CKRRR #016 The Cadbury Sisters / Legendary Strokes producer Gordon Raphael
'I feel like our responsibility is to share these experiences with other people, to sing things to people that will maybe help them, make them feel like they are going through something that someone else has been through and they're not alone...' - Jessica Cadbury
- Clark Kent a.k.a John Clay
Clark Kent’s Rock and Roll Revue is sub-edited by...
Kate Shall
I was running so hard and fast from anything folky and serene that I was completely surprised at my willingness to be ambushed by the soulful sound of The Cadbury Sisters. Yeah I know, this is a Rock and Roll revue...can their sound justify their placing here? I think so, considering the meaning of the word revue, and that great personality often equates as great music.
Read on after a little listen here: The Cadbury Sisters
Points raised: bestiality, music as therapy, and just being genuine...
John Clay
And just when I thought I'd turned my back on folk...it is folk right? REALLY love the harmonies. I'm listening to your music...courtesy of your link from FB...The Barefoot E.P...lovely work. You're all sirens beckoning my Review-ship into calm waters! You guys up for chatting about your music on a comment thread, or do I have to charm some evil manager of yours? I could offer them a king size Twix, but I'm not paying any cash! Who is the main vox person?
- Jessica Cadbury
1:44pm
Jessica Cadbury
Yeah it's folk! We all swap and change lead vox. Glad you're enjoying it, I'll spare you the manager, I'm just as evil as him anyway muahahaaaa. BUT how do you feel about doing it around the time we release our EP in Jan/Feb? OR we could do a chat thing now and THEN you could do a review of our new EP? Whadya reckon? If you like the EP of course... ha x
1:46pm
John Clay
If I don't like the E.P I shall say and write...nothing! I'm a creature of whimsy, so say yes to an interview RIGHT NOW! You're on record...don't say anything silly. You can pick your nose or/and fart though. I shall never know...
1:49pm
Jessica Cadbury
O.k... let's do it How does it work....?
1:52pm
John Clay
Well let's see, first I'll ask you this...your songs are exercises in harmonious tranquility...ever been tempted to write anything faster and louder? Does your locale affect your songwriting temperament? No ten line manifestos please! Four or five line answers should be enough! I want a conversation, not a political diatribe.
1:55pm
Jessica Cadbury
We have introduced drums, bass and an electric guitar since recording the Barefoot EP, so the new stuff will sound a bit louder, and we have started rocking out a bit on some tracks, which is fun! And in terms of song writing temperament we are very emotional creatures so that is what dictates us more than locale.
- The Cadbury Sisters
1:58pm
John Clay
Rocking out! Wahey! I'm feeling a little bit afraid though...I've only just discovered you and I'm not ready for change! Are you all based outside of London? Are you all sisters or are you the pawns of some record company's cynical marketing ploy?! Don't lie to me! I have spying-minions in high and low places.
1:59pm
Jessica Cadbury
The rage of female hormones makes for a good songwriting session.
1:59pm
John Clay
Female rage....YAY! More on that later...answer those questions...or are you afraid I'll find out the truth of your pseudo sisterhood?
2:04pm
Jessica Cadbury
Haha! We are real sisters, we live in Bristol and in terms of the new stuff, it's subtle additions, nothing over the top. Still lots of harmonies.
2:07pm
John Clay
Phew! Now that's a relief. Jess, I've just discovered your music and so the lyrics have not stuck in my head just yet. Having said that, little bits stand out...you talk of becoming animals on one of the tracks? What's that all about? I won't be having chat about bestiality on this here blog, alright? Seriously, what do the C Sisters sing about?
Oh, and well done for covering Bowie's Changes...leaving nothing but the title as a reference to your act of artistic plagiarism. Think you should have kept the ch-ch-ch changes bit in, but who am I to talk?
2:13pm
Jessica Cadbury
We sing about whatever we are going through really, it's great cos it's like therapy. We bring these ideas to each other and we really get deep into it together and then it turns into a song, then we can kind of feel like we've dealt with that emotion!
Aha - sorry Bowie. Do you really think we could get in trouble for that? Shizer.
Oh and that Animals track is about our primal physical desire. Yeah.
2:19pm
John Clay
Don't worry about Bowie - he's an understanding type in such matters. Your parents might be reading this, so I won't probe you on the whole animal thing. Just make sure you use protection. Especially with anything with hooves.
Therapy through music. Sold. There is some cheekiness in the lyrics too. Did I just hear a reference to Toys 'R Us in Cinnamon? And there i was in my apron and oven gloves. False advertising really. I was ready to proclaim how you and your fellow sirens had pushed Nigella off her throne.
Now normally, asking a group about how long they've been together is kind of boring. But you are all related, so I need to ask how long you've been giving each other therapy for? No jokes now please...now we're getting deep. Oh yeah.
- Photo by Phillip J Randall
2:23pm
Jessica Cadbury
Ah, Cinnamon! I think that was one of the first songs we ever wrote as The Cadbury Sisters, that must have been about 5 years ago! Yeah we like to be cheeky, kind of a "this is so obvious we must use it" type thing. Our songwriting techniques have evolved quite a bit since those days. So yeah we have been doing the band for about 5 years now, 3 years seriously.
2:26pm
John Clay
Ah, the meat of the interview...define what you mean by serious? Are you keen to be on Top of the Pops? You're too late! Time to get that twerking practice in. Allegedly, it helps promote you as a serious artist. Love the cover of My Bonnie. I only know the Beatles version. Well done for the alternative.
2:29pm
Jessica Cadbury
Thank you, that cover used to make me cry when I sang it! Top of the Pops would have been rad, RIP... I think Lucy could twerk if we needed to... I could do the robot.
And serious means working towards doing this full time rather than as a hobby at weekends.
2:32pm
John Clay
No robots, just butt cheeks. This is the future, not some sci-fi film filled with promise of technological promise and spiritual evolution. We're not doing the C3-PO on my watch, hell no.
So you want to make money from your music. How has that affected the writing process, if at all? How often do you practice? And have you ever been tempted to comment on any events outside your shared emotional nucleus? Yeah baby. I promised deep. Let's head to that musical ocean floor!
2:38pm
Jessica Cadbury
It's made us work harder on our lyrics, and making sure that we convey our messages in a way that will be accessible to more people than just us three! We want to connect with people - and I don't care how cheesy that sounds 'cos it's true - and that is easier if people understand what you are trying to say.
We practice at least once a week in a proper rehearsal room, and we will have a writing session and a jam session a week usually. We do sometimes write about things that have happened outside our 'world' and it's really refreshing to do that actually.
2:40pm
John Clay
Intriguing. What makes you want to connect? What do you think of the singer's role in a community? Is there some responsibility to your people/tribe?
- Photo by Phillip J Randall
2:47pm
Jessica Cadbury
We have shared all our experiences growing up, good, bad, scary, life defining. I feel like our responsibility is to share these experiences with other people, to sing things to people that will maybe help them, make them feel like they are going through something that someone else has been through and they're not alone...
2:50pm
John Clay
Like a shaman?
2:50pm
Jessica Cadbury
And maybe give an insight into being three sisters making music together!
Like a SHEman.
2:50pm
John Clay
Like The Corrs?
2:50pm
Jessica Cadbury
No. They are pretty though.
2:51pm
John Clay
Say yes? I'll permit you to do the robot onstage?
2:51pm
Jessica Cadbury
Haha - If the robot's gonna come out it will come out, it's unstoppable.
Actually do you know what I feel like our responsibility is? To be genuine. There.
2:54pm
John Clay
Holy shit. LOVE the idea of being genuine...such a scarce commodity.
O.K, penultimate question: Where are your sisters during this interview? Are you the spokesperson, or are you just a selfish person? Have they all been fired? Was it 'cos you a) did the robot too much b) failed at twerking c) keep farting during the high notes? Smelly stuff. I'd fire my band if they couldn't take my stench. I'd make them sign contracts.
2:55pm
Jessica Cadbury
One of them is with our Mum at home making sushi and the other one is buying wardrobes for her new flat. I am also selfish and girls don't fart. So i choose b. Maybe you eat too much fibre...
How am I doing? Will i be allowed to go for lunch soon? I get more selfish when I am hungry.
3:01pm
John Clay
B? Liar! I saw you twerking at ArcTanGent. I tried to stop you but alas, the drugs you were on... [If you are a concerned parent of Jess I have one word. Intervention. When she says she's off to eat 'chocolate' she is LYING]. Oh, and girls do fart. I have bottled proof marked 'in case you slag me off to your mates, this is the reason why I left you'. I recommend having a bottle near the bedside should you argue with your other half.
Right final question, then you can go off and eat: When are you playing London?
3:02pm
Jessica Cadbury
We played last week actually! But we are planning to book some London dates next year when we release our new E.P. Is that where you live?
3:05pm
John Clay
London is where I live and I would love to recommend some places for you to play. Right, I'm off! I've been at this computer too long today...and I need to rush off to twerking class. You have been a fav interview of mine. You are funny and talented and are probably smiling to yourself now. And well you should.
3:06pm
Jessica Cadbury
Thanks John... that did make me smile, it was good to chat. Now you go have a good twerk!
3:07pm
John Clay
OH YEAH BABY! GONNA TWERK MY ASS OFF. BYE! ...Gotta a move called The Wrecking Ball that has to be seen to be believed.
The Cadbury Sisters are:
Jessica Cadbury - vocals Mary Cadbury - vocals Lucy Cadbury - vocals and guitar
Silliness aside, listen to Pierrot on the Barefoot E.P. Music to soothe the savage beast indeed.
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GORDON SAYS!
So the result of my interview with Gordon Raphael is so long that I've decided to segment it along four issues. One whole month of Strokes producer Raphael? Yes please!
'I'm desiring to sweep the Latin American world with a type of culture, music and "human interaction"that I have been both dreaming of and cultivating for my entire life.' - Gordon Raphael
Points raised: music and place, Mexico city, and Gordon's plan to take Latin America by storm!
