Interviews: RAHWAY

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the  Heavy Rock band, RAHWAY, from the USA. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that?

Chigger: Well actually, the Cardenas brothers can speak to this story better, but from what I was told, some guy named Steven Tyler named the band. The band, known as Sun, at the time was recording with producer Jack Douglas, who also produced Aerosmith. The legend says that Jack played Steven Tyler a few of the songs and he like the tracks. He asked who it was, and Jack told him Sun. Steven Tyler thought the name was horrible and asked where the band was from. Jack told him the band was from Rahway, NJ. Steven told him that they should name the band Rahway, and so goes the legend of Rahway.

David Cardenas: Basically we were working with Jack Douglas (Aerosmith, Cheap Trick, Lennon Fame) at the time, he brought us up I'm conversation with Steven Tyler, whom thought the band name at the time was stupid, then asked where we were from Jack said Rahway NJ.

Steve Cardenas: Yeah, so shhh, don't tell him, he may want money for the copyrights, but Steven Tyler did come up with the name in a conversation with Jack Douglas, so we just ran with it. 

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Nick Hade: I like rock music and it helps as an outlet for emotions.

Chigger: Dave (guitarist), Steve (drummer) and I grew up listening to the same type of music like Motley Crue, Kiss, Led Zeppelin, Skid Row, Guns ‘N’ Roses and Aerosmith. Nick, our singer, grew up listening to a totally different genre, but our style of raw rock ‘n’ roll just makes sense when the four of us are together.

David: Me personally I don't consider it a genre. To me it's just kind of what comes out, never said to myself, hey, I'm going to write like this today. Just roll with it. 

Steve: I always felt that being in the area of music that we're in allows us to go anywhere we want. We can go a little heavier or a little softer. Plus, it just kicks ass.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

Chigger: I believe Dave and Steve knew each other before the band was formed since they are brothers. My old band, Smoke Star, used to play shows on the Jersey music scene with Rahway, so I befriended the Cardenas brothers many, many years ago. Nick met the brothers when his band opened for them at a local Jersey show and they basically stole him from his own band.

David: Yeah, I met Nick along the way at a club while he was preforming. Thought he could really sing his ass off, so I kept him in mind.

Steve: Like Chigger said, me and Dave are brothers, so we've known each other forever lol. We knew Chigger from being in the same music circuit. We found Nick on a street corner lol.

4. Each band member favorite band?

Nick: Disturbed, Audioslave, Linkin Park and Atreyu

Chigger: Favorite band of all time is Motley Crue, but I also worshipped Skid Row, Pantera, Guns ‘N’ Roses, Kiss, Godsmack and Metallica.

David: This is always the hardest question lol...CRUE!!!! But if we are talking all time, definitely Led Zeppelin.

Steve: Led Zeppelin 100%.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Nick: Life and every moment in it inspire the thoughts that let me create the art in your mind through your ears.

Steve: A lot of life issues and a whole lot of God. Writing is a great venting tool.

Chigger:  Pornhub.

David: Life, emotions, stories to be told, there's really no clear answer. It a kind of magic.

6. Where was your last gig?

Steve: It seems so long I can’t even remember now, sorry... lol

Nick: It was at The Brighton Bar.

Chigger: Yeah, the last gig we played was a local Jersey show at The Brighton Bar in Long Branch, NJ with our buds, Black Water Rising and Vessel of Light featuring members of HADES and Non-Fiction.

David: Don’t forget, we did a live feed studio rehearsal gig for all are fans, it was right before the lockdown.  It was super fun. Everyone loved it

7. Where would you like to act?

Nick: PNC Bank Arts Center

Chigger: Not sure I understand this question, but I would like to act on Pornhub.

David: Oh, great question and in Arizona or New Mexico in a western.  That would be awesome!!

Steve: MSG, if you can't make it there you can't make it anywhere.

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

Nick: Metallica with the addition of all my favorite singers resurrected from the grave on a stage built within an island floating in the sky.

Chigger: We would love to be featured with Motley Crue, obviously.

Steve: Motley Crue, maybe Ozzy before he can't do it anymore.

David: Like those two guys, Motley Crue would be at the top of my list.

9. Whom not?

Nick: Can't be too particular or you'll end up with nothing in life.

Chigger: We would not like to be featured with Kanye West. He likes Fish Dicks.  

Steve: I don't think I have a band I wouldn't play with yet lol. 10. Any of you has ever suffered from stage fright? Any tip for beginners on how to beat that?

Nick: Pepto Bismol

Chigger: The first time I ever played on a stage in high school, I remember playing the opening riff to “In My Dream” from Dokken with my back turned to the audience. I turn around to see like 400 kids in the auditorium, I almost pissed my pants. I didn’t, but I was close. We ended up rocking that night and I ended up getting the rock bug. I’ve been infected ever since. I would say to a beginner to just man up and wear a condom.

David: I get it every single time...it never gets old though.  It's gone after the first chord  I say just go for it and roll the dice...yolo

Steve: It's rough but you just get that initial shock out of the way and you're golden. I still get stage fright when we haven't played in a while coming back, but usually after the first song I’m set.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Nick: Audioslave, Soundgarden, Atreyu, Disturbed, Killswitch Engage, Metallica, Twisted Method, The Matches (first album only), Godsmack, Pennywise, CKY, Linkin Park, Throwdown, Screaming for Silence, Ellegarden, One OK Rock, Psychostick, Fire from the Gods, Papa Roach, Breaking Benjamin, Kamelot, Iced Earth, Limp Bizkit, Rage Against the Machine, All That Remains, As I Lay Dying, It Dies Today, and believe it or not alot of older music from completely different genres.

Chigger: I think I already said who inspired me. Motley Crue, Skid Row, Pantera, Guns ‘N’ Roses, Kiss, Godsmack and Metallica.

David: Show wise CRUE hands down. Music wise Led Zeppelin.

Steve: Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, Beatles Kiss, Jim Crocie.

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

Steve: I'll let the other guys answer that, nothing normal ever happens to me at a show.

Chigger: Their panties back. It was weird. They threw them up on stage and then asked for them back after the show.

Nick: If my fan started talking to me, I'd say someone's getting fucked up when I'm done tripping.

David: Not telling you silly.... lol

13. What do you think of your fans?

Nick: Rahway doesn't have fans because we don't just put on shows, LJ from Sevendust said it best himself, we put on family reunions.

Chigger: They are loyal, and they keep growing with every show.

David: OMG, the greatest ever, no joke! So much love and support.  They are more like family. When we are local, we hang after the show and catch up on life and just shoot the shit and just have some laughs.

Steve: I think they are the most amazing people ever. And I love every single one of them.

14. What do you think of our site?

Nick: It needs more Rahway

Chigger: This is for a site? This isn’t pornhub?

David: Very cool, I like how its user-friendly, good vibe to it. Bands are all lined up, just click and check them out. I will definitely be visiting regularly to check out what's up and coming.

Steve: It's pretty sweet.

15. Something add?

Nick: Anyone who takes the time to read this, please understand that we all get down, we all feel lost, we all feel pain, we all try to slow down and capture the happy moments, we all are sick in one way or another, we all hate Covid, we all don't know exactly what's going on, we all are trying to be positive in this world full of hate, we all want respect, we all have and had dreams, we all messed up, we all tried, we all get tired of trying, we all get deceived, we all know that everyone has their own problems and don't always give a shit because we live in our own bodies. But the one thing we all don't know is that Rahway fucking cares. You don't know what each of us has been through and why we would care about you. 

Why would we care? Because you are someone to us. You may not think you are anything to anyone, but to us you are as much our shoulder as we are yours. Why would we create music if not to have it heard by people that connect to it?And you're here right now reading this, that means you connect with us. Anyone that connects with the music that we have created from decades of our emotions and memories matters to us.

If you made it this far, just know we appreciate each and every one of you that spent the time to read this. Thank you for everything, whether you are a member of the family already or soon to be.

Chigger: I sucked at math.

David: Thank you so much for the interview, it was a pleasure. Don’t forget to check out are New EP, Slumlord of New Jersey, dropping 9-18-20 and visit us at www.RAHWAYBAND.com 

Steve: Yeah, what he said, check us out online and stay tuned for some new music.