Castle Pines

Why do we like this?
Castle Pines are a Corona, CA band that seem to have countered the odds and won me over with a simple folk instrumental.

How'd they do it, you ask? I dunno. It just sounds good. That's all that matters, right?

I find it particularly funny that they got through to me with this track given the artwork for this song implies they're a bit of a hardcore band...

Anywho, hope you enjoy :) - Indie Shuffle

'Hollow Cause' sees the return of indie-alt rock outfit Castle Pines , after a 2 year hiatus from music releases.
With driving and abrupt guitar lines, 'Hollow Cause' sees Castle Pines transport their listener back to the early 90's shoe-gaze and grunge scene. It's intrinsic soundscape poignantly bubbles with anger, and disappointment, whilst searching for hope and idealism and so do the lyrics that support it.

On the track the band says, ". The music is a landscape of shrill and echoing rhythmic patterns that create a “setting-sun” backdrop to a lost generation caught amidst the “in between”. A generation of wandering and scattered lives that met tragedy and heartbreak head on with the chaotic benchmarks of 9/11, Columbine, the Iraq War, the great Recession, and the revolution of the internet and social media. The crescendo of the bands playing is a roller coaster of sound that soars through subtle melody and aggressive exhortation.

Lyrically, 'Hollow Cause' moves between pensive self examination in a narrative that is told through the collective thoughts of the world. The lines “I’m alone in Everything” and “How do you feel” give the, seemingly, insurmountable feelings of apathy and indifference a sense of hope in the bleakness that individuals may face. 'Hollow Cause' is indeed a play on words, recollecting back to the historical events of World War II and the “Holocaust”, the title is a literal juxtaposition scheme between the evils of apartheid and the collective human experience of feeling alone and helpless to do anything. 'Hollow Cause' is a commentary on personal responsibility and the indemnification society partakes in, as a majority, when tragedy and calamity occur."

Castle Pines have a panache for creative relative, mature songwriting and heartfelt arrangements driven by intuition. Theyt stay true to the genres their sound is born from, but remain current and in the present.

Words of Karla Harris - When The Horn Blows

REDLANDS, Calif. (Dec 26, 2015) Leandro Barrientos of Castle Pines performs without a shirt during fundraiser at Hangar 24 to support victims of the recent mass shooting in San Bernardino. Proceeds from the sale of beer and speciality t-shirts will aid families of the 14 killed and 22 wounded during the December 2 shooting at Inland Regional Center. (Photo: ©2015 Greg Vojtko/All Rights Reserved)

Hundreds turned out for today’s 12-hour fundraiser at Hangar 24 in Redlands to benefit the victims and their families of the December 2 mass shooting at Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino. Castle Pines, a band from Corona, was among the acts to perform during the event. Lead singer Leandro Barrientos peeled off his shirt for the last few numbers the band performed. - Greg Vojtko Photography

I absolutely love coming across a song that instantly gets me dancing in my seat. And for those who know me personally that is a very big feat (haha…no rhyme intended!). A few days ago I was introduced to the Californian band CASTLE PINES and their highly addicting track “I’m A Volcano” really gets my head bobbing. The energy and passion delivered by frontman Leandro Barrientos is undeniably contagious and every time I listen to the song I can’t stop myself from getting up and jumping around a bit. “I’m A Volcano” starts out with a delicious guitar lick that feels almost like feeding candy to my eardrums and when the vocals and drums drop in I am completely on a musical sugar high for the rest of the song. CASTLE PINES demonstrate very good control of subtle tempo changes throughout the track and their overall crisp and full sound serve as a great backbone to Barrientos’ distinctive wails of “I’m the best” and “let me go”. “I’m A Volcano” is one of many catchy songs off of the Corona band’s debut album “Bless This House” which was released in October of last year. It is a collection of music that is well worth a listen! - Through my Headphones- Good Music All the time

CD Review:
Favorite songs: Wretched Life, The Jetty
This is an album that I enjoyed very much. I happened to be listening to it on the day I got laid off from my job, and I found it to be a very mood enhancing album. It reminded me a lot of Interpol mixed with The Smiths, mixed with Pearl Jam or Smashing Pumpkins. It’s an album that one can sit back to and just relax to. There are a few different musical flavors to Summer Blood. First is the very alternative, almost grunge feel. And then there is Black Star Canyon which comes out of left field as being more of a jazzy, which almost doesn’t seem to fit the grand scheme of the album, but yet somehow manages to mesh nicely.
The overall recording of Summer Blood is exceptional. Vocals do not get buried in the mix and no one instrument seems to overpower the others.
The influx of emotions that I got from listening to the track Derailed was indescribable. It seemed to reflect exactly what I was feeling at the time, and songs that are able to do that are exceptional.
I highly recommend this album to anyone who likes alternative music. Even if you don't, you should check these guys out. They are amazingly talented, artistic, and unique. Summer Blood is an album loaded with songs that will help you feel good when you're feeling down. - Onyx Music Moment CD Review Corner

Following them was long-haired band Castle Pines. With Leandro Barrientos as lead vocalist, they labelled themselves as an indie band, but with their difficult-to-decipher lyrics and wall of sound generated in each song, they were more reminiscent of definitive ‘90s bands like Blink-182. - The Highlander; University of Riverside

Castle Pines have been around the California music scene for a few years now and with an explosive stage show that has built up their reputation, they're still hungry for that next new fan by way of their most recent offering. This album was released last year and will still garner new fans from the indie rock scene. "Derailed" opens things up with a catchy indie rock track that really pulsates tremendous energy and melody. The sound on the track sounds akin to Kings Of Leon. "Plastic Sky" takes the listener on a journey of a moody sound. The song draws comparisons to Arcade Fire but really stand out with its harsh emotion that boils over at times within. "Palm Springs" is a track that really is a nice driving on the highway in the summer track. It's bright, bold and an uplifting track. The track is comparable to Modest Mouse. "The Jetty" is a tad slower of a track and really explores the atmospheric side of the band. It still has a groovy melodic chorus and really adds layers of depth to the track. "Black Star Canyon" is an instrumental and it really is a good interlude to listen to. The track demonstrates awesome guitar work and makes for a nice break on the album. "Wretched Life" is a chaotic of a rock song. The song really takes things to a new level and it really stands out. "Summer Blood" is a track that will bring to mind the 90's funky summer rock. The Modest Mouse influence is once again on the track but the band still makes the track their own and it really is something to hear. "Anyway" is a love letter to their state of California. It's a rock heavy track as it would surely make the classic California bands admire what they hear. "1996" closes things out with an outstanding closer. It's a single worthy of a track and is a great way to end the album.

Verdict:
Castle Pines have the goods here that will bring the indie rock fans in droves. Indie rock hasn't heard something this fresh in quite some time. - From the Depths Entertainment

If you head eastbound on Interstate 10 just past Cabazon, they appear suddenly, the dozens of the white spikes of turbines spinning as the wind gusts through the gateway to the Coachella Valley.

That moment defines “Summer Blood,” the new release from Corona indie rockers Castle Pines.

“It’s a magical, mystical feeling,” said Castle Pines singer and guitarist Leandro Barrientos. “I wanted to capture that sonically.”

The quartet, which includes guitarist Nick Barrientos, bassist Jesse Briseno and drummer Sterling Fairfield, will celebrate the new release with a show at Rockefellas in Corona on Friday, June 27 with support from City of Thieves, Ghosts in Pocket and Paul.

“Summer Blood” is a desert soundtrack inspired by the Barrientos family’s trips to Palm Springs in the 1990s.

Leandro Barrientos described the album as “an ode to that lost childhood.”

The album is a natural progression from the band’s 2012 more conceptual release “Bless This House.” While most of the songs came together in the wake of the previous record, “Summer Blood” the title track has a longer history.

“The very first song we ever played live as a band was ‘Summer Blood,’” Leandro Barrientos said.

That was back in 2010, before Nick Barrientos had even joined the band. The members always liked the song, but it needed to percolate.

“We wanted it to be perfect,” Leandro Barrientos said.

The result is one of the standouts on an outstanding album, landing somewhere between a terrestrial Spacehog tune and the Pixies.

Additionally, the anthemic “Wretched Life” and the improvised instrumental interlude, “Black Star Canyon” are among the brightest spots on the disc.

It’s evident that the players of Castle Pines have become even better players and it lends an air of maturity to the release.

“We have concrete ideas,” Leandro Barrientos said.

As the band’s members have gotten older, Castle Pines has evolved into a conscious creative collective with “Summer Blood” earning a coveted spot on any summer driving playlist.

7 p.m. Friday, June 27, Rockefellas, 21700 Temescal Canyon Road, Corona, free, 21 and older only.

Visit facebook.com/CastlePinesMusic for more on the band.

Contact the writer: vfranko@pe.com or 951-368-9575 - Press-Enterprise

Castle Pines have been around the California music scene for a few years now and with an explosive stage show that has built up their reputation, they're still hungry for that next new fan by way of their most recent offering. This album was released last year and will still garner new fans from the indie rock scene. "Derailed" opens things up with a catchy indie rock track that really pulsates tremendous energy and melody. The sound on the track sounds akin to Kings Of Leon. "Plastic Sky" takes the listener on a journey of a moody sound. The song draws comparisons to Arcade Fire but really stand out with its harsh emotion that boils over at times within. "Palm Springs" is a track that really is a nice driving on the highway in the summer track. It's bright, bold and an uplifting track. The track is comparable to Modest Mouse. "The Jetty" is a tad slower of a track and really explores the atmospheric side of the band. It still has a groovy melodic chorus and really adds layers of depth to the track. "Black Star Canyon" is an instrumental and it really is a good interlude to listen to. The track demonstrates awesome guitar work and makes for a nice break on the album. "Wretched Life" is a chaotic of a rock song. The song really takes things to a new level and it really stands out. "Summer Blood" is a track that will bring to mind the 90's funky summer rock. The Modest Mouse influence is once again on the track but the band still makes the track their own and it really is something to hear. "Anyway" is a love letter to their state of California. It's a rock heavy track as it would surely make the classic California bands admire what they hear. "1996" closes things out with an outstanding closer. It's a single worthy of a track and is a great way to end the album.

Verdict:
Castle Pines have the goods here that will bring the indie rock fans in droves. Indie rock hasn't heard something this fresh in quite some time.

Posted in Castle Pines, Review, Rock - From the Depths Entertainment

X103.9 and Marquee 15 will be hosting P.O.D. and Alien Ant Farm concert Saturday, Sept 7 in Corona.

Since forming out of San Diego in 1992 P.O.D. has sold over 10 million albums in the past two decades including their triple platinum record Satellite in 2001.They have been known for several of their rock hits that resounded across radio stations including “Southtown,” “Alive” and “Youth of the Nation”. Eight albums later, the band still has a huge fan base and continues to tour venues across the U.S. including Corona’s own Marquee 15 [MAP].

Alien Ant Farm is an alternative rock band that formed out of Riverside in 1995 and become well-known globally for their 2001 cover of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal,” which was a #1 Single in Australia; a #1 on the United States Modern Rock charts; and a #3 single in the United Kingdom. Their following single “Movies” also became a top hit and led to their touring and promotion of their album which went platinum.

With these two big-name bands bolded in the Marquee 15 sign along the 15 freeway, the opportunity has also arisen for a local Corona band, Castle Pines, to play at the sell-out show.


Castle Pines, an indie-rock band based out of Corona, has gained an impressive following since delivering a fresh new burst of energy into the Corona music scene over the past few years. After playing coffee shop open mics, jamming in an abandoned house, and playing any venue in the Inland Empire that would allow them to plug in, this band has caught traction with teens and young adults in Corona.

“Our music is just another avenue for us to express what we go through in life,” said guitarist Nick Barrientos. “It’s our stress reliever and it’s fun. We make music for ourselves and we hope that people like what we’re making.”

It is clear people do like the music they’re putting out, with catchy hits including “I Saw You on the Radio,” and “I’m A Volcano,” which make it easy for fans to sing along local shows which are always energetic to say the least.

Everything about this band rings of their hometown, Corona; they are even named after a street here in town that two members, brothers Leandro and Nick Barrientos, grew up on.

“We love Corona and never want to lose sight of where we came from,” said Barrientos. “People here are the ones supporting us and pushing us to do things that we couldn't do without them.”

Tickets to hear POD, Alien Ant Farm, and our very own Castle Pines are on sale and this big name concert is expected to sell out, so get your tickets now. - INNER CIRCLE CORONA- BRITTANY LAUREN RITZI

On Friday, I started revealing my Local Favorites of 2012. If you want to see who I’ve reveal so far (all in random order, I don’t do rankings), click on the Local Favorites link.

Bless This House

Castle Pines
“Bless This House”

I’ve been intrigued by Castle Pines ever since the band showed up at my office a couple of years ago with a CD-R of live tracks. The Corona band is producing some great indie rock and “Bless This House” is one of the gems of 2012.

EP opener “I Saw You on the Radio” is my favorite. “Strange Disappearance” almost has a U2-esque guitar tone to it.

You can hear the whole thing over at the Castle Pines Soundcloud page. - THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE

Castle Pines out of Corona, CA has made its mark on the Inland Empire with their E.P. Bless This House, 2012, and their first full length album, Summer Blood, which dropped June 2014.

This alternative indie rock band has been described as “an ensemble of four hip guys serving up an easy-to-listen-to sound with a fresh attitude,” by the Inland Empire Weekly and “A fresh new burst of energy into the Corona music scene,” by the Inner Circle Corona.

Band members Jesse Briseno, bass; Leandro Barrientos, vocals/rhythm guitar; Nick Barrientos, lead guitar; and Sterling Fairfield, drums; deliver sounds that mimic the Pixies rawness mixed with a use of melodic motifs that bring chills and chants to their live audience shows. Influence by current bands like Delta Spirit, Arcade Fire and Dawes makes them a stand out performance among the local music scene.

“[Our music is] honest and raw; we’re not trying to put up a front,” said lead vocalist Leandro Barrientos. “We all grew up in a time when music was valued more so for its integrity rather than how many records it sold and we reflect that same attitude with the amount of passion we put into creating our songs.”

After launching with their 2012 E.P, Bless This House along with a series of local shows filled with crowd-rousing songs like “I saw you on the radio” Castle Pines has become a staple in Corona including landing a spot as resident band at Rockefellas Bar.

Being inspired by many local and mainstream artists that played at the Showcase Theatre, their hometown venue known all around the country for its unheard of crowd energy, until it’s unfortunate close in 2008, Castle Pines aims to bring that passion back to their hometown. They’ve attempted this the only way they know how: by writing and performing music that creates a lasting impression on the crowd and leaves them wanting more.

Despite their immense hometown pride, having being named after the street in Corona on which the band’s first songs were created, the band holds aspirations of reaching into further into the desert of the Inland Empire to make the bill at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. - The Indie Authority

MEMBERS: Jesse Briseño (bass), Nick Barrientos (lead guitar), Sterling Fairfield (drums) and Leandro Barrientos (vocals/rhythm guitar).CITY OF ORIGIN: Corona.
KINDRED SPIRITS: “Wilco, Radiohead, Arcade Fire, My Morning Jacket, Nirvana, The Wonders, Brand New.”

RECENT RELEASES: Bless This House, released in fall 2012.

WEBSITE: castlepinesmusic.com

FREQUENTS: The Wire (Upland), Back to the Grind (Riverside), The Lounge (Corona) and Fender Museum of Music and the Arts (Corona).


Photos-by-Jacob-Foust
May we introduce you to Castle Pines—an ensemble of four hip guys serving up an easy-to-listen-to sound with a fresh attitude. Deriving the band name from the street of the Barrientos brothers’ family home in Corona (which they sadly lost in 2008), it’s no surprise Castle Pines’ music speaks of inmost emotion. Leandro keeps your attention singing about the distant days of youth when things seemed simple, rocking a recognizable lyrical influence that breathes Arcade Fire. Although Castle Pines faced tragedy in their younger years, the band harbors substantial dreams of the future, sharing a vision of playing Coachella—and they may have a shot one day, Bless This House certainly fits the bill.

How do you describe your music?

Leandra Barrientos: A mixture of raw angst and ideas filtered through the individual playing each instrument. Our writing process is a conglomeration of opinion and more-so emotion that climaxes in our sound. Sometimes we don’t know where it comes from but we just go with it.

Tell me more about your songwriting process.

Barrientos: We usually come to a practice session as a full band . . . The band works together to create something new.

How did you come up with the name of your EP?

Barrientos: The first thing most people do [when] they move into a new home is ask their certain higher power or god to “bless this house.”

How would you describe Bless This House?

Barrientos: It took the band a solid year to finalize the concept of the album, but the whole album was recorded over two days [with] around 16 hours of studio work. The album is dynamic in its scope; it takes listeners through the journey of coming of age and losing identity at the same time of questioning certain patterns of their own reality . . . “I Saw You on the Radio” is a paradox of reality in the confusion of senses, but it deals with the loss of friendship and eventual freedom through the knowledge of knowing that [the] world is still turning. (Jamie Solis)

Castle Pines at The Wire Art and Music Venue, 247 N. 2nd Ave., Upland, (909) 985-9466; thewire247.com. Fri, Feb.8. 7pm. $10. - INLAND EMPIRE WEEKLY

Just announced: Local Corona based indie rock band Castle Pines scores residency at Rockefellas Bar in Corona!

Growing up in the hot, suburban town of Corona, there was a limited amount of entertainment and inspiration available to the youth. Like many adolescence and young adults, the one thing they could always find in common with one another was the joy in music(of course). Regardless to your age, friends, or group you associated with, your musical tastes have admittedly change throughout the years. The same happened with the local music scene. Most of the Corona guys and gals in their mid-20s can remember the good ole’ Showcase(683) days where every evolving genre including punk, hardcore, screamo, metal, and on got to show it’s light. Since the rising disappearance of hardcore, a powerful influx of alternative and indie bands flooded the local stages including one we’re here to discuss, Castle Pines.

In Corona, the small town in an empire so inland, Orange County considers us the “desert”, rise Castle Pines, a dedicated four piece band that draws from both the heart, and the soul of what local music is all about. Despite CP’s three past shows at Rockefellas, they have performed at a handful of local joints including The Lounge, M15 Concert Theater, Maya’s Cafe, house shows, and a variety of churches. Thanks to their dedication and hardwork, Castle Pines has gained house residency to every other Thursday night at Rockefellas bar in Corona.

You can catch CP’s first residency show on Thursday, March 27th along side with the band “Film Speed” & “The Elemenohs”. Thursday night’s with CP will be free of charge and as always, 21 & over. - Rockefellas

Corona's Castle Pines has a big show at The Wire in Upland this weekend.
The indie rock band is recording its set tonight.
The band has promised "visual magic," which includes fun with fog, lights and shadows, as well as its stellar rock tunes.
Sunset Pilgrims, a five-piece band from Riverside, also is on the bill.
7 p.m. today, The Wire, 247 N. Second Ave., Upland, $10, all ages.
Visit www.castlepinesmusic.com to hear music from the band and www.thewire247.com for more on the show. - THE PRESS ENTERPRISE

Corona’s Castle Pines is one of those bands you can tell are on the verge of breaking into something big. The group’s debut EP, “Bless This House,” was one of my favorites of 2012.
The band is playing Friday, April 12 at The Lounge in Corona with City of Thieves, My Son the Birdman and Sayonara Tokyo. 9 p.m. Friday, April 12, The Lounge, 1125 W. Sixth Street, Corona, free 21 and older only. - THE PRESS ENTERPRISE

When you think of the name Castle Pines, you wouldn’t think of some tree-hugging, snake wrestling, flip-flop wearing, thugged out dudes sitting in a cramped apartment space writing hits about being crushed by the harsh realities of life, would you? That is Castle Pines; an ultra-diverse group of individuals based out of Corona, CA. Castle Pines shares a long history in the Corona music scene and is proud of it. Named after a street in their hometown, Castle Pines explain themselves as, “Individuals that fell through the cracks of suburbia…” It was through struggle and friendship that Castle Pines came to be. Originated by singer, Leandro Barrientos and drummer Sterling Fairfield, they began playing small coffee shops in the Inland Empire as an acoustic act. They then found groove-man Jesse Briseno to play bass. And through much effort, CP became complete with the addition of Leandro’s brother, Nick Barrientos on lead guitar. Within a year, Castle Pines was at the forefront of the IE music scene being recognized for their efforts by other bands, fans, and local press. With hit songs like I’m A Volcano and I Saw You On The Radio, it’s easy for the crowd to sing a long at shows. Their style on stage is almost comparable to the grunge scene of the early 90’s. Passionate, angry, and loving at the same time. CP has been working hard on crafting their favourite songs for the better half of the year and have finally finished their debut EP titled, ‘Bless This House.’ They released their single, ‘Strange Disappearance’ on Tuesday, August 28th for free on multiple music streaming sites. The song is full of fat Motown bass groove with punchy RATM-esque drums layered by lyrics and guitar that are comparable to a clash of Kings of Leon and Arcade Fire. Castle Pines seems to know what they are doing and are very happy to be where they are. “What we do is bigger than us,” says singer, Leandro. He describes CP’s music live as a mutual feeling between the band and the audience, “…it’s a way of releasing your angst.”

To stay up to date with Castle Pines follow them on:

https://www.facebook.com/CastlePinesMusic

http://twitter.com/cpporvida

To download the new song, ‘Strange Disappearance’ follow this link, its free:

http://cpporvida.bandcamp.com/track/strange-disappearance - ELECTRIC VOICE- STEEN KEVETT

I absolutely love coming across a song that instantly gets me dancing in my seat. And for those who know me personally that is a very big feat (haha…no rhyme intended!). A few days ago I was introduced to the Californian band CASTLE PINES and their highly addicting track “I’m A Volcano” really gets my head bobbing. The energy and passion delivered by frontman Leandro Barrientos is undeniably contagious and every time I listen to the song I can’t stop myself from getting up and jumping around a bit. “I’m A Volcano” starts out with a delicious guitar lick that feels almost like feeding candy to my eardrums and when the vocals and drums drop in I am completely on a musical sugar high for the rest of the song. CASTLE PINES demonstrate very good control of subtle tempo changes throughout the track and their overall crisp and full sound serve as a great backbone to Barrientos’ distinctive wails of “I’m the best” and “let me go”. “I’m A Volcano” is one of many catchy songs off of the Corona band’s debut album “Bless This House” which was released in October of last year. It is a collection of music that is well worth a listen - Through my Headphones

July 7, 2014 by The Dirt Factory

If you live in Corona, Calif. – the southern most edge of Southern California’s Inland Empire – chances are you know Castle Pines frontman Leandro Barrientos. Or at the very least, you know someone who does.

Barrientos, who named the band after his neighborhood street, does it all – musician, songwriter, promoter. Not because he’s a megalomaniac hell-bent on dictatorial control, but because he understands the reality of independent music today: do it yourself because no one else will.

Nowhere was this more evident than Castle Pines’ CD release show for Summer Blood at Rockefellas in Corona last month.

As we chat before the release party, Barrientos dutifully untangles a string of Christmas lights destined for several merch tables on the now-closed outdoor stage (numerous complaints from a woman at a nearby trailer park forced Rockefellas management to mothball outdoor music acts). Meanwhile, Barrientos’ girlfriend, Madison Chinn, along with several friends, arranges t-shirts and stickers around a tres leche cake adorned with the band’s CD cover art.

Until showtime, Barrientos shakes hands, exchanges hugs, talks to friends old and new. If someone didn’t know any better, he could be running for mayor. And it makes sense. You want Barrientos on your team. Friendly, but never fake, he thinks local, buys local and promotes local. Need band tee shirts? Use the neighborhood shop. Need cover art? Find a local artist. Putting together a show? Plug in local bands.

While the band’s love of Corona is well chronicled, Castle Pines’ ultimate destination lies 70 miles east down Interstate 10: Coachella. Having recently finished a month-long residency at Rockefellas, a string of shows throughout Southern California and finishing Summer Blood, Castle Pines’ hard work is paying dividends. Summer Blood charted briefly at number 44 on iTunes indie charts a week after its release.

Along with his brother and lead guitarist Nick Barrientos, long-time friend and drummer Sterling Fairfield and bassist Jesse Briseno, Castle Pines churn out infectious melodies and anthemic sing-alongs with frightening facility.

Barrientos took some time from a well deserved vacation this week to discuss popping musical cherries, existentialist fry cooks, the concept of “making it,” and of course, their first full-length CD, Summer Blood.

Q: Summer Blood was inspired by family trips to Palm Springs when you were a child. What music did you listen to on those trips and how did it influence this album?

Up until Nick and I were about 12-years-old, we were on a heavy rotation of cheesy 90s pop-Christian music and the occasional classic “golden-oldies” stations. I remember vividly the first trip to Palm Springs that my brother brought a burned copy of a Nirvana CD. He snagged this beat-up looking silver disc from a friend at school and stashed it along with the many other burned CDs we had. This was the late 90s, so CD burning was the biggest craze. My dad would take my brother, mom and I to Palm Springs once a year. He worked for a major potato chip manufacturer and he was always in the running to win an award at their annual banquet gala kind of thing. It was always bullshit because he never won anything, but my brother and I were free to roam around Palm Springs and eat any kind of junk food we could get our hands.

Palm Springs was special to us because on that trip – the “Nirvana” trip – I remember me and my brother swimming all day and then heading back to the hotel room and listening to the entire Nirvana CD in the dark, over and over again. He had one headphone and I had the other. It popped our little music cherries.

Q: You played your first out-of-state show in March. Flagstaff, Arizona, to be exact. How would you contrast that with playing in Southern California?

It’s funny. We have been playing shows in Southern California for years, and although I love it here, it has been a battle to wake up the concertgoers out here. There are pockets of really great and thriving music scenes throughout Southern California and they are awesome and gritty and grass-roots. But all these other cities tend to be the popularity contest that got us into music in the first place. We LOVE our fans, I try and be as personable and interactive with all of them because they make me the performer I am. And they give us the energy that makes us thrive off of them. But Southern California can be notorious for apathy when it comes to music, and unless it’s on the radio or on a commercial, or their favorite song is by “that” band, then the crowd can be overwhelmingly disinterested.

Flagstaff was an interesting experience, besides the artistic liberties that tour entail, partying etc., we found a group of individuals that were genuinely curious about music. There were people coming in just to see who was playing. They had never heard of Corona, or Castle Pines, or any of that crap. They were just there for the music. I think Flagstaff is a beautiful city and amazing place to play.

The memories are definitely of being on the road and bonding with Sterling, Jesse and Nick and sharing some amazing moments with our brother band Ghosts in Pocket.

Q: Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe everyone in Castle Pines did time in metal bands at one point or another. How does that inform what you do now?

Nick and Sterling were the only two that were in “metal” bands. Jesse has gigged in everything from emo to scream to space-rock. I started off playing punk and then I realized my fingers weren’t as quick as I’d like them to be. The metal influence is definitely present, moreso the hardcore influence. You have to remember, we were all in high school before Myspace and iPhones and Facebook and social media, so the only time we could see our friends, if we had any, was at a show. Nick and Sterling played in a hardcore metal band called Elohim, and they definitely took a lot of the old-school hardcore mentality into our approach as an indie band.

When people ask me what kind of music Castle Pines is I am always reluctant to give a genre. Indie nowadays sounds like reject-Disney Channel songs with heavy drums and synthesizers and/or banjos. Originally indie meant “independent,” so when I say we are an “indie” band it means we run our own show. We don’t rely on a label or a manager, or anyone else but our core group to promote and publish our music. So as far as bringing the “hardcore” mentality into the music we are currently performing, I think it is reflective on how we approach it. We are grittier than the average indie band, but we can still sound pretty when we want to.

Q: The Southern California music scene is notoriously self-involved. Bands routinely play sets, pack up and leave. What do you think breeds this mentality and does it need fixing?

One word: media. Kids pick up a guitar for many different reasons. They are forced to by their parents, they are lonely and have no friends. Whatever it may be. Commercialization of such a simple thing is a multi-billion dollar industry and it puts these little eggs in the ears of all these kids. These eggs hatch and make them think that just because they can play the guitar, or sing beautifully that they are better than other people. Horseshit.

I have seen so many bands come and go. Good bands, bad bands, everything in between. What stands out as an audience member, as someone in the crowd, is how much they connect to other people. And that means sticking around and personally connecting to the people at the show. I don’t know what to tell these people, with their egos and inflated pride and personal agendas, but all I can do is stay humble, stay friendly and give a damn about the other musicians scrounging to make a dime in this fucked up industry.

Q: Castle Pines embodies music’s post-label, DIY ethos. What advice do you have for teenagers writing music in their garages who want to roll out their equipment in hopes of “making it?”

You are never gonna make it. If you ever feel like you made it, if you sold one million albums and you are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, you still never make it. You make yourself. “Making it” entails an artist filling in another party’s agenda, usually for their own gain. You should always feel like there is something left to do, that it’s never perfect. Being content with “making it” means that you are okay to just meet “their” standards. To hell with their standards and to hell with this tired American dream rock-star crap that we are feeding all the kids that walk into a Guitar Center.

We are musicians, yes. But we have to make music to make a living. Like a fry-cook at a restaurant on a busy night, does he think he made it? All he wanted was to be a cook his entire life and now he’s 15 orders deep during the dinner rush and he has this frightening moment of existentialism: ”Did I make it?”

No matter what your calling is, if it’s music, or film, or frying food at a restaurant, figure out a way to communicate through your job. Make the work speak for you, and not the other way around. Be the best damn fry cook the music industry has ever seen.

Stay focused and stay humble. There are a TON of outlets for musicians to get out there. If you are trying to make it rich and live like a rockstar, then this is not the right business for you. It’s a poor-man’s industry. You got to pay your dues before you sing the blues.

Q: Recording is a tedious process and every project is its own organism. What were some of the more imposing obstacles when recording Summer Blood and what will you do differently, if anything, next time around?

Summer Blood was an arduous and amazing process. The only thing I would change is work schedules. Every member of Castle Pines works full-time apart from the band. So this balancing act of figuring out the right times to make a weekend out of a recording session was tedious and very mundane at times. It was hard. Luckily, we had an amazing sound engineer and producer who worked diligently and laboriously for us. Matt Faulkner – if it weren’t for that saint of a man and his hard work, we probably wouldn’t be doing this interview right now.

Any album we do from now on is gonna be done like this: Wham. Bam. Thank you, ma’am.

Q: Let’s pretend that you could go back in time and give six words of advice to the 16-year-old Leandro about life, music and love. How does that message read?

If I told the 16-year-old me a quarter of the shit I have been through in the last 10 years, he’d probably develop severe depression and never leave his room.

I would tell that little guy to be patient, be happy no matter what, and to not take shit from people just to make them happy.

And then I would tell him to get voice lessons and to practice his scales. And then I would tell him to hang on tight.

Castle Pines’ music is available at http://castlepinesmusic.com/.

Castle Pines joins Ghosts in Pocket, up and coming High Desert indie band Foxhunt and The Ghostmen this Friday night, July 11 at Frogees Cocktail Lounge in Apple Valley, CA. Showtime is 8 p.m. - Dirt Factory

Angry and afraid, the protagonist of the song proclaims “radio” as a debunk form of communication. The “Radio” is an empty void and the images imagined are prolifically dead. Castle Pines is a four-piece alt-rock group from Corona, CA. Members include Leandro Barrientos (vocalist), Ricky Garvey (lead guitarist), Sterling Fairfield (percussionist) and Jesse Briseno (bassist). Crafting songs that are authentic and catchy, yet musically complex and profound, Castle Pines reflects the generation of alternative. Forming the band out of the angst of losing his families home in the 2008 housing market crash, Leandro Barrientos and Sterling Fairfield decided on writing music to create a new home. Castle Pines Way, the street where the now-homeless Leandro used to live, became the name of the band and the fuel that pushed the music. Having all met while living at the “Castle Pines” house and picking up their respective instruments there, they formed the band as remembrance and tribute to a time that had already passed them. The band writes partly based off of their influences; growing up in Corona, CA they were exposed to punk, hardcore, metal, thrash, emo and everything in between at the now-defunct Showcase Theater. Growing up getting black eyes in the pit and experiencing the raw force of live, aggressive music, the band channeled these experiences into their own tunes and songwriting. They have been busy working on building up their local hometown scene by supporting other bands in the area and playing hundreds of shows over the last four years. They maintain an active presence in their music and arts community of the Inland Empire, having been a part of local music festivals and benefit shows, as well as charity; the band performed at the #BeerforSB Benefit Show 2015, raising over $100,000 in funds for the victims of the San Bernardino Shooting. - The Sirens Sound

Heralding from the small nook of a city, Corona, California is the 4 piece rock outfit Castle Pines. Known in their local and surrounding areas for their electrifying and emotional live performances, the band is well versed in passionately conveying a spectrum of emotions through the medium of their music.

Crafting songs that are relatable and catchy, yet musically complex and profound, Castle Pines reflects the generation of Rock and alternative that they were raised in the 90’s. - Middle Tennessee Music

Corona, CA – Four-piece Castle Pines shares their new track “Hollow Cause”, a classic indie rock track. The track quickly dives in with heavy drums and melodic guitar chords. Lead vocalist Leonardo has the perfect set of mellow vocals to match the gentle groove of the song. Just under five minutes, “Hollow Cause” has the makings of the perfect indie rock track with its smooth bridges and intense ending. The shrilly ending is quite different from indie rock tracks that just reiterate a verse so it’s definitely a track worth sticking until the end. - Abduction Radiation