B-Side Guys

Great art often emerges from frustration. For Houston-based Transmission Lost (the musical alias of Garret Ashton), a competition snub became creative catalyst on “Hometown Zeroes for 2″—a Queens of the Stone Age-inspired track that transforms professional disappointment into defiant momentum.

The origin story provides crucial context: after being passed over in a music competition that seemingly prioritized fan submissions over songcraft, Ashton channeled that frustration into something more productive than bitterness. The result is a track that acknowledges disappointment while refusing to be defined by it.

“I’ve seen the mountains and I’ve come from the west/I know what it means to be considered second best,” Ashton declares in the opening lines, immediately establishing both geographical identity (his Idaho roots) and the underdog position that fuels the narrative. This introduction—delivered over guitar work that indeed echoes QOTSA’s distinctive desert rock rhythms—frames rejection not as failure but as familiar territory to be navigated.

What elevates “Hometown Zeroes for 2” beyond simple complaint is its emotional progression. The initial verses document submission and rejection, but by the chorus, frustration transforms into declaration: “This is me knocking on your door/But I’m not knocking anymore.” This shift from seeking validation to withdrawing it entirely represents the song’s emotional core—rejection reframed as liberation.

Musically, the track showcases Ashton’s diverse influences, blending stoner rock foundations with alternative sensibilities. The intentionally unusual rhythmic patterns create productive tension with the straightforward lyrical declarations, mirroring the cognitive dissonance of watching less deserving competitors advance. The production balances raw energy with careful construction, allowing the track’s emotional current to flow unimpeded while maintaining sonic distinctiveness.

Most compelling is how the song’s repeated refrain “Congratulations, this one’s for you/Hometown zeroes for 2” functions simultaneously as sarcastic dismissal and reclamation of identity. By the final verse, Ashton has reversed the trophy metaphor entirely: “So, here’s your little trophy/Don’t bother if you know me/I want to give the trophy to you”—transforming symbols of defeat into ammunition for forward movement.

For a musician whose background encompasses the peaceful Idaho countryside and Houston’s urban landscape, “Hometown Zeroes for 2” represents geographical and emotional terrain expertly navigated, turning perceived failure into perhaps his most authentic artistic statement yet.