Alumnus lives in a pineapple under the scream

Jenny Caulfield
Creative Editor

Neil Schneider sat in the writing room of his home when a joke he created turned into an internet sensation.
Schneider, a former alumnus of Hudson Valley, is otherwise known by “xSPONGEXCOREx,” the name of his Spongebob Squares metalcore project.
Schneider, now 23-years-old, attended Hudson Valley in the individual studies program while moving into the polysomnography program.
This week, Schneider released his fourth xSPONGEXCOREx EP, The Painty Raid. With this new EP, Schneider decided to go back to his original “spongecore” roots and revisit his original style of making his songs.
“I had tons of fun creating this one just because I was doing it the old way and not worrying about if people would like it. I was just writing to make myself chuckle in hopes that others would maybe chuckle as well,” said Schneider.
After not being perfectly pleased with his last EP, Bold and Thrash, Schneider used techniques to make sure he was completely happy with this record.
“I wanted to go back to how I started making Spongecore, which was just writing some random breakdowns and endlessly searching on YouTube or the Internet in general for classic and funny SpongeBob quotes instead of making tracks based on episodes like I did with Bold And Thrash,” he said.
Schneider woke up to thousands of notifications one morning when music magazines like Alternative Press, Metal Sucks and Metalinjection discovered his single, “Right Where I Want You” two years ago. Websites like these are what Schneider attributes his success and popularity to. From this success Schneider has decided to give back.
Like his previous EPs, The Painty Raid is available in a physical copy which you can order through the band’s website. Schneider uses his project to raise funds for various charities by donating the money he profits from his hard copies of CDs.
Donating to charities like Make-A-Wish, Little Kids Rock and the Fender Music Foundation, Schneider has been able to donate almost $3800 so far.

“This time the proceeds going towards the American Foundation For Suicide Prevention which something I strongly believe in supporting alongside music,” he said. Schneider, who has experienced depression himself and has known those who have committed suicide, hopes by supporting the cause that he can help save a life.
“I’ve had boats of depression, sometimes to where I don’t want to get out bed or where I just can’t wait to go to back to sleep because my dreams are better than what I’m dealing with in real life,” said Schneider.
“I wanted to support the cause in hopes that maybe what is donated can save a life and help someone get through hard times they’re going through at the moment,” he said.