Forging a Fuzzed-Out Future
Hyper Minds Bring Fun and Psych Energy to East L.A.’s Underground
Los Angeles has always been a crucible for punk, but East L.A. carries its own distinctive lineage—a sound and scene forged by the neighborhood’s youth community in the late ’70s and early ’80s as a response to cultural erasure and systemic marginalization. Bands like The Bags, The Plugz and The Undertakers carved out their own space in backyard gigs and DIY halls, infusing traditional punk fury with street-level storytelling and a distinctly Eastside sensibility. That history—the sweat-soaked garages, the neighborhood flyers, the music made by and for the community—still reverberates today. Hyper Minds pick up that thread and twist it through their own filter. Emerging from East L.A.’s new generation of garage-punk and psych-leaning bands, they channel the same energy of those early days but with a frenetic, modern take. Their live shows are a barrage of distortion and motion, described by fans as pure combustion—fast, loud, and untethered. Their latest EP, System Overload, embodies that ethos, with tracks like “Lost Control” capturing the urgency and grit of a band unwilling to temper their chaos but still having fun. In doing so, Hyper Minds stand not just as another entry in the city’s long punk tradition, but as a reminder of how East L.A. keeps reinventing itself—turning noise into culture, and rebellion into art.
GOOD CALL: He, thanks for your time! What's your hometown, and where are you currently based?
HYPER MINDS: East Los Angeles is our hometown and where we are currently based.
GC: Has that neighborhood influenced your music? If so, how?
HM: East LA is a huge influence on our music. Growing up as a young teenager I was exposed to a wide variety of community driven events and really soaked in that DIY attitude and mentality. The city of Los Angeles is such a cultural hub and melting pot for so many different people. I think growing up taking public transportation and skateboarding around town has been a beautiful education in life experience for me and I definitely pull from that life experience to write music with Hyper Minds.
GC: How long has the band been together?
HM: Since early 2024.
GC: What's the current music scene like in Los Angeles? Any artists or venues you want to shout out?
HM: The music scene in Los Angeles is rich in so many ways. Anywhere you go you'll find a vast variety of different types of music. There are shows every day of the week across all genres. There are truly so many talented artists, musicians and songwriters spread across this city. I'd like to shout out First Street Pool & Billiards in Boyle Heights for throwing some of the sickest shows on our side of town and for allowing us to throw shows there. Shout out to Pizza Stains from SGV who we recently collaborated with on a 7" split vinyl! Check them out!
GC: Who was the first person that got you into music?
HM: It has to be my mom and dad. They raised me on Bob Marley and The Wailers, KROQ and MTV. I remember the first time I heard The Offspring on KROQ it blew my mind. Years later my dad showed me AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Sex Pistols and The Ramones. At that point I was hooked.
GC: Do you remember the first song or album that had a big impact on you?
HM: I'd have to say that when I heard AC/DC's Back in Black it completely blew my mind. I asked my dad what it was and he took me to Tower Records on Sunset in Hollywood and bought me a stack of CDs to give me an education in Rock & Roll and Punk Rock. He bought me a guitar shortly after that and that's when I first started playing guitar. I was 10 years old.
GC: Hell yeah! Nice work, Dad!
GC: How have the reactions been at the live shows?
HM: Reactions at live shows have been amazing. It was a slow burn at first but as we've gone on the reactions get more and more energetic and fun. That's all I really want to do with our live performance is to provide a fun experience and safe space for people to let loose and forget about all of their problems. I've been on the receiving end of energetic live shows that feel that way and I'm determined to provide that to the people that spend their time and money to come see us perform.
GC: That’s what’s up!
GC: What's your favorite music doc?
HM: The Devil and Daniel Johnston. That documentary is a huge reason why I had the courage to start this band in the first place. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend watching it.
GC: What's been the most surprising thing that's happened since the band started?
HM: There's been a few that really stick out to me. Having our music played on KEXP was a huge honor and I still kinda can't believe that happened. Playing a live session on 88.9 KXLU was also an insane honor as a kid that grew up in Los Angeles. I'd also say just the amount of support we've received in such a short amount of time has been overwhelming and amazing. We appreciate everyone that supports us and believes that we'll make our mark in the music world. It's been very flattering and gratifying to hear that our music connects with people so deeply.
GC: Have you had a recent "it happened for a reason" moment—something that was challenging at the time but led to an unexpected positive outcome?
HM: We've had a few lineup changes that at the time were seriously hard decisions to make but in the long run it's served us well as the band has grown immensely. We are now in solid form and collaborating on a new EP which I feel is some of our most important work yet.
GC: Are there any non-music artists you'd like to collaborate with on something?
HM: A big one on the list is Michael Alvarez. He's a local LA painter that is actually a close family friend. A dream of mine is to have him paint some cover art for us one day. I also would love to work with Mackie "Mac" Osborne one day. She's such an iconic visual artist that I would absolutely love to collaborate with on artwork one day.
GC: What are the biggest challenges for bands in 2025?
HM: I think one of the biggest challenges is cutting through the noise in this age of social media. It feels like a blessing and a curse sometimes because not only do we have to practice, play shows and continue to write music but we have to educate ourselves in how to correctly market ourselves and our music. Trends are changing all the time and it's definitely a challenge to keep up with what people are finding valuable and entertaining. At the same time, we try to do our own thing and keep it original and authentic. I think that's one of the main things to focus on is just being yourself and staying as authentic and real as possible. Authenticity and originality cuts through that noise for the most part.
GC: Are there any plans for an album?
HM: Yes! We are currently in the middle of recording our next 6 song EP which will be out early 2026. We are also planning on working on a full length album after the EP comes out!
GC: How would you define success for the band?
HM: A big indicator of success to me is that our music is connecting and resonating with people. One of my biggest goals is to be able to be a voice for the voiceless. Our music champions outsiders and people that struggle with social anxiety, ADHD, and depression. One day I'd like to be able to throw fundraisers to support charities that support mental health. In order to do so, I'd like for us to get to the point where we're full time touring musicians playing festivals and touring with some of our favorite bands.
GC: That’s great! If we can ever help with that, let us know.
GM: Can you share a lyric that sums up your state of mind right now or feels representative of you?
HM: “Anti social middle name, Introversion favorite game. I try to change, I try to reign these habits that drive me insane. Constantly in hermit mode, frozen like a sword in stone. Forever self critical, self conscious right down to the bone. I'm so damn nervous that I'm stuck inside my mind."
Check out Hyper Minds’ new EP System Overload and follow them on IG at @hypermindsband
