Interviews

Interviews: Candiria

Interview conducted with Kenneth of Candiria.

Smother - For the record, who are you and what do you do in Candiria.

I'M KENNETH SCHALK AND LIVE I'M THE DRUMMER, BUT FOR OUR CD'S I ALSO PLAY ALL SYNTH AND KEYBOARDS AND PERCUSSION.

Smother - How did Candiria start?

CANDIRIA WAS FORMED BY ERIC AND CARLEY WITH ANOTHER GUITARIST NAMED CHRIS. I JOINED THROUGH AN AUDITION. THERE WAS NO DRUMMER BEFORE ME. AND WE NEVER HAD A DEDICATED BASS PLAYER UNTIL 1998.

Smother - What made you guys decide to blend so many different styles in a heavy band like Candiria?

WE ALL COME FROM DIFFERENT MUSICAL BACKGROUNDS AND AS WELL, WE ALL FIND INSPIRATION IN EVERYTHING. RIGHT THERE, YOU HAVE A BIG PALLETTE TO WORK WITH. SECONDLY, OUR WRITING EVOLVED FROM LISTENING. BASICALLY BY HEARING THE WAY A PART WOULD GO, DICTATED TO OUR EARS AND HEART WHAT SHOULD COME NEXT. WE DIDN'T TRY AND LOOK FOR A CHORUS OR A VERSE. WE JUST WROTE WHAT FELT NATURAL FOR THE EVOLUTION OF A SONIC JOURNEY. AND EACH NEW PART IS TIGHTLY WOVEN TOGETHER WITH TRANSITIONS.

Smother - What are crowd reactions like to you guys? Do they seem to get it?

OUR MUSIC DEFINITELY GETS THEM INTERESTED, BUT IT CAN BE QUITE CONFUSING THE FIRST TIME HEARING IT. WE'VE GONE TO PLENTY OF CITIES FOR THE FIRST TIME AND LOOKED OUT AT THE PERPLEXED FACES OF THE CROWD. SIMULTANEOUSLY, THEY SEEM TO BE INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT MORE AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO LISTEN. IT'S A FUNNY REACTION AND VERY COMPLIMENTING AT THE SAME TIME.

Smother - Do you ever get any negative feedback during Jazz breaks or anything like that?

ABSOLUTELY. YOU CAN'T PLEASE EVERYONE. MAYBE SOMEDAY, THOSE WHO DON'T GET IT, WILL. OR THOSE NOT OPEN TO IT WILL BLOSSOM. MUSIC IS ABOUT HONEST, CREATIVE EXPRESSION. IF PEOPLE RESPECT THAT ABOUT ART, THEN WE CAN ALL BE OUT THERE DOING IT OUR WAY AND ENJOYING IT TOO. NATURALLY, A GENRE SPECIFIC FAN WILL BE OFFENDED THAT CANDIRIA HAS A JAZZ TUNE ON THEIR ALBUM. BUT WHEN THEIR 40 YEARS OLD, THAT MIGHT BE THE ONLY SONG THEY CAN STILL PLAY FROM THE ALBUM BECAUSE THEIR TASTES MIGHT CHANGE AS THEY CHANGE AND GROW

Smother - Describe Candiria so that someone who hasn't heard of you would get an idea of what to expect.

CANDIRIA IS A RHYTHMICALLY INTENSE BAND WORKING WITH NO BOUNDARIES. ON AN ALBUM, HEAVY MUSIC IS SEPARATED BY RAP TUNES, JAZZ TUNES, AMBIENT MOMENTS AND MORE SO THE LISTENER CAN FEEL THEIR EXPERIENCE ON A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL LEVEL. MELODIC STRUCTURES ARE NOT SPARSE, THEY'RE JUST PORTRAYED BY MANY DIFFERENT THINGS, HENCE BRINGING YOU ON A COLORFUL AND MORE DYNAMIC JOURNEY

Smother - How's it been so far working with MIA Records?

MIA IS VERY SUPPORTIVE. THEY ARE DEFINITELY WORKING AS HARD AS POSSIBLE TO GET US OUT THERE. RIGHT NOW, WE'RE THE HOT SELLER ON THE LABEL, AND THEY'RE STAYING FOCUSED WITH US TO GET THE JOB DONE RIGHT

Smother - Can you tell a particularly insane tour story that may come to mind?

TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, SO MUCH HAPPENS ON THE ROAD, I COULD GO FOR DAYS ON THAT. SO LET'S JUST SAY BEING ON THE ROAD IS IN MY OPINION THE MOST UNPREDICTABLE AND EXITING JOB YOU COULD EVER HAVE. FOR AS ROUTINE AS THE DAY IS, IT'S STILL DIFFERENT EVERY TIME.

Smother - What is Candiria's goal?

THE GOAL IS TO KEEP EVOLVING AS PEOPLE AND A BAND, STRIVING FOR INDUSTRY OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL AS OUR ARTISTIC OPPORTUNITIES. THERE'S A PASSION BURNING IN ALL OF US TO KEEP SEARCHING FOR MORE. THE GOAL IS TO NOT STOP AND NOT FALL BACKWARD. THE GOAL IS TO WORK HARDER AND HARDER, INFINITELY.

Smother - Do you guys have day jobs aside from the band?

I AM A FREELANCE ARTIST. I WORK AS A MUSICIAN AND A GRAPHIC DESIGNER. THE OTHER GUYS WORK AS MUCH AS THEY CAN WHEN WE'RE NOT ON THE ROAD. WE HAVE TO PAY RENT AND BILLS AND THE BAND IS NOT THE ONLY WAY WE CAN DO IT. I ENJOY THE WORK I DO, SO I WILL WORK WITH AND WITHOUT THE BAND. BUT CANDIRIA IS THE OCCUPATIONAL FORCE ALL FIVE OF US FEEL TOGETHER AND THAT IS TRULY OUR LIVELYHOOD. WE ALL SPEND 24 HOURS A DAY ON EXPANDING OURSELVES AS INDIVIDUALS TO IN TURN HELP THE BAND GROW. IT'S A FORCE TOO STRONG TO CONTROL AND WE WILL CONTINUE GUIDING IT AND DEVELOPING IT FOR YEARS TO COME.