Joe Cardamone of the Icarus Line and Souls She Said

10/04/06

Joe Cardamone of the Icarus Line and Souls She Said answers our Questions of Doom about their forthcoming release on Poptones - Souls She Said, As Templar Nites, working it through Australia and Philadelphia, the secret origins of Souls, the forthcoming Icarus Line album, touring with the Primals and making the most definitive Los Angeles rock’n’roll since the Doors and Jane’s Addiction.  To read more please click below and remember Souls She Said, As Templar Nites is out on Poptones in late Summer, early Autumn so ... err ... look out!

Who are you?

Joe Cardamone

And what do you do?

Shake hands and eat babies.

Tell me a secret about yourself—I promise not to tell anyone.

I watch Judge Greg Mathis every morning after I wake up.  I also have a very soft spot for modern black music.

You are going to be releasing Souls She Said in the UK shortly ... what is Souls She Said all about?

SSS is about Don Devore and myself chopping down the powerlines and making music in the dark. With our eyes open. It’s about continuing the legacy of the song.

How does Souls She Said work differently than your other band ‘The Icarus Line’....

Souls is a collective of musicians that Don put together to show off his
musical prowess.  None of the material was rehearsed previuos to the
recording sessions, an experiment in on-the-spot songwriting and musical
freedom.

What was inspiration for writing the Souls She Said record?

Before Don had joined the Icarus Line we needed an outlet to create music together so we formed Souls.  We wanted to provide an ultra honest alter ego.

The Icarus Line started as a hard-core band’ - what were the lessons learned from A to Z from being in a hardcore band to releasing one of rock’n’roll’s more finer efforts of Penance Soirre?

The lessons are too many to list but one important one is to stick your beliefs no matter what people say and to be true to who you are and what you project as yourself. all the while not losing your head

What are the lessons learned from Souls She Said?

To clean up the dog piss after you rub his nose in it.

What are the secret origins of Souls She Said?

The birth of souls came from a project called St.Petersburg. St. Petersburg
was a tape that Don Devore made with need new body drummer Chris Pow.  Don
sent copies out to a couple singers that he knew from his Ink and Dagger
days and I was one of them. I layed some vocal tracks down on the tape and
sent it back. From that moment forward a long distance musical storm occured
between Los Angeles and Philadephia called Souls She Said.

Your voice on Souls She Said goes from the psychedelic hardcore rock of Jane’s Addiction in ‘88 to the trippy realms of Bobby Gillespie’s Screamadelica ... was that intentional?

Not whole heartedly, but I wont deny that both of the aforementioned singers
have a spot in my record collection.

You toured with the Primals ... anything you can to dish out on them on the Poptones website?

All I can say is that they are wonderful people who made touring a delight
and showed us THEIR Glasgow which is something to behold. In all honesty it was
one of the best tours we have been on and they re-set the bar for rock n
roll music.

Most bands are concerned with not upsetting the status quo .. yet, The Icarus Line has pulled some of the funniest pranks against rock’n’roll ... what were some of the reactions by the bands involved?

You know, all those things happened so long ago it seems like highschool
memories. We never got much of a reaction from any of them and i don’t think
that was our intent. The antics should be chalked up to sheer frustration
and boredom.

On Soul She Said—there is definitely more of a beat-hip-hop thing happening than on any Icarus Line album ... what was the inspiration behind that?

I guess its mostly due to Mantronics, Aphex Twin, Little Wayne, Daft Punk, Suicide, Roxy Music and R. Kelly. You know, dance music.

Is Souls she Said ... The Icarus Line’s sleazy LA answer record to Hip Hop?

Sleazy answer to Gang of Four rip offs, we are Los Angeles hip-hop.

You recorded the album in Australia and Philly—how did you hook that up?

These two wonderful investors from Aus, both who remain dear to our hearts
for ever. Rach and Lou.

Do you think that the Icarus Line is the definitive LA band?

I would be lying if i said that we aren’t.

And why?

Simply put no other band in this town can capture the cities true soul and
feeling of this time. We do that. Other bands that capture this feeling are
the Doors and Jane’s addiction. Los Angeles born and bred.

What’s going on with the Icarus Line?

We are currently finished with our second full length for V2 worldwide. Its in the final stages of preparation.

What’s the sound of the new album?

Its the sound of betrayal, hell bent rightiousness and a band that cannot be stopped.

What were the influences on the new album? the main influence would be the people who said we could never do it.

What’s been going down on your stereo?

Stax of funk vol.2, Jeff Beck Truth, Funkadelic, SF Sarrow, Mike Jones, Ike and Tina and The Lilys. Peace out.

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