DR&DR Profiles – Jeremy Sears

DR&DR Profiles is an article field that will feature new friends, life long friends, and colleagues all the same. Each of them have their own specific hold on an interesting life as well as just having something to say. The second profile is of one of my best friends, Jeremy Sears. Take a look into the real modern, midwest Americana.

Brandon –  What’s going on, man? How have you been lately?

Jeremy – I have been doing exceptionally great lately. Im almost half way through school to be a Master Barber. The Mrs. and I both purchased bikes this month. I randomly, through a good buddy, hit a lick on a 1973 Honda CB450 and she managed to swindle a gentleman out of his 1972 Yamaha DS7250.

Brandon – I’m still jealous you got such a great deal out of that Honda. Pretty unbelievable. When I’m finally in the market, I’ll probably be headed your way.

Jeremy – Sounds good we will get you rolling soon.

Brandon – Where do you live? What do you do for a living?

Jeremy – I currently live in Hamilton, Ohio about twenty five minutes north of Cincinnati, Ohio. My heart really lives in Norwood, Ohio where I lived most of my life give or take a few years wandering and such.

Brandon -Besides me visiting before moving to New York? What’s new in Cincinnati?

Jeremy – It’s been pretty normal as far as Cincinnati goes. I keep busy with school, working on my bike, spending time with my friends and family, and watching the Reds work everyone in the National league.

Brandon – Speaking of the Reds, the July 4th game we’re going to is highest on my list of things to do this summer. You know who they’re playing yet?

Jeremy –  I believe it’s the Padres.

Brandon – What are your weekends looking like lately?

Jeremy – I go to school on Saturday morning so they usually equal me hungover cutting like a madman for eight hours with the worst rock-gut that cheap mid-western beer and rum can provide. School has a party atmosphere on Saturdays as well. I don’t want to go into too much detail, but we basically continue what the night before gave me.

I get off and usually take a shower, put on my weekend’s best, make sure my hair is on point, and then head off to drink more, maybe bowl or just bullshit around. If I’m feeling randy; I smoke or get into a fisticuff.

Brandon – Saturday mornings are usually the worst time of the week for me for the same reasons above. You would think we’d learn our lesson every Friday night that rolls around, right?

Jeremy –  Not learning from your mistakes is what makes us the men we are, Haha.

Brandon – Originality is something I’ve always loved about your personal style, so when you wake up in the morning, what do you build your daily look around if any at all?

Jeremy – Comfort and not to sound like a broken record, but originality. I like to wear stuff that makes me feel like I don’t look like every other dolt on the streets. I mix and match a lot of different eras and types of clothes. A cheap shirt I bought at a thrift shop, paramilitary sweater, Levi’s (because their the O.G. jean every company aspires to be), and some boots or low cut vans. I top it off with a quaff only a dude like me or Morrissey would sport.

Brandon – It’s very true though, it may be overstated but the classics put together with a little originality can easily be the best if done with a little personal attention.

Brandon – Besides everything else that’s going on, what are you supporting most lately?

Jeremy – The Cincinnati Redlegs, Metric Bikes (because I’m cheap and their easy to work on for a motorcycle novice like myself), Cincinnati School of Barbering and Hair Design, and Iron Wolves, the band I sing for.

Brandon – Best brands around right now?

Jeremy – I’ve been a little out the game but as of late I’ve been going back to the basics like Wrangler, Levi’s, Vans, Rebel 8, Penguin, Gap, and Christian Dior.

Brandon – The last couple of years, Americana heritage has been having a major surge lately. Do you think it will have lasting power in mainstream fashion, and would you say it’s a good or bad thing if took a turn back down from the top?

Jeremy – Its a bit of a double edged sword. I was raised by a very salt of the earth type family. The appeal of Americana was bound to attract me. As a small midwestern town kid raised on the values, I can see how it makes it look sincere and attractive to outsiders for fashion and music related reasons. It’s cool to see people in other areas of the America and the world that wouldn’t have necessarily been exposed to that type of lifestyle.

As far as fashion goes, the more guys who want to copy Brad Pitt’s haircut or the style of Donald Draper will just give me more cash to spend on beer, bikes, and home renovation. In the end…It’s a look thats timeless, just like when you look at Paul Newman and think “What a Bad Motherfucker”.

Brandon –  Favorite book as of late and all time best?

Jeremy – My favorite book of all time. Thats a hard one…I’ll go with a tie for two. One that really captivated me at a young age was S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders and another that was just an enjoyable read was The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.

I just started reading Morrissey and Marr – The Severed Alliance by Johnny Rogan and The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera. Both so far are good reads. I’m so busy, it’s hard to juggle two books and the rest of my life.

Brandon – S.E. Hinton is a definite must for anyone. You’ll have to let me know how the Moz and Marr book is. I can imagine it has a lot of intense bits in it.

Brandon – I know you’re a fellow West Ham man, what are your thoughts on the current season?

Jeremy – I’m a shitty football fan as of this season. I kept up for a few months then fell off and am clueless to whats going on with the EPL right now. School and not having Fox Soccer anymore put a major halt on all of that.

Brandon – Fortunately for you, their season has been less than stellar, but so has every other team for the most part. 

Brandon – What are some tried and true records from then that are still in rotation and what are some recent ones that have been sounding good?

Jeremy – As of late I’ve really been digging the Cast King record called Saw Mill Man, as well as Purple Mercy, Lewd Acts, Frustration, and The Specials. Plus all of Sean Brown’s output, but especially the stuff he did with Jesuseater. 

Tried and true that will never do me wrong is going to be Sheer Terror, Fugazi, Ottis Redding, Neil Young, Sabbath, Ryan Adams, The Delfonics, Unbroken, Joy Division. That’s whats creeping in my head right now.

Brandon – Being without a computer or much of a MP3 player, I’m completely out of the loop on music from the past year or so. Sean Brown’s stuff is definitely incredible as was a lot of the early Deathwish output. I have nothing but great things to say about everyone else on that list as I’m sure you know. You’ll have to let me listen to that Cast King record though…

Brandon – What would you say your favorite city in the U.S. is?

Jeremy – Another tough one but it probably Norwood, Ohio. The hometown always wins out. I spent my childhood there so there are many shady memories and a lot of sketchy stuff went down in my youth, plus moms and pops stay there. Good people, awesome place. It’s closely followed by Nashville.

Brandon – It’s funny you mention Ohio, because when I tell people my top vacation spot is in fact Cincinnati…I get the strangest looks. 

Brandon – Considering we met around 9 years ago, how would you say you have changed from then ’til now, and what are some major things that have molded you over the years.

Jeremy – I’ve made a lot of changes in my life. What I consider to be for the better.

Divorce, school, mind expanding forms of travel, fashion, music, friends, and family, all helped get me to where I am today. I’m thankful for all of them and every day I get to explore this crazy ass world we live in. It’s been a hell of a ride and its gets faster by the second.

Brandon – Couldn’t of said it better myself. Thanks so much for taking the time, and I’ll see you fully droned on July 4th!