- 2 days ago
The Paradox talks with Miles the DJ about their rapid rise to success.
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00:00Alright, what's going on? It's Miles the DJ here, the world famous KROQ at KROQ.
00:04Thrilled, privileged, honored to be joined by one of the most important and coolest and
00:09relevant bands of 2025 and beyond, The Paradox.
00:14Thank you. You're cool too.
00:15Hey man.
00:16Very cool.
00:16Very relevant.
00:17My man, I'm just trying to keep up. You know what I'm saying? You guys formed, what, only
00:21like 54 weeks ago or something? July 1st is when?
00:25Yeah, July 1st of last year.
00:28Yeah, last year. That's insane. I never calculated the weeks, but I know them now.
00:32We're recording this in mid-July and July 1st, 2024. You start the socials. We're officially
00:38The Paradox. And this is happening incredibly fast for you guys. How? How? How? Social
00:46media.
00:46No idea. Social media, the power of the internet, I guess.
00:49The power of the comment section.
00:54Virality.
00:55For real.
00:56And vitality.
00:57You're the second ever K-Rock launch artist. Now, this is an artist that we, you know,
01:01we give to an artist maybe once, maybe twice a year. The first was last year with Royal
01:06Otis. Since then, dude, like they're, and they're blowing up right now. They're doing,
01:10they're doing big things. And we see that in the future for The Paradox too.
01:14You're talking about the comment section and, you know, fans obviously, but I mean, you got
01:19the Jack Whites of the world. How did you guys end up opening up for, for Jack White?
01:23Tell us about, about that story.
01:25Uh, so I got a message on The Paradox account from this account called, it was like Lalo
01:32Medina or something like that. And I didn't even think it was real, but Ro was like, yeah,
01:35I'm Jack White's tour manager and he wants you guys to open for him. We'd been a band
01:39for like two weeks. So I didn't really believe it. But then like, you know, we messaged him
01:44and like the messages were blue for my iPhone users. You know what I'm talking about?
01:48Right.
01:48And, um, it was like, all right, so it seemed legit. And then we, uh, rented a F-150 and
01:54just, uh, Percy strapped all our gear to the back.
01:56Taught y'all how to use a ratchet strap.
01:58He did. He did. And we drove like four hours up to Nashville and it was very real. Jack White
02:05was there and it was insane. It was like seeing like a rock God like in front of me. It was
02:11very wild. And, uh, yeah, we, we ended up doing that. And then we, um, not long after
02:17that, we ended up, uh, playing with Lil Nas X at his sister's wedding. And then we opened
02:21for green day and I was always in like the first like month and a half or so. Yeah.
02:25That this doesn't happen. Like that's so amazing. Like it just, it just goes to show like, you
02:31know, quality music, good people, like good things happen to, to the like. So, um, just
02:36definitely really happy for you guys. I want to go back to the Jack White shows for a second
02:40in Zealand. Like what was that crowd? Like I've, I've been privileged to see the white
02:44stripes and Jack White and rock on tours over the years. I've never seen a pop punk band
02:48open for him. I love that, that Knicks. I love that that happened. Like what was the
02:52crowd like during that show?
02:54Um, the crowd was pretty awesome, honestly. Um, they were, they were, they were lit.
02:59Yeah.
03:00And the one thing I want to say is that that building was really hot because the AC was not
03:05working.
03:06Where was it?
03:06Yeah.
03:06Um, it was in, it was in the basement East in Tennessee.
03:09Okay. Word.
03:10I don't think I ever felt body heat like that. Like when the doors open, it was like, if
03:15you could see it on a thermal camera, that shit would have been crazy.
03:19Like it was like, it was like when we're like, we got off the plane in Arizona.
03:23Yeah.
03:23Not off the plane, but like off the, out the airport.
03:25Mark the wall of heat.
03:27Mark the wave.
03:28Like there's this balcony area where everybody's like chilling outside and I walked past the door.
03:32It was just like, I just walked past hell.
03:34Right, right, right.
03:37Purgatory.
03:39Well, like what's wild about that again, like you'd only been a band for two weeks.
03:42How many shows had you played up to that point?
03:45Um, I'm not sure.
03:47We did a house show.
03:48Jack White would be three.
03:49Um, it was like three, I think.
03:51Yeah.
03:51Was it though?
03:52I think it was two.
03:53The, um, was the house show the, not fuck black, but.
03:58The house one was, that was the first one.
04:00Then we played Jack White right after that.
04:01That was a barber or barbershop.
04:04Oh, so you're right.
04:04That was three.
04:05Yeah.
04:06Yeah.
04:06House show.
04:07He's right.
04:07Our first show was with our first drummer.
04:09Yeah.
04:09We didn't, Percy wasn't in the band yet.
04:11Cause we didn't think he was good enough yet.
04:12And I'm just kidding.
04:14No, but, um, those who like remember, like when we had that symbol with the bite taken out of it.
04:19Our original drummer Dion.
04:21We love Dion.
04:22And, um, yeah, we played like our first show was like, it's like 10 people in this parking lot.
04:27And that was very hot.
04:28And then we did a house show, which was cool.
04:30Cause that was the first time we had like people show up that like, weren't like our moms and stuff.
04:33Right.
04:34And, um, then yeah, we opened for Jack White.
04:37I caught a heat stroke that first show.
04:39Did you?
04:40Yeah.
04:40It was like, it was so bad.
04:41It was like a, like a hundred degrees out there, dude.
04:43Like, well, the adrenaline too.
04:45And the fact that like, yo, we just started and now we're opening for Jack White and it's super hot.
04:49We're in a basement.
04:50Yeah, dude, I was jumping around in that parking lot and then there was this lounge at the end of the, of the place we were playing at.
04:58So I went inside.
04:58It was like this big fan.
04:59I was just laying there on the, on like, on the, on the couch or whatever.
05:04Right.
05:04The seating place.
05:05And I was just like dead, dude.
05:07I was like, people was trying to give me water left and right.
05:10I was trying to pour some, I was pouring some on my head, trying to cool myself down.
05:13And I'm really thankful for those people.
05:16And a learning experience now, right?
05:18We're getting through shows better now.
05:20We're, we're a year and a half, not even a year and a half, a year and two weeks in already as a band is the paradox.
05:25Uh, Eric, you were, you mentioned Green Day earlier.
05:27Yeah.
05:27I love the story of how you opened for them in Atlanta.
05:31Really walk us through how that happened.
05:33Uh, so I was working at a vape shop at the time.
05:36We'd been a band for, I guess, like a month to like a month and a half, maybe like a month and a week.
05:41I don't know.
05:41But we, um, I had a customer come in and I'd been talking to Green Day at this time because Billy had followed, um, the band's account and my personal account.
05:51And at this point we were talking about like the Beatles and guitars and stuff.
05:55I think the first message I sent him was like, can you teach me how to play that last riff on Basket Case?
05:59And he sent me a video showing me how to do that.
06:01So, um, one of my customers comes in and is just like, yo, Green Day is coming into town and they're doing all of Dookie and American Idiot, like in its entirety, bro.
06:08And I'm like, what?
06:10I got to see that.
06:10So I texted him and I was like, hey, like, we're really poor.
06:14Can like, we have like tickets?
06:16Like, even if it's like the really cheap seats, like if you look like an aunt to us, like we just want to see you guys.
06:19You just want to be in the room.
06:20Yeah.
06:20Yeah.
06:21And he, um, was just like, yeah, like I'll see what I can do.
06:24And next day just like hit me up.
06:26I'm at work.
06:26And he's just like, how would you guys like to open the show?
06:29And like blew my mind.
06:30It was insane.
06:31So like, it was like, yeah, him, it was Green Day, uh, Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid and the Linda Linda's like an insane lineup.
06:38And this is at like Truist Park, which I lived by and drove past like many times.
06:42But, um, yeah, we ended up doing that show and that changed everything for us.
06:48It was, yeah, we were extremely grateful for that.
06:50And the catering was awesome.
06:52It was so good.
06:54Chimichurri steak.
06:54So good.
06:55Like steak, steak, chicken.
06:57They had salmon.
06:58Like it was so good.
06:59Yo, Green Day and Smashing Pumpkins, man.
07:00They don't mess around.
07:01You know what I'm saying?
07:02Not at all.
07:02Rancid.
07:03Like, come on.
07:03And they all like, like gave us so much love.
07:06Like it was so cool.
07:07I remember like I was going to see my boy Josh, like up in like, um, the like cheaper sections of there.
07:13And like the bro, this dude, the security dude, stop.
07:17I'm trying to go into the aisle to like say what's up.
07:19And he's like, hey, you don't have a ticket.
07:22And I'm showing him like my like all access pass.
07:24Like, I don't know what that is, buddy.
07:26And I was just like, bro, like I was just up there.
07:29And then literally Billy Corgan is like, yo, like shout out to the Paradox.
07:33Like they did great.
07:34And I'm like, that's my band.
07:35He's like, yeah, sure it is, buddy.
07:37And I'm Bill Clinton.
07:38Right.
07:39So I, it was wild, but it was so much fun.
07:42I remember like doing home runs like around the, like the, what do you call it?
07:47The bases.
07:47Yeah.
07:49Right.
07:49But it was so much fun.
07:50I want to get into a song that's not out yet coming out on July 25th.
07:54Blender.
07:55Right.
07:55Bender.
07:55Bender.
07:56Okay.
07:57It's not out yet.
07:57I'm not familiar.
07:58You know what I mean?
07:59Trust me a year from now on K-Rock, it's going to be like all over the place, right?
08:02He's not hip yet.
08:03Yeah.
08:03We're getting there.
08:04We're getting there.
08:05Blender with Travis Barker is associated.
08:08Wait, did I say it again?
08:09Yeah.
08:09Bender.
08:10Bender.
08:11Yeah.
08:11This is, this is, this is the life of a radio DJ over here.
08:14Bender.
08:15I just got this information like right before.
08:17I literally said, thank you.
08:18Thank you to be here.
08:19Like, as the intro.
08:20I was like, oh my gosh.
08:21We're having a good time.
08:22We're loose.
08:23You know, this isn't a professional operation at K-Rock.
08:25LA and QCs.
08:26He said, this is our song.
08:27Shout out Quavo.
08:29Bender is the song featuring Travis Barker.
08:32PC3 on drums, man.
08:33Like you're, you're working with one of the, if not the best drummer on planet earth.
08:38Like what's that experience like for you?
08:39Dude, it's, it's a life changing experience.
08:41You know, like drumming next to him, like in the, for the music video, like in the pool,
08:46that was such a surreal moment.
08:47Like for me, like been watching him since I was like six, seven in every genre, you know,
08:53not just pop punk, you know, like in, in Atlanta, when, when Gucci Mane and everybody was popping,
08:59he was on that side too, you know?
09:02So like seeing that, like, yeah, it's drumming next to him.
09:05It was, it's crazy.
09:06And just working with him, watching him play in the studio, tracking it.
09:11It was like insane.
09:13It's just insane.
09:13It's, it's an experience that I'll never forget ever.
09:16Yeah.
09:17Travis saved my life because I didn't get my hair retwisted.
09:20And I texted him the morning of the shoot.
09:23I was like, dude, you have to help me.
09:25I need like some type of Scully or a fitted cap or something.
09:29And he was like, he was like, he like, he like, he laughed and he was like, he was like,
09:33I'll bring something.
09:34And he brought me the Scully I'm wearing right now.
09:37Ain't took it all since been in the shower with him.
09:39It's my shower cap in my outer, in my outwear.
09:47But I also, he also had some Nutter Butters in like a cereal bowl and I ate it.
09:53So I'm glad I could say I ate his Nutter Butters.
09:55The whole month.
09:57Whoa.
09:58Hey, yo, buddy.
09:59Yo.
10:01I know you love Liquid 82.
10:04I didn't know you liked him like that.
10:05You know what I'm saying?
10:06But I'll say it was very surreal for me because, you know, I don't want to sound like a poser.
10:13I grew up on Motown.
10:15I was raised by my grandparents.
10:16So like, they're really old.
10:17And so I came up on like really old music.
10:20But, you know, pop punk was always around.
10:22And like, I ended up getting really heavy into it like two and a half years ago.
10:27And it was Blink that was what got me on.
10:30It was like the What's My Age Again video.
10:32I was watching a video about that video, which made me watch that video, put me down the rabbit
10:36hole.
10:36Then I was watching Fat Lip from Sum 41 and like all of it.
10:39And I was like, yo.
10:40So I was like living with my uncle at the time.
10:43I just moved to Atlanta and I was just like locked in.
10:45I learned how to play all of Enema and all of All Killer No Filler, all of Dookie.
10:50And it was insane because I was watching these concerts and I was just like, man, I don't
10:54know how, like which way, but like I'm going to meet these guys.
10:57Like literally a month before we met Green Day, bro, I just learned how to play 2,000 Light
11:01Years Away.
11:02I was watching a documentary on the Dookie album.
11:04I was like, I don't know how, but I'm going to meet these guys.
11:06But I thought it'd be in like a few years, not like the following month.
11:09Big manifest.
11:10That was crazy.
11:11And not only that, when we were young, later that year, you cover 2,000 Light Years Away,
11:16right?
11:16Like on stage opening that show with, you know, the icons of pop punk.
11:21That was the most insane experience because like when we did like, we went to Warped Tour
11:27DC and it was so surreal because like we met so many of our heroes and like they like knew
11:31who we were, which was wild.
11:33I was like, why?
11:34But they were like, but when we went to when we were young, nobody knew who we were.
11:39And I remember like that first day, me and Zeeland just like ran around to like everybody,
11:43all our favorite fans.
11:44Can you guys come watch our set tomorrow?
11:45It's at like 9 a.m.
11:46Like, can you come watch us?
11:48And you know, a lot of them did.
11:49And it was really, it was really surreal, like for us to be there.
11:53And the catering was awesome there too.
11:55Pizza, hibachi, so good.
11:57No Fatburger yet in the, in the catering.
12:00We got to figure that out at some point.
12:02Yeah, we hadn't had Fatburger yet, but it was once our, you know, beautiful label head
12:06tall was like, hey, we need you guys to go to LA and write songs.
12:09And we went to LA.
12:10That's when we were introduced to the beauty of Fatburger.
12:12Yeah.
12:12And that's why I like to think he really wanted us to come out to LA for.
12:15And you're more of a Fatburger guy than an In-N-Out guy right now, right?
12:19For sure.
12:19Okay.
12:20If Donald was here, he'd disagree.
12:21But yeah.
12:22In-N-Out.
12:24Yeah.
12:24You're talking about Motown, growing up on Motown music.
12:27I think I've read like, you know, Beach Boys were big, Bronettes and stuff.
12:32And I'm thinking about some of these pop punk bands who were around in the, you know, early
12:372000s.
12:38We're talking about Blink, Sum 41, Yellow Card, Good Charlotte.
12:41Like these are bands now who have really evolved over time, right?
12:44And a lot of the music that say Yellow Card or Good Charlotte are making now is much different
12:48and more of an evolution for what they were doing back in the day.
12:51Still them.
12:52And what's really cool about you guys right now is you're tapping into this sort of like
12:56nostalgia, but yet it's still like super fresh.
12:59So those of us who kind of grew up on that music, it's like new sounds that are familiar
13:06to us from when we were growing up.
13:08But you know what I'm saying?
13:09Like, is that in the world?
13:10So it's like, is that intentional?
13:14How much of what you're doing is just based on like what you love and your influences and
13:18talking about Motown and music like that?
13:20How do you see the evolution of the band down the line?
13:25Um, I would say, uh, I don't, maybe to like an extent, it's kind of like, you know, intentional,
13:33like we, we have a genuine love for that era.
13:38Like, I think when me and Zeeland like first started hanging out, like, and even to this
13:41day, we just sit and watch like old concerts of like, you know, Fall Out Boy and Blink when
13:46like they were first starting out and, um, we, but it's like taking that love of it,
13:53but like not wanting the music to sound like an exact like bite of like, you know, 2005,
13:57like, you know, I always like when I write songs, like I want it to kind of have that
14:01sense of like, hmm, like this feels familiar, like almost like I've heard it before.
14:05But, you know, I think like what I try to do is like musically kind of like tap into that,
14:10like nostalgic 2000s thing, but like lyrically kind of just talk how we talk, you know, like
14:17how we talk now and like how we would talk amongst each other and stuff.
14:20Like, you know, talking about like, you know, you hit me with your Subaru, you know, nudes
14:25and snap and stuff like that's, you know, you don't really hear that in pop punk songs from
14:312005 and stuff.
14:32Right.
14:33It wasn't there.
14:34It wasn't there.
14:35It didn't exist.
14:36So, but, um, and I think as far as like, yeah, with the evolution, I don't know.
14:42I, I think, you know, right now, like we're having fun just making like, you know, these
14:47simple, you know, catchy songs.
14:48I like to think of us as in our like early Beatles era, if you will.
14:52Um, but yeah, I think I just see us like evolving into like, you know, we all like different
14:56types of music.
14:56We're very like versatile in our music taste.
14:59Um, we love everything.
15:01And even if like, it's not like our favorite, we're always open to like, you know, anything.
15:05And we've all come from like different backgrounds.
15:07And I think like that comes out even in like, you know, our pop punk stuff.
15:11But like, yeah, you know, I think, um, just evolving and just making good music above
15:16anything, you know, genre is just a flavor at the end of the day, you know, either like
15:20wings or you don't.
15:21That's right.
15:22That's right.
15:22No, I love that.
15:23You also got to expand your palate.
15:25You know what I'm saying?
15:27There are people be killing me, like, especially where I'm from.
15:30You eat the wings, but you eat the same wings every day.
15:33That was a big thing.
15:34How are you going to do that, bro?
15:35For us.
15:36It's not.
15:37I think even like we started in the band, like that was a big thing was like, you know,
15:41growing up, I think we all like kind of went through like the ridicule from like, you
15:45know, people that look like us, like our own community kind of for listening to that
15:48music and maybe like, you know, the way we talk and things like that.
15:52And I think it was, one, it was that.
15:55And it was also trying to like give the world a different view of the African-American experience
16:01because we're not alone.
16:03Like, you know, suburban, you know, black kids do live in the suburbs and like that experience
16:07exists.
16:07And I feel like kind of what's like mainstream for that is kind of like, you know, the hood
16:13experience, which is, you know, an aspect, but it's not all of it.
16:16You know what I mean?
16:17And I think it kind of like can sometimes lead to like, you know, maybe negative stereotypes
16:22and stuff.
16:23And it's like, if you don't fit that mold, then what's wrong with you?
16:26You're not black.
16:26And that's just not the case.
16:28So I think like that was kind of like our big thing was just trying to like give a different
16:32experience in like an authentic way, like just being true to ourselves.
16:35Don't be, don't try to be somebody you're not.
16:37Yeah, just be you, dog.
16:38Like if you want to listen to freaking, I don't know, like yodeling, poke music, then do it.
16:42Like, bro, you got a pool in your neighborhood, bro.
16:45Why are you throwing up game signs?
16:47Right.
16:48So we really got it hard out here, bro.
16:50People die out here every day, bro.
16:53It's like old people in your retirement community, you love them.
16:56There you go.
16:57You know, PC3, you were talking about like the comment section earlier, you know, on that
17:01topic, like what are some of the feedback that you've been seeing from, you know, your
17:05peers, friends, et cetera?
17:07Yeah, positive feedback.
17:08You know, our friends, you know, they absolutely love what we're doing.
17:11You know, our friends always knew that we were talented.
17:15Right.
17:15Our friends pretty much knew that we were going to, you know, be something great.
17:20So them seeing it come to fruition too, as a friend, is just amazing.
17:25You know, we all get to experience it together.
17:26And again, just seeing like how fast this is happening.
17:29I want to touch on two quick things and I'll get you out of here.
17:31I know a newfound glory show was really sort of what sparked this, right?
17:37Shout out to NFG.
17:38A year before I met Eric, they came to the Masquerade in Atlanta and I drew a sign that
17:45said, can I play hit or miss?
17:46And Chad led me up on stage to play.
17:49And that pretty much was the introduction to like my new future, you know?
17:53It's just like now the fact that we open, we played When We Were Young Fest and shared
18:01the same stage with them was just absolutely insane.
18:04You know, I got you to watch our set.
18:06And from getting kicked out of Obliquid 82 show and State Farm Arena.
18:10Right.
18:10I think that was like July 13th, 2023.
18:14I jumped the barricade.
18:15So I sat like on the main floor level and I walked down the stairs and I jumped the barricade.
18:20And this was before they were playing Stay Together for the kids.
18:23And I ran into the barricade.
18:25I mean, I jumped over the barricade, ran into the pit and I was like running through people
18:29and I was just ducking.
18:31Like so the security wouldn't see me.
18:32I was just watching Mark and Tom from a close.
18:34I was like, wow, this is amazing.
18:36That's so cool.
18:37And I felt a big hand grab my shoulder and I look back.
18:40I swear Big Black just came back to life.
18:43Just like him.
18:44I tried to run this man would not let go of my shirt and all the security grabbed me
18:48and they brought me to this back room and they were like trying to arrest me for resisting.
18:53I was trying to like fight everybody off, but I didn't hit nobody.
18:56Like all I can think about is my car being impounded in Atlanta and I just paid 60 for parking.
19:01Now I got to pay more money to get it out.
19:03But thank God that they brought me to the head security in this back room.
19:07It took like two minutes to walk there from like the tunnel.
19:09And they made me sign a ticket saying that I was banned for one year and I can't come back.
19:15But it's kind of lame.
19:17Well, you know what?
19:17You're playing Warped Tour now in Long Beach and a few weeks, right?
19:20You know what I'm saying?
19:20I was screaming for Travis.
19:21I was screaming for Travis and he couldn't even hear me.
19:24So he probably had in-ears in so he couldn't like hear me saying,
19:27Travis!
19:28I made a whole tent talk about it.
19:29It's up there.
19:30It went a little viral.
19:31Okay.
19:32Yeah.
19:32And now we're working together with Travis, you know?
19:35It's insane.
19:35Like what are the odds?
19:36It's like literally one in a million.
19:37Um, Bender is the song dropping on July 25th.
19:43September's the EP.
19:44Yes.
19:45Um, it is going to be a lot of fun.
19:49Uh, we're trying to like, you know, get some like, even like some funny skits together on
19:53that because no one does that anymore, you know?
19:55Put skits on albums.
19:56I love that.
19:56On like NWA records and like Wu-Tang records and stuff.
19:59Eminem back in the day.
20:00Yeah.
20:01Right.
20:01Yeah.
20:02Yeah.
20:03It's just, it's just, it's just funny, you know?
20:05So like, yeah, just, uh, I want to do that, you know, giving out some new songs and giving
20:09the people more music.
20:10That's what they want is more songs.
20:12We're making them for you guys.
20:13We're going to be on tour with, uh, All Time Low later this year.
20:16All Time Low, Mayday Parade, Four Years Strong, and The Cab.
20:19We're going to be going all across the country and then hitting Europe with them in the beginning
20:23of next year.
20:24I also saw them back in 2023 as well.
20:26So I got the IP and I told Alex that hopefully we can open for you guys one day because we
20:31didn't have a band yet and it was just me and him.
20:34And now that we're opening for them now, it's...
20:36What's your band called?
20:37My story's kind of crazy.
20:38I don't know.
20:39It's wild, man.
20:40No, you guys are so deserving of everything you have.
20:43The fact that this is happening only a year in, it just goes to show again that like quality
20:48music, good people, like good things happen, uh, to, to bands like that and people like
20:53you and, um, and, uh, it's just, you know, to see like having so much passion for, for,
20:58for what you do and, and music and to see the, the feedback and the love come back.
21:02Um, it's fantastic.
21:04The Paradox, the second ever K-Rock launch artist, get the message all over K-Rock right
21:09now.
21:09Uh, looking forward to seeing you at Warped Tour in a couple of weeks.
21:12Yeah, buddy.
21:12Yes, sir.
21:13Right on.
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