Learn the story behind math and computer science teacher Daniel Vega’s latest album, the history of his music career and how it relates to his teaching

shield the It took Vega 4 years to make ‘Decade’ COVID-19 disrupted his life, but it also gave math teacher time to finish his long-awaited album

JANSSEN TRANSIER

co editor-in-chief

When current math and computer science teacher Daniel Vega started work with lead vocalist Charlie Day on the six-track album Decade, the world was still mourning the deaths of David Bowie and Prince, Donald Trump was making the late-night talk show circuit, you could still find crowds of people in the park hunting for Pokemon with Pokemon Go, and the class of 2020 was in eighth grade.

But now, after four years of work, the new album is finally ready.

The roots of Decade can be traced back to 2008, with the formation of Vega’s first band, Zlam Dunk. Vega made music with Zlam Dunk for six years, releasing a studio album and touring the country several times. “We broke up around 2014, because we were all transitioning to different parts of our lives,” Vega said. “I got married, and we were all getting out of college and moving into real life.”

After the breakup of Zlam Dunk, Vega continued to make music, forming a new band, Desert Culture.

“I had a lot of fun in that band, but it wasn’t as aggressive as Zlam Dunk, and it didn’t have the same post-punk sensibilities, which was the music I was more interested in making,” Vega said. “That’s what made me start writing the songs that appear on the new record.”

Vega said that “this album has been a long time coming. I’ve been working on the songs since ABOVE: Daniel Vega plays the drums with his band Zlam Dunk during the band’s third tour. Vega said he wasn’t sure where and when the photo was taken but his best guess was that it was in Philadelphia in 2011. “It was the longest tour we ever did,” Vega recalled, “roughly five weeks on the road, living in a van and crashing on floors. Best time of my life, other than getting married and teaching at McCallum obviously.” Photo by Danny Garcia (Vega thinks). INSET: Crooked Numbers (Charlie Day and Daniel Vega) recently released a new album Decade, which Vega describes as “a love letter to that period in our lives, and to all the people who were a part of it.” Photo courtesy of Vega. around 2016, but when you have a full-time job and a life, music kind of gets put on the back burner.” for the song, and then go from there.” eye-opening,” Vega said. “It really taught me to be next track, “Dead Set (Moving Forward),” the tension

The album has been a long process, with Vega To help balance his logical side, Vega lets his patient, because I’ve dealt with some of the most that was built by the opening tracks starts to release. beginning to record the songs in 2018. creativity run free when he is writing lyrics. difficult students you can imagine.” Booming, grimy vocals set over a heavy, chugging,

“I kept slowly working on it until it finally got “Musically I’m very logical, and everything is While it was a challenge, it also gave Vega an drum beat contrast with a melodic synth line that mastered in January of this year,” Vega said. After super orderly,” Vega said “But writing lyrics is opportunity to grow. looms ominously in the mix. On the next track, that, Vega decided to wait to release the project until where I let myself be more creative and give myself “I was able to learn their stories,” Vega said. “It “Foundation,” Vega takes a chance to let his lyricism after SXSW, so the release wouldn’t be overshadowed fewer rules.” showed me that a lot of those kids are difficult shine, while he seems to reflects over the changes by the festival. But with SXSW canceled and the Originally, Vega intended to pursue music as because they have a really difficult life, and most of he’s seen in himself and his surroundings over the country on lockdown thanks to the coronavirus a career. it is out of their control. It really taught me to be past decade. With the second-to-last track, “Salvage,” pandemic, he decided that now was the time. “My major in college was sound recording and empathetic; all those kids are really great, and so Vega seems to epitomize all the sentiments expressed

You might think that putting out an album when technology, so I was actually a music major.” much stronger than I was at their age.” earlier in the album, both lyrically and musically. The you are well-known math and computer science In his junior year of college, however, Vega had Although he changed career paths, Vega still high-energy drums contrast starkly with the somber teacher at a fine arts school might make Vega a little an epiphany. tends to think in terms of music. lyrics and dark melody created by the bass and the anxious, but he tries to minimize that by reminding “I realized that if I was a recording engineer I “As a teacher you come across so many different guitar. This contrast creates a very unique sound, and himself why he’s making music in the first place. would be working 15-hour days, and it’s also not stories and emotions, and then as a musician, you bobbing your head to the infectious rhythm while

“I’m always a little bit nervous when I release a job you need a degree for,” Vega said. “I think can try and translate those emotions into a song, listening to the vulnerable and emotional lyrics kind something new,” Vega said. “But for me, I just try and I could’ve done that and had a great time, but I and it really helps me walk in their shoes,” Vega said. of feels like dancing at a funeral. Decade closes with tell myself if that’s what I wanted to have a normal Vega’s ability to do that is confirmed by senior “Heat Depression,” a short, mostly instrumental track want to do, and I like it. I don’t really care what “As a drummer and a math life and eventually get married, so I decided Henry Winter, a student in Vega’s AP Computer Science class who has had Vega as a teacher for the that showcases Vega’s ear for melody with a beautiful synth line that sets the perfect tone to end the album. other people think of it.”

For Vega, the music will speak for itself. teacher, my songwriting process is super logical.” that I needed to pivot.”

Ve g a d e c i d e d to stick with his past two years.

“One of his biggest strengths is that he really listens to students,” Winter said. “He’s very down to earth, and

Vega also makes an effort to bring music into

Listening to Decade, it might be hard to believe that Vega was not always an accomplished songwriter. But, like everything, Vega believes it just takes practice. “I never wanted to be the band that had to beg —Daniel Vega original degree plan, rather than change he tries really hard to help his students understand.”

The new album is deeply personal for Vega, who It wasn’t until the next year that he stumbled and I think he has the ability to appreciate a lot of “That really just means you can do whatever you describes it as a “love letter to that period in my life, upon his passion for teaching. different types of music.” want. You have complete freedom,” Vega said. “Just and the people who were a part of it.” “I was working a temp job, when I sort of He doesn’t just appreciate many types of music. know that the only way to get better is to keep trying.

As far as songwriting goes, Vega tends to randomly found out about a program to get He records them. His latest release, Decade, speaks to … Being in a band is one of the most fun things you approach music as solving a problem. alternatively certified to be a teacher,” Vega said. his broad music taste. The record opens with “Decade can do,” Vega said. “Don’t worry about being able to

“As a drummer and a math teacher, my songwriting From there, Vega taught at the Alternative I” and “Decade II,” a raw and emotional tribute to sing; if you have something to say, say it.” process is super logical,” Vega said. “I usually start with Learning Center, or ALC, for four years. times past, with dark guitar and synth lines backed Vega is leaving Mac at the end of this school year. We chord shapes to try and determine the mood and feel “That job was honestly a lot of fun, and very by a dance-pop influenced rhythm section. On the wish him well in his future pursuits musical and otherwise. 20 a&e 28 may 2020

“It takes a long time. I’ve been making music for 17 years and just in the past three years have I really for attention,” Vega said. majors, and in 2011 the classroom whenever he can. “Whenever we started to get it.” “I just try and focus on he graduated with a are taking a quiz or a test Mr. Vega always puts As discouraging as this may sound, Vega sees it as having fun, and I’ve found that people respond to that.” degree in sound recording and technology. on music,” Winter said. “He’s really into music, an opportunity.