The Nerd Parade
by Hilary RAWK!
www.myspace.com/rawkmagazine
rawkmagazine@gmail.com
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 . . .
So most of you guys are from GA . . . what’s it like there? How’s the music scene?
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.
What instruments do you play?
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.
How did you all meet?
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.
What is one of your first musical memories?
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.
First concert you attended?
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.
First concert you played?
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.
Have you been in other bands?
Yes, way too many.
What did you learn from those experiences?
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.
Did you go to college?
Yes. I have a degree in Audio Engineering and a degree in Liberal Arts.
Do you have jobs?
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.
Why is your album called A Delicate Bashing
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.
Favorite show experience
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.
How has this tour been so far?
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.
Got any interesting tour stories?
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.
How’d you come up with the name The Nerd Parade?
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.
Do you think image is important in the music industry? Do you care?
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.
What are some of your goals—immediate and long term?
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.
What can we expect from your next album?
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.
MEMBERS
Randy Garcia (lead guitar & vocals)
Abby Wren (vocals)
Rich Wilson (bass and vocals)
John Jacobus (rhythm guitar and keyboards)
Buddy Buttram (drums)
WEBSITE
www.myspace.com/thenerdparade
www.thenerdparade.com
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