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Intro:
The band is nearly as entertaining in person as watching them perform live. It's like watching, "Spinal Tap", but this band and the stories are real. They are personable, with Bill Davis even calling me at home to confirm the interview. I challenge you to find any other successful band in rock and roll, which will do this. When I say successful, I'm not talking about mega-platinum sales, half-assed live shows, limos and champagne. More like grassroots sales, the best live club show in rock, the group's van and beer. I talked to the members of Dash before their recent Atlanta show the first week of 1999.
E.C.: First of all, tell me about the new album, Paydirt.
Bill:
It's a good record, produced by Fred LeBlanc of Cowboy Mouth I think the songs... we were looking for something melodic and poppier. Great songs, shitty record label, shitty distribution...typical Dash Rip Rock. I don't know, we've never had good luck with record companies. But, we've always made our living by being a live band.
E.C.: What was it like working with Fred again (Producer Fred LeBlanc, former Dash Rip Rock drummer, and now a member of Cowboy Mouth)?
Bill:
It was fun...he's a great producer, very inspirational. He's real inspirational in the studio, he yells at you allot, "c'mon, pump it up, feel it like you wanna feel it, like God is in your fingers!" And he goes, "are you with me?!?"
Kyle:
The thing is, he gets you so angry at him you end up playing really well.
E.C.: Of all the Dash Rip Rock records, do you have any favorites?
Bill :
I like "Get You Some of Me", I did the artwork and all that stuff. It was kinda like a cleaning house record, where I went through all my old songs. Also, it was the record that had the "Pot" song on it. It was my favorite one. I think the best record is Paydirt, the best sounding record. I don't think the production quality is very good on "Get You Some of Me". But, I think the songs are great on that record. That's my favorite record of all. Paydirt could be my favorite, but it just hasn't been given a chance.
E.C.: I would love to hear an album of just all the covers that you do live...
Bill :
Yeah, we were kinda kidding around with doing that. Doing all the joke songs...
Kyle:
That's what P.C. (the record label for Paydirt) wanted originally...
Bill :
We could do it, we could do No Doubt, we could do Jim Croce...we have so many joke songs... John Travolta (lyrics set to the Knack song, My Sharona).
E.C.: Kyle is the newest member of the band, how did he come to join on drums?
Bill:
He was playing with a country band in New Orleans, and they kicked him out cause he was too loud. And he joined us!
E.C.: So, Kyle has been with the band for about 4 years?
Hoaky:
They last about 5 years! They just give out!
Bill:
The worse thing about Dash drummers, they are thrown into the job immediately, they don't have time to rehearse or anything.
E.C.: How long do you foresee Dash Rip Rock continuing?
Bill:
We'll continue as along as we have ah...as long as we are in debt! When we get out of debt we will...
Hoaky:
Re-evaluate!
Kyle:
So, all you fans out there, keep us in debt...don't come see our shows, don't buy our records and well be around for a long time.
E.C.: Does the band have a message for the new millenium?
Bill:
Drink more, bitch less.
Hoaky:
Gettin arrested for drinking and driving sucks!
Kyle: Fuck Y2K!
E.C.: On the web site and on the new CD there are drunk Hoaky stories. Are there any others you can relate right now?
Bill:
There is a library of drunk Hoaky stories.
Kyle: He have them all on a big zip disc.
Hoaky:
Cause I'm the only one who drinks in this outfit.
Bill:
No, we've got good drunk everybody stories, but his are legendary.
E.C.: It must really bother you that allot of bands with much less talent are getting all the radio play.
All together :
No?!? Arghhh...Don't get us started...
Kyle :
Lets name some names...
E.C.: Anything on 99X (the huge "alternative/new" rock station in Atlanta)?!
Kyle :
Ooh, we didn't say that!
E.C.: You can always revive your career like Metallica and cover and old Bob Seger song?
Sing all together:
"here I am, on the road again..."
E.C.: A question for the female fans, is Hoaky married?
Hoaky:
Ahh, legally yes..legally yes would be my response...
E.C.: Finally, how do you keep it energetic after all these years?
Bill:
It's still allot of fun for me...the show itself is fun, the minute we get on stage and plug in I stop being depressed about all the business. It's truly a joy to make music. It's not as much fun touring, but the gigs themselves are really fun.
DASH RIP ROCK CONCERT REVIEW
The show was your typical Dash Rip Rock live show. Jolting and energetic, just like the jar of white lightnin' that Hoaky was passing around. They played songs from their first album all the way to their current album, Paydirt. The band simply never lost momentum in their 2+ hour show. They even played covers by such diverse artists as: the Monkees, Big Star, Replacements, Foreigner, Grand Funk Railroad, Hank Williams, Helen Ready and Vanilla Ice . I left the show fully drained, yet energized. Rock and roll isn't dead, you just gotta know where to find it.
1987 Dash Rip Rock (688 Records)
1989 Ace of Clubs (Mammoth Records)
1991 Boiled Alive (Mammoth Records)
1993 Tiger Town (Doctor Dream Records)
1995 Get You Some of Me (Sector 2 Records)
1997 Dash Rip Rock's Gold Record (Naked Language-Ichiban)
1998 Paydirt (P.C. Records)
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