411 Music Interview: James Rotondi of The Bad Eliots
Posted by Vanessa Willoughby on 12.11.2008
You might've heard their catchy song, "Cat's Meow," featured in commercials for Snapple Antioxidant Water. But just who are The Bad Eliots?
Just who are The Bad Eliots? Before the band was signing commercial deals with Snapple and shooting videos in New York's subway system, The Bad Eliots were four guys just trying to make it in the city's cut-throat music business. Prior to forming of the band, lead singer James Rotondi dabbled in various projects, including a stint with Air, Mike Patton's Mr. Bungle and jazz-hop icons The Grassy Knoll. His interest in music extends beyond this aspect of the industry, as Rotondi is currently a political blogger for the Huffington Post.
Ant Cee, The Bad Eliot's drummer, was a founding member of The Smash-Up, joining major tour bills such as the Deftones and the Warped Tour. Additionally, Cee lent his talents for the legendary band Boston, performing with them at the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona. In addition to his gig with The Bad Eliots, Cee continues to play with The Smash-Up, The Cringe, and Deepa Soul.
Jony Matias, the band's resident bassist, is also a producer and multi-instrumentalist who runs a successful studio in New Jersey. Like Cee, Matias has played with other bands, such as The Ataris, Bon Jovi, American Hi-Fi, and Lifehouse.
The final member of The Bad Eliots, guitarist Paul Riario, also plays for the band The Monster.
The four members, who were familiar with one another before forming the band, found that despite their diverse music backgrounds, were able to come together in hopes of attaining a common goal.
The first single, "Cat's Meow," was recorded for Snapple Antioxidant Water's popular "Bubble Wrap" commercial that was on air in early 2008. The commercial helped propel the career of The Bad Eliots as more and more people became interested in the band. When asked about the origin of the band's name, Rotondi said that "a number of names [were] floating around and The Bad Eliots ended up floating to the surface."
Like his fellow band members, Rotondi has always had a predilection for music, starting at the age of twelve. Although he toyed with the idea of becoming an actor, Rotondi's passion for music beat out his thespian impulses. This passion eventually led Rotondi to New York, where he quickly adapted to the hustle and bustle of everyday city life.
"As I always say, there's lifers or tourists," he said.
Both New York and LA are noted for their considerable amount of cultural buzz, but does one city have the edge over another?
Rotondi, who's also lived in San Francisco, said: "I don't know if it's any easier. There's so much competition. You have to push to get gigs here [NYC]. In the end, everyone knows that New York is the place."
As most fans and musicians know, one of the biggest elements that allow a band to be marketable is that unspoken element of mystery, a type of aurora that surrounds an emerging act and grabs the attention of the audience. The idea of playing around with public persona is certainly one of the top priorities of The Bad Eliots. Rotondi, who was excited about "getting to play with the idea of persona," believes that identity is a powerful part of the career of an artist or band. This is something that is echoed in the video for "Cat's Meow," which features the band playing in a crowded subway train, serenading the curious passengers with cardboard boxes masking their faces. When asked if the video were staged or truly spur of the moment, Rotondi was reluctant to answer.
"I'm not going to pull back the curtain on that," he coyly replied.
What he did tell me: The video was directed by Tim Wilson, who is a part of Go Robot Production. The cardboard box ploy can be partially credited to Wilson, who wanted to explore the idea of the average viewer's preconceived notion of the definition of commercial music.
Rotondi noted that many people seem to have a disconnect when comparing lo-fi, indie-alternative music and "commercial" music. For many, it's an either/or situation. Indie music cannot be commercial and commercial music, by default, cannot be indie. By using the medium of a national commercial campaign, Rotondi and the rest of The Bad Eliots were given the opportunity to express their own opinions of current music trends.
"Everything is digitized now….what are we really getting?" he wondered.
The box premise of "Cat's Meow" is a subtle yet clever way of breaking down and analyzing this issue. Subway tracks clacking in the background, the passengers don't seem in the least bit startled or confused, but more so amused and intrigued (this is New York City, after all). As the band plays, one girl snaps pictures on her camera, while another girl nods her head along to the beat. Viewer comments on the YouTube page are nothing less than charmed, as responses range from total awe (holy crap what a cool song!! you better post more because i'm totally subscribing) to pride (This is why I love New York so much).
But don't get them wrong: the commercial isn't all about questioning the musical predilections of the masses. Rotondi also noted that the TV spot reflects a sense of fun and adventure.
And to think, one commercial could spawn such a fan base. However, the Snapple deal wasn't handed to the band on a silver platter. Rotondi noted that The Bad Eliots weren't the only bad being considered for the spot, as Mark Mothersbaugh of the band Devo was also in the running.
With such impressive candidates on the table, Rotondi said that it was "gratifying to get the spot."
A full-length album is on the horizon for The Bad Eliots, as Rotondi said that they have plenty of songs.
To read more about The Bad Eliots, check out the band's website at www.thebadeliots.com.
