Imagine basically living on a bus. Traveling from town to city to college, a vagrant, a nomad, a castaway soaking in the hardscrabble tales of this country. Putting in work, with no time to shave or shower or change your clothes even. That’s how Juiceboxxx does his thing, man, and he’s proud to say he’s been doing it since he was 15. The Juicer climbed aboard Carniville’s stage on the coldest day of South-by and still managed to get the crowd roiling screaming with a hoarse voice to turn up the sound, “I’m 23 and already deaf man, turn it up!” Juiceboxxx flung himself around the crowd, on speakers, on stage, on top of a security guard wearing a neck kerchief and cowboy hat. After the show, I caught up with him to ask some quick questions while he was packing up his backpack next to the stage.

Tacos or bbq?

Juiceboxxx: I fucking hate these questions. [long, uncomfortable pause as I simultaneously lose my spot in my notebook]

Uh, I mean, what do you want to talk about?

Juiceboxxx: Sorry, I’m an asshole. Tacos I guess. [more awkward pausing]

I just have a few quick questions, you know trying to do a little bit here to work. Where do you get your energy from? How’s that?”

Juiceboxxx: I try to do my shows a certain way and I always have. I don’t do anything half-assed. Whether it’s 5 people or 50,000 people I perform the same.

Is it hard after a while?

Juiceboxxx: No, you’re programmed. Once you get onstage you get into a particular zone, a different, you know whatever. You know what I mean?

What’s your most memorable Austin story or anecdote?

Juiceboxxx: I always love slash hate it, you know what I mean? But I love it too, that’s a big part of it.  A fun show I played ….behind an Amtrack station with Spank Rock and Dan Deacon at like 4 in the morning, that was pretty cool.

What’s something from the artist perspective besides people pouncing on you with dumb questions every time you get 5 minutes to yourself?

Juiceboxxx: I dunno man, I don’t do it for any other reason besides that I need to do it. People need to know this. I’m not like a lot of motherfuckers – future dads – that’s not how I operate, I do this because I need to do it. I’ve been doing this since I was 15, you know, I love music.

All I have to say is, I’ve been writing since I was eight, Juiceboxxx, and maybe by the time you’re 32 you’ll realize that anything worth doing is difficult to do. Switch off the autopilot, get some sleep and count your money, because you’re making more than the writers.

Words by Jacob Cottingham, Photos by Courtney Dudley