CASH CASH

Interview by Natalie K.
September 16, 2009
http://www.myspace.com/cashcash

Estrella: Can you please state your name and what you do in the band?
JP: I’m John Paul and I sing in the band Cash Cash.

Estrella: You guys originally went by The Consequence but then had to change it due to legal reasons, what was your initial reaction to having to switch up the band name?
JP: At first, we were kind of pissed because we spent all this time building the band and getting the name out there and then out of nowhere someone is like, you have to start over and change your name. All of our friends and family knew us by it, the localized fans that we had and the small touring that we did. It was a bit of a bummer but at the same time it was sort of like a new beginning, new sound, new everything which was really cool.

Estrella: How did the new name come about?
JP: We had the song that came first as The Consequence and then basically we couldn’t think of anything, everything we came up with everybody disagreed on. Then I was like, let’s just name us Cash Cash since everybody is after it. We had agents trying to screw us, the rapper hitting up our lawyers saying this and that and we can’t be doing this, and everybody was wanting cash and we didn’t have it, so let’s just name the band that and we just went with it.

Estrella: When it came time to signing with a label what made you go with Universal Republic?
JP: They just seemed really cool, really nice they got what we wanted to do and we just kind of rolled with it, good people, good people.

Estrella: You guys have pretty much toured non-stop this year which included being on the Warped Tour, what was that like and what bands did you bond with?
JP: It was a really awesome experience because we used to always go to warped tour as a kid in the summers. To be a part of it was amazing was a great experience we will remember for the rest of our lives. A lot of the bands on the tour were bands that we already toured with like The White Tie Affair, We The Kings, Every Avenue so we had a lot of our friends on the tour which was really cool and made it a lot better, and we made a lot of new friends too.

Estrella: Any interesting stories from Warped?
JP: Well we did it in the van so a lot of sleeping in the van, a lot of sweating, a lot of getting wet, a lot of stinkness.
Estrella: Would you do it again?
JP: Yeah definitely, not in a van though, but we would definitely do it again.

Estrella: The Family Force 5 tour starts tomorrow, what are you looking forward to about this tour?
JP: Just to be playing again will feel good, just to be back on stage again. We were home for like 2 weeks and at the end of the tour you always want to go home and then you get home and then it’s like, oh I want to go back out again and it’s a cycle that just keeps happening.

Estrella: What did you do for your time off?
JP: We practiced to get used to the new songs for the live show, we have a lot of new things in store that we’re stoked about.

Estrella: Can you share some of the new things in stored?
JP: Just some new songs that we are going to play live, like songs on the album we don’t usually play. Just changing up the set list, maybe a cover song or two.

Estrella: What was the process like for creating your album Take It To The Floor?
JP: Where to start, where to start…. Basically, we just really wanted to do something fresh, something dope, something killer dope. We were so bored with everything we were doing, we thought it was super lame and when we started over and created stuff that was just way out there and ended up rolling with it. We put all of our influences together from the eighties, nineties, and two-thousands and just stirred it all together, just did it.

Estrella: Did you guys get a lot of the creative control? Was anything creatively taken away from you?
JP: No, they let us do it, I mixed the whole record in my basement which was really cool. We recorded 75% of the record and we got to work with really cool producers and it was a really great experience.

Estrella: How did the title come about?
JP: It’s a lyric in the song “Breakout” it was kind of cute and fits the vibe of the album. It’s all about dancing, getting your groove on, having a good time, not taking yourself too seriously and just feeling good.

Estrella: What are your plans for 2010?
JP: Well first we want to take over the world, second there are a couple of good books I want to read…. Plans for 2010..possible down loadable singles, a couple of deluxe additions. We are going to be recording from December through January so we are still planning it all out, a lot of good stuff coming.

Estrella: Do you guys have some songs already for the next album?
JP: Yeah, we have some ideas that we’ve been playing around with on the road but nothing fully complete yet.

Estrella: You guys are getting known for playing acoustic shows after your set is over, how did that come about?
JP: We love doing that, most shows we play a couple of songs acoustic. We were huge Dashboard fans and the way he interacts with the guitar won me over and it was so personal up-close, and you appreciate everything it is a lot of fun and we connect wit the a audience a lot differently. We’ve got the best of both worlds when we do acoustic.

Estrella: I know you guys make yourselves really accessible to your fans do you think when your career reaches the next level you might not be able too, or do you think it is something you will continue with?
JP: Yeah definitely, we love talking to people on myspace, commenting people, messaging people and talking to people after shows, we twitter, we tweet and do all of that stuff. It is fun why not we have nothing else to do so might as well do it and what a sick job to talk to people. I used to clean up dog poop and now I get to play music with my best friends and throw down with people who dig it.

Estrella: I know you dropped out of college to further pursue your musical career, do you think that you would ever want to go back and finish?
JP: Yeah, definitely eventually I’ll take online classes or do a couple of credits here and there when I have time off it is defiantly something I want to finish up.
Estrella: What was your major?
JP: It was Earth Science…no I’m just kidding it was music.
Estrella: Oh okay, I was going to say that is a big career jump!

Estrella: What is a song you never get sick of hearing?
JP: Probably, um I don’t know that’s a good question. Probably “Call On Me” by Eric Prydz never get sick of that song! It can never get old I could just loop it.

Estrella: What is something you have always wanted to do but have not done yet?
JP: PG-13 version or…..no I would like to go bungee jumping or sky diving.
Estrella: Do you think you ever will?
JP: Definitely, we’ll see, we’ll see.

Estrella: If you could see any band or artist perform any song live what would it be and why?
JP: Oh, Nirvana “Smells Like Teen Spirit” or Stone Temple Pilots anyone of their songs.

Estrella: Who are you currently listening to that may not be getting enough attention?
JP: Well there is this one band they are from New Jersey they are called Cash Cash they have a CD called Take it to the Floor and they have some new songs on their myspace in case you want to check it out, myspace.com/cashcash. That’s my shameless promotion right there. No, but there is this band called All Night Dynamite that are really cool and you should check them out.
Estrella: Where are they from?
JP: They are from New Jersey. We produce them, are good friends and support what they do so check it out www.myspace.com/allnightdynamite really fly shit, so check it out.

Estrella: Do you have any final comments?
JP: No just peace, love and sex. Wait no isn’t it sex, drugs, and love.
Estrella: No, that’s not it at all!
JP: No, what is it? Well we don’t like drugs anyway we like hugs better than drugs, we’re good boys.