davey suicide Archives - Holy Supermarket

On October 11^th many bands had graced the stage of the Glass House which for fan is always a win because it is an up close and personal show. Combichrist had many bands that were playing with them that night and one of them happens to be Davey Suicide. With the new album out they were playing a large selection of songs from World Wide Suicide. With only a half hour set it is the best way to get people to not only hear your new stuff but to get people to become aware of who you are in this large fan base. The band put on a good show. Each member was high energy and despite the little movement they could do on stage, they made sure to take up as much of it as possible. At one point Suicide even got off of the stage and was singing down to the crowd. It was a good way to start off a show for a band that would be all over the stage as well. It was unfortunate to only see them play for such a small set, but it happens that way. At least they sounded great and they had some high energy.

After a few other performer Combichrist came onto the stage and started the set with “ We Were Made to Love You.” This is of course exciting to see what is going to happen with this band. There is so many of them and there are many sounds that come from this music that it is always fascinating to see how it will come to life. As promised we had a very hyper active Andy LaPlague who was running around the stage and making sure to interact with not only his band mates but the people who brought him there, his fans.

Some of the songs that they played were fan requested and by fan requested I mean they literally took a poll of what songs people wanted to hear. I did participate in this and was please to hear “This is my Rifle.” The sound was on point the only thing that was missing for me was the parts from Full Metal Jacket but that is just me being knit picky. One of the band members that always gets over looked is the drummer and I don't want to do that to Joe Letz because HE IS AWESOME TO WATCH. If you ever just want to sit back and watch one band member play forever he is the guy. Whether he is doing it because he is bored or for show it doesn't matter, not only is his sound on point in a highly drumlin based band but he still twirls the sticks, throws it to the crowd, throws them at random band members, or standing on them, it doesn't matter the fact is that he is one of the best drummer sound wise and entertainment wise. It has always been a joy to watch someone play like that.

Aside from the one man show Letz could do on his own, the rest of the band member were on top of it. In fact each band was so on point they sounded better then when I had first seen them a few years back. What I really enjoyed was when the encore came on and LaPlague had one of the drumsticks and he was conducting the band. It was great to see the his art come to life in the way that he wanted it to sound. It was like the mad man was comprising his work and we were lucky enough to see it.

Now for some personal bias shit; I was suppose to have an interview with pretty much all the bands. My video guy was late for the Combichrist interview, I was told it was ok and we could do it later which we didn't do. I wish they would have told me that it was a problem so that I could have just done an audio interview instead. I came all the way from Vegas to interview everyone and everyone bailed. Two of them didn't even answer their text messages. Guys I'm a fan but I'm also incredibly offended that my time was wasted like this. I didn't even get to shower after the bus ride out there so I COULD BE THERE FOR YOUR INTERVIEW. Then I was told one thing and another happened. So I am going to give out one question per a band feel free to email it to me or your publicist.

Combichrist- In our last interview we talked about how Jazz was an influence on the band. Currently I am taking a lit class which is heavily jazzed influenced and for our oral reports I used the interview I did with Andy as an example as the way that music can influence people of all nations and genres. My professor wrote on my slip back (which I got an A on) “ Louis Armstrong; In this presentation you did a very good job of highlighting a couple of the most recognizable features of Armstrong's performance, and including his use of the scat and the trumpet solo. You were able to talk about his use of muted trumpet while playing “Can't We be Friends.” a duet with Ella Fitzgerald. I especially liked the way you connect Armstrong's legacy to an unexpected contemporary band.” How does something like that make you feel? That I was using your music for an oral presentation on a historical member and it was well received for my class.

Davey Suicide- For you music review if you read it I had asked what was the context of “bitch” for your song Filthy Rich. So what are you using it as? In a time where feminism is an up hill battle do you think that it is the time to be using such a cliche fraze?

Darksiderz- There isn't a lot of information on you in fact I had a hard time finding anything so what made you get into this genre of music?

So those are a few of my question. If you would like to conduct your interview to get all of them I am always open for that after my class or before.

Unlike most people, when I hear that there is a show at the Whisky I am not to thrilled. Actually this was the first time that I had covered a show there since I started writing in journalism. It is not for any reason other then how I get treated, which is not to well but for this show I decided to suck it up since I was asked if I would like to cover and do an interview. I felt like it was a fuck it moment and it was the wise choice. I went to interview Davey Suicide, which lead to talking to Needlz (keyboard player) and Drayven Davidson (drummer). All three of these men reminded me of the guys I hang out with which is pretty weird for musicians. It was a nice change from the typical phone interview that I normally do. After I did that interview, I watched Phil walk into the Defiled room and he started to hand out guitar hand cream. For me normally after I do an in person interview, I find a quiet place to reflect on the events that just happened, I start thinking about what I want to write and I play a game on my phone. Instead I had a pleasant conversation with Alex (key board player), James (Alex’s friend) and Needles (drummer). They are a funny bunch of people. It would have been a fun tour hanging out with these bands because they have something to say, they can tell a joke, and it seemed to be light hearted.

I did not know who the Defiled was when I got there, nor did the Whisky giving lead singer Stitch D a hard time entering the building, but I was pleasantly surprised to have heard them play. It was a great show for not only their sound but also their stage presence. The stage at the Whisky is tiny, barely able to hold the full band and or to even move around but these guys did not let that hold them back from utilizing the stage to the max. It was refreshing to see that the drummer and the keyboard player were some of the most active members on stage. In fact the drummer had tried to do some trick with his stick, lost it and instead of acting like nothing happened, he stuck his tongue out in a joking manner grabbed another one and kept the beat going. It was funny to watch in a non-harmful way. They had only played a half hour set but it was defiantly a good one. It is unfortunate that was the amount of time they were allowed to play, as many people have read from me I hate when they only are allowed to play for that long because I feel like it never gives the band enough time to really show case what they can do. This was not the case with the Defiled; they put on one hell of a show in the short amount of time. It will be a real treat one day to see them in a full length set.

Up next were the main act, Davey Suicide and the band. They came out with the same amount of energy that was given by the band before. It was nice to have the next band keep up the same energy. The band had started off playing “Grab and Gun and Hide Your Morals”. The sound was spot on and despite a few of the earlier bands having a bass that was a little high which covered up the vocals, Davey Suicide vocals were at the right pitch as the rest of the music being played.

With the scene lately it seems like no one cares about what they look like on stage wearing regular clothes but this was not the case with his band. They each had make up and an outfit that went with it. This is very reminiscent of Combichrist or Marilyn Manson in a good way, not in a copycat way but rather as an act. I being a theatre person always appreciate when a good show is being put on and the artist makes sure to add in not just the actually act on stage but the clothes and make up to go with. It makes it a complete act much like Gwar does. It seems that this kind of thing is lost on the newer generation of acts but since I would but Davey Suicide in the same music category as Manson, it seems like there is hope in the metal scene to come. Suicide was all over the stage as well as the rest of the members. I always like to see a band that participates with the audience. It was also nice that the video on stage did not take over the performance like the Lamb of God video, but it was more like the Primus 3d tour where it was there to enhance what was going on with each song.

Overall it was a great show for both of the bands. I still would have liked to see a longer set from both of them but there is always another tour to come up and a place for a reported to enjoy some good music. When it comes to hungry bands like this who want to make it in a tough music world, I want to grab bands like Diva Flag, Black Flag read my OC review here, http://blogs.ocweekly.com/heardmentality/2013/07/black_flag_the_observatory.php. I want to grab Diva Flag and make them see what it looks like to have a great performance.

I had said earlier I was able to interview the band and well for the first time I have a crush on a musician I interviewed. I being a strong advocate against it because I do not want to ruin my name or being mistaken for a groupie, I was thrown off by Davey Suicide. He is my type all the way around, tall skinny, likes art and wants to write a Led Zeppelin song what more could I ask for in a person to interview. I would defiantly take him to a few art museums that are out here.

H.S.- what do you think you are bringing to the metal scene?

Davey Suicide- A fucking awesome band.

H.S.- That’s it?

Davey Suicide.- That’s it.

H.S.- Well you are making music that has been different then the past 20 years. Everything else has been run of the mill with the same bass. You have to have something to say to that.

Davey Suicide.- I feel like we are what have been absent for a really long time. We are taking our music into a different direction people are falling in love with. I think we are brining a lot of characters and theatrics.

H.S.- Do you think that is something that is needed right now in the current metal scene?

Davey Suicide- Of course. It is absolutely needed. I think the music fans are waiting for that love again.

H.S.- How do you feel its going?

Davey Suicide- I think like anything it takes a while for people to marry into what you are doing. There are so many bands that the special ones are the ones that make it to the surface. That is what is happening.

H.S.- Do you think that the metal scene is over saturated right now?

Davey Suicide- The world is over saturated. It is just easy for every body to create something. That’s why everyone is getting tired of it; they have to weed through all of this shit to get to something special.

H.S.- What have you been listening to lately?

Davey Suicide- We have been listening to some Metallica. I was listening to Alice in Chains early today. For a lot of the drives we didn’t listen to anything.

H.S.- Do you feel like it puts too much of that band into what you are doing right now? Or is it for no reason?

Davey Suicide- It’s because I left my iPod at this video thing before we left.

H.S.- No cds?

Dravyen Davidson- A lot of what we do is so loud and chaotic anyways it was just quiet time. After a show it was like no body talk lets just have quiet time and reflect.

Davey Suicide- We also let who ever is driving pick and we are always conscience of the other guys and letting them sleep.

Dravyen Davidson- I listen to a lot of stand up comedy when I drive.

H.S.- Who?

Davey Suicide- Seinfeld its not funny.

Dravyen Davidson- Jerry Seinfeld, Robin Williams, Bill Maher, all those guys.

H.S.- What about Louis C K?

Dravyen Davidson- Love him. We didn’t have him on the iPod this time so none of him. Louis Black I love him, I need something other wise I fall asleep while I’m driving.

H.S.- If you could write any song in history what would it be?

Davey Suicide.- It has yet to be written.

H.S.- It has yet to be written?

Davey Suicide- That’s why you write music isn’t it? Because you want to rewrite them.

H.S.- I’m a play write but I would never want to rewrite them.

Davey Suicide- I would go with some epic shit like Led Zeppelin or something, Bohemian Rhapsody, Stairway to Heaven.

H.S.- What inspires you to make music and paint?

Davey Suicide.- It allows me to stay chill. I’m kind of all over the place and it allows me to stay balanced.

H.S.- But what inspires you?

Davey Suicide- For my paintings I love (Salvador) Dali.

H.S.- I saw a lot of Jhonene Vasquez.

Davey Suicide-I don’t pay a lot of attention to names.

H.S.- Squee

Davey Suicide- It’s that abstract kind of control chaos. I love it. I think Dali had a way of making things with structure. There was just so much dimension to it.

H.S.- Yeah with the elephants and the horse and the long legs, then there was the Great Mastturbator.

Davey Suicide- It is just amazing; all of it was before Photoshop. His linear patterns are so precise. It’s just fantastic. Give me some of what he had. Would you like a cliff bar?

H.S.- Sure what is it.

Davey Suicide- Its’ like a power bar.

Dravyen Davidson- When they start deep-frying those things is when I’ll start eating them

The Defiled