Edmonton's Calling All Captains are getting ready to follow up the Equal Vision Records' record Slowly Getting Better and have kicked things off with the new single “Unlike Me” from New Damage Records. The band took some time out of their schedule to chat with TGEFM in our Roll of the Dice series. We had the chance to discuss the new single, their influences and what's next.
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Congrats on the new single “Unlike Me.” What can you tell us about this new track and how it compares to what we heard on Slowly Getting Better?
Luc– Unlike Me is a new foot forward while still keeping the same aggression we love. Lyrically, compared to SGB it's a lot more personal, delving deeper into topics of mental health and anxiety. It was written from the darkest part of my heart and deals with things that I still struggle with sometimes.
What album or band or significant singles made you go “Yeah, this is what I want to do” Not just an influence but who or what was the catalyst?
Here's the response from each band member:
Luc – The Green Day Bullet In A Bible live DVD changed my life and made me really believe that I could write some songs and be something someday.
Connor – Billy Talent II – The guitar player/singer Ian D'Sa was a huge inspiration for me growing up and this record solidified the creativity you can have as a guitar player and vocalist.
Tim – Blink 182‘s Take Off Your Pants and Jacket was a massive record for me growing up. It started my love for drumming and how it can really influence and shape the music.
Brad – I remember hearing a song by New Found Glory called “Sonny”. It was about the singer losing his grandfather, and it was the first song that I connected with on a very personal level. I lost my little sister when I was younger and that song really helped me through the hard days. I always heard people say “music saved my life” and never really got that until music felt like the only thing keeping me going. After that, I knew I wanted to make music that would help other people the same way it did for me.
The music world has also changed a lot over the last few years. What are some of the biggest industry changes you've come across in your time within the scene?
Brad- One thing we've noticed is the evolution of the social media age. It's ridiculously easy to get your name out there on TikTok or IG reels now, but there's also way more artists trying to get their spotlight too so it feels harder to stand out. I think it's led to bands and artists being their most authentic selves online and really connecting with their fans and supporters.
We've all got a few, but what is your biggest regret? A gig you turned down, advice you didn't take, what one thing do you wish you handled differently as a musician?
Tim– We were offered a tour with one of our favourite Canadian bands called Seaway a while back, but we had already booked a large US tour and part of that time frame was a show opening for the Offspring, so we had to turn it down and hope another chance would come down the road. Since then Seaway has kind of been on hiatus so we're not sure if we'll ever get another chance.
One of our obligatory questions in these interviews also tends to be the one I have found most important on a personal level. Who are some bands on your radar that TGEFM readers may not know about, but you think they should know about?
Connor– Some amazing bands we've crossed paths with are Umi Yokai(Hardcore), Look Alive(Post-Hardcore), Gutter King(Metalcore) and Cawtson(Pop Punk)
Beyond the upcoming tour, what's next for the members of Calling All Captains?
We'll be recording more music and booking shows for a full Canada tour! Stay on the look out and go to callingallcaptainsband.com to stay up to date on all things CAC!
Was there anything I missed that you'd like to share or dive deeper into with our readers?
We currently have a free merch package giveaway that ends on July 7th for fans that like free stuff! All you have to do is use our music in an IG reel or Tiktok post. Full details can be found in our social media accounts! Good luck!
Roll of the Dice is a short interview format with a variable amount of questions. A pair of dice is rolled and the total, between 2 and 12, is the amount of questions we can ask. All questions are given to the interviewee(s) at once, and no follow-ups are allowed. The interview may be lightly edited for content and clarity.
Bad Dad (occasionally called Ed) has been on the periphery of the punk and punk-adjacent scene for over twenty years. While many contributors to this site have musical experience and talent, Ed's musical claim to fame comes from his time in arguably the most punk rock Blockbuster Video district in NJ where he worked alongside members of Blanks 77, Best Hit TV and Brian Fallon. He is more than just an awful father to his 2 daughters, he is also a dreadful husband, a subpar writer, a terrible dresser and has a severe deficiency in all things talent… but hey, at least he's self-aware, amirite?
Check out the pathetic attempts at photography on his insta at https://www.instagram.com/bad_dad_photography/