By Jason Barnard
The kid in “C’mon Dad” wants eighty-seven dollars for a Stratocaster with a whammy bar, a figure Rich Rossi chose because it sounded both cheap and used. Rossi wrote the lyric for an independent film about a high school Battle of the Bands in the 1980s, while Joe Giddings, who played all the music, wrote the melody and produced the track.
It’s one of three songs on We Were Gods, the new EP from Radio Karma. I spoke to Rich Rossi and Joe Giddings about the EP, the story behind “C’mon Dad” and how the two came to make the record.
How did you two start working together?
Rich: Last year, Joe released a solo album called Stories With Guitars. It was easily my favorite album of 2025. Earlier this year, he posted something on Facebook regarding his availability. Since I needed to write some songs on spec for an independent film, the timing was perfect. I sent him a quick note (and probably begged) and the rest is history.
Was there a song or session that got it going?
Rich: The film I’d mentioned earlier. It’s about a high school Battle of the Bands contest in the 80’s. Capturing youthful innocence was paramount. With that in mind, I wrote the lyrics for “C’mon Dad” and passed it off to Joe for a melody and eventual production.
Joe, you were in Star Collector in Atlanta back in the late nineties, then spent years releasing solo records. What made this the right time to start a proper duo instead of another solo project?
Joe: Yes! Songs for The Whole Family, by Star Collector, was the first album I was ever involved with. Loved being in that band.
Sometime in 2025 I had posted something on Facebook saying I had time to do some side projects for folks who had an old demo they wanted fleshed out, or lyrics to a song they wanted music for. Rich reached out just as I was starting to get some clients, so though it is he and I writing the songs, I am the only one playing the music. Radio Karma is a project I hope to continue for syncing and licensing for movies, TV and commercials.
I actually DO have a new duo called Stereo Tangerine with Roger Rose from a band called Mad At The World. I was a fan of their music back in the late 80’s/early 90’s. I worked on an album by one of the brothers in the band, Randy Rose, as a backing vocalist, singer and occasional guitar and bass player on his album from 2017. I got the gig after he had heard my cover of “Joining a Fanclub”, by Jellyfish on Youtube.
In 2024 I was asked by Roger to sing backing vocals for a couple songs on the latest Mad At The World album. That was super awesome having been a fan of the band. After that Roger and I were talking and decided to make a purely power pop album. It took a year and it’s coming out this fall. We did it all online with him in Texas, and I in Massachusetts. The album is called “The Place In Between.”
And, I have a new solo album coming out sometime next year. It’s way more psychedelic pop rock then power pop, so currently, Stereo Tangerine and Radio Karma are my channels to write in a power pop vein.
Rich, your background is joke writing and children’s book illustration, not music. How does someone with that background end up as a lyricist?
Rich: I knew John Wicks of The Records for almost 30 years. I acted as his de facto manager from time to time. John also did acoustic shows as a duo with Paul Collins (The Nerves, The Beat). I managed those as well. As a result, I have a good number of stories to draw from. When John was diagnosed with cancer around 2015, he and I used to write over Skype as a way to distract him from his illness. I found that my experience writing short, punchy gags required brevity – similar to that of a lyricist. It felt natural.
After John’s passing, I rounded up several of his friends to record these and some of his final demos. Friends included Al Stewart, Peter Case, Chris Thompson (Manfred Mann), Elliot Easton (The Cars), Jamie Hoover (The Spongetones) and Dave Nachmanoff (Al Stewart) among others. In 2020, we released For The Record: A Tribute to John Wicks in his honor.
To this day, I speak regularly with Jamie Hoover, who is actually a neighbor of mine, and Dave Nachmanoff. We’ve written and released various things over the past 5 years or so. When the chance to work with Joe presented itself, I jumped on it.
You have Cheap Trick, Raspberries, The Grip Weeds, Jellyfish, Queen, Sweet, Big Star, and Badfinger as reference points. If you had to pick just one as the record you were chasing, which is it?
Joe: If I was to say I was chasing an album, it will always be Spilt Milk by Jellyfish. However, with this project, I would say it’s more a combination of In Color by Cheap Trick meets Welcome Interstate Managers by Fountains of Wayne.
Rich: Fountains of Wayne for me.
Is Radio Karma a studio project for now, or are you planning to play these songs live?
Joe: Just studio. I haven’t really played live since I left LA in 2020 except an IPO show in Boston last year to promote “Stories With Guitars”.
Rich: Yup. At this point it’s strictly a studio project. But one day, who knows.
Rich, you wrote the words alone on this one (Sweetheart Deal). What’s your process when Joe hands you a piece of music versus writing the lyrics first?
Rich: So far, I’ve always written lyrics first. I’m the one who keeps his fingers of the pulse of the film biz so I write to the sync brief and then forward it to Joe. That said, when someone gives me a rough demo to write lyrics to, I always ask them what idea or emotion they wish to capture. Often, the music will hint at that. Still, I like to hear it. Then I write.
In “C’mon Dad,” the kid wants eighty-seven dollars for a Stratocaster with a whammy bar. That’s a specific number. Where did it come from?
Rich: I wanted to get across the idea that his was a really cheap, used guitar. Eighty-seven dollars felt both cheap and used. Plus, I think I bought my first one for even less.
“Mom’s Garage” is the track where both of you share the words credit. What changed on this song that had you writing together instead of separately?
Rich: We needed one more song for the film. I wrote the lyrics to it overnight, practically in one take – it was rushed. When Joe did the demo, it fleshed out some of the really rough spots. Joe sent me some changes that made the ending much smoother. A few more tweaks, and, voila.
Do I remember that right, Joe?
Joe: Yes, sir! All Rich on that one. He’s the lyricist, generally, but I helped with this one to make it easier to sing. Mind you, I LOVED Little Willy as a kid and had the 45! I really tried to pay tribute to The Sweet with the melody and the music.
The narrator hears “Little Willy” on the radio and starts a band in a garage outside Philadelphia. Whose memory is that?
Rich: That’s a childhood memory of mine. I think we were in grade school when “Little Willy” hit the airwaves. We were enamored with The Sweet and thought it made a whole lotta sense to start a harmony group. We would conquer the world! Unfortunately, I think all we did we puncture a few eardrums.
More releases are planned in 2027. Is that a follow-up EP, a full album, or still undecided?
Rich: There are always new film briefs and they’re a great source of writing inspiration. The plan is to record and release EPs as we go and eventually, compile them into an LP. You never know where it goes from there.
Joe: Right! You never know what’s gonna happen! I’m having fun and people seem to dig it!
What more could we ask for?!
