El Centro

July 25, 2004

Last week we were fortunate enough to catch a show in San Diego at the Che Cafe featuring two of our favorite bands: The Skulls and El Centro. You might remember Sabine interviewing The Skulls during their tour through Germany. Well, The Skulls are releasing a new CD/DVD, sometime this month I believe. Sabine is also reviewing their new CD/DVD, so be sure to look for her write up within the next week.

El Centro’s frontman, Crabbie is back on track these days. He was one of the survivors from the tragic Bali bomb blast that killed his best friend and former manager, Steven Webster (click here to view the Rolling Stone's article). Crabbie was sitting right next to Web when the car bomb went off. This October will mark the 2nd anniversary of that horrible event. He still feels the effects from the bombing. After taking some time off, Crabbie is back with his bandmates. The morning after their San Diego show, we had a chance to sit down with Crabbie and ask him a few questions.

Cool Grrrls: What are El Centro’s musical influences?

Crabbie: Well I would have to say, being an older statesman like I am. My musical influences run from the 60’s music all the way to todays. I’m talking about Stevie Wonder all the way to Social Distortion. Since I got hurt in that attack thing you know, I went from my influence being Bob Marley, The Clash to angrier more new school punk like, Pennywise, Bad Religion, NOFX, more faster, more high energy music. I kinda shed my skin. Actually we’re doing a lot of music now that’s not on any albums that we’ve done in the past. Like 2/3rds of our set is like brand new music. Some of it doesn’t even have words yet.

Are you working on a new album right now?

We’re working on a new album. It’s gonna be called, "Pray For Us All." It’s very fast. It’s all, more of a new school thing. Me being kind of an old school guy I’m kinda going in the opposite of what people might think I would do at this point in my life.

Do you have a release date?

I think we’re going in the studio in September. I would like to have it out before the new year.

Will it be released under Finger Records?

Finger Long Live Crime. There is another label out of Los Angeles called Long Live Crime and they got together with Mel (president of Finger Records), and we’re all working together now.

I’ve heard that El Centro is playing some dates on the Warp Tour.

We’re going to Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Cleveland, and then Chicago. It depends on how things go with those shows. We might have a few more dates on the tour this year.

Do you have any other shows coming up?

I think we have a show coming up August 14th at the Showcase Theater (Corona, CA) with DI. And we’re doing a show right after we get back from the Warp Tour at Hurricanes in Huntington for the US Open of Surfing.

What do you look forward to most about going on tour?

Meeting a lot of new people. Trying to get our new music out to people, because I think we have a lot to talk about. In light of what has happened to me in the last year and a half. My Music has turned a lot more political; a lot more informative on the issues that we face today. I feel like I have more to say than any other singer alive right now, in the light of what I’ve been through.

You got that right! I don’t think any other singer has been through what you’ve been through.
Since this is a site for female music lovers … who’s your favorite female rocker?

Brody Dalle. I think the Distillers are hot. It’s kinda funny coz when we did the Warp Tour in Texas about three years ago, the Distillers tour bus was right next to ours, and I remember hearing her sing, and she was like Courtney Love on steroids.

Thanks so much for taking the time to sit down with us. Best of luck on tour and your next album!

Visit El Centro on the web @ www.centrocore.com for their latest tour news!