AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL CAVALLO
C
HRISTIAN REVIEW (CR): How did
the band start?
MICHAEL CAVALLO (MC): My brother
Shawn and I formed Manic Drive in May of
2004. Our first show as Manic Drive was a
festival in Kitchener, ON, Canada named
Freak Fest, featuring Thousand Foot
Krutch. Years before as children, we
performed and recorded as a family band
named OneCross before we got our start
with MD. We've had a passion for music
since we were very young and have
continued our passion ever since.
CR: Manic Drive has had some lineup
shuffles over the years. This is current
drummer Anthony Moreino's second stint
with the band. How's the current lineup
working out?
56 > CHRISTIAN REVIEW
MC: Over the years, we have had amazing
artists come and go. We were blessed by
their musicianship, but more importantly,
their friendship. We still remain friends
with all the past members of Manic Drive.
Our current line up with Anthony Moreino
has been incredible. His passion, skills, and
work ethic has greatly contributed to Manic
Drive.
industry. We were kinda part of that scene
as well, as close friends with these artists
back when they were getting their start.
CR: You guys are native to Ontario,
Canada. Do you think being a Canadian
band has affected the popularity/reach of
Manic Drive?
MC: Manic Drive has been full time since
2005. When we started as teenagers, we
made the aggressive choice to dive in and
solely focus on our music career. And yes,
as most artists starting out, we literally
made no money, haha! Any money we did
make through merch or small honorariums,
we would invest into the band so it could
grow. We didn't pay ourselves for several
years. It really wasn't until our single
"Walls" that we started paying ourselves
and getting involved with personal
investments. Financially in recent years,
MC: Being Canadian and touring the US
may have added a cultural edge to MD.
Also, I think it helped because so many
great artists were coming out of Canada.
When we started, other Canadian artists
such as TFK, Manafest, Downhere,
Starfield and Hawk Nelson, were coming
out and heavily impacting the CCM
CR: It has recently come to light that a lot
of bands don't make any money in this
current era of music. Is Manic Drive your
full time job, or do you subsidize it
somehow?