Velour Afternoon is more than a music group. It is a collection of artists that banded together to bring you a deeper understanding of what music can do to your soul. Like an abstract art painting, no matter how many times you listen to their songs, you find something new that was hidden on your first go-round. We had the pleasure of chatting with lead guitartist, Brian Bartus about the tick that makes Velour tock, swimming with bums on Skidrow, murder, being a giant and more. Enjoy.

Name: Brian Bartus
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Age: 26
Website: soundcloud.com/velourafternoon

Where are you from?

I grew up in a pretty standard middle class suburb on the East Coast. It was pretty boring and uneventful. Looking back it’s kind of interesting because I think spending so much time in a place trying to do something where there is nothing makes you actually go out into the world to try and see what every one is talking about.

At this point how long have you been playing music?

I think 13-14 years

What would you say is your go-to, wake up in the morning jam? What gets you pumped to start your day?

Coffee.

Never heard of them. They any good?

I mean, yeah. Coffee is good...

Sorry, childish joke. Who and what currently inspires you musically?

Pat Flegal from Cindy Lee and Kevin Shields from My Bloody Valentine. Definitely 70’s psych sound tracks like from Bella Donna of Sadness or Psychomania. I've also been interested in painters lately, and applying different thoughts and methods to different mediums. I saw the Rothko paintings at the Tate Modern in London recently and that sort of changed everything for me. It would be a dream to be able to create pieces like that musically.

What do you mean by saying, "It would be a dream to be able to create pieces like that musically."?

Seeing those paintings in real life, in the setting Rothko mandated they be shown in, just effected me in a way no other painting or abstract work had done before. He created this sullen meditative atmosphere that drew me back to the museum like 3 or 4 more times in one week. I was obsessed and the more I read about Rothko the more I adored his artistic method and realized that is exactly what I wanted to be doing with music. I know it sounds a bit dramatic, but I think I would prefer to have fewer people listen to our band and have those few become deeply and mindfully connected to it rather than just being a largely popular internet buzz band.

What would you say is the most obscure, rad band you have discovered lately?

Cindy Lee.

Second time that name has come up in this interview. What is so amazing about Cindy Lee that is both obscure and inspiring?

Pretty much every band Pat Flegal has been involved with I have loved. He has this amazing ability to burry these pop gems under loads of ambience and noise, making it almost hard to listen to while still unveiling itself in a way I have seldom heard. His older band sort of broke up at the height of their popularity and I always got the vibe he turned his back on the music industry. That he just started experimenting more and more while presenting his new records it in a sort of fuck you to modern indie music. I always loved that sort of bedroom recording isolation and really admire his song writing capabilities. If you even want to call it that.

You can choose any musician or band alive, dead, broke up, whatever to tour with. Who would that be and why?

Probably Velvet Underground when they where touring around with Andy Warhol. It would be rad to be around such wild experimentation on so many different fronts especially at that time.

Would you sell your soul to the man?

I hope not

What drew you to move out to LA?

Pretty much the only place the country that has great surfing and music that is still semi-affordable.

You live in Skidrow, which is a notorious spot for fuckery. What would you say is the coolest thing you have seen go down?

It’s pretty gnarly and negative, but I did see some people with a full kiddy pool setup next to their tent yesterday.

Did you not join in?

They weren’t down.

You work with a bitchin' art gallery called These Days down there. What you do there and how did this come about?

I pretty much run the shop when the owners are out of town, help prepare art, and handle the shows in the gallery. Unfortunately for me, the gallery is by skidrow and not the safest place for a person to be running a store alone up on a second floor with with tweakers and fellas on bath salts running around.

Even if I was on bath salts I don't think I would think to attack a man of your stature. You're huge. How tall are you?

Thats a sensitive issue.

Okay let's cut the bullshit. Why are so good at every single instrument you pick up?

Adderall

Where do you see Velour Afternoon going?

In a dream world, out on the road playing to people who actually care about music.

You guys just came out with a new EP. Can you give me some of the inspiration behind that?

Honestly I’d say Pink Floyd with all the flow.

Are you guys playing any upcoming shows? What about tours?

Playing in LA at Non Plus Ultra next month and currently booking a West Coast tour for this Fall.

Do you have any gigs set in stone for the tour yet?

Not really, the focus has mostly been on recording these last few weeks.

You were recently featured on Revolt TV. How was that experience?

It was so weird…. A lot of our friends were like you sell out! I was like I don’t think we're sell outs. We have cockroaches and exotic bugs crawling all over their houses. Plus we got the first noise complaint Revolt TV ever had. So that is worth some punk points I guess.

Hey man, I give you punk rock points. Even The Germs made money. So they essentially sold out too. I say fuck 'em. How did the Revolt TV thing come about?

This dude KG reached out to us. He was a fan of Baileys older musical endeavors and asked us to be on it.

Say Velour Afternoon gets a record deal, but in the contract you have to kill one person in the band off with your bare hands. Who would that be and why?

Myself for sure

Yeah, but why? Also, how? Would you just choke yourself with your own hand? Swallow your tongue. Give me some details.

Not interested in living after murdering a close friend of mine. Def blow myself up or just OD.

Have you ever attended a seance?

I think so.

Would you say that your and Bailey’s relationship is strictly platonic or have you guys touched butts?

I think so.

Was it mutual or was Bailey as rapey as I’d hope him to be?

No he is a gentle lover.

Anything else you would like to add? Shout outs to any one? Or better, any middle fingers you would like to hand out?

Slug, Hot Tim and Gord Bone.

What if those three people made up what is known as the "the man"? Would you sell out then?

Ride or die.

Are you guys looking for a spittoon player? Because I got a guy.

How good is he?

Finest jug blower this side of the Mississippi. Want his number?

Send me a link.

Check your inbox Brian and the rest of you need to do yourself a favor and listen to Velour Afternoon in the playlist below. Lastly, stay tuned for a specially curated Monday Mixtape by Brian this coming Monday, August 22, 2016.

No. You need to replay that list again. Just fucking do it.

Artist Spotlight: Velour Afternoon - Brian Bartus