It's that those points when you grow, and you learn that you also develop your own style. And it took a long time to realize that even even playing I don't play anymore, but I used to play guitar, I have carpal tunnel. So I kind of like you know, being able to hold a pin or fork. And so it keeps you from being able to play for extended periods of time. But always I was always wanting my own style. Sure. It took me a long time and I've had multiple teachers say many if you If you learn all this stuff, you will find your style. That's how you find it is a long time to realize that. And it's just, you're gonna, you know, you gotta get your groove. That's all it matters.

Brandon Boone 15:14

Yeah, and I think that point a lot of it is I was just talking to a friend about, you know, I don't try to shy away from the fact that I try to sound like the music that I love that I enjoy, like certain composers, Trent Reznor, or whoever it might be. And I just, I know that in trying to sound like them, I'll never sound like them. I'll sound like I'll try to start forming my own sound based around it, because it's all just, you know, I'm just a blender of influences being spit back out at people. So and in that way, that is your own style.

Bob Pastorella 15:47

Right? It's like in writing, I tell people all the time, you can sit there and try to imitate somebody who has like a distinctive style, like James Ellroy, or something like that. And you'll never, ever be able to imitate him because you're not them. Exactly. And you're either going to do a pastiche that's gonna suck, or you might find your own style. So there you

Brandon Boone 16:07

go. Exactly, exactly.

Michael David Wilson 16:10

Yeah. And I noticed on Apple Music, some of the other recommended artists, for people who listen to Brandon boon or mu and Akira, yeah. malcare, who is perhaps most famous for the Silent Hill scores and John Carpenter. And I mean, that's a hell of a kind of Trinity there. And I mean, I, I can totally see it, I think that you do fit into that tradition. I was a little bit surprised that they also threw cradle afield fun at the end. I don't. I mean, you kind of be getting something different there. But, I mean, these composers that, you know, you've listened to a lot that your fans of?

Brandon Boone 17:03

Oh, absolutely. I mean, just, you know, starting with John Carpenter, I mean, you can't, you know, call yourself a horror composer and not know who John Carpenter is. So I think he's definitely what, you know, one of the biggest influences, and one of the most fun composers to try to sound like, you know, I've got so many different synthesizers that I'll use. And I've been, you know, when I'm working on a no sleep story, and I'll talk to the producer working on it, I'll say, Hey, do you want this to be like a more classical or like a more carpenter story, you know, score. So I will never shy away from, you know, wanting to sound like that. But I mean, obviously, Silent Hill, it's more, I guess atmospheric. So you get that as well. And that's what I love about horror is the, you know, horror encapsulates every genre, basically. And so you have all these different ways to, to utilize sound and storytelling. And then me having you be a similar artists, it's just an honor. I love that guy. I talk to him every now and again. He's a really cool guy.

Michael David Wilson 18:08

Yeah. Yeah. And I mean, in terms of you range, there really is quite the variety. I mean, I love finding because the latest album, you put out nightfall, and then there's also neon classic. So I'm really enjoying the way that you're blending electronic with classical there. And the new single cinema might just be my favorite thing you've put out

Brandon Boone 18:37

by my attempt that like lo ha Lo Fi hip hop beats to study to as well. Yeah.

Michael David Wilson 18:42

Yeah. I mean to it.

Brandon Boone 18:45

Thank you. Yeah. And that's, you know, that's what I love about it is, I have a chance that I can want to look over all my notes, sleep stuff, you know, I tried to put them into categories. And I think neon Classica is actually funny. Because I was talking to Gemma about it, you know, I'm like, I'm trying to think of like, an, like, a way to put an album together for these kinds of pieces of music, but I don't know what to call it. And at one point, Apple had labeled me as a neo classical composer. And so I was like, Oh, I'm just gonna call it and beyond classical, you know, because I'm using, you know, orchestral stuff and synthesizers, so just smash them together.

Michael David Wilson 19:25

Yeah, that's great. And I presume when you say Gemma, that's gamma Remo.

Brandon Boone 19:31

Yes, that would be her.

Michael David Wilson 19:33

All right. For any listeners wondering who is the scammer?

Brandon Boone 19:39

She's been on here. So I don't know what her reputation is. Yeah,

Michael David Wilson 19:43

yeah. Yeah, that's great. And I know that she's working on an adaptations of the lower at the moment. So I'm excited to hopefully see that come to fruition.

Brandon Boone 19:56

Absolutely. That was we did that last season on no sleep and it was a A very, very fun to score. I love to Dear Laura got a copy of it back when it first came out. And I remember going to David, like, we need to tell this story on the podcast because it's incredible. And someone else is going to try to get their hands on it.

Michael David Wilson 20:14

Yeah, yeah. Well, I mean, in terms of scoring for no sleep, could you talk us through the process a little bit? I mean, what do you get initially? Do you read the stories? Do you listen to them? Are you simply told the vibe to go for? What does it look like from start to finish?

Brandon Boone 20:37

Well, if Jessica McAvoy is listening, and you asked if I read, she is going to be rolling over laughing right now. I'd never read the scripts I I'd much rather listen to the the actors, you know, tell the story. Because if I read it, it'll be totally different in my head from how they're portraying it. And it's caused a problem before where I just totally missed the tone. So basically, with my process, every day is basically the same. I wake up, and I try to do something productive, like ride my bike or something like that, while I listen to the story that I'm working on that day. And so normally around nine o'clock, I just sit down, and I start writing for it. And depending on how long it is, I normally average about four pieces of music a day. For an asleep, sometimes it's three, sometimes it's five, sometimes it's eight just depends on, you know how quickly I'm going. But I just think of the different scenes and thematic cues in the story. And then write a piece for each of them. And then I I label, we have like our own little code that we use with the producers. So they know the intensity of the piece of music, because I don't place any of the music, I don't dictate where anything goes necessarily on like any kind of time stamp. So the producers know that if a piece is labeled A, it means it's fairly neutral and not really anything's happening yet. B means it's starting to get kind of spooky, and see is like the climactic you know, super intense part of the story. And we have some of the I might call it a B or B, C or something like that, and just meld them together. But that's basically how it goes.

Michael David Wilson 22:24

Yeah. And I mean, you typically as you say, for an hour, four pieces of music a day, and each piece is going to represent a different part of the story. How many pieces on average, do you think make up a story? And I know that there's a glaring floor in question, because the story is vastly different in length. Yeah,

Brandon Boone 22:49

well, honestly, it's not that it also it also depends on the producer, honestly. So if I'm working with film Rakowski, or senior producer, if it's 15 minutes is three pieces. If it's 20 minutes, it's four pieces, if it's 25 to 30, it's five pieces, and so on. If I'm working with Jeff Clement, it's also similar to that. With Jesse though, Jesse cornet, he takes a broader approach to the stories. And he uses silence a lot more or just kind of like, lighter pieces. So I'll write maybe four, he normally gets a longer one. So like a 50 minute piece of a 15 minute story, I'll write maybe just five or six tracks, and then give him like stems for those tracks that he might just use, you know, the pads or just the piano in certain places. He likes to have a lot more control over that kind of stuff.

Michael David Wilson 23:48

Yeah, I think when I found stories on no sleep, I've yet to have Jesse as a producer. So I look forward to that experience.

Brandon Boone 24:00

Hit that 50 minute mark, and you'll probably get him.

Michael David Wilson 24:02

Yeah, yeah, I think his bread and butter. Yeah, one of them was just under 50. But it's like, well, if you'd have had two minutes more a story was the jest that you write that? Yeah. But I mean, in terms of, you know, obviously trying to play stories with no sleep. I mean, 50 minutes is not the sweet spot. So I guess it depends how much you want Jesse to work on your story. It's like, yeah,

Brandon Boone 24:34

like 15 to 25 is probably the sweet spot. That's like the average I think. Yeah, maybe 20 minutes. 15 minutes, something like that. Yeah, it's all over the place. Man. I'm doing one tomorrow. That's eight minutes.

Michael David Wilson 24:46

Wow. Yeah, I mean, my short stories typically tend not to be so short. So the, the issue of that one? Well, in terms of your interest in horror. I understand that a lot of it started with Goosebumps.

Brandon Boone 25:06

Correct. I didn't know that. I didn't know what it was, like, publicly out there. Yeah, I love Goosebumps as a kid man. I read all of them. I had a huge cardboard box in my closet just full of every single Goosebumps book.

Michael David Wilson 25:21

Yeah, was there a particular story that started that love affair?

Brandon Boone 25:28

What was it called? It was the summer camp with the werewolf. I forget what the story was called. But that was definitely probably the earliest one that I remember. actually gonna have it upstairs. I don't know if you've seen that group. Goosebumps has like rereleased the original books and like lunchbox, containers like the old tin lunch boxes. But I picked those up. So hopefully my daughter will read them one day. But yeah, the werewolf summer camp one. Unless I'm just making that up at this point. Obviously you have Night of the Living dummy. The Halloween mask one. Pretty much any any of the stories that ended up being on the TV show are some of my favorites. Yeah, cuckoo clock of doom. That's one.

Michael David Wilson 26:12

urinate. I mean, they've released a number of Werewolf books sending think maybe the one that you're talking about is Welcome to Camp night, man. But yeah, that's

Brandon Boone 26:25

the one. Yeah,

Michael David Wilson 26:27

yeah. Yeah. RL Stein does like him some werewolves? Yeah. Yeah.

Brandon Boone 26:38

out of the basement trying to like I'm just trying to think of all of the the will say cheese and die. Yeah. Haha.

Michael David Wilson 26:45

Yeah. Yeah. That's the classic. Yeah. I was reading all of those growing up as well. So I mean, yes, we were probably growing up at a similar time, because this was definitely, ya know, like, kind of,

Brandon Boone 27:03

well, 90s 95. Probably, yeah,

Michael David Wilson 27:06

yeah. That'd be Yeah. But, I mean, what, what other books and movies were you consuming?

Brandon Boone 27:18

I'm trying to think. So it wasn't. It's weird. So I liked goosebumps a lot when I was a kid. And I liked the TV show, and I liked Are you afraid of the dark and all of that. But then I started, this is probably a very 90s thing I feel like but I was starting to see horror movies that I was probably too young to see on TV, and really, really getting scared. Like, I was terrified of Pet Cemetery. Right. And I was terrified and chunky, anytime there's a movie and there's like a little tiny thing. And like, you know, they'll cut your feet when you go up the stairs and all that kind of stuff like that. I cannot I could not handle that as a kid. So yeah, those two definitely stand out to me. But then as I got older, I kind of went away from horror, it kind of started to bother me a little bit, you know, all of the death and everything. But then once I was an adult, and I started, I had I grew up more of an appreciation for and I kind of went back and watched those movies that traumatized me with with new eyes and really enjoyed them.

Michael David Wilson 28:23

Yeah, I think one of the ones that really traumatized me a similar time was seeing Nightmare on Elm Street. And particularly because I used to have really vivid nightmares anyway. So then as soon as I was introduced to this concept, it's like, oh, for fun sake, I'm now going to have nightmares involving Freddy Krueger. And from the way it's presented, he might follow me into the waking world. I'm completely fine, too. I didn't put this movie on.

Brandon Boone 28:54

There's no safety anywhere. Yeah, yeah. And then I think what's, what's funny was when you get older, did you ever go into like, because I feel like these like these movies, you know, Chucky and pet cemetery and nightmare, Nightmare on Elm Street and everything. It's like a time capsule. And then there's like, the more modern horror movies and I tried to get into those. And like, I had to be really careful with that, because some of them are just too much for me know what I mean?

Michael David Wilson 29:23

Yeah, which kind of move is the thinking about?

Brandon Boone 29:27

So this is a really weird thing that I used to do. I got really into, like, going on forums where they talk about like, the most horrific movies, and then remembering the names and then never watching them. Like I just wanted to know what they were called or what they were about, and then not watch them. And I remember seeing on the list. Man bites dog, right? Yeah. And what's funny is like, I remember that name of the movie and then I was like watching TV one day, right? Initially, and it was I think, AMC or something, they had like a montage commercial of all of these classic movies like, you know, it was kind of like a real through stuff. And it was like Citizen Kane. And, you know, like all these Casablanca and then I saw manbites Dog on this list. And I was like, what? Like, why is that on there? So I watched it because of that. And that was a mistake. I guess it was on the list, because it was like a groundbreaking movie at the time for being like the first found footage kind of thing. Right? Or fake fake documentary. But man, I did not feel good after that. Maybe?

Michael David Wilson 30:35

Yeah, I mean, I kind of did a similar things with forums. But then I did go and seek them out and watch them. Things like faces of death. And then a little bit later the lights of martyrs and even later still a Serbian film and

Brandon Boone 30:54

where I drew the line, yeah, yeah. I

Michael David Wilson 30:56

mean, I'm, I'm not gonna say that my life has been particularly enriched from having experienced the Serbian film. But it it happened. It was I mean, it was around that time, actually, where idle, okay, I've been pushing and pushing in terms of what I can experience cinematically. And then that was almost the peak. So then I was forced to regress and, you know, enjoy things because of story and characterization. Because there was, there wasn't another place to go in terms of gore and depravity and upper limit. So I think actually, yeah, and I think that was good. Because I was then free to, perhaps look at horror on a more intellectual level, which I know is quite a pretentious thing to say. But hey, that's how I feel. Yeah.

Bob Pastorella 31:59

I still haven't seen it. I don't plan on it.

Michael David Wilson 32:02

I don't think there's any need, really. And I mean, I know the types of things that you into Bob, I know your aesthetic and, and what you're about. And I I'm just not convinced that watching a Serbian film is going to add anything to your life. And I

Brandon Boone 32:24

was told, like, it's not as bad as you're, as you're imagining it to be. And I'm like, it doesn't matter. In my in my imagination. I still haven't seen it. So that's fine.

Bob Pastorella 32:33

Yeah. Then I feel the same way. Because one of my one of my co workers had sent me a link to it, which all it did was like, give me like almost a virus on my computer. So that was a rough conversation between him the next day. But, you know, he was like he was I mean, he was making it out to be a lot worse than it is just the movie. So he's like, did you watch it? I'm like, No, dude, but that link he sent me is like, really good viruses. Oh, yeah, I should have told you about that. Like the one he didn't have virus protection, and I'm like, Dude, I'm on a Mac. I'm kind of I kind of think it's a little kind of pretty easy. Pretty easy going. But, you know, and at that point, I was like, You know what, I don't want anyone to see it. Whatever. You know, I haven't even seen mortars. I plan on watching it. I know where I can see it. I just haven't watched it yet. But that's I mean, like Michael said, it's not really, you know, I like I'm not gonna say I don't like gore. But to me, it has to have in law the reason you know, behind her, you know, I like to I like doing David Cronenberg. Does gore. Yeah, I like the way Julian darker now does gore. You know, so, I mean, it's like, it has to have an aesthetic reason. And it has to be, you know, ingrained story not just to shock me. You know, yeah. So that's, that's the kind of things out like,

Brandon Boone 34:08

Have you guys ever seen midsummer? Oh, yes. I

Michael David Wilson 34:12

mean, I think read hereditary in midsummer two of the finest films in any genre to have came out in the last few decades.

Brandon Boone 34:23

And that, that I bring it midsummer, because the, what do they call it? Like the ceremony they go through? I'm not gonna I'm gonna try to not spoil anything. But go if you haven't seen it yet, it's 2020. Go watch it. The rock scene like yeah, it's one of the most gruesome special effects I've seen, like makeup and everything. And they don't shy away from it. And I'm like, well, at least it like it had a point to it. And, you know, the way the everyone else reacted to it was huge. And you know, but like when it's done in that way, I appreciate the gore because it's so well done and it looks so realistic. But like you said, it has to have a purpose. And know when it doesn't. It's all the better. Yeah.

Bob Pastorella 35:13

And that's the thing with our Eostre. He likes he likes the gore. He knows how to linger on it just sure long enough, if it goes any longer. I mean that he knows he's gonna he put he's pushing that button. But he knows me I go any if I go a second longer, they're gonna get pissed. So he's, he's really, really good.

Michael David Wilson 35:36

Yeah. And it's never it's never gratuitous. It's always absolutely necessary. I mean, Ari Astor, I think is the best new director that we've got. And, you know, I'm aware that we've got some damn good people in the conversation to like Robert Edgar's and Jordan, P, or both. For me, Ari Astor. Just a little bit ahead of them. For my own

Brandon Boone 36:07

my dream, that's what we'd love to work. Like, if I could pick anyone to work with. It'd be one of those two.

Michael David Wilson 36:11

Yeah, yeah. I really, I really enjoyed the lighthouse as well. I mean, I haven't. I haven't seen the latest film. Is it the northmen? The northmen. Man? Yeah, so I haven't seen that one yet. I know, a number of people are talking about it on social media. But I mean, I tried to go into films completely cold. So if I see people talking about it, I'm just gonna skip over that because I don't even really want to know the genre, or I don't want to know any plot points. It's like it's a Robert Edgar's film. That's good enough for me. I'll get my ticket and let's go in code.

Brandon Boone 36:54

There's a man in the north. That's all you got to know. Yeah.

Michael David Wilson 36:57

Yeah. I mean, I didn't 100% know that. But the title did suggest. I mean, the tie. Oh,

Bob Pastorella 37:06

man. Yeah.

Michael David Wilson 37:10

The title is very on the nose. Aren't they? The witch? Oh, bloody hell, maybe there's a witch in this one. The lighthouse. So I wonder if that will feature. The northmen is kind of the Bentley little approached. I know, yeah.

Brandon Boone 37:30

About the northmen. Other than that, I know Bjork is in it. So I'm psyched for that. She's one of my favorite artists. So yeah, just keep you're gonna movie.

Michael David Wilson 37:38

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I think. I mean, from what you've said in previous conversation seems to be like for your own personal music taste. It's the likes of Bjork, and massive attack and Radiohead.

Brandon Boone 37:55

Those are probably my Trifecta right there. Yeah.

Michael David Wilson 37:58

Yeah. They go finding out other things about you, as well as you're interesting. Do some research.

Unknown Speaker 38:08

You have general warned me about this. Yeah. Yeah. They're gonna know they're gonna know.

Michael David Wilson 38:14

Speaking of which, I understand that very early on. You had some techno forays into the likes of creating music a little bit like the Prodigy.

Brandon Boone 38:27

Yeah, I did. Yeah. That was probably when I was doing like the Fruity Loops, kind of electronica stuff. The Prodigy is still one of my favorite groups. Yeah, yeah. And they were the I grew up with them. And that's when I started making music as I wanted to make techno like the Prodigy, and didn't really have an ear for it. I don't think as far as writing it, so it just kind of morphed into something else eventually. But yeah, that was definitely part of what kick started me into, into writing music.

Michael David Wilson 39:00

Yeah, yeah. The Prodigy, you are so damn good.

Brandon Boone 39:06

Yeah, I was doing like a list with a friend of mine about like, the most influential albums and music for a jilted generation has to be like top five for me.

Michael David Wilson 39:16

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, God, it's difficult for me to choose a favorite prodigy album, because they all do something completely different. They've all got like, a different aesthetic. But I mean, that being said, it is difficult to argue with music for the jilted generation.

Brandon Boone 39:41

Yeah. I mean, it's it's just it's kind of like that first big one that you know, break and enter and all that kind of stuff is just so good. And it felt like they were kind of finding their own with it. I mean, poisons on that album for God's sake.

Michael David Wilson 39:56

Yeah. Yeah. I understand. too, that you're into hip-hop or whatever. It's not something. I've heard you speak about too much. So I'm wondering who were some of those great hip-hop artists for you?

Brandon Boone 40:12

Yeah, it doesn't come up in conversation as much. But if you ask anyone who I've toured with on Knowsley, they'll definitely back me up on my love of hip-hop. My favorite rapper is probably Aesop Rock. Oh, yes. Yeah, he's his lyrics are just incredible. He's the man's a poet. And he raps about, you know, really deep, philosophical things at times, and I really appreciate that. But outside of that, tolerated quality and most stuff Blackstar Wu Tang Clan, I like a lot of the stuff out of like New York, mostly. Brooklyn, hip hop, that kind of stuff.

Michael David Wilson 40:53

Yeah, yeah. And, I mean, for me, like, I'm really into hip hop for, like the lyrics. So people like a sharp rock, you know, absolute classics, and I like scroobius Pip out of the UK, and then there's a few associated acts like be Dolan and said, Francis, and then

Brandon Boone 41:17

St. Francis. Fantastic.

Michael David Wilson 41:19

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I think particularly why he's gonna say particularly copper garden, but actually dislike everything. I'm gonna retract, particularly everything go out and listen to him if you're into hip hop.

Brandon Boone 41:39

Absolutely. I'll do that. I actually haven't getting more into the UK. And then Australian like, like drill and grime. Yeah. Like Devlin and wombat. I love wombat. I don't know if you're familiar with him. But he's awesome. I

Michael David Wilson 41:53

haven't listened to wombat. But I mean, given all the things that we're talking about is probably going to be something Carl enjoy. So

Brandon Boone 42:04

it's not I wouldn't say he's as lyrically profound as someone like Aesop Rock, but he's very fun. All right, well, 6666 is my IQ is one of my favorite rap lyrics of all time now. Yeah.

Michael David Wilson 42:20

Okay, I'm gonna check him out, and then listen to it after the podcast, which is the polite way to do it. Because if I listened during the podcast, as I say, but I know now that you're working, in terms of creating music full time. So what was the transition from having a day job and doing this to doing it full time?

Brandon Boone 42:50

I mean, I'm incredibly lucky that, that I work with no sleep. And David has been able to help me get to that point to where I don't need my day job anymore. And so initially, I was supposed to quit working for my dad. Back in April of 2020, and 2019, I kind of had a sit down beer with them. And I'm kind of like, laid out like, hey, I want to give this a go. And I financially, I can do so now. And he was really supportive. And so April was when I was supposed to, you know, make that jump, and then Corona happened. And my dad's company, basically works to build parts for pharmaceutical equipment. So we were deemed essential and just got hammered with work. So I worked there for a little bit longer than I intended to. And then by October of 2020, I went full time.

Michael David Wilson 43:48

Yeah, yeah. And I mean, so you've said, in terms of your day, you typically start off kind of doing some exercise, like being on the bike and listening to these stories. And then you'll create, say, four or so pieces of music. But I'm wondering, logistically, how does the other non no sleep work fit around it? Because this isn't the only thing that you're doing? Here are some things of video games, you've done things with other podcasts, you've done things for independent films, but you know, I'm trying to work out the maths here, and she almost ran out of time in the day. So yeah.

Brandon Boone 44:37

A lot of a lot of stuff will kind of line up in between seasons for no sleep, which works out really nicely. But a lot of it is it's just like there's something about having a deadline and being held accountable. That just forced me to just work and get it done. If I have to stay up late on a Saturday, you know, If I can't go out, you know, with my friends or whatever, and I have to just get work done, that's fine. I do it because I like it. And I want to be successful in this. So no sleep always comes first, obviously. So once I kind of like lay out my schedule for the week, and once that's done then I'm like, Okay, now I have this extra time, I can work on music for Scarlet hollow. For Dark dice, or whatever other product might be. Impulse I used to get bored a lot, man, like sitting around I, I have other hobbies and stuff. But if I can try to fit, you know, if I have four hours on a Sunday or something, I want to try to fit a project into it. Just to keep working. And I think back to when I was doing a full time job and no sleep, I used to work and then come home at like four, go to the gym, come home, eat dinner. And then I would work on no sleep from like eight until midnight, every night. And so every day, I was just doing this crazy routine and and so once I went full time music, I was like, Oh, I have nights free now, what am I going to do with myself. And so I started like, you know, playing video games again, and stuff like that. But also now it's also different cuz I have a daughter. So a lot of my between four and eight time is with family. So it's a it's definitely a tight schedule. But the more I work, the more tired I get. And it's easier to sleep. So it works out.

Michael David Wilson 46:28

Yeah, yeah.

Brandon Boone 46:31

Otherwise sleeping is a nightmare for me. So.

Michael David Wilson 46:33

Right, right. And I mean, are you currently open for commissions, if people are listening and they want to work with you?

Brandon Boone 46:44

I like depending on the project, I try to stay open, I try not to burn myself out too much. It's coming to the end of a no sleep season. So I've kind of I'm kind of at a burnout point, where I'm just like, I've just like struggling for ideas for for music at this point. So typically, once we take a few weeks off, I get kind of refreshed and I'm ready to go back at it. But if it's something different enough, and I feel I don't know, compelled to do it, then that I'm definitely interested in it. It just kind of depends. You know, I know Scarlet Harlow. Episode Four is in the works of that game. So that's coming up. I'll probably start on that this late spring or early summer. So it may be I guess it'd be the answer.

Michael David Wilson 47:34

Right. So for those people, I guess that's the case they've reached out and find out. It doesn't hurt that. Yeah. Yeah. Presumably, in terms of, you know, your rates, it's going to be just completely different for each project. So depending on the needs and the requirements and all of that. Exactly. All right. You said before the when going on tour with the no sleep podcast, you sometimes feel like the tour punching bag. Would you like to talk about this?

Brandon Boone 48:20

The poor punching bag, there's no question about it. Everyone just just takes their shots, man. What can you do?

Michael David Wilson 48:29

We need more than that. How did this how did this start? How were you established as the two punching bag?

Brandon Boone 48:38

I think it's all just come back a boy's fault. Honestly, I think because anytime I try to do anything, I'm just met with ridicule and you know people making fun of me so it's like they made fun of me for like how I talked to like a venue's manager trying to find the parking spot and stuff like that. I don't I don't even know how to describe it. But everyone just mocks me all the time. If you know I try to make my hair look nice for the show. They'll make fun of me for making my hair look nice. It just it's just it's relentless. The music I listen to I get shit for listening to Radiohead all the time.

Michael David Wilson 49:14

Yeah, I've heard you and Jaesik camera banter before so I'm, I'm aware of the rivalry in inverted commas between the two of you.

Unknown Speaker 49:28

It's never ending.

Michael David Wilson 49:30

Yeah. Yeah. So I mean, are there any kind of most notorious moments from being on tour that you'd like to share? I mean, maybe you wouldn't. Maybe this is more requested in for Jessica, you're like No, I'm not gonna talk about the worst moments when I was bullied by the cast.

Unknown Speaker 49:51

It's kind of funny though. And it's like, because on

Brandon Boone 49:56

different tours, we will have different people on and Alfredo was talking to, but it was when we did the UK tour. And it was the first time we were going to meet Penny. Scott Andrews and Andy Cresswell. And I made the joke of like, oh, it's going to be fine. We're going to meet him. We're going to hang out. They'll start making fun of me and fit in immediately. Yeah, sure enough, they did. And it was just, you know, everyone's old pals now that they've all found the common ground for me. Yeah. It's nice to bring people together like that, I think,

Michael David Wilson 50:29

yeah. Was this part of your original pitch to David, even though it would be a bit obscure, it's like, right, you don't understand. But no, sleep on day is going to become a mini empire. And you're going to need a way to kind of unite people, and I am that way, but maybe not in the way you think I am. They're just gonna ridicule me and everyone's gonna be happy.

Brandon Boone 50:55

I said, I have a very specific set of skills. Yeah, that's just to be made fun of me do my best to just brush it off. Yeah.

Michael David Wilson 51:07

Thank you so much for listening to the podcast, Brandon Boone. Yes, again next time for the second and final part of that conversation. But if you would like that ahead of the crowd, if you would like every episode ahead of the crowd, then become our Patreon, a patreon.com. Forward slash, This Is Horror. Not only do you get early bird access to each and every episode, but you get to submit questions to each and every interviewee. And coming up very soon, we're talking to Max Booth the third. Now Max has been on the podcast a number of times, but he is returning for the first time in over three years. And in that time, he has done a hell of a lot. He started ghoulish podcast, and most recently, the ghoulish festival. He's also become a screenwriter. So he wrote, we need to do something. And then he adapted it into a film and sound now you can buy it, you can watch it, you can stream it, you should. It's very good. He's also released a number of new books, the latest of which is called maggot screaming. So I look forward to that. It's gonna be a fun conversation. It always is with Max and I can't wait to get him back on the show. And I'm not gonna have to wait because it's only a few days, or I guess I am gonna have to wait but not for too long. So there is that. Now before I wrap up, a little bit of an advert break.

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Well, this episode is almost at a close. But as I said in the This Is Horror newsletter, if people want to read, They're Watching by myself on Bob Pastorella. It is available as part of the Kindle Unlimited series. So we're not serious but the Amazon offering you pay a subscription. And you get to read a number of books free of charge, or at no additional charge to Kindle Unlimited. But if you want to experience it absolutely free. If you want the audio book, send me an email Michael at this is horror.co.uk. And you might be wondering, why are we doing this? Well, we're doing this because although we obviously want to make money from it what we want even more than money are readers. So if you want to experience the book if you want to in audio form, expertly narrated by RJ Bailey, drop me a line Michael at this is horror.co.uk Let me know Do you want to Audible UK or do you want to Audible us, there's no strings attached. There's no anything attached. It is an audiobook, for your listening pleasure. You don't have to review it after. If you do review it, that'd be great. But just enjoy it. Just see what you think. Now final thought to wrap up. And this is particularly pertaining to social media. And that is, don't compare your raw footage with other people's highlight reel. So do not look at Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and feel a little bit depressed because the lives you're seeing of others don't seem to measure up to yours. That is their highlight reel. What you're experiencing that is raw footage. So don't compare your raw footage of other people's highlight reels. And you know what, let's go even further for this. So don't compare yourself to other people. The only person you should be comparing yourself to is yourself. Are you getting better? If not, you know that's so gay to get yourself a little bit of slack there. It's a hard time we're all going through a lot so just fucking be kind to yourself. Which is slightly more aggressive than my usual sign off, speaking of which, we've run out of time. What am I talking about? I'm tired. This isn't a fucking radio show. We don't run out of time. Until next time, take care yourselves, be good to one another, read horror, keep on writing, and have a great great day.