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Cleveland’s Viva Caramel came together in the fall of 1997.  Guitarists/vocalists Brian Noga and Brian Strazek had played together in a band called Grain for about 4 years prior to forming VC.  The current line-up is rounded out by Matt Charboneau on bass and Jeffery Ottenbacher on drums.  Some folks call it indie rock, some folks call it post punk, but I’d just say they play some of the best straight up rock you’re likely to come across anywhere.  I wanted to know more about the band, and guitarist Brian Strazek (with a little assistance from Brian Noga) was happy to oblige via email.

Utter Trash:Why Viva Caramel?  Why not Viva Chocolate or Viva Peanut Butter?
Brian Strazek:  Umm, why not Utter Garbage?
[UT:  Ask a stupid question...]

UT:  I know you guys are usually referred to as "indie rock" or "post punk", but I've never found those terms particularly satisfying.  How would you describe your sound?
BS:  Well, we really have always considered ourselves a rock band.  I agree that those terms aren’t really that satisfying at all.  We have played with a lot of bands that are really content with being labeled like that, but really I don’t mind it either way.  When people that I work with who honestly could give a shit about it ask, I just say it’s loud rock and roll, really.  I think we really don’t get swept up in the Indie thing, we just play and write songs that we are happy with.  We all come from very DIY backgrounds, since we were teenagers putting on shows, touring, putting out records, etc.  It’s never really been a matter of ideals for me, it’s just the way it happened and the way that I feel comfortable, and to a certain extent it’s been by default

UT:  How did you hook up with your record label?  Did you follow the old school path of gigging around Cleveland and building up a following, or did you just cut to the chase and start sending demos out early on?
BS:  We were playing and touring for 5 ½ years before this record came out.  The people that run Molecular Laboratories are in a band from Maryland called Miss Lonelyheart.  Our friends The Braille Drivers from Morgantown were on the label, too.  We all played together about 4yrs ago and we all just hit it off right away.  

UT:  How much out of town touring do you do?  Do you find you get a better reception at home or out of town?
BS:  We go out of town as much as we can.  It depends on the show, but generally playing out of town is pretty good for us.  We try to go out 2-3 times a year for about 9 day stretches, and we are going to try and do more weekends out of town.  We get better receptions in Cleveland.

UT:  Do you write songs together as a band, each bring ideas to the group separately and work them out, or is there one main songwriter in the group?
BS:  We all write the songs.  Noga and I write quite a bit on our own and just bring it in, but it gets worked out with Matt and Jeff who are really great songwriters themselves.  So I feel really confident that my half-assed ideas will turn into something when I bring them in to those guys.

UT:  Besides the usual musical influences, what sorts of things inspire you as musicians?
BS:  I’m inspired by books and hearing other people’s conversations.  For along time I felt like I had a problem.  I’d be on the bus, or at the grocery store, and in my head I was collecting all these conversations.  I really didn’t know why, but they were working their way into songs without me really knowing.  Also just playing with friends and having fun.  I really feel lucky that we all met because we just are really good friends that care a lot about each other.  So I think that there is a sense of family that’s really empowering. Over the years we learned to take the trials and tribulations of being in a band in stride and just enjoy writing songs.  After a while, it really just becomes a huge part of your life that becomes sort of automatic with no agenda and no ego.  It just comes together and happens.

UT:  What's been your most enjoyable or interesting gig so far?  What's been your worst?
BS:  I think the shows at Speak in Tongues were some of the most enjoyable for me, and playing Studio–A-Rama with Guided by Voices was a highlight.  We’ve played Goth Bars in Buffalo with top 40 bands and a room full of their fans, and I believe we were asked to play in Philadelphia just to test out the electricity (worked fine).  We played a place called Siberia in NYC and the toilets all backed up, so we played standing in urine and feces. The girl in the band after us broke a string and started crying.  It was a little rough.

UT:  I'd guess from "A.R.C" you guys are not exactly hardcore sports fans.  Do you think our culture rewards athletic ability and mindless conformity over intelligence?
Brian Noga:  For anyone to be able to do what they love for a living is great.  It's just sad that in this city, as in most, more money is spent on entertainment than on education.  But a song can be interpreted many ways, can't it?
Brian Strazek:  It is sad and I agree, but when I first heard the lyrics I didn’t really think about the state of economics in Cleveland.  I don’t think problems like that are specific to Cleveland, and the song never struck me as a “protest song”.  A lot of writers have really picked up on that, but I’ve always just seen it as a commentary on the current state of the media and how priorities have shifted.  It’s very matter of fact, to me at least. 

UT:  On the last song on your CD, you ask the musical question, "Do you even know why you still love rock 'n' roll?"  Why do YOU still love rock 'n' roll, or do you?
BS:  I’m fond of the rock.  It keeps me going, it helps me out, it gets me in trouble, blah blah blah.

UT:  Anything I didn't ask about that you want to comment on?
BS:  Thanks for the interview; it’s nice to have a good publication out there.  Keep up the good work

Visit the Viva Caramel website.