Interviews
R.GARCIA/NERD PARADE – INTERVIEW
BUZZ S&E MAGAZINE
The Nerd Parade is probably the gentlest, sweetest group of musicians I have met in a while. From Atlanta, GA, they combine gritty, power pop with southern hospitality. They came through Chicago Saturday, April 28, to play a fashion/art show called Grit and Glitz, and I was lucky enough to wrangle Randy Garcia into doing an interview with me. And it went a little somethin’ like this . . .
HR: So most of you guys are from GA . . . what’s it like there? How’s the music scene?
RG: Northern Georgia is quite beautiful, especially downtown Atlanta and its surrounding suburbs. The music scene there is thriving and healthy, with many great bands and venues to play at. The thing that really makes the scene great is the fact that there is something to do virtually every night. Most of the band members are homebodies though, so we mostly lay low at night and enjoy the green spaces, bike trails and culture by day.
HR: What instruments do you play?
RG: I play pretty much anything except woodwinds. I’m certainly not a master of anything, but I can find my way around the fret board and drum kit with the most confidence. Most of the band can double up on instruments, and even Abby gets into jamming with us on a guitar or keys sometimes.
HR: How did you all meet?
RG: Rich and I met about 16 years ago in middle school. We’ve played in tons of bands together over the years, so the choice to play together in this project was pretty obvious. I met Johnny a couple of years ago at a show. Abby and Buddy both joined up in the last year.
HR: What is one of your first musical memories?
RG: I remember playing on my Aunt’s piano when I was young. I was really fascinated with the way the notes worked with each other. I would space out playing all black keys and trying to match words to the notes. I had no idea what I was doing, and it was awesome.
HR: First concert you attended?
RG: Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five, on the Victory Tour. I had the glove, zipper jacket and pants. It was incredible. The stage show was out of this world. I’m still a huge fan of MJ in spite of all the negative press he’s gotten.
HR: First concert you played?
RG: A skinhead rally in Ft. Lauderdale FL. We didn’t know what kind of show it was going to be, we were just happy to play. None of the White Power kids seemed to notice that I was Hispanic and our singer was half black either.
HR: Have you been in other bands?
RG: Yes, way too many.
HR: What did you learn from those experiences?
RG: I think each band experience has contributed a little bit to the overall framework of my current projects, whether business or pleasure. I’ve also learned to not regret anything in the past, as most of those experiences are what forge a successful career in music.
HR: Did you go to college?
RG: Yes. I have a degree in Audio Engineering and a degree in Liberal Arts.
HR: Do you have jobs?
RG: Since the start of 2007, I’ve been focusing solely on The Nerd Parade. Every so often, I get involved with a commercial audiovisual project, or produce & engineer music for other artists, which I’m certain I’ll do after the regiment of tours we have planned.
HR: Why is your album called A Delicate Bashing
RG: I think it would be best if I define what a delicate bashing is – not as a title, but as an experience. A delicate bashing is when you experience something in life that roughs you up, exposes you or leaves you in a weakened state, like a break-up, or loss of a loved one. While you experience the brunt of the pain on the front-end, there is always someone there to pick you up and dust you off. A delicate bashing is like having a best friend who would take a bullet for you; someone to say “If you want to get to them, you have to go through me first.” So, in relation to the album, A Delicate Bashing is life itself.
HR: Favorite show experience
RG: It’s hard to say exactly which show we’ve played has been the best. Nashville sort of stands out on this tour—as there was a very tight room full of people, and most of them were dancing. We really love to see people interacting with the music.
HR: How has this tour been so far?
RG: We’ve been fortunate for the most part. We’ve managed to laugh through the rough times and are really enjoying the drives. We have a bunch of gadgets in the van to keep us occupied, like a PS2, Gamecube and wireless network for gaming and DVD’s. Our van isn’t really new or fancy, but we took the time to add some creature comforts so we wouldn’t be gouging each other’s eyes out on the lonely mid-western drives.
HR: Got any interesting tour stories?
RG: So far it’s been pretty smooth. We had a couple of drunks get really friendly with us in Memphis, and then there was the guy who passed out in his own puke in the elevator at the Chicago show. Our most recent story involves Pittsburgh, an incredibly dirty toilet, and ultimately a show cancellation.
HR: How’d you come up with the name The Nerd Parade?
RG: It is the title of one of my solo albums. Abby, John, and I were sitting in the studio during the final weeks of production on A Delicate Bashing and trying to come up with a name for the project. One of them suggested we use “The Nerd Parade” as the band’s name in honor of my solo record and what it stood for. Then name in association with a band was a bit unusual to me at first, but it seemed fitting at the time and it had kind of a lighthearted ring to it, so we just decided to roll with it.
HR: Do you think image is important in the music industry? Do you care?
RG: I think the image should fit the band, whether it be elaborate or stripped down. What many bands seems to forget is that the music industry is also known as “show business.” That sort of entitles the performer to put on a show. I try to match the appearance the mood of the music with because it adds to the overall performance aesthetic. With the Nerd Parade we sometimes dress up in various ways — maybe a dorky sweater, blazer, or hat. Abby wears schoolgirl or nurse-like dresses because they are fun, easy, and sexy. I think the best part is that each individual member can spruce up their personalities with what they wear. I would hate to have a totally uniform look in this band because we are not totally uniform people. Image really should be secondary; a condiment to a good course of music.
HR: What are some of your goals—immediate and long term?
RG: Touring and recording are our immediate goals. We haven’t though much beyond that, because we love to play and write music. I suppose if things continue on as such then we will need to analyze the bigger picture. Until then, we are quite content to be DIY and in complete control of our careers.
HR: What can we expect from your next album?
RG: The next album will be a little denser musically, and probably explore new sounds and instrumentation. We’ve talked about so many things at this point . . . I couldn’t begin to give you a definitive statement here. One thing we hope is that the record will kick ass and still be fun and exciting on the ten-thousandth play as it is on the first.
Interview by Hilary Rawk
R.GARCIA/NERD PARADE – INTERVIEW
QRO MAGAZINE
Randy Garcia has been making music for over ten (15) years. In many different incarnations, his artistic expressions have gotten play on VH1/MTV and has traveled the country more times than even he can count. A multi-instrumentalist who spent the better part of a decade writing, producing, playing and vocalizing everything in his catalogue all while running NoPhi Records (his private label). His latest offering is The Nerd Parade, a five-piece outfit has just signed with Athens-based Headphone Treats Records to release A Delicate Bashing (QRO review). Randy explains to QRO the benefits of friends, why it’s all about home-based production, and how A Delicate Bashing got it’s beginning…
QRO: What is The Nerd Parade?
RG: The Nerd Parade is anything and everything that I’ve ever wanted to explore musically. It represents my long-standing desire to blur the lines and push the boundaries, while maintaining a level-headed pop sensibility. As a bonus, it’s an excuse to work with my best friends and see the country in the process.
QRO: Explain the process of finding musicians and putting a band together.
RG: The live representation of The Nerd Parade is built primarily on friendship. Secondary to that is good musicianship. Both elements are indispensable when assembling a band. Nobody likes to play with a bunch of jerks, and likewise nobody likes to play with unskilled musicians. So to answer your question, the process only has two steps:
1.) Can we go have a beer and see eye to eye socially?
2.) Can you count to 4?
QRO: How important is chemistry in a band?
RG: Chemistry is absolutely crucial. I think it’s one of the most important factors in what makes a great band, second only to raw talent. Chemistry is what makes it possible to cover your ass when you drop a beat, as well as laugh off a crummy gig, or just keep listeners happy with the music. Ultimately a band should sound like they are all one big, goofy instrument, knocking about on a stage.
QRO: How many labels are you on?
RG: The Nerd Parade is currently signed to Headphone Treats, a great indie label out of Georgia. We have a very open-ended deal that affords us the freedom to release with other labels, bands, and generally blaze our own trail musically. Individually, the band all works with other labels in addition to running some smaller boutique labels of our own (NoPhi & PhiTunes).
QRO: Tell me about this upcoming release.
RG: The album is fourteen songs about growing up, the teenage condition, and social disconnection as seen from the eyes of a hopeless optimist. It was almost entirely self-produced and recorded in bedrooms, hotel rooms, and living rooms across America. It sounds pretty eclectic because of that.
QRO: How long did it take you to record?
RG: Jeez…the first demos were cut in 2003. At the time the project was called “am” and it was myself and a female singer-songwriter from Los Angeles. We collaborated when we could and progress was quite slow, as I was focusing mainly on my solo electronic music at the time. At some point in 2006, my partner decided to mysteriously remove herself from the project and requested that I not use any of her contributions on the finished album, nor mention her in relation. I was pretty devastated, but I obliged. I thought about shelving the project for good, but as I was deleting files, some friends — many of who are contributors to the album — stepped up and convinced me to keep it going. Six months later, the album was finished.
QRO: What are the pros/cons of working at home versus a studio?
RG: It’s much cheaper to work at home. You can make your own rules and schedules. You can work naked. You can be your own boss. Conversely, professional studios have lots of shiny buttons and switches that make the music sound slightly better.
QRO: When are you going out on the road?
RG: Our tour begins in Atlanta on April 20th, which coincides with the official release date of our debut album. We will wind our way up the east coast and back through the middle of May before coming home for a break. We will then look towards the west and international shows.
QRO: What can we expect from a live show?
RG: The live show is surprisingly close to the recording, only we stretch our legs out on a few songs. Expect Smok and Rich to step it up and be a wicked tight rhythm section. Expect John to do some on-the-spot remixing. Expect Abby and I to make googly eyes at each other while she beats a cowbell and I play an out-of-control guitar solo. In other words, we are shooting for good, clean fun with a little flair and some old-school “chops.” We are music nerds, after all.
QRO: Worst road experience?
RG: I could fill a whole article about this, so here are just my top five as one-liners:
5.) Having the flu for a week on my first tour.
4.) Getting a speeding ticket before I left the state on my second tour.
3.) Driving 9 hours to play for 3 people, multiple times.
2.) The West Coast leg of my 2005 solo tour…an absolute disaster.
1.) A 19 hour drive from Chicago, IL to Gainesville, FL in one sitting.
QRO: What do you do when you aren’t working?
RG: I really enjoy cycling, exercise and nature. Lately, Abby and I have been eating healthy and engaging in more activities away from the studio. As a result, we’ve each lost 30 lbs. That’s served as motivation for a sort of “clean living” revival which occupies our free time.
QRO: Favorite instrument?
RG: All of them.
QRO: If someone were to describe you as a musician what instrument would they use?
RG: That depends on when and where you see me — I get around a little. If you see me with The Nerd Parade, I’m the guy singing with a guitar in hand. If you see me solo, I’m the guy behind the pile of electronic gadgets. If you see me otherwise, I may be playing just about anything…except sax or flute. I can’t play those well at all.
QRO: What does the title of your newest album, A Delicate Bashing, mean?
RG: I guess it means “Life.” Life can be a delicate bashing, wearing you down one round at a time. I suppose the title can also describe any subset of life — like love, money, school, SEX. My intention with the title was not so much to have this oxymoron of gentle and bashing, but to adequately describe the rather odd situation I found myself in when developing the music for this album.
QRO: What are you afraid of?
RG: Lizards and Frogs. I don’t know why, but they creep me out.
QRO: Describe the music business in four words.
RG: I can do it in two: Bull Shit
QRO: What are you going to be doing in the next 6 months?
RG: Things pop up here and there, but I can be certain that The Nerd Parade will tour. I will record a huge catalog of older, unreleased music with Rich Wilson. I will also release another R. Garcia album, and I will likely take a nice vacation after all that. The best way to keep up on what The Nerd Parade does is through our website, and through our related sites and (of course) there’s always Myspace.
QRO: Finally, What is under your bed?
RG: My bed is on a box spring which lays directly on the hardwood floor, under that is my crawl space, where all manner of strange creature stirs about in the middle of the night.
