By Talan Quinteros
For over 40,000 years, the art of music has taken people in from all over the world. Music has brought together people from all walks of life and diverse backgrounds. It’s been one of the staples of the entertainment industry since humans first existed, affecting all age groups. Over the last few decades, teenagers have developed a passion for music. That passion has sparked something new in the Fountain Valley community, the creation of underclassmen from Fountain Valley High School’s (FVHS) and Huntington Beach High School’s Bum the Band.
Like most teenage projects, Bum the Band didn’t begin with a big plan. It started the way most bands do—just a few friends hanging out, messing around with instruments and slowly realizing they enjoyed what they were making.
“We started our band in May 2025, but we’ve all been playing music together since middle school at Fulton,” sophomore drummer Mason Martell said.
As they spent more time practicing, each member started to settle into their role. Martell found the drums to be his art. Lead singer, freshman Kenzi Nguyen, built his voice through repetition and confidence. He also took on the rhythm guitar. Freshman Kevin Pham is the bassist of the group and freshman Tyler Sahachaisere is the band’s lead guitar, rounding out the sound that would become the identity of Bum the Band.
Most of their setlist comes from rock influences. They take heavy inspiration from bands like Green Day and The Paradox, covering songs they grew up listening to and adding their own twist when they perform.
Their confidence took a big leap once they started playing for others. Small living room and garage audiences helped them see that people genuinely enjoyed what they were doing. Their first official performance took place on June 29, 2025 at iTango, a Vietnamese restaurant. This was a moment that pushed the band to start performing.
However, being a band made up of underclassmen comes with real challenges. Balancing classes, homework and finding time to practice hasn’t always been easy, and they’ve had to figure out things like schedules, sound equipment and keeping everyone on the same page.
“One time, during a performance, our mic cut out right as we began to play. We had to improvise and find another microphone,” Martell said. “It was honestly very stressful at the time but we just had to put our [heads] together, and it ended up working out with a little strive.”
Instead of letting the setbacks slow them down, the group has used every performance and practice as a learning experience. Their goal this year is to keep things simple and just keep getting better. Whether it’s tightening their sound, trying new ideas or working toward writing their first few original songs, they’re committed to improving together.
From a few friends casually playing music to a developing band finding its place at FVHS, Bum the Band shows how passion can start small and slowly grow into something meaningful. With consistency, teamwork and the right group of people, even an idea formed in a middle school rock band class can turn into something worth hearing.
“Live life to the fullest because you never know if tomorrow will come! Always chase your dreams. When we first started this, we didn’t even know if we were going to play in any gigs or anything but now we’re performing pretty often and getting requests,” Martell said.
As they continue developing their sound, the group hopes their progress inspires students across campus to take a chance on their own creative ideas. Whether it’s starting a band or picking up an instrument for the first time, Bum the Band wants others to know that you don’t need perfection to begin. Bum the Band plans to perform at upcoming school events, ASB’s Winter Market on December 13th and potentially ASB’s Baronchella in February!
