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Suburban Legends have weathered quite a bit of adversity in their relatively short nine-year existence. A dead band member. A torched van. Stolen cash. Multiple lineup changes. It's nothing new to the six-piece band from Orange County, Calif. Despite those many setbacks, Suburban Legends is still moving forward. That includes a new album — July's Infectious — and an opening slot on Streetlight Manifesto's latest tour. Before those two bands play The White Rabbit on Wednesday, Nov. 28, Suburban Legends singer Vince Walker chatted with 210SA about tragedy, triumph and the realism of the former Fox hit, “The O.C.”
 

Do you still think about (former trumpet player) Dallas Cook (who was killed two years ago in a motorcycle accident)?

Oh yeah, we all do. It's been two years now, and it's definitely something we'll never forget.

What was it like trying to replace him?

It was tough, to have somebody trying to fill those shoes. He was such a huge part of the band, and finding a replacement was hard. We had a guy in there for a little bit, but it didn't work out, so we decided to just stick with two horns.

You've also had your van set on fire and all the money stolen from your van. I guess you've all just gotten used to adversity.

We've been through a lot of adversity, but so far, the last year has been pretty positive. If you're in a band, on the road, working and traveling, you'll come across a lot of s**t. S**t happens. That fire, we still can't explain it. We don't know how it happened. At the same time, we got robbed. I guess they figured if they're going to take the money, they might as well burn the van. Other than that, I wouldn't say there's been that much adversity. We're part of a working group, and some people get it more than others, but things seem to be good lately.

What's been the high point of your career so far?

Just the fact that we keep rolling. There have been so many points where we could have just stopped, where it was too much and almost not worth it. But the fact that the band kept rolling and rolling, I continue to feel like we're not going to stop. Far from it. We're at the high point of it all, touring with Streetlight and playing in front of people.

What advice would you give to a young band just starting out?

Have a good time, and try to find a group you can work with.

Being from Orange County, how realistic was “The O.C.?”

That show is the blueprint of our life.

Really?

No, I'm just joking. That show is so off. There are so many parts of Orange County, and they don't show the ghetto parts ..... There's so much to Orange County, but Newport Beach is where the show is taking place, and that's a world unto itself. They should have called (the show) “Newport Beach” or “Really Nice Orange County.”

CLINT HALE | 210SA