Bassist. Vocalist. Tubist. Crust punk. Buc-ee’s enthusiast! This edition of Fistful of Questions goes out to Quiet Man’s Ross Bradley.
What is your full name?
Ross Bradley
Do you have any aliases?
Not really.
If you had an alias what might it be?
Well, one time I had a job where they mistyped my name into payroll at my pizza job so I would get checks addressed to “Hoss” that I couldn’t cash.
What bands are you actively involved with?
I’m in Quiet Man from Philadelphia and Sunrot from New Jersey
What was the first instrument that you played?
Besides banging on my parents’ keyboards in the house, I played acoustic guitar seriously first. And I also played tuba in school cause it was the only instrument that my parents didn’t have to rent.
Tell me about one of your first musical memories?
One time I was watching a Korn music video on tv and my dad ran into the room and yelled “I KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT. I KNOW WHAT THAT STUFF MEANS'' and turned the tv off and dragged me out of the room. I still have no idea what he was talking about or why he was upset. Lifelong Korn fan now though haha.
What was the name of the first band you were in?
I made up a fake band in 4th grade that I told everyone I was in called MPSI which stood for Metalhead Punk Slacker Insomniac haha. My first actual band was called Hellfilm. We mostly did Black Sabbath and Slayer covers and had an Angelfire website since it was pre-Myspace haha.
Tell me about the genesis of Quiet Man.
Quiet Man rose from the ashes of our last band God Root. We had a member change and just wanted to move away from where we were aesthetically and musically so it seemed fitting to change the name as well. We’ve all known each other and/or have been playing music together for almost a decade so we really just hit the ground running creatively.
What inspired the name Quiet Man?
The short answer is that during a tour we went on as God Root, we discovered that we all have a deep shared love for John Prine so we named our band after one of our favorite songs of his. John has a way of devastating a listener with sort of ordinary observations arranged unpretentiously but perfectly and is a huge spiritual inspiration for how we want to approach music and affect listeners. It is an emotional transaction above all else.
How long did it take you to write and record The Starving Lesson?
A little more than half of the instrumentation on the record was done and set in stone in like 2017/2018 (along with a glut of other material that might just drift off into nothingness) but we were just spinning our wheels on details and interpersonal stuff. As soon as we reconveined with Jason and put our heads into sorting through all the chaff and finishing this record it all came together within a few months. The lyrics we actually wrote mostly on the spot in the studio and represent a lot of what Joe and I were obsessing over at the time.
If you could insert yourself into any one band what band would it be and why?
Idk if this is hokey but honestly, my bands are the way they are because it’s what I most want to play and do. Also I’m still always down to start a Disclose clone D-Beat band that only yells about war and sounds like shit. That’s the perfect band.
Have you ever heard a song and immediately wished you had written it? If so… What was the song and artist?
Most of the Bands I like Either Broke Up or Now Suck by Sloth from the Sloth/Corrupted split. Both sides of that split rule but the Sloth side perfectly captures how I feel about music sometimes getting older. Also Stress Builds Character by Dystopia is like the perfect soundtrack to all our lives in this capitalist nightmare hellhole. I know they’re like “tik tok” punk now or something but I was here before all of you losers.
Do you have any non-metal musical inspirations?
Basically only non-metal inspirations haha. We’re all huge country music fans, new and old. I like alot of bluegrass. Joe is a DJ and is really into hip hop and electronic music. I love industrial and noise. I also grew up mostly a punk so that’s all in there too. Goth, garage rock, prog, ambient, indie, we’re all huge fans of music in general.
What’s a non-metal song that you'd like to do a cover of?
If punk counts, I’d love to do a Flux of Pink Indians cover. Or Crass. We have been talking about doing an Angel From Montgomery cover for ages but haven’t sorted it out yet. We used to do Zombie by the Cranberries but Miley Cyrus kinda stole that thunder. We cover Leonard Cohen live now. Sort of.
Do you have a favorite venue to play at?
I like playing basically anywhere but Kung Fu Necktie is where we started and it feels like home.
What is your favorite thing about touring?
All singing “On the Road Again” by Willie Nelson as loud as possible. Stopping at Buc-ee's. Getting an XL Tim Horton’s dark roast with oat milk.
What is your least favorite thing about touring?
Not seeing my kid. Getting tour butt.
Is there a city that you love to hit while on tour?
Detroit has always been very fun. The Trumbullplex is the coolest DIY venue in the country and has always been incredibly kind to us.
What’s the weirdest experience you’ve had on the road?
We played a house show in the middle of this Frat-Bro apocalypse in Rhode Island where I had to tackle this dude who was trying to break in cause one of my bandmates threw a beer bottle at him from the balcony. I think he was being a creep to this girl on the street and my bandmate saw it and threw a bottle at him. They later were handed a sheet of acid by a different frat bro. Weird as fuck.
The year is 2006. Where are you at and what are you listening to?
I’m in high school in a hideous relationship listening to Sonic Youth, The Melvins, and Nausea on repeat. Probably also Mastodon.
What advice would you give young musicians that are just starting out in the music business?
Do exactly what you want but take it very seriously. The people who “make it” are legit mentally ill and they have to be to dedicate that much and sacrifice that much. Figure out what your actual goals and capacity are as an artist and do exactly what you want. None of it matters in the end so do stuff you’re proud of. Don’t be scared to suck.
What is an absolute band killer?
Gun violence.
If you were to start your own music festival what would be the name of that festival and who would be the three headlining bands?
$400 Admissionpaolooza
Judas Priest, Kiss, and Vomir
What’s the longest time you’ve gone without bathing?
I am a recovering crust punk so the answer is legit incalculable.
What’s one thing that most people don’t know about you?
I have one testicle and like 5 fake teeth.
Do unicorns sleep standing up?
They can doze off standing up and experience lighter slow wave sleep but to get the real REM sleep they need, it has to be laying down.
Give me three albums that I should listen to immediately, if not sooner.
Michael Hurley- Ida Con Snock
Dystopia- Dystopia
Od Vratot Nadolu (Oд Вратот Надолу) - Mercury
You’re driving cross-country and you can only listen to one album the whole time. What album will it be?
Frozen Niagara Falls by Prurient. It’s long as fuck, super layered and triggers some synesthesia that might keep me invested. Also it would be a trip to be that bummed for that long.
You are writing a book about your life thus far. What is the title of that book?
Things Have Not Gone Well
What is your favorite song by Taylor Swift?
I love T Swift. The first 5 songs on Evermore are all incredible but “tis the damn season” and “Tolerate It” are probably my favorites.
Slipknot or Rammstein (if you had to choose)?
I love the turntables on that first Slipknot record but I think Rammstein probably has the more significantly solid catalog. I fell off on both of them.
Waffles or Pancakes (if you had to pick one)?
This online quiz is probably where I was in 2006 to answer your previous question.
Waffles.
Star Wars or Star Trek (if you had to choose)?
Star Trek. Love Star Trek. Voyager and DS9.
Favorite band t-shirt you own?
Toss up between my Nausea shirt I completely wore out, my Christdriver bootleg, and the allover print button-down of Al Jourgenson (from Ministry) and Willaim S. Burroughs having a conversation that is in the mail right now (Thanks Dismantle Chiba!).
Favorite meal?
Vegan Ramen
Favorite book?
Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
The Dispossessed by Ursula LeGuin
Favorite movie?
Evil Dead 2, Werckmeister Harmonies, 9 to 5
Favorite album?
Amebix- No Sanctuary
Buzzoven- Sore
Melvins- Bullhead
Godflesh- Streetcleaner
Radiohead- OK Computer
Favorite video game?
Earthbound, Metal Gear Solid 2, Quake
Favorite Professional Wrestler?
Bull Nakano, Big Van Vader, Dr. Death Steve Williams.
Massive thank you to Ross for taking the time to answer my questions. You lot can use the link so generously provided below and check out the debut album from Quiet Man. You’ll be glad that you did!
~El Pedo Caliente (aka Uncle Jameson from the Fistful of DOOM show)
Comments