Crash Test Dummies

You’d be hard-pressed – especially in Canada – to find anyone who couldn’t immediately recognize a Crash Test Dummies song, particularly from frontman Brad Roberts’ signature vocals. Last year’s 30th anniversary tour for the album The Ghosts That Haunt Me was met with overwhelming reception, inspiring the band to continue to create music together. They’ve just released their new single, “Sacred Alphabet”, so we caught up with Crash Test Dummies to chat about the song, the music that first influenced them, and the most memorable show they’ve played.

From The Strait: Tell us about the new single, “Sacred Alphabet”.

Crash Test Dummies: Our new single is a song about the birth of language. It took two years of tinkering before I was happy with it . It is written in the old contrapuntal style .

FTS: Last year the band toured extensively for the 30th anniversary of your first album, The Ghosts That Haunt Me. How did it feel to still play these songs to receptive audiences, three decades later?

Crash Test Dummies: The songs feel new when there is an appreciative audience. Shockingly I’m not sick of these oldies yet!

FTS: Crash Test Dummies have long been an iconic band, with an unmistakably unique sound. What were some of the bands and artists that helped to influence that sound, back when you first started?

Crash Test Dummies: My influences include XTC, The Roches, and, more recently JS Bach.

FTS: What was the most memorable show you’ve ever played?

Crash Test Dummies: In Finland, in 1993, we played a festival in which 40,000 sang along to MMM MMM MMM MMM. That was quite a moment!

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Check out “Sacred Alphabet”, the latest single from Crash Test Dummies!

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