Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

We Are Stars: Subsurfer

One of these guys used to babysit Jim Belushi’s dog. - Image by Ben Siegfried
One of these guys used to babysit Jim Belushi’s dog.

“We call our music ‘grit pop,’” says Subsurfer bassist/singer Deric Fernandez. “Really gritty with a pop sensibility.”

After making their live debut in January 2011 at 710 Beach Club in PB, they released their debut We Are Stars in October, recorded with Brian Karscig (Nervous Wreckords, Louis XIV) at White Horse Recording Studio. Karscig also sang backup on the track “Girl Problem.”

“The album is about girls and stars, Hollywood and outer space, along with all the dark and sexy craziness of being in the Hollywood scene,” says Fernandez. The band includes Dave Montalbano (vocals, guitar, keyboard), Greg “Bones” Jones (guitar), and Greg Patus (drums, percussion).

Subsurfer performs Saturday, January 7, at the Soda Bar with the Schitzophonics and Shake Before Us.

WHAT’S IN YOUR MUSIC PLAYER?

Dave Montalbano:

1) Nirvana, Nevermind. “I’m still finding gems of genius within each song that I’ve never heard before.”

2) The Wedding Present, Bizarro. “Whenever I’m tired or down, I just put this in and the jangly guitars wake me up and turn my day around.”

Sponsored
Sponsored

3) Autolux, Future Perfect. “I don’t know what they’re singing about half the time, but I understand where they’re coming from.”

4) The Vaccines, What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? “Fun beats and quick songs, with perfect pop melodies overlapping gritty guitars.”

Deric Fernandez:

1) Rise Against, Revolutions Per Minute. “Every song hits hard and fast.”

2) Muse, Black Holes and Revelations. “Amazing songwriting.”

3) Offspring, Ignition. “This album brings me back to a time when all I thought about was music.”

Greg “Bones” Jones:

1) Sumak, Now Hear This. “Great quirky band from Hollywood that rotates their instruments amongst each other while playing, without stopping the song.”

2) System of a Down, Toxicity. “Insane vocals and musicianship.”

3) Incubus, Make Yourself. “I used to rehearse in the same studio as these guys in Reseda.”

Greg Patus: “Compilation discs of artists such as Alice in Chains, Nirvana, the Killers, and Kings of Leon.”

GUILTY MUSICAL PLEASURE?

Montalbano: “Jonas Brothers, ‘Lovebug.’ Hey, it’s an infectious, perfect pop song. When I listen to it, I pretend it’s a cool band from Sweden or something.”

Jones: “Owl City, with really dumb electronica songs that my eight-year-old daughter likes.”

Patus: “Lady Gaga.”

WHERE DO YOU HANG OUT?

Jones: “I like to walk my dog through Del Mar Town Center and count the Range Rovers.”

Patus: “The museums at Balboa Park.”

FAVORITE CONCERT?

Montalbano: “Nirvana at Off the Record in October 1991. I was one of the first 100 people in San Diego to buy Nevermind, so they gave all of us a private show at OTR. Kurt Cobain drew the baby peeing on my Nevermind poster and signed it.”

EVER BEEN FIRED?

Jones: “I got fired from the PB Bar and Grill. At sunset, the manager wanted me to take down all the table umbrellas, so I did, even the ones where people were still eating. While I was cranking the umbrellas shut, bugs and stuff were falling into people’s food and drinks.”

SOMETHING WE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU?

Montalbano: “I was an actor in San Diego and L.A. for years.”

Jones: “I used to babysit Jim Belushi’s dog.”

WHO SHOULD PLAY YOU IN A MOVIE?

Montalbano: “Paul Rudd, because he’s a funny guy and a bit dorky.”

Fernandez: “I’ve been told Dean Cain is my doppelganger.”

Jones: “Christian Bale, because we have the same physique.”

Patus: “Daniel Craig.”

WHERE DO YOU ALWAYS TAKE OUT-OF-TOWN GUESTS?

Montalbano: “Avenue 5 has kick-ass food, and local artists hang pieces on their wall.”

Fernandez: “Miguel’s Cocina in Coronado for dinner and the Casbah for live music.”

Jones: “I usually take out-of-town guests to the Gaslamp and tell them how it used to be nothing but crackheads and whorehouses.”

Patus: “Where else? The beach.” ■

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

3 Tips for Creating a Cozy and Inviting Living Room in San Diego

Next Article

Big kited bluefin on the Red Rooster III

Lake fishing heating up as the weather cools
One of these guys used to babysit Jim Belushi’s dog. - Image by Ben Siegfried
One of these guys used to babysit Jim Belushi’s dog.

“We call our music ‘grit pop,’” says Subsurfer bassist/singer Deric Fernandez. “Really gritty with a pop sensibility.”

After making their live debut in January 2011 at 710 Beach Club in PB, they released their debut We Are Stars in October, recorded with Brian Karscig (Nervous Wreckords, Louis XIV) at White Horse Recording Studio. Karscig also sang backup on the track “Girl Problem.”

“The album is about girls and stars, Hollywood and outer space, along with all the dark and sexy craziness of being in the Hollywood scene,” says Fernandez. The band includes Dave Montalbano (vocals, guitar, keyboard), Greg “Bones” Jones (guitar), and Greg Patus (drums, percussion).

Subsurfer performs Saturday, January 7, at the Soda Bar with the Schitzophonics and Shake Before Us.

WHAT’S IN YOUR MUSIC PLAYER?

Dave Montalbano:

1) Nirvana, Nevermind. “I’m still finding gems of genius within each song that I’ve never heard before.”

2) The Wedding Present, Bizarro. “Whenever I’m tired or down, I just put this in and the jangly guitars wake me up and turn my day around.”

Sponsored
Sponsored

3) Autolux, Future Perfect. “I don’t know what they’re singing about half the time, but I understand where they’re coming from.”

4) The Vaccines, What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? “Fun beats and quick songs, with perfect pop melodies overlapping gritty guitars.”

Deric Fernandez:

1) Rise Against, Revolutions Per Minute. “Every song hits hard and fast.”

2) Muse, Black Holes and Revelations. “Amazing songwriting.”

3) Offspring, Ignition. “This album brings me back to a time when all I thought about was music.”

Greg “Bones” Jones:

1) Sumak, Now Hear This. “Great quirky band from Hollywood that rotates their instruments amongst each other while playing, without stopping the song.”

2) System of a Down, Toxicity. “Insane vocals and musicianship.”

3) Incubus, Make Yourself. “I used to rehearse in the same studio as these guys in Reseda.”

Greg Patus: “Compilation discs of artists such as Alice in Chains, Nirvana, the Killers, and Kings of Leon.”

GUILTY MUSICAL PLEASURE?

Montalbano: “Jonas Brothers, ‘Lovebug.’ Hey, it’s an infectious, perfect pop song. When I listen to it, I pretend it’s a cool band from Sweden or something.”

Jones: “Owl City, with really dumb electronica songs that my eight-year-old daughter likes.”

Patus: “Lady Gaga.”

WHERE DO YOU HANG OUT?

Jones: “I like to walk my dog through Del Mar Town Center and count the Range Rovers.”

Patus: “The museums at Balboa Park.”

FAVORITE CONCERT?

Montalbano: “Nirvana at Off the Record in October 1991. I was one of the first 100 people in San Diego to buy Nevermind, so they gave all of us a private show at OTR. Kurt Cobain drew the baby peeing on my Nevermind poster and signed it.”

EVER BEEN FIRED?

Jones: “I got fired from the PB Bar and Grill. At sunset, the manager wanted me to take down all the table umbrellas, so I did, even the ones where people were still eating. While I was cranking the umbrellas shut, bugs and stuff were falling into people’s food and drinks.”

SOMETHING WE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU?

Montalbano: “I was an actor in San Diego and L.A. for years.”

Jones: “I used to babysit Jim Belushi’s dog.”

WHO SHOULD PLAY YOU IN A MOVIE?

Montalbano: “Paul Rudd, because he’s a funny guy and a bit dorky.”

Fernandez: “I’ve been told Dean Cain is my doppelganger.”

Jones: “Christian Bale, because we have the same physique.”

Patus: “Daniel Craig.”

WHERE DO YOU ALWAYS TAKE OUT-OF-TOWN GUESTS?

Montalbano: “Avenue 5 has kick-ass food, and local artists hang pieces on their wall.”

Fernandez: “Miguel’s Cocina in Coronado for dinner and the Casbah for live music.”

Jones: “I usually take out-of-town guests to the Gaslamp and tell them how it used to be nothing but crackheads and whorehouses.”

Patus: “Where else? The beach.” ■

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Hike off those holiday calories, Poinsettias are peaking

Winter Solstice is here and what is winter?
Next Article

Secrets of Resilience in May's Unforgettable Memoir

Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader