The Cadillac Three on Touring Europe: ‘We Have to Go Back’
“It’s all about the South!” goes the chorus to the Cadillac Three‘s biggest hit, a Dixieland anthem that rattles off the names of more than a half-dozen Bible Belt states. But while the trio may be steeped in Southern pride, they also have a major fan base overseas and tour there regularly. Like Kings of Leon before them, they’re poised for their first big break in the U.K. — where they’ve sold out every headlining show for nearly two years — before conquering their U.S. home turf.
“Tom Petty is a huge influence on us,” frontman Jaren Johnston says from a pit stop in South Carolina, where a malfunctioning bus has left the guys temporarily stranded at Buffalo Wild Wings. “We love the way he runs his show and his business. You know, that whole Damn the Torpedoes mindset. The Heartbreakers were gigantic over in Europe before they were a dot on the map here, even in their hometown of Gainesville. It’s cool for us to get to experience that, too. That’s a dream every rock kid has — ‘Man, wouldn’t it be cool to land over in the U.K. and hear ourselves on the radio?’ — and that’s happened for us.”
The Cadillac Three wrapped up an overseas run last week and flew home on November 13th, the same day as the terrorist attacks in Paris, where 89 people were killed at an Eagles of Death Metal concert. (In total, an estimated 129 people died in assaults around the city). Johnston and his bandmates watched the news footage on their tour bus, while heading to a stateside gig in Birmingham, Alabama. With another European tour scheduled to kick off in late January, no one would blame the guys for ringing up their agent and postponing all overseas shows. But Johnston and drummer Neil Mason say they’re committed to making the return trip — and not only in January, but as often as possible. Below, in their own words, they explain why it’s essential that they continue to bring Southern rock to U.K. crowds.
Johnston: We’ve gone overseas six or seven times in the past two years. We went over there the first time and did a headlining show in London, just because we’d heard there was some excitement brewing, and it sold out within a day. Since then, every headlining show we’ve done over there has been sold out. I think people out that way love that Southern rock situation.
Mason: We were actually in London this past weekend. We played the O2 Islington, and it was just us and 800 kids — completely sold out. It was awesome. We got to pop over to Abbey Road the next day and record some songs, too, which was a dream for all of us. Then we came home the same night that the attacks happened.
Johnston: We literally got home, got off the plane, got on a bus and went to Birmingham to play another show. We were watching it happen on the bus. It was crazy, seeing that shit on TV. You’re sitting there, thinking, “Well, shit, man. Why?” It’s such a surreal thing. We were worried about our friends, too. Eagles of Death Metal is one of my favorite bands, man. Julian [Dorio], a good friend from the Whigs, was playing drums for them.