It’s time again for another installment of My First Time, the series where I ask some of my favorite bands to share stories about their musical “firsts.” Everything from the first song they ever wrote to the response they got when they first played their songs for their family. It’s all here. Because after all, the best way to see where a person is going is by understanding where they’ve been.

This time we’re hearing about the musical firsts of Sebastien Schultz of the Cincinnati band Bad Veins. Their first full-length album is out this week on Dangerbird.

My First Time …with Sebastien Schultz of Bad Veins

First record you bought
Bought? Okay that’s a bit different….

My first album ever was Bad by Michael Jackson…my Dad bought it for me. BUT, the first- ever album I spent my hard-earned allowance on was…Fields of Gold: The Best of Sting 1984 to 1994.

First record that changed your life
That’s easy…Ben will probably know this one. The Joshua Tree by U2. Like it or not, I grew up in the ‘90s. After hearing that record, I feel like I understood much better the difference between an “Album” and just a collection of songs. From start to finish, the songs on that album have something to say…it made me want to be a part of music in any way possible. No matter what happens with U2, they will have always made The Joshua Tree album…that’s one hell of a legacy.

First concert you attended
Oh snap! You ready for this? It was my freshman year of high school…I went to go see the Mighty Mighty Bosstones at Hara Arena in Dayton, Ohio. The first band on the bill that night (first of four) was The Dropkick Murphys…on their first large tour out of Boston. I fell in love immediately…

First concert that blew you away
Good question! I suppose I have a couple…

Seeing Modest Mouse on tour with the Shins way back in the days of yore. The Shins actually had to stop playing because they ran out of material! Also, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Sunny Day Real Estate back on the Rising Tide tour. I had wanted to see them for years…so it meant a lot me to see them on their final tour—until this fall, of course!!!

First time playing live
In a church gym…in Middletown, Ohio…with my high school band, The Gary Coleman Orchestra. We covered the Angry Samoans…that’s got to count for something, right? Credibility…anyone?

First tour (horror stories, unexpectedly great shows, etc)
Low point: blowing a tire on our trailer. High point: changing said tire in under 15 minutes on the side of the highway with semis zooming by. Another high point is that the Budweiser brewery gives you free beer. Just sayin’.

First instrument you learned and/or first piece of equipment you loved
Probably my ’99 Alpine Green (although I would argue “Army Green”) Pearl Export drum kit. She’s been very good to me…so good that I still keep her around, in fact.

First band you were a part of
The Gary Coleman Orchestra…in high school…in Dayton, Ohio. Remember? We were that band that had loads of credibility because we covered the Angry Samoans.

First time getting press and/or being interviewed
That goes back to high school. We were in the finals of the famed Bogart’s Band Challenge in Cincinnati, Ohio. I’m fairly sure that the Catholic Telegraph in our area covered it. So, yeah, if that’s any indicator of what’s to come—the sky’s the limit!

First song you wrote and/or recorded
Professionally? In a proper studio? Probably the song “Alive Inside” by my former band, Cathedrals. There may still be a video floating out there somewhere. If you can’t find it, however, let me know…there are about 300 copies of that EP sitting in my best friend’s basement. We may have overestimated demand on that one…

First awesome thing that happened solely because you were in a band
Getting served underage at a bar. Had I known bands always get free booze, I would have started one much earlier in college. Ben even knows the bar…Cody’s Café next to the University of Cincinnati. It’s not there anymore, but it was a great place to go “back in the day.”

First horrible thing that happened solely because you were in a band
Okay. I’ve been wanting to vent about this for about 8 years. Spring quarter…senior year of high school: I went into school a little bit late because my band had a show the night before. We played at The Southgate House in Newport, Kentucky. For us—being in high school—it was a huge deal. We probably thought we would get signed just because we played there (it turns out, we didn’t). In any case, I was called to my guidance counselor’s office. She promptly began to berate me about my grades and taking school seriously. Keep in mind: a) I was an honor roll student. b) I had already been accepted to college…with academic scholarship. Luckily, my antipathy got her to stop talking. If only she could see me now…typing out answers to these questions whilst sitting by a pool.

First reactions from your family when you played them your music
Ben would have drastically different answer to this question, but my Dad called me and said verbatim, “you guys are going to be famous.” Perhaps that was hyperbole, but it’s nice to know that my parents support both Ben and I. They love the music and my Mom loves Ben’s cats. Done and done.

First musical obsession (band, song, singer, genre or otherwise)
Honestly? Okay—here goes…

I remember being a very, very small child in England and hearing the song Africa by Toto. I thought that song was the most amazing song of all time. The percussion (specifically the fill leading into the chorus) along with the melodies and harmonies…it was perfect to me at age 4. Anytime that song came on the radio, I would become exceedingly excited.