Tania conducted this exclusive interview with Mr. Cary LaScala!

Shifty is Nifty recently had a Q&A with JU bandmember and friend to the brothers Shiflett, Cary LaScala. We hope you enjoy this!

Seven Questions With Cary

(1) What age did you start drumming and which drummers have been some of your biggest influences/inspirations?

I started at age 13. My biggest influence was a local drummer in my area (San Francisco) Joey Perales. Joey played in my favorite band at that time, "dead and gone." Another huge influence is William Goldsmith (Sunny Day Real Estate) and an obvious one is Ringo Starr (Beatles.) I have been influenced by different people at many different times; so really, I could go on and on.

One of Cary's biggest influences, William Goldsmith

(2) Because this is a site dedicated to the Brothers Shiflett, any stories you can share with us about Chris/Scott? Anything embarrassing or funny? Any special memories from touring with them? There has to be something!

This one time, Scott and I went up in the "London Eye" together (the London Eye is a gigantic farris wheel in London. when your capsule reaches its peak, you can look out over all of London and the surrounded areas. When it descends on downward, there's a camera setup to take your capsules picture) we decided to pull back our sleeves and flex for the camera... it was really lame, spontaneous, and quite macho of us, which is not like us at all. Scott is very funny and a sweetheart.

As I have a fear of heights, this looks scary!

Chris is pretty damn funny too though. I remember this time in Australia after a gig... Omen and Chris were eating "packing peanuts" (the foam stuff people use for cushioning their packaged goods) and swinging brooms and guitars at each other. It was a crazy night all in good fun.

Packing Peanuts, the new snack du jour for JU!

(3) You met Chris at SXSW in '03 after a show with one of your former bands, but you've known Doug and Omen longer. When/how did you meet them and how did you convince Chris to let them join the band?

I met Omen officially at a barbecue in Oakland. We had mutual friends and my band at the time had played a couple shows together, so I kinda of knew him up until that point. His band, Saint James Infirmary was pretty awesome, and my band, redscare was really heavy. I went up and introduced myself to him because I wanted to start another band with him cause I knew he was amazing on bass. We've been friends ever since.

I met Doug through a mutual friend. He later asked me if I wanted to jam with Brett Reed (drummer of rancid) and him and told me they were starting a band together. Brett was on guitar for this project, Doug was on guitar as well, and I was drumming. I only lasted a few months.

Omen, Doug, and Cary in Japan for a JU tour.

Around that time I played SXSW, Chris had just seen me play the showcase and approached me afterwards. He let me know of his new project (Jackson) and asked if I was interested in joining. We talked on the phone later that month and I gave him my address. He sent me the rough versions of the record a week later for me to check out. I phoned him and let him know I wanted in on the project. Shortly after, Jackson played a show in LA with Pete Parada (original drummer), my brother and I drove down from Berkeley to see Jackson live, which was a great show by the way, then my brother and I crashed at Chris' pad that night. A month or two later, I drove back down to L.A. to meet up with Chris and Scott for rehearsals. We were to play Reading Festival in London and headline at the Barfly, also in London as a trio. Those shows went over fantastic. We then got offered the Sugarcult tour around the States. Chris phoned me and asked if I knew any guitar players. I mentioned Doug and that I had jammed with him a bit so Chris got in touch [with] Doug and sent him a cd to rehearse to. We toured with Sugarcult as a four-piece. During that tour, Scott showed me his project that he was really focused on, Viva Death, a rock star super group consisting of Scott S. (vox/bass), Chris S. (vox/guitar), Trever (from Face to Face, vox/guitar), and Josh Freese (A Perfect Circle, drums). Hence, Scott would no longer be playing with Jackson United after that tour so I recommended my best friend, Omen Starr, to take over for Scott.

(4) I know you're working on a solo project--how is that coming along? Do you hope to put an album out one day (online/on a label)? What are your inspirations for your songs?

I've been working on this little solo project of mine for about two years now in my spare time (which is hardly at all). I'm recording, producing, playing guitar, doing vocals, playing drums, piano, and organ all myself. It's all still new to me, and I'm not quite sure when I'll feel comfortable saying I'm a singer/songwriter. I guess I'm really shy about my solo stuff because its entirely me. I hope to land a record deal one day and tour a bit, it's kind of my other dream besides drumming. My inspirations for my songs are from past experiences mostly... relationships that have turned sour, childhood memories, parental figures that had set unsuccessful standards for my brother and I. My songs aren't happy, and I hope when people listen they feel a certain sadness or maybe a loneliness that I convey.

Cary on drums, 11/15/03, Williamsville, NY

(5) Who have you been listening to on your iPod lately--anyone (new or old) you care to recommend?

One that will never get old is the late amazing Elliott Smith. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is really good. Bob Dylan, Nick Drake. I really like the new Paul McCartney record (Chaos and Creation in the Backyard), it's all mostly him playing on the record. sigur ros is also amazing.

Cover of Macca's new album.

(6) Shifty is Nifty Co-web mistress Sarah said that when she saw JU in Atlanta, you and Scott were playing video games. Fess up: what's your favorite arcade game?

I honestly hardly ever play video games. I'm not even what my favorite is... Pacman?

(7) Do you have any memorable fan encounters to share?

I'd say just about every one of them is memorable. Thank you!!!