Cactus Pears Included on U.K. Compilation CD
By Matthew Toledo - 2/15/2000
I recently received an e-mail from Cactus Pears drummer Bryan Gibson in which he states that his band is going to be included in a British compilation disk of American bands.
The disk is sponsored by an 'zine called Luke.
AMN: How did the English zine find your song? Did you submit it or did they stumble across it on their own?
Gibson: Luke's (the zine) editor contacted me last summer. He said that he was at a party (in England) and someone mentioned us and we sounded interesting to him. How in the world did anyone there even know of us? Beats me - your guess is as good as mine. Anyway, I sent the CD hoping for a review. A couple of months later, the guy e-mailed back to say that he was putting together a compilation of "Americana" bands, and he wanted to use one of our tunes. I've never thought of us as Americana, and have never been nuts about the song (The Radio Station), but hey - sure! Count us in!
AMN: You've had some personnel changes in the last few months. Did the recording you sent them have your old Mandolin player Gabe Ciani and guitarist Dan Dreifort on it?
Gibson: Yeah, it was on the Snacks For Slacks CD that we recorded last year. Gabe Ciani was the mandolin player, and he co-wrote/sang the song with Tony Xenos. Dan plays guitar and also sings on the track. I'm pretty sure the zine picked that tune because it has a little bit of country twang to it, with the pseudo-hillbilly vocals. Funny - I think we've played that song live maybe five times, if even that. It's a song we just kind of forgot about.
AMN: You know, "Radio Station" is also my favorite song of yours too, It's on the AMN radio station at least once a day. I think that told Dan that a while ago and he pretty affirmed what you said. I happen to think it's a pretty song. I'm sure there is a saying someplace that goes like "You can't be upbeat and crazy all of the time." Some of the best and most memorable songs are simple.
It seems to me that you guys should stop ignoring fate and play it. ;-)
Gibson: I think we are going to start doing that tune once we figure out how to do four-part harmonies with three people. :) It was always a hard tune to pull off live because of the harmonies. Everyone was supposed to relearn their parts so we could practice it soon.
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AMN: Are you getting any cash as a result of this?
Gibson: Nope. Just publicity (hopefully).
AMN: Why England? Are you guys planning on touring there any time soon?
Gibson: It surprised me to get an e-mail from England, requesting our stuff. Don't know if I would have pursued something there otherwise, although I am a big Beatles and Britpop fan. I even convinced my wife that Liverpool would be the perfect place to spend our honeymoon (which it was). Sure would be fun to play there - expensive as hell though, I would imagine. Maybe if we had some English sugar daddy to foot the bill! Do you have Prince Charles' e-mail address?
AMN: When are you guys planning on playing Athens again?
Gibson: We're playing Saturday Feb. 26 at Casa with Silo The Huskie from Columbus. They're supposed to be a really good jangly-guitar Jayhawks/Wilco-type of band (Americana?). We have some new songs ready, so I'm excited to play.
