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To Play Garden Amp
A Conversation with John Easdale
September 19, 2024 by Traci Turner
It had been about six months since I had spoken to John Easdale of Dramarama, but it always feels like no time has passed. The dude is so easy to talk to and I’m sure we could waste hours chatting, but he does have a life, so I figured we better jump in and get to the big news: Dramarama is headlining The Garden Amp next week and you need to be there!
Easdale and Dramarama became a part of our lives thanks to “Anything, Anything (I’ll Give You),” “Haven’t Got a Clue,” “What Are We Gonna Do?,” and “Last Cigarette,” but remain in our world thanks to all the releases since, including 2020’s “Color TV.”
They never phone in their live performances, so you are assured an awesome show anytime they are around.
They spent this summer doing the Lost 80’s Live California Takeover, which took them all up and down the state. I asked how it went and Easdale said, “It was just nice to see old friends and get closer to some people. It’s almost like a high school reunion; a lot of the same people and a lot of the same artists. And it’s just fun to get up and play in some of those places, big stages, big crowds.”
Dramarama will get back together with one of those Lost 80’s bands, Oingo Boingo Former Members, on October 27th for the Locals & Legends Halloween Concert in Redondo Beach. “We did something there last year, too,” he explained. “It’s a big fun party. It’s really cool. That’ll be good to do again.”
But, we can’t wait that long… and thankfully, we don’t have to! “We have our first Dramarama, just Dramarama show in California in a while, so really looking forward to that at The Garden Amp,” he said.
“You will have some other bands joining you, too,” I inquired. “Yes, a couple of tribute bands. In the last few years, tribute bands have really taken over,” he explained. “You look at all the nightclubs and almost everyone, at least half of their lineup is tribute bands. I guess people show up; they really like to see the music of the bands that they really like.”
Recently, Easdale visited KROQ to perform acoustic, and while it was amazing, the full band – Mark Englert, Mike Davis, Peter Wood, and Tony Snow – will be on hand for the September 27th show. I asked if it would be a particular album or setlist and Easdale told me, “We don’t usually follow a setlist. I just throw them out there, and we’ve been playing together so long that we can do that.”
He continued, “Earlier this year, we did do a show where we played all of our albums on vinyl. We had to follow a list, actually. Even then, I almost messed up because I don’t remember the exact order of the songs. But for the most part, we’re very spur the moment. Maybe before we go on, I’ll say, ‘Okay, these are going to be the first three songs’ or something. But then after that, we’ll just play it by ear, and then I just call them out. Sometimes, most of the time, they don’t know what we’re going to play until I say it on the microphone. It’s like, ‘Okay, this next one’s called, blah, blah, blah.’ They have got to be ready. But luckily, they are all really great. We’re all really tight. The newest guys have been playing with me for over 25 years.” I chuckled and asked, “Only 25 years?” He laughed as well and said, “I know. They’re green. They’re newcomers.”
Dramarama already has dates for 2025 on their calendar and I remarked that he is a busy dude. Easdale was thoughtful and said, “Well, it’s nice to be. We started the band more than 42 years ago, and actually, we started working together and recording my songs more like 44 years ago.” He went on, “We started in the basement and doing recordings before we ever played live. So yeah, it’s a long time. The same three guys, we graduated high school together, and it’s still the three of us when we get up on stage. For me, it seems like a miracle because I know a lot of bands don’t have that shelf life. We’re very lucky.”
I pointed out that they still sound incredible, which is hard for many bands with that many decades behind them, and Easdale told me, “We’re still having fun and we’re still excited about it, and hopefully, as soon as it stops being fun or as soon as we stop being decent, then we’ll probably hang it up.”
He went on, “But we are still, hopefully, we’re still… Actually, honestly, I think we’re a better band now than we were. I guess practice makes perfect. But also, I think we have a better attitude about performing. We think about the people who come to the shows rather than being real selfish, or at least I am. I used to be a selfish, drunk fool. If I felt like drinking and stumbling around, that’s what you got. I have a much better attitude now and a lot more respect for the people that come to see us, I hope.”
“You grew up!” I joked and Easdale laughed with me, “Yeah, maybe!” He continued, “I certainly hope so. Someone said to me once, ‘Oh, so you’re an entertainer?’ And I was like, ‘What? No, wait a minute. I am an entertainer!’ And it just changed my entire attitude about what I did.”
As they have been around four decades, I asked if they had fans he knew from the early days bringing their kids to shows now. “Oh, absolutely!” he exclaimed. “There’s people that I’ve become friends with and have them over to the house for the Christmas party! That started out as people who came to see us play or whatever. Yeah, it’s remarkable. It really is. Obviously, it all starts with that one song, which people who don’t even know any of our other songs know that song. I think that gets kids in the door, too, and parents bring their kids. I’m always just thrilled by that.”
Whether you are an original fan or the child of a fan, or even an adult who discovered Dramarama recently, you need to see them September 27th at The Garden Amp.
A whole set of Dramarama, tribute sets of Stone Temple Pilots and The Cult, and the nicest man in rock music.
Just in case you need more Dramarama, you can catch them October 25th at Pechenga Casino with Oingo Boingo Former Members, English Beat and The Untouchables. The next day October 26th they will play Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay with Oingo Boingo Former Members, General Public, Bow Wow Wow, and The Untouchables.
If you need even more Easdale, catch them at The Canyon Club in Agoura Hills on December 27th, then at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano on December 28th. Finally, a post New Year’s show at The Canyon Club in Montclair on January 4th, 2025!
As always, many thanks to John Easdale and Dramarama!
TO FOLLOW
SID 240923 | JIMMY ALVAREZ | EDITOR
