A Chat with BODAGGIT (27.05.25)
Self-described to “keep on rocking in the free world and shred ‘til you’re dead”, US-based band BODAGGIT can win your heart with mosh-pit madness, whether at an energetic live show or blasting through your speakers. BODAGGIT took the time to speak with us about their new album, Chemical Solution for a Spiritual Problem, diverse music styles, future plans, and much more.
OSR: How did BODAGGIT come about, and what made you pursue a career in music?
BODAGGIT: I got my first guitar when I was in the 3rd grade. I wish I would have taken to it sooner. My dumb ass thought I had a chance to make it to the NFL, then the NBA, so I was focused on sports until I was probably in 8th grade. After I got cut from the EJ Hayes basketball team in 7th and 8th grade, I figured I’d give music more of a fair shot. Me, my brother Zacc, and our uncle Casey (he’s only a few years older than me) lived together and had a sort of System of a Down cover band. I played the bass and sang. This was the first real musical experience I got, and I fell in love. My style has changed a lot over the years, but my love for songwriting and performing now far outweighs my love of playing basketball.
This project started in early 2022 after I spent much of the pandemic churning out a bunch of new song ideas. It was around that time that I started really experimenting with GarageBand and (very poorly) trying to use some mixing techniques that I had done a bit of research on. I had the iRig that Steve Lacy used and thought, “well hell, he makes it look pretty easy, and his stuff sounds pretty good. I should give it a try too.” I don’t know how he did it, because the stuff I was doing sounded real bad, but I’m happy for that time period though. I started writing stuff with more guitar harmonies, the thing that I think kind of sets us apart a bit. It allowed me to really cut my teeth on the whole songwriting and basic production thing and there are a handful of songs from this period that have been released and hopefully, a few more that might come out soon.
I had one iteration of this project where I was doing all the writing and recording pretty much 100% alone and I played probably three shows with a few of my buddies, but it was hard to get everyone to learn the songs and all that so I gave this up for a while because I had another band that I was touring with called Skunch. After that band broke up in early 2024, Jeremiah at Transcendental Revolution Recording Co. here in Lexington, KY hit me up asking if I had anything I wanted to put out. I was at a super low point and needed something to work towards again, so I said yes. After being dormant for about two years, I decided to really start this project up again and we’ve been fortunate to put out two albums since last July. Playing with these guys (Evan Ray on drums and studio production, Brad Wilburn on bass, and Jordan Napier on lead guitar) has been the most fun I’ve had playing music in a long time.
OSR: It’s a bit of an odd name, so what inspired the name of your band?
BODAGGIT: The name is actually from a scene in Napoleon Dynamite. I’d definitely put it on my Mount Rushmore of favorite movies. It’s from the scene where Napoleon throws the grapefruit at Uncle Rico’s van for throwing those “Bust Must Plus” flyers all over school. He tackles Napoleon and says something like “You’re gonna clean that crap off my van, Napoleon.” Then he responds by saying “Get off me, you Bodaggit!” and elbows Rico and runs away. It always killed me as a kid, and I thought it would make a cool name for a band. Then I thought it would be cool to do the all caps things and it became BODAGGIT.
OSR: What does music mean to you?
BODAGGIT: Music means just about everything to me. I can’t imagine going even a few days without doing something music-related, whether that be writing, recording, gigging, booking, etc. I just love it too much to give it up, even though things can be challenging and demanding with it at times. There aren’t too many things that can bring people together and heighten and enhance almost any situation quite like music can, and that’s really cool. Outside of my family and my relationship, this is probably the most important thing in my life and it’s been really cool and rewarding trying to build something with BODAGGIT this last little bit.
OSR: You recently released your album, Chemical Solution for a Spiritual Problem. What can you tell us about the album? Is there a particular theme or backstory?
BODAGGIT: I’m really happy with how it turned out. Me and Evan have been working together as a studio team for a while now since we also did stuff in Skunch together. Our goal with every release is to sound a bit better than the last one. This is the first BODAGGIT project with live drums and I think it gives the album a big boost sonically and energy-wise. I feel like everything I’d done to this point always had a song or two that I would listen back to and feel that it didn’t really hold up for one reason or another, but with this album, I feel proud of every track and I think they all offer something a little different. I can’t thank Evan enough for the work he puts in on these releases.
In terms of any themes, I think a lot of it has to deal with anxiety/depression and unhealthy coping mechanisms. The title comes from one of Christopher Moltisanti’s lines in a Sopranos episode. I want to say that a good chunk of my family has issues with addiction, or at least did at one point. I’ve always had a big issue with cigarettes, especially those damn Camels. Why they had to make Joe Camel so cool, I don’t really know. There are also times where you drink too much, eat like shit, etc, but they’re really all just ways to try and deal with your issues. I’ve recently quit smoking and drinking. Maybe at some subconscious level, this album helped with that, but I think the album and its tracks speak to the symbiotic relationships that substances/chemicals have with your spiritual/mental issues. It can be hard to break free, but it’s important to know that these are just band aids, and that most of the time, they actually make the issues worse.
OSR: What do you hope people take from Chemical Solution for a Spiritual Problem?
BODAGGIT: I mainly hope that people can maybe find some solace knowing that there are other people that struggle with addiction and mental health issues. Music can be powerful and healing in that way. I feel like I really laid it all out there on this album, probably more so than I have in the past. If nothing else, it has been cathartic to me. I also hope that people notice and like all the guitar harmony stuff. That’s probably my favourite thing in the world and it always makes me feel awesome when someone sees us live for the first time and they’re like, “I can hear some Thin Lizzy influence in there.” I wish more people and bands were into this kind of thing because I think it’s so sick.
OSR: What do you take from Chemical Solution for a Spiritual Problem?
BODAGGIT: I touched on a lot of the themes and meaning in one of the previous questions, but I think for me, this album speaks on the importance of powering through and just to having faith in the overall process. Although this might be the release I’m the most proud of, it was tough to get together. The circumstances surrounding the late planning and mixing/mastering stages were pretty tough and very stressful. The two things put together created some issues in my relationship and personal life, but in the end, we were able to get everything together on time and everything worked itself out. That might be part of why this album means so much to me. When you do things almost completely DIY, there are challenges that come with it. There’s always going to be a shortage of time and funds, but it’s nice to be able to do things the way you want. Working with Evan on the studio end, Jordan/Evan/Brad as bandmates, and Jeremiah from the label’s end have been insanely rewarding and have made the process worth pushing through when things get tough. It’s important to keep pushing when things get tough because it almost always ends up being worth it. Believe in yourself and the process and do things the right way.
OSR: The album is varied in its different styles, from metal to power-pop. Taking this into account, how would you describe BODAGGIT’s sound and BODAGGIT as a band?
BODAGGIT: I think BODAGGIT used to be a much more straight-forward power-pop kind of thing. I’ve always taken a bunch of influence from The Strokes and the old Weezer stuff. I think that will always be my bread and butter, but as I’ve gotten older and written more music, I’ve just become inspired by other things as well. It’s easy to get tired of playing the same types of songs over and over and I think that kind of created a more diverse sound on the record, especially with the hardcore tune, ‘Disco Shithole…’ The hardcore scene here in Lexington is crazy and it’s been cool to get to go to more of their shows, and it’s been pretty inspiring to me as a musician and songwriter. I think I’m kind of at a crossroads where I just want to expand and play whatever I like, even if it isn’t always a super cohesive or genre-defined sort of thing. It’s also been fun to see this project transition more from a solo project to a band and we’ve been starting to collab more on songwriting with some of Brad and Jordan’s ideas. I’m super excited to continue go grow and change our sound as a band.
OSR: Which do you find more challenging when creating a song – the lyrics or the melody?
BODAGGIT: 100% the lyrics. I can’t even begin to tell you how many shells of songs I have collecting digital dust because I couldn’t come up with lyrics I liked. The worst thing is when you write something you feel good about and go back the next day and think they’re terrible. It’s a lot easier to write compositions and melodies that I feel good about, no doubt.
OSR: What advice do you have for upcoming musicians?
BODAGGIT: Things are always going to be difficult in the beginning, but don’t let it discourage you. If you love it, learn how to eat some shit and power through. With limited opportunities for shows and events, people might be hesitant to put you on, but that’s when being opportunistic and well-rehearsed comes into play. Put yourself out there and be prepared when the chance is right. Go support other artists and become an important part of your local scene. Getting out and touring is sick, but without the support of your peers, it’s hard to build anything substantial. Make friends and do things the right way. Help out when and where you can. Be dependable and professional. Take care of out of town bands (if it makes sense to, give them the best spot on the bill and give them at least a larger chunk of the door money since they drove far to get there. These ensure that cool bands continue to come through your area, and it can help build connections for the future because people remember that kind of stuff). Lastly, just practice a ton and take advantage of when that inspiration hits you. Write stuff that is important to you and be proud of what you’re doing.
OSR: What can we expect from BODAGGIT in the future?
BODAGGIT: I think the main thing is just consistency. I’d like to continue to put out at least an album, if not more, a year. We’re slated to play a couple smaller regional or local festivals this year and we’re excited about that. We’d like to keep building on that and get to the point where we’re not only local stalwarts, but hopefully a band that can also hit the road somewhat consistently.
OSR: Do you have a message for our readers?
BODAGGIT: Do your thing and be yourself. Leave things better than you found them and be your brother’s keeper. Shred till yr dead!
Many thanks to BODAGGIT for speaking with us! Find out more about BODAGGIT on their Instagram and Spotify.
