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Interview/Photos: Radical Dads on Being Radical
Old Flame Records’ Radical Dads have been floating around the scene for a few years, putting out albums of timeless, power pop tinged punk that evokes Eleanor Friedberger crossed with early Times New Viking. Fresh off releasing their most recent album Universal Coolers to rave reviews, I had a chance to catch up with the down to earth group in Williamsburg to take a few photos and find out what it really means to be a Radical Dad.
This Has Got To Stop: Radical Dads - what a name! Is there a fun story behind it?
Radical Dads: There is a super-fun story behind it, so buckle up and hold on while we take you on a very wild ride! So, first: We wrote down a bunch of names. Next, we looked at the names, all thinking quietly to ourselves, silently judging some of the names, and flagging others for further consideration. After that, we took a break to eat something. Finally, we all let out our true feelings and admitted that Radical Dads was our top choice. It has internal rhyme! And it is easily shortened!
THGTS: Can you tell me everyone's name and what they play?
RD: Lindsay Baker plays guitar and sings. Robbie Guertin plays drums and sings. Chris Diken plays guitar and very rarely sings.
THGTS: What is the Radical Dads songwriting process like?
RD: We make weird shapes with our hands on our fret boards until something sounds cool. Then Robbie adds the beats. Then we take a break to eat something. Fin.
THGTS: What do you love and hate about Brooklyn's music scene?
RD: We love that we are personal friends with other people who are in bands. We hate that someone got shot outside Big Snow Buffalo Lodge.
THGTS: Who are your musical idols?
RD: Kev Shark from Shark? and Kev Hairs from The Hairs.
THGTS: What's your favorite venue to play in New York?
RD: Cake Shop. It has the best cake, the best lighting, the best booker, etc.
THGTS: Who would be your dream band or bands to tour with?
RD: Yo La Tengo, Built to Spill, the original lineup of the Pixies, Dinosaur Jr., Guided By Voices, and Sonic Youth.
THGTS: What will Obama's legacy as a president be?
RD: Creating a political climate that enabled Sleater-Kinney to start making music again.
THGTS: What advice do you have for young musicians who want to make music in NYC?/what advice do you wish someone had told you when you were younger?
RD: First, remember to do exactly what you want. If you like it, that's a good start. If you don't like it, keep trying.
Next, start your band as soon as possible, because music is a young person's game. Now we can barely stay up until our set time. This will also give you more time to get signed by a major label and become extremely successful in the music industry.
THGTS: Steve Keene did the artwork for Universal Coolers, how did that come about, and what was it like working with him?
RD: It all started when Lindsay sent Steve a very flattering email. She is very good at emailing people. The next step is that we went to visit Steve at his studio in Greenpoint. While there, we continued to flatter him, and also gave him our music. Working with him was amazing, mostly because we didn't really have to "work together." We gave him the name of our band and the name of the album, he painted a bunch of paintings, and we picked the one we liked most. It was a very collaboration-free collaboration.
THGTS: What's the worst gig you've ever played?
RD: There are no bad gigs, only bad attitudes to playing gigs. We typically can find something redeeming about any situation. For example: drink tickets.
THGTS: What's next for Radical Dads?
RD: We're having a shit-ton of babies.
THGTS: Thanks so much, Radical Dads! Is there anything I didn't ask you that you wish I had?
RD: How do you all keep your hair so shiny and lustrous? Answer: We rub it with money.
Radical Dads plays Rough Trade this Thursday, April 16. Tickets are available here.
Radical Dad’s new album will burn you alive and give you a lot of joy too. This sick trio from Brooklyn features twingy, melodious rock backing the emotional scream-singing of frontwoman Lindsay Baker. This song “Slammer” will give you a sample of the high-octane rock n’ roll on this release. Highly recommended! - Dave Samuels, WKNC Assistant Music Director
Listen/purchase: Universal Coolers by Radical Dads
radical dads - in the water
Radical Dads - Universal Coolers
Brooklyn's Radical Dads are about to release Universal Coolers, their third album and the follow up to last year's Cassette Brain EP. The band, comprised of ex-Clap Your Hands Say Yeah drummer Robbie Guertin, Chris Diken and guitarist/vocalist Lindsay Baker, draw inspiration from the guitar rock of heavyweights such as Pavement and Yo La Tengo, creating a hook-laden, melodic brand of twin guitar (zero bass) indie rock.
Opener 'Absurd Tests' sets the tone, a sub-two minute shot in the arm of carefree and ramshackle DIY rock. 'Tomorrow's Trash' is all squealing guitars and Baker's volatile delivery, while 'Slammer' is a blend of spiky rock and romantic dream pop, with some pretty odd (but funny) lyrics. "Snakes on the sidewalk / all over my block / I won’t go outside any more/ Good lord, they’re up to my front door".
'In the Water is a song about the repression of the masses, "And the negative creeps keep coming around / piling up as we're shutting down / you can't see it from the surface you can't identify its purpose / its in the water", but my current favourite track is 'Don't Go', which has a really great, catchy chorus of, "Prepared pianos in our room / the kids come up to dance in the doom / new signs will soon appear in space / don’t worry dear, don’t go away".
The title track features a simple shout-along chorus of "Universal Coolers!", with 'verses' comprised of lots of squally noise and mumbled vocals. The yelled chorus trend continues on 'Desperado Dude Lens' ("Your name on a plaque at the world's end / white hairs flying back in the wind / he's going up the trail / he's got that ex-explorer desperado dude lens"), before 'Flight To NZ' shakes things up with an almost spoken word account of the titular flight to New Zealand ("hey we were going away / headed for a new place / sitting on the tarmac / a couple, a couple of former sad sacks"), complete with roaring guitars and slamming drums.
The final two tracks are DJ Pancake, with its time-bomb percussion, and Cassette Brain (which you may recognise from the aforementioned EP), which is all low rumbling guitars and a pounding drum beat, and, at its core a love song. "We won’t get swept away / you will clear the toxic sludge from my head / we’ll go to the library and hammer away each day we’re not dead". Basically, Universal Coolers is a really great indie rock record and if you find you can't enjoy it then perhaps there is something wrong with you. I firmly believe that the "virtues" of innovation and trendsetting are majorly over-rated. If every band poured as much love, care and carefree energy into their records then the world would be a better place, both musically and otherwise.
You can order Universal Coolers now via Old Flame Records (who have also released albums by Shark?, Swimming and You Won't), on either CD or limited edition blue or black vinyl.
P.S. Here's a fun fact for you - The artwork was produced by Steve Keene, the prolific Greenpoint artist who designed some pretty famous album covers such as Pavement's Wowee Zowee.
"Don't Go" from Universal Coolers by Radical Dads! ADDS 2/24/15! More info here: http://www.piratepirate.com/wp/19082/radical-dads/