Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.
Sam Doniger – Vocals, Guitar
Ben Zelico – Drums
Jack Gallagher – Bass, BG Vocals
For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to Calamity The Kid? How long has the band been around?
Jack and I (Sam) met when we were 13. We were put on the same little league baseball team. Jack, Ben and I all played in many different bands in the LA scene throughout high school so we all knew of each other.
What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?
We like cowboys. No previous names. This is a new band.
Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?
I write all the songs for the band. Our songs are about what it’s like to be a teenager or young adult today. The world is very different today than it was 30, 20 even 5 years ago and being a kid today is very different from being a kid in any other decade. There’s an acknowledgment of that fact among my generation. It creates a lot of frustration I think.
What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?
I think we see ourselves as continuing the tradition of music that Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Dylan championed. I look to them for the urgency to write songs. That said, I think the most interesting music today isn’t rock. So it’s hard to not be inspired by Kendrick, Vince Staples, Lorde. They all have unique voices and production that are somehow modern and timeless.
Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?
My mom bought me Appetite for Destruction when I was 12. It was all downhill ever since. That’s why we named the label we started SRY MOM. It’s my never-ending apology.
What do you do to prepare for a show?
Depends on the day of week.
What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?
All of the love we’ve been getting from LA blogs and websites. In particular Kevin Bronson. It’s just such a wild feeling to see or hear yourself on the blog or radio station that is such a huge part of your life.
If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
Nine Inch Nails in the 90s. That crowd must have been amazing.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
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