Annapolis Daily Times
LOCAL HEROES GET HELP FROM LOCAL LEGENDS
By: Jennifer Blalock
Calling Card is more than any little hometown heroes. Sure they've been a premiere DC band for the past 5 years, but their popularity has only grown in this year alone. There was a label war over the 4 average Joe's from Capital City, one that Rolling Stone, MTV, and VH1 covered at great length and after being courted by the likes of Geffen, Artista, and Colombia, they signed with a couple of twins from just outside DC.
"Hey, man, my little sister had all the Good Charlotte records in high school." Says bassist, Matt Johnson. "I think I took her to see 'em at the 9:30 club."
"I was a fan!" pipes lead singer and guitarist John Paul Malvestutto, who goes as Johnny to his friends. Dan Prewter, guitar, and Mark Fallon, drums, round out the group.
"I had all the posters!" he laughs. "Naw, really though, I liked 'em. They were…kinda different, like everything I actually liked about popular music they used to their advantage."
While they might not have been fans of their band, Benji and Joel Madden were certainly fans of Calling Card, and that's why they won the war and signed Calling Card to their DC Flag record label last year.
"Hey, Benj, we won the war." Joel peers at his near identical brother.
"I claim their asses in the name of Madden!" Benji comments and joins his brother in indistinguishable laughs.
I sit with Benji and Joel in a mixing room at Big Papa Studios, owned by Joel, as he and Benji go over the final mixes for Calling Card's debut. They're polite and articulate and smile and nod when complimented. They also humbly complain about the price of fruit, not what you expect from millionaires.
Benji and Joel Madden gained popularity with their band throughout the late 90s and early 21st century with hits like "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" and "Predictable". Their final record with GC, 13's "Heaven Help Me," sold a respectable three and a half million and earned them their one and only Grammy. GC ended on a high note, but those once mohawked and liberty spiked double visions haven't left our lives completely.
Benji and Joel started DC Flag records back in 2004, starting with just 2 bands. Lola Ray and Hazen St. (who Benji reminds us is on tour in support of their new record, that's in stores now. "I think you should buy it.") Their repertoire has grown to…"Fif-Sixteen? I think it's sixteen bands." Joel nods. DC flag has grown as one of the bigger independent labels.
"At first we were more like figure heads," Joel admits. "But as the band got less busy, we realized we barely knew these bands we'd signed." So they put in a little more of their time (not easy for the fathers of a total of 6 children "6 and a half." Joel grins.). They spent a little extra time picking and choosing artists to mold and mature. Including Calling Card.
"I went to see Calling Card with my wife in, geez, probably 3 years ago. It was like a date." Benji tells. "It was at the 9:30 Club in DC. We were both totally blown away, which doesn't usually happen, cause we don't always like the same music. But anyway, she bought the demo's they were selling for double the asking and the guys refused to take her money. So she turns to me and says 'you gotta sign them.' "
So you did?
"More like we put a claim on 'em." Joel explains. "They weren't really in the market to be signed. They wanted to fuck around for a while, but we were always invited to their shows. We sorta just became friends after awhile. I used to offer them studio time when I opened this place, but they always wanted to pay."
"And they always did." Benji adds. "They're straight up guys. They don't like bullshit, they like to work for what they have."
"I think that's why we liked 'em so much. They remind us of us." Joel nods.
Hard-working is just the word to explain Calling Card, up until this writing, 3 of the 4 members have steady jobs. "I got fired last night," Matt explains. "My boss was tired of letting me off for shows." The 26 year old shrugs, "What're ya gonna do? I'll find something else." If the debut goes as well as Benji, Joel and the band hope, he won't need to. John's the only skeptic. "I got a wife and a little girl, man, I need my job or we don't eat." Seeing as how radio is eating up their bouncy debut single "Harder Softer" I don't think he'll need to worry about eating.
"That's the first thing that happens." Benji illustrates. "You get fat!" We all laugh. "I'm serious though, you celebrate everything with food. 'Oh we moved up 5 spots, let's go to dinner!' 'We're on a headlining tour, let's get some beers!' It's crazy, why do you think we bounce around on stage? We need the work out!"
What does Calling Card make of the sudden, IT band status?
"We're the IT band? That's cool." Mark grins. "I just hope my mom doesn't get mad when she hears the record." The rest of the band agrees, except for Matt. He idly drums his fingers on the desk. Aren't you worried about what your family thinks? I ask. "I don't give a fuck what anybody thinks, even if they are my family. They're still gonna love me and I'm gonna love them, they don't needa love my music."
"It's think it's cool people other than my friends are gonna hear this. I mean it's gonna be in all the stores. Being able to pick up my CD is gonna be cool." Prewter says. "Hearing kids tell me they like my songs about being heartbroken and alone is the shit for me. I like hearing that someone else gets it…that's incredible." Malvestutto says seriously. "I've gone through a lot of shit and when they say 'hey, me too' it validates me, makes me feel like it's all better, it's okay."
Benji and Joel nod. They know all about hurt and displaying that through song. Do you guys ever miss it?
"GC?" Benji picks up his head and idly scratches his cheek. "All the time."
"Of course." Joel agrees. "That was our life for almost 20 years, so yeah."
Do you get jealous of seeing these guys hang out together? "We see Billy and Chris and Paul a lot." Benji laughs, "I think I see 'em more since we broke up."
Joel laughs as he nods. "I see Paul every Sunday. Our kids play soccer together."
Quite a different life from Calling Card, who range in age from 22 (Malvestutto) to 26 (Johnson and Prewter), Fallon is 23, and are all single aside from Malvestutto (who's married and has a 6 month old daughter). Benji and Joel, 37, have each been married for almost 8 years a piece.
"Hey, it's like hanging out at the senior party!" Matt giggles.
"Dude, sometimes these guys act older than we are." Joel points out. "They're mature and we're pretty immature so it works out."
"I don't know what you're talking about, I'm an old man." Benji raises his hand slightly. "My wife tells me so all the time."
Calling Card's debut "Recipe for Disaster" hits stores in mid July on DC Flag. You can Request "Harder Softer" on Rock106 WXXY Annapolis.