Feature No. 6 // Sean Lee
This week we are very excited to feature the talented SoCal based musician and soon-to-be music journalist, Sean Lee. After discovering the world of jazz guitar in high school, Sean’s musical career took flight. He has since been recruited by numerous bands across Los Angeles for his musical talent, and is currently the lead singer and guitarist for The Dreads. The group is the newest indie-alternative duo to hit the streets of Los Angeles, with sounds reminiscent of Beach Fossils, The Magnetic Fields, and The 6ths. Their newest album and music video are anticipated to be released this month, and we can’t wait to share their sweet jams!
Catch the latest scoop on their website!
Bandcamp: https://thedreads.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/losdreads/?hl=en
DBM: What’s your favorite doughnut?
SL: I was initially going to say chocolate sprinkles, but I think my favorite now is chocolate doughnuts with sprinkles.
DBM: Do you have a favorite doughnut memory?
SL: There was this doughnut store by my house when I was growing up—it was the first place that I was allowed to walk to by myself. When I would bike home really late I would stop by there— because they were open—and get some doughnuts and a glass of milk.
DBM: When did you start playing music?
SL: I grew up playing classical piano, but it just felt like homework. Then I started playing guitar in 8th grade—when everyone else starts playing guitar. It wasn’t to be a singer-songwriter, it was just to play guitar I guess. Then in high school, I was in the jazz band. That’s probably when I got like really, really, obsessed with music. I realized in that moment that jazz was this great unexplored frontier.
DBM: Did you pursue jazz after high school?
SL: I ended up getting a scholarship to study jazz at a conservatory in Pasadena. My plan was to stay there for two years after high school, but then my mom was like “You should apply to college,” so I applied to UCLA and I got in, and was I like “Well f*ck it, I guess I’ll go to college.” After I graduated high school and left the conservatory, I forgot about jazz for a bit. I wanted to do the singer-songwriter thing— writing folk music—but then I realized I’m not white and can’t make American folk music. Then last year, I started playing guitar again and got called for a lot of bands. It’s been a journey like that ever since.
DBM: Who were some of your favorite musicians growing up?
SL: Probably just what my parents listened to. I really liked George Gershwin a lot. He occupies both the classical and pop realm in the sense that jazz music was the pop music of the time. I remember listening to “Rhapsody in Blue,” and it just blew my f*cking mind. There’s a clarinet solo at the beginning, and it’s just so good.
DBM: What bands are you playing in now?
SL: I’m in like five bands right now. I play guitar for this rapper named Stefan Dismund (https://soundcloud.com/stefandismond), who just put out a mixtape and got a couple thousand plays. I play in this pop-punk band with my friend Anton. For that band, it’s me on guitar and these two cats from USC who are just so f*cking good. Then I play in a math rock band I started out here called the Night Swimmers (https://soundcloud.com/nightswimmers). We just finished our EP, but it’s just in the mixing process which is taking forever. Then I just started this post-punk/ Beach Fossils project with Anton—the guy in the pop punk band— called The Dreads https://thedreads.bandcamp.com/). We have the album and a music video done, so keep your eyes peeled!
DBM: Who writes the songs for The Dreads?
SL: This is the first project where I’m actually writing my own music. Everything else I’ve been in, I’ve been playing other people’s music. This is stuff I’ve wanted to play since high school, but never got around to doing. So I’m writing the songs, and he’s more on the production side. It’s working really well—I’ll play you some songs later.
DBM: What’s the music process like?
SL: It’s really the fast food of music. We’ll buy a six-pack, sit down with beds across from each other, play a chord progression, and then “Alright, that’s the first one.” It literally gets cranked out so quickly. I’m singing from a pool of lyrics in my head. The songs are being made in a matter of two or three hours, then we mix it right then and there. I have a live band for the project right now. I pretty much chalked out all the musicians that I met in my life and decided who I want for this—I’ve got the all-star cast.
DBM: What’s it like to work with another person on a music project?
SL: This is the first person I’ve worked with where it actually works perfectly well. We’re both not sticklers for things, like “Oh man, the snare needs to sound a little brighter.” We’re usually down for anything. It’s cool, because he could sing a part and be like, “Hey man, we should throw this melody in there,” and then I play it on guitar. Or I’ll be like, “Hey man, I want the drums to drop out here,” and he’ll just do his thing and the drums are gone.
DBM: What’s the LA music scene like?
SL: LA is insane. A good majority of pop music is being made here, but not a lot people in LA listen to that. If you’re going to go see a show at the Hollywood Bowl, it’s probably not going to be an artist from LA. One of my favorite scenes is the Chicano Punk Scene—it’s punk, nothing crazy—but everyone is so into it. Some of the good bands that I really like are Triangle Fire (https://soundcloud.com/the_triangle-fire). My friend Robert is the singer-songwriter, and he’s probably the most talented musician I’ve met just in terms of work ethic and being able to crank out songs. Then there’s this band called The Rosewaters (https://soundcloud.com/therosewaters). They’re working on their album right now—pretty good friends of mine.
DBM: What is the best show you’ve ever played?
SL: The best show we played was for The Rosewaters EP release party in Whittier at this place called Da Dank. It’s just a big warehouse with electricity. We opened—which is crazy because usually opening shows suck—but it was awesome! We played with Kicked Off The Streets (https://soundcloud.com/kickedoffthestreets) and The Red Leslies (https://soundcloud.com/theredleslies)— all the artists I’d been listening to as a high schooler. After the show, we could just go outside and smoke a cigarette with them and talk.
DBM: What is it like to play onstage?
SL: I have a lot of apprehension before a show, which is weird because I used to love going on stage in high school. But now I get so apprehensive, because I realize you can’t come back from a f*ck up—it all depends on the venue. I like playing onstage with singer-songwriters best, because they’re doing the main thing and I’m just in the corner doing fills.
DBM: Do you have any pre-show rituals?
SL: Right before a show I like to listen to “Blue in Green” by Miles Davis. It’s my favorite song to listen to, because it relaxes me. Then I throw up and I feel great.
DBM: What does your practice routine look like?
SL: There are two types of practicing that I do. One is actual technique practice. I’ll sit down and go up and down the scales. When I’m practicing songs, I’ll practice once with both headphones in, once with one headphone in and one headphone out, and once with no headphones. Then—right before a show—I’ll do a run through of the set. I like to hear the setlist at least a day in advance, because—since I’m usually inebriated—I have to commit it to muscle memory. That’s why they give free drinks at shows to bands, so they actually have to practice the next time.
DBM: Where do you see music going as a part of your life in the future?
SL: I want to go into music journalism, and get to a point where I can sustain my living with a steady gig. The jazz gigs are what pay, so that’s something that I would want to do for the rest of my life.
DBM: Do you have any advice for other musicians?
SL: It takes a while. If you actually want to play music, then it’s a lifelong journey. It’s a craft, not just a hobby. If you want to make it, you’ve got to somehow stand apart (read music, be able to sit down and play to a click track), but at the same time, you’ve got to find your own voice.

















