- Title: UK: CARRIE RELEASE THEIR LATEST SINGLE "CALIFORNIA SCREAMING"
- Date: 16th April 1998
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) LUDWIN SAYING, "THE END PRODUCT IS BETTER THAN WHAT WE THOUGHT. IT WAS ODD, WE'RE A VERY NEW BAND AND TO BE SUDDENLY INTO RECORDING AN ALBUM FOR THE FIRST TIME. IT WAS STRANGE. FOLEY SAYING WE MIXED WITH DAVE BASKIN. LUDWIN SAYING THE WHOLE BEGINNING OF THIS BAND HAS BEEN STRANGE. WE WEREN'T NECESSARILY LOOKING FOR A RECORD DEAL. WE WERE JUST WRITING THESE SONGS AND WE HADN'T PLAYED A LIVE GIG, DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A BAND NAME AND THEN SOMEONE HEARD AND THEY WOULD COME DOWN AND THE NEXT RECORD COMPANY. THEY JUST WENT NUTS SO WE HAD A RECORD DEAL AND THIS ISN'T BRAGGING, WITHIN ONE OR TWO MONTHS OF STARTING, SO I THINK WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE."
- Embargoed: 1st May 1998 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: United Kingdom
- Reuters ID: LVA9NAH6RE17RPX6HS4W3JZD1JY0
- Story Text: Sun, sand and surf.First time fans could be forgiven for thinking all fledgling band Carrie care about is catching the next wave.
Their new single "California Screaming'", released this week (April 27), has the band riding tubes (surfing) in Costa Rica.
But the message is more sinister.
Despite sugary sweet lyrics, a poppy tune and the happy, sun-drenched video, the song is about dispelling some myths surrounding the American dream.
Carrie's version of California has the streets paved with silicone, not gold, with danger on every corner.
It's a paradox that defines the band's approach to songwriting -- reel them in them with pop but listen closer and discover a more miserable side -- one that has led the music press to compare the band to a "twisted" Beach Boys.
That description, alone with their own of "sneaky pop", is one the band is happy with -- for now.
"It's (California Screamin') just a song about frustration," frontman Steve Ludwin said."It sounds happy but it's very miserable." The rest of Carrie, aside from American Steve, is Brits Zac Foley and Dennis Dicker and Australian Bruce Pawsey.
Formed just over a year ago, the group came together when Connecticut-born singer, guitarist and main songwriter Steve hooked up with drummer Bruce.
They began recording with ex-EMF bassist Zac and completed the quartet with guitarist Dennis.
Less than a year later, they were signed to Island Records and putting out a debut album.
The band take their name from Brian De Palma's 70's horror film with Sissy Spacek as the eponymous anti-heroine and they explain, because they like the actor and author Carrie Fisher.
Their first single "Molly", described by Steve as the "ultimate girl power song", earned ecstatic reviews.
Fuelled by Steve's dark imagination and a desire to "pervert" their fans, Carrie take sweet harmonies, add off-kilter lyrics and end up with "sneaky pop".
Their warped lyrics and dark-edged pop anthems flit somewhere between Jane's Addiction and the Beach Boys.
"People go for the Beach Boys comparison because it's quite soulful and we have lots of harmonies but I wouldn't say musically it sounds like the Beach Boys or our voices sound like the Beach Boys," Steve said."Wish they did but they don't.More like Motorhead on acid." Steve explains the motivation behind their music is about wanting to inject some life into the charts.He says the band wants to get away with the "fake angst" being pedalled by the current crop of chart toppers.
"There's all these bands that are being put together and they're all angry and stuff and they used to be in funk bands," he said.
Carrie have spent the last few months touring Britain and more touring is on the agenda before the band's debut album is released in the autumn.
Recorded last summer, the album took three weeks to put together.
Steve offered his explanation on why it was such a quick process: "We recorded like half the album in nappies.When you're in a band, this is an inside, there's always one member who's drinking and has to go to the loo so I thought right nappies, let's save on costs and we recorded the whole album in three weeks." Nappies or not, fans in Europe will have the next few months to catch Carrie as they continue touring.
After that, they'll be off, chasing their next wave. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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