Interview : RAD

Hi Rad! Who are you? First, can you introduce yourself and describe the band?


CA: My name is Charles. Our band weights a combined 650 lbs. I play guitar.

LG: I’m Lory. I do the face-punching vocal thing. The band is RAD and, yes… its rad. We play short and fast. You get all sweaty just watching us.

CH: My name is Craig. I would describe our band as three Jacks and a Jill.

AL: I’m Anthony and I play the bass in RAD.


The first time I listen to your music, it remember me old school 80's hardcore punk bands. What are your influences? What do you listen?

CA: Black Flag, Rebel Truth, Poison Idea, DRI. The Beatles.

LG: I listen to a fairly wide selection of music. Stuff that influences my inspiration for RAD would include bands like Scholastic Death, Spazz, Black Flag, The Comes, and maybe a little bit of DMX.

CH: Charles covered it pretty well but I would add that some of the current hardcore bands we've played with keep us on our toes.

AL: All of us are in our thirties, so we have a first-hand appreciation of 80’s hardcore and thrash. I still listen to a lot of 90's punk stuff that doesn't sound like Rad at all, especially stuff on Gravity, Ebullition, 31G, Kill Rock Stars, etc.





I discover you with your facebook page. What do you think about social network, internet, free downloads and more to promote your music?

CA: I have mixed feelings. We have a Facebook page because I guess everyone has one? We’ve definitely met and been connected with all kinds of people from across the country via Facebook, etc. But there is something about digitizing culture and independent music that makes it disposable. I guess I’ve just asked myself lately, why we digitize our
music. Are trying to make it big? I feel like I’d like to stop digitizing.

LG: I make a living on the Internet. Unlike those other curmudgeons in the band, I embrace technology and the digital age. Please steal our music and share it with the world.

CH: Facebook I could take or leave. Its been a good way to stay in communication with friends and people interested in the band so I do like that part of it. As for downloading, I don't have a problem with people digitizing and uploading our music. We sort of decided that we would just make the physical stuff like records and tapes and if other people want to rip and upload our music, then so be it.

AL: Social media is a good way of reminding people when you're about to play a show, and maybe just giving them a snippet of what the band sounds like. That alone has helped us book shows. But I think the best promotional measure so far has just been playing a lot of shows with a variety of bands and developing a good reputation that way.


You played with awesome old bands like Reagan Youth, Poison Idea, JFA... How it was? Good or bad memories?

CA: Good or bad, it has been an adventure!

LG: I never would have imagined I’d be a part of the kind of history that RAD has helped create. We’ve been so lucky to be able to share the stage with some of the greats. More than anything, I’m glad that Sacramento is becoming a stop off for all kinds of bands on tour. Not only reunion bands, but current ones as well.

CH: Some have been great and others not so great. But all of the shows have given us some great experiences. The guitar player from JFA was really nice and talked to us outside the show for a long time. It was cool to hear him talk about shows they've played and the early days of skateboarding. Actually, the best, most exciting shows we have played have been with new bands like Outlook, Bi-Marks, Replica and Rape Revenge. We got to play with Forward in a basement. Best memory ever.

AL: Good memories for me. It's always a rewarding experience to play with my bandmates. We're about to play with D.R.I. about a month from now—perhaps the student will show the teacher a thing or two.





Is Sacramento rad? Is there a lot of band, place to play, label, fanzines…? Can you mention some of them?

CA: Sacramento is RAD as is any place with awesome people who play music just for the sake of playing music. Lory and I do a label in town, Sacramento Records. Lots of bands of all different types. It’s really great. Shows every night of the week. My favorite things have been the house shows. AxeWave, Boize House, Casa de Chaos.

LG: Sacramento is RAD. We have a huge local music community that thrives under any condition. I love seeing shows at places like Luigi’s Fun Garden and the Java Lounge. I love playing shows at houses like the Axe Wave, Casa, and Boize House. I love a LOT of Sacramento bands, not all of them punk rock. I love Nacho Business, The Bananas, Charles Albright (solo project), Rat Damage, the list goes on. I’m really excited about this new, awesome female-fronted hardcore band called Crude Studs. As far as zines go, I can’t remember the last time I saw someone with one. I know they are out there, but the people who make them don’t bring them to shows anymore. They just drop them off at record shops. Labels are harder to pinpoint because I only know about labels that my friends own. For example, Charles and I run Sacramento Records, Hans White runs Pleasant Screams, Ken Doose has a CDR comp thing on Bat Guano.

CH: Yeah, Sacramento is rad. We have great bands and people involved in music here. Local houses like Axewave, Casa de Chaos and the Boiz House have had amazing shows with local and touring bands and are really the heart of the scene. As for labels, Ken from Rat Damage runs FYBS records, Charles and Lory have their label, and Kenny from Knifethruhead has Buried in Hell records. These guys put a lot of energy into supporting underground music. We're very lucky to have such active supporters in this city.

AL: Enough said. Every town should have a DIY scene this supportive. Sometime it seems like everyone in Sacramento is in a band, no joke!


And your music? What do you say in your lyrics?

LG: I like to write about important issues, like how the ending of ‘Lost’ sucked wank, or the joys of playing D&D, or pit safety. Pit safety is very crucial to us.

CA: We mostly sing about our favorite TV shows.

CH: Our lyrics can seem a little goofy but we try to have some kind of thoughtful idea behind them.

AL: Rad lyrics can be summed up by the 4 P’s: Pits, Posers, Politics, and Popular culture references.





Can you talk about SACRAMENTO RECORDS? When do you start this label? What are your goals?

CA; Sacramento Records started in 1999 when I bought a spindle of “Swimming in the Secret C” CDs from Scott Miller of Secret Center Records. Since then Sacramento Records has put out records from many Sacramento bands. Lory became my partner last year and our goal is to put out records for bands in Sacramento that would otherwise not have a chance to put out a record.

LG: Charles started Sacramento Records a hundred years ago as a hobby. He wanted to put music out by bands that might not otherwise be able to do so. During the first decade, he did it all on his own. I don’t know how he managed to put out as much music as he did. I came on as a financial backer, but have since started usurping his authority and trying to influence what we do, but I think he has caught on to my plan. We just want to continue to support the Sacramento music scene by putting out records by bands in the area that we love.

What are your next projects? I have any chance to see you in Europe and listen to a great LP?

CA: Well, we just finished an Lp called “Loud & Fast” which will be out on Sacramento records this fall. There will also be a cassette release of the album with a bunch of bonus tracks. We really want some label in Europe to put our record too, but so far we haven’t found anyone.

LG: You are going to shit your pants when you hear the LP. It is fantastic. As for touring in Europe, it is a definite possibility, but it might take a lot of planning since everyone has day jobs.

CH: Yeah, we're excited about the new LP coming out. We would love to tour and I would love to go to Europe but its hard to find the time off and a way to pay for it. All I know for sure is that we will make a really bad crossover metal record right before we break up.

AL: I would love to play some shows in Europe, but of course the cost of travel is very high. I like to daydream about that possibility though. I have attended punk shows in France and the Netherlands before, and the crowds were so enthusiastic and full of energy.


Do you have other bands?

LG: I play bass with some of my friends in a band called Captain Billy’s Whiz-Bang! (Whiz-Bang! for short).

CH: Nope, just being in RAD has almost given me a heart attack. Sometimes at shows, we play so fast that I puke in my mouth a little bit.

CA: I have a highly successful solo career and play in an as yet untitled band with Matt K Shrugg, Scott Soriano of SS records and Kevin from Knife Thru Head.

AL: No other bands for me. I am 100% faithful to RAD.





Are you engaged in some fight like animal rights, feminism, straight-edge...? What it's mean for you?

CA: I am the words worst vegetarian. I consider myself a feminist and most certainly am NOT straight edge. However, I really respect people that try to live the best life they can whatever form that takes.

LG: I used to reject the title of feminist until I realized that feminism just means wanting equality for both genders. I play hard music because I love it, but also because I want to see more women taking on this kind of stuff. We are not just a bunch of pretty girls with cat glasses who like to play love songs on acoustic guitars while we gaze longingly at the stars. There are a lot of women who love metal, thrash, punk, hardcore and all the stuff that is usually associated with men. I want to be a role model to young female musicians who want to play ugly and dirty. Take off your pretty dress and fuck shit up. It is way more fun.

CH: RAD has really been an excuse for us to hang out as friends, to make new friends, to gain experiences and to be creative. We're not an overtly political band but I think we all lean the same direction when it comes to politics and it trickles into our songs. Anthony is and has been the biggest activist in the band talk to him.

AL: I moved to Sacramento because I work in state politics. Since I live and breathe politics all day, RAD is like an escape from that for me. Punk rock and politics go hand in hand, if you ask me. Punk helps introduce ideas and hopefully expands people's minds, instead of the other way around. And the DIY ethic is so important too. No one is going to just do things for you or give you what you want. You got to stand up and make your voice heard, or better yet, organize others and get things done yourself.


Thanks to answer my questions! One thing’s to conclude?

CH: Thanks for your interest in RAD! Thrashard!

LG: For the Horde!

CA: Never Turn your back on a mosh.

AL: Rad loves France!