Vancouver’s Rude city Riot are one of the newest ska bands to grace the North American music scene, yet their recently recorded EP shows all the signs of a tight-knit group of musicians who simply gel together, even though they come from varying musical backgrounds. When listening to their music, it’s evident that the band’s diverse make-up allows them to float seamlessly between ska, reggae and hard-edged pop-punk. Hope you enjoy the latest in our “9 Questions With..” interview series.
Q: So tell us a little bit about the band’s background – how you got together, how long you’ve been playing together, what the band members did before RCR, etc.
A: We wish there was a cool story to tell you about how we all got together, but the truth is, we all met through Craigslist. Scott F. (bass) wanted to start playing again after a 23 year break, so he put the first ad out and quickly met up with Carl (drums). Dusty (vocals) and Scott A. (guitar) were friends before the band started, so they came as a package, which made the creation of the band somewhat easier. Scott A. comes from a rock and metal background, so he brings a fairly dynamic style to the band. Kevin (trombone) and Richard (sax) came shortly after. Both play in other jazz and R&B bands around town and were a welcome addition. Once we started jamming it just worked from there. We’ve been together for about 8 months now, and even though that’s a relatively short period of time, we feel we’ve accomplished a lot.
Q: Your sound varies between more straight-ahead ska and ska-punk. Can you talk a little bit about how you mix those styles when writing songs?
A: We have a bit of an age difference in the band, so naturally we have different tastes in music. Even though we all love ska and reggae, we like different waves, or eras, of it. Some might say that’s a bad combination, but it seems to have worked for us so far. When we play a show, we see people of all ages dancing to the music and having a good time. We have a very honest approach to song writing; just let the ideas flow, and we’ll either keep working at a song until everyone is happy or we’ll trash it.
Q: What is the ska scene like in Vancouver these days, or for that matter, across Canada? Have you traveled outside Vancouver at all?
A: Vancouver has a pretty healthy ska scene, with a strong and supportive fan base that seems to be growing. There’s also the Victoria Ska Festival, which is a big annual ska event that attracts some internationally known groups like The Skatalites. We haven’t traveled outside of Vancouver yet, but who knows what the future holds?! For now, we can only hope the rest of Canada is the same as it is here.
Q: Your MySpace page says that you are currently unsigned. Any plans to pursue a record label for your next release?
A: Well, after paying out of our own pockets for the first record, we would definitely like a label to pay for the next one! *laughs* All joking aside, we would like to work with a label, but we want to make sure we’re with the right people. We’ll see what responses we get from our current recordings and cross that bridge when we get there.
Q: Are you currently recording for an album? Anything you’d like to mention about the recording process, or any details about what you’re working on?
A: We’re just wrapping up our EP which should be released some time in August. We’re pretty proud of it. A lot of work was put into it and we hope the quality shows. We selected songs that we believe demonstrate our diversity, and were fortunate to have a friend, Alex “Condor” Aligizakis, as our Producer. He’s a first rate, no-nonsense guy who has worked with some big names. He has a great ear and really helped us dial in our songs.
Q: Ska music seems to be gaining a more organized online presence with sites like skatoob.com and skaspot.com. Any thoughts on how the internet in general has influenced the way bands promote themselves?
A: It’s exciting to see ska music making more of an impact online, and we hope it shows there’s a bit of a rejuvenation happening. Networking sites like Myspace, Facebook, ReverbNation, etc. are great resources for musicians looking to promote themselves, and this interview is a good example of how it works.
Q: You mention that your first performance was at Vancouver’s Ska-A-Thon. Has this continued to be a monthly event, and are events such as this a new idea for Vancouver? (It seems like various cities around the US are starting to have somewhat regular shows like this to help promote ska music).
A: There are a few regular ska shows going on in Vancouver. They’re not necessarily a new idea, although the most recent of these shows, “The Evolution of Ska”, is pretty kick-ass. It’s held every Monday at The Biltmore and is essentially an “open to the public” production rehearsal where BC ska all star bands create and perform songs that tell the history of ska… from Jamaica, to the UK, to North America. Dan Cowan is the main man behind a lot of these shows; he’s been a music industry professional for over 40 years and has done an amazing job promoting ska music. We have a tremendous amount of respect for Dan.
Q: What, if any, commercial appeal does ska music have in Canada at the present? Is ska considered an underground music scene, and if so, do the bands and fans want to keep it that way, or see it grow?
A: Ska has a certain amount of commercial appeal in Canada, but mostly in radio spots and TV ads or themes. We don’t necessarily think of ska as “underground”, but it definitely has a way to go before it reaches mainstream status. Whether the Canadian ska scene wants that to happen or not really depends on who you ask. We obviously can’t speak for everyone, but we would definitely like to see it grow.
Q: Any thoughts on where ska music might be heading, as far as musical style, evolution, mutations, etc?
A: There are some interesting fusions or mutations happening on the alternative rock side of things with bands like illScarlett; perhaps that style will be adopted by more bands.
No matter what changes happen though, there are always other bands pushing the opposite end of the spectrum. It’s always hard to tell where music might be heading or when it’s going to “evolve”, and that’s especially true with ska music since it’s so versatile. That’s one of the many things that makes ska so great!
Check out Rude City Riot Online:
Myspace – http://www.myspace.com/rudecityriotFacebook – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rude-City-Riot/11357498385
Tags: Ska Interviews // 1 Comment »
