Currently, Ceramic Animal could be described as a couple-a nasty boys from outside of Philadelphia playing psychedelic garage-yacht. However, starting next month it will be more accurate to describe them as a couple-a nasty boys from outside of Philadelphia playing psychedelic garage-yacht all over the USA. With tour dates alongside Spendtime Palace kicking off on March 2nd in Denver at Lost Lake (grab tickets here!) we caught up with the Ceramic Animal boys to talk about their latest album, The Horse, their upcoming shows and plans for the rest of 2019, which include even more new tunes, music videos and… raising gout awareness? Yeah, you heard me right.
If you haven’t listened to Ceramic Animal prior to these shows kicking off in March… Well, frankly, you’re messing up. Check out their latest album, The Horse and get to know a little bit more about this rowdy bunch below!
Interview by Dom Vigil
You guys kicked off 2019 by announcing that you’ll be hitting the road this year alongside Spendtime Palace! What are you most excited for on this upcoming run of shows?
Free hotel coffee and Joe Rogan podcasts. We are hitting some of the same cities from our last US tour back at the end of summer, so now we know where most of the best Dan Dan Noodle spots aren’t.
If someone is seeing Ceramic Animal live for the first time at one of these shows, what can they expect from your live performances? What would you like them to take away from your shows?
They are probably thinking: “Wow, for a couple a’ Nasty Boys these lads sure are handsome”. We bring the heat, wile out. We don’t stop playing until we’ve had enough or it’s time to leave.
What we really want people to take away from our show is as much merch as they can carry so we can get a new van.
These upcoming tour dates are in support of your latest album, The Horse released last year! Now that it has been out for a few months, what are some of your favorite things about the album?
That’s actually a misconception but I see why you may have thought that. It’s actually in support of our guitarist’s Anthony “Toni Macaroni” Marchione insatiable apatite for medium-rare Applebee’s steak. Their 18901 location is plum sold out.
As far as what we love about “The Horse”, at first it was all about the songs for us. What they sounded like, etc. But now we have this limited edition 180 gram white vinyl record that we slip into a solid white gold-foil-embossed-horse-skull-gate-fold sleeve. Have you seen this thing? It’s gorgeous. We can hook you up with one when we see you in Denver. So it’s really less about the music now that we have this great looking vinyl. I hung it on my wall before I actually played if that tells you anything, and we hope you will too.
Are there any songs on The Horse that you’re really excited to play live?
Tino is a slick one. The parts are pretty fun to play, and the build to the guitar solo at the end is nice. Would recommend. Hit or Miss is another bee-boppin’ jammer where our bassist Dallas “Dal Diesel” Hosey does a Paul McCartney impression at the end. Don’t get up for a beer during that one you will be kicking yourself.
Did you have any major goals in mind when you first started working on the album?
Release a second album that’s a departure from the first album so people can be disappointed it’s not just more of the first album. Once you have that out of the way it’s smooth sailing on the ocean of Bandom. The problem we ran into is that people seem to like the second album even though it’s not just like the first album so idk where that puts us. Seems positive but you never know with this business.
What was the most rewarding or exciting part of writing and recording the album?
It’s always about seeing how people react my friend! C’monnn that’s why we do this… For the cunning, handsome, ambitious, kind, well-spoken, open-minded, like-em-for-looks-keep-em-for-personality, love-to-go-out-on-the-town-but-also-don’t-mind-a-quite-night-in Ceramic Animal fans of the world. It’s fun when you guys DM us btw.
How do you feel you’ve grown between 2016’s The Cart and The Horse?
Back in 2016 we were all about the French Press. It’s labor intensive but preserves the oils of a high-end greasy bean. I think it’s pretty obvious when you listen back to “The Cart” it was all French Press and Miller Lite for us. After months on the road last year we have acquired a taste for truck stop coffee, and have moved back to drip coffee at home to support our now more “every-mans” palette. Ceramic Animal is not a band that sits still, as you can tell. We don’t even know what haunches are… Or laurels for that matter.
With The Horse out now and these shows coming up in March and April, do you have any other big plans in the works for 2019? What’s next?
The usual band-y type stuff– at least a couple new singles in the first half of the year, we are hoping to do another music video with our Philly boys Sid & Matt. If we really get down to it maybe even another full album by the end of the year. We will probably put it out in November so it gets swallowed up by the holiday buzz and won’t be considered for any “Best of 2019” lists.
But a main focus of this year will be gout awareness. Our lead singer Warren suffers from gout which is a real bugger of a condition. Predisposition is largely hereditary but it can be exacerbated by lifestyle choices. It was called “The King’s Disease” because it’s brought about by diets heavy in meats, spirts, and merrymaking, like the rulers of past. As with our brethren fair Warren we feel no one should reap punishment sewn by the noblest of dietary choices.
Thank you for taking the time to chat with us! Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Love you guys, thanks for having us. Looking forward to hangin’ in Denver. <3
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