- 22 hours ago
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00:00Hey guys, Meltdown here in the Riff Studio.
00:02Return to Dust has returned to the Motor City.
00:04Let's welcome to the stage, the Riff Stage.
00:06Graham, Matty, Sebastian, and London.
00:09Thank you guys so much for coming by.
00:10Hello, yeah, thanks for having us.
00:11Waking up early and coming in to see us here at the Riff.
00:14Last time you guys were here in Detroit, you played Riff Fest.
00:16I have to admit, I sat out in the crowd and I watched you guys,
00:19and it was awesome, really good.
00:21Thanks, dude.
00:22Yeah, I love the, you know, the dual vocals
00:24and just everything about it sounded great.
00:26Of course, that grunge sound from the 90s.
00:29Where does that come from?
00:31Just a lot of, like, older brothers and just, I don't know,
00:35I think we naturally kind of gravitated to it.
00:37We grew up listening to kind of rock-adjacent music,
00:40but I feel like as we got older,
00:42we kind of started to find the 90s music, you know?
00:46And it's kind of funny, we were talking about this
00:48right before we started,
00:49that in this world of, like, metalcore and stuff like that,
00:51a band like Return to Dust kind of sticks out a little bit.
00:55Yeah, for sure.
00:56It's definitely not the metalcore.
00:58I think, like, a big thing was, like, we...
01:00On the radio.
01:01We found that the 90s, like, you know, Alice in Chains,
01:04like, those bands were able to, like, strip back
01:06and just do, like, the acoustic thing,
01:08like, finding the unplugged at the same time
01:10that I found the plugged-in versions of, like,
01:12my favorite songs by them was just, like,
01:15I don't know, we wanted to do kind of something similar
01:17where it's, like, we could write our songs on an acoustic guitar
01:19and then translate it to heavy guitar and band,
01:23stuff like that.
01:23And I just feel like you don't see that nowadays.
01:25It's just all drop-A riffs and screamy vocals.
01:29And plus, you know, the dual vocals is something
01:31you don't see from bands a lot anymore.
01:32Mm-hmm.
01:33So...
01:34And the EPs out that came out over the summer,
01:36tell us about that.
01:37Yeah, Speak Like the Dead, six-song EP.
01:40Why didn't you put a full record out?
01:43That's a good question.
01:44I feel like we wanted to kind of pack a tighter punch,
01:48if that makes sense.
01:49Yeah.
01:50You know, I think we had, you know,
01:52a few songs, you know, to choose from,
01:55to put on this EP and...
01:57How many more songs do you have left?
01:58I mean, there's songs that you still have
02:00for another record or something.
02:01We're always working on new stuff,
02:02so it's hard to say, but...
02:04We have a lot of songs.
02:05It's honestly really hard to pick the six songs in the EP,
02:07and it did feel a little bit like this test
02:12to try and see how many, like, songs you could pack on here
02:15and, you know, leave the rest for an album later on
02:18or something, but still make a cohesive vision
02:20out of six songs, which I think we did.
02:23I love that EP, and I love the way that it flows
02:25and everything, but there's so much more stuff
02:27that we have that we're just sitting on
02:28that we just can't wait to put out in the world.
02:31We were talking earlier, next year's going to be a big year
02:33for you guys with a bunch of tours and shows.
02:34Are you going to be able to put out anything new next year?
02:36Yeah.
02:37Oh, definitely.
02:38Yeah, absolutely.
02:38We got some plans.
02:39Okay.
02:40You're hopping on the Danny Wimmer festivals?
02:43Yeah, on a lot of them.
02:44Yeah.
02:45Yeah.
02:45Some of them we're skipping this year
02:46because I think we did them, like, all last year
02:48and the year beforehand,
02:50so choice ones we're skipping next year
02:52just to make way for, like, our headliner tour
02:55and also going to Europe in June,
02:57so we're going to be...
02:58We need some time and space to do that.
03:01Yeah, that's killer.
03:02So tell me about this tour.
03:03Miles Kennedy and, of course, Mammoth.
03:05Miles, I've seen him a bunch of times.
03:08That guy looks like he's not even trying up there
03:10and he's so good.
03:11And Wolfgang, I mean, what can you say about Wolfgang?
03:13The guy's just unbelievable.
03:14Great.
03:15Yeah.
03:15Great musicians.
03:16Crazy players.
03:19Definitely, like, watch him for inspiration.
03:21Yeah.
03:22What lick can I pick up from them?
03:24It's amazing to see that every night
03:26just to watch them do their thing
03:28and then they get off stage
03:29and they're, like, the most humble dudes.
03:31Right, right.
03:32You know?
03:34So it's, yeah, really cool.
03:35Yeah.
03:36I can see how that would be an inspiration.
03:37Well, you guys going to do a couple songs here for us?
03:39Yeah.
03:39Let's do it.
03:40All right.
03:40Return to Dust right here in the Riff Compound.
03:43Yeah.
03:44Yeah.
03:44People you know
04:03They want to crash out
04:06I want to ride the high
04:09They want to cash out
04:13Span on the wheel
04:16Savor the good times
04:19Sign on the deal
04:22Pen to the white line
04:26If you can find a way
04:30To be something more
04:33More than born
04:38And find a way
04:41To comfort me
04:44So I'm more
04:46More than born
04:49This is my life
04:54Take your chance
04:56At the ending that you want
04:59Take anything you need
05:02This is my life
05:06Take your chance
05:09At the ending that you want
05:12Take anything you need
05:15Bury the bones
05:33Jar up the ashes
05:36Never getting old
05:39Don't play with matches
05:42Pain isn't real
05:46Time isn't healing
05:49Break up with the girl
05:52No better feeling
05:55If you can find a way
06:00To be something more
06:03More than born
06:07And find a way
06:10And find a way
06:11To comfort me
06:14So I'm more
06:16More than born
06:19This is my life
06:23Take your chance
06:26At the ending that you want
06:29Take anything you need
06:33This is my life
06:37Take your chance
06:39At the ending that you want
06:42Take anything you need
06:46Yeah
06:46Take my money
07:02Go get bored
07:03Cause I'm gonna hit it
07:05I'm gonna quit it
07:07Now take my money
07:08Go get bored
07:10Cause I'm gonna hit it
07:12I'm gonna quit it
07:13Now take my money
07:14Go get bored
07:16Cause I'm gonna hit it
07:17I'm gonna quit it
07:19Now take my money
07:21Go get bored
07:22Cause I'm gonna hit it
07:23More than born
07:24This is my life
07:27Take your chance
07:29At the ending that you want
07:32To get anything you need
07:34To get anything you need
07:36Yeah
07:37This is my life
07:39To find a way
07:41Take your chance
07:43At the ending that you want
07:45To get anything you need
07:47To get anything you need
07:49Yeah
07:50Thank you
07:59Thank you
08:00Alright
08:01Thank you
08:02Thank you
08:03I think we're gonna jump right into another one
08:04Is that right?
08:05Alright
08:06Let's do it
08:07Let's do it
08:08Downfall
08:09Tell me it's just me
08:30I don't wanna live in pieces
08:32I don't wanna live in pieces
08:33I don't wanna live in pieces
08:37Any folks around
08:43Not the end to my beginning
08:48Though it's not just me
08:56When I speak this way
09:01Can you fix my hand
09:06When I speak like the dead
09:13And if it all comes down
09:20Will you dig me out?
09:24Don't be my downfall
09:29If you see the end
09:33Will you be my friend?
09:38Don't be my downfall
09:43Tell me it's just me
09:59How it's hard to keep from shaking
10:04Back then the sun would shine
10:13Now I follow where the shade is
10:19No it's not just me
10:22No it's not just me
10:26When I speak this way
10:30Can you fix my hand
10:36When I speak like the dead
10:39When I speak like the dead
10:41And if it all comes down
10:45Will you dig me out?
10:47Will you dig me out?
10:51Don't be my downfall
10:56If you see the end
10:57If you see the end
10:59Will you be my friend?
11:01Don't be my downfall
11:06Don't be my downfall
11:08And if it all comes down
11:13Will you take me out
11:17Don't be my downfall
11:21If you see the end
11:27Will you be my friend
11:30Don't be my downfall
11:38Thank you
11:45Return to dust right here at the riff
11:47Thank you guys so much
11:48You know it's funny
11:49I was listening to that song
11:50Do you guys always start to create a song
11:52Acoustic?
11:53Is that always unplugged?
11:54Not always
11:55But those two that we just played, yes
11:57Because you were saying something earlier
11:59That kind of stuck with me
12:00It's like going back to Harkin in the days
12:02Like Alice in Chains, the unplugged thing
12:03If a song can translate unplugged like that
12:07You're probably on to something
12:08Yeah, I think so
12:09We like to think that
12:10I think that's true
12:13Yeah, in its simplest form
12:14It's always
12:15It shows you its true colors
12:17You know
12:17Yeah
12:18And you guys just dropped a new video as well
12:20Tell us about that new religion
12:21Yeah, new song, new video
12:23It was super fun
12:25I mean, that song's just like a heavy hitter
12:27I feel like it's a lot like the
12:28The first album that we put out
12:30And it was just like very grungy
12:32Like heavy
12:33A little bit like unconventional in nature
12:35But I think it's super cool
12:38And the video was super fun to make
12:39That song was written like three years ago
12:41Or something
12:42But it was cool to finally just get it out there
12:44And it was kind of just like an extra
12:46Like throw out there after the EP
12:49To just like, you know
12:50Reminder this is still what we sound like
12:52You know
12:52And where was that video shot?
12:55Was it like in a desert somewhere?
12:56Yeah
12:57It was at the Salton Sea
12:58And it's like two hours south of Palm Springs
13:01Have you heard about it before?
13:03Uh-uh
13:03So it's like this resort desert
13:05That got like contaminated by a bunch of dead fish
13:08So they had to move everyone out
13:09And so you guys thought it'd be a great place
13:11To shoot a video?
13:11Exactly
13:11It's a perfect place to shoot a rock video
13:13And then like a bunch of artists moved back
13:15And like built a bunch of like art installations there
13:17And stuff
13:17And it's got a small community
13:19But um
13:20It's a dump
13:21It is a dump
13:22Don't be mistaken
13:22But uh
13:23There's been a lot of music videos
13:25And cover arts that have been shot there
13:26So we were like
13:27It's a perfect, perfect place
13:29Let's do it
13:29How do you like shooting videos?
13:31Oh it's fun
13:31A ton of fun
13:32Yeah
13:32We do a lot of them with uh
13:34With our boy Matt Akana
13:35Shoutsouts
13:37The video kind of went away
13:38But now it's back again
13:39With YouTube and internet and everything
13:41So I guess it's kind of uh
13:42It's kind of uh
13:43Something that bands have to do now
13:45I think yeah
13:46I don't know if you necessarily have to do it in this age
13:49But we choose to
13:50Because I feel like it just builds the world
13:52It gives people to like
13:53Give something to deep dive your band on
13:55It's like once they finish listening to everything on Spotify
13:57It's like
13:57Go now listen to all your favorite songs
13:59But with like the
14:00The band's vision attached to it
14:02You know like what they were thinking
14:03I was gonna say yeah
14:03It's like another part of the creative outlook
14:05You can have the songs and have it you know
14:07In one form
14:09But now you got another form too
14:10To create around it
14:10Yeah
14:11And they're definitely not as like popular as they were
14:13MTV era
14:14Where they were being like mass
14:15I guess just produced
14:18And put out
14:19And commercialized
14:21But I think they're still important
14:23For people to seek out
14:24And I mean
14:25We make
14:26We have so much fun making it
14:27And we have so much fun like building the world
14:30That is return to dust
14:31That it's like
14:32Why not do it
14:33Yeah
14:33And speaking of building the world
14:34You guys have been
14:35Road dogs obviously
14:37Out there pounding the pavement
14:38And just playing gigs
14:39And gigs
14:39And gigs
14:40What's the next step
14:41What's the next plan
14:43That you guys have
14:43I mean
14:442026
14:44You have a lot of gigs
14:45You might be dropping some new songs
14:46But how do you get
14:47Return to dust
14:48At next level
14:49That's a
14:50That's a solid question
14:51That we
14:52Always talk about
14:54I mean
14:56We're going to Europe next summer
14:57Which is a pretty big step
14:58We've never been over there
15:00Even
15:00Even
15:01Like recreationally
15:03We've never been over there
15:04And
15:05So
15:06That's extremely exciting
15:08I know that there's
15:09You know
15:10We get a lot of comments
15:11It's like
15:11You know
15:12Come to Germany
15:13Or like
15:13Come to Norway
15:15Or something like that
15:15And I'm like
15:16Oh
15:16I'm like
15:17I don't know
15:17But now we can
15:18So that's
15:19That's cool
15:19Yeah
15:21Like you said
15:22Definitely plans for a lot of new music
15:23And
15:26We're just gonna
15:27After
15:28After we get home
15:29From
15:30From this last tour of the year
15:31Just
15:31You know
15:33Put our heads down
15:34And
15:34And work on some stuff
15:36There's no off time
15:37For us
15:37Yeah
15:38But we like it that way
15:39Yeah
15:39You gotta keep grinding
15:40And it's kind of funny
15:41Because you guys are from Texas
15:42And Sebastian London
15:43Are from Los Angeles
15:44And
15:44And just the fact that
15:46People want you to come
15:46And see
15:47You know
15:47See them
15:48Halfway across the world
15:49It'd be kind of mind-blowing
15:50For me
15:50It is
15:51Yeah
15:51Yeah
15:52Definitely mind-blowing
15:53When we played our first
15:54Toronto headliner
15:55That was actually the biggest show
15:57That we played on our headlining tour
15:59And
15:59I was
16:00So surprised at that
16:02Like these people
16:02In a different country
16:03Yeah
16:03Were
16:04Like showed out the most
16:06There was like 200 people
16:07At this place
16:08Called The Velvet Underground
16:09Yeah
16:10In Toronto
16:10And it was so cool
16:12Like
16:12That was easily my favorite show
16:13Of the tour
16:14And
16:14Just the energy there
16:16Was amazing
16:16And I was
16:17I said on the mic
16:18I was just like
16:19I'm so grateful
16:19You know
16:20We wrote these songs
16:20In a garage
16:21Like three years ago
16:22And to have people
16:23In a different country
16:24Singing them back to us
16:25Right now
16:25Is just surreal
16:26Yeah
16:26A couple thousand miles away
16:27From where you wrote them
16:28Yeah
16:29Yeah
16:29That's crazy
16:30Well
16:31Good luck in 2026
16:32And we'll see you guys here
16:33In 2026
16:34In Detroit Rock City
16:35So you guys should play
16:36That song tonight
16:36All right
16:37Oh man
16:37Thank you guys
16:40Thanks Ryan
16:41Amen
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