When you Google “golf dads” you get a bunch of pictures of middle-aged men. Google “golfdads” and you get a SLO-grown psychedelic funk rock band.
golfdads, originally formed in 2017 under the name Special Guest, rebranded in 2018 to the current title.
The band features Brad Johnson on vocals and rhythm guitar, Drake Freeman on lead guitar, Casey Sublette on bass, John Brode on drums, Zach Ragozinno on keys and Brian Mendez on saxophone.
What “began as a Red Hot Chili Peppers-esque band has since fused into this psychedelic funk rock with hip hop influence band.” Mendez said, “Expect more as time goes on.”
On January 18, golfdads played a show at Stage 9, a multipurpose venue at dwellinart, 207 Higuera St. San Luis Obispo CA, with Depressed Spector and Skogen.
“It was a great way to start the year and decade. It has us all pumped to keep the content coming out for the fans. It really is about them at the end of the day.”
“We got to showcase some new music that we’ve been working on,” said Mendez. He explained they’re working on an album that they hope to release later this year. Mendez said the band is also excited to release some of their “classics” in a produced form rather than the live sound that their fans are used to.
“There’s a lot of potential when studio recording something and we’re constantly toying with the many possibilities,” Mendez said. “Also, to be able to say you’ve recorded an album is a feat in itself and we’re all working hard to ensure it’s a banger.”
“It’s always nice to be reminded that people actually listen to your stuff,” Mendez said. “When we saw that we were being played in over 50 countries, that was totally unreal.”
“We’re definitely gonna keep it going and ride the wave; working hard to please the fans while maintaining our voice,” Mendez said.
Their goals going forward are not exactly what you’d expect. Of course they want to be financially stable and play big stages like Coachella but Mendez also dreams of building a house of custom golfdads Supreme bricks.
“When was the last time you heard someone’s goal as an artist was to do something odd such as having a jam sesh with a monkey, having a book published on the concept of spilled milk or building a house of Supreme bricks?”
Mendez believes everyone has a bucket list with some odd items on it. “All of it,” he said, “really is just to inspire the people that anything is possible in this world. Even a Supreme brick house.”
golfdads will be playing the CP Surfrider Foundation house show on February 7 with Three More Daddies, Skogen and Sound Waves. They will also be playing another house show on Valentine’s day with Skogen and Jaden Padilla.
For more information on golfdads, visit their website.
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