As with many bands I’ve discovered recently, I first discovered TruckDog & the Go People when I was listening to Only the Host’s Indie Music Hunt a little while back. A little investigation revealed that the project is a solo endeavor on the part of Christian John Cuddy, whose eclectic
tastes are reflected in his music. Punk, indie, alternative, electronic, and pop vibes all echo throughout the TruckDog catalog, and Chris recently posted a playlist of Monkees tunes on Spotify and Tidal titled “Monkeespiration,” which suggests yet another influence. Curious to
learn more, I reached out…

Do I remember correctly that you were a fine artist before getting into music? What was your medium? And how would you describe your art?

It all started with my mom painting along with Bob Ross on PBS (Public Broadcast System). That got me hooked into art as a very young age. In highschool, my art teacher Pam Smith really helped me focus my skills. In my 30’s, I worked full time as a Drafter with and engineering firm and put myself through college to get a Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design and Media Arts.

My artwork is very ecclectic and employs a broad range of styles and mediums. The ideas come from everywhere in life and the artwork reflects that. I’ve used just about every medium there is (including, in one instance, my own blood). Acrylic paint and watercolor are my preferred mediums today. Serene landscapes, abstract art with vivid colors, and surreal moments are some examples of subject matter in my artwork.

What inspired your move from art to music?

When I was 16 years old, my friend Andy Cook got his first guitar (A Squier electric, if I’m not mistaken). Not to be left out, I bought a Yamaha acoustic guitar with nylon strings for $25 from a different friend and that’s how it all started. Since that day, my art and music have evolved in tandem. My artistic toolkit expanded when I started playing music. If it wasn’t for being jealous of Andy’s guitar, I wouldn’t have ever gotten into music.

How are the two worlds different?

Great question. This is actually a tough question for me to answer. The obvious answer is the audience looks at one and listens to the other. The root of that dynamic is in the Electromagnetic Spectrum. Music vibrates at a lower frequency whereas Artwork vibrates at a higher frequency.

The practical difference for me is that I am fairly quiet when making art and louder when making music. The more I try to find differences, the more I keep finding similarities. This is actually a really hard question for me. I think of art and music in practically the same way. So I will stick to the Electromagnetic Spectrum answer and think a LOT more about this.

How does your background in fine art inform your approach to making music?

Artistic expression is like arthritis; if you don’t keep moving, the pain becomes unbearable. When I was 14 years old, I had a high fever from an infection in my hip that required surgery. The doctors called it “premature arthritis.” Ever since then, I have to keep moving or the pain increases in my hip. Artwork and music are like that.

If you don’t create something for awhile, don’t you feel it becoming pent-up energy inside you? Don’t you feel the itch to get it out? That is very real energy that comes FROM somewhere, goes THROUGH you, and goes TO an audience. Because of this, I tend to keep a lot of artifacts in my art and music that others might consider to be “mistakes” or imperfections. These are real moments of creation and those imperfections are like gusts of wind on a warm summer afternoon. They are critical to the creative reality of the moment. And it is a direct result of being a student of Bob Ross’ artistic philosophy: There are no mistakes, only “happy accidents.” And you have to make room in your art for the little squirrels to live!

You also mentioned an interest in filmmaking. Have you ventured into that world yet?

I have dipped my toe in the shallow end of the wading pool at the park near the beach by the ocean that is filmmaking. (Too much?)

I have filmed and produced many small-time projects like retirement videos for engineers I’ve worked with, various work-related promo videos, music videos for myself and other bands, video bumpers for websites, some short animations and more. When I was a teenager, I spent a good deal of time making short screenplays for film ideas (all of which are sadly lost to the sands of time). But the dream is still alive and someday I would love to make films, especially feature-length animated films.

Where did the name TruckDog & the Go People come from? It’s a fun name, by the way!

My wife Jade and I had a dog (shih tzu) called Oliver. His full name was Oliver Wendle Douglas Tipke Cuddy Junior the 3rd Esquire. We called him Ollie. Years ago, on a trip through Montana, Ollie was sitting with my wife in the passenger seat and he had his head out the window and he was “living his best life” as my wife would say. It was at that moment my wife coined the phrase “TruckDog.” And she took the picture (attached). A few minutes later, we had added “& the Go People” and it became a sort of nickname for our family any time we went on road trips.

Ollie is the TruckDog. My wife and I were the Go People. In 2016, my son Brendan was born and become the third Go Person. In March 2023, Oliver died from old age and stomach issues. In my grief and as a way to remember my friend, I named my solo music project TruckDog & the Go People.

The Truckdog logo shows up a lot on Indie Music Hunt. Did you design that logo?

John Woodson – AKA Only The Host – designed that graphic. That is just one of many MANY fine examples of how the Only The Host community (and John specifically) supports Indie Music artists in unique and often-amusing ways. I love that design. And now it is actually available on t-shirts at OnlyTheHost.com!

You released a track about a year ago called “SlowMotionMemory” and described it as the “moment in a car accident when everything slows down and the past flashes before your eyes.” What inspired that track?

Slow Motion Memory is inspired by the way time slows down when you have near-death experience. The song was also inspired by my new-at-the-time Jackson Spectra JS3 bass guitar. I wanted to record something without drums and with no attention paid to time. And I came up with that bass line on the spot and it turned out pretty cool. Some sound effects to achieve the car crash scheme and some high pitched beeps and whirs round out the concept.

The Monkees were actually the first band I ever saw in concert, and I’ve always been a fan, so I’m curious about the “Monkeespiration” playlist you created. What turned you on to the Monkees, and how does their influence show up in your music?

I was born in 1981. I have two brothers and a sister. They are 6, 7, and 12 years older than me, respectively. I mention that because I get a lot of my pop-culture background from their perspective and age groups. Also important here is that my Mom is a real hippie (my Dad too, but he’s more of an Elvis guy). My Mom is a big fan of the Monkees. As with Bob Ross and painting, I take a lot of my musical tastes from my Mom.

So, all of that adds up to my family watching reruns of the Monkees TV show in the mid to late 80’s. I love the energy and immaturity of the Monkees. You could say I “monkey around” with my music. I am a daydream believer. And I definitely do not take myself too seriously.

You also play drums in a group called Telepathic Station Nine. Can you talk a little bit about that band?

Telepathic Station Nine is the brainchild of my friend Andy Cook. In or around 2015, Andy put together a 6 track album called Transmission Intercept. He asked me and Logan Callen to join him to form a band so we could play live shows and get his songs out into the world. Andy had known Logan from their time studying music in college. I had known Andy since we were 7 years old in first grade. With Logan on bass guitar and Andy on guitar and vocals and me on drums, we learned the songs and played live shows around Spokane, Washington. Over time, we started writing more songs as a group. We turned some of our jam recordings into another 6 track album called A Sound Mind, A Robot’s Heart. The Covid Pandemic shut down TS9 for a couple years, but we’re back to jamming together again and we have plans to release some better recordings of some old songs and some new recordings of new songs. With luck, there will be more live shows too!

What are your plans for 2024?

So many plans. I want to write an album in conjunction with the Cosmic Bos Monthly Music Challenge 2.0. I also want to write an album inspired by Red Dwarf that will be somewhat autobiographical. Through the Only The Host community, I’ve made a lot of friends that I hope to collaborate with also. There is going to be a TruckDog/CuddyArt website in the new year. I’ve got plans to make some music videos. And if everything works out, my wife and son may start making appearances as official members of TruckDog & the Go People. There is so much music happening in my life right now, it is actually a bit overwhelming. But I am up for the challenge! Let’s GOOOO!

Thanks for taking the time to talk to me!