Doomed Confessionary: Marty, James, Jay & Mike (Carne Con Papas)
Carne Con Papas is a stoner rock quartet with a southern flair hailing from Columbia, South Carolina. They recently released their self-titled album, »Carne Con Papas«, in July 2025.
Carne Con Papas sound blends gritty stoner rock with heavy grooves and energetic riffs, drawing inspiration from bands like Karma To Burn, Red Fang, Slomosa, Truckfighters, and Orange Goblin. Fans of massive, fuzzed-out guitars and unapologetically raw, live-inspired energy may find a lot to love in their music. Carne Con Papas have also taken a creative leap with the album by releasing a series of animated videos accompanying each track, offering an immersive journey for fans.
Carne Con Papas are Marty Cousins, James Ervin, Jay Crosby and Mike Padula.
Can you please say a few words about your band?
We have a lot of what everyone loves about the genre, big fuzzed out guitars, hammering drums and sludgy riffs. But much like the recipe that is our moniker, we add a little secret sauce, a dash of prog, a spoonful of delta blues, and a heapin’ helping of southern rock influence. Cook that all down and you end up with something that is uniquely Carne Con Papas.
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
Still a big challenge is time. We’re all trying to juggle families, jobs, gigs, rehearsing and writing, just life. You gotta focus on what you love and make time for it. Not always easy, but necessary!
What can you be most proud of so far?
We are really proud of this new record. Sure, there are some things we might have done better regarding production, but we made the decision to do it all ourselves with our own equipment in our own space on our own time. Kind of proud to say we did it all. And we felt like it kept the energy so we kept the takes we liked, warts and all! We think the tunes are infectious, the tone is tasty, and the vibe is quality. All in all we believe it’s good work and worthy of a listen.
What was your biggest regret?
Regret is like dragging giant heavy bags thru an airport, no fun. But I guess it would be not seeing Ozzy/Sabbath final show.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
This probably isn’t the answer you’re looking for, but every show is our best show. If we’re playing to a full house, or to the bartenders and their mates, you get the same experience with us on stage. No one has more fun at a CCP show than we do! We love doing this and we hope everyone in attendance gets that vibe.
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
Probably all of the camaraderie and support within the scene. All the bands we’ve played with and all the folks in the crowd have been very warm, friendly and supportive. Not just to us but to each other. This scene has been awesome so we want to do our part to keep it that way and support each other however we can.
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
Where to start??? Gnome, Orange Goblin, Pelican, Wo Fat, Church Of The Cosmic Skull, Midnight Ghost Train, Slomosa, High On Fire, and the list goes on…..
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
Our longtime friend, Hickry Hawkins, once said, “When you walk into a room, make sure everybody knows you’re in the band.” It’s not about ego, pageantry or costumes or that kind of thing, but people come out to a club to see a “show”. We all want to experience the music and be part of something different than our normal daily grind. Since then we always try to deliver 100 percent every show.
What are your guilty pleasures?
Well now, those are things we could probably be found “guilty” of in most places. Certainly nothing evil or nefarious, however, some things may be better left unsaid so we’ll leave it at that. But if you have some imagination these things probably aren’t hard to guess!
Can you say something more about the current music scene in Columbia, NC?
Well, as mentioned there’s a great group of supportive musicians here locally. There just isn’t so much public interest in our genre. If we want to see bands and attend festivals centered around the music we love, we have to travel. We’re all doing our part to continue to grow the scene!
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
So far bookings are just around the southeastern US. We’re working on casting a wider net. Perhaps some live streaming events forthcoming for our friends outside of our area.
What are your plans for the future as a band?
We would definitely love to hop the pond over to Europe for some tour dates. Not sure how soon that may be feasible, but it’s absolutely our biggest goal. In the meantime we’re working on expanding our footprint all along the eastern US.
How can people best support your band?
Stream, purchase, listen, attend! We love all the new friends we’re making. Shoot us a message, hit us on YouTube and social media. We want to hear from you!
Do you have any message for your listeners?
Life is short and often tough. ROCK OUT WHENEVER YOU CAN!!!
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well