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| nuERA photo credit Pamela BendezAs |
In part 2 of our Unsigned and Uprising Series, we bring you Don Cadman, nuERA's Drummer!
Who is nuERA?
They aren’t "spectacular in theatrical appearance" like Black Veil Brides or Kiss; they don’t harness the nature of the disguise, like Slipknot and others have. They’re middle-class men that enjoy making music, and they do so very well. There’s no gimmick, and honestly, after listening to the music of NUERA for the past six months, there does not need to be. This music, along with lyrics that fit like a glove, essentially “speaks for itself” and the only thing better than that, is the fact that these six guys let it.
Modesty is a virtue...
There’s nothing more annoying than being told by a band how great their music is (& we all see and hear this with the popularity of "adding bands" on Facebook). Of course your music is great! If you don’t believe in yourself, how can you expect anyone else to? But don’t Tell me it’s great, let me figure it out for myself. I think that’s why I was almost eager to give nuERA a listen. There's six guys in the band, so I figured at least one of them would eventually say "You'll love it!" but nope. Not one of them touted their own self-worth. They sent the music over, politely and modestly said “Thank you, hope you enjoy it, have a great day.” Love it when that happens, it leaves a certain “mystery” lingering, makes me want to hear it.
What's the music like?
A little rock, a little rap, it isn't my usual digs; I'm a metal head and I love Hard Rock! I am Not a fan of bands that have mixed rap with rock, such as Lincoln Park and Papa Roach. But this - this I like. It has more of the "middle class rock n roll" vibe than a hip-hop sentiment (not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's not for me) so perhaps that's why I like it. I honestly don't know how else to say it, than to just tell you they do it right, correctly even. It WORKS here, where I think others may be lacking or have possibly even failed. Maybe I'm odd and it's just me that thinks rapping for the sake of rapping in a rock song is stupid, but for some reason there's a timeliness and accuracy here that I can't put my finger on, so maybe you should just listen and see for yourself.In our interview with nuERA guitarist, Jay Mueller, he describes the nuERA music as "Killswitch Engage meets Linkin Park. We have "metal" songs, ballads, hard rock, nu-metal, we have an acoustic set, movie samples, turntable scratches, rapping, breakdowns, melodic choruses, screaming, singing." Well, there you go, then! An accurate description indeed!
After listening to the first nuERA release, a 6 song EP, Nu Life Nu Blood, avail on Itunes,(7 tracks, if you include the intro) I trotted over to the nuERA youtube channel and checked out the vids of their live shows and some of their bonus stuff. This stuff is good! Don't you love it when you go into something with no expectations and BOOM you love it? I know you do! When was the last time you tripped over new music and loved it? It doesn't happen often does it? See why this gets me so excited, then?
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| NUERA Drummer Don Cadmanphoto courtesy Pamela Bendezu |
Don the Drummer:
I can’t talk to this one guy without music coming into the conversation, not that I’m complaining, trust me. Even when he’s not on stage he is constantly thinking about music and coming up with parts, that's how much a part of his life the music has become. We talk often, and when we do, it most often gravitates towards classics like Dream Theater and Rush, then we discuss new music we’ve heard lately or maybe some new release we’re both anticipating (including his own upcoming CD). His name is Don Cadman, and he’s the drummer behind nuERA. It’s an honor to call him a friend and to know I enjoy the music they've made thus far and to be able to look forward to new stuff from the band! Don says he doesn’t get as much time to practice as he wants on his own, since he’s usually so busy with work, family and all the other things he has on his plate. If there’s a lack of practice or a need for it, I clearly can’t see it, nor can it be heard. He plays a clean, unblemished set every time and the songs they’ve recorded divulge the talent behind the drumming skills he’s mastered over the years. His ability to balance his home life (with his wife and children) with his time in the studio and playing shows around Florida is nothing short of admirable. Keeping a level head, he remains positive, focused, diligent, fun-loving and very modest. He also said “I just try to make everyone in my life happy and remain positive.” Well he’s made us very happy with the music he makes with his band nuERA. We appreciate Don taking time out of his hectic days to answer some questions for Hard-Rock-Reviews.com!
Make a wish...
Oh, and one more thing before we get to the interview: HAPPY BIRTHDAY DON!
Make a wish...
Oh, and one more thing before we get to the interview: HAPPY BIRTHDAY DON!
