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BANDS: Punk
& Ska INTERESTS: Venues ETC... About LOTD
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This interview is due in large part to my discovering Cardia while using a search engine to seek the whereabouts of former 2 Skinnee J's drummer, Andy Action. When I found out about Andys new project, I e-mailed the band, and Andy was just as shocked to catch up with me as I was to catch up with him. He told me that this new project (a supergroup of sorts, being comprised of former members of Rival Schools, 2 Skinnee J's, The Verve Pipe, and Shudder to Think) was just finishing up the post-recording of their debut album, which was to be released in mid-July. After I told him about the bastion that is Left Off the Dial, he went right out and sent us a copy of the album. As predicted, it's amazing, and I later found out that the guys in the band are equally amazing when they stopped to play a show in Boulder, CO. The band members all have a sense of humor about them that you can catch a glimpse of in this interview (which was conducted via e-mail because I was too drunk to form coherent questions when I first met up with them in Boulder). Enjoy! LOTD: The day of the supergroup is upon us. Why Cardia, why now? Andy Action: Why not? Are we a supergroup? Cool... LOTD: Is there something that you guys can give us that Audioslave and the new Guns and Roses can't? Andy Action: More freshness, less of the same old, same old. Despite our varied musical pasts, we sound nothing like the bands we used to be in. LOTD: What's been the biggest obstacle in terms of getting die-hard fans of your former bands (Rival Schools, 2 Skinnee J's, The Verve Pipe, Shudder to Think) to accept that those other bands are over? Andy Action: The main obstacle is getting the word out I'd wager that only a tiny portion of fans of our past bands even know about Cardia. I'm comfortable with that though. Id like to think that people will enjoy Cardia for what we are doing now, not because of what we've done in the past. LOTD: How long has it been since you guys have been on the road (excluding Andy's brief stint as a commercial truck driver)? Andy Action: I did a six-week tour of Europe in 2000, two weeks in Japan in 2001 and two weeks in the US in 2002. The truck driver thing was only to transport a batch of illegal aliens across the border... did I just say that? LOTD: The new album gives us reason to think that there is much success in store for the band. Are there any long-term goals for the band or is this something that might fizzle away? Andy Action: The long-term goal of the band is to make a career out of this, and to [be able to] look back over the history of the music and see the evolution.
LOTD: Do you have any opinion about other veteran rockers that are coming together and forming bands like Son of Sam (AFI, Samhain, Misfits) and the Transplants (Blink 182, Rancid) where the albums might sound good, but you can tell that they are just side-projects? Andy Action: Well, I think the amount of time/effort and heart you put into a project will reflect in the final product. Cardia clearly isn't a side-project for any of us it's a full time band. I've never heard those other side projects, though... so I reserve comment on the music. LOTD: So is there any respect left for side-projects in rock today? Andy Action: Sure, perhaps just as a vehicle for a songwriter to change direction for a little while, or for musicians just to clear their musical heads... LOTD: Is there a strong chance that Cardia is going to keep themselves away from the meat-market that is the recording industry? Andy Action: We will put music out as best we know how with the best means possible, hopefully making informed decisions along the way. A meat market certainly doesn't sound very appealing. LOTD: Back to influences, you can hear a really soft and pretty post-grunge influence on your sound, but who are your contemporaries (outside of Travis, Radiohead, Flaming Lips) that fans might be surprised to hear? Andy Action: Surprised to hear? We all listen to different things. Personally, I'm inspired lately by the new Mars Volta just the sheer intensity of it, and the production. I don't know if that's surprising... Ian Love: The Walkmen, Sondre Lerche that's about all I can think of.
LOTD: Any of you guys family men when you get off stage? Ian Love: Im married, and we have two dogs and three cats. LOTD: Back to touring, would you guys say that you got your message heard well enough this time around, or is there another tour on the way? Andy Action: I think we're on a slow and steady build which is a time-tested best way of doing things. Many more tours to come.... LOTD: When you guys are touring, how much time do you devote to writing and recording while in the van or during soundchecks, etc? Andy Action: On this first tour, the routing was for a tour bus, and we were in a van which meant that we had to drive crazy distances just to get to the next show. There wasn't much writing or recording going on, but I know Ian's always got new ideas in his head. I think I heard a new chord progression/melody backstage at one point. Down the line, I'm sure well set up a mobile recording situation and will continue to document as we go... LOTD: Being on tour with a band for the first time is kind of like when you first move into the dorms, right? Any funny coming of age instances where you find out that one of your bandmates is a complete freak about what they eat or drink while on the road or in preparation for a show? Andy Action: Just that Jeff's got a few more sides to him that we thought! Gotta love that guy... Oh, and Brad's a mischievous imp! Ian's a pretty serious guy, as am I, so I think we're the party-poopers, so to speak not that we don't love a good time! LOTD: Are there some life-affirming moments that you guys have experienced while on the road? Andy Action: A few sunrises one in New Mexico on an overnight drive. That was intense. I forget how gorgeous the varied landscapes of the US are.... LOTD: Do you guys worship the devil? Andy Action: Um, duh we play rock music.... yah! LOTD: Are you tired of snot-nosed kids that think they have the right to interview you, or do you just accept it as part of the business? Andy Action: Actually, I enjoy the questions... LOTD: Last question if you could have any one person in the world as your roadie, who would it be? Andy Action: Hmmm. I'd like to have Eric Idle in our crew, just to hear the stories and to keep the jokes flowin'!
Releases from Cardia can be purchased at Amazon LEFT OFF THE DIAL review of Cardia's Self-Titled Album About LOTD Contact/Staff Advertise Home All content © LEFT OFF THE DIAL 2001-2005. All rights reserved. |
