Cliff Endsley

Which of the Short Eyes guys admits to listening to Train?

"Nobody uses the word ‘grunge’ anymore, so I tell people our band plays dirt pop,” says singer/guitarist Sean Sanders, whose group Short Eyes began as a one-man band.

“I’d played with Kevin [Whan, the drummer] before, and I’d talked to him through Facebook about getting together for old time’s sake. We jammed a few times at my place, and it took off from there.”

Whan says he added the “pop” flavor to Sanders’s dirty brew. “Sean had a vision of bringing ’60s garage rock back to San Diego when he finished college at San Francisco State…with my pop and indie influences, I think Short Eyes has an old sound with a new twist.”

Singer/bassist Chris Richardson adds a ’70s-inspired ingredient to the mix. “I supply the funk and most of that jam-band groove.”

Guitarist Justin Sanders adds another spice. “I love to surf, and as far as I’m concerned, we’re a surf-rock band. At least my parts are.”

Short Eyes performs Thursday, April 26, at the Flying Elephant in Carlsbad.

WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO?

Sean Sanders: “The second album by Girls, Father, Son, Holy Ghost.”

Kevin Whan: “Best Coast’s first album, Crazy for You.”

Chris Richardson: “An old classic: Sérgio Mendes, Equinox.”

Justin Sanders: “Ryan Adams, Cardinology.”

MOST EMBARRASSING SONG IN YOUR MUSIC PLAYER?

Sean: “Lou Reed, ‘Rock Minuet.’”

Kevin: “Train, ‘Save Me San Francisco.’”

Chris: “The Kinison, ‘What Are You Listening To?’”

WHERE DO YOU HANG OUT WHEN YOU’RE BROKE?

Sean: “Swami’s Meditation Gardens.”

Kevin: “Balboa Park.”

Chris: “Mi casa.”

Justin: “The E Street Café.”

BEST CONCERT?

Kevin: “Paul McCartney at Coachella in 2009. Truly a magical performance, with him talking about his friend John Lennon and covering songs that John sang.”

Chris: “Black Angels with Black Mountain at the Belly Up. I love them both.”

WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THE YOUNGER YOU?

Sean: “Limp Bizkit’s not as great as you think.”

Kevin: “Never listen to anyone in the music biz.”

Chris: “Let it come to you.”

Justin: “Don’t worry, your mustache will grow.”

WHO DO PEOPLE SAY YOU LOOK LIKE?

Sean: “Seth Green, but I honestly think I look more like Susan Sarandon.”

Kevin: “Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane. Sometimes Peter Brady.”

Justin: “Robert Downey Jr.”

WORST INJURY?

Kevin: “I broke my left elbow skateboarding in front of a girl I had a crush on in high school. Tried to look cool and blew it. I cried like a baby and got rushed to the ER to get pins put in my arm. Great day.”

Chris: “I had just finished a show at a house party and was feeling good when I tried doing a 360 onto an electrical box on the way to the bars afterwards and broke my ankle.”

PET PEEVE?

Kevin: “People who smile too much and don’t understand tough times for a younger lad like myself. ‘Why doesn’t he go to college?’ Or ‘Why doesn’t he work in an office?’ That’s not who I am, that’s why.”

Sean: “That I don’t live closer to Rudy’s Taco Shop.”

EVER BEEN A CRIMINAL?

Kevin: “As a high school prank, I lit fireworks off at a cheerleader slumber party. They ended up catching us in a church parking lot.”

BIGGEST REGRET?

Kevin: “Not making moves on the hot girls when I was younger.”

BRUSH WITH FAME?

Chris: “I saw Stevie Wonder at NAMM 2011. There was a crowd of people following him. He had headphones on and somebody leading him around. I don’t know how to describe it other than breathtaking.”

FAVORITE MOVIE BASED ON A BOOK?

Sean: “Lolita. The Stanley Kubrick version.”

Kevin: “Holes. Great read!”

Chris: “Stand by Me is a classic.”

Justin: “True Grit is a great book and a great movie.” ■