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January 14, 2005
Catching up with Throw Rag
Interview by Wanda
Photos by Jenifer Hanen at the House of Blues - Anaheim on 9/9/04.
I caught up with Captain Sean-Doe of Throw Rag in early December at their rehearsal studio. The band is currently rehearsing new songs for an album due out in February, 2005. Cameron Webb (who recorded Social Distortion, Motorhead, Danzig, just to name a few) is on track to record the album. Captain Sean and I talked about making albums, making dinner, and staying sane on the road…
How do you make an album?
Go into the studio
Record the music in 5 days.
Record the vocals in 5 days.
Mix the whole thing in 5 days.
On the last record, we did everything in 5 days. We’re going to take a little more time with this one.
How do you make dinner?
I make dinner the same way I make a record.
I only make two things:
Boil the noodles; add some butter, cayenne, or other spicy sauce.
Or, you can take some beans, with some veggie dogs, maybe a fried egg, use an avocado, add some cholula and some sour cream, and put that in a tortilla. That’s dinner.
How is making a record like making dinner?
It’s kind of the same. Some people try, and they don’t plan it out. Some people have to try… there are so many ways.
What will the new album be like?
Somewhere between the first and the second, but it will be the third!
We're trying to write new songs – coming up with lyrics and working on tapes. There will be some ballads, some medium-paced songs, some fast-paced songs.
I love your ballads. Whatever happened to the song “Halfway to Heaven”? (a song that never made it onto Desert Shores).
We’re going to release that song as a split with Dexter Romweber (legendary guitarist from the Flat Duo Jets) on Demonbeach Records. This would be a very small pressing that would come out, maybe 1000 copies or less. (editor's note: this 7" is in fact available from Demonbeach and independent record retailers in the Raleigh, NC area).
Is the writing process still how you told me it was before – with you and Dino exchanging music and lyrics over the answering machine?
Yes, we still do some of that. But the whole band is involved, too. Craig wrote two songs, Frank wrote one.
What do people expect from Throw Rag?
I’m not sure… a lot of people missed 2nd Place (an earlier album also recorded by Cameron Webb that was never released) so it’s almost like they missed the second part. I guess people expect different things.
You’ve been in this band for a long time (about 10 years) – what’s the best thing about being in Throw Rag?
The lack of responsibility while still being responsible. I try to remember that I get to do this, I don’t have to do it. This is all I ever wanted to do, and I get to do it every day.
How do you stay friends – or do you?
Yes, we’re friends. I guess you get to know each other’s deal, and you give them leeway to be themselves. You don’t take their shortcomings to heart. Being on tour is like rock n’ roll jail – you’ve got six boys in a smelly van – all there is to do is read, watch DVDs, listen to music.. it’s a hard life! (laughs)
What is “making it” to you?
Well, what’s IT? Is it money? I guess if it is, then we’ll know when we get some. If it’s music, then we’re already making it. Three years ago, we couldn’t get anyone to take us on tour, and now we’ve been on tour ever since. Our initial goal was to go to Europe; that was “making it.” Now we just spent three months there, and we’re going back in May and in the fall. So, I guess we “made it.”
Posted by DJWanda at January 14, 2005 3:02 PM
