Hanging out with Sergio Vega from the band Quicksandin the “Tiki Bar” in the basement of Niagara, a cool East Village locale, where he occasionally tends bar, was definitely mellow. Where, by the way, he happened to be performing some acoustic songs off his self titled EP.

J: Do you have an opinion on the path rock has taken today?

S:It’s more about music than it was before.

J: What was it like filling in for Chi from the Deftones on the Quicksand tour? I understand that he was injured.

S: He was healing from an operation and out of commission for a couple of months. We’ve been friends since ‘95 I flew to N.Y. and had two rehearsals.

J: How do you feel about performing in large venues in comparison to a more intimate setting, like this basement bar, for example?

S: It’s all the same, tapping into the energy of your surroundings, I like them both.

J: Could you visualize yourself doing anything other than your music?

S: I do things in conjunction with my music, I’m into visual arts. I can’t separate myself from my music.

J: Where does your inspiration stem from?

S: My daughter and mother; she’s spiritual, surroundings, friends.

J: I’ve always wondered how musicians, who are parents, find the time to juggle things.

S: I’m inclusive, one life. I’ve been taking her on tour since she was one month old. She is now nine years old.

J: Do you miss the touring lifestyle?

S: I’m at the happiest time of my life. I’m free from the tension of all that. Moments are images you create.

J: What do you do to unwind?

S: Hang out with family. I play sports; baseball, basketball and football. I play third base on the bar’s softball team, the Niagara Swingers.

J: What have your band mates been up to since the breakup of Quicksand?

S: They’re all in bands.

J: I noticed that you seem to be a bit philosophical, how do you account for that?

S: I wanted to be a theologist at one point. I’ve read a lot of books on Tao and Daoism. I find depth in the simplest things.