The Riverdales
Hey guys, so what has been going on with the band recently? What are your plans for the next few months?
Dan Vapid: We just recorded a record titled “Tarantula” which was released on Recess records on June 8th. We’ve been playing sporadic shows around the country and Canada supporting it.
So can you tell us how you all met and the history of the band to this point?
Dan Vapid: The Riverdales formed sometime in 93-94 after Screeching Weasel had disbanded. Originally the band was a 3-piece with a girl bass player. That didn’t work out so i was asked if i wanted to join the band. I agreed but only if I could sing the songs I had written. We agreed — Ben would sing on the songs he wrote and I on mine.
Tell us about the recording process of your new record – how was it this time round? How would you say this record is different from your previous records?
Dan Vapid: We spent a lot of time making demos on Garageband before we recorded. We wanted to get the little things right that usually end up bothering us later. Ben wanted to try a few different things this time around in terms of production and sequencing. We were both happy with the outcome.
What are the best and worst things about life in the band?
Dan Vapid: I love finishing a new song and being excited about recording it. The worst thing is over the years I sometimes don’t know who my friends are — who’s genuine and who’s a phony trying to get ahead.
What is the strangest or best thing (whatever makes a better answer!) that has happened at one of your shows? Alternatively, what is the strangest request or experience you’ve had from / involving a fan?
Dan Vapid: The strangest show experience I’ve ever had was playing with Screeching Weasel. There were many, but the one that really sticks in my head was this naked kid standing in the front row with a pentagram drawn on his chest for the entire show.
Whose music have you been listening recently to apart from your own?
Dan Vapid: Some Indie and 70′s power pop.
Dan Vapid
What would you like to be doing as a band and as a person / people in five years time?
Dan Vapid: I would like to be selling a lot more units and getting some good publishing deals. Hopefully, that will take a lot less than 5 years.
If an anonymous benefactor gave you a million pounds on the condition you spent it or otherwise got rid of it rather than invested it, what would you buy / do first?
Dan Vapid: I’d probably get rid of it thinking the anonymous person had something up their sleeve.
If you were asked to headline a festival and you could have any five musicians or bands from the past or present to play with you, who would you choose?
Dan Vapid: Screeching Weasel.
