Backstage Pass Radio
A podcast created to showcase local/national/ and world-renowned musicians, resellers, and manufacturers on what is new and exciting as it relates to past and current projects. A podcast by the artist...for the artists!
Backstage Pass Radio
S6: E10: Kardang - The Pride of Norway
Date: June 25, 2024
Name of podcast: Backstage Pass Radio
Episode Title and Number: S6: E10: Kardang - The Pride of Norway
SHOW SUMMARY:
What happens when the icy winds of southern Norway meet the scorching heat of Houston, Texas? Join us on Backstage Pass Radio as we catch up with Chris Williams and Jonkus from Kardang, the Norwegian rock band that's shaking up the music scene. Discover how the contrasting climates and cultural environments of Flekkefjord, Lyngdal, and Houston impact their artistic journey and personal lives. We dive into the band's latest works, including their albums "Ain't Dead Yet" and "Rizky Biznizz," and hear firsthand about the invaluable mentorship from a renowned Norwegian studio owner whose expertise in classic rock and analog equipment has profoundly influenced their sound.
Ever wondered how a rock band balances the passion for music with the necessity of day jobs? Chris and Jonkus share their definitions of success, how they manage this precarious balance, and the stories behind their latest single, "Hey, Molly." We also celebrate the band's unique sense of brotherhood, which shines through especially during challenging times, such as a severe arm injury affecting one of their members. Hear about the band's democratic process, where each member's voice is valued, and how this collective effort ensures high-quality music and a unified spirit.
From honing vocal styles influenced by legends like Chris Cornell to writing songs inspired by familial love, Kardang's journey is a testament to growth and resilience. We explore tracks like "Hey, Molly," a heartfelt tribute to a grandmother's legacy, and delve into their creative process, including the choice to write and perform in English to reach a broader audience. Reflecting on favorite tracks and the making of the "Rizky Biznizz" album, Chris and Jonkus reveal the stories behind their music, their plans for the future, and the joys and challenges of being a rock band in today's evolving music industry. This episode is a compelling blend of personal anecdotes, band dynamics, and the relentless pursuit of artistic excellence.
Sponsor Link:
WWW.ECOTRIC.COM
WWW.SIGNAD.COM
WWW.RUNWAYAUDIO.COM
Backstage Pass Radio Social Media Handles:
Facebook - @backstagepassradiopodcast @randyhulseymusic
Instagram - @Backstagepassradio @randyhulseymusic
Twitter - @backstagepassPC @rhulseymusic
Website - backstagepassradio.com and randyhulsey.com
Artist(s) Web Page
https://www.facebook.com/kardangofficial
Call to action
We ask our listeners to like, share, and subscribe to the show and the artist's social media pages. This enables us to continue pushing great content to the consumer.
Thank you for being a part of Backstage Pass Radio
Your Host,
Randy Hulsey
I am stoked to have several members of a band from the south of Norway on the show today. Hey everyone, it's Randy Hulsey with Backstage Pass Radio and I stumbled across the band Kardang on one of my Saturday morning Spotify binges and it took no time at all to fall in love with the hooky riffs and the melodies of the Norwegian rockers. Keep the volume turned up and I will chat with Chris and Jonkus and all things Cardang when we return.
Speaker 2:This is Backstage Pass Radio, the podcast that's designed for the music junkie with a thirst for musical knowledge. Hi, this is Adam Gordon, and I want to thank you all for joining us today. Make sure you like, subscribe and turn alerts on for this and all upcoming podcasts. And now here's your host of Backstage Pass Radio, randy Halsey.
Speaker 1:All the way from Norway. Boys, welcome to the show. How are you Thank? You Thank you Very fine Doing good. Well, I'm joined by Go ahead, go ahead, jankos. I'm sorry, norwegian summer. We were just talking about that pre-hitting the record button, and I guess you guys are in summer there in Norway, correct?
Speaker 4:Yeah, I heard you introduced us from the south of Norway. It's good to hear we are in the south end. You know it's still very far north, so the weather here is much yeah, much like the weather in the north of Norway, but still it's not warm like you have in Texas. But for us it's warm.
Speaker 1:And I think that's like when we talk warm Norway. I guess you guys are on the metric system, so you everything's a Celsius to you, correct, or what are you about? Probably 60 degrees. Is that Celsius or Fahrenheit right now?
Speaker 4:We are using Celsius. Yeah, so I believe we are approximately 20. I mean fahrenheit's. Are that, chris? Do you know?
Speaker 1:it's probably 60. I think 60, yeah, I mean I wish it was uh 60 degrees here in texas right now. It's uh, we're in actually a, a heat wave. They're considering this a heat wave in houston, texas is where I am, south te, texas and I think they said it will feel like 110 degrees here today, which and I don't know what that is in Celsius, but let's just say it's hotter than hell.
Speaker 1:It's not cool here in Texas by any stretch of the imagination, so I wish I had your temperatures right now. Share with the listeners just real quick, Chris, your role in the band, and then Junkus, share your role in the band and we'll jump right into this thing, man.
Speaker 3:Yeah, well, I'm Chris Williams and I'm the vocalist in the band, called Ang, I sing. When we're rehearsing, I'm singing, and in the studios I'm just singing my lead vocals. Junkies, Henning, the Boogie Silverman they do the choir and when we are out doing some gigs I do the lead vocals and Junkiesies and boogie doing the choir voice okay yeah, awesome, awesome mainly what we are. I do in the band great, great.
Speaker 1:So what city are you guys actually calling in from? Are you guys in different places in norway right now? Are you both in the same city?
Speaker 3:Well, the difference.
Speaker 4:I'm in Flekkefjord, in the south of Norway, and Jankes, I'm located 30 minutes drive away from Flekkefjord, in a city called Lyngdal. We call it a city, but for you guys it will be more like a village. Smaller yeah, the whole community here is about 10,000 people. We call it city, but for you guys it will be more like a village. Okay, smaller, smaller. Yeah, the whole community here is approximately 10,000 people. Oh, wow, so it's not big, but we call it city here. Okay, you know, we have highways, of course, so it's not too far from each other.
Speaker 1:And rehearsal and everything is doing good, so that would probably be a culture shock to me, coming from a city of houston, texas.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I mean it's, it's, it's like you know, we, of course, we're used to it uh, norway's if we travel to london, uh, every now and then you know it's london, I guess it's. You know it's twice the population of norway, yeah, but that says it all. One city is, you know, double of norway and a population and, uh, I can't say I'm, you know, getting some kind of a degree of anxiety or something when I visit a big city. But I know, I know, I know you know local companies which had visitors. You know customers from, let's say, china.
Speaker 4:You know business, uh, related, uh, and, and you know they get the guys I know from this uh factory. They took them, they took these chinese people out for you know some, some hiking in in the mountains and and did some, lit some bonfires and and uh, did some barbecue and whatever. But you know they, they couldn't take it for more than a few hours. They really, you know, literally they, they had anxiety. They needed, just needed to go back to the hotel room and imagine they were back home in this uh, multi-million, yes, related city and they couldn't take it. All the quietness, all the trees, no one else around, so it's like yeah.
Speaker 1:I think it's all relative, right. I think if you guys came to the big city, there would be an anxiety there, right? Because that's not what you're used to, much like going from a big city to a small town. It's a different kind of anxiety, but it's an anxiety all the same, right? Yeah, so Cardang is a band that you guys have been together for a while. How did you both come to join the band?
Speaker 3:We've been together about three, three and a half years. It all started in 2021. And first of all, it was Boogie Silver, the other guitarist. He had some cool riffs. He just wanted to play with me, with Chris, and he told us maybe we could do a song or two. I feel this riff is cool. And then we took contact with the drummer, freddy, then we took contact with the bass player, terry. We went into the studio and recorded it and then we got Junkies and then we started a band and we did 10-15 songs and did an album and went out on on tour for the last two years and we made a new single now called hey Molly. It's out now. So for the future there will be more, but right now it's no, you were one of the co-founders of the band.
Speaker 1:Then, chris, correct.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Okay, and then?
Speaker 4:I got you and then I'm the last man on board, okay, and, like Chris says, you know me and Chris actually spent the same. You know, we were employed at the same, we had the same day job, okay, working at Approximately 20 years on a shipyard in Fleckfjord where Chris lives. And you know, we always known each other. But I was into my band and Chris was into his band, and now and then we met and, you know, just chatted and told each other what happened with our bands and so on. But you know, it was more or less metal. Chris was into metal and so was I, and you know. So when I left my band or I didn't leave my, my previous band, but it, you know it disbanded and I was, you know, one of the last three. So then it's no point in continuing.
Speaker 4:And then I heard this uh demo, I believe. I believe it was before the first cardang single, uh, got out, was released. And then henning, which I actually didn't know that well, but he was constantly chatting with me on Facebook and stuff like that and discussing oh, we need to do some rock and roll someday and yeah, I hear what you're saying someday. But they already had a bass player and I was playing bass before. So when I heard this demo, I was just gobsmacked what the hell is this? Is this Chris singing? Can he sing like that? And you know melodies and the riffs, everything.
Speaker 4:I just was so fantastic and I just asked him okay, but if you already have a bass player, what about a second guitarist? And that was something he actually had in mind, because he maybe, you know, he's a songwriter. Uh, he, he writes plenty of stuff and he, he's a, you know, he's. Everything he does is rock and roll and music. And maybe he was thinking, ah, maybe I could hand over the some of the solos and the guitar work to someone else. But he didn't think of me as a guitar player, he thought of me as a bass player and I just told him yeah, yeah, but guitar is just two strings more, that's it, okay, yeah, yeah. And he invited me to just stay.
Speaker 1:You were playing bass guitar for a band called Guardians of Time, correct? Is that correct? Yeah, that's correct. Okay, it's funny because I chatted a little bit with Boogie Silver a couple of days ago and I asked him if he was going to come on the show and chat and he's like, eh, you don't want me on there. My English is not that great, so no, you know neither of you.
Speaker 4:It's like that, when English is not your native language, we do the best we can and that's how it is. But you know every. All people from countries which are not English speaking have two languages at school. It's your native language and you have a side language like English, but if you're from let's say you're from Britain you only have one language. We do more at school. We learn more at school.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, well, I envy guys like you that can speak multiple languages, because I don't, and I think that probably spanish is should be the second language, especially for, you know, people live in in the south united states because we we border mexico on the south, so we have a lot of people from Mexico coming into the country, so there's a lot of Spanish-speaking people, so I think that that would be our secondary tongue, right, or our second tongue. If we had to pick one, I think it would only make sense, but you guys do really well with the English, by the way, so so hats off for that. I know Cardang has two albums that are currently out, correct, there's the 22,. The 2022 release of ain't dead yet and the 2023 release called risky business are my dates and my records spot on.
Speaker 4:Yeah, it was June. The first one we Ain't Dead Yet was June 22. And the second one, risky Business, was in October 23, which is half a year ago, and we just released a single, as Chris said.
Speaker 1:Hey, molly which came out on the 16th of may. Okay, yeah, and I want to talk more about hey, molly, for sure a great song, and I don't want to steal my own thunder. But both of the albums that we talked about, the 22 and the 23 records were they both recorded in the same studio in norway, or did you guys split it up and do it in different places?
Speaker 4:No, it's the same studio. Yeah, and you know it sounds lazy, but we all have day jobs, we all have all our families and when we got to know this guy running the studio, he's actually, you know, he's a very quiet guy, he doesn't talk very much about what he's doing, but he's actually a very known musician in Norway, in the industry and he lives off his music. That's the only thing he does and he's around playing with his own band with, you know, well-known artists in Norway constantly and when he has time he's running his studio artists in Norway constantly. And when he has time he's running his studio and it's so convenient just to join him and record our stuff there because it's not just that it's nearby and convenient and that stuff. But we have discussed it so many times internally in the band that if we could choose a producer, a technician and a studio, we would still choose this guy and his studio Because he's young, much younger than us guys, but he's still into old tube amps with loads of layers of dust on and the you know the correct analog equipment, old tape machines and, of course, digital and new stuff and he's open to new technology and everything and he's very into some various styles of music classic rock, of course, which is what we are into, of course, which, what is we are into.
Speaker 4:And he likes his you know, share of Rolling Stones and ACDC. And you know 80s American music, you know Journey, boston, kiss, of course, ramones, you know the list goes on and on. And everything we have, you know the list goes on and on and everything we have, you know, been listening to while growing up and he's the same.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he's so, just so, interested in, interested in music, so he's that's interesting and you know I have this conversation all the time here with other musicians about and I think there's I think there's a badge or an honor badge If you I don't know what you really want to call it, but for people that are making a living playing music and doing that, only you know. I think there's this thought process that if they're doing that, they've they've made it right. And you know it's a it's a long discussion or it can go in a bunch of different ways. I don't know what some people's definition of success is. Maybe it's not money, maybe it's that they're playing music full time. It doesn't matter how much money they're making. They're still happy because they're doing what they love.
Speaker 1:I, like you guys, am also a professional musician in Texas and I at one time before the podcast, I was playing probably upwards to 130 shows a year and I've cut that way back.
Speaker 1:But I also had the day job that paid the mortgage and all the bills right, so I never had the stress of having to make a living playing music and the music business here. I don't know about Norway, but you know, and unless you're really out on some major tours or have been signed to a record deal. I think that the independent artist here it's a grind, you know what I mean. I mean these guys, I mean they can't be making money hand over fist, but they love what they're doing, right. So there's a lot of that. So I think it all depends on the artist and what their definition of success is. But I, like you guys again, I go out to the eight to five every day, so I can, you know, support my family, right. But music is not what supports my family either. And I'm glad I did it that way because I have something to fall back on, because, as you know, the music business can be pretty rough and very volatile on, because, as you know, the the music business can be pretty rough and very volatile, right?
Speaker 4:so, yeah, no, it's, it's what you say, it's what? What is the definition of success? And you have some bands who really, really made it in in norway and you have so many bands that people don't understand why they didn't make it. But what's the definition of didn't make it? But what's the definition of they didn't make it? You know they're constantly touring in Norway but they never got any.
Speaker 4:Well, you know, had any success out of Norway, but still, some of the bands have been doing this since the early 80s and are classical bands but they still play, you know, mid-sized or small venues, but they do what they love, sure, and you know mid-sized or small venues, but they do what they love, sure, and, uh, you know what we are concerned about. What's if we do what we right now. We are doing what we love and, of course, we are playing. We had the last week. Now, in eight days, we had four gigs.
Speaker 4:You know that's good, that's good fun for sure, yeah, but if you, if you need to do that, you know, constantly, every day, and maybe, if, if you can do what you love and play your own music, that's one thing, but if you need to. You know, play cover songs every night, same places, and you're you're forced to do it. Yes, every evening, it's okay, I don't know. Don't know if I would love music that much if I did so, because I really would like to have time, not just to play live, but also make the music and spend time and enjoy the process of producing the music together with this guy in the studio. Yep, and you know what I mean.
Speaker 1:Yes, you need to love the process, you need to love what you're doing and have fun with it well, and I think if you're recording your own music, there's um, there's a greater love for that than going out, you know, covering or copying what other people have done, and that's kind of of what you know the the musicians that I play with we're doing cover stuff, we're not doing original stuff, so it's a different thing than what you guys are doing, but I could see the love of going out and telling your own story instead of the story that somebody else has written and you've been listening to it for 30 years now. Right, the Eagles, you know Van Morrison, all of these groups like we're all copying the same stuff and don't get me wrong, it's all wonderful music that has stood the test of time, for sure.
Speaker 1:But, there's nothing like writing your own tune and going out and delivering that to a crowd. So again, you know. Hats off to you guys. I heard something and you can tell me if there is any truth to this, but I think during the recording of one of your records I don't know which one your bass player maybe had an injury and you had to go back to the bass guitar and play in the studio. Am I somewhere in the vicinity of that story? Does that make sense?
Speaker 4:No, it's correct. It was the second album, risky Business. Risky Business, okay, yeah, so he ripped his biceps actually, and when his biceps finally got back together, he didn't have the mobility of his arm the way he used to. So correct me if I'm wrong, chris, but when they tried to scratch off some of his bone, or what's it called bone marrow or you know, to increase his mobility, I believe they touched some nerves, of course, and then it looked really bad and he couldn't feel his arms. So it took even longer.
Speaker 4:But now he's playing live with us now and to start with he couldn't use his pick to play with like he has been doing all his life. But now, bit by bit, he's getting back to play like he used to. So it's just a process, but he's been just so honest with it and even if he would like to join us and take participation in the studio work, he's just an honest guy and he's like sorry guys, I can't do this. Yeah, I can't take it because I am participating in very much of the songwriting together with Chris and Boogie Sure.
Speaker 1:It sounds like he's a team player, like he's not going to sacrifice the quality of play for his, you know, letting his pride get in the way. He's okay with saying, hey, you take the wheel, you take my part and we'll make the record sound as good as we can. And that's a great mindset for you know, you, you have a five piece band and if everybody has that same mindset of we're we're a band, we're not individuals you can't ask for anything more, right? Because you, sometimes egos get in the way and it's like well, I know my arm doesn't feel good, but I'm still going to try to play my part, even if I play it like shit, you know. And then, and then he sacrifices the quality of the record, right? So you know?
Speaker 4:Yeah, it is like that and I would do the same if it was. It was me 100%. But he, he, he came into the studio now and then had some coffee, sat and listened while I recorded it and came with some ideas and some tips, which very much of it came along on the record. That's awesome. I love his bass playing from the bands he's been joining before Kodang and also the first record. So I asked him to come along because I want his, I want his advices and his way of and ideas, because it's song just gets better if everyone is participating Some bands maybe that it's not a good idea, but this band is very good idea because all five is really contributing If it's drums, vocals, melodies, guitar, everything. So it's so good.
Speaker 1:Well then it's called a brotherhood at that time. Right, If all five of you guys, it's a democracy and all five of you guys have equal input. And I've had some groups on my show before that they say just that, we're. You know, we're a five piece or four piece or six piece band and we all have equal stake in the band and the ideas, and I think that drives longevity of bands, whereas most bands don't last because there's one or two prima donnas in the band that want to do things their way and the other two don't. And next thing, you know, they're not even together anymore. So I think that you know there's a lot to be said for having that, you know, that mindset that everybody's an equal in the band.
Speaker 1:Chris, what, what a great voice man like um and, and what a cool singing style you have. I, I love the voice, I love everything about what you're doing there in the band and what a blessing to be able to sing like you do. I was wondering how old you were when you discovered that you had a special vocal talent. Was there a point in your life where you just said man, I think I've got something here. Do you remember that? Going back to the day?
Speaker 3:No, actually no, Because when I was about between 15 to 25-ish I just listened a lot to Rainbow um, jolene turner and a foreigner with, uh, lou graham yes, stuff like that lover boy and acdc coverdale, stuff like that. So when I started singing I was trying actually to sound, so maybe my voice was kind of growing into the same area as they were. So I've never had this technique in my voice. I sing with, with my soul. It's uh so.
Speaker 3:But when I was kind of between 30 and 30-ish year-ish old, then I started doing some heavy stuff, yeah, and then my voice was like, the more I sang, I think I found my style. So now when I start singing I need to rehearse about an hour. Then I have my identity. Before that I go like what the fuck? I can't do anything. There is a lot of stuff going inside my throat so I need to get out or get down. So when it's done I have my own voice. Yes, so I think my influences like Chris Connell and stuff like that, I think it made me to who I am. Because I don't have the technique, I just sing with my soul, my heart.
Speaker 1:There's something that just came to mind when you told that story. You spoke of Rainbow, you spoke of JoLynn Turner and I had a guy you might have heard of on my show a while back and his name is Graham Bonnet and Graham Bonnet did the song. Since You've Been Gone by Rainbow and over time I've become good friends with Graham and his girlfriend, bethany Heavenstone, who is the bass player for the Graham Bonnet band now. But you know, I was out in LA probably about six months ago and I stayed with Graham and Bethany and I was talking to Graham about that. You're in your 70s, graham. How is the voice holding up? And he said man, it's stronger than ever. Like you would think that the older you get, the voice just kind of wears out and I think there's some truth to that. But it's a muscle right, and if you're using it. Then he said it just gets stronger and stronger for me and that guy can still sing his ass off, you know, in his mid-70s. And what a powerful vocalist.
Speaker 1:And I admire you guys. I'm a vocalist as well, but the high notes I'm not. You know I don't have that high range like you guys do. I'm more of that baritone type of singer. But hats off to you guys. It's good stuff and I think that your voice fits really nice in Cardang. I love it. You mentioned you know JoLynn Turner and you know some of the other singers Lou Graham, another great singer from Foreigner. Is there anybody that influences you these days? Like you know, those are probably guys that you've been listening to forever, but is there anybody currently that you've heard and you're like man? I really love that guy's voice. Like who's doing it for you these days, or do you not think too much about that?
Speaker 3:No, I don't think too much about that. No, I don't think about too much about that. But maybe I I get some uh points thing, uh ids, or how to sing. Maybe they they teach me something I can use in my lyrics, the way the melody goes I've listened to a lot like, yet these days to nothing more. Have you heard about that? Sure, yeah, yeah, I love that guy and I listen, yeah, so, and they have done three or four new singles in the last four or five months. Okay, and I like the way he has changed his voice. He used to do the high notes growling when he was about 10, 15 years ago. Now he's doing a little more sensitive, a little more new metal, hard rock. So I think he is one of my inspiration. That goes to mind when you think of changing your style of singing. Sure, when we, yeah.
Speaker 3:so so now when we make the music now, I kind of change my melody lines into what I feel now okay. So we have a new song. I have made two or three songs now in the last month and I spoke to Junkies and maybe one or two weeks from now we're going to try and make them. There is, I think when I speak to Junkies now he can tell you I sing different than I did on the two last albums. Okay, I tried to change it. The melody line maybe was like Now.
Speaker 3:I maybe go like Change the ending, Maybe change the lyrics and melody lines in the middle.
Speaker 1:Maybe it's because I don't know why, so you're playing you're singing a little bit more the harmony parts than you are the melody parts, then that's interesting.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and maybe it's because the years have changed. Yep, instead, when we started the first album, it was like the first album was let's try and record it. We did 11 songs, just recorded it. The next album risky business. We had more songs, but found out that these are the best and now we have about 5, 6, 7 songs now and maybe we're going to make 15, 20 before we are happy. Maybe it's a progress in the band, in the lyrics and melody lines and the song making. Well, I think there's a thing called maturity, right, we all mature in the band and in the, in the lyrics and melody lines and the song making.
Speaker 1:Well, I think there's a thing called maturity, right, we all mature and you know Junkus guitar style will change over time too, right, and it will always have the roots, but you know he might add some things that that's new to him. Same thing like with the voice. You know you're not growing as a vocalist, I don't think, if you're not exploring new ways to do things and it's you don't want to get away from the roots and you know what the secret formula is. But you can still be a diverse singer and you know, try new things, right, and it and it's interesting.
Speaker 1:Earlier you said that you know your style, or Janka said your style was more of a hard rock, heavy metal singer. And now you fast forward to and you guys are very, you're very commercial sounding, which is a great thing. I mean, the melodies are amazing and I'll talk more about that later. But when we talk about heavy metal and I'll talk more about that later but when we talk about heavy metal, like, who were you liking from the? Are we talking heavy metal like Rob Halford, heavy metal, iron Maiden? Is that heavy metal what you guys are considering heavy metal there, or is it heavier than that?
Speaker 4:I don't think you will ever get any more heavy metal than Judas Priest with Rob Halford, and if you're going into one song, I guess my choice would be Painkiller. You don't get any harder or more heavy metal than that, but for us it's the classical bands, of course Maiden Priest.
Speaker 3:No, for you, not me.
Speaker 4:For me it is. I'm in the grunge.
Speaker 1:You're the Nirvana guy. Right, You're the Stone Temple Pilots guy.
Speaker 4:And that's cool as well. 20 years ago I wouldn't you know. Ah, no, fuck that, you know shit. If you don't like what we like, fuck off. No, no, no, I really like that vibe we have, because we all like different things, me and Boogie Silver. When we make songs, we try to, of course, write. We always write what we think is good music and good riffs and everything, but it's. I have always been an ACDC fan, no kidding, but it's. I have always been an ACDC fan, no kidding, but it's.
Speaker 4:I honestly believe that it's very good that not all of the members in the band are as much ACDC fans as I am Sure, Because we can sound like ACDC through and through. And when let's say Boogie Silver, he is more into, of course, ACDC and Kiss, but also more Rainbow, Deep Purple and stuff like that. And the drummer is a little bit younger than the rest of us and he is more into Pantera and more harder style of bands. Heavier, yes. And you have Chris, which brings along his piece of parts of grunge, elements of grunge. Chris Cornell Even if, to me, I love Chris Cornell as well of course, Audioslave and those days. Well, of course, Audioslave and those days, but what I hear in Chris, I can hear and listen to some of the songs and wow, wow, a little bit of Brian Adams. No, no, no, no, no, this is not a holder from Slave. And oh, there's Vince Neil. It's so much into the sound of his voice which amazes me.
Speaker 1:Well, it's very diverse, like that, right, and that's an awesome thing. That's a very awesome thing. Well, junkus, I know your role in past bands has been, I think, primarily bass guitar, but you didn't. When you started out playing, you didn't start on the bass guitar, did you? Did you start on a regular six-string guitar, learning the guitar and then move to bass, or was it always bass and then you learned guitar? Of course, along the way, like you said, there's only two more strings. I get it, but what did you start on as a young person?
Speaker 4:That was more or less a joke. But I started on guitar as a little kid I believe I was 10, 11 years old and learned the basic chords on this guitar training course back at the school I went to and I had some, you know, you always have these kids you look up to if they are four, five, six years older than you and you look up to them because they have maybe they have some back patches on their on the, you know, with ACDC and KISS or whatever. I really looked up to those guys and one of them played guitar and he taught me some simple ACDC chords and riffs and then I understood that ACDC was more or less the same. They played the same stuff as I had been learning at this guitar course the training. It's a regular D, it's a regular A and E and all those G, all the chords are the same, All the cowboy chords, yep, yes. And then you get on with the riffs and much of the riffs also is, you know, power chords. So it's not too difficult to learn as a little kid. So that was when I started on guitar.
Speaker 4:But then the first band I was in we played covers, old metal and rock and roll tunes. And then we started a new band but we almost had a fight over who was going to be the guitar player or players. We needed two guitarists and they set me up because I was the youngest. And then I remember the rehearsal. Some of them asked I wonder who can play the most bass here? And I, of course I need to show off. I can do this. We can't do anything. You're the best one. You're the bass player. That's funny, and I was playing bass for the next 25 years before I joined Kodang.
Speaker 1:Well, you know my story with the bass guitar. So I was kind of brought up and trained as a classical pianist, so my foundation was the piano first. And then, you know, like you guys, I fell in love with Motley Crue and I said, oh man, nicky Sixx is a badass man, I need to learn to play the bass guitar. So I went out and I was always a singer. So I went out and I bought the bass guitar and I was learning, just like, wait a minute. I love the bass guitar but this is not cool because I can't sing along with the bass guitar.
Speaker 1:So, that's when I said I've got to go get an acoustic or an electric guitar so I can sit there and play the cowboy chords and learn to play and sing. So that's where my love of kind of the bass guitar and the guitar started. Was probably Nikki Sixx was the big influence for me to ever pick up a bass guitar. Of course Geddy Lee from Rush too, but always a huge Rush fan. But yeah, those guys are what did it for me on the bass guitar for sure.
Speaker 1:You guys released a single recently called hey Molly and I'd like to treat the listeners to a clip of the song and then we'll come back and chat more about the song. Is that cool with you guys? Yeah, all right, let's give them a listen. Hey Molly, don't let me down. So sorry you're not around. Hey, marty, you made me smile and your story's new far and wide Silver and white. Yeah, chris, hitting the high notes there. That was the 2024 release called hey Molly. Awesome song and awesome job on the song, guys. Congrats on that, thank you, you, thank you. This was a tribute song is what I understand. It was a tribute.
Speaker 4:One of you guys tell me a little bit about the tribute, who it's to how the song came about I remember I, I, you know if, if I sit in a row and and just play guitar by myself, I very often sit with my acoustic guitar and just maybe go into the kitchen, because you have this acoustic environment and you have so much you know sound, and just fill the room with noise and just sit and fool around. And I had this, I believe I started with the chorus and I just started singing hey Mali, because hey Mali is a beautiful name and it sounds great and it feels good singing it. So then there was no intention with Mali and I started to combine this with the bridge and a little bit of a verse. Then I remember we released a second album and we spent so much time making it and we spent quite a bit of time in studio to work it ready and be satisfied with it before we released it. And just a few weeks after the release we had a band party in Fleckifjord, where most of the members live, and I remember in the beginning of the party we just agreed okay, let's have a studio break now, let's enjoy the new release and not rush into the studio immediately. Yeah, everybody was agreeing, and so on. And then, of course, when the beers came on the table and the, the drinks were made, the guitar as well came along around the table and I played these new, new ideas. And I remember terry the bass player. Just fuck man, we, we just need to get back to the studio and record this. Yeah, we have something here. So that was the idea.
Speaker 4:And the year before, actually, I lost my grandmother. She became almost 95 years old and I just fooled around with some lyrics and then I understood in the middle of you know how a half done lyric, maybe, maybe this could fit her, because she was, you know, every, every time someone dies and you lose someone, it's very sad. But she, she became almost 95 years old and she didn't have one single day of uh, you know, she didn't became. You know she didn't have any kinds of diseases or dementia or whatever. She just became old and yeah, yeah and and her body, this, her body, didn't work like she wanted to. Her, you know, her brain was the last thing that worked and she just faded away naturally. And she was so happy and so a hardworking woman all her life and she spread joy and happiness and just wanted everyone to be happy and I felt that this song is kind of a happy song and with maybe a small feeling of sadness to it. Feeling of sadness to it, and I just thought that these you know, these lines of especially the chorus is feels good to sing and I showed it, showed it to the rest of the guys, and we made some adjustment on. I remember we made some adjustments on the verse and made it a little bit more. Yeah, put some more guitars on there, I made it even more kind of, yeah, rocking it up a little bit and maybe made a little you know I'm a big oasis fan as well. Maybe we hear a lot of oasis in there together with, uh, you know, classic rock and so on. And then, of course, chris is bringing on his vocals. We put all these, the chorus, all the voices, different voices on the chorus and everything just together with a producer in the studio. He was also very fond of the song when he just first heard the demo.
Speaker 4:It's a tribute to, first of all, my grandmother, my grandmother, yes, but it's kind of a tribute to all grandmothers. You know it's it's not unnatural to to lose someone you love, and especially not your grandmother and someone that has been there for the whole of your life. Yes, uh, maybe it's uh, has something to do with maturing, because I, you know, I'm used to when I write lyrics. It's has something to do with maturing, because I'm used to when I write lyrics, it's more or less about rock and roll stuff cars, fast cars, pretty women partying. But you know why not write about something like this? It can be rock and roll too.
Speaker 4:She was a rock and roll woman. She just she lost her husband when she, you know, he didn't even become 60 years old and he she became both grandmother and grandfather for the rest of of the family. So, uh, you know, she did so much work that was so unnatural unnatural for a woman to do in in her younger years, and people just told her no, no, no, you can't do this, you can't drive a car, you can't work with horses, you can't do this and you can't do that. And she just gave everyone a middle finger and told them to fuck off, I do what I want. And she did that the rest of her life, and that's really something I actually really love that.
Speaker 1:Junkus. What was her name?
Speaker 4:You know her name wasn't Molly, because her name is a typical Norwegian name, borghild, which is a Norwegian name, and also I believe they had the name in Iceland, maybe Denmark, sweden. I believe it's a name that you can find that all the way back to the Viking age or something, but it's not very easy to make a lyric that sounds good in English. So, okay, what rhymes with Borgil, okay, molly and Molly sounds it's a beautiful name and it sounds good, sure.
Speaker 1:Fictitious name, but a real person that you wrote it about. So, yeah, I get it. Well, you know what a man, what a lucky woman to just say that you went to sleep one day and died, that's got to be the best way to go. You see so many people that are sick from disease cancer and heart disease, and people that are in car wrecks and just awful ways to die and I think if we all had our choice, that would be the way to go. Just go to sleep one night and just not wake up the next day, right, dan? Yeah, well, I have to say to both of you guys I absolutely love the music.
Speaker 1:You're one of the first bands that I've heard in a long time and I am a junkie when it comes to music. I listen to a lot of different stuff and I'm inspired by so many different types of music, but you guys bring something to the table that just has catchy and undeniable hooks and literally everything that you write, and this is a very rare. I don't know if I'm sure you get your, your musicians, I'm sure you get it, but I don't know if you understand. Like, like every song that you guys write, it's like man, you feel like you've heard that song forever and just. It has a good vibe and a good feel to it. So hats off to you guys. And it's rare. It's very rare because there's so many bands that will have that one song on a record, or maybe two, but not not 95% of the record.
Speaker 1:What's the winning formula for Cardang? How do you guys write? How do you come up with great song after great song? Is there a writing process? Do you go by a melody line and then lyrics come later? Are you a lyrics first band and then music comes later? Are you a lyrics first band and then music comes later? Speak to the listeners a little bit about what formula you guys think works best for Cardang.
Speaker 4:I really don't know, chris. We have several ways of writing. It's not one fixed formula every single time, because sometimes Chris comes along with a melody line and if I'm around or Boogie is around with a guitar, okay, maybe this chord, this chord, what's it called arrangement is fitting. And I can remember several times, chris, when I remember the one when we wrote dream forever. You had these melody lines and I just put some chords just randomly into onto the chord while you were singing it and we, the second time we did it, we recorded it on my phone and it's almost exactly how it is now on the record, just Just, you know more better produced.
Speaker 4:But it's like another song also was I remember Chris and me and Boogie was sitting and having some coffee and chatting and Chris was on to you, were about to leave for football or soccer practice or whatever, and, by the way, I have this melody line and me and me and boogie had each, you know, every, each you know. We had our guitars there and just put on some, some riffs and and some melody on the second guitar and and it was just there and all that happened in just a few minutes and we recorded it on the phone and we made the song, finished the song, the idea, and went and recorded it in the studio and now and then I can have it.
Speaker 3:I think that's when the rivers run dry yeah, and now and then.
Speaker 4:Boogie has almost a complete song now and then heogie has almost a complete song Now, and then he has both lyrics and great melody lines. And if he's struggling to find something catchy and me as well I like a change of heart. I had the chords but I didn't feel my melody was strong enough, so I gave this to Chris and he just came back with a fantastic idea for the rest of the melodies. There's several ways of doing it, I guess, but what I like so much about this band is we are all very focused on the melodies. We are all very focused on the melodies and at the same time we like riffs and variation of the music. Some songs can be very riff-driven, other songs can be more almost ballads, but you always have the melody and you always have the broad and wide choruses and keeping the melody and the drive and the focus?
Speaker 1:Is it fair to say that Boogie is the primary lyricist for the group? Or, chris, how much input do you have on the lyrics? Because usually you know, when you think of a band do you have on the lyrics? Because usually you know, when you think of a band, you always think of the lead singer as being the heaviest input or influence behind the lyrics. So, chris, this question is I guess for you how much writing do you do as far as the lyrics go for the band?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I have the last speech to say. But when I make my songs together with Junkies and Boogie, I do the writing, some stuff and they sometimes it's one quarter to second and sometimes it's full or whatever, and they give it to me and I sit down and I try to make it fit, even the lyrics, to my voice and to the sound of the melody on the song. So we we have a unique quality. I feel that we can everybody can make some kind of input to the lyrics 100%. But I do the last, I go through it, the last and so that it fits with the melody line that I sing. I don't know why.
Speaker 4:Sorry to interrupt you there, so that it fits with the melody line that I sing, I don't know why. Sorry to interrupt you there.
Speaker 1:No, go ahead.
Speaker 4:There are also examples of both me and Boogie having an idea for a song and we have some melody lines. Now and then we can record a demo with the melody lines, and then Chris comes along, know, improving the melody line or just throwing the original melody line in the bin and making a new one, and and afterwards we're just, oh fuck, this is so much better, yeah, and what? What is so good with chris is that if he actually likes the melody line, okay, let's just keep that, because this is, this is something I can handle and I really like and I can, can do this. Yes, so okay, then we let's just keep it. So we try to not have too much pride in what we.
Speaker 4:If I write something, I'm not pissed off if it's scrapped. I just want the song to be as good as it possibly can get you know. So that has been our intention from day one. We, you know the songs must be great. We can't just put a five minute guitar solo in there just to show off a guitar or a huge drum fill or, you know, be technical, just to be technical.
Speaker 1:We need the songs are in focus, of course, every single time and it goes back to what I said earlier about the band being a cohesive unit and not one or two prima donnas in the band. And that shows in your music. I mean mean it's tight, it's great hooks, great storyline, and I think that resonates. I mean that's what popped to me when I listened to it for the first time. It was like I was immediately hooked on what I was listening to. And you know, there you go and I don't know why. I just thought about this. But I wanted to ask you when you guys made the records, everything is sung not in your native or your primary language, right? It's in English, which is your secondary language. What is the idea or the thought process about doing the music in English versus your native tongue?
Speaker 4:it's. I guess you know I can't only speak for myself, but I guess everyone you know it's it's always this dream of making it somewhere and, uh, you, you can make it internally, in Norway as well, but it's if you, if you sing in English, you can can reach a much wider audience, of course, and play in Norway as well, but if you sing only Norwegian, it's very hard to get gigs outside Norway.
Speaker 1:That makes perfect sense Now that you mention it.
Speaker 4:You have band like Kvelatak yeah, I guess you have heard of. They sing a lot of uh of, uh, you know norse mythology and and uh, the norse gods and so on in norwegian. But they're growling and their way of singing is, you know, it's much screaming and uh, yeah. So they, yeah, they played a lot of gigs in the states as well and making it huge.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and your answer, kind of you know, made me think like duh, why, you know, why didn't I think of that, you know? But it makes perfect sense, it's. It's a. It really comes down to a marketing effort for the band. Right, you want to open as many doors with the music as as you can, and if many doors with the music as as you can, and if, if you sing it in a language that caters to this many people versus what would cater to this many people, right, you open way more doors, I think, with English, especially in America and a lot of parts of Europe the UK, right that that speak English, of parts of Europe, the UK, right, that speak English.
Speaker 1:I wanted to kind of share a few of my favorite songs with you guys and I would like for you guys to maybe give me your idea from the records, like what were some songs that are maybe your favorites? And I know that's kind of like asking a band or, you know, like to pick a favorite kid, right, you don't have a favorite kid, so I'm not trying to put you guys on the spot like that. There were a few that resonated with me personally off of the we ain't dead yet record, and that was, of course ain't dead yet. Woman like you and black sky were the three that really popped for me and I wanted to find out you know jonka's front from your standpoint are there? Which ones pop for you, which are your favorites off of that record?
Speaker 4:of that record I of course I love I. You know the two first demos I heard before they got released from Kodang was. I received them from Boogie on Messenger, I remember, and I just listened to we Ain't Dead Yet over and over and over again and then I had Magic, I guess, and I listened to that one as well. It's so good, the tune is so good and the melodies and everything and the riffs. But we Ain't Dead Yet stands out is so good and the melodies and everything and the riffs. But we Ain't Dead Yet stands out.
Speaker 4:I also like Guilty Pleasure. I like because of it's. For me it's. You really have a good drive there and you have the riffs, not unlike ACDC, but the chorus is not ACDC at all. You have the melodies there and you have the choruses and everything. It's a good variation of different kinds of things and you have, of course, chris's voice on top there and, of course, a woman. Like you.
Speaker 4:I've always been a tough guy, before and now I don't like ballads, only rock and roll, but it's Ballad. Or before and now I don't like ballads, only rock and roll, but it's ballad or ballad, I don't know. But it's a good, maybe a kind of desert rock tune or whatever I don't know. But when I see the cover which actually is taken offender of our Norwegian living in Las Vegas he, when I look at the cover I think of he's taken a defender of our Norwegian living in Las Vegas. When I look at the cover, I think of a woman like you in some kind of strange way. The sound and everything just feels like driving through a desert Nevada.
Speaker 1:Chris, how about you from your perspective? What were a few of your favorite tracks off of the 2022 release?
Speaker 3:The first one was we Ain't Dead. Yet when Boogie Silver came up with the riffs and we did it together, for me that's maybe a kind of third or fourth song I like, but I think magic is what I love the most, because that came when we were in a, in a small container, and this song actually just popped up. We were, we were singing like this led zeppelin stuff and so, and then suddenly came up with you're going to give me my love, so uh, okay, let's take this one. So, uh, those two songs for me and and then I think me and Boogie kind of did those songs and the kind of first song I like almost the most is face to face, because that's that's made of uh junkies, and he told me to do this and I did lyrics and melody line and we did this together, just only only the two of us, because this reminds me of it was kind of how shall I put it?
Speaker 3:A backdraft to the area in the music making we did before Kodang. I did Amathia, he did Guardians of Time and that's an outspring to the. The I think in the end here of this LP is the. The album is going back to earlier days, okay, yeah, so for me it's like when I look at the album now, I think 11 is face to face and that's a a reminding of what used to be. Now it isn't gone, but it's there in the past. Yeah, so it gives me a kind of reminiscing of back in the days.
Speaker 4:Yeah, and the riffs, and I came along with the riffs of face-to-face, I remember, and actually it was meant. I have somewhere on my computer I have a demo for Guardians of Time. It was meant to be a heavy metal song, but the other guys didn't pay attention to it. So, okay, it just vanished and disappeared and I picked it up. I picked up the riffs and we made something. Me and Chris made something together and we recorded it and I, just when the record was ready, I contacted the old bandmates in the, you know, the Garden of Siam. Hey, listen to this, remember, right? So, yeah, don't throw away your old ideas. Oh no, they're all great.
Speaker 1:They all have a place and time, right. And yeah, yeah, yeah for sure, and I'll go back and I'll listen to these songs that you guys mentioned. You know magic face to face, and I'll listen to them differently, because that's one of the reasons that I started backstage pass radio. But because I'm a I'm a junkie of music, the and I tell everybody, the first thing I do when I opened a record as a kid was I read the liner notes, Right, I didn't even put the music on first, because I wanted to know who the musicians were and just as much information about the band as I could get my hands on, and I love the stories behind the songs. You know, Chris, you spoke of face to face and going back in time, that kind of thing. So I can go back and listen to those songs, maybe a little with a different perspective now, and that's what I love about music.
Speaker 1:From the 2023 record called Risky Business, a few of my favorites were Change of Heart, Let Me Drive and Maneater Jonkus. What were a few of your favorite tracks off of that particular LP?
Speaker 4:From Whiskey Business. You mentioned Maneater Also. Change of Heart actually also became a song for Kadang. This was also an idea. We had a sketch for a new song with Guardians of Time but, you know, right after we recorded a demo, the the, the whole band disbanded. So, okay, I took my riff back and I made something else with it and put in some more rock and roll riffs together with it. And I believe it was Henning that was mentioning this to me because he heard the old demo with gardens of time junkies. Fuck, we need, we need to do something with this. You know this melody. We gotta keep this, and so we did. Uh, and I really love man eater. I love it because of the production. I I think it's really a great piece of work from Thomas Galatin, which is our producer. He really got a hold of that tune. But of course, we have many great tunes, but if I'm about to mention two songs, I would take those two, I guess.
Speaker 1:Chris, how about you Favorite tracks off of the Risky Business record?
Speaker 3:Well, change of Heart must be my first choice, because when I heard the playing I was kind of, yeah, I just felt it was right up my alley Just to sing the melody, the lyrics and everything it fits so very well. So that song is my number one actually, and number two is, like I mentioned before, on the other record. It's number 11. In the end it's the same. Go back in time, like the first album with Face to Face. It's the same. Go back in time, like the first album with Face to Face. It's the same. Here it's kind of my song, together with Junkies here also, and it's like more hook on the singing and the guitar is. You can go back in time there also and have a the reminiscing of other great bands that influenced especially me in that song. Okay, so yeah, that's. But of course, uh, dream, dream forever when the water runs dry. Risky business. Risky business is actually very, very cool, yeah yeah, I love that tune as well yeah, and you guys did a video video with that one as well.
Speaker 1:Correct with uh risky business.
Speaker 4:Yes, yep, it's, uh, it's right next to our, you know, it could be maybe looked upon as a kind of hillbilly song, because this is very at least from where I'm from and where we are from. It's not too far to reach the hills and catch a snowmobile and just have some fun during wintertime, and that is what we have been doing as kids every winter. So I have some familiar people up in the where I'm originally from and those guys are just driving those snowmobiles all winter and they are some fucking crazy maniacs jumping 300 yards and so on. But you know we couldn't make a jump of 300 yards into the video because you need to catch everything on film so we need to downscale the jump. But still it became quite great and kind of unusual with video. I haven't seen too many music videos with snowmobiles before, so I was gonna ask you.
Speaker 1:Like you know, a lot of times videos will be staged where it looks like snow but it's not really snow. But you guys were actually in the snow there, right, and it was cold, yeah, and I was gonna say I think it might have been chris, I'd have to go back and look at the video again, but I think you one of you guys, chris I think it might've been you that made the reference where you, where you laid down in the snow and you kind of spun around in a circle. That was. That was like paying homage to I don't know if you guys got to see the three stooges. It was a kind of a old satire three, three guys that just acted crazy on TV, and one of the guys, curly, would always do that when he got excited he'd lay down on the floor and spin in circles, and you reminded me of that when.
Speaker 1:I was like oh, it looks like Curly going in circles. Anyway, great, great video there and you know, going back to, you know, speaking of change of heart, the video that you guys did, I had two questions about the video. The first question is who was the naked dude jumping from the platform in the video? Was that a friend of yours, I'm assuming?
Speaker 3:Yeah, it is a friend of ours. He is from Onasira, a place when you drive 20 minutes drive from here to the coast, and Boogie was speaking about maybe doing some cool funny stuff in the middle of the song funny stuff.
Speaker 3:in the middle of the song he was speaking to a guy out on the cafe and he said no, no, no, I can't do this because my wife won't let me, and everything. And this dude was in the back and he goes like, oh, you can do it, I can do it. Yeah, fully naked. Yeah, of course, no problem when and when.
Speaker 1:problem where and when there's always that one guy. There's always that one guy that'll do it right and it's so I have.
Speaker 4:I'm an uncle for several kids and some of my nephews are so into cardang and they sure all they do is watching YouTube videos with Cardang. I'm a proud uncle and those boys are so great and I believe one of them I believe it was seven or eight years he watched this video over and over and over again and then I came visiting one Sunday and he came over to me, uncle, this guy, he was almost angry. You know, this guy coming on jumping and naked and everything Couldn't he see you were filming. Why did he need to jump in the middle of the film?
Speaker 1:And you didn't have the heart to tell him. Well, it was kind of planned like that.
Speaker 4:No, no, no, no, I just played along. I totally agree. I don't know where it came from.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. That's awesome. Well, it's funny because you're like, you know, the first time I watched it I was like really into it. It's like, oh man, what a great song. Everybody's killing it, you know, you know, blah, blah, blah. And the next thing, you know, I see a naked ass running off of a platform. It's like where did that come from? That was great. So the second part of my question was at the end of the video, all of you guys get in the car and drive away and I'm just curious did you leave the naked dude in the water? You didn't pick him up and take him with you, right?
Speaker 4:We didn't want to have anything to do with him anymore.
Speaker 1:That's awesome man. Great video, by the way, and I wanted to ask you, on the cover of Risky Business, who was the girl on the cover? Is that someone that you know that did the cover art for Risky Business?
Speaker 4:Yeah, she's almost a friend of mine. I say hello to her on the local grocery store. I know her and I've been knowing her for years and she's, uh, actually a childhood friend of my girlfriend. She is a musician as well, okay, playing actually in a female black metal band, which is very cool. You know, black metal is kind of normal in Norway, not, uh, but not female black metal, black metal band. So she's doing good.
Speaker 4:Her band is actually playing Vakken this year actually the world's biggest metal fest, I guess it is and we had this vision of strong colors. I don't know, but we had a vision of strong colors. I don't know, but we had a vision of white cover and a kind of a badass woman, not being too pin-up, but a mix of a pin-up woman and maybe a devilish woman, not the, what's it called I need to watch my language not a submissive, not a she wanted a strong woman, being kind of a and devilish, and I believe I had this vision of it needs to be her and I just contacted her and asked if she was keen to do it and just try the ideas.
Speaker 4:And yeah, she thought of it over the night and the next day. Yeah, I'm into it, let's try it out.
Speaker 1:Yes, it looks great, by the way and I wanted to ask you guys I'm a vinyl collector and I'm trying to figure out how do I get my hands on and this is for the listeners as well, right how would we go about purchasing vinyl from you guys? If we wanted to get a piece of vinyl from you and maybe even have it signed and sent to me, how would I go about doing that?
Speaker 4:It's one of those areas. We are kind of very amateur still, but we have a very great way of shipping, buying and shipping it internally in Norway. But if we are going to do that to the States, which we have done many times, we stick to PayPal. Just send a PM on on our Facebook page and we'll arrange that. We're no problem Signed or not. So unsigned, no problem, okay. So, I'll just send a vinyl on last Thursday to the States. Okay, so it's absolutely possible. Yeah, okay.
Speaker 1:Well, I'll text you guys and, uh, grab a couple of copies from you. You just let me know what I owe you. I always love supporting the musicians that I have coming on my show. You know there's some that you know say, hey, let me send you a copy of this or that, or a cd or a record, and it's's like I always like to support you guys, so I don't mind paying for a copy of the material. So what can you guys speak of as it relates to new music? I think you said you might have a few in the can that you're working on, any plans for an LP that will be coming out anytime soon. What can you speak to the listeners as it relates to new material that will be coming out?
Speaker 4:soon. What can you speak to the listeners as it relates to new material that'll be coming out? We have some, you know, very simple demos for what you know. When I make, uh, have a a new idea, it's I like to just make some, you know, make some programs, some very easy, straightforward drums, not making too much work into it, just put on some bass, guitars, some singing.
Speaker 4:I'm a really bad singer, but I just just to put on the idea so everyone can have a uh, you know, perception or an idea on how I I'm thinking. And then then I have Chris along and he puts on his vocals because he actually can sing, which I cannot and Boogie comes over, put on some guitars, ideas, riffs, and then we see what we have and it soon becomes maybe something we would want to do again in the studio, or maybe we will save it for some other time or not doing anything with it. But maybe you, chris has stronger opinions on how we do it next time, if we just want to release single by single to have more publicity on every single track, and maybe we gather all the tracks in the end and press LPs to ship around. But yeah, that's the way bands are doing it nowadays.
Speaker 4:Release song by song.
Speaker 3:We haven't agreed on anything yet, but I think I prefer to do like a lot of bands today. I prefer to do like a lot of bands today. They put out a lot of singles just to make make them heard around the world. Because when we now speak about the two first albums, the two albums we have, if you go from the, go through all the songs, there is a lot of songs I like that's not people haven't heard of, haven't heard of. So when you think about the singles we have made and the videos we have made, they are almost number five yes, yeah, sense makes sense, so I, yeah, so I think maybe put out some more singles, maybe some videos and let's see how many we can make, and at the end maybe two or three new songs and an album.
Speaker 3:But we haven't agreed on it yet, but I think maybe that's the way to go music business has changed, right.
Speaker 1:You know, back in when we were younger guys it was all about the album, right, and now it's all about the single, because everybody's seems to be an independent artist these days and it's probably a little cheaper to go record one right and then get it out there versus going in the studio and spending a week or two doing a whole record. So there's different mindsets around it, for sure, but I think either way you guys decide to go, it'll be successful. But I think that there's always something to be said about having that record or that CD in your hand. That is a compilation of all the great work that the artist has done, right.
Speaker 2:There will be an album.
Speaker 1:Well, I look forward to that and I know, as the listeners that listen to Backstage Pass Radio get turned on more to your music and, you know, hopefully grow that fan base, I know that they'll be looking forward to new material from you guys. Is there any kind of shows or tours coming up for you guys that you have planned to support any of the music that you've recorded? The new single? Are you just staying local to Norway or you are there plans to leave Norway and go tour somewhere else and are there plans to come to the United States?
Speaker 4:Yeah, of course we, we would listen to some, some offers or whatever. If something is happening as it is now, it's only internally in Norway. As I said, the last eight days we played four shows. We play festivals and this band is playing more and bigger festivals than I have ever done in any of my bands. But someday we will of course get to the States, and maybe next summer, I don't know. But yeah, I think it can be done. But you know, know, it's economy and everything and we need to.
Speaker 1:Everyone has their day jobs and we need to arrange everything and it's yeah it's the way it is but of course we would like to come over yeah, well, that's, it is a concerted effort for sure, especially if you do have day jobs that uh, sometimes will limit you or restrict you from how long you can be gone, right and and uh, the united states is not a super close trip, you know, so it, if you came over, it would definitely take some time out of your schedules for sure. Where can the listeners find you guys on social media as it relates to Cardang?
Speaker 4:We are on Facebook, we are on Instagram.
Speaker 3:TikTok.
Speaker 4:Yeah, we have something on TikTok. I'm not an expert, I'm old, grumpy, but Instagram and Instagram. And we have our YouTube channel, yeah and. Instagram and Facebook those three are the biggest ones and on TikTok, yeah.
Speaker 1:You know it's interesting that you say that, jonk, because I have this love-hate relationship with TikTok, because every time I think about fucking tiktok, I think it. I think of a 15 year old school girl playing with tiktok or a young boy like it's. To me, it's like this young kid thing yeah, and I and I, I don't.
Speaker 4:I don't make fun of it, I, I just make fun of myself because I'm For one. My day job is I work in not too small company GE General Electrics, ge Healthcare. We are everyone working there with phones coming from the employee. I know the sponsored phones. We are prohibited from having TikTok apps on there, so I need to go back home to look at TikTok on my computer if I want to.
Speaker 1:So it's kind of From a security perspective. I get it. Yeah, Chris, you had a thought you were going to share something there.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I get it. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, chris, you had a thought you were going to share something there. Yeah, I'm a teacher and I have students between 15 to 17 years old. What they listen to when I come to the school in the morning? They listen to Cardang and they listen to Spotify and TikTok. Okay, yeah, so that's for me. It's like we need to be on TikTok For sure, that's why we made this here 100%.
Speaker 1:So you're at the school, you're the local rock star, then right, yes, what do you teach at the schools there in Norway?
Speaker 3:And I'm teaching there to carpenter, build houses. Yeah, concrete and technology for using the machines or doing some screws and stuff like that.
Speaker 1:Welding, welding stuff. Okay, so it's trade oriented, then, right, is what you're teaching. Trade oriented then, uh, yes, is what you're teaching. Okay, I was wondering how you went from the shipyards to uh to teach in school. But that makes that's a nice transition, that it's probably a little easier too, right, a little easier work yeah, it is, but the students are very, very fantastic that's awesome yeah, a little bit lazy, but very okay, very cool.
Speaker 1:Guys, what did I miss here? Did I miss anything? Is there anything that I didn't cover that you guys would like to use my platform to get a message out to my set of listeners? Maybe that we didn't cover?
Speaker 3:my set of listeners, maybe that we didn't cover. Maybe the audience could listen to all songs on the albums, not just the top 10. And I think we can agree on that. Junkus.
Speaker 1:Yep, I agree. Any thoughts from you, junkus? That's a great one, chris, and I love to listen to front to back. I love to listen to front to back. I love to listen to a record like that. You know everything, not just cherry pick songs, and that's kind of what is maybe the curse of digital music is that we can just flop around from place to place and you know, like you know, I put on a record on the turntable over here and you listen to it front to back. You know songs one through 10 or one through 12 or whatever, and it's a whole experience. But we don't consume music like that anymore. So I like your suggestion there. And sorry, john, because I was going to say did you want to come over the top of Chris on that? Any thoughts from you? Did we not cover?
Speaker 4:anything.
Speaker 4:I totally agree with him, because when we make albums, we just put 10 or 11 songs in a pile and think that it doesn't matter what comes on first and second and third.
Speaker 4:We have a plan on how to and we actually know that there is something with it, because on the first record we released all the single songs like singles and when the last single came along, the whole record came out and people told me I heard all your singles and yeah, it was cool, but not, you know, it wasn't until we heard the whole album playing, from song 1 until 11. Then something just clicked because there was a total there or maybe an experience of listening to an album again, exactly. So, like you say, I'm a vinyl freak as well and it's so freeing it's a kind of a freedom to force yourself to play a vinyl record because it's so you don't want to go back and switch it again, because it's a piece of work you need to do, but then you force yourself to listen to the whole A or B side and that way you oh, what? Oh, what's this? Maybe a song that isn't necessarily a hit song, exactly, or a song you haven't heard before, but that doesn't mean you don't like it 100% on that.
Speaker 4:Just like my favorite record of all time is Power Age by ACDC. It's not Back in Black or Highway to Hell, even if those are very close, but it's not those hit songs necessarily. That is the best songs for every single person. So it's so important not to just switch between beginnings of this song and this song and this song and not even listen to a complete song and not listening to even listening. Listen to a complete song? Yep, try to force yourself to listen to a complete album because it's different way of listening, like it was before I, I agree, and I think a lot, of, a lot of times people don't listen to the b-side, right?
Speaker 1:and I, and I think probably a lot of listeners on here, don't even know what a b-side is, but for't even know what a B-side is. But for the listeners out there, a B-side is. You know, back in the day there was a 45, you know a 45 record and there was an A-side which is usually the most popular song, and then on the back side or the B-side was another song. And think about, you know, there's one that comes to mind and I think it was the song Hound Dog by Elvis Presley, right, which was a huge hit for Elvis. And just think, if the people had the mindset of not listening to the B-side and a lot of people don't realize the B-side to that was a song called Don't Be Cruel, which was a huge hit for Elvis Presley, right.
Speaker 1:So, there's something to the B sides that can be just as relevant, if not better, than maybe the A side. So yeah, great, great thought process there on educating the listeners on how to intake music. I like that, you know listen. I appreciate both of you guys taking the time. I know it's almost two hours of your time that you'll never get back, but you know I've been chatting with you guys back and forth a little bit. I'm certainly supporting you as much as I can from Texas here in the United States. Chris, I know you and I connected a little later and I'm certainly glad you joined in on the conversation as well, and I appreciate you guys for bringing myself and all the listeners of backstage pass radio up on all things related to car dang. So thank you guys for that.
Speaker 3:Thank you very much for having us.
Speaker 1:It's been my, it's been my pleasure and I I wish you guys good health and lots of success now and in the future, and I look forward to new material from the band, and it would be certainly super cool if we ever see you here in the United States, so I look forward to that. I ask the listeners to like, share and subscribe to the podcast on Facebook at Backstage Pass Radio Podcast, on Instagram at Backstage Pass Radio and on the website at BackstagePassRadiocom. You guys remember to take care of yourselves and each other and we'll see you right back here on the next episode of Backstage Pass Radio.
Speaker 2:Thanks so much for joining us. We hope you enjoyed today's episode of Backstage Pass Radio. Thanks so much for joining us. We hope you enjoyed today's episode of Backstage Pass Radio. Make sure to follow Randy on Facebook and Instagram at RandyHulseyMusic, and on Twitter at RHulseyMusic. Also, make sure to like, subscribe and turn on alerts for upcoming podcasts. If you enjoyed the podcast, make sure to share the link with a friend and tell them Backstage Pass Radio is the best show on the web for everything music. We'll see you next time right here on Backstage Pass Radio.
