Defying expectations in pursuit of passion: The Sex Wacks story​
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Tristan Moore’s mom imagined him at the Air Force Academy. Instead, he did something far from that– he started a band called Sex Wacks.
Sex Wacks, founded in 2021, quickly became an outlet for its three members as they navigated the pressures of college, career expectations and full-time jobs– all the usual early-adulthood joys.
For Tristan Moore, the band’s lead singer and guitarist, the tension began before college as he realized his goals didn’t align with what others had thought of for him.
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“My mom wanted me to go to the Air Force Academy; she had a different idea of what success looked like for me,” Moore said. “My passion is spending all of my time dedicated to growth in particularly productive relationships and healthy friendships, and then somehow from there, how do I turn that into an actual career … that’s a lot of what happens in the band, focusing on the relationships we have with each other and how that comes through the music,”
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“It can be hard to keep your vision clear in this day because you’re being crowded by all these things and other people's thoughts and expectations,” Watson said. “A lot of kids in college are lost in that sense, but they do know what they want … you have to work your ass off and let it fully take you.”
With full-time jobs outside of Sex Wacks, the three members can use the band as a creative outlet and to support one another. Rob Maranville, the band's bassist and realist, knows making money from music isn’t easy, so he focuses instead on having fun with his friends.
“The music industry is not designed to be a healthy environment,” Maranville said. “It’s hard to get big because there are a million musicians, and everyone is amazing. So just have fun with the people you’re with and try to make music that sounds nice … to make a living from it is mentally and physically hard.”
Their structure gives them financial stability from full-time jobs while allowing space to play music together, mess around and experiment creatively.
Even though the idea of pursuing music felt terrifying to all of them, they realized the biggest step to take was deciding to leap. Without the initial leap, they say they might have been stuck doing other things that would have made them miserable.
“Risk is the only thing that separates expectations and passion,” Moore said. “If you want to defy expectations to pursue a passion, it’s going to cost you a lot of risk.”
Since taking that risk, Tristan Moore, Jack Watson and Rob Maranville say they’ve evolved together on the journey they’ve taken.
“Our identities have shaped Sex Wacks,” Watson said. “ ... we haven’t changed a bit, we’ve always been fun guys who want to do cool shit like go cliff jumping and skiing, that embodies our music.”
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In the end, Sex Wacks didn’t just become a band that “brings cool music to cool people,” as Moore said– they became living proof of what happens when three people decide to follow passion over expectations. Moore, Watson and Maranville have built a band that is real, a creative outlet that is truly their own. And while Tristan Moore didn’t make it to the Air Force Academy, the path he chose instead landed him exactly where he’s meant to be– something his mom just might be pretty proud of.
Listen to "My Place" as you read this article for an enhanced experience. Enjoy!
For Moore, the weight of expectation depended on who it came from, and figuring that out helped him decide what success truly meant.
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Jack Watson, the band's drummer, didn't face the same kind of pressure growing up, which led him down his own path to Sex Wacks and becoming a talent buyer for Aggie Theatre.
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“I never had that much pressure on it,” Watson said. “My parents told me to do what I want, and I found this thing by playing with the band, and I fell in love with it. Eventually, it turned into my full-time career, which is insane. I never would have thought two years ago that I would be here now, but the lack of those expectations let me succeed.”
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Still, Watson understands the confusion that many college students face when trying to choose a direction in life and career.
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As the band reflects on what has shaped their sound, they realize that their experiences are completely tied to the music they make. Moore, specifically, reflects on how far he’s come since he first picked up a guitar.
“I think I picked up my first guitar when I was 10,” Moore said. “Everything since then has been different, it carried me throughout high school and college.”
Maranville feels a similar tug towards music in his own way, which has ultimately shaped his funky style that he’s created on stage.
“Music is like a drug, man, it’s crazy, except it goes through your ear instead of your mouth, it’s awesome, it makes you feel different,” Maranville said. “I want to be around music forever.”