Bob Marley said it best when he wrote, “One good thing about music, when it hits, you feel no pain.”
This is what Deric Fernandez said he feels every time he plays music.
The bassists and backup vocals for Subsurfer, an Imperial Beach band, has been playing music his entire life.
Within the next two months Subsurfer wil release their new album with a party at Oct. 29.
It will be their first performance in IB.
“We wanted to do our C.D. release party locally because we have friends, family members and fans locally that we just want to say,” here’s to you” kind of thing,” Fernandez said. “It’s a testament to those people.”
With two bands under his belt that he played with in the early 90s, taking on Subsurfer seemed like a huge opportunity.
“We know big things are going to happen and we are very, very excited,” Fernandez said.
Subsurfer lead vocalist and guitarist Dave Mongalbano, who moved from Los Angeles back to IB, is also excited about the new album release party.
“I am high strung and I get to yell in my music,” Mongalbano said. “I have a lot to say. It doesn’t come out right when I say it but it comes out right when I sing it.”
While trying his hand in acting, Mongalbano wrote more than 100 songs, some about his time in Hollywood.
The title track, “We are Stars” describes Mongalbano’s thoughts on Hollywood today.
“The song is about reality TV taking over and it’s a dark sexy song about Hollywood,” Mongalbano said. “It’s realistic because I lived it for 12 years.”
“It was written out of frustration because I was not getting roles and couldn’t pay my bills,” he said.
Both Fernandez and Mongalbano grew up together surfing in IB and have known each other since they were 12-years-old.
Mongalbano reached out to Fernandez because of his background in music and the pairs hitory.
“He had these songs that were well written and at that point he thought because I already have been through the music thing, it would be perfect,” Fernandez said.
Fernandez has started to help manage the band with the help of others, like producer Brian Karscig.
Karscig also works with bands like Nervous Wreckords and Louie XIV, who have made an appearance on the Billboard charts.
“A lot of our material is dedicated to the classic times we had together in IB,” Mongalbano said.
“IB is really a unique place,” he said. “Our music is an homage to everyone who we grew up with and surfed with in Imperial Beach,” where surfing isn’t just a sport but a lifestyle Mongalbano said.
Though their music would not categorize as surfing music it’s not what the band is aiming for, he said.
“It’s ironic that we even call ourselves subsurfer, since we don’t write any surfing tunes, Mongalbano said.
Subsurfer sound is mostly indie but they have started a new trend known as grit-pop, he said.
“Grit-pop is music that is palatable but still edgy,” Mongalbano said. “It has that pop sensibility but it’s still very edgy and cool.”
Mongalbano hopes that their music has a Nirvana tune to it.
“If anyone ever compared us to Nirvana I am pretty sure I would hit my plateau,” he said. Fernandez called their music a mix between Radiohead and Nirvana.
