Q: Your new album is titled “Highway Hymns” and has been out since July 13, 2012. How did you come up with the name?
RCR: We named the album that because we spend a lot of time on highways while touring, and the highway is always with us. At the same time, during these long drives, we often come up with ideas that we can later use as the basis for a new song or a new lyric. Sometimes it even happens that one person drives with one hand while holding a dictaphone with the other because a lyric comes to mind and needs to be captured.
By the end of the tour, we always have a big pile of notes.
At home, we then build songs from that.
Q: I think your album is a good evolution compared to your previous albums. How do you see it?
RCR: There is some truth to the fact that we have taken a step forward with this album. The last album feels a bit too poppy in hindsight. After the last album, there were some lineup changes. So we had to get to know each other again and learn how the others tick.
However, it must be said that “Highway Hymns” would not have come about without this process.
Q: How do you see the political situation in the USA? Does Obama have a chance to become president a second time?
RCR: Does he have a chance? Does he need a chance?
Romney is so terrible that he poses no competition for Obama.
We do think about politics, but it really doesn't matter who is in power. Obama hasn't changed much, and whether he will do so in a second term is questionable.
Q: You live in San Diego. San Diego is right on the border with Mexico. What is the situation in San Diego? How are Mexicans treated?
RCR: Many Mexicans work in San Diego. Many people from San Diego work in Mexico and go over to shop or party. It’s actually a large city, and there’s a border in between, but it doesn’t really separate this large city. Mexico is a big part of our culture.
However, it’s not a river that forms a border but border facilities, walls, and fences. Where the river forms the border, many Mexicans try to cross it to get to California.
In San Diego, many families live partly in Mexico and partly in the USA. It’s a large region. It’s a special situation for us that cannot be compared to the normal situation in the USA.
Q: Are there racists in San Diego and people who hate foreigners, especially Mexicans?
RCR: We have hardly seen such people so far. There are people from the USA who are terrible, and there are Mexicans who are terrible. It doesn’t matter where you come from. If you’re terrible, you’re terrible.
Southern California is a melting pot; it always has been. Different people and cultures have existed side by side for a long time.
Skin color is not a reason to dislike someone.
Q: Today is the last concert of your month-long European tour. How was the tour? Were there any special highlights?
RCR: This was the best tour we have ever played! The tour was fantastic and unfortunately went by way too quickly. We got along great with many bands, exchanged shirts, and had a really good time. We played with GBH. That was fantastic! We played before Rancid. That was great!
We played at large festivals in front of more people than ever before. The audience enjoyed it. We were received well everywhere and had a lot of fun.
We always had a great team; everything went smoothly. Whether it was the technicians, our drivers, or our merchandise sellers, everything ran like clockwork. It was truly fantastic all around! We always had professional people around us.
And hey, we had a lot of fun with GBH after their gig in the backstage. What more could you want?
Q: Do you particularly like a country or a club in Europe?
RCR: Wild at Heart is our favorite bar! Wild at Heart is absolutely the best club in the world. Here at Wild at Heart is our second home!
Since we started coming to Europe to play, we have always played at Wild at Heart. We have always been well received here, and we have always felt completely comfortable.
But we also really like the Czech Republic. The Cross Club in Prague is great; we like it there a lot too.
On this tour, we were also in England and played at the Rebellion Festival. That was insane, but of course, it can’t be compared to a club.
Q: Are there differences between clubs in Europe and the USA?
RCR: Yes, absolutely. There are many massive differences!
Our experiences in England reminded us of the USA. It’s also difficult in England, just like in the USA.
When you play in Europe, you always get something to eat in the clubs. The club or the promoter takes care of proper accommodations. You also get a few drinks. The people in the technical crew are usually good. It’s fun to play here in Europe.
When you play in the USA, you have to take care of your own food. You might get two free drinks, if at all. You have to arrange your own accommodations. The club never does that!
Touring in Europe is much easier compared to touring in the USA. As a band, you just have to go to Europe if you want to play live! In the USA, it’s very exhausting. It costs a lot of nerves and a lot of time.
Q: Do you play a lot in the USA?
RCR: In the past, we have toured in the USA. However, we mostly play on the West Coast and a lot around San Diego.
Maybe we will tour the USA again next year. Touring the USA requires a lot of lead time for planning and organization. The USA is also just very large, so the distances are greater, which doesn’t make planning any easier. If you really want to play every day, it’s very hard because almost everywhere, the days from Monday to Thursday are bad for live concerts. Hardly anyone comes to your shows, and there are few clubs that let you play during the week. In the bigger cities, Thursday is also okay, but generally, only Friday and Saturday are good for concerts. When we tour in the USA, it’s best to use the time from Monday to Thursday for driving. You then have 3-4 days a week without a gig. That’s just dead time, and if you’re on the road for a month, it’s hardly worth it.
Q: In Europe, you usually play long tours with few off-days. So you are almost constantly together in a small space. How do you manage to avoid conflicts?
RCR: Well, we are all good friends. We laugh a lot. On the bus, we often watch movies and can relax well. When we have a bit more time in a place or are not busy before the show, it often happens that we spread out in all directions, go for walks, meet friends just to see some different faces. You also have time for yourself on tour, but of course, it’s the band you spend the most time with.
Q: Today, your show is being recorded live. Are you planning a live album, or why are you recording your show live today?
RCR: The idea came from our label Knock Out. They thought it would be good to have some live recordings as well. Many bands have recorded here at Wild at Heart. The bands were all very satisfied. We feel comfortable here and know that the crew works well and that the technical setup is good. Everyone here knows what they are doing. So it makes sense to record a concert live here.
Whether we will make a live album from it, we don’t know yet. Maybe we will take a few songs from tonight to include them on compilation CDs from fanzines, or we might do something on vinyl, maybe a single. We have some ideas about what we could do with the songs. Let’s see what can be realized.
It’s not just a live recording. It’s a memory of a great evening in one of the best clubs we know with great people. That’s of course also personally nice for us.
It’s almost redundant to say that the gig of the band from San Diego was a blast. The band has become musically even better in its current lineup and plays perfectly together. The audience, which eagerly awaited the band, gave the evening the enthusiasm needed to enjoy a very special performance by RAT CITY RIOT. Live, the band is worth seeing and experiencing, so the recommendation can only be;
If RAT CITY RIOT plays in your city, go and let yourself be thrilled. You won’t regret it!
