Interview with Ken from Candiria


Njhs - How did CANDIRIA start?
Ken - CANDIRIA STARTED IN 1992 WHEN I JOINED UP WITH ERIC, CARLEY AND CHRIS. THE THREE OF THESE GUYS HAD BEEN PLAYING TOGETHER IN ANOTHER BAND AND WERE LOOKING TO MOVE IN NEWER DIRECTIONS. THEY PUT UP A FLYER IN THE STUDIO I WAS REHEARSING AT WITH SOME GUYS AND IT STRUCK MY INTEREST. SO AFTER MEETING AND PLAYING THE FIRST COUPLE OF TIMES, WE FELT IT COULD BE SOMETHING TO EXPLORE AND WE STARTED THE BALL ROLLING.

Njhs - Who helped along the way?
Ken - WHEN WE RECORDED OUR SECOND DEMO-"SUBLIMINAL" THE ENGINEER, TEDDY WILSON, GAVE US ALL ALOT OF INSIGHT INTO MUSIC, BUT MOST AND BEST OF ALL, GREAT INSIGHT INTO LIFE. TEDDY IS AN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING HUMAN. IN THE EARLY DAYS, RALPHY BOY FROM DISASSOCIATE, AHFZAHL FROM CRISIS, MET[JEFF THIES] FROM TOO DAMN HYPE/CHORD RECORDINGS, WERE THE THREE GUYS IN THE HEAVY SCENE THAT GAVE US OUR START WITH SHOWS IN NYC AND GETTING OUR MUSIC OUT. A GUY NAMED RICH V. SAW US IN NYC AND WENT BACK HOME TO ALBANY TELLING THE PROMOTER, TED ETOLL, THAT HE HAD TO GET US UP THERE. SURE ENOUGH, TED ASKED US UP AND WE GOT OUR START IN ALBANY. JAMEY JASTA GOT US INTO CT. PETE UP IN PROVIDENCE,RI AND MARC IN PORTLAND,ME, ALL HELPED GET US GOING IN THE EAST COAST. MICHAEL BARILE, OUR CO PRODUCER AND ENGINEER IS ANOTHER GREAT FRIEND THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SUPPORTIVE, POSITIVE FORCE AS WELL AS THE KEY FORCE BEHIND OUR ALBUMS' OUTCOME.

Njhs - Have there been any line up changes?
Ken - THE BAND LINE UP GOES LIKE THIS:
JANUARY1992-PRESENT
ERIC MATTHEWS-GUITAR
CARLEY COMA-VOCALIZATIONS
KENNETH SCHALK-DRUMSET AND LOTS OF OTHER THINGS

JANUARY1992-FEBRUARY 1997
CHRIS PUMA-GUITAR
MARCH1997-PRESENT
JOHN LAMACCHIA-GUITAR
JANUARY1992-JUNE1992
MATT HOLT-BASS
1993 ERIC STEIN-BASS
1993-MID1994
JIM ROBBINS BASS
JANUARY1998-PRESENT
MICHAEL MACIVOR-BASS

Njhs - Where did you get your style from?
Ken - WE GET OUR SOUND AND VIBE FROM THE VAST WORLD OF RHYTHM, FURTHER TRANSLATING IT INTO SONIC ENVIRONMENTS WITH OUR INSTRUMENTS. MELODY AND HARMAONY EXIST IN MANY DIFFERNET WAYS DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF MOOD WERE LOOKING TO CREATE. OUR INFLUENCE TRANSCENDS THE TYPICAL. SOMETHING AS MECHANICAL AS A CAR STARTING COULD INSPIRE NEW RHYTHM. THE SQUEAK OF A DOOR CAN BE THE NEXT MELODIC INTERLUDE IN THE MAKING. WE CAN'T LOOK FOR INFLUENCE OR WONDER WHEN INSPIRATION WILL HIT US. WE ARE INSPIRED TO BE INFLUENCED. LIFE FUNCTIONS AND WE REACT TO IT.

Njhs - a) Have you been writing new material?
Ken - NOT TOO LONG AGO, WE FINISHED A SONG FOR RALPHY BOY TO PUT ON HIS COMP. WE'RE ALSO CURRENTLY WRITING A NEW SONG. IT'LL BE FINISHED BY THE END OF JANUARY. FROM THERE I HOPE WE CAN GET ANOTHER GOING IN FEBRUARY.

Njhs - b) If so, is it going to be heavier?
Ken - WE NEVER INTEND TO BE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF HEAVINESS. OUR GOAL IS TO WRITE SONGS THAT FEEL GOOD AND PROGRESS SMOOTHLY. THE MAIN CONCEPT IS THE EVER-CHANGING, JOURNEY OF NO REPEATING PARTS. WE ARE A HEAVY BAND. WE ENJOY THE OVER-THE-TOP FEELING OF THE MUSIC WE MAKE SO THERE'S NO REASON TO GET "LIGHTER." WE OFFER OTHER ENVIRONMENTS TO PRESENT MORE DYNAMIC MOMENTS IN THE CD AS A WHOLE. PLUS WE ALL ENJOY LISTENING TO OTHER TYPES OF MUSIC. WHAT WE DO MUSICALLY IS UNPREDICTABLE BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SO MANY POINTS OF REFERENCE. OUR PASSION YIELS RELENTLESS FLAMES OF INSPIRATION, LEAVING US BURNING AND THIRSTY FOR THE REFRESHING RELIEF OF NEWER, MORE OUTRAGEOUS AND ULTIMATELY, HEAVIER, DEEPER SONGS.

Njhs - What should we be expecting from candiria in the future?
Ken - IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE IT'S PRETTY MUCH TOURING TO SUPPORT OUR MUSIC AND GIVE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR OUR SOUND. BUT WE HAVE MORE MUSIC, MORE TOURING, MAYBE A VIDEO IN TIME, THE WEB PAGE WILL BE UPDATED SOON WITH VIDEO, LIVE PHOTOS AND NEW TOUR DATES. WE'RE WORKING ON MANY BEATS FOR OUR RAPPERS. OUR GOAL IS TO GET AS MANY OF THEM INTO THE INDUSTRY AS WE CAN AND WE'LL BE THE PRODUCERS.

Njhs - Any tours? or big shows?
Ken - WE'RE CURRENTLY SCHEDULING WEEKENDS IN FEBRUARY AS WE CONTINUE TO WRITE. IN MARCH AND APRIL WE SHOULD BE OUT AROUND THE WHOLE COUNTRY. THE BANDS HAVE NOT BEEN SOLIDIFIED YET BUT KEEP IN TOUCH WITH OUR WEBSITE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON FOR TOURING. WE ARE PLAYING THE NEW ENGLAND METAL FEST ON FEBRUARY 12TH. WE'RE ALSO PLAYING THE TROCADERO IN PHILLY WITH V.O.D.

Njhs - Do you like being on M I A Records?
Ken - YES. M.I.A. RECORDS IS VERY SUPPORTIVE. THEY WORK HARD TO GET US RECOGNIZED IN AS MANY AREAS OF THE INDUSTRY AS POSSIBLE. THEY ALWAYS HAVE POSTERS AT THE CLUBS WHILE WE'RE ON TOUR. THEY MONITOR THE GROWTH AND RESPONSE VERY TIGHTLY, CALCULATING MOVES VERY WISELY. THE COMPANY'S DIRECTION LOOKS GOOD FOR 2000.

Njhs - As you play from state to state, do you notice the change in scenes?
Ken - HEAVY MUSIC IS DEFINITELY HOST TO A BROAD SPECTRUM OF SOCIALOGICAL GROUPS. FASHION, LIFESTYLE, PERSONALITY AND AGE ALL PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN HOW THE SCENE DIVIDES. HOW THEY CHOOSE TO DRESS OR ACT IS THEIR CHOICE BUT IN THE CLUB IT DOESN'T MATTER ANYWAY. EVERYONE COMES TOGETHER TO LISTEN TO AND SEE MUSIC BEING PERFORMED.

Njhs - If you could change 1 thing about the current hardcore scene What would it be?
Ken - CHANGE IS INEVITABLE IN HARDCORE'S NATURAL PROGRESSION. AS HARDCORE MUSIC AND THE PEOPLE WHO LISTEN TO IT KEEP EVOLVING, THINGS WILL CHANGE AND CHANGE AGAIN. EVOLUTION IS SOMETHING THAT OCCURS FROM THE NATURAL INTERGRATION OF EVERY PARTICIPATING MEMBER OF AN EVOLVING SOCIETYM NOT JUST ONE. SORRY IF I SOUND LIKE MR. SPOCK BUT I PREFER LOGIC OVER MY PERSONAL FEELINGS FOR CERTAIN POINTS OF VIEW.

Njhs - Do you find many tough guys along the way?
Ken - "TOUGH GUYS" ARE EVERYWHERE. A "TOUGH GUY" REALLY IS SOMEONE WHO STANDS PROUDLY FOR THEIR BELIEF. BECAUSE IT TAKES A TOUGH, DETERMINED PERSON TO STAND FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN. I HAVE RESPECT FOR ANYONE WHO IS TRUE TO WHAT THEY DO. WHETHER IT IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH MY MORAL VALUES OR NOT IS NOT MY CONCERN AND VICE VERSA. IF PEOPLE ARE A MENNACE TO SOCIETY, THEY ARE NOT TOUGH, THEY'RE FOOLISH. THE SCALE OF LIFE ISN'T ALWAYS BALANCED, LET ALONE BALANCED IN YOUR FAVOR. WRONG DOING ALWAYS HAS IT'S CONSEQUECES.

Njhs - Where do you think you get the best responce from?
Ken - N.Y.C. AND NEW JERSEY - PHILIDELPHIA - POUGHKEEPSIE,NY - SEATTLE - ALBANY,NY - PORTLAND,ME - PROVIDENCE,RI. MILWAUKEE, WI. SLOWLY THE INTEREST IS RISING AROUND THE COUNTRY. AS WE KEEP TOURING, MORE AND MORE CITIES WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PASS JUDGMENT ON CANDIRIA.

Njhs - Has anything ever happened out of the ordinary while playing?
Ken - WHEN I MAKE A MISTAKE IT DEFINITELY FEELS A LITTLE OUT OF THE ORDINARY.

Njhs - Any last words?
Ken - TO ALL THE READERS OUT THERE. MUSIC GOES BEYOND THE POP/ROCK SECTION. IF YOU DO NOT ALREADY EXPOSE YOUR SENSES TO OTHER GENRES OF MUSIC, TRY ONE OR TWO OUT. FROM AN AMERICAN POINT OF VIEW, JAZZ, RAP, SOUL, ORCHESTRATION(CLASSICAL AND CONTEMPORARY), CLASSIC ROCK AND OLDIES ARE ALWAYS ENJOYABLE. MUSIC OF TRADITIONAL CULTURES ALL OVER THE WORLD IN THE INTERNATIONAL SECTION CAN REALLY OFFER A TASTE OF HOW MUSIC IS TRULY APPRECIATED. AMERICANS SEEM TO HAVE MADE DANCE THE KEY FACTOR IN THEIR MUSIC'S LEGACY. THE POP CULTURE MATERIALIZED MUSIC TO A LEVEL OF PLASTICITY. THE SPIRITUALITY SITS STRONG AND DEEP INSIDE MUSIC FORMS ONLY KNOWN TO MORE INTIMATE AUDIENCES. FORTUNATELY, THE LOVE FOR OTHER MUSIC FORMS OUTSIDE OF POP, KEEPS IT FULL OF LIFE. NO GLAMOUR, JUST PURE SOUL.