Mad Caddies

Biography

The Mad Caddies (or the Caddies) is an American ska punk band from Solvang, California. The band formed in 1995 and has released seven full-length albums, one live album, and two EPs.
The Mad Caddies sound has influences from broad ranging genres including ska (especially ska 3rd wave), punk rock, hardcore punk, reggae, dixieland jazz, Latin music, polka, cowpunk ("Crew Cut Chuck"), and sea shanties ("Weird Beard").

History

Founding members Chuck Robertson, Sascha Lazor, Todd Rosenberg, and Carter Benson started the group while attending Santa Ynez Valley Union High School.
In the band's early beginnings in the mid-1990s, they performed as Cracked Macaroni at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School. Shortly thereafter, the band played under the name The Ivy League, but in 1996 they changed their name after signing to the Honest Don's Records label to avoid confusion (as well as potential litigation) with two prior bands that had the same moniker. The band's debut album, Quality Soft Core×Quality Soft Core6 May 1997 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1I’m So Alone4:102Distress3:503Cup o’ Tea1:444The Bell Tower2:435No Sé2:416Crew Cut Chuck1:577Goleta1:258Big Brother3:269L.G.’s3:2110Polyester Khakis2:2111Preppie Girl2:3512Mum’s the Word1:3813Sad Reggie4:51, was released the next year. After the release of the album, the band was signed to Fat Mike's label Fat Wreck Chords, through which the Mad Caddies have released 6 other studio albums, 2 EPs, and a live album. The Caddies have toured extensively throughout their career, including tours across the US, Europe, Japan, Canada, Mexico, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and South America. Punk Rocksteady was released on June 15, 2018, and was produced by Fat Mike. In 2020 the Caddies released a 5-song EP titled House on Fire×House on Fire16 October 2020 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Let It Go3:052Waiting for the Real Thing3:183Strange Days3:414Dogs of War3:005Wake my Baby3:18 on Fat Wreck Chords. In 2023, the band signed with SBÄM Records, announcing their eighth studio album, Arrows Room 117×Arrows Room 11715 March 2024 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Green Eyes3:232Palm Trees and Pines3:403Arrows Room 1173:524Beautiful Bed3:595Darkness3:596Everywhere You Go (There You Are)3:147Run3:088Baby2:549Ride or Die3:1510Backroads3:1011Looking for the Answers3:2512In the Morning3:57.

Other projects

In 2008 Chuck Robertson started a side project, Ellwood, which featured Robertson on vocals and guitar, Graham Palmer on bass, Todd Rosenberg on drums, and Dustin Lanker on keys. The band was active from 2008 to 2012. Former trumpet player Keith Douglas has been a member of Mariachi El Bronx since 2012, as well as King City with members of Lagwagon and RKL.
A project with former member Carter Benson (under the alias "Sharky Towers") called Jaws was released in 2006. Other members include Derrick Plourde and "Little" Joe Raposo. The release is called Death & Taxes Volume One and sounds significantly different than Mad Caddies' music. Bassist Graham Palmer has fronted his solo project, Kinothek, since 2008. Since 2020 Palmer has recorded as Redacted Choir alongside Jordan Dalrymple.
In 1999 Robertson, Sascha Lazor, and Benson started a side project with Derrick Plourde called Sweet Action. Today their tracks are really hard to find. The band posted them during the late '90s on Mp3.com and today somebody has put them out on YouTube. Songs like "Did I tell you that I like Bad Religion" have a strong skate punk direction. The project was a pure pop-punk/skate punk project without horns or ska elements. One of the tracks was on the Happy Meals compilation series on My Records, which was owned by Joey Cape from Lagwagon. In 2021, it was announced that Chuck Robertson would be releasing a new solo album under his own name. He toured the next year backed by touring musicians.

Current

Chuck Robertson – lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1995–present)
Jason Lichau – trumpet, backing vocals (2015–2017, 2022–present)
Ian Cook – lead guitar (2024–present)
Nicolas Benedetti – trombone (2022–present)
Bruno Ufret – drums (2026–present)
Jon Gazi – bass guitar, backing vocals, percussion (2024–present)
Boz Rivera – percussion (2022–present), drums (2000–2001, 2008–2009)

Past

Sean Sellers - drums (2022-2026)
Stepháne Montigny – trombone, backing vocals (2022–2024)
Marcos Jose Gonzalez – trombone (2024–present)
Brandon Landelius – lead guitar, backing vocals (2022–2024)
Sascha Lazor – lead guitar, banjo (1995–2022)
Eduardo Hernandez – trombone (1996–2022)
Graham Palmer – bass guitar, vocals (2009–2022)
Todd Rosenberg – drums (1995–1999, 2010–2022)
Mark Bush – trumpet, backing vocals (2018–2022)
Keith Douglas – trumpet, vocals (1997–2016)
Carter Benson – guitar, vocals (1995–2002)
Dustin Lanker – keyboards (2007–2015)
Mark Iverson – bass (1995–2006)
Chris Badham – bass (2006–2008) (touring member)
Brian Flenniken – drums (2001–2008)
Derrick Plourde – drums (2001)
Bobby "Moonbird" Vesnaver – trumpet (2014–2015) (touring member)
Chris Butcher – trombone (2015) (touring member)