Interviewed by Grace Dunn
for Pow Magazine: January 5, 2017
G – Cat Scan just formed this year, but you have been playing in various projects beforehand. What was the inspiration for the name Cat Scan?
David – Cats can but can we?
Quincy – Rock Paper Scissors
Jeff – I was out of the country
Ian – I think medical puns are cool
G – Quincy, you were in one other project when I met you (Future Shoxxx) and currently in another (The Bomb). Can you let us in on your previous background with music that has led up to this point?
Quincy – I don’t have much of a background playing in bands, only for the last 3 years I’ve played out in projects. Future Shoxxx, The Bomb, Cat Scan, filling in on bass once for Winter and filling in on bass for a tour with SadGirl. However when I was little I always had an interest in music. I was really into video games and loved the soundtracks. My parents got me a keyboard for Christmas one year, and I spent a lot of time playing Ocarina of Time, Star Fox, Street Fighter, Super Smash Bros, Mario 64, etc. and then locking myself up in my room with my keyboard trying to learn how to play the music from those games. That got me into a lot of Prauge, Kraut rock, experimental synth stuff, and mathy stuff. Around the same time I also became interested in punk and hardcore, which sparked my interest in learning new instruments, so in school I tried playing saxophone, double bass, and drums. However my family moved around so much that nothing other than keyboard really stuck, and I was always very shy about playing in front of people. A month or so after I moved to Los Angeles 3 years ago I was asked to play bass in a band and thought, “Fuck it, let’s see how it goes.” Which led me later to play in Future Shoxxx, then The Bomb, and ultimately form Cat Scan with David, Jeff, and Ian.
G – David, you gave us great insight with your photography over the years that led us to powerhouse bands like The Schizophonics. You just finished touring the UK with them. What is your best vivid memory/lesson from that tour?
David – I try to soak in as much as I can when exposed to new cultures and regions so being on the road is a prize in itself. We were lucky to be touring with a group of musicians who have been doing this for a number of decades and really knew the ropes so I took heavy note from them. Their emphasis on putting the show before everything else and leaving 100% of what they had on stage is what I’ll hold on to most.
G: Considering your music style/inspiration, if you could have a conversation with Su Tissue McLane (Suburban Lawns), what would you ask her?
David- A cashier at the grocery store I go to says she’s good friends with her. I’m curious to find out if that’s true.
Quincy-”Hi, how are you? How’s your day going? Your outfits are on point. Always.”
G – Did you get around to your Favorite albums of 2017 list? (Each member)
David – Thawing Dawn by Andrew Savage
Quincy – Pools by Prettiest Eyes and First World Record by The World.
Jeff – Orc by Oh Sees
Ian – nick hakim green twins
G – Studio talks: Are you all currently working on recording material for an EP or full length next year?
David – Slowly but surely
Quincy – YES!
Jeff – Yeah
Ian- yeah we are writing and recording
G – You’ve all been so busy and productive booking shows. Sleep hardly exists in your agenda I suppose. What is the craziest vision under sleep deprivation that you have had? What would the soundtrack be?
David – Haven’t had many visions but Don’t Dream it’s Over by Crowded House was playing in a Lyft recently and it made me cry.
Quincy – I was once so sleep deprived and overworked, that when I tried to finally nap I began having one of those half asleep half awake stress dreams. In the dream I was calling my boyfriend to tell him we were supposed to play a show together, but that I was stuck in space trying to make it to sound check but wasn’t able to do anything except just float around and that I needed a ride. I also broke some unfortunate news that I had borrowed his car without permission and lost it in the woods, and that I fucked up and was very sorry. I woke up so panicked and foggy that I began writing a message apologizing profusely for missing soundcheck and for losing his car, only to realize seconds later I was dreaming. Soundtrack for that dream would be Vintage Romance by 18 Carat Affair, because nothing is funnier than telling your boyfriend you’re stuck floating in space and lost his car in the woods with some Vaporwave in the background.
Jeff – One recent morning I was on my way to work and suddenly I just completely forgot where I was. Marbles were totally lost and I was floating in unfamiliar seas. A few deep breaths and a couple minutes later things started to make sense again. Someone told me it was caused by lack of sleep. I was probably listening to Cass McCombs or something.
Ian- I was driving to work real early on no sleep after a crazy show with a lot of our friends and the news was on and it was super dark and weird and I was so out of it I thought the world was actually ending but at least the show was fun.
>>>> Cat Scan play The Continental Room in Fullerton – Monday, January 29 (9PM) with Traps PS and MELTED!!
