Sister - Interview

Interview with Sister drummer Cari Crow

Adam - You have just released your new album ‘Stand up, Forward, March!’ what has the response been from the fans?

CC - It has been really good overall. The album has received great reviews and our fans seem to like it. Hopefully others will do the same. Adam - Did you aim to try anything different on this album to what you have done in the past? CC - We put a lot of effort in the songwriting on this one, worked with a producer all the way and really focused on creating a great album. We didn't rush. Adam - You are currently rounding off the ‘Destination Dust’ tour. What has been the stand out show so far? CC - We had a great weekend in the middle of the tour in Switzerland and Italy. Those were two great gigs. Adam - What is the worst part of being in a band and what bad habits have you picked up whilst on the road? CC - Bad habits on the road is like.. Drinking too many beers and eating too many sandwiches. But I'm not gonna complain! I mean, we are doing this because we love it. It's hard work all the time, harder than most people think but it's all worth it and that's why were still doing it. It's a feeling of never being satisfied that follows you and I hate it sometimes. I wish I just could be happy and take things easy and slow, but there's some kind of feeling inside that keep's saying "Okay, now this is done, let's move on to the next step" It's a curse, but it's keeping me creative. Adam - Why did you choose the name Sister? CC - As a huge W.A.S.P. and Crüe fan I read about Blackie and Nikki playing in a band called Sister that never really did that much except for some demo recordings. I just saw this vision of how I imagined that band to be and felt like.. I'm gonna create that band myself.. This was years before the internet took over everything and when you'd actually have to read and search for stuff that now is just one google away. Adam - Martin Sweet officially joined the band at the start of the year, how has he settled into the Sister line-up and what does he bring differently to the band? CC - Martin fits in perfect, he's a good friend of ours and a great musician it's good to have someone from "the outside" to add his thoughts and experiences to the band. Now he's one of us and just made us stronger. Adam - What is your favourite country to travel to for shows and why? CC - There are many great places in Europe. We're still searching for the best! Adam - What is the best and worst thing about the Swedish music scene? CC - The best thing is that there are so many great bands out there, the Swedish hard rock scene is really amazing. The worst thing is that other part.. The fans! Haha, sometimes it feels like everyone is playing in a band but there's no one out there to see them. Adam - How do shows over there compare to UK shows? CC - It's hard to tell. We really like the UK and we are looking forward to be back in 2017. Adam - Do the recent terror attacks make you feel like you are limited to where you want to play shows, in fear of your safety? CC - As we travel in many of the big cities around Europe and UK of course we think about it. On this run we played Paris where people still were afraid to go out to live concerts. It's a shame, but totally understandable. We left Berlin just two days before that attack. We see it, hear it and think about it but what can we do? Being in Stockholm is also a risk, we've had that kind of shit here as well. But is it better to stay in one place than to move around? I don't know and it doesn't matter how much we think about it. I hate it and I wish it would end. Adam - What has been the hardest part of band life so far? CC - We've had some lineup changes and in every lineup I think, hope and feel that this is the way it's gonna be forever. But then, when someone wants to leave the band, It's always hard and it feels like everything is over. But so far we've managed to come back even stronger every time and we have grown as both individuals and as a band.

We also lost our manager in a tragic accident a couple of years ago, that was extremely sad and a very strange thing to be a part of.

Adam - What are your main influences in music and what made you want to start a band in the first place? CC - Kiss is a favourite for all of us. I saw them live in 1996 for the first time and that's where it all started. Adam - What is the best piece of advice you have been given about your music career? CC - To focus on your thing and keep on working and getting better. That it's better to build a solid ground and a fan base from the start than to get some kind of one hit wonder career.

Adam - And the worst? CC - "When are you going to grow up" "Life isn't just about having fun" and "why would your band succeed, there are so many bands out there anyway" bla bla bla... Listen to that and you'll never get anywhere.

Adam - What can fans expect from you this year?

CC - Live shows and hopefully some new recordings, not a new album but maybe some live stuff or unreleased songs. Adam - What was the most fun part about recording your new album? CC - That we didn't have a toilet in the studio.. It led to some outdoor adventures. Adam - What was the worst thing about being in the studio? CC - I think it's fun to write stuff, rehearse new songs, play live and hear the result's of being in the studio, but the actual recording sucks. To me there's absolutely no rock n' roll with sitting in the studio take 1, take 2, take 3.. Doing every part exactly the same over and over again, and playing to this annoying metronome shit. I don't like it at all. It's fun before and after. Adam - How do you feel your sound has evolved since you first started out as a band? CC - Darker and heavier I guess. Adam - What has been the hardest decision you have ever had to make as a band? CC - The band has one goal, to get bigger and better. We just move on and give it all we have. The hard decisions come within the other part of your life with the everyday life, family, friends etc. Those are the hard ones. Adam - Do you ever get the urge to experiment on your tracks with things you’ve never tried before? CC - Yes, absolutely. We've experimented a lot on this album. We had plenty of songs that didn't make it to this album that was insane. Adam - What has been your favourite show to play to date, and why?

CC - It's hard to tell. Sonisphere Festival in Madrid was huge of course. But sometimes a random sweaty club in the middle of nowhere beats that. It depends on how we feel as a band and the response from the audience. Adam - Do you have any pre-show rituals that you do before any gigs? CC - Nah, high fives and whiskey shots is enough for us. Adam - What’s the best prank you’ve played on another band, or band-mate? CC - Sister and Crashdiet was on tour. Crashdiet had a dancer with them to perform during one song. On the last gig of the tour, some of us took off our clothes with paper bags over our heads and sneaked out and joined the dancer on stage. Adam - What is the weirdest thing you have been given or told by a fan? CC - I wish I could remember all the crazy stuff. Adam - And to finish up with, with growing fear that a zombie apocalypse may one day happen we are asking all bands what their ultimate survival plan is for surviving the un-dead?! CC - I would just put my makeup on and walk out, they would think I'm one of them. You can check SISTER out here: Facebook// Website