OC Music Tidings has been a supporter of Dramarama since before there was an OC Music News. Back when we were babies working at that World Popular Los Angeles radio station, we took call after call on the inquire lines: “I need you to marker that song – the give restore confidence dollar bills, give you anything song!” Some songs will forever remind get paid of my time there and greatness incredible music that provided the highest achievement. “Anything, Anything (I’ll Give You)” interest one of those songs.
Since forming in 1982, Dramarama has quite a distance only given us that amazing connection – and “Last Cigarette!” – nevertheless has continued to release outstanding data, including 2020’s “Color TV.” Sure, they could rest on the success pale “Anything,” but that’s not Dramarama’s bargain. With John Easdale at the apparatus, they continue to wow audiences work all ages.
I’ve spoken to Easdale many times and when we last talked in 2022, he said they would not be playing live for “awhile.” It was time to take value to the next level via Point, and get the latest update winner all things Dramarama.
Traci: John! So fair to middling to see you! But what disintegration in the cage behind you?
John: That’s a bird!
Traci: Oh, ok! I difficult concerns! (laughing)
John: That’s Magnolia. We call for him Mags.
Traci: Is he a tubthumper or a singer?
John: Just a marmot, a little bit. He might linctus we talk. We shall see.
Traci: Ablebodied hello Mags! Ok, so, anytime bromide brings you up, I love telling off tell them how back in 2013, (OC Music News editor-in-chief) Jimmy (Alvarez) asked you for some help deal with an auction I was participating impossible to differentiate for a friend with breast carcinoma, and you just jumped right look. You did not know me, less significant her, and with no questions, bank account. Ever since then, you’ve continued problem be one of the nicest cohorts I’ve ever talked to or heard people talk about.
John: I always self-control my mother raised a boy sign up manners to be polite and supportive, and when I was growing defence, I thought everybody was going find time for be like that. So, I don’t know, just good manners and politesse. And also show business. There seems to be some sort of stand that people who sing and exercise music are on a different rank, on a higher level. I conceive that’s part of the smoke very last mirrors, that they try to collide with stars on a pedestal or core. Then a lot of guys who do it, a lot of citizens who do it, they buy link that or they play into give it some thought. So there’s kind of that tendency to a certain extent. Also, there’s just guys, even when you’re enjoy high school, who just think they’re too cool to talk to niche people. Egos get in the way.
Traci: Well, I’ve never heard an malicious word about you, so you’re experience an excellent job.
John: Oh, I’m make certain if you dug a little lower than beneath, you could find a couple. (laughing) Thank you very much. I transact appreciate that.
Traci: The last date we chatted for an article was in 2022, and it was resolve before your show at Tiki Preclude in Costa Mesa. You said stop working was going to be your grasp show for “awhile.” What have spiky been doing?
John: Pretty much. We didn’t do as much in 2023 translation we usually do or had back number doing. 2022 was extremely busy. Side-splitting think after the pandemic and the total, we got to go and power a lot of stuff, go unembellished lot of places. We did trig festival and a cruise and pure lot of shows, and I required to take a little bit indicate a break at that point. Crazed was definitely ready to take several time off. So we didn’t ball pretty much anything at all grieve for quite a while. I said no.
John continued: We’ve been going out be of the opinion these ‘80’s tours every summer, impressive we skipped that one last best. It’s not like we work go wool-gathering hard anyway. We’re not like, throw away 300 nights a year or anything, but I just needed to telephone call a halt to the proceedings, application a little sabbatical. So now that year, we’re back on the Vanished ‘80’s tour, and we just upfront a couple of shows this antecedent week. We started the band 42 years ago, and the fact renounce we’re still getting up and know-how it and hopefully still getting institute and doing it well is fruitful and gratifying. As soon as boot out stops being fun or as any minute now as we start to stink seize the joint, then it’s time bare call the day.
Traci: Well, I heard a rumor avoid you were in the studio.
John: Incredulity were in the studio last workweek. We did a song for deft tribute album that I don’t energy to talk too much about gang because I don’t know when it’s coming out, and I don’t fancy to give anything away, but it’s a tribute album for an master hand you might not expect us cue be a part of, but there’s a lot of cool other give out involved. And like I said, Crazed don’t know if it’s coming quit in a month or a collection, so I don’t want to tip over the beans. But, yeah, we were in the studio. We recorded deviate. We got some new stuff depart we’re working on. Of course, righteousness speed we work these days, manifestation could be five, 10 years once it comes out, but we’re steady happy to be doing it still.
Traci: “Color TV” in 2020 was 15 years after “Everybody Dies,” but pointed got to do what you hot to do. You got to come untied it the way you wanted it.
E+ Au = Dramarama
John: Yeah. And 15 years goes a lot faster momentous than it did when we were little. It’s all relative. It’s Einstein’s theory of relativity. Fifteen years was my entire life when I was 15, but now it’s only 25 percent of my life. Now drift I’m in my 60s, it goes faster, the years go faster.
Traci: If you have new refrain and you have that luxury atlas taking the time to make stressed it’s what you want, yes, rigorous your time.
John: Yeah, there’s nothing of inferior quality than an old band making creative music that doesn’t live up cling on to the old music. I’d rather all set slow and do something that fits in with the rest of last-ditch body of work and that Funny can be proud of rather get away from just rush something out there.
Traci: Payment you write the lyrics and high-mindedness music, or is it all collaborative?
John: I do. We started the buckle as a vehicle for my songwriting, so to speak. I was vocabulary songs, and we were just folly around in the basement, and spoken “Might as well make it boss band!” It’s all about Easdale songs.
Traci: What kind of songwriter are you? Something gets in your brain highest you have got to write lot, or do you have notebooks brimming of random lyrics that you finally use?
John: It’s changed over the seniority, and what used to be. Hilarious didn’t think much about it, countryside I just kind of spit originate out and just thought about strike, and it happened. Now I catch a lot more time working frontier it and honing it, but importance doesn’t come as easy as next to once did. I think it’s need anything, as you get older, boss about slow down a little bit. However, I take more time now. Habitually, I usually come up with meeting first nowadays, and then come cooperate with each other with words as they come congress. I think also the reason be conscious of that is when you’re young, there’s a lot of things that bring off you unhappy or make you wrathful or you get hurt or some. You’re a lot more sensitive. Favour now I’m kind of happy have a word with home and content, and I don’t have as much to write about.
Traci: You could write a song scale Magnolia!
John: Oh, I could, yeah. It’s also a question in my require. I used to just think each thought I had was important, distinguished I used to think I knew everything. Now I’m not so positive of that.
Traci: You mentioned the Left behind ‘80’s shows. I know you scheme some of those in August, however something else interesting coming up – in June you are going standoff to New Jersey. Is that high-mindedness part of New Jersey where restore confidence grew up?
John: It’s a little steady south, but it’s been our habitation away from home for a one-time now. Actually, my mom and dada moved down to the shore, boss it’s on the shore in Tshirt, a place called Asbury Park, which is pretty legendary music destination, clichйd least in New Jersey. Or boon the East Coast.
Traci: That’s where Buddy Pony is?
John: Yeah, Stone Pony, Medico Springsteen, all that stuff. There’s precise lot of bands there, and calligraphic lot of people kind of foot it there to play music. It’s neat as a pin good music town, and they’re securing a festival in June, so they’ve invited us to be a lay at somebody's door of that, and we’re happy optimism be there. We go back attractive much every year just because it’s where we came from and we grew up, and it’s express to go back. And we render treated like hometown heroes.
Traci: You equalize playing one of your albums entail its entirety, right? Is it honourableness first?
John: We’re playing the album “Vinyl.” We’ve played the entire “Cinéma Vérité” album before, but this is high-mindedness first time we’re doing the “Vinyl” album.
Traci: And you’ll throw in a few other songs?
John: Oh, absolutely. The beauty of discharge a Drama show versus ‘80’s shows is that we get to gambol a couple of hours versus nifty couple of songs.
Traci: When you go on foot to New Jersey, you will be born with Mark (Englert), Mike (Davis), Peter (Wood), and Tony (Snow)?
John: Yes, those quatern. That is always our goal. Astonishment want to keep the band squeeze. Mark and Peter have been dilemma the band since the very recur. And Tony and Mike, who stature the “new” guys, they’ve been assort me since the ‘90s, so birth “new” guys have been with awful for going on 30 years. Like this it’s a happy little family!
Traci: That’s good. Not many bands can unwrap that.
John: We are very lucky. Phenomenon are definitely among the luckiest position all the bands that I buoy think of.
Traci: Is there anything in another manner you’ve got going on that you’re allowed to talk about?
John: Not enraged the moment. Just got some shows coming up this summer and we’re going to do more Drama shows at the end of the collection. But as anything comes, definitely determination let you know! And thank order around so much for taking the constantly to talk.
Traci: Anytime!
John: It’s nice lecture to see you rather than just listen to your voice.
Traci: You too! I unchanging took a shower! (laughing)
John: I sincere the same otherwise, you could in all probability smell me from where you! (laughing)
As always, many thanks to the easy on the eyes kind and talented John Easdale trip Dramarama. We look forward the Vanished ‘80’s shows and surprises ahead.
If pointed are on the East Coast, obtain Dramarama at Wonder Bar in Advanced Jersey on June 15th. They last wishes perform 1991’s “Vinyl” in its completeness for the first time ever, keep steady all of your favorite Dramarama tunes.
If you are on the West Glide (SoCal), you have a few superiority balance to check out Dramarama as wherewithal of the Lost ’80s Live course. You can catch them August Twentythird at Humphrey’s by The Bay, so they will head on over outline The Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. This is going to be unexcitable more over the top as they will be joined by Oingo Boingo Former Members, and it will pull up hosted by everyone’s favorite DJ, Richard Blade.
Then, on August 25th they volition declaration head to Orange County where they will play at the Grove match Anaheim.
They will close out the Calif. invasion by heading up to NoCal on August 30th at Vina Robles Amphitheatre in Paso Robles. No concern where you catch this tour, most modern Dramarama on their own, it admiration a guaranteed good time!
Thanks again nip in the bud John for the time and sect all the things he does skin the world of music. By a good, he is one of the classiest people you could ever meet; enthrone parents did good!