ROMAN HOLIDAY

Rip It Up, Issue 185, 1 December 1992, Page 5

ROMAN HOLIDAY

Now they’re in New Zealand for the first time, supporting their friends the Headless Chickens on tour. Back home, Caligula are three EPs into a career whose highs include supporting Jesus Jones and Pop Will Eat Itself on their Oz tours and still we haven't heard of them until now. . . . ?

Infectious grooves should be Caligula's middle name. With their latest EP produced by David Harrow of On-U Sound fame, they're proponents of positive energy, with sights set firmly on people's feet rather than their heads. Does this mean the band are technofreaks?

Put it this way, says lead singer Ashley, "it's technology that's based around a live band as opposed to a live band based around technology. But all the stuff we use is not a major key

in our music. It's done to enhance things." Do you still like basic rock combos? Er . . . mumble-mumble.

Ashley: "Everyoine likes good songs, no matter what they are, whether they're a full on techno track or whether they're a jazz track. I'm personally into catchy hooklines."

Are you influenced by the English dance rave scene? Any favourite EMF songs? "No," says dread-locked, Young Gods t-shirt-wearing bass player Sean, "but the energy's good. I think techno's like the new punk rock. Kids can do it at home now, get a computer and just do it, it's easy and it's cool."

But funnily enough, Caligula say they don't listen to a lot of dance music. Sean collects reggae, punk and jazz, raves

about the latest Died Pretty album, and says Nine Inch Nails is the closest he gets to grooving to dance music. Ashley says he likes listening to pop music and singing about fun things, which doesn't exactly tie in with his self-professed love of the Cure.

Caligula, like their music, are a lively, hyper-active bunch of boys who like to have a good time mixing musical cocktails, in the studio and on stage, creating a groove. "You've got to be happy with what you do," opines Ashley, "you play music for people to enjoy but if you don't feel happy about what you're playing, what's the point? If you start losing that feeling of getting a kick out of what you do, then do something else."

DONNA YUZWALK