It is my good friend Mr. Brandon LaForest. Brandon and I have been friends since the 11th grade, where a simple talk about old school JRPGs turned into an awesome friendship. Brandon is one of the only people who I still keep in contact with from my high school days. I remember us talking all the time over Xbox Live, jamming to music, playing games, joking and talking about girls. We used to talk about the girls we were into all the time and years later, the same girls we used to talk about are our significant others. I'm married, he's getting married, life has really worked out for the both of us. I'm honored to have Brandon as the first male interviewee on the blog and it's certainly one of the best I've put up. So, let's get right into it!
1. Who are you?
I am Brandon Dennis LaForest. My confirmation name is Joseph, and you can call me B-Money if you want. Also, Brand of the Westwoods, Marlon BRANDo, Brandonius, or Branda Bear, if you like.
2. What do you do for a living?
Right I now, I work in the produce department of a super market, but I also works night at Top Ten Music, being the music lover that I am. It's very lack luster at the moment, but I got some things cooking :)
3. What are your hobbies?
Well, I absolutely love music. It's pretty much my life. I love making it, I love listening to it. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't write a new song or a melody or whatever. It keeps me I sane. I also love playing video games. Mostly RPGs for the immersion and the adventures I can go on. I love reading fantasy books or old history books and I am a HUGE viking enthusiast. I like pirates too, but vikings are cooler. Have you seen my hair and beard? You can thank the vikings for that. The ancient, northern, barbaric warriors, not the football team...
4. Are you currently attending school?
Not at the moment, unfortunately. I can't really decide on a solid career to get into school for. I'm in no immediate hurry because I wanna make the right choice, and ultimately what this comes down to is that it's MY choice and nobody else's. I have goals and plans in mind and I am confident things will play out to my liking. I work very hard to obtain what I want, and when the time comes, I'll conquer school and work as i do intricate songs everyday, or really difficult boss fights...or snobby customers at work...the list goes on.
5. What has changed about you since graduating high school?
Well, my hair is longer...for those who know me, haha. I have facial hair, FINALLY! I've definitely progressed more musically as well. I think the biggest change came mentally. I can feel the adult side of me grow each day now. I still have my innocence, don't get me wrong. I'll never be some corporate drone who lives for his or her job, but I feel more mature then I was when I was 17. I'm 22 now and I understand the importance of saving money and such more so than 5 years ago, but I'm not afraid to spend on things I want to keep me happy on my journey through life. I think I may have gotten a bit taller too, so add height to the list.
6. What are you afraid of?
Sharks man. My goodness! Those things freak me out. I feel out of my element in the ocean already, they just add to my anxiety. Jaws didn't help either. But seriously, sharks or alligators, man. WOOO! Sends chills down my spine. Also, little demon girls in white night gowns. No thanks...
7. Describe your "perfect" day.
I wake up at 10 a.m. I have some breakfast; 5 well cooked strips of bacon with some scrambled eggs and toast, maybe some home fries. I'll start practicing some guitar or maybe piano. Write some new tunes, then maybe record some of it if I feel I have it proficient enough. Hop on my pc and play Elder Scrolls online or maybe Skyrim. Take a nap around lunch, wake up take a bath. Play more guitar, maybe I'll throw a movie or tv show on while I run through some scales or arpeggios. Grab some pizza for dinner, because pizza is amazing. Chelsea comes home from work, and we hang out and watch The Office or something. Then at the end of the day, as the sun sets in my IDEAL world, I'd like to walk out to a beautiful forested landscape and walk through the woods, as a cool, light rain begins to fall, and the temperature slowly drops. The last part will take some work, but the rest is pretty much my perfect day.
8. Do you have big regrets or "what-ifs" in life?
I don't. I live my life with no regrets and try to have as little worries as possible. I try not to let things stress me out. I see it like this. Nobody truly knows what's "NEXT", so in the short time we have on this earth and in this life, do you really wanna waste it worrying about money or stress or whatever. Live in the moment, take each day as it comes. That's my motto. "Stop worrying about the past, and start worrying about what's for dinner." Trademarked. You can use that if you want.
9. Do you have a celebrity crush?
Kat Dennings. I can't stress enough how much I'm in love with her. She's everything you could need in a gal. Normally that's all I'd need to say, but there's more. Scarlett Johanson, probably spelled wrong, but oh well. Lady GaGa. Bradley Cooper (you heard me right). If you've ever seen the show Vikings, Clive Standen who plays Rollo is pretty hot. I could talk for days about celebrity crushes. OOOH, Nicole Sherzinger from The Pussy Cat Dolls too! I'd also like to mention that I love my fiance' very much too. These are just, erm... fantasies or something...
10. What's your dream job?
Domestic house husband. Next question... Haha, no but seriously. Anything where i can play music for a living would be nice. Sometimes I wish I could write stories or design video games for a living, i think I'd be good at it. i have great ideas, in my opinion anyways. Also a chef would be cool. I love cooking so much. Add cooking to my list of hobbies!!
11. Do you remember how we met?
Yes I do. I wanna say 11th grade in DOC's business class. Then computer programming with Mr. Thomas. It started out small. Then, gradually it evolved into excessive video game and wrestling talk, and me butchering the name of one of the most notorious villains in video game history. Dr. Fernando!!! Sorry... Dr. Robotnic.
12. What kind of music do you listen to?
Metal...mostly. Actually, Melodic death metal. Actually, let me be more specific. I listen to Scandinavian Folk/Viking/Heroic/Melodic Death metal. I play it as well. But I DO listen to mostly everything there is. Even hip hop if I like the melodies or beats but mostly some form of rock'n'roll. That's my forte'. I love pop music too. Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, etc... My guilty pleasures, I guess.
13. Who's your favorite band/artist and why?
Children of Bodom is my favorite band, ever... They rock the hardest, they have the best melodies... I connect with them on all levels musically, because everything they do, i would do the same. We're very much alike. The front man Alexi Laiho is my hero and you can add him to my list of crushes too. The man is a legend, and a huge inspiration to me. He has sparked countless riffs and songs and melodies for me that it isn't even funny. And I met him. Twice! Well, almost twice. Once I met him at a festival and shook his hand and got his autograph. The almost time is when I arrived at a concert and he was in the parking lot, walking towards me. We were inches from each other, but I chickened out and let him have his space, just in case.
14. Favorite movie?
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Hands down. Really anything in that franchise, including the Hobbit movies, but TRotK takes the cake. Good directing, good amount of action, great characterization and an overall stunning conclusion to the trilogy.
15. Favorite video game?
4 years ago I would've said Xenogears for the PSX, but there's a new kid on the block, and his name is Skyrim! That game changed my life I'm not even kidding! Dragons!!? Nordic fantasy!!? Vampires!!? WEREWOLVES!!!? Yes please! I clocked in over 3000 hours and I'm not ashamed to admit it, and I challenge anybody to try and outwit me in that entire franchise let alone that game. I'm a bonafide master in both Elder Scrolls lore and Skyrim game mechanics/lore. I promise you that.
16. What's your biggest accomplishment in life?
Well I'm very happy and content with where i am musically. I can play anything I want to, and that's not to brag. It's just, I've been doing it for over 15 years. I'm at the point in my life where I can play anything I hear in my head on a multitude of different instruments. Oh and if anyone would like to hear me or my band play, you can visit our facebook page. Our band name is Winterfang...sorry I had to get that in there. I'll include a direct link later on perhaps, haha. I'm also proud of getting engaged to the best woman I've ever had the pleasure of knowing, Chelsea Lurwick. She's my best pal!! She makes me so happy. She takes priority over the music thing too. But I'd also like to mention that I'm still very young, so who knows what my BIGGEST accomplishment is yet. Perhaps the best, is yet to come?
17. Tell me the story about how you fell in love?
Well now... Tis a tale of Irony and comedy, you see. My best friend Kevin and I always hung out. One day I saw his sister. Breathtaking or stunning does not even begin to describe her. If a little piece of heaven somehow ended up on this planet, Chelsea would be IT. So, every now and then, I would tease Kevin about how I thought she was "HOT" or pretty, and I would always say, "Hey let's hang out at your house instead this time" or "hey invite Chelsea to the movies with us tonight LOLOZLOLZLOLZ!!!!542511!738$*&". Well, one night I attended a Halloween party, and she was there. So this is the part where I formally and FINALLY meet her face to face, and hear her voice for the first time. Now, keep in mind, we are at a party, and things are going DOWN. But rather than participate in the debauchery and other various activities, she sat on the couch in the living room of this house, and talked to me ALLLLLL night. A solid 3 hours at least. We had the best time, and we didn't need the booze or the antics or anything like that. We had each other. And that was good enough for us. The party ended and nothing happened. Typical, right? Well, about a year later, I was at Kevin's house. A house he owned. Some things happened, I won't go into detail but Chelsea had to come over and watch her older brothers niece. Not Kevin's child but anyway... After a while she came into the basement where Kevin and myself were, along with her friend Helen. We started playing board games. This continued for like 2 months. We really hit it off. Then one day, practically out of nowhere I get a text from Helen saying that Chelsea was interested. This blew my mind, and I had a panic attack. So I called Kevin and got his blessing and BOOM! 2 years later, I'm with the love of my life. Funny how it all played out. The boy who made comments about his friends sister got the girl he wanted after all/ Looks like I won. Also!!!! Kevin got together with Helen. So one night, changed all four of our lives, for the better :) sorry for boring everyone.
18. Do you have someone you consider a role model?
My father and my mother. Both have helped mold me into the man I am today. I took each lesson they taught and bettered myself with it. They give me all the support and love I need to keep going. They are the best! Also Alexi Laiho...see question 13.
19. Give me one awkward story from your life to tell the world.
I'm really at a loss for this one. I have one, maybe it qualifies... I used to throw dirt into the open windows of cars that would drive down my street, don't ask me why... well one day a car stopped. And a huge, beastly woman got out and followed me for like 20 minutes until I said sorry. Then she asked me to get my parents and, well, sufficed to say that was the last day I threw dirt at cars, but I mean c'mon. Every little kid does that at some point in their life, right?
20. What does the future hold for you?
Hopefully everything I dream of, haha. Realistically, though, a few kids, a beautiful home somewhere away from where I live now. I'd love to move into the mountains or a forested area. Maybe Finland or Alaska or Norway. Who knows, anything is possible.
21. Name one guilty pleasure you have.
My Lady Gaga playlist on Pandora, haha. I'm a metalhead, but I'm a sucker for good pop melodies.
22. Name something no one else knows but you.
Nobody else knows how much sugar I like in my tea. I don't really know. I don't know too many things that aren't common knowledge. Nobody else knows how to whip up a pot of beef stew as well as I do, there you go!
23. If you can only bring 3 things to a deserted island, what would they be and why?
I would bring Chelsea...I think that goes without saying, CHICA BOW!!! The second thing would be a guitar. Just so I can make music and spice island life up a bit. The third thing would be "Physician's Handbook...hallowed out, inside, iodine tablets, matches, NASA blanket." Haha, Dwight Schrute reference. The real third thing would be matches. If you can light a fire on a deserted island, you're in good shape. Question, did my shoes come off in the plane crash?
24. Favorite T.V show.
The Office. Hands down. With South Park as an honorable mention, and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia as my safety.
25. Give me 3 interesting facts about yourself.
1. I am a Viking. I'm not kidding, I own weapons, look at the picture of me with the shield and sword.
2. I spend more time in the shower or in the bathroom then anyone you will ever meet. I get my best writing or thinking done in there!
3. I like to sample different flavors of mead or beers. I don't get drunk, I'm not into that whole ordeal. But I do love me a flavorful beer or tankard of ale once in a while. The warrior's life for me!!
26. So how are Vikings better than pirates?
Lemme break it down for you... Vikings were THE FIRST pirates. They were pillaging long before the pirates you know. Vikings were master warriors, merchants, explorers...etc... They discovered much of the world before it was "DISCOVERED". They is proof the vikings made it to Canada, and Minnesota in the U.S, hence the football teams mascot. The whole northmen lifestyle appeals to me more than most lifestyles, and they mythology and stories are very much interesting and very cool.
27. We used to jam to a cappella versions of video game music. Do you ever find yourself listening to game music OUTSIDE of playing?
Absolutely. I listen to a lot of Skyrim music or World of Warcraft music, and various covers of such. A bit of Final Fantasy 7-9 music is always fun too. I can play most of these songs too, so as I play them I'm listening. It's very entertaining stuff, and very wel composed. Video game music inspires things in my own playing as well. So the answer is YES. All the time.
28. What game are you looking forward to most?
The unannounced FALLOUT 4. I can't WAIT!! That or the next Elder Scrolls installment. Dragon Age: Inquisition is gonna be great too. I was waiting on Elder Scrolls Online for ps4 but i bought it for PC instead lol. That game rocks. But hopefully we get that FALLOUT 4 trailer at E3 coming soon. Fingers crossed!
29. Do you have a favorite episode of the Office?
I do. It's in season 4. Launch Party...(Lunch Party. Lanch Party, whichever...). That episode is sooooo funny. They kidnap the pizza guy, and Michael buys the wrong pizza on top of that lol. Just a really good episode. I love how Jim and Pam are finally together and getting serious too. Such a great story between those two, really good writing. I also love Scott's Tots too, haha. That one always cracks me up too. I love every episode though, and I could pretty much recite you every line, I watch them so often. It's a show I could just watch all the way through, and then start over as soon as I'm finished. I love it THAT much.
(Personally, mine is Stress Relief. The whole fire drill was hilarious. "Stanley, you cannot die! Stanley, Barack is President!" And of course, the amazing Stayin' Alive CPR scene.)
30. Does Chelsea share in any of your interests?
Yes she does. She loves the Office, as well as some other shows I watch like Vikings or Breaking Bad or South Park. She loves every thing I like musically, which is ironic, and awesome. Even some of the heavier stuff like Children of Bodom or Amon Amarth. I show her everything I can and let her decide what she likes or doesn't. So far, it's mostly positive feedback, which is very cool. She's shown me stuff too, so it's a two way street I'd say. A nice wide two way street.
31. If you could change anything about yourself would you?
Absolutely not. I love who I am, and who I've become. I've said before, i live with no regrets. I'm proud of everything I've accomplished so far, and I've got so much longer to go, really, so things will change on their own in time, or as a result of me doing certain things, but it's not because I WANT to change them, it just happens sometimes. You gotta roll with it.
32. What's at the top of your bucket list?
See Europe. See place like Finland, Sweden, Scotland, Ireland, England. Any where in Scandinavia would be at the very top though. Like Sweden or the Faroe Isles. Maybe even Norway. I just wanna see this world's beauty before I go. I gotta be honest, it'd be a refreshing change of scenery then what you get around here. I'm tired of big cities and suburbs. I want lush green hills and villages, and mountains, and rainy/snowy weather 80% of the year. I'm sick of the heat too. So yeah, lol.
33. Give me 3 pet peeves.
I hate that nobody puts things back where they got them in grocery stores? Like really? Just put it back on the shelf bro. You're basically telling me my time isn't as precious as yours. Get outta here, son! Second. Don't read over my shoulder. Whether I'm on my phone or the computer, I don't care! Don't stand behind me and read!!! UGGHH I hate it. I HATE IT!! Third. This is music related. Please for the love of God, trim the strings on your guitar up by the head stock. It doesn;t look cool, it makes you look dirty and stupid trim your strings. Seriously, Just trim them. You're gonna put an eye out.
34. Are you nervous about getting married?
I am not. I've known Chelsea a good while now, and we're best friends. We're together all the time as it is. Marriage is just proof to the world that we're together. To me, we're already married. I don't need a minister or the state for that. In the end, marriage, for me, is just gonna be this all day to confirm something I already know, lol. That I wanna spend the rest of my life with this woman. So no, not nervous, lol.
35. Who's your favorite video game developer?
Bethesda Game Studios. Not to be confused with Bethesda Softworks or anything else. I'm talking about the Maryland based creators of The Elder Scrolls franchise, and current masters of the Fallout franchise. They're open world games are perfect. they take you on a journey with their games and they are so immersive that you don't want them to end. Like Skyrim. Bethesda has never made a bad game. At least in the last 20 years or so. They have some big games to add to their resume', and honestly, they can only go UP from here. I look forward to whatever is coming our way from them soon!
And with that, it's finished! Thanks to Brandon for helping out! And being awesome! Chatting with the Fatman will return in June with a week filled with interviews!
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