We arrived at The Regent around 7:45 PM. It was already dark, the kind of autumn night when the time change makes everything feel a bit later than it really is. As we drove past the marquee, the red letters glowed against the building: GBH, October 16. Seeing their name up there made me nervous, not unusual before shooting a band, but this time was different. Tonight, I wasn’t just photographing GBH. I was going to try to interview them, maybe even Colin himself.

The Editors and I had workshopped a short series of questions. We had them ready, and Mr. Green had sent them to my phone. I’d been invited by Jerry Ramone from Post Punk Productions to cover the night and get footage for GBH’s set.

We parked on the third floor of the lot across the street. The stairwell reeked of old piss, cigarettes, and weed smoke. The kind of grimy perfume every downtown parking structure seems to wear. Crossing the street, we checked in and received our media passes. No all-access yet that would come later.

Inside, Knuckleheads were midway through their set chaotic and fun, with boogie-board crowd surfing and Tom grinning at the pit. We decided to grab a beer to take the edge off well, at least I did. Mr. Green and I admired the pit and the band from the balcony as we sipped on Modelos.

Jerry showed up halfway through my beer and asked me to come down with him to get the all-access pass. As the first band ended, I followed him backstage and stood with him in the alley beside the door to the green room, trying to plan our next move. Then this guy opened the door that led to the alley and said hi to Jerry. I turned and asked, “You think they’d be cool if I asked them a few questions?”
We both shrugged neither of us really knew. Then the same guy said, “Just go in there, man. Tell them you want to take a portrait and ask a few questions. Be nice, but be confident. So far they’ve been cool people.”

That was the push I needed. I’ve been shooting bands for a while, so taking portraits wasn’t the issue it was the interview that had me nervous.

I called Mr. Green and told him I was going in. He said, “Just go for it. Do the interview.” My hands were sweating. GBH is one of my favorite bands. I used to skate to school listening to them on my old MP3 player. One of my first punk shirts was a portrait of them with big red letters reading GIVE ME FIRE.

My hand was on the handle of the green room door. I took a deep breath and walked in. I spotted Colin, wearing his classic motorcyclist leather jacket, short but charged blond hair, sitting on the red vinyl couch next to the old wooden piano. I stood in the corner near the fridge with the beer tap, camera in hand, thinking about what to do or say. The moment was here.

That same guy passed me again and said, “Just do it, homie. It’ll all be okay.”

I thanked him for the encouragement and walked toward Collin. He was talking with Fletcher Dragge from Pennywise. My heart was pounding. I saw my moment and asked if I could take a quick portrait and ask a few questions.

He smiled and said, “Yeah, no problem.”

I sat on the floor between Collin and drummer Scott Preece, pulled out my phone, hit record and the interview began.

---

The Interview

Introductions

Can you state your name?
“My name is Collin from G.B.H.”

---

Favorite Food

What is your favorite food?
“Cheese sandwich and a packet of blue Doritos.”

Right, the Cool Ranch?
“Yeah! Those Cool Ranch,” he laughs, pointing at Scott. “He’s probably going to say mushrooms… ask him.” (playful tone)

---

Songs That Help You Relax or Recharge

What song do you turn to when you want to relax or recharge?
“Aaahh… I have 100 songs like that. But I’ll say Chase the Devil by Max Romeo. It’s a reggae song… makes me feel chill.”

---

Early Inspirations

Who in your childhood first sparked your artistic flame?
“I remember watching an Elvis film when I was little. It was during the day, he was a fisherman, you know, and a diver. During the evenings, he’d sing at a nightclub.
I thought, ‘Wow… I want to do that!’ But I don’t do the diving; I do the singing, yeah! I think it was the one in Hawaii.”

---

People Who Inspire You

Could you share three people that have inspired you along the way?
“Johnny Cash… mmmmm… Joe Strummer.”

It could be in life too.
“Oh, in life too! Ahhhhh… I can’t think… another musician, Frank Sinatra!”

---

What Drives Your Art

What drives the purpose of your art?
“The love for music and everything that goes with it touring, recording, doing interviews, meeting people all the time. We go all over the world. We’re very lucky.”

---

The Feeling of Creating

Can you describe the feeling when you are creating your art?
“You have an idea in your head, a dream and you think it through, then you actually get to do it in life.”

---

Legacy

When you are gone, how would you like people to remember you?
“As I was. Hopefully with fondness. I won’t be around, so you know… you overthink things like that.”

---

Advice for New Artists

What guidance would you give to someone just starting in art or music?
“Follow your dreams. Don’t expect it to be easy. If you really, really believe in it, you gotta go for it.”

---

Childhood Hero

Who was your childhood hero?
“A guy called Tig Perry. He was a motorcycle rider. I used to go watch him race.”

Is that person still your hero?
“Yeah, yes he still is. His name is Tig Perry — T-I-G Perry. He was a motorcycle racer.”

Are you a motorcycle rider?
“Yes, I’ve done it. When I did it, I chose his number, 119. It was such an honor.”

Do you remember the model of your bike?
“Yes, it was an Antig Bike. Tig Perry used to manufacture bikes called Antig Bikes. I bought one on eBay and started racing.”

(He scrolls through his phone.)
“I can show you a photo somewhere… let me just look.”

---

Returning to L.A.

While you look, can you tell me how it is to come back to L.A.?
“Brilliant! We love L.A. Ross, our bass player, lives here. This might be more important. This is my dad and me.”

Wow, that’s so cool!
“My dad used to build and race motorcycles. His name was Terry, and that’s me when I was five.”

Did you get to ride that bike?
“No, I didn’t get to. I don’t know what he did with it.”

---

Inspiration After All These Years

What inspires you now after so many years of being a successful band?
“It’s brilliant being in a band. I love it. We’re always inspired because it’s never-ending.”

---

Memorable Moments & Final Words

What is your most memorable moment?
“More recently, we played in Mexico City. There were five thousand kids there! It was crazy.”

Is there anything else you would like to say?
“Be nice to each other.”

---

I got up and thanked them for their time, then asked Colin if I could take a portrait of him by the piano. He said, “Yeah, let’s do it.” He stood up straight, looking directly into my 16mm lens. I took three shots one vertical, one horizontal, and one slanted then one last frame of his boots. I thanked him again and told him I couldn’t wait to see the whole band on stage. I was super excited but kept my cool.

I walked down the slanted walkway leading from the green room door out to the alley. Looking up at the night sky, I laughed I couldn’t believe I’d just had that opportunity. I made my way toward the door that led to the back of the stage, pushed it open, and heard Slaughterhouse starting their set. I lifted my camera again and headed straight to the pit. One more band for GBH to go on. 

Huge thanks to Colin Abrahall of GBH for his time and energy.

Special thanks to Nothing Less Booking and The Regent Theater for having GBH at Los Angeles and creating such an amazing night.

By ZerGhoul

October 12,2025

Event: Mr. Chino annual shoot
Location: Hollywood Forever & Medieval Torture Museum

The annual shoot with my good friend Chino wasn’t planned, but these things never are. They just happen accidental rituals born out of the love for music, late-night linkups, and the kind of friendship that survives on instinct. I’ve been photographing him since 2020, when I first met him at a 15th Street lowrider cruise in downtown LA. Peak pandemic. Everyone masked up, trying to breathe the same air without dying from it. Somehow, even then, Chino stood out like a character who walked out of a graphic novel and into real life.

Fast-forward to 2025 and I’ve taken more than a hundred photos of him. Today’s adventure starts at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, because of course it does. Chino just bought a new set of military knives; 1918 WWI Trench Knifes to be exact. They are sleek and ridiculously sharp, and we were on the hunt for a statue to make them look even more dramatic.

The ride was quick. The photos hit. Then hunger hit even harder.

One thing I’ve learned about Chino: he knows where to eat. He drove us to Salsa & Beer, a Mexican spot that’s been around since 1998. Zacatecas style Mexican food. There was a line to park your car which gave me clues that the place was going to have some great food. We split a gigantic plate of fajitas de Camaron and Carne, and I swear on my camera bag, they might’ve been the best I’ve ever had. Even now, typing this, I can taste those tacos I made. 

Then he hit me with:
“Yo, let’s shoot at the Medieval Torture Museum.”

No idea if we were allowed. Didn’t matter.

We went anyway and the place was nearly empty just us, weapons, medieval props, racks of torture devices, and the faint smell of latex and dust. We were like kids in a candy store: pulling levers, posing with the iron maiden, grabbing every ridiculous prop we could get our hands on. Easily one of the most fun shoots I’ve ever done. Surrounded by spikes, chains, iron masks, and the thrill of getting away with something.

As Halloween crept closer 19 days to be exact it was a great spooky shoot. We wrapped up and drove back to my place. Quick liquor store stop on El Segundo Ave near the fire station. Chino grabbed a 40oz and a tall can. I grabbed a Mango Jumex, a mistake I regretted immediately because it would have paired great with the interview.

We parked. Rolled down the windows. Smokey Robinson and the Miracles came through the speakers. Streetlights flickered. Cars hissed by. And in that quiet, perfect moment, I hit record.

---

The Interview

Favorite Food

So, we’re recording. Okay, so first question; what is your favorite food and why?
“Mariscos, I would say, probably because the versatility, you know. You get, like, fried shrimp, you get aguachiles, you could do Cajun boils, you could do po’boys. Basically, you know, anything you want.”

Did you, since you were a kid, like them?
“Yeah, I always liked ceviche, camarones, all that stuff.”

---

Songs That Help You Relax or Recharge

What song do you turn to when you want to relax or recharge?
“That’s kind of a hard question to answer. But maybe I would say like just the whole genre of rock steady reggae, like Alton Ellis, you know, Bob Marley, all that type of stuff. I guess it’s peaceful.”

---

Early Inspirations

Who in your childhood first sparked your artistic flame?
“It’s difficult to say one specific person, but one inspiration probably my Tia, my mom’s sister. She was kind of like the younger sister that would go to punk shows and would skate and was the rebel of the family.
And I guess she introduced me to a lot of music. And she would pull up with pistos for me and shit, and kind of support the habit but still look out.”

Is there a specific band she showed you?
“Yeah, Operation Ivy for sure.”

Do you remember a specific song that reminds you of your Tia?
“Maybe ‘Unity,’ one of them ‘Knowledge,’ ‘Take Warning,’ all that shit.”
(Operation Ivy – “Knowledge” plays in the background as he answers.)

---

People Who Inspire You

Can you name three people who have inspired you along the way as an artist?
“If I were to say three people that helped mold me into the person I am, I would say Rafael Reyes from Prayers.
He definitely opened up a lot for people that didn’t have an identity before. People who were kind of in both scenes.

Another would be my homie who runs Fools Gone Wild, Little Mr. E. That’s another homie that’s been solid from the jump. Long before who I am today and who he was. We were just cool people, and he would always look out.

And then the last, I’d have to say MC Pancho, the older homie from the Harbor area, from San Pedro. He was kind of like a father figure to me because my pops was not around. He showed me the way. Props to all three of them.”
(Operation Ivy song ends right as he finishes giving props.)

---

How He Met Them

Could you share how you met them? Do you remember the first time?
(A moment of silence — the next track in the queue starts: Operation Ivy – “Sound System.” Cars pass by outside. Chino taps his fingers on the car door, trying to remember.)

“I first met Rafa when he was playing at the El Rey Theater. At that time, I had never met him. I just heard his music, and I went to see what’s up. That’s how that relationship started.

I met the homie from Fools Gone Wild; he’s from San Diego as well. I met him through Prayers, and he had managed some tours for us.

And then MC Pancho… I met him like maybe 20 years ago. He was at a car show and he had a booth right there, slinging merch and stuff. That’s how I got to know him.”

---

What Drives His Art

What drives the purpose of your art? What drives you as an artist?
“Using art as an escape to overcome hardships and to keep your mind busy and focus your energy on positive outlets.
Self-progression.”

---

The Feeling of Creating

Can you describe the feeling while you are creating something?
(Suicideboys – “Runnin’ Thru the 7th with My Woadies” begins playing.)

“I feel like whenever you’re, whichever art form you’re doing, whenever you’re doing it, you feel super focused. A lot of creativity stems from feelings like that — sadness or anger or stress. And I feel like it’s a good outlet, a good way to express those feelings in whichever way it may be, whether it be writing or mixing or painting or whatever your art form is. It allows you to express those feelings without saying anything.”

---

Performing & Mixing

How about when you mix and you see people dancing?
“Oh yeah, for sure. You feel the crowd. You kind of guess what people want to hear, what they want to dance to. And when you see people getting hype and dancing to your shit, it’s a good feeling. Like, it’s a good time. Oh yeah.”

---

Legacy

When you’re gone, how would you like people to remember you?
“I guess whenever I’m no longer here… I don’t have too many, too high expectations. If people remember me for who I was or what I did, great.
If they don’t, it’s all good.
But I was here and I did the best of my ability in what I was doing. And yeah…”
(laughter)

---

Advice for New Artists

What guidance would you share with someone just starting out in art?
“I’d probably just say stay true to yourself. Don’t try to follow any specific trends or crowds, just do what you want to do. Be who you want to be.
Don’t feel the need to people-please or fit in. Dress how you want to dress. Listen to what you want to listen to. Do what you got to do.
And nobody’s opinion really matters because at the end of the day, it’s you.”

---

Style & Clothing

When was the moment you first started expressing yourself with your current style? Do you remember the first piece?
“Yeah, I would say the way that I dress has definitely evolved over the years.
Like most from this area, I started wearing oversized Pro Clubs and size 52 pants, long socks all that.
And then I just added on to that: wearing boots, adding spikes, wearing belts.
I wouldn’t say there’s any specific article of clothing that inspired that. It just came along throughout the years of how I dress now.”

---

Meaningful Pieces

Do you have a piece on you that you consider very valuable? Not money-wise, but emotionally?
“Two answers probably. I’d have to say my paño that I have on all the time.
I lose them all the time because they fall off — but yeah, you never see me without one.

And then maybe my flail belt that I made.”

Could you describe it?
“Yeah, so it’s basically a chain that has three flail balls on either side.”
(He holds them up, smashing them together — the metal clinks loudly. You wouldn’t want to get hit by one.)
“And it’s pretty solid, pretty heavy. But yeah, it would suck if I lost it.”

How long ago did you make it?
“I’ve had it for like three or four years.”

---

Childhood Hero

Who was your childhood superhero?
“Let me think about that one… I can’t really think of anybody else aside from probably my Mom. And that’s probably the answer for most people.
But like I said earlier, my father was not present. And she was there taking care of myself and my two brothers.
Hardworking woman who taught me discipline and respect and how I carry myself.
Yeah, I’d have to say her.”

Is she still your hero now?
“Oh yeah, for sure. Definitely.
She’s still hardworking. She was in the military for like 25, 30 years. She retired at the highest possible enlisted rank Chief Master Sergeant. She’s still a hard worker, still doing her thing.”

---

Anything Else?

Is there anything else you’d like to share?
(Suicideboys continues playing softly in the background.)
“Mmmm… yeah, I’m not sure.”
(laughing)

---

Most Memorable Performance

What’s the most memorable performance you’ve had?
(He taps the flail balls to the beat of the song.)
“That’s a difficult question to answer too, because I’ve been all over  different countries, traveling, playing in so many different places.
But yeah, even this summer alone, we had three music festivals: Hellfest in France, Rock for People in Czech Republic, and Tons of Rock in Sweden.
It’s a cool experience and I’m very grateful and appreciative to have been able to do all these  you know, play all these places. Even my solo stuff like DJing (Cholo Goth Night), DJing in Mexico City.
And yes… it’s a blessing for sure.”

---

Final Words

Anything else you want to say?
“That’s it.”
(laughing)

---

We sat there a little longer, letting the next Suicideboys track fade into the background as the cars kept sliding past. Chino spun the flail balls in his hand, tapping them gently to the beat. A 40oz sweating in the cup holder. My Jumex already a regret. The night felt thick and warm, the kind of night where the city hums low and honest. My mind already thinking on the shoots I wanted to look at from the torture museum. 

Another shoot in the books. Yet another story.
More to come.

Huge thanks to Mr. Chino for the shoot, the stories, the food wisdom, the chaos at the Medieval Torture Museum, and the energy he always brings.
And shoutout to Salsa & Beer, Hollywood Forever Cemetery, and that little liquor store by the fire station for unintentionally hosting this whole journey.

Zer Ghoul

November 8,2025
Event: Substance Day 1
Location: The Belasco Theater 

The night is staggering toward its end, wobbling like a drunk saint. TRUST is getting ready to close out day one of the 2025 Substance Festival in LA. My feet feel like bags of shattered bones, and my camera battery is on its final death rattle, begging for one last fix of electricity to keep the night alive.

I walk out to the smoking patio, where Pedro aka Prime Reflections materializes out of the haze like a character written into the scene. We us look cooked, but we’re still grinning like hyenas, riding the high of survival and anticipation. TRUST is minutes from taking the stage.

We slip through the side door that leads into the narrow side stage corridor, a tunnel of cables, shadows, and quiet panic. We drift along behind the stage, peeking out like smug ghosts over the ocean of bodies waiting for the headliner. Someone hands us beers or maybe we manifested them and the house lights collapse into darkness.

From across the stage, TRUST climbs the staircase and steps into the void. He floats more than he walks, gliding across the stage like something half-human, half-hologram. The crowd locks into his movements, hypnotized, as he leans into the mic and whispers like he’s speaking directly to each bloodstream in the room. Time loses structure. Everything feels endless. My camera snaps its last shoots of this flowless creature. 

And then after some time a tap on my shoulder.

“Hey, can I see your wristband?”

I freeze. “Ahhh… I’m taking photos, I said nervously. Pulling my camera up eye level as if it was my shield”

Wrong answer, wrong timeline. The three-song rule swings the axe, and my photo stage privileges evaporate. I’m gently, politely expelled back into the smoking patio. I laugh; what else can you do? and inhale the night.

I walk out again, the cold air mixing with the static of TRUST still rumbling inside, the synths vibrating through the walls like the building itself is humming along. That’s when I see him, Brian Tarney. Guitarist. Synth player. Sacred Skin. Architect of Substance. He’s standing under the yellow patio light like a scene waiting for dialogue. A moment. 

I take a few steps toward him, the music becoming my personal soundtrack. I breathe in, pull out my phone, and hit record.

---

The Interview

(Through the entire interview: Brian smokes a cigarette. TRUST plays inside vocals drifting into the patio, synths rumbling. The yellow patio light casts a soft glow over the smoking area. Other musicians come and go, listening for a moment, taking drags, talking about the bands they enjoyed. The night is a little cold, but everyone seems warm and energized.)

Favorite Food

What’s your favorite food?
“Xôi Gấc.”

Can you describe it to me?
“Xôi Gấc, it’s Vietnamese rice porridge. I love it, because it’s just, it’s like rice, it’s the broth, and it’s just always healing and very healthy.”

When was the first time you ate it?
“About 15 years ago, I discovered it. It’s very hard to find. You can always find pho, but it’s very hard to find. It’s called congee in China, so it’s delicious, yeah.”

---

Songs That Help You Relax or Recharge

What song do you turn to when you want to relax or just recharge?
“Don’t You Forget About Me by Simple Minds.
Always brings me back to that era of 1985, Ferris Bueller, you know, that whole energy.”

---

Early Inspirations

Who in your childhood first sparked your artistic flame?
“My Mom, my Mom. She bought me my first guitar, she took me to my first concerts, and biggest inspiration, absolutely.”

Do you remember the brand of your first guitar?
“It was the Fender Jaguar, yeah, 1963 Fender Jaguar that my mom bought for me.”

Do you remember the first song you played with it?
“Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana.”

Why did you play that one?
“I was just, I was so vibing on them at the time, and yeah.”

---

People Who Inspire You

Can you share three people who have inspired you along the way?
“Oh, yeah. William Friedkin, one of my favorite film directors. I’m just endlessly inspired by his filmmaking and incredible movies. He made The Exorcist, To Live and Die in LA, Cruising, just obsessed with his work.”

Could describe it in a sentence?
“I just appreciate his aesthetic, the way he just had an eye for all the beauty of life and culture.”

“Tears for Fears. I love their aesthetic. They were just gorgeous young men who made incredible fucking music.

And then as an artist, Dennis Mukai. I just love his art, his beautiful illustration. All very in the 80s realm, so yeah.”

---

What Drives His Art

What drives the purpose of your art?
“Well, I’ve always been driven by community and love for community and bringing people together and the energy that we can create through music and through art and all this stuff. And we’re getting to a weird place where people are into politics and sports and all that, but music, even fucking Donald Trump says, years ago in an interview, he said, what is the universal thing that connects everyone? Music!”

---

The Feeling of Creating

Can you describe the feeling while you’re creating art?
“The finished product is always the beauty, but when you’re working, working, working, and it is work, there’s always those moments where you just have that inspiration, you hit a little note on the synthesizer, the guitar, whatever.
It’s so exciting to make something that you hope can connect with humanity.”

---

What’s the instrument that connects with you through your heart?
“The synthesizer, yeah. I just love that people have engineered these things that ended up making something new and fresh and timeless and classic, and I just love playing on the keyboard and just doing it.”

Do you remember a moment that you were like, whoa, this is a synthesizer?
“Yeah, I think my dad bought me a Casio keyboard when I was a little kid and I just started playing around on it and it had a little beat and just kept hitting the notes and it was, before you knew it, it was awesome.”

---

A Memory of Art Bringing Happiness

What’s a memory of your art making you feel deeply happy about?
“I mean, it’s always exciting to make art. It’s always exciting to help facilitate art.
Just all those moments, all these moments right here, this is a fucking moment, we’re all here together. I love it, I love it.”

(TRUST’s synths bleed through the wall as he speaks, lighting his face as he inhales from his cigarette.)

---

Legacy

When you’re gone, how would you like people to remember you?
“Oh, I don’t care about ever being remembered. All I care about is having a great time in the moment, never fucking worrying, relax, have a good time, enjoy the fucking moment.”

---

Advice for New Artists

What guidance would you share with someone just starting in art or music?
“Just follow your fucking muse, just follow your heart, do what you got to do, throw it down, don’t compromise, make great art, make great music, don’t ever worry about the algorithms, don’t worry about all the noise and bullshit, just make your music and hope for the best.”

---

Childhood Hero

Who was your childhood hero?
“Neil Young. I grew up listening to him, he’s such a beautiful musician and just made all everything he did was like, one album would be a fucking synth-pop record, the next one was a rockabilly record, the next one was a grunge record, it was just, it was so interesting in the 80s, growing up listening to his music and he just followed his muse till the end and it was so cool.”

Is he still your hero or do you have a new hero now?
“Yeah, he still is, man, he’s 80 years old and he’s still the fucking coolest guy in the world and still, well, he’s still politically in the right zone, he’s still like about freedom and love and energy. I don’t love his music as much as I used to when I was a kid. But he’s still the man, you know.”

---

Feelings in the Moment

Would you like to share anything that you’re feeling right now?
“I’m just feeling all the love from Substance. It’s so good to have everyone here and have this energy and all of these people coming together. We have to more than ever fight all this fucking nonsense, all this bad energy, all that shit. It’s about love and music and art and film and all these things..”

---

What Substance Means

What does Substance mean to you?
“Substance is Substance, so I named it after a New Order record, right? New Order’s one of the best bands of all time and what they always did was Substance. It was about music, art, record label. They had a whole thing that they had going on through Factory Records. To me, it was so inspirational when you could just have every point going and I built this festival to model of their energy and the fact that they were a part of a label, a club, their music, their art, film, everything, that’s it!”

---

The Future of Substance

What is the future of Substance?
“We’re going to keep going, we’re going to do more shows next year and maybe more smaller shows, more bigger shows but we’re going to keep doing it, we’re going to keep making music. I mean, Substance is honestly, the biggest thing about Substance is it’s about local talent. LA is a huge fucking market for music and people don’t get it but we’re going to help keep pushing that out.”

---

Final Words

One last sentence to tell your audience, what would you want to say?
“We love you, we’ll see you next year, let’s keep it going. Thank you so much!”

---

I hit stop on the recorder, and the next step is determined by the organ sitting just below my heart, diaphragm and liver. Instinct takes over. We walk back into the venue. The show has ended, and people drift toward the exit in slow waves, smiling, buzzing, their bodies still moving to the phantom rhythm of darkwave echoing inside their bones.

Outside, the cold hits harder and so do my feet they feel like they’ve aged ten years in one night. But it was a good night, a great night, the kind that leaves a hum under your skin.

My nose finds our next destination before my eyes do: a taco stand glowing across the street like a salvation beacon. We cross together Pedro and our new recruit James. Reservoir Dogs song little green bag playing in my head as we walk in sloppy unison, a mismatched gang of tired night creatures chasing the last joy of the evening.

The night ends right:
Dos de al pastor y uno de asada, carnal. Muchas gracias.

A perfect closing ritual for a perfect Substance night.

Special thanks to Bryan Tarney for taking the time to do this interview while the festival headliner was on stage. And a big shoutout to Substance Festival for the opportunity to photograph so many incredible bands this year.

-Zer Ghoul

Tatsuya was born and raised in Hiroshima, he spent seven years traveling the world, from Australia to Portugal to Guatemala, fully immersing himself in local life, tasting the food, learning the languages, working, and connecting with people. His mission was clear: to experience what no book, teacher, or school could teach, and to live boldly while doing it.

Back home, Tatsuya works as a tour guide in Hiroshima and Miyajima, and his talent, curiosity, and fearless attitude have earned him global recognition. In 2025, his tour was named one of the best tours in Asia, and also earned a Freetour.com Award nomination, thanks to glowing reviews from travelers worldwide.

Behind his journey, what was going on in his mind, the curiosity, the drive, and the motivations that led him to leave the comforts of one of the most successful and beautiful countries in the world to experience life fully roots in a desire to see, feel, and live the world on his own terms.

---

“Who Are You Today?”

GRM: Can you tell us who you are, where you live, and what you’re doing now?

Tatsuya: I’m Tatsuya Okawa. I live in Hiroshima, Japan, and I work as a tour guide for foreign travelers in Hiroshima and Miyajima.

---

“When Did the World Call You?”

GRM: When did the idea of exploring the world first come to your mind?

Tatsuya: It began about 10 years ago when I met foreign travelers in Japan. I wanted to communicate with them and learn about their cultures. At that time, I couldn’t speak English at all, but I tried, and that was how it started.

GRM: What was your driver?

Tatsuya: I got bored with working in Japan. I was young, had a lot of energy, and wanted to explore the world. At that time, I worked in a sushi restaurant in Hiroshima. I heard about a sushi chef from Hiroshima who moved to Hawaii and was doing well, and that inspired me.

At that time, I met a lot of travelers, as you know, Hiroshima has its history and is a destination for foreign travelers to study. I became interested in what they thought about Japan’s history, so I started talking to them on the street, randomly. Then, people recommended that I travel abroad.

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“First Country, First Reality Check”

GRM: Do you remember how you felt when you first arrived in your first country outside Japan?

Tatsuya: Of course, I remember. The first country I lived in was Australia.

I thought I was confident in English, but when I arrived, I realized native speakers talked much faster than I expected. It was exciting every day, but also overwhelming. It was impactful, I realized the foreign travelers I met in Japan spoke slowly to me because my English wasn’t very good, so Australia was a challenge.

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“Learning Languages by Jumping In”

GRM: We know you speak many languages, English, Spanish, French and Japanese. How were you able to learn them? And what is the purpose of it?

Tatsuya: I just try. I don’t care about making mistakes. That’s the most important thing in anything you want to learn, for example, music or art, everything is the same. I’m not hesitant to speak to random people in the street.

In Canada, I worked with Mexican and Latin American people, so I tried to speak Spanish. I moved to Mexico and tried not to use English at all and communicate with people in Spanish at the stores or the restaurants. That’s how I learned, well, in Australia I was not confident at all hahaha, they speak too fast.

GRM: And I have noticed that you have repeated this word so many times during the interview: “Just try-Just do it-Just go and try it” and I think that is really important. If you have that in your mind, you have no limits, you have no boundaries, and I think that is something that totally reflects who you are.

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“How Many Countries?”

GRM: How many countries have you lived in, and what were you doing?

Tatsuya: The countries I lived in were Australia, Portugal, Canada, Mexico, and Guatemala, five countries. In each country, I worked in restaurants. Sometimes as a cook, sometimes washing dishes or as a busboy, but mostly working in the kitchen as a cook.

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“Why the Kitchen?”

GRM: Why did you choose to work as a cook?

Tatsuya: My background in Japan, I worked in a sushi restaurant in Hiroshima made it easier to get kitchen jobs while traveling since I had experience. But the main purpose was to learn more about the cultures, such as food, which connects directly to societies.

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“Food That Tells a Story”

GRM: Do you have a favorite food?
Tatsuya: My favorite food is “Chile en Nogada” from Puebla, Mexico. It represents the Mexican flag with its seasonal ingredients. I love the taste, the presentation, and the history behind it—it’s both amazing and beautiful. I’ve tried it in many places across Mexico, and it remains my favorite dish in the world.

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“What Japan Taught Me, What Travel Showed Me”

GRM: How did your culture and identity interact with new environments?

Tatsuya: My Japanese background gave me discipline and patience and living abroad pushed me to be more open, expressive, and adaptable. Every country was a challenge that forced me to adjust my mindset and learn new ways to connect with people.

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“Human Connection”

GRM: How do you usually connect with people while traveling?

Tatsuya: I go to local places—restaurants, bars, markets. I talk to people and listen to them, and I try to catch phrases they use when they’re happy, joking, emotional, or even swearing. I try to remember those catchy phrases every city has and I use them in front of local locals; sometimes it’s funny and they laugh, sometimes they’re impressed, sometimes they’re upset (hahahaha).

For example, in Mexico, people called me Chino; for them, it is an expression used to refer to Asian people. So, when I was walking on the street, people used to call me Chino, and suddenly I started talking to them in Spanish, saying “Chino come Perro, ¿dónde está el taco de perro?” meaning “Chino eats dog, so where is my dog taco?” and they started laughing. That is my favorite phrase to say in front of people from Mexico—they love it.

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“Lessons No Classroom Can Teach”

GRM: What did you learn during your travels that no book or teacher could teach you?

Tatsuya: Ok, I learned to communicate with all kinds of people I met while traveling. And I learned how to blend into totally different societies. When I was walking on the streets, well, life, you know—life itself taught me things no classroom ever could, like empathy, resilience, reading the atmosphere of a place. I learned from the people I met and talked to face to face.

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“A Conversation That Changed You”

GRM: Is there an experience that stayed deeply with you? Something that you learned from someone in all the travels you have done?

Tatsuya: Yeah, many things. Your question is really interesting. What impacted me during traveling was in Montreal, I met a random guy in a bar. He asked why I came from Japan to the coldest city in the world, and I said, well, I was interested in knowing why so many people live in this cold city, and he said, “Montreal is like a jail, people are stuck here, they have no choice.”

For context, Montreal is like an island city surrounded by rivers, and somehow the government created the way so people can live there. Then, that taught me different perspectives of cities and towns. Every time I go to a new place and see different people, it makes me think, why do people live here? Do they really love this town or country? Or are they just stuck for a reason or no reason, comfortably or uncomfortably?

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“Coming Back Home”

GRM: How did it feel to return to Japan?

Tatsuya: I think it was surprisingly natural. I realized that meeting new people became much easier, and I came back with a broader perspective and more flexibility of thinking, which makes it easy to be a tour guide who interacts with people with different nationalities and backgrounds, that is my strong point as a tour guide.

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“Advice for the Hesitant”

GRM: What advice would you give to someone afraid to take their first big journey?

Tatsuya: Just do it. Step into the world. You’ll discover good things and bad things about any place you visit. No one and no place is perfect. The experience is real, and it will change you in ways you can’t imagine.

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“One Song for the Whole Journey”

GRM: If one song represents your experience, what would it be?

Tatsuya: I don’t often listen to music, but I would like to choose the song “Society” from the movie Into the Wild.

I watched the film during a road trip in Australia, far away from everything, and the story really resonated with me. The story is about a young guy stepping away from expectations and choosing a simple, honest life, real freedom in the film.

The song talks about how society pushes us to want more than we need. But while traveling, I felt the same message in my experience: that true happiness comes from people, moments, and discovering the world, not material things. Because of that, the song became the song of my journey.

GRM: Totally agree with you that sometimes we want more. Thank you. You know, more things than what we need. And we forget to pay attention to the real valuable things that we have, such as human connection, memories, love, and friendship.

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“Last Words”

GRM: Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Tatsuya: Yes, I would like to share my advice to people who are hesitating to take their first journey: make mistakes, do stupid things in front of random people, and somehow over time, that will become a story, a funny story every time you make a mistake. Just do it.

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[End of the Interview]

This conversation took place at 4:00 AM Hiroshima time, every minute was worth it. We learned so much from Tatsuya, about his approach to life, the power of human connection, and the lessons only the world can teach. Thank you, Tatsuya, for sharing your journey.