Intro: (Lyrics from “Princess” by Zonked) Vanessa, God bless you; Sorry for the mess; I couldn't take the stress of being your man.
Jordan Storm: Welcome back to 91.9 KVCR. It'sJordan Storm with you. Today, I'm sitting down with Inland Empire recording artist Carson Storm of the independent punk band Zonked. They are hot off the heels of their sophomoric album, Aborted. So, Carson, thanks for being here.
Carson Storm: Thank you for having me. It's a pleasure to be here.
Jordan Storm: So, where do your passions for music come from and why the name Zonked?
Carson Storm: Well, I've always loved music, and I've been playing guitar and making demos and stuff like that since I was in high school. And when I was a teenager, I would brainstorm band names, and I remember flipping through the dictionary one time trying to come up with something. But rather than starting at the beginning, I started in the Z’s, and the very last word was “zonked,” and I was like, that's perfect. I don't even need to go any further.
Jordan Storm: Are there any local bands that have influenced your sound?
Carson Storm: Face to Face has been a huge influence. They're from Victorville. And, I mean, there's so many bands from around here, around Southern California, especially. Like Blink-182 is from Poway and then you go into L.A. and Orange County, and you have bands like The Descendents and Social Distortion, so a lot of bands like that.
Jordan Storm: So, now time to talk about your album. Track six, “Not Real,” discusses feeling like fake and synthetic, while the Aborted album cover features plastic doll parts. Where did the inspiration come from for Aborted’s promotional art?
Carson Storm: Well, I had sort of the vision for the artwork a long time ago: all of these dismembered doll parts. I just thought it was kind of a striking visual. And I guess tying it into “Not Real,” that song is kind of about just how the world we live in feels, I think, sometimes more surreal than it does real. And I mean, you hear people talking about, you know, artificial intelligence is going to take over, and robots are going to replace humans. And I don't know if I really buy into that, but we do live in a world where I think people would rather speak to a robot than to an actual person. So, I guess that song sort of satirically glorifies being fake or plastic, like you're a Barbie doll or something.
Jordan Storm: On the topic of specific songs, track seven, “Wrist,” covers some darker themes like domestic violence. Tell us the story behind this song.
Carson Storm: Well, “Wrist” was about a time when I was in high school. I knew this girl who showed up to class one day with a cast on, and she played it off, like, “Oh, I fell down, and I fell on my wrist, and I broke it.” And I could just kind of tell, I could kind of sense that something was up, something weird was going on. So, I got to know her a little more, and I got it out of her that she had this crazy ex-boyfriend who freaked out on her one time and grabbed her by the hand and snapped her wrist and broke it. It was a very heavy thing to hear about, and it took me quite a few years to find the right words to tell that story. But yeah, that's what that song is about.
Jordan Storm: And do you think that piece could inspire others to speak out about their situation?
Carson Storm: I definitely would hope so. I didn't necessarily set out to write something empowering or give a voice to someone in that situation, but I would definitely hope that it would give someone the strength to speak out if they can relate to that song.
Jordan Storm: With the decline in significance that punk has had in the last few decades, what inspires you and so many artists to continue producing that genre?
Carson Storm: Well, it's a style of music that I just grew up loving. I think it's very emotive and powerful for a lot of people. And I don't know, I just like loud music and loud guitars. I think it might just be as simple as that.
Jordan Storm: So, are there any new projects that you guys are working on?
Carson Storm: We're actually right in the middle of recording our third studio album. I've got about ten tracks or so basically finished. And right now, I'm really just focusing on writing and recording as many songs as I can. And when I feel like I've got a solid album's worth of material, that's when we'll start putting all the pieces together for a proper album.
Jordan Storm: That is fantastic news! So, thank you so much for being here, Carson.
Carson Storm: Thanks for having me!
Jordan Storm: Aborted is available now wherever you stream your music. You're listening to 91.9 KVCR.
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Explore Zonked’s discography on YouTube or buy Aborted on Bandcamp.
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Jordan Storm is a student at UC Riverside pursuing a major in film with a minor in education. Inspired by punk music and indie films since her youth, she blends creativity and education throughout her work to shine light on underrepresented art forms.