Q&A With NYC’s The Car Bomb Parade

Unapologetically loud, ferociously raw, and fueled by the chaos of everyday life - The Car Bomb Parade isn’t just a band, it’s a riot wrapped in distortion and ferality. Hailing from New York City, they don’t care about fitting into a box; they’re here to push the boundaries of what that box looks like.

With roots in punk, hardcore, and a dose of the most chaotic rock ‘n roll, The Car Bomb Parade blends breakneck riffs, pounding drums, and venom-laced vocals into a live show that feels like a fuse lit at both ends. It’s not about perfection; it’s about the release, the middle finger in the air, and the communities that come together to bear witness.

They’ve shared bills with The Casualties, 7 Seconds, Scowl, The Bronx, Fear, The Vandals, The Cro-Mags, DOA, Leeway NYC, DRI, The Suicide Machines, Who Killed Spikey Jacket, and Less Than Jake; melted faces at every dive, festival, and DIY venue within reach; and best (or worst) of all they’re just getting started. Whether you’re in the pit or screaming along from the sidelines, one thing’s for sure: when The Car Bomb Parade shows up, it’s not just another show ... it’s a detonation.

Photo credit: Emily Jane Austin

So ...

Will E. Ramone (Guitar): Before we begin, let it be known that our new bass player and drummer are attending their mandatory punk raccoon training sessions deep in the woods and will not be joining us today. Ok, go ahead …

Um ... tell us about your new release. What was the inspiration behind it?

Will: Well, we put out a split record with our pals RBNX in January. The main thing I focused on was writing great songs: … not just riffs, not just songs for people to smash into each other. Actual songs. We had recorded 3 songs and weren’t sure if they were going to be part of a future full length or digital only, but then RBNX requested a secret meeting where the plan was then hatched to team up and put out a record together. We’re already building off that momentum and have a ton of demos we’re currently sifting through, so something even bigger is coming …

Rev. Nicky Bullets (vocals): I kept thinking about everyone we met over the previous year, and Will sent me some guitars and … it just like happened. It was my favorite set of songs yet. I couldn’t have been more blessed by such a fantastic band.

How did the band originally form?

Rev. Nicky: Craigslist. I believed meeting Will E. Ramone was worth the risk of being Craigslist-murdered. It was.

Will: Yep. I had some local friends, and we wanted to start a punk band for fun with no expectations and found the Rev. via Craigslist. He’s the only one we bothered trying out and here we are. Funny that the band I didn’t plan on taking too seriously was the one that took off pretty quickly and has built steady momentum. Ten years later it’s more exciting and fun than ever … there’s a lesson of some sort in there.

How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music?

Rev. Nicky: I tell them punk.

Will: It’s the most chaotic jubilation you’ll ever experience.

So, what's the story behind your band name?

Will: It came to me in a dream. No, seriously! This was probably late 2013/early 2014 and the bombing at the Boston Marathon had happened several months prior. So in my dream I was attending said marathon, but dreams tend to morph and become crazy things. So the marathon turned into some sort of a parade, but as the floats rounded a corner, the vehicles transporting them started exploding one after another. People were running around panicking and screaming “it’s a parade of car bombs!” So I said the words Car Bomb Parade to the Rev. the next morning, and it stuck. (editors note: public bombings are not funny. Well, kinda.)

Who are your biggest musical influences, both as a band and individually, and why?

Corey (Drums): Hey guys, I figured I’d pop in real quick and see what’s going on here! Hmm: … Every Time I Die, Better Lovers, Periphery, Comeback Kid, Turnstile, The Bronx to name a few. I love anything riffy with fast, loud and precise drumming. Ok, bye!

Will: This guy. Already slacking on his training regimen. Anyway, I think we’re all collectively inspired by anything intense and aggressive. Any era of rock ‘n roll that had something to say or was weird and misunderstood during its time.

Rev. Nicky: Us really. I love so much punk music that I just wanted to make my own.

What has been the most memorable moment of your career so far?

Rev. Nicky: The sound of people singing at this year’s Camp Punksylvania. Or last year when everyone was holding up raccoon masks. Oh, the epic punk party with The Casualties at the Memory Motel in Montauk. That shit was feral.

Photo credit: Punk Rock Photographer

What bands would you consider influences?

Will: Bad Religion, GBH, The Germs, The Casualties, The Agrestix, Motorhead, Rancid, Black Flag. Any era of punk, any style, any geographic location - we’re probably into it.

What role does social media and online presence play in connecting with your fans?

Rev. Nicky: It’s the way to fly. Great tools.

Will: Yeah, it certainly makes it easier to reach people, but it’s also oversaturated and has ruined people’s attention spans. So a lot of it is just noise and clutter. We try to make our Instagram a community where our fans can laugh, share ideas, and feel like they’re part of something.

What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced as a band, and how did you overcome them?

Rev. Nicky: 10 years … all of them. Will E. Ramone has really been the glue and gonads of the whole thing. If it wasn’t for him, we’d all be dead.

Will: The biggest challenge is keeping it going and keeping it interesting. Styles change, scenes change, band members sometimes come and go, and that’s never fun to deal with. But I try to stay focused on our mission and what we do. There are so many bands we came up with that called it quits long ago, so I’m proud to still be standing. We must be doing something right, or we’re very stupid.

What's your favorite song to perform live and why?

Rev. Nicky: All of them

Will: Whatever the next new song is.

How has your musical style evolved since you first started?

Rev. Nicky: We got better.

Will: Sounds stupid, but that’s true. I wouldn’t even say we’ve evolved. There’s a song and some riffs we’re working on now that I wrote 10 years ago during our first EP sessions! We never really stray outside of our box. We just push the walls of that box further and further out.

What's the most exciting thing happening for the band right now?

Will: We have a new rhythm section coming on board. So, it’s exciting to work on our next chapter with fresh faces and different perspectives.

Rev. Nicky: Full length album and multiple festival submissions. Keep an eye out! And invite us to play your city.

Is there a particular message or theme you hope listeners take away from your music?

Rev. Nicky: You’re free. Fucking act like it.

Will: When you come see us play, you become something bigger than yourself.

What are your immediate goals for the band?

Rev. Nicky): The new full length record.

What’s your favorite venue to play?

Will: I’m starting to like outdoor spaces. The fairgrounds where Camp Punksylvania takes place is such a cool spot. Skate parks are cool.

Photo credit: FacePhoto_77

Describe your fans in one sentence.

Will: Feral, unhinged beings who aren’t afraid to eat a gas station burrito and face the consequences head on.

Rev. Nicky: Raccoons (editors note: there is no verb, that is not a complete sentence. Please disregard that answer)

What's one quirky or funny thing about your band that people not might not know?

Rev. Nicky: Will E. Ramone’s uncle wrote the legendary “Barbara Ann,” and The Beach Boys can fuck themselves.

Nick: That’s mostly true. He arranged it and made it into the song you hear. From what I’m told, it was originally heavily ripping off Elvis so my uncle changed it around. The Beach Boys maybe made it more famous, but listen to the original by The Regents from 1961. The falsetto lead vocal is my uncle. Plus they performed at the 1988 Grammys, way before the Beach Boys ever did. So yeah, fuck ‘em (editor's note: please forward any and all legal correspondence relating to the preceding answers to our attorney - kindly use the contact form and we’ll provide you with a fake name and phone number)


What's a hidden talent or a non-musical hobby that you have?

Rev. Nicky: I can turn myself invisible when nobody is watching.

What's a song you wish you had written?

Rev. Nicky Bullets (Vocals): I Am A Rifle by Propaghandi.

Will: Boot Boys by The Agrestix.

Thanks!

The Car Bomb Parade is:

The Rev. Nicky Bullets - Vocals
Will E. Ramone - Guitar/Vocals
Kevin - Bass/Vocals
Corey - Drums

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecarbombparade

Check them out on streaming platforms

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