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.

MP3: Cale Parks – One at a Time

Cale Parks is the drummer from Aloha who also moonlights as a solo artist. His newest EP To Swift Mars is out now on Polyvinyl.

My First Time… with Cale Parks

First record you bought
Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock It Takes Two Cassette Single. My earliest memories were of buying cassingles at the mall. My parents would give me $5 if I was good. I could get 2 cassingles this way.

First record that changed your life
There are different eras of records that progressed with age, but I would be lying if I didn’t say OK Computer blew my mind in high school. It’s what everyone says, I know, but come on.

First concert you attended
Lollapalooza Tour 95. I was skinny and little with shaggy hair. Someone mistook me for Beck in the mist tent. I was stoked.

First concert that blew you away
Sonic Youth’s set at Lollapalooza. I think they did all of Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star straight thru. This was right before Washing Machine.

First time playing live
Snare drum soloist in 5th grade school choir’s Little Drummer Boy.

First tour (horror stories, unexpectedly great shows, etc)
1999 Aloha tour. I was very young. Basements, smelly hardcore shows, 2 bands / 1 van.

First instrument you learned and/or first piece of equipment you loved
I initially took piano lessons as a kid, though I didn’t own a piano of my own. I do still use my first Casiotone though. I’ve had it since I was 8.

First band you were a part of
It was more of a concept than a band that actually played music. We were in 3rd grade. It was a hip hop duo. I was called DJ 2000 and my best friend was MC Hurricane. We just sat around drawing what our album cover would look like. I tried to beatbox and he tried to rap on the playground and at each other’s house after school.

First time getting press and/or being interviewed
Probably an Aloha interview from back in the day for a zine or something. I can’t remember.

First song you wrote and/or recorded
It was my first attempt at playing every instrument myself on a friends 4-track in college. I just remember starting from scratch with only drums, trying to remember the song’s changes in my head. It ended up sounding nothing like what was in my head. I don’t think there was singing or a title involved.

First awesome thing that happened solely because you were in a band
Getting paid to play.

First horrible thing that happened solely because you were in a band
Being totally broke.

First reactions from your family when you played them your music
They liked it. My family are musicians too. They like my music and all the projects I mess around in. They’re supportive. My dad leaves the best itunes reviews.

First musical obsession (band, song, singer, genre or otherwise)
Probably late 80’s – early 90’s hip hop and r&b. It was all around when I was little and the music was just fun. You didn’t have to identify with any scene. It’s the first genre I loved. Then came grunge, which led to punk, which led to a short backlash of jam bands (the jazz musician in me), then back to punk, then idm. Now, I’m a mess.