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Interview - Cary Judd
 Cary Judd was born and raised just north of Los Angeles in Thousand Oaks, California, the second-to-youngest in a large family with whom he is still close to today. He began studying music as a teenager and decided then that music was what he wanted to do for a living.
And that decision never wavered, and, because of that, Cary has been labeled as one of the hardest-working and most-requested musicians on the college circuit. His fan following is huge, and he is touring constantly. Cary's music is a mix of pop, folk and alternative. Watching him play will be one of the most unique experiences of your life. His shows are inventive, unique and filled with raw emotion. And the way he controls the loop machine, effect pedals, sequencers and his acoustic guitar brings the music alive. Using these instrumental tools, Cary produces a incredible sound which is done live in front of the audience; it is something cool to watch.
In a time when rock stars are in the news for their latest drug bust or drunken tirade, Cary is quietly doing what he loves best without all the Hollywood crap. He is on the road, playing his music and interacting with fans. And when the show is over, he goes home to his family and friends, who keep him real. He is honestly a rare man among musicians who cares more for integrity and the quality of his music then getting a million-dollar record deal. Cary makes his home in Wyoming, and is currently working on his third album due out this August.
Recently LLH sat down with Cary to discus his life as a musician, how he started his own music label (China Mountain Records) and why he hates being called a one-man-band. Introducing Cary Judd.
LLH: So Cary, how did you become a musician? What's your story?
When I was thirteen years old, I was at a garage sale in the neighborhood, and they had a guitar for sale and I didn’t have any money but they wanted to get rid of it. And they told me that if it hadn't sold by the end of the day, that I could have it for free. That's how I got my first guitar. And then I started taking lessons the summer after that. I only took lessons for 6 to 8 months and then quit and learned the rest on my own.
So you are self taught?
For the most part, yea. I learned the basics from a teacher.
What do you like best about performing live?
I think my favorite thing is afterwards, if someone comes up to me and some song impacted them someway. There's a look that certain people give you, I can’t even explain it, but it's like: "That one song you played was really, really good." And what they are really saying is that that song completely related to them and where they are in their life now. So it's just making that impact and completely relating to that stranger — like we are friends.
Do you like performing or recording better?
You know I think I like them about equal because when I play live, I am kind of recording because I do all the loops and layers and stuff. And I like the interaction with the audience and stuff, but I also like the experimentation in the studio, so it’s probably pretty equal. I mean, I get burned out on touring, so it’s exciting to go back home and start recording again and vice versa. It’s just one of those things, I think with anything you do that has different aspects to it, it’s cool because when you get burned out on tour, you can just go focus on recording for a while and that’s what I am doing right now.
This is your third album coming up?
Yea it’s my third solo album. It comes out in August.
What do you like best about owning your own label and why did you do that?
I just think that the business model of the music industry has changed, and I don’t mean this in a cynical way, but the major labels' model just isn’t really working anymore. With mp3s and downloads, people aren’t selling physical records like they use to. So, let’s just put it this way, I have had six or seven guy friends that were signed to major labels and only one has actually come up ahead and making decent money. And lots of times they trade off creative control, and for me the goal with music isn’t to get a big record deal, I don’t really care about that. I just want to be able to make music on my own terms and help other people do the same thing. So that’s what I like about my label: the freedom to do what I want, when I want.
How long have you had your label now?
I just started it [China Mountain Records] up this past summer [summer of 2007] and we just signed our first artist, Asher in the Rye aka Ashley House.
How hard is it for someone else to make their own label?
Honestly, it is really hard to do. You have to become established first. I mean, it has only been in the last two years that this has become my job. It’s my whole living. And so I was getting to the point where it is cruising on its own and I was looking for a way to step it up. My brother is actually partnered with me on the label, and we just heard Ashley and signed her. As far as starting your own label, you have to have some sort of connection, some sort of grounding in the music industry. I don’t think you can be like, "Hey, I want to start a label," and then buy the book on how to start a label. It is a big thing. And it comes with experience and doing it: booking shows and doing tours on your own.
What other musicians influence you the most?
The Cure was a huge influence on me; I have listened to them since I was like 13 years old. And I have noticed lately how much classical music has influenced me. I mean, I love anything that has string sounds on it. I think lyrically, Bob Dillon or Bright Eyes, who else? David Wilcox, which is kind of an unlikely parallel, because he is a contemporary folk singer. Just artists who tell stories in their songs and have just clever moments. I just like stuff like that a lot.
When it comes to writing music, do you like doing the lyrics part first or do you like doing the music?
I like doing it all. With the lyrics, I get a little more intimidated because you don’t want to come off as corny or cheesy ever. So lyrics are intimidating but I like doing them like once. I’m more satisfied when I write good lyrics than when I write good music.
Do you worry about sharing too much of yourself?
Yeah, like in part of my show I will tell certain stories but there are certain songs I just don’t tell the stories to and sometimes people ask, and I just keep it to myself.
What is the biggest inspiration behind your music?
This might sound trite, but just life influences. I am not good at writing about something I haven’t experienced.
Do you take all your lyrics from your own life or from family and friends as well?
Both, it's both.
How do you write your music? Does it come together; lyrics and music or separately?
It is either both at the same time or it is music first, where I will have a musical part and a melody to go to it, and then lyrics just fall into place, but most of it comes at the same time.
 So I noticed that you no longer have a band. So what happened there and how did you end up being a one-man-band?
First of all, the term "one-man-band" makes me cry. I hate that term. No, it just came down to people’s willingness and commitment level. I just wanted to tour but didn’t just want to be another guy with a guitar, so that’s when I started implementing the pedal board and playing the drums myself, and that’s kind of how it came together.
I think it was very inventive, personally.
Thank you. It was born out of necessity cause how many guys sit in the corner in a coffee shop and strum.
How has the technology, like Facebook and Myspace, influenced the way you’re making and producing music?
It’s huge as far a promoting music. Like that’s the reason that, like 10 years ago or 12 years ago a site called mp3.com, where people were able to upload and download music, music companies started to tank in record sales, and it came time for people to reinvent how music was to be traded and sold. For someone on my level it means everything. I mean, I can become friends with people in a town I have never been to and I mean and make a show come out of it. There is no way I could have toured before the internet.
Has it changed the way you produce your music?
No, not really. Everyone is on Myspace and Facebook now. I have family members who are 45 and on Myspace. People go on there for different reasons, and it is just such a common thread now. Everyone’s got it.
What do you classify your music as?
It’s just pop music, I don’t know. It’s not Celine Dion, but it's not some holy reverend indie rock like Fake Chestnut, you know. It’s just music. And that’s the thing: I think every artist cringes when they are asked for genre classification. I just don’t think there is anyone that can’t relate to it, there should be something in there for everyone. When I first started, I was playing in a coffee shop in Thousand Oaks, California, and I would have the 12-year-old emo kids come up and buy it, and then their soccer moms would show up and buy a CD. So it’s like relatable to everyone. I think there is a message in the song or at least I hope there is.
Do you have a favorite song you have written so far?
"Sarah." It always happens to be whatever is newest, and that one is the newest right now.
Any road trip rituals?
Um, mostly when I am up late at night driving, I just smoke crack and that keeps me up. No, I am just kidding. I don’t smoke crack, and I don’t recommend it to anyone. Road rituals, (thinking) I don’t necessarily have any rituals when I tour. But there are certain things, like certain places that if I don’t go to while out on tour, I don’t feel like it was complete. Like I have a group of friends in central Illinois that I always go see, I have a group of friends in Pittsburg I always go see, and a group of friends in Denver. I feel like if I don’t see certain people on the tour then the tour wasn’t complete. I don’t know if that qualifies as a ritual, but that’s what I do.
So your rituals involve friendships?
Yeah, this is the best part about being on the road. The cool thing too is that in a 3 or 4-month period, while I am touring, I will see all of my immediate family. Like my parents and my siblings. It’s really nice.
Check out Cary Judd's Myspace »
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