The Randies - Megan McCarter
by Daniel Robert Epstein for SuicideGirls (http://suicidegirls.com/)

In this whole 80’s revival thing The Randies have come out strong with their fun and exciting album At the Friendship Motor Inn. The four member band, Laura Cataldo, Sienna DeGovia, Megan McCarter and Kelly Cairns have created something fresh and exciting.

Check out the official website for The Randies

Daniel Robert Epstein: What are you guys up to?

Megan McCarter: Actually I just got out of work and we’re getting everything ready to go to San Diego to play a show tonight.

DRE: Where do you work?

MM: I’m a cocktail waitress at an undisclosed location in the Los Angeles area.

DRE: Well it’s better than killing people.

MM: That would be a little more exciting.

DRE: You’re in the middle of a tour right now, right?

MM: We are. We’re in the middle of a local tour. We’re doing like a “Calling LA” tour where we hit every area code around here. Then we’re off to do an all West Coast tour.

DRE: Who are you touring with?

MM: We’re actually going out on our own and just play with various local acts.

DRE: How’s it been going with the new album?

MM: We had a limited release at the end of October and then we did a wide release this in March. Then we got a pending distribution deal in Europe. Hopefully we’ll be able to make it over there as well.

DRE: Has it been much different since you got your record deal?

MM: It feels like we have two fulltime jobs because we still have to work regular jobs. So it’s awesome and it’s great but it’s super exhausting and stressful trying to get everything together because we practice four times a week. Next we have 17 shows in one month.

Tonight we’re going to do San Diego. We’ll probably get back at 2 in the morning and then we have to get up and go to work at 6, finish up and then play a show. So it’s a lot of fun but it’s kind of like extra grueling until we reach that point where we can officially become professional. We’re counting the days until that happens.

DRE: A lot of people are comparing you to many 80’s bands, what do you think of that?

MM: It’s ok. It’s interesting because we’ve never made an effort to have a specific sound. It ended up being like very organic and it just kind of happened that way. We were always afraid of how we would describe ourselves because we weren’t really sure what genre we fit in. It just started turning out that way because each of us is a songwriter and we each bring in our own songs and we all have this incredibly different background and influences and how we got into music or why we got into it. We were actually afraid that each song was going to sound so different but it just kind of grew together into one thing.

DRE: When did you all realize that sound worked?

MM: Laura and I were in a band together first and that band didn’t work out but we decided we wanted to continue on together. Then we met Sienna, the bass player, because we all used to go to the same bar called Mr. T’s. The whole band and our whole theme came out of the Tuesday nights that had started there. We weren’t looking like for any specific thing and it’s cool now because we know how one another works and who brings in what parts and what makes the songs strongest.

DRE: So there’s a guy in the band, right?

MM: Yeah, Kelly, a guy with a girl’s name.

DRE: What’s he holding on the cover of the album?

MM: It’s a broom or a mop.

DRE: He looks like he’s about to smack you across the back with something.

MM: I’m going to be sure to tell him that. He’s going to love that. He’s a super cool guy. We had a hard time finding a drummer. We actually spent a few years looking for a permanent member and when he came in, it was perfect. We were actually really afraid to ask him so we took him to Vegas on a little mini-tour just to see what would happen and he’s just the perfect band member. We couldn’t have asked for anyone better.

DRE: Is everyone’s periods in sync now?

MM: No but Kelly might just get one anyway now. He’s more of a girl than we are sometimes. I didn’t mean that in a bad way but he is a metrosexual.

DRE: And who produced At the Friendship Motor Inn?

MM: Rob Hoffman and Heather Holly of Illicit Music. It was amazing. We had no idea what it would be to work with someone and it was the most amazing experience ever. To this day we are really close with them. They are heavily involved in our album, the distribution and everything.

DRE: How did you come up with At the Friendship Motor Inn for the album title?

MM: We had trouble coming up with a band name when we had stared. We first called ourselves Puddin’ but there were a bunch of bands called Puddin’. So we made out lists and lists of names. I think Laura came up with Friendship Motor Inn and we just thought that was hilarious and we wanted to go with it. And then when we had met with our producers and everyone, they had, you know, kind of said you might want something that people can remember a little bit more. We had issues with the hotel chains that were named that. Some legal issue with that so we wanted to at least keep the album title the old band name so it could be like a good crossover.

DRE: I read you got to do a cover song on a Men at Work tribute album.

MM: Yes and I just saw Supernanny and that’s the theme song.

DRE: What’s that?

MM: It’s some TV show where this English chick is a Supernanny and she goes into houses and like tells people how to raise their kids. I have never heard the song before and I turn on the TV and I was like “Oh my God, that’s the song we just did a cover to.” It was really weird.

DRE: So you guys are a fan of some 80’s stuff?

MM: We all are. I’m a huge Adam Ant fan. I love Duran Duran. We even love like swing music, lounge music so I don’t think any of us puts a limit on anything. Kelly’s got a tattoo of Frank Sinatra on his arm.

DRE: How did you get into that music?

MM: My family was always very into music. When I was really young my parents were listening to like Queen, Elton John and Meatloaf. I was hearing all that stuff before I was in school and I started taking guitar lessons with my mom so I was always very open to a wide array of music from MTV and the radio. I think you have to kind of keep your eyes and ears open and really be aware of what’s around and what’s going on.

DRE: I read your funny little bio on the site, is that for real that you like antiques?

MM: I love antiques. I collect them like mad. In fact, I just got back from the Salvation Army with $20 worth of stuff that was all half off. I go like every spare moment I have. My whole house is like done up like that. Anything kitschy like from the twenties through the sixties. If it’s ridiculous, I want it in my house. I love that stuff.

DRE: When was the last time you had to kick someone’s ass?

MM: I would say, 8th grade. This one girl was being really mean to this not-so-popular girl in school. So I took a can of hairspray and I sprayed it in her face. Then a fight did result and she deserved every punch she got.

DRE: Did you win the fight?

MM: I won the fight but I didn’t walk away without a scratch though. I was a little bit maimed but I would say I came out ahead and it felt good.

DRE: What do you think of SuicideGirls?

MM: I think everyone is entitled to make their own choices and do their own things. That’s what this country is based on and I think it’s great.

by Daniel Robert Epstein

SG Username: AndersWolleck

web address: http://suicidegirls.com/interviews/The+Randies+-+Megan+McCarter/