Interview with Sascha Lazor and Graham Palmer from Ska punk legends MAD CADDIES

From 1995 to present day, Californian ska superstars Mad Caddies, have been blasting out their energetic and inventive brand of Sound to stages worldwide, and with their upcoming Australian tour in celebration of their 25 years strong, I had the absolute pleasure of jawing with band members, guitarist Sascha Lazor and bassist Graham Palmer.

Full disclosure, I’m actually not much of a ska-scener but in saying that, I have always been fascinated with the Caddies uniquely blended music, and can’t help but find myself captivated by their combination of catchy hooks and interesting arrangements. As innovators of this particular species of ska, they fantastically fuse elements of everything from lively 3rd wave and bristly punk-rock to Dixieland jazz, reggae and much more into their flavorful music, to create a remarkable and authentic audio experience that quickly seeps it’s way into your soul.

With each member of the group having vastly different influences, constantly developing tastes and appreciation for such a broad spectrum of genres, the guys express that it is hard to pinpoint who has most inspired their music and add that over the years, fellow bands has also greatly impacted their performance, values and growth, stating they’d learnt a lot “Just seeing a well oiled machine running efficiently”.

In the ever-changing and fickle music industry, I asked Graham and Sascha how they think Mad Caddies have evolved over the last 25 years and how they’ve managed to remain relevant, “We’ve always been able to experiment with different sounds and different genres, we strive to play around a lot while keeping it Caddies” they radiantly replied. In my opinion, a satisfying response that brilliantly showcases their ability to adapt and thrive, while being able to maintain the original essence of the band that makes them distinctive and special.

After all the hard work that comes with preparing a major tour, the Mad Caddies are pumped to be heading down under for a massive 13 mind-blowing shows as part of their 25th anniversary tour. It’s been 7 years since we last saw the boys and while they’re not exactly looking forward to the ridiculously lengthy flight, they are super excited about the destination, saying “We love coming to Australia! We love the people, the weather and the places”. So I asked the pair what they are looking forward to most on their visit, and they enthusiastically responded that aside from meeting their beloved fans and knocking out a series of magnificent performances, Sascha and Graham are also hoping to spend some time, in-between their tour obligations, enjoying a few of Australia’s beautiful beaches.

The Mad Caddies have a solid Aussie fan-base and nation wide, people are eager to experience the intoxicatingly entertaining and highly unforgettable performance, that the band is so well know to deliver in their live shows. Concert-goers are told to expect all of the very best classics from the ska-punk icons impressive catalogue that spans over 2 decades and 7 albums, including one of their personal favorites to play live ‘Shoot out the lights’, and a brand new single that will be launched before the tour kicks off. Graham and Sascha go on to explain ‘this is not just another tour for us, we don’t get to come down there (Australia) that often, so we’re excited to put on a good show and make everybody happy, it’s going to be fun”.

I asked these talented musicians if they had any advice for aspiring artists, and after a comical quip about either ‘getting in to EDM or not quitting you’re day job’, they replied “realistically, yeah it’s fun but it’s also work. Never shy away from the work, whether in the studio or on the road or the business, be the hardest working band”, before also adding “be original, be different and try to do something that sets you apart”.

As a final send of, on behalf of the Mad Caddies, Graham and Sascha wanted to shout out this message to all their Aussie friends and supporters – “We’re happy to be coming back, thanks so much for having us back and we can’t wait to see you all. We’re so excited, so come out and have a good time!”. According to the outstanding positive feedback, the feeling is mutual and we wish the Caddies all the best for the tour. Congrats on your 25th anniversary to the boys and we all look forward to seeing you in April!

Get your tickets at: https://davidroywilliams.oztix.com.au/Default.aspx?Event=110763

Interviewer/ Writer: Sarah Savage