Vocalist. Guitarist. Trekkie. Dad!! This edition of Fistful of Questions goes out to Dead Karma frontman Andrew Cannell.
What is your full name?
Andrew Cannell
Do you have any aliases?
Nope
If you had an alias what might it be?
Years ago I wrote some solo stuff, programmed the drums and did the rest of the instruments myself. Called the project “Zero”, so let’s go with that.
What bands are you actively involved with?
Just Dead Karma. Having two young kids, one band is my limit.
What was the first instrument that you played?
Technically a chanter, coming from a Scottish family with bagpipes. First instrument I actually learned to properly play would be the Tenor Saxophone.
Tell me about one of your first musical memories?
Going to a school talent show audition. One of about a dozen punk bands trying to crack the lineup. We didn’t even have a name, or if we did, I can’t remember. I played bass, and we did a cover of Stickin’ In My Eye by NOFX. It was fine, we didn’t get picked for the show.
What was the name of the first band you were in?
Aside from some unnamed “bands” that I jammed around with a bit, the first real band I remember was a metalcore band called Chamberlin. Wrote a handful of songs, played a handful of shows. I ended up joining another band, The Oracle, and couldn’t split my time well enough so I left and they replaced me as the vocalist.
Tell me about the genesis of Dead Karma.
What inspired the name Dead Karma?
We spent a long time picking a name, we were tentatively called Space Camaro for a bit. Thankfully we avoided the “Space Camaro writing a song called Space Camaro, released on their album Space Camaro.” Only Black Sabbath can pull that off.
My wife, Lisa, actually just threw the name out there one day and I liked it. Suggested it to the band and it was the only name that everyone was okay with.
How long did it take you to write and record The Space Camaro?
Writing was spread out over several months. The Purge was mostly written, with some subtle changes, with Baughanfire. Space Camaro had some of the bones in place as well, but it changed a lot once we got Dead Karma’s lineup together. We all work full-time jobs so, writing and polishing a song can take a little longer than someone who is able to do music full-time.
Recording took longer than we hoped. Drums were tracked in August of 2023 with bass coming a little later.
Raman left the band in late October/early November so I had to learn some extra guitar parts and write some leads before going into the studio in January of 2024. Vocals came shortly after. It stretched out longer than it should have, but again, scheduling and finding the time with jobs, families, and everything else pushed the timeline back a fair bit.
If you could insert yourself into any one band what band would it be and why?
I don’t know if there would be any. Any band that I would want I think has such good chemistry the way it is I wouldn’t want to change it up, and I don’t really have the personality to just plug myself in as a session musician.
Have you ever heard a song and immediately wished you had written it? If so… What was the song and artist?
Pretty much any Sabbath song has a riff by Tony Iommi that I wish I had written. If I could pick one song though, probably Achilles Last Stand by Led Zeppelin. All the guitar parts, the arrangement, the guitar solo. It really has everything that I love in a song.
Do you have any non-metal/rock musical inspirations?
I don’t know about inspirations. There’s definitely music I like outside of metal and rock, but I’m not sure I can consciously identify an inspiration, though I’m sure it’s there - whether in terms of themes, arrangement or melody.
What’s a non-metal/rock song that you'd like to do a cover of?
We did a cover of Sk8er Boi by Avril Lavigne, does that count? I guess it’s pop-punk though. An old band I was in, The Oracle, did a cover of In the Hall of the Mountain King, which was a lot of fun and, unsurprisingly, sounded unbelievably heavy.
What band have you played with that has really impressed you with their live show?
We only played with them once, but another band from Ontario called Cadillac Blood was awesome when we played with them. A ton of energy, really engaged with the audience and also really tight and talented. Did a phenomenal cover of Cowboys from Hell.
Do you have a favorite venue to play at?
In Dead Karma, my favorite venue to have played was Maxwell’s in Waterloo. In my career, the best venue I’ve played in was The Opera House in Toronto.
Do you have a pre-show ritual?
When I was doing vocals in a black metal band I would always drink chocolate milk while doing my vocal warmup. Got my screams to be extra… thick? That sounds gross. Now, not so much, I tend to be a lot more relaxed now. And I have a lot more clean vocals now so I don’t think milk is the right call.
What is your favorite thing about touring?
I’ve never toured, so I wouldn’t know. Just scattering one off shows that we hit off. But, if I were to tour, I imagine the excitement of playing a series of shows with different bands in different cities to different groups of people would be really exciting. I love meeting new people so that would be awesome for me.
What is your least favorite thing about touring?
I imagine it would be being away from my family. Two young kids, I don’t like the idea of missing anything with them.
Is there a city that you love to hit while on tour?
If we were to go on tour, I think playing anywhere in Quebec or the east coast would be really cool. Great music scenes there and great Canadian acts have come from there.
What’s the weirdest experience you’ve had on the road?
Can’t do a hypothetical on this one.
Driving to my uncle’s up north with my dad. Sabbath’s Paranoid and Master of Reality. Alice Cooper’s Halo of Flies and every Zeppelin album.
What advice would you give young musicians that are just starting out in the music business?
I don’t know if I have any advice that can get you to “make it”, since I haven’t. We’ve tried to be as active, supportive and involved in our local community as our time permits (with jobs and family-commitments). I think that is a big one because it all starts at the local level, that’s where you get your start so if you can help be a part of and cultivate something special at the local level, it will only help you down the road.
What is an absolute band killer?
Not having chemistry. You don’t have to be best friends with your bandmates, but when you get into the rehearsal room or the studio, you need to have good chemistry and know how to get the best out of each other.
Beyond that, I’ve had a lot of bands die simply due to a lack of motivation or commitment. If you really want to make your band work and you’re really passionate about it but some of the other members aren’t? Get new band members.
Have you ever recorded a song that you really didn’t like, but somebody else in the band really did?
Dead Karma has only recorded four songs, so I don’t think we’ve hit that point yet. I know we disagree on which is our “best” and which should have been the leading “single”.
If you were to start your own music festival what would be the name of that festival and who would be the three headlining bands?
It took us months to name the band, don’t put me on the spot to name a festival. Headlining, let’s go with Megadeth, Dream Theater and Queens of the Stone Age. A good mix for me to enjoy, we can pad out the full lineup another time.
What’s the longest time you’ve gone without bathing?
Whatever my longest camping trip was. So, definitely several days.
What’s one thing that most people don’t know about you?
I’m pretty open about who I am with people, so I’m not too sure.
Is the Fistful of DOOM show in the top 10 of your favorite music podcasts?
How could it not be? In all honesty, I’ve been listening to less podcasts recently, but Fistful of DOOM is in my rotation of stuff to check out and listen to.
Do unicorns sleep standing up?
Horses can, so… yes?
Give me three albums that I should listen to immediately, if not sooner.
Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk by Emperor
New Bermuda by Deafheaven
The Human Equation by Ayreon
You’re driving cross-country and you can only listen to one album the whole time. What album will it be?
Houses of the Holy by Zeppelin. I think I’d want something that has a good variety in terms of genre/sound. Led Zeppelin IV has a good mix, but I really don’t like the song Black Dog so I think we’ll go with Houses of the Holy.
You are writing a book about your life thus far. What is the title of that book?
I Can Handle One More Hobby (Spoiler: I Can’t)
What is your favorite song by Taylor Swift?
No thank you.
Slipknot or Rammstein (if you had to choose)?
Slipknot. One of the first heavy bands that I listened to, which led to me getting into so much else. Their first two albums in particular are still phenomenal.
Doobies or Boobies (if you had to pick one)?
Boobies. Always boobies.
Waffles or Pancakes (if you had to pick one)?
Waffles
Star Wars or Star Trek (if you had to choose)?
Star Trek, though I don’t think there’s been any Star Trek worth watching in a couple decades. There’s still more than enough Trek for me to enjoy.
Favorite band t-shirt you own?
I have a torn up Black Dahlia Murder shirt with a head of Cthulhu on the front from their Miasma era. Has some cool art to it, has some nostalgic sentimental value from seeing them in concert all those years ago.
Favorite meal?
Roast beef and yorkshire pudding
Favorite book?
Lord of the Rings, Dune or Starship Troopers
Favorite movie?
Lord of the Rings, the original Star Wars, or Saving Private Ryan.
Favorite album?
In Flames - Whoracle or At the Gates - Slaughter of the Soul
Favorite video game?
Escape from Tarkov
Favorite Professional Wrestler?
The Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels (which is around the last time I paid attention to wrestling).
Big thanks to Andrew for taking the time to answer my questions. I appreciate you doing so. As for the rest of you, kindly click on the link so generously provided below and cram some hard rocking stoner from Dead Karma into your ear holes! You can thank me later.
~El Pedo Caliente (aka Uncle James from the Fistful of DOOM show)
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