Accrued all the pain without any of the gain, any of the gain, any of the gain.

I’m through with the game, now just get me to the grave, get me to the grave, get me to the grave, get me to the grave.

My shadow friend’s come to see me again and I can't remember where, or when, or how, or why it was we first met.

I'm Glenn Richards and this is WUFT Amplified, showcasing some amazing artists for your listening and viewing pleasure.

On this episode, pretty psyched to have Gainesville veterans You Vandal with Eric Cannon on vocals and guitar, Richard “Gooch” Pallas on guitar and vocals, Scott Halzwart on drums, and Alex Burton on bass.

Get ready for some catchy riffs, power drums, and a mix of punk and pop and emo.

From their 2025 album This Is Where People Come to Die, here's Clueless (As If) from You Vandal on WUFT Amplified.

A million times a day, you say she’s one in a million, but she’s never whole.

“Take her along,” you say.

Keep her close all the time, but she feels so cold.

You portray different planes as you bargain for secondhand feelings.

Leave you wanting more.

You have no clue where you stand here.

You have no clue where you stand here.

“Another night instead,” she says to you again, so you keep your hold.

Stuck between where she lives and where she’s willing to walk to, so you’re still alone.

Looking through pain anew; one that’s all in your head.

Coming to, played on loop over and over again.

You have no clue where you stand here.

You have no clue where you stand here.

You have no clue where you stand here.

You have no clue where you stand here.

You portray different planes as you bargain for secondhand feelings.

Leave you wanting more.

Looking through pain anew; one that’s all in your head.

Coming to, played on loop over and over again.

You portray different planes as you bargain for secondhand feelings.

Leave you wanting more.

One that’s all in your head.

Over and over and over.

You have no clue where you stand here.

You have no clue where you stand here.

You, you have no clue where you stand here.

You, you have no clue where you stand here.

Where you stand here.

Where you stand here.

Let's not ruin this yet.

We'll knock that part out later.

When I'm through feeling zen, we'll talk about “us” then.

Waking up from dreams of kissing in your basement, wondering where that bright smile on your face went.

It's like the spark of your life has been smothered... If I'm right, don't deny it— I won’t sleep at— Let's not ruin this yet.

We'll knock that part out later.

When I'm through feeling zen, we'll talk about “us” then.

This ends the same whether it's two years or it’s seven: with goodbye notes that read “you're gonna kill in heaven.” Be present, centered, and focused taking this all in.

Am I here in the moment?

Yes- and it's all covered in sh— Psych!

Let's not ruin this yet.

We'll knock that part out later.

When I'm through feeling zen, we'll talk about “us” then.

Waking up from dreams I'm crumpled in your waste bin, wondering what blank expressions on your face meant.

This ends the same... always the same: with goodbye notes that read “you're gonna kill.” Let's not ruin this yet.

We'll knock that part out later.

When I'm through feeling zen, we'll talk about “us” then.

Let's not ruin this yet.

We'll knock that part out later.

When I'm through feeling zen, we'll talk about “us” then.

That's “Feeling Zen” from You Vandal on WUFT Amplified, “Clueless (As If)” ahead of that.

Both from their 2025 album This Is Where People Come to Die .

And this is where people come to talk about themselves and their music.

Your fifth album since forming in 2009.

For those who don't know, tell everybody how You Vandal came to be.

Alex and I actually first connected on an old forum called GainesvilleBands.com, that some people, if they've been around long enough, might remember.

But they basically had a forum on there where, if you wanted to start a band, you could make a post and connect with people.

So, he had a group of guys he was playing with at the time, and they were looking for a singer, and I was on there looking as well, and we connected.

And that's the roots of what sprung into You Vandal, probably late 2008, early 2009.

And what are some of the influences that brought you guys together?

I think back then, it was, it was very much pop punk, post-hardcore stuff.

New Found Glory, Saves the Day, like pop punk, emo bands that, like, thought they were kind of hardcore.

And then it's evolved since then to kind of be just more willy nilly.

Whatever inspires us in the moment.

It's less beholden to a genre.

We're particularly comfortable in punk rock and pop punk stuff, so that's how it all tends to come out.

But, we're not particularly trying to sound like that.

So, what does inspire you guys now?

What, what... Right now, I've been listening to a lot of electronic music and, like, 70s stuff that I didn’t really— maybe when I was a kid, I thought I was too cool for, too punk rock for.

And now I listen to, you know, a Joni Mitchell song and be like, “That's beautiful.” “That,” you know, “that verse makes me want to cry,” you know?

So, yeah, just whatever stuff that maybe flew under my radar when I was too much of a kid.

I don't know.

What about you, Gooch?

I mean, I've always been into a lot of the classic rock stuff, you know, just from cassettes, like, my folks had given me.

But, I mean, when it comes to this style of music, I definitely came up loving stuff like Bad Religion, Strung Out, Poley.

You know, bands that I would call riffy and had some pretty sound and vocals.

And if you — For all of you people here in college, Bad Religion is what you would call S.A.T punk.

So, all of that stuff was very inspiring to me because I wanted to write something that I thought the lyrics had something more to say.

And I thought that the music was killer, and these guys give me that opportunity.

So, how's the songwriting process work?

Like, when somebody brings a song idea in or, I mean, how does that work?

And then, if it's not fitting the You Vandal sound, do you make it fit the You Vandal sound?

Or do you, I mean, are you tied to that?

I guess it depends on who's bringing the song to the table.

Like, usually— Usually if I have an idea, I already have, like, a skeleton that I'm coming to the table with.

It might not be, like, fully written, but here's like a melody or some lyrics to a chorus.

And here’s kind of like the structure of the song I'm imagining.

And then people might put their spin on it from there.

If Gooch has a song, it's kind of the same idea.

He might have a skeleton that he brings to the table.

Since I've usually been the main voice of the band before he joined, if it sounds like too off, in the— outside the boundaries of what we would normally do, I might make some suggestions to kind of craft it in, or make it more appropriate for my voice or something.

Or, sometimes it's just as he wrote it, and we let him loose on it.

“Clueless [As If]” is a — That song we played earlier is a good example of that.

Like I wrote that — I was like, “This should be droning, and slow, and sound like a record that came out ten years ago.” And Eric is like, “That's a take.

Or...” And then it turned into something, I think, much radder.

So, we're very collaborative.

Or “[Feeling] Zen,” I think started from a chord progression or bass idea that Alex had at one point.

And there were— that's all it was, was a couple of chords.

And then, I wound up coming up with some lyrics and a melody, and tweaked it a little bit.

And then it turned into a completely diferent song.

But, it depends on who brought what to the table, and we take it from there.

What can you tell us about this next one, “Get Me 2 the Grave”?

Oh, “Get Me 2 the Grave.” It just started as a melody.

I don't think the lyrics in the chorus, the “get me to the grave” stuff were there originally.

It was just, do do do do do do do do— something I would hum in the car.

And then, I keep a notepad on my phone of just things I hear on podcasts, or TV shows, or just out in conversation in the world— things that make me laugh.

And, the phrase “get me to the grave” made me laugh one day.

I put it in and then found out that it worked pretty well in the melody.

And then kind of, it evolved from there.

But the verses, I think, are about going back through my old, like, Facebook posts when I was a kid and just, like, cringing so hard of like, “Who is this person?” Like, “Why did I ever put this out on the internet?” So, the wondering if you can see the shame on my face is referring to my Facebook.

So, yeah.

So embarrassed that I'm just ready to get to the grave.

All right.

Well, another one from their latest album, here's You Vandal on WUFT Amplified.

Accrued all the pain without any of the gain.

Any of the gain.

Any of the gain.

I'm through with the game, now just get me to the grave.

Get me to the grave.

Get me to the grave.

Get me to the grave.

My shadow friend’s come to see me again and I can't remember where, or when, or how, or why it was we first met.

Clear in the mirror over my shoulder smiling, whispering vile: “You'll never do or be enough.

Hey, kid- heads up, I'm gonna be here a while.” My shadow friend.

My shadow friend.

Accrued all the pain without any of the gain.

Any of the gain.

Any of the gain.

I'm through with the game, now just get me to the grave.

Get me to the grave.

Get me to the grave.

Get me to the grave.

I wonder how much shame's easy to read on my face.

I'm worried that the baby doesn't think that people can change.

No matter what weight's placed on finding peace with yourself, you'll only wind up in positions where nobody can tell.

Well.

My shadow friend's come to see me again.

Shadow friend, tell me: how long has it been?

My shadow friend's come to see me again.

Accrued all the pain.

I’m through with the game.

Accrued all the pain without any of the gain.

Any of the gain.

Any of the gain.

I'm through with the game, now just get me to the grave.

Get me to the grave.

Get me to the grave.

Get me to the grave.

The grave.

My shadow friend's come to see me again.

My shadow friend.

My shadow friend.

You're a liar.

You're a faker: pretending you don't remember.

Well, I'm tired of the vacant stares; pretending you don't know you still owe me, used-to-know-me.

We can always find you in dangerous headspace; constantly compensating to save face.

You never stop.

Play like you ain't got a problem.

Will you ever grow up, or just hang out on the bottom?

Your true colors shine so long and bright over those you prey on.

You vampire— yeah, you bleed me dry and bite off the hands you're fed by.

Who's so phony, pseudo-homie?

We can always find you in dangerous headspace; constantly compensating to save face.

You never stop.

Play like you ain't got a problem.

Will you ever grow up, or just hang out on the bottom?

Yo- is this a picture of your saved face, or just another pitcure of the same fake snake face?

Is this a picture of your saved face, or just another pitcure of the same fake snake face?

We can always find you in dangerous headspace; you’re constantly compensating to save face.

You never stop.

Play like you ain't got a problem.

Will you ever grow up, or just hang out on the bottom?

You.

A picture of your same fake snake face.

Is this a picture of your saved face, or just another pitcure of the same fake snake face?

I'm struggling to keep a straight face at how you upload selfies far from naysayers now.

Your one-liners can thrive in safe spaces found below the photos of your same fake snake face.

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

Banned from the back yard.

You didn't have to take it that far, but you don't have it in you to hold back — do you?

Slay the captain just to run us aground, and then you'll play the victim 'til karma circles back around.

I'd say that I feel sorry for you, but I don't.

Let go of the coattails, or burn with the coat.

You can burn, burn with the coat.

You, you Phantom of the top bar.

You always keep us staying on guard.

Something deep inside you's missing a piece or two.

Stick up dopes with made-up stories you confound.

You can piss up ropes, but what goes up comes down.

I'd say that I feel sorry for you, but I don't.

Let go of the coattails, or burn with the coat.

You can burn, burn with the coat.

I’d say that I feel sorry for you, but I don’t.

Let go of the coattails, or— Let go of the coattails.

Let go of the coattails.

Let go of the coattails, or burn with the coat.

You can burn, burn with the coat.

I’d say that I feel sorry for you, but I don’t.

Let go of the coattails, or burn with the coat.

—— myself from the news.

Someone else has their arms around you.

And I hope there’s no one there in the bathroom stall, cause I’m about to rip an air dryer off the wall.

You got me thinking —— —— all my fault.

Even if it is a little you still call it only mine.

I’ve been dying to go back.

Oh, I’ve been dying to go back.

Watch me running in place.

You scream at me anyway.

Watch me running in place.

Running in place.

Watch me chasing the day.

I can tell we’re not meant to be.

From shared photos of your life without me.

And I hope there’s no one there in the bathroom stall, cause I’m about to rip an air dryer off the wall.

There was a time in my life I’d snap.

A time in my life right now when I snap!

Been dying to go back.

Oh, I’ve been dying to go back.

Watch me running in place.

You scream at me anyway.

Watch me running in place.

Running in place.

Watch me chasing the day.

Boy, you should know that I got you on my mind.

Your secret admirer.

I’ve been watching you, cause... You scream at me anyway.

Running in place.

Watch me chasing the day.

Watch me running in place.

Running in place.

Wake me up.

It must be a dream.

It would have blown my mind when I was seventeen.

Go on to meet someone like you.

Not so fast.

Wait it out.

I’ll rip this all to shreds.

Over nothing at all I go and lose my head.

It’s so typical of me to do.

I’ll cut off my ear and put it in a box as a gift to you, cause you’re a total fox.

Sorry I’m a jerk when we have these talks, but I... regret it all as soon as our eyes lock.

Now the blood soaked rags in the trash are thrown.

Bandages to cover up the bone.

Your diamond eyes look so alone, and make me always regret my tone.

I’ll make it up if you give me the chance.

I’m not so bad... at least I don’t think I am.

I keep on keeping it hard to believe.

Maybe you can find it in your heart to see past the fact I’m such a massive idiot.

You’re still all that matters to me.

You’re still all that matters.

I’ll cut off my ear and put it in a box as a gift to you, cause you’re a total fox.

Sorry I’m a jerk when we have these talks, but I... regret it all as soon as our eyes lock.

The blood soaked rags in the trash are thrown.

Bandages to cover up the bone.

Your diamond eyes look so alone, and make me always regret my tone.

I’m sorry.

I’m sorry.

Yeah.

I’ll cut off my ear and put it in a box as a gift to you, cause you’re a total fox.

Sorry I’m a jerk when we have these talks, but I... regret it all as soon as our eyes lock.

The blood soaked rags in the trash are thrown.

Bandages to cover up the bone.

Diamond eyes look so alone, and make me regret it always.

Regret it all.

I’m sorry.

Sorry.

Yeah.

Turn on the brights.

See deer scatter in the night.

See this steering wheel turn right where it knows I belong: this ditch just south of Charleston.

I'm calling out when we're apart.

With zero bars, it's all for naught.

Your sound could take me home.

Well, I just need to hear your voice.

Well, I just need to hear your voice.

Your voice.

Turn off the lights.

I feel the sun starting to rise.

I feel this burning hole inside, fraught from miles shelled out.

I've brought this on myself and now... I'm calling out when we're apart.

With zero bars, it's all for naught.

Your sound could take me home.

Well, I just need to hear your voice.

Well, I just need to hear your voice.

Your voice.

The South Carolina cellphone tower gods are frowning on me.

I doubt I'll carry on for long if your voice hasn't found me.

Your sound could take me home.

Well, I just need to hear your voice.

Well, I just need to hear your voice.

Take me home.

Take me home.

Need to hear your voice.

Take me home.

Your voice.

That’s “Take Me Home” from You Vandal on WUFT Amplified, from 2015’s Abandon All Hope.

Ahead of that, a popular favorite from 2017’s I Just Want to Go Back to Hell , “Sorry.” And, “Running in Place” from 2022’s Pretend I Don't Exist, ahead of that.

And three more from the latest album, This is   Where People Come to Die .

You Vandal, thanks so much for being here and digging into the archives for some oldies but goodies.

A lot from the new album.

How's the reaction been?

Pretty positive so far.

I mean, the closest friends of mine whose opinion I hold in the highest, they've told me they think it's some of our best stuff.

So that makes me feel like we did something pretty cool.

To me, it feels like the embodiment of what we were always supposed to sound like.

We just hadn't achieved in the past.

So, I feel really satisfied with it.

I'd say, playing live, I see way more toe tapping and head bobbing.

A little bit of swaying, you know, it's just a lot more movement.

It seems to— They’re either trying to get the hell out, or it sounds good.

So what's the metric?

Swaying, or head bobbing, or tapping?

Ooh.

Well, I mean, up on stage sometimes— Depends on the tempo.

I don’t— I can't always see the toes, so I don't know.

I mean, that could have been going on the whole time.

I would have had no idea.

So— That’s your tall person privilege right there.

I see the toes all the time.

I would say the swaying and the, the moving of the mouth, supposedly, along with the lyrics.

That's usually a good indicator.

I see that every once in a while.

Yeah, I do that.

But I’m kind of pretending like I know the lyrics.

So— I don’t even know the lyrics.

If someone says the know the lyrics, I know they’re lying.

So, playing out, playing live, how much time do you guys get to spend on the road?

This year we haven’t really been doing a whole lot.

We've been, kind of intentionally been more focused on playing locally more, and playing locally Florida-wise, a lot more than we have in previous years.

Used to be we'd try to go on little runs, up the coast or out to Texas, or the Midwest periodically, and we'll probably still do that.

Just this year, it's been more focused on giving the album a proper release, and spending some more time around Gainesville.

Doing shows at places we haven't played in a while or places we've never played, or doing studio video content at studios we've never worked with before; just trying to reconnect with home base a little bit.

All right, cool.

Well, we got time for one more.

Another oldie, this one going all the way back to 2013.

You guys remember how to play this one?

We kept it way simpler back then, so it should be— It should come naturally.

And so many positive songs, and lyrics, and titles.

This is the biggest one.

Yeah.

It's all tongue in cheek.

This might be like the— I hear a lot of Joni in this one.

Joni and Chachi, not Joni Mitchell.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

Watching Joni and Chachi makes me think of this title.

The title, “Please God Kill Me” is actually from a— It's from an old episode of Space Ghost Coast to Coast .

So, it's actually— a cartoon character said it.

It's the first appearance of Meatwad from Aqua Teen Hunger Force , and he says, “Please, God, kill me.” Again, something that made me laugh, and I wrote it down.

Right, like “How Dracula Got His Groove Back.” Good stuff.

All right.

It's “Please God Kill Me,” You Vandal on WUFT Amplified.

Well I never bought "love at first sight" until my eyes caught yours.

Figures I would buy it from somebody who was spoken for.

So, I'll take this walk to wherever I parked and slam my head in the car door.

Don’t say what I think you’re gonna say.

Don’t say what I think you’re gonna say.

I'm living it up.

I'm living a lie.

I'm incredibly dumb to think he wasn't your guy.

He could save me the trouble if he'd stand aside.

When he says those words, I'll be murdered inside.

Don’t say what I think you’re gonna say.

Don’t say what I think you’re gonna say.

I hope you know I'm all about you.

I hope you know he's in the way.

Please don't say what I think you're going to say.

I feel like I really feel you when I feel like you really feel me too.

So, I feel like we should feel this out.

I feel like I could be your dude.

Don’t say what I think you’re gonna say.

Don’t say what I think you’re gonna say.

I hope you know I'm all about you.

I hope you know he's in the way.

Yeah.

Please don’t say what I think you’re gonna say.

That’s “Please God Kill Me” from You Vandal on WUFT Amplified.

Learn more about WUFT Amplified and check out past episodes at WUFT.org/Amplified.

I'm Glenn Richards.

Thank you to You Vandal for being here.

Thank you for checking us out.

We'll see you next time.

Wake me up.

It must be a dream.

It would have blown my mind when I was seventeen.

Go on to meet someone like you.

Not so fast.

Wait it out.

I’ll rip this all to shreds.

Over nothing at all I go and lose my head.

It’s so typical of me to do.

I’ll cut off my ear and put it in a box as a gift to you, cause you’re a total fox.

Sorry I’m a jerk when we have these talks, but I...