Ready For The Next Step
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When a local band gets to a certain point in its life, the band members have to start to look for ot...When a local band gets to a certain point in its life, the band members have to start to look for other locations to spread their music. Sometimes this leads to self-booked tours and out-of-town shows.
"We’re trying to branch out," said Dave Wernli, Cerca Trova’s bassist. "We have a show coming up in Richmond and we’re trying to get stuff lined up in Baltimore and Philly."
"Our songs sound like other bands," said Wernli. "The songs really remind me of Incubus, Red Hot Chili Peppers or Foo Fighters. They could be like B-Sides.
"Almost all of our songs are completely different. It’s really hard to put us in a genre, I feel," said singer Jordan Waddell.
Drummer Josh Cockrell and Angelo Soares, guitarist, met during their junior year at Chantilly High School and they started what would become Cerca Trova. "We used to be called Second Nature, when we first started out," said Cockrell. "But there were trademark issues. So we changed our name to Cerca Trova."
Cerca Trova means "Seek and you shall find" in Italian, it was also Leonardo DaVinci’s last words.
The members of Cerca Trova don’t take themselves too seriously, they have fun while they make their music. Whether it’s using a megaphone to talk to pedestrians while they on their way to their show, or playing what they call "urban golfing" in the Chantilly area, laughing is a must.
"Whenever we go out for shows, we want to change people’s lives," Cockrell said.
"We want to be the talk at the dinner table," Waddell said.
Waddell and Cockrell got their start in music through Fairfax County Public Schools. Waddell sang in church and a school choir growing up, which is how he met Cockrell. Waddell’s choir director was Cockrell’s father, Glenn Cockrell.
Cockrell also did choir at a younger age. "Once it came time in elementary school to choose an instrument to play," he said. "I picked drums, because I always wanted to play drums. I had little bongo sets when I was a kid."
"I played trombone from fifth grade to 12th grade," said Wernli. "I picked up the bass during my freshmen year. My friends and I were starting a band and they played drum and guitar, so I naturally picked bass."
"When I was little, my dad was in rock bands, he was a drummer, and I just watched him," said Soares. "I would watch him play Jammin’ Java and just admire him. One day, he was playing his Alvarez guitar and I asked him to teach me to play, so he taught me some songs. I played for his band back in the day."
Soares is the only member of Cerca Trova that has not had formal music lessons or performed with a formal group in school.
Wernli joined the band in February, becoming the group’s fourth bassist. Wernli used to play with Soares’ father, Gene Soares. When Cerca Trova needed a bassist, Soares’ father recruited Dave.
ALL FOUR members of the band are involved in the writing process and writing the lyrics. A member doesn’t write a song and tell other members how to play it. Instead, one brings in an idea or a section of a song and, as a band, they shape a song around the idea. Most of the lyrics are about what is happening in a member’s life at the time they write the lyrics.
Though the guys like to make jokes and have fun, they are serious about spreading their music and making Cerca Trova their career. As well as being serious about their music, they also can use their band for a positive means. The band played a Darfur awareness show a couple years ago. Also, their song "Resolution of 1706" is about the situation in Darfur and reminiscent in sound to Rage Against the Machine. "Eventually, we want to give back to the community." Waddell said.
"The whole music thing is easy," he said. "It’s the exposure and the other things that goes with it, that nobody really sees. It’s really hard."
"We’re also looking forward to getting signed," Cockrell said.
"We want to not have to do all the things that we don’t like to do in the business and just play our music," Waddell said.
Band members cited Soares’ mother, Robin Popovich, as being a big help to their band and supporting them. The band is currently looking for a manager to take them to the next level of stardom.
"We’ve been looking forward to finishing our album for the past year," Cockrell said. All of the 14 songs have been recorded and the tracks are just waiting to be mixed and mastered. The full-length release is scheduled to be finished and released sometime this summer. Cerca Trova is planning on playing a release show at Jammin Java in Vienna.
Besides playing surrounding cities such as Richmond, Washington D.C. and Baltimore, Cerca Trova will also be playing at T.T. Reynolds in Fairfax on June 28 and at Jaxx in Springfield on Sept. 30. For concert dates or to listen to Cerca Trova’s music, visit www.myspace.com/cercatrova or www.cercatrovarock.com.
Penseye View Interview
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For those of you from the DC/Virginia area, you may already know about Cerca Trova. Originally known...For those of you from the DC/Virginia area, you may already know about Cerca Trova. Originally known as "Second Nature," the band out of Chantilly finds inspiration from their new title, translated as "seek and you shall find." What exactly is it that Cerca Trova seeks? Well, musical glory, of course! These guys are young, but they are more than hungry for the spotlight - music literally pouring out of each of them: "A lot of our best songs were written in minutes and aren't very thought out in the writing process. They just kind of happen." These songs happen in a fashion unique for most bands. Every member has a part in the songwriting process. The group is also sure to attack a song with minds completely clear, nothing forced or fake. It simply doesn't help in the development of a tune to try and "make" a song sound a certain way. You can sample Cerca Trova's talents on their upcoming debut album, due out later this year. They'll tell you only one word can describe it: EPIC. It's "very eclectic and there is something there for any and everyone."
Cerca Trova strives to make every one of their performances a memorable time. You'll know things are going well if you're having just as much fun as the band. The new album will be released in the spring, and be sure to check the guys out on myspace at www.myspace.com/cercatrovarock or at www.cercatrovarock.com. Jump into the XXQ's.
XXQs: Cerca Trova
PensEyeView (PEV): How and when did the band first come together?
Cerca Trova: Well the band starts in 2005 when Angelo and Josh decided to get together one day and start jamming together. We later found Jordan and our original bassist John Holton. Since then we have lost john and have been playing with tom graham for about a year now.
PEV: Growing up, what kind of music where the band members listening to?
CT: We are all HUGE Incubus fans. We have very diverse tastes and pretty much listen to everything. Lots of Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Rage Against the Machine, Led Zeppelin and 30 Seconds to Mars. But aside from that we listen to any and everything.
PEV: Was there a certain point when music went from hobby to knowing you could do it for a living?
CT: I'm not sure if there was a moment that we all decided that we could do this for a living but I know we couldn't live a full life with out it.
PEV: Tell us about your first live performance as a band. How did it go?
CT: Our first live performance was at a small bar in Centreville, VA. Called Red Rocks Tequila Bar and Grill. It was an open mic type of show. We would play there every Wednesday night for about 6 months before we realized there were more venues out there. We used to have a wonderful time there and have always thought about going back and revisiting the venue.
PEV: From that first time on stage to now, have has your performance style changed, if at all?
CT: YES very much so. When we first started we weren't as exciting to watch... ha. We always had a decent stage presents but in the past 4 years we have always been focused on getting better and it seems like now we are very energetic and the crowd tends to get pretty involved.
PEV: What can fans expect from a live Cerca Trova performance?
CT: FUN! We have fun on stage and I think that transfers to the fans. We also really enjoy the music we play and hope everyone listening does too.
PEV: Tell us about your latest release.
CT: Well we have been in the studio for the past year recording our first full-length album. We have a few demos out but this CD is, EPIC! It's very eclectic and there is something there for any and everyone.
PEV: What can fans expect from your newer works?
CT: They can expect a giant explosion of fresh sounds and new ideas. All of our music is very personal and that is really transferred through the recording and performance.
PEV: How would you describe your musical style and how does it differ from that of other bands out today?
CT: Well, we are for sure a rock band. But there are a lot of different influences in our sound that I don't think is heard very much these days. We have a few songs based on Middle Eastern music. And again we listen to a lot of incubus and we have heard you can hear it in our music. But when we write a song we tend to go into it blindly and don't really like to try to say, "hey, lets make this song sound like this." We really just like to let us sound like us and hope everyone will enjoy it.
PEV: Tell us about life on the road for the band. Best and worst parts?
CT: Being on the road is amazing. Even when its just a short drive to a show and not an over night tour. I honestly don't think any other bands act like we do on the road. There are a lot of crazy noises and we have a megaphone in the van, which results in confused people everywhere. I'm not sure if there is truly a best story of being on the road but the first one that comes to mind was the time when we were in Delaware and almost got arrested for playing guitar on the beach. We ended up just getting small tickets but it was a very funny experience had by all... including the police involved. And aside from the four smelly guys crammed in a van and the getting pulled over part I don't think there is much bad in touring. Its always a wonderful time.
PEV: What's one thing that people would be surprised to hear about the band?
CT: Well... If they don't know us personally already we are always kind of a shock off stage we like to have people go home after seeing us and say to their friends " you wouldn't believe what just happened to me..." which is usually followed by " ...they had a chicken mask". Aside from that we aren't very exciting. But more musically I think people would be surprised to know that a lot of our best songs were written in minutes and aren't very thought out in the writing process. They just kind of happen.
PEV: When you sit down to write music what kind of environment do you surround yourselves in?
CT: Well, a lot of our music starts with a guitar part, which Angelo usually writes at 4am and then brings it to the band the next day. We then take it and write drums vocals and bass around it. A single member of the band usually writes the lyrics for our music. Everyone has a part in the lyric process.
PEV: How have all your friends and family members reacted to your career?
CT: They are all very supportive. Everyone tries to make it out to our shows and sometimes even pitch in for recording and merchandise. We are forever in debut to them for their support and help.
PEV: What has been the most memorable part of the band's career so far?
CT: Playing 9:30 club in DC. That was by far the greatest show of our lives so far. We have worked very hard and to be able to play there is achieving a goal of each and every one of us.
PEV: When you aren't touring or performing what can we find everyone doing in your spare time?
CT: We are usually together. We are all very close friends and spend a lot of time together. We are all also college students at Northern Virginia Community College. PEV: If we were to walk into your houses right now what would be find?
CT: A box of Cerca Trova tee shirts a drum set and a mesa boogie half stack. Then you would probably find us shooting a potato gun in the back yard. Or blowing up aerosol cans... ha we live a charmed life.
PEV: What artists have you not collaborated with yet that you would like to?
CT: Like we said we are all huge Incubus fans. So it would be amazing to play with them, or 30 seconds to mars. But on a more local note there is a band out of Philly we would like to play with called Jealousy Curve if you haven't heard of them check them out sometime.
PEV: Is there an up and coming artist right now you think we should all be looking into?
CT: The whole DC music scene! There are a lot of great bands around here that should be heard!
PEV: What one word best describes Cerca Trova?
CT: EPIC!
PEV: Where will you and your music be in ten years?
CT: Hopefully in someone's ears in some kind of futuristic ten years from now iPod and I'm sure we will still be playing music.
PEV: So, what is next for Cerca Trova?
CT: Well, our album will be released this spring!
For more information on Cerca Trova, check out www.cercatrovarock.com and www.myspace.com/cercatrovarock
supersonic
