Boy Hits Car
The story of Boy Hits Car is one of those bad luck drama's you see on Channel 5 each Friday Night. Fortunately each of them has a happy ending. After being signed by an indie and then dropped by an indie due to low record sales they promptly got signed up by Epic. Without stepping too far into prog rock the band have a dynamic sound which stands out from the current crop of rock & roll chancer's. We caught up with Cregg and Scott from the band to find out why it took 8 years for them to hit the UK.
Q: You've just hit the UK last month and kids wanna
know more. What's the story?
A: We've been around over 8 years and when we first hooked
up in 1993 we wrote 4 songs. We didn't have a name, we just had these four
songs, and after some very strange dreams we decided to use it as the band
name. We had some real bad names like "Dogs Edge" but we won't pain you
with the rest.
It first starts out with the four of us trying to affect each other and connect with each other - and if that vibe that we feel carry's over to someone in the audience that's amazing. We do love to connect with as many people as we can. Its so rewarding when somebody gets it, they understand the music, they feel it and get what its about.
It amazes me that were in the UK right now. I'm still
pinching myself cos' its a dream come true. We've been at this for 8 years
and I can't tell you how many times we've gone "Oh, someday we'll go and
tour Europe".
Q: You've had a tough ride though. You got signed to
an indie and then got dropped.
A We were signed to an indie label that was so indie
we were the only band on it. And we were distributed through another indie
label. Two weeks after the album "My Animal" came out in June of '98' we
were dropped from the label due to low sales. That was a bit dis-heartening
but we forged ahead.
True to form the indie label we were signed to isn't around no more. The label we were distributed through is still around and actually our new label Epic have bought the rights so were hoping it can be re-released.
The funny thing was people keep mentioning the fact we've
played with Papa Roach and Incubus and various others. We played with those
bands before we were signed and before they were signed too. When we got
signed Coby remembered us and made sure we got put on a few support slots.
Q: When you first started you always did things differently.
You never played the pay-to-play gigs for example.
A: It never felt right that we should have to go out
and buy to play a certain slot in a show. No judgement against bands in
LA who did that cos' a lot of bands that are huge now took that route.
On the flipside we were given a lot of shoddy time slots.
Its spreading sporadically like a virus over the world.
I didn't realize until I came to the UK but in some towns they do it here
as well. If every band refused to do that there would be no pay-to-play.
Q: The albums quite dynamic. Not just yer 3 chord thrash
rock.
A: There's always evolution for us. I think on this album
the arrangements are a lot more focused and tighter. On that album we were
just free forming and going on for a long time which we like. The whole
sound of guitar, bass and drums are really phat and then you throw the
acoustic on top and its got these kind of layers. Its just nice to have
all those elements at your disposal.
The first band that made me realize I wanted to be in a band was a punk band from the States called Seven Sectors. I was like I gotta do this. It was later when I picked up an instrument and I was influenced by Janes Addiction, Fugazi and local bands like this.
You won't be hearing much about skinning somebody's ass
raw with a chainsaw in one of our songs. Its just real personal.
************
"Boy Hits Car" is out now on Epic
UK Tour Dates this week
(London, Glasgow , Manchester)
Check them out at Carling Leeds / Reading Festival
************