Some bands spend years trying to define their sound. Inland Empire duo SOxGNAR simply lets the music happen.
Made up of Dean (drums, vocals) and Scotty Audio (guitar, vocals), the Rialto/Cigarette Island based two-piece has carved out a style that’s equal parts punk, hardcore, doom metal, surf rock, and unfiltered chaos. Ask them how they’d describe it, and you’ll get an answer that’s as unconventional as their music.
“Crack rock… dirty punk rock with a little depressing doom metal, a little surfy… a little death, a little hardcore, but we still like to keep it friendly.”
Check out the full interview below:
From Beat Making to Two-Piece Mayhem
Before SOxGNAR existed, Dean and Scotty were simply two musicians experimenting with whatever creative outlet they could find.
The pair originally connected over making beats before reconnecting years later when Dean invited Scotty over to audition as a drummer for another project. Instead, the session unexpectedly took a different direction.
Dean jumped behind the drum kit while Scotty grabbed a broken five-string guitar.
Within just a couple of hours, they’d written eight songs.
“We kind of looked around the room like… what the hell did we just do?” Dean recalled. From that moment on, SOxGNAR was born.
Inspired by Everything From Slayer to Stone Temple Pilots
Although their music leans heavily into punk, both musicians bring influences from far beyond the genre.
Dean credits bands like Metallica, Slayer, and Iron Maiden for shaping his songwriting and love of heavy compositions, while Scotty grew up on everything from nu-metal and punk to Stone Temple Pilots, New Wave, hip hop, and hardcore.
That wide range of influences helps explain why SOxGNAR refuses to fit neatly into one category.
The “Spirit of the Gnar”
Rather than sitting down with completed songs, SOxGNAR lets ideas develop naturally.
The duo jokingly refers to their songwriting process as following the “Spirit of the Gnar.”
Instead of forcing riffs together, they jam until something clicks.
Dean tends to be the perfectionist, quickly throwing out ideas he feels aren’t good enough, while Scotty encourages experimentation and pushes those riffs a little further.
The result is a collaborative writing process where spontaneity often produces their strongest material.
More Than Just Playing Shows
For SOxGNAR, performing isn’t simply about stepping on stage.
Both musicians emphasized that being in a band means building relationships within the local scene.
They arrive early, stay late, introduce themselves to other bands, support fellow musicians, and believe community is just as important as the music itself.
“You can’t really get people to support your band if you can’t support theirs first,” Dean explained.
That mentality has helped the duo become familiar faces throughout Southern California’s DIY music community.
Balancing Music With Real Life
Like many independent bands, SOxGNAR balances rehearsals and touring around full-time careers.
Dean works in steel fabrication while Scotty delivers beer, making time management one of the band’s biggest challenges.
Still, both agreed the sacrifices are worth it.
“You get to do what you love,” Dean said. “That’s the best part.”
Turning Parking Lots Into Venues
One of SOxGNAR’s most creative ideas has been transforming the back of a pickup truck into a mobile stage.
Inspired by Dean’s girlfriend, the band built a custom platform that allows them to perform pop-up concerts at skate parks, parking lots, and even along Fremont Street in Las Vegas.
What started as a fun experiment quickly became something much bigger.
Neighborhood residents walked outside to watch from their lawns, skateboarders gathered around the truck, and one young fan told the band how meaningful it was to experience live music for free.
For SOxGNAR, those moments perfectly represent what DIY punk is all about.
Communication Over Ego
When asked about the best advice he’d ever received, Dean didn’t mention music.
Instead, he spoke about communication.
A conversation with a former bandmate changed how he approaches both music and friendships.
Today, Dean encourages musicians to have uncomfortable conversations instead of bottling everything up.
“If you feel a certain way, say something,” he said. “If they’re really your bandmates, they’ll listen.”
Scotty’s advice is equally simple.
“Be grateful.”
Whether it’s playing a show, sitting down for an interview, or simply having people come out to support the band, gratitude remains at the center of everything they do.
Looking Ahead
SOxGNAR isn’t chasing fame.
Their goal is much simpler: continue making music, play quality shows in new places, expand beyond California, and someday earn a living doing what they love.
Until then, they’ll keep writing songs, supporting their local scene, and following wherever the “Spirit of the Nar” takes them.
If you’ve never experienced SOxGNAR live, expect blistering energy, heavy riffs, and two musicians who leave everything on stage. Their chemistry proves you don’t need a full lineup to make a massive sound, you just need passion, authenticity, and a willingness to keep pushing forward. You may, be touched by Gnar.
Learn more about SOxGnar:
About C² (Christy + Chris)
Concert lovers turned creators. Highlighting creators, bands, stories, sounds, and places you need to know.
Disarray Magazine is an independent media platform established in 2009, spotlighting rap, R&B, punk, hardcore, alternative culture, live music, food, nightlife, and the chaos in between. Created by journalist Christy Buena, C² exists to document the bands, people, and moments shaping the scene.
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