How is it that a US Navy Diver, a BMW technician, and a scientist came together to form Two Word Name?
According to guitarist Lance Maverick: “Writing is therapeutic for me and has helped me through a divorce-torn family, a deadly battle with drug addiction and suicidal behavior, amazing relationships gone bad, and a slew of other self-inflicted tragedies. Using music to deal with my problems began at a very early age. I would lock myself in my room with my guitar for hours on end. You’re always a rockstar when you’re rocking out in the mirror at home. Then later in life, I used bands to make myself feel cool, get chicks, and play my guitar louder, which just kind of transferred over to a real enjoyment of music. So, after some of the bigger bands I was in failed, I decided to create my own project.
“I was in this new city and came across these amazing guys, after trying out over a hundred musicians, in San Diego. Over my 12 years playing in bands, I had written many songs on guitar, but this was my first try at writing melodies and lyrics. It was definitely a challenge, and when I began writing for this first album, My Creation: Dry, Hard, and Angry.”
Since forming in 2006, the band members have become a tight quartet, having already collected an impressive collection of road tales. “Everyone was either fighting, puking, or making out,” says guitarist Dag Stylez of the early 2007 party bus to and from the band's gig at L.A.'s Whiskey à Go Go. For $35, around 150 riders were promised a keg of beer, show tickets, and a stripper pole.
“Some people were pissed that we oversold it — totally by accident — but five or six people had to stand the whole way. Then, in the first five minutes, someone took a dump and stank up the whole bus. Then the air conditioning broke, a window was busted, and, to top it off, the keg ran out about halfway to L.A.”
He says the bus riders got into the gig, though some ended up bounced.
“One guy was way too drunk — he should have been kicked out — and there was a girl who passed out on the bar.”
The band paid $1000 for the bus rental and driver (“It's usually $1250, but I know the guy who owns it”), plus money for gas, a keg of beer, and several bottles of vodka.
“We made our money back on the bus, but we didn't sell all our [show] tickets, so we ended up losing a couple hundred dollars, after band expenses....
“Yeah, there were a few underage kids [on the bus], but everyone signed a liability [waiver] saying they wouldn't drink unless they were legal age, and there were two security guys checking.” And the stripper pole? “We didn't hire a stripper, but there were plenty of girls dancing on it.... There were a lot more girls than guys, so I know the guys were happy with the trip.”
Two Word Name is playing around town, with their debut album, My Creation: Dry, Hard, and Angry, now available. Dag Stylez played his last show with the band in late December ’07, at ’Canes.