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Rock band Radford climbs out of obscurity

Radford frontman Johnny Mead understands the dedication needed to create a rock band - and now he can almost taste the fruits of that labor.

After graduating from college and nearly drowning in debt, Mead put off his musical aspirations to take numerous part-time and full-time jobs in his hometown of Oxford, England - one of which was a shipyard fish gutter.

Since moving to Los Angeles in 1995, his situation has changed dramatically. After recently finishing their tour with Stroke 9 and Vertical Horizon, Radford is now touring with popular acts Lit and Save Ferris.

He said moving to the United States not only helped his music career, but gave him an opportunity to break out of his lethargic, boring life in England.

"The main reasons why I came over here were kind of just because I had itchy feet a little bit," he said. "You know with my friends, I got into a bit of a rut. We always did the same stuff every weekend, and I had the same group of friends, and I kind of thought to myself, 'I've got to move on a little bit.'"

After visiting the Los Angeles area, Mead said he enjoyed both the spatial freedom and the music scene.

"England's such a small place that even if you move to a whole other part of the country, you're only like two or three hours away from where you were originally," he said. "So you know, I just wanted to move somewhere completely different. Obviously, I came here to pursue music - that's why I picked L.A."

Indicative of his musical intentions, Mead immediately found guitarist Chris Hower and bass player Bobby Stefeno at L.A.'s Guitar Center. Later adding drummer Kane McGee, Radford stepped out of the music store and onto the stage.

With the shared feeling of the band members, Mead said it was a perfect fit.

"I've always been into music, and just it's all I really wanted to do," he said. "None of us had any idea of what we'd be doing if we weren't playing in the band - we were at a complete loss."

Although last month's self-titled release was their first album, they have been featured on numerous television and movie soundtracks, including "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Never Been Kissed."

Mead said blurring the musical medium has helped the band strive for its overall goal - reaching the largest audience possible and introducing it to Radford's music.

"It's cool for us - we're all big movie fans," he said. "We all know how powerful a song on a movie or a TV show can be. It's just getting our music out to more people, giving more people a chance to hear it."

While the band enjoys its new fixture in the industry, Mead said they are not disillusioned by the potential fame and fortune the music business may bring.

"Anybody that says 'we try to avoid success' is kind of lying," he said. "It always annoys me when people - and it's usually people who have already attained success - say 'being successful really sucks,'" he said. "I'm like, 'who are you fucking kidding.'

"Would you rather be sitting in your one-bedroom apartment playing to like three people every night or would you rather be on a stadium tour? It's ridiculous."

Still, Mead said attaining notoriety - not money - in the business is the main reason for playing music.

"We are going to be more happy if we sell five million records than 500 records," he said. "It means that five million people are listening to our records. It's not really a financial thing but just reaching people with the music, and that's really a big driving point for us."

As the band treads deeper into the music scene, Mead said he is not worried that the band will change its style.

"It's kind of funny because musical trends kind of happen," he said "We never really tried to play to a trend, you know?"

Mead said the band has always felt the strain of popular music but thinks Radford has a place alongside the many styles and genres.

"Right around the time we were trying to get signed, electronic music was big. They were saying that electronic music was going to replace rock music," he said. "We never considered throwing in some loops and stuff. We've always done what we've done.

"There were some people who were concerned that when we were making our record - (with) heavy music so popular - and how we were going to stand up to that. The great bands have never really tainted to a musical scene - they kind of just do what they do, and if it's good music - if it's good songs - then people will get it. Just because people have a Powerman 5000 CD, it doesn't mean they can't have a Radford CD. If it's good music, people will still buy it."

Influenced by rock bands Nirvana, the Pixies and Soundgarden, Mead said he has always been a fan of "American music."

"Around the time of Soundgarden and Nirvana was, like, the first time for me, in England, that I really got a hold of a bunch of American music," he said. "It was so big that it easily got over to England. That was one of the big reasons for me coming (to the United States)."

Mead said he hopes Radford will follow in the footsteps of those bands, constantly rearranging their style and form.

"We're very proud of the record we have made, obviously, but I think the next record we make - the band's only getting better," he said. "As a band, we try to constantly try to challenge ourselves and do better and not rest at where we are."