Show, Man: “I noticed the effectiveness of my music on crowds when it was obvious that I loved what I did,” says Cali Nation frontman Andrew Nack. “The synergy I’ve experienced from this has been indescribably amazing.”
Police Rasta
Cali Nation molds music out of sticky real-life situations.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
The Salinas P.D. and Cali Nation have a long-standing relationship. And that really hasn’t been a bad thing for the trio: Their biggest hit, “Salinas” – a tongue-in-cheek, Bradley Nowell-esque rock-reggae shout-out to their hood – was inspired by a run-in the group had a few years back. Salinas’ finest cut band practice short. (There’s a second version, “Salinas 2012,” which appears on their most recent, self-titled album.)
“You can call the cops/ If you say that you will/ But let me tell you first/ I got one license to kill.”
There’s not really any humor that can be extracted from Cali Nation’s most recent meeting with the black and blue: About two weeks ago, the pitbull belonging to the outfit’s new drummer, James Moore, was shot dead on a public street by a cop after it escaped from his backyard and attacked another dog. Guitarist/singer Andrew Nack is already plotting the beginnings of a new tune to capture the story in full.
“I think that would definitely make an interesting song,” he says. “Sometimes songs are just delivered to you already written and all you have to do is scribe it out.”
Not all of Cali Nation’s music is influenced by the po-po: The album opener “Lead the Way” is a crockpot of love messages and positivity guided by a drum crash heartbeat that echoes throughout the song. The tune – punky, heavy and thick with Rasta – channels the likes of Bad Brains and Death.
On Saturday, Nack, Moore and bassist Nick Haney perform in their hometown at Casa Sorrento. If for some reason they happen to come face-to-face with their old badge-wearing buddies, they’ll just look at it as another opportunity to scoop up more arresting material.
CALI NATION and RELION perform 9pm Saturday, Feb. 23, at Casa Sorrento, 393 Salinas St., Salinas. $5. 757-2720.
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