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Cigar's Pics and an Interview
The guys from Cigar were nice enough to give me their time for an interview. And they are one of the few bands who actually answer questions with more than three words *most of the time* so read on and look for more in the future! Be sure to email both Spoiled Whine as well as Cigar with your comments!
Interview with Rami, Jason and Jon of Cigar. All questions by Kat. |
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First of all, introduce the band and tell me your favorite cartoon.
Rami: I'm Rami. I sing and play guitar. The Simpsons is the best cartoon. It's got a lot more to it than every other cartoon.
Jason: Jason. Bass Player. Studio Dancer. Favorite Cartoon is Early Johnny Quest.
Jon: Jon/drums/vocals, Daniel Clowes is my favorite cartoonist, don't watch too many cartoons these days.
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Where are you all from?
Rami: I'm from Corvallis, Oregon originally, then moved to Eugene, where we all met.
Jason: Grew up in Davis, California...now reside in San Diego, California
Jon: As cigar we started in Eugene, Oregon but now for the last 3 years we've been in California. I grew up primarily in California playing in another band called The Circus Tents, after four years we broke up and I moved to Eugene, Oregon to start a new band. Finally Cigar came from that.
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What kind of music do you play?
Rami: For the most part we play melodic fast rock. Some people call it punk rock, but we're not very punk, so it's just fast rock.
Jason: We play fast, melodic, rock music at high speed. I play bass to that.
Jon: Hard to say, obviously derived from the punk rock we grew up on, and influenced by many different types of music. Punk has evolved so much that I have a hard time just calling us punk and "rock" is such a wide spectrum. We basically just rock out. It's an incredible release.
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Who influences you the most?
Rami: Musically, I was influenced by bands like Circle Jerks, Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, The Faction, The Meatmen, Angry Samoans, DRI, DI, Suicidal Tendencies, Minor Threat, Dr. Know, old Bad Religion, RKL, Pennywise, old Metallica, Iron Maiden, Slayer, and Anthrax. I don't know what influences me now. Not much anymore.
Jason: Hmmmm.... Now I'm just influenced by good melodies and harmonies with simple structures. Before I was really looking to bass players and drummers as inspiration. Musicians like Geddy Lee, Les Claypool, Sting, Stewart Copeland...
Jon: A combination of influences steaming from our roots in bands like Black Flag, Minor Threat, NOFX, early RKL was a major influence on me. I'm talking about the first several releases, just a raw teeth gritting rock-n-roll nightmare. I was also really into the whole East Bay, Lookout, very small records thing going on in the late '80's early '90's, that had a major influence on me.
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Where did the name Cigar come from?
Rami: We had trouble coming up with a name for the band, so one day Jon suggested horse racing names. I was at home and the news was on. The sports announcer mentioned a horse named Cigar that was winning every race. We don't ride horses, but that's a lifestyle we respect.
Jason: The famous race horse.
Jon: I wanted to have some kinda thoroughbread horse racing name, in retrospect, what the fuck was I thinking? So Rami while watching the horse races witnessed the race horse "Cigar" win a race. "That's it" he said and convinced me but our other guitarist at the time,Brendan, didn't go for it so he bailed. However, he moved on to another project that is doing quite well, The Stock Yard Stoics.
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How many albums have you released and were they all on Theologian?
Rami: Theologian is interesting. Marc, at Theologian, supported the recording of the album, but overall it's not a label that can extend it's self too far for bands. It's a smaller label, but he was cool enough to want to put something out for us. Even though we're not very active, he's still cool to us.
Jason: It's a nicely mellow label. No pressure...no hassle.
Jon: Basically Theologian doesn't have anything to do with our shows or lives, they just put the album out. If we really need help we can ask as long as we're not sitting on our asses.
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Have you done any shows lately? If so, with whom and where?
Rami: We haven't been playing very often. We have a couple shows coming up, but the last show we played was in the Redondo Beach area with some local bands in the South Bay area.
Jason: Our last show was in LA with some local acts. Before that was our Quebec, Canada tour with X Large and Twenty2
Jon: We recently all got together and practiced, which was really good and now we have some shows coming up in LA and possibly San Diego, but I'm not sure who we're playing with.
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Have you ever played in Edmonton, or even Canada?
Rami: We played in Quebec in Fall 2000. It was fun.
Jason: Have not yet made it to Edmonton...but have been requested to visit Western Canada. Maybe Cigar will someday make it across.
Jon: We toured for a week in Canada with Twenty2 and X-Large, it was awesome. We will definately do that again soon.
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Would you suggest a deaf person coming to one of your shows? How about a blind one?
Rami: Both blind and deaf people could enjoy a Cigar show. Deaf people could see the energy and how funny we look, and blind people could hear some loud music that they may enjoy.
Jason: Yes to both. Both dudes can hang out next to Big Jon. He'll take care of them.
Jon: If you're deaf then you will feel the fornicatory vibrations renovating your intestines and if you're blind you might think we're sexy.
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What is the average of everyone's age?
Rami: I think it's 26.66666666666666666.
Jason: Average, eh? I'll round up... 27 Years old is Cigar's Average
Jon: 25 and 29
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Do you think that Condit had anything to do with the disappearance of Chandra Levy?
Rami: For sure. Politicians have a tendency to pull shenanigans and hijinx, then try to cover it up.
Jason: I don't know... Grew tired of the whole thing. Sounds like media is pushing the story into a screenplay.
Jon: That's just way too suspicious.
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Did you vote in the last election? If so for whom and why?
Rami: We were in Canada on a little tour during the election, so we couldn't vote unless we made it to the American embassy.
Jason: No, I was in Quebec and we never made it to the US embassy. Election crept up on me. Instead we waited in dread over in Canada deciding if we should live there if Bush were elected.
Jon: We were in Canada when they were determining who won, when I came to the realization that Bush could be the president I was so pissed at myself for not caring. I will never do that again.
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Would you do Monica Lewinsky if you were the Prez? What about Hillary?
Rami: No. Monica and Hillary aren't my style.
Jason: Neither. Them Nasty Bitches.
Jon:i Don't care who he sleeps with but if you're the US prez....C'mon man, Monica?!?!
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Is there any way that fans and readers can contact the band?
Rami: People can go to our web site at www.cigartheband.com and send us e-mail.
Jason: www.cigartheband.com
Jon: Our website www.cigartheband.com
Any last comments? Wishes? Fantasies?
Rami: Hopefully we'll be able to get out some of our new material, and play some shows out there. If we play in your area, come and rock out.
Jason: If anyone wants to fund a CigaR show, CigaR tour, birthday party for (or with) CigaR, please contact us. I'd like to play England, Australia, Florida, and Canada (again). Thanks Kat & Spoiled Whine Zine
Jon: Thanx for taking the time to interview us and thanks to everyone waiting for more Cigar, we are conjuring up some new stuff for our second full length release so hang in there.
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