By BEATRIZ E. VALENZUELA
Staff Writer

When you think of surf music you don’t immediately think Reno, NV, but Del Mar may make you rethink your position.

Made up of Mike Martinez, Matt Bode, Nicole Hutcheson and original Sublime drummer, Bud Gaugh, Del Mar has been playing local Reno gigs and will be hitting the House of Blues in Las Vegas on Feb. 15 along with Badfish.

While the group acknowledges that having Gaugh’s name attached to the project may bring in many Sublime fans to their shows, they know their sound will win them over.

“They can come, but we sound different from Sublime,” said Gaugh.

The group plays classic surf as well as original surf and punk inspired by their lifestyles.

“We all know what it’s like to ride,” said Bode, be it surfing snowboarding or skateboarding.

The group formed in 2007 when Martinez and Bode, who had been involved in the Reno music scene, decided to start a new band. Hutcheson, Gaugh’s wife, found out about the project and also wanted to participate. Including Gaugh was a no-brainer. They needed a drummer, and he loves to play for the love of the music. That is why the group has decided to forego major record labels and try the DIY road.

“We don’t need any record label,” said Hutcheson. “Besides, what they play on the radio today is such crap. With MySpace and the Internet, you really don’t need a label. Most of them don’t treat the artist right, anyway.”

A perk that goes with being an independent artist is having complete control over everything including shows and Del Mar is taking advantage of that and planning a benefit show for Action Recover, a drug rehab center in Palm Desert.

“It’s a really great place that is in need of funding,” said Hutcheson who attributes both her and Gaugh’s sobriety to the center. “We want to be able to do something for (the center.)”

Gaugh, who has been no stranger to drugs, feels it’s very important for musicians to steer clear of them because at least in his case, they blocked his ability to enjoy his art.

“When I was strung out, I couldn’t play music or write music and I was doing a lot of stupid shit,” he said. “I vaguely remember the Warped Tour.”

He also went on to say that drugs have destroyed all of the bands he’s been in, most notably with the heroin overdose of Sublime’s frontman, Brad Nowell in 1996.

“It complicates things.”

Del Mar’s sound is definitely surf-inspired with some classic instrumentals reminiscent of Dick Dale, but there are also harder and more evolved songs in the bands repertoire.

The groups has a very unpretentious, familiar demeanor which easily translates into their music.

They plan to record their first album with former Sublime sound engineer, Michael “Miguel” Happoldt and hope to release it this year.

The Action Recovery show has been tentatively scheduled for Feb. 24, but fans are encouraged to check myspace.com/budgaugh for all of the final details.