JORDAN MCLAUGHLIN. Hi, this is Social Asteroid, and I'm here with a young gentleman that I just met. What's your name?
BRANDON RAINER. My name's Brandon Rainer.
JORDAN. Okay, how old are you?
BRANDON. I'm twenty-seven years old.
JORDAN. Okay, and where are you from?
BRANDON. I'm orginally from Stoughton, Massachusetts.
JORDAN. Cool.
A young lady walks up and places a full pack of cigarettes on the table in front of us.
BRANDON. I owe you! Thank you.
JORDAN. That was a young lady that just came over with a full pack of cigarettes right there.
BRANDON. Yeah, yeah; I told her I didn't want to go on a walk to the Shell station, but she got them for me. That was real nice of her.
JORDAN. Did you meet her tonight?
BRANDON. Yes. Yup.
JORDAN. Where'd you meet her?
BRANDON. At the show, actually. She's friends with this guy – I don't know if you know [name redacted].
JORDAN. Oh, yeah, I know him.
BRANDON. Yeah, he's a good friend of ours, so that's how we got the show tonight, and got to meet all these nice people.
JORDAN. Cool.
BRANDON. Including yourself.
JORDAN. Thank you.
JORDAN. Alright: what's your favorite movie?
BRANDON. My favorite movie? Uh, well, it's hard to pick a favorite, but I guess the – if I'm judging favorite by the most times I've seen a movie, it would definitely – it would probably have to be either Goodfellas or Happy Gilmore.
JORDAN. Alright.
BRANDON. I like both of those movies; I think they're both just as much comedies as the other, even though they're different, obviously – like, you know, one's very violent, the other's kind of goofy, but they both have a comedic core to them that I enjoy.
JORDAN. What do you think the comedic core is to Goodfellas?
BRANDON. I think people laugh – laughter is kind of – to me I get a bigger laugh out of things that are tragic. You know, I think there's nothing you can do but laugh at seeing some of those situations that are really horrifying if they were, you know, in real life, but seeing them on the screen is, uh, you know – takes you away from it a little bit, and it becomes funny. I dunno.
JORDAN. Hey, I'm the same way.
BRANDON. Yeah.
JORDAN. If you were stranded on a desert island with one record, what would it be?
BRANDON. It would have to be um, um – is that the one I, did I check that one?
JORDAN. Yeah you did!
BRANDON. (laughs) That's funny I checked that one.
JORDAN. This is assuming you have equipment to listen to it on, by the way.
BRANDON. Oh okay. Alright, that's a good stipulation. And batteries, or is it?
JORDAN. Yeah, yeah. Well, let's assume those things aren't really a problem.
BRANDON. Okay, okay. If those weren't a problem, it would have to be Bob Dylan's bootleg series, live '66.
JORDAN. Why's that?
BRANDON. Well, because it really has everything that I like about music in it. It's a two CD set, one's an acoustic set, and then the other is electric with, like, you know, the band. And it's very poetic, and, you know, the first disc really kind of mellows you out and I fall asleep to it all the time – I used to fall asleep to it for years – and it captured a lot of memories for me, so, you know, that's why you listen to music. It captures memories and it's almost like a timeline for your life. So, you know, I'd probably sit on that island and listen to that record and think of driving, love, sleeping on floors, and hot fudge sundaes.
JORDAN. So, you're in a band.
BRANDON. Yep.
JORDAN. What's your band called?
BRANDON. The River City Rebels.
JORDAN. Do you think that Bob Dylan has influenced your guys' music?
BRANDON. Yes. Tremendously. But it took a while. I mean, obviously, he's kind of a person that you can't really fully enjoy until you've lived a little bit of life and – even though he was really young when he wrote most of that stuff at that time, but I dunno. For me, I didn't really get into him until I was older and – it's almost like your reward for losing a love or having heartache is being able to appreciate music and art even more. I was, you know – you lose love and you gain musical appreciation, so I think that's kind of what happened with Dylan and then obviously that affects the lyrics of the band, and it goes from there I guess.
JORDAN. How long you guys been together?
BRANDON. I've been playing in the band for almost nine years. Coming up on nine years. The singer, Dan, and myself, have been the two constants in the band and we've had a lot of members come and go, but we've always kept it together.
JORDAN. Alright. Moving to something completely different –
BRANDON. And now for something completely different.
JORDAN. Yes, pretty much.
JORDAN. Do you put more trust in science or faith?
BRANDON. Science.
JORDAN. Alright, why's that?
BRANDON. Is it fair to say I put more faith in science?
JORDAN. Let's – which one do you trust more, let's put it that way.
BRANDON. I trust science. I think it's a tougher pill to swallow, but I think you have to look at things, you know – I dunno, for me, that's how I see it. I think there's a lot of – I dunno, faith is kind of, I guess, a bit vague. Because I have faith in things – you know, I have a lot of faith in things without – I guess faith is believing something without absolute truth? I dunno, I guess I really don't – it's vague.
JORDAN. You're right, it's a pretty vague question.
BRANDON. No, no, the question isn't vague, just the word is vague. You know, I think, it's tough – because when you think faith you think God – the question seems like "Are you religious or not?"
JORDAN. Yeah. That's more what I was trying to drive at with the question. I mean, I'm just asking, "Do you consider yourself a religious person, and if so, why?"
BRANDON. Well, I think Eugene O'Neill said, "Once a Catholic, always a Catholic." I don't know, I guess my parents are, or my mom is. Grew up going to church, had first communion and all that stuff. But I never really – it wasn't something I was interested in. I think you just live the best you can and that's what I do. Kind of set your own – you know, people – you know what's right and wrong. I just think people – maybe it's naive but I think people know what's right and what's not right and that's what you do, and that's that.
Papers on which the interview questions are printed begin to fly away with the wind, but Brandon catches them and hands them back to Jordan.
JORDAN. So, I've met a lot of people that consider themselves Catholics even though they really don't profess any of the Catholic beliefs anymore.
BRANDON. Right.
JORDAN. I mean, would you consider yourself in that category, because I've also met a lot of Catholics who don't like Catholicism at all.
BRANDON. Right. Well, I guess I don't know enough about the history of it to really say one way or the other. You know, it's like, a lot of people like to label themselves because it makes it easier to get closer with people, but I don't really label myself as Catholic. But, I dunno.
JORDAN. What do you find most rewarding about your job?
BRANDON. Well ...
JORDAN. What is your job, first, I suppose.
BRANDON. Well, I guess – it's hard to say because jobs are usually connected with salary and pay, you know, paychecks. I've done a lot of odd jobs over the years to help me with the job I want to do which doesn't pay, which is music. I've washed dishes and stuff – I washed dishes for six months in New Hampshire when I was there, because that's where we live now. The most rewarding part is, for me, because I feel like I'm an outsider there, so I can kind of observe people from a distance almost and meet new people, people that I would never meet any other way – because most of the people in the dish room there are just getting out of jail, pretty much, and I have a college degree, so it's fun to meet new people. When you have a task to do with somebody and you're that close, you can't help but get close to them. Just meeting new people that I wouldn't – because I'm pretty introverted and – well, I guess I'm not introverted but I'm – what's the word? a shut-in? I dunno. I don't really like to go out, I just like to just play music by myself. But it kind of forces me to meet new people and that's what I like about it. Meeting people I guess.
JORDAN. Yeah, I'm the same way.
BRANDON. Stories, you know? Stories that people tell you that you can tell people. And you know, that's what it's all about, right?
JORDAN. Have you ever had a really bad boss?
BRANDON. Um – no. No.
JORDAN. Wow.
BRANDON. All my bosses have been cool because of the fact that I don't, and I think they know, that I have all the leverage because these jobs that I get are pretty low on the food chain, it's not like I'm trying to climb a ladder and the boss is trying to get in my way. I don't try to do that, so, I get along great with them.
JORDAN. What do you think about the outcome of the last presidential election?
BRANDON. It's hard to say. Time will tell. I think it's pretty – I wouldn't – I didn't vote, you know. Two years ago, I thought McCain was gonna win, even before he was the Republican presidential nominee. I think I was shocked to see the Democrats have a campaign strategy and stick it out. And also, they got lucky – well, no, I wouldn't call the financial crisis lucky, but they – it played a big role in it because that was their topic from day one and then that happened, and McCain was jumping around and picked a horrible running mate, and I think it's cool. And even – I dunno, I think it's cool. I think it's cool that – I like him.
JORDAN. What did you do election night?
BRANDON. We were actually playing a show – we were on the road and we were playing in Salt Lake City, Utah. And we played a bar, and there was nobody there, and there was a really bad band that played before us, and on the TV in the bar was him giving his speech in Chicago and all, you know. Because we were driving to the show and we were looking for NPR and it seemed like it was almost over before we got to the club; it was over early. You know, first, I think it was Pennsylvania, and then Ohio, it was called, and it was like “Wow.” I couldn't believe it. And it was snowing, too, in Salt Lake City. It was a pretty memorable night, I think. The streets were deserted, it was kind of a bad part of town, and it was a little surreal, I don't know. I felt hopeful for the country, I guess.
JORDAN. I heard Salt Lake City went for Obama – the county.
BRANDON. They did – no, no, no, Utah was ...
JORDAN. Yeah, Utah was red, but ...
BRANDON. Yep.
JORDAN. Salt Like City went for Obama.
BRANDON. Oh okay, did they? Alright.
JORDAN. Which I thought was interesting.
BRANDON. Yeah, yeah, that is kind of interesting. And that was cool too because the money that was generated from the private fundraising and stuff; they had so much money they could go into these red states and throw money in and turn a few of them where the Republicans had to play defense in those states and couldn't work on any blue states, and they put all their chips on Pennsylvania and didn't get it, and that was that. It was pretty cool. I'm excited.
JORDAN. More broadly, what do you think about the United States of America?
BRANDON. Ah!
JORDAN. What do you like most about it, and what do you like the least?
BRANDON. It's hard because I don't have a lot of perspective because this is where I was born and raised. I've been to Canada, but I don't think that really counts.
JORDAN. I mean, you can still have opinions on it.
BRANDON. You can, no, no, no, I know. But just as a disclaimer, you know? But – I think people are really overworked here. I think everybody I know, everybody I love and care for in this world, seems to be at a job that pays horribly, works you – just grinds at you, and it's tough to see. You really – but there is opportunity, you just have to go on your own and you really – as long as you're not worried about your credit, and you can live without being a homeowner and be okay with that, then you're gonna be alright. You know, if you're like – if you're on the bottom, and you're crafty enough, you can get by alright. And, I don't know; I guess it's better than a lot of places in the world to live, but that's no – I mean, I don't take much comfort in that. I think it should be better, but I don't really know how I guess. Mixed feelings about it. I mean, I like it, but a lot of the time I think I'd like to move somewhere else – I can see myself living in another country, later in life. I don't feel any loyalty to it, I guess.
JORDAN. So would you say that the thing you like about it the least, which is the fact that we're so overworked, is connected to the thing that I guess I heard you say that you like about it the best, the fact that we can all sort of come and achieve what we need or want to do with our lives?
BRANDON. Yeah, I mean it really does – it's survival of the fittest, you know. It's like, if you're gonna – you really have to work hard to get out and make your own way of it, and it's not going to be profitable usually, but. You have to – if you're able to – I think communal living is vital. Not just family – family's important – but if you can find people with common goals, and live with them, like I do, and keep cost of living down, and not be caught up in buying a lot of stuff, you're alright. But then all these new things like cell phones, all these things are almost seen as key. Those [garbled], you know? It gets expensive, I don't care what plane you're on – people are paying over fifty, sixty dollars a month for it – that's like a day's work, for most people.
JORDAN. So, do you live on the road, or?
BRANDON. Yeah. Now. Right now, yeah. But my life's set up to go on the road anytime. That's why I get jobs that I can come and go. Yeah.
JORDAN. Um. What do you like about being a man?
BRANDON. (long pause) I don't know. There's a lot of things I don't like about being a man, but ...
JORDAN. Yeah, that's fine.
BRANDON. But you just make your own – do with it what you can.
A tall, blond man walks up to the table.
MAN. Still going?
BRANDON. Yeah. I like this man right here, very much.
Brandon points to Jordan.
(laughter)
MAN. Whenever you're done here, I think we're going back to the house, check on the noodle situation, hang out for a few, come back in a bit.
BRANDON. Alright, cool.
JORDAN. I think we're almost done anyway.
BRANDON. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
MAN. No rush, just whenever you guys are done.
Man leaves.
BRANDON. I like – I dunno.
JORDAN. What don't you like –
BRANDON. I like sex. I like sex with women.
Jordan laughs.
JORDAN. As do I.
BRANDON. I like that. I like the equipment to take care of something like that.
Both laugh.
JORDAN. Alright. If you could change your gender, would you?
BRANDON. No.
JORDAN. No?
BRANDON. Naw. I like – I wouldn't change anything about myself. Gender included.
JORDAN. Okay.
JORDAN. What was the last book you read that really affected you?
BRANDON. Actually, we were – I didn't read it, but it was an audiobook that we got for the road, called The Road. It was Cormac McCarthy, who did No Country For Old Men and The Road, and – whew – it was really well done, I was like, by the end of it I was a little, I was definitely choked up, you know? It was just a really good book.
JORDAN. Why do you think you liked it so much?
BRANDON. Because I guess I can relate to – well, the whole book was kind of like they had this goal, which was to get to the ocean, and they – when you have a goal like that, it keeps you going. That's what life's all about, you set these short-term goals, and don't worry about the long-term goals, and don't worry about the long-term goals, you just keep setting short-term goals. And there's actually a point in the book – and this is about a father and son's journey, it's like a post-apocalyptic where everything's burning and we're already burnt and there's only a few, not very many people left. You know, it's this father and son traveling, and at one point the kid's like, “What are our long-term goals?” and the dad laughs and is like, “Well, where'd you hear that?” and kind of dismissed it. But the reality is, they really didn't have any, it was all just short-term goals: getting food for the day, doing this, and just focusing in on that, and not letting the situation, the general situation of the world, overwhelm you. Just keep plowing at it. And then they got to the ocean – I won't give away the end, but they get there and then the goals run out, and then it's like – the last quarter of the book is this going in circles, kind of downward spirals, and – I don't know. I liked it.
JORDAN. You might get asked this question a lot, but I see you have tattoos on your hands. Would you mind describing them?
BRANDON. Well, “rebels” is on my knuckles – you know, my band, River City Rebels is my band –
Brandon rolls up sleeve to his wrist.
BRANDON. This is an olive branch with the sun – it's kind of poorly done, but this is from actually another book I read called Ishmael that I really liked, and it affected me pretty – you know. But that has to do with religion and faith, too, about how the Bible is not just this mystical, mythical thing, but an actual interpretation of a part of history, and kind of went into it that way and analyzed it, and I've never really thought of it that way before. I don't know, and I have other ones from various – various places in the w– you know, they kind of all like – the last one I actually got was a Paranoid Android cartoon character there, from the Radiohead video. And the kid that did this actually died just recently, and so, I don't know. But it's a good way to remember him, and, I don't know. There's all sorts of stories that go with it.
JORDAN. Did you know him well?
BRANDON. Yeah! We knew him well, we knew him for a couple years, he was a fan of the band, when we moved to Seattle he was there, and – yeah, he kind of got into drugs and all that kind of stuff and it was kind of sad but that's how it goes. But at least – that's the thing about art. You know, you want to leave your mark in this world, somehow, in some way, and that's what he did, and that's what I try to do with playing music. And I hope I've left my mark with you.
JORDAN. Absolutely!
BRANDON. Period.
JORDAN. I think that's a good place to end the interview. Thank you very much!
BRANDON. That's a cool project ...
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