Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Red Carpet Rats Interview



Below is a recent interview that we done with Red Carpet Rats' singer Uni:

1. For anyone that hasn't heard your band's music before how would you describe it?

Red Carpet Rats is driving against traffic down a one-way street and yelling, "But we ARE going one way!" kind of music. It's songs to tailgate by. Makes you feel like you're hanging, I believe the criminal term here is loitering, in the parking lot, with one arm around that special someone and the other around your beverage of choice. Mine is Jack Daniels by the way. Yes sir. No deep, introspective, stroke-your-beard-like-you're-listening-to-Radiohead, intended message here. At least not yet. We consider it our moral and civic duty to use any means necessary to help you forget about any harmful toxins that may be in your life. And we're glad to be of service.

2. Who are some of your musical influences?

As a band, our musical influences cover a range wider than the state of Oklahoma. All swinging I might add. And when I say swinging, I mean in a Miles Davis at the supper club in a 3 A.M. jam kind of way. You want our back-story, I'm talking the ups and downs and ins and outs and in betweens of the 20th and 21st century's most slammin' popular music. Singing the praises of heaven movers and ground shakers from Van Morrison to Van Halen. Black Sabbath to The Black Crowes. Not just one, but both Elvises. Or is that Elvi? I'm not sure.

3. What do you hope that peopple take away from listening to your music?

Red Carpet Rats offers good-old fashioned, school's out, big blockbuster, summer fun. It's Will Smith versus the aliens. Russell Crowe against the Romans. The underdog of all underdogs fighting for truth, justice and your entertainment dollar. I like to think that listening to RCR is like riding the Cyclone at Coney Island, where you might feel a little light-headed afterwards, but man it was fun while it lasted.

4.What is the most interesting live show you ever played?

Funny how the mind works. You say interesting, I think excruciating. Ya' see, at one time we were gonna be cool and flirt with some alternate tuned guitars. RCR rocking classically like the Stones. Get our collective Keith on, so to speak. Had a few songs worked up. It was gonna be brilliant. Well... cut to the opening of our show when our fearless lead guitar player McCabe hits the first few chords and gets a "what the hell was that?" look, not only from the rest of the band, but also everyone in attendance. Ok. Gotta roll with the punches to get to what's real, right? And hey, it's not that bad, he can just switch to the guitar that's in the appropriate tuning, can't he? Of course not! Cause our rent-a-roadie-for-the-night got his wires crossed and thought we played all of our songs in that tuning. So here we are mid-song, as McCabe disappears to give someone side stage a piece of his mind and a few other things, while yours truly is left soldiering on with, oh yeah, of course my guitar was also tuned incorrectly! To make a worst-experience-of-my-life story short, we were a three piece for about 4 of the longest minutes in recorded history, sounding like a bad version of a band playing a bad version of a bad Sex Pistols song. I'm nevertheless proud to say that eventually we came out the other side and, after much therapy, have fully recovered, and are now ready to lead relatively happy, semi-productive lives.

5.What music do you avaliable now and where can people buy it?

Right now, we are threatening to release our first full-length RCR CD. It's our maiden voyage into parts unknown. Songs of faith, hope and jealousy. No, that's not the title, but it should be. We're calling it 'The Big Picture'. Just so we don't lose sight, ya' know? And when we are finally ready to unleash the beast onto John and Joan Q. Public, it will be available in all the usual locations. And some of the unusual ones. From iTunes to IHOP, that's our marketing strategy, and also where we get our sense of style.

6.What was the last two band's music that you listened to besides your own?

I've been up to my ears in RCR stuff for the past I don't know how long that unfortunately I haven't really had the chance to give a good listen to much else. And honestly, throughout the recording process specifically, I tried to implement a little something I picked up from producer extraordinaire Michael Wagner, who doesn't listen to anything except what he's working on at the time. Buuuuut, there's always a but, isn't there, now that the record is finished, I've accepted my mission and entered phase one of Operation: Full Media Assault. Sounds all military-like, huh? Nothing to be too afraid of, or maybe it is, it's my own radio show, 'Club Uni', on the U.K. based station Error FM, streaming on www.errorfm.com and airing every Monday at 6 P.M. EST. That's 6 A.M. the next day, for those of you in Bangkok! I'm spinning a lot of pop rock stuff from the way-back and not-so-way-back machine, and looking forward to becoming a hyperactive listener again. Feel free to stop by. I'll leave you + 1 at the door.

7.You mentioned in our earlier e-mails about a Red Carpet Rats comic book that's in development will you tell us alittle bit about that?

A while back, an engineer we were working with once told us that given our vibe, he wouldn't be surprised if one of us could fly. Now normally I'd chalk this kind of talk up to an over abundance of pot smoked in the 90's. However this time I thought, well that's it right there. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner! What better way to get the Red Carpet Rats message to the people than that age old purveyor of the superhero credo, the comic book. So after brainstorming a premise, I beat the streets to get a first class company interested in the project. Just dotting the i's and crossing our fingers at this point. With any luck, we'll have a booth at the next Comic Con, sandwiched tightly between Supergirl and the ladies from Sin City!

8.Anything we missed that you want to touch on before we end the interview?

That all depends on what you're wearing! Actually, thanks to you and Indie Music Stop, we're flashing the Batsignal as we speak requesting everyone to be in attendance as we make our way across the map. It's a block party, covering about 65,000 blocks. Dress appropriately. Or as inappropriately as you like. Oh don't worry, the band will be cooking. Look for me, I'll be the one wearing cowboy boots and the 'Kiss Me, I'm The Singer' apron.

Website Links:

http://www.redcarpetrats.com

http://www.myspace.com/redcarpetrats

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