Carl Canedy, renowned drummer, producer, and songwriter, is scheduled to release his autobiography, Tales Of A Wild Dog, on April 4.
Carl is well known for his skills and prowess as the drummer for the influential Upstate, New York power trio, The Rods. He has also made a name for himself as the producer on some of thrash metal’s earliest albums: Anthrax’s Fistful Of Metal and Spreading The Disease, Overkill’s Feel The Fire, Exciter’s Violence And Force, and many other iconic albums.
The 300-page book, courtesy of New Haven Publishing, will also feature commentary from many artists, such as Joey Belladonna of Anthrax, Dan Beehler of Exciter, Jeff Plate of Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Dan Lilker of Nuclear Assault, Jeff Becerra of Possessed, James Rivera of Helstar, and many others.
“I wanted to do something a bit different - traditional autobiographies tend to be very one-sided. Very one dimensional. I saw the events of my life one way, but did others experience the same event, the same way? I felt it would be good to get some opposing viewpoints, or at least a differing take on some of the events. We gave them a blank canvas,” says Carl.
The decision to write a book did not come easy. Carl laments, “I’ve done a lot of interviews over the years, and many of the journalists told me that I had some good stories - that I should do a book. Though a book is not an easy task. Sitting in front of the computer for months just was not feasible. But ultimately, I wanted something to leave my daughter - I wanted her to know my stories, my experiences and so on. Something that she can pass on to her children. So, I had these audio files that I had been compiling, but I really did not know what to do with them. And then Phillip “Doc” Harrington reached out to me.”
Co-author, Phillip Harrington ultimately, was able to persuade Carl to start the project - which turned into a two-year effort. Phillip stated, “Well, I am a fan. A fan, not only of The Rods, but also of Carl’s production efforts. If you take my top 25 albums, the bulk of them were either produced by Carl, or he played the drums on them. We are talking about a guy who was there for the genesis of heavy metal – he helped shape metal into the powerhouse that it would become in the late 80’s. He is definitely one of the most underrated people in the genre – no doubt about it. And I felt it crucial that he do a book. So, I offered up my services – transcribing, typing and doing the layout. I am glad his story is getting out there – he was very instrumental in a genre that millions love dearly. And he has such a great life story.”
“I thought it would be easy and fun,” remarks Carl. “As it turns out, recounting some of the stories was somewhat disturbing. At times, I would find myself becoming very emotional as I recounted these memories. It was much more difficult than I realized. It made me realize that life was not easy for me as a young boy. There were a lot of moments that were very difficult to relive.”
Carl’s memoirs will debut only a couple of months after his 71st birthday. “You are talking about 7 decades of memories, experiences, accomplishments and loss - and then there are the road stories, there is the drumming, the production, managing bands, and owning a recording studio. Plus, the commentary from the artists that were there.
"It started as an autobiography, but it essentially became a tale on the rise of heavy metal – because Carl was paramount for metal. He helped lay the foundation. And then, there is his personal life - which has had some very intense moments. Some tragic. There are plenty of ups and downs within his story. There is a piece in the end that no one saw coming. I don’t even think Carl saw it coming. Prior to knowing Carl, I had a very strong gut feeling that his life and experience would make for a great story – and now? Well, there is a certain satisfaction there knowing that my gut was right. It’s a damn good story!,” says the coauthor.
The book comes at a busy time for Carl. The Rods have just released their 10th studio album, Rattle The Cage, and Carl’s pre-The Rods band, Kelakos, have also just released an album. The Rods have dates scheduled throughout Europe, Australia and in the US for 2024.
Tales Of A Wild Dog will be available at retailers of good books worldwide.
(Top photo - Scott Braun Photography)
