A Dirty Dozen with DAVID DELANEY from THEM EVILS – April 2021

According to a recent press release: “Huntington Beach, CA based Heavy Rock band THEM EVILS is tearing into 2021 with their newest, party anthem single “Pour out Another One”! Produced by Jim Kaufman, the live video for “Pour Out Another One” was directed and edited by the band’s own David Delaney. Them Evils are kicking down the doors with their new party anthem “Pour Out Another One”. A song that evokes a message that people can relate to now more than ever. As COVID-19 continues to keep the world from enjoying day-to-day pleasures in life, the band knew this was the time to show that it doesn’t stop them from keeping the good times rollin’. Whether it’s the struggle to survive or just celebrating the time we have.. ‘Pour Out Another One’ is proof that the life of the party never dies.” We get drummer David to discuss new music, influences, and more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

It’s called “Pour Out Another One!” We wrote it with our good friends Kevin Thrasher (Escape the Fate) and Aaron Edwards. When writing it we were all still adjusting to the “lockdown” period and just wrote what we were feeling at the time. We all couldn’t work, tour, or do anything. After having a couple drinks the words “pour out another one” just clicked with all of us. The goal at that point was to write a song that can take your mind off the negativity surrounding the world. After we got the demo together we met with Jim Kaufman to record and mix. I wouldn’t say there’s any “Easter eggs” hidden in the song. I don’t think we’re super cryptic with our lyrics.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

I was a kid who was surrounded by all forms of entertainment. When I was 5 years old my family and I were watching The Cable Guy with Jim Carrey. There is a scene where he does a karaoke performance of “Somebody to Love” by Jefferson Airplane. I ended up rewinding the VHS tape constantly and learned the song and choreography in the scene. This led to me performing it in front of my entire family! Based on their reactions it made me think I would end up being a performer someday. After many years of sports and whatever extracurricular activity I could try out, music was always the thing that continued to hold my interest. When I was 11 years old I put all my focus on teaching myself to play drums.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

Aside from my Jefferson Airplane story, I was introduced to a ton of great music from my parents. When they would drive me to school they would always be playing something new to captivate my interest. From classic rock to grunge, ska, rap, pop, or punk. I was always in search for some other cool band that I wasn’t aware of yet. When I discovered Nirvana, that was it for me! Their ability to capture so many styles of music and create something completely original is so inspiring to me.

4. Who would be your main five musical influences?

Nirvana, of course. Others would be Queens of the Stone Age, Nine Inch Nails, Dr. Dre, and the Pixies.

5. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

Josh Homme would be my personal pick! He managed to create such a signature sound with whatever he does and I feel like I relate to it on such a deep level. His sound tends to be so dark, dirty, and sexy. Whenever I listen to his music I find myself dancing without a care in the world.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

We’ve coined the phrase “Classic rock with a modern roll.” It’s got a little bit of something for everyone. I feel like anytime people give us a show review the comparison is never the same artist. Whether it’s Guns N Roses, Motorhead, Arctic Monkeys, or Royal Blood. And I love that! I personally am not a fan of the 80’s hair metal scene. So if someone said we sound like Poison or something, I’d definitely feel like we need to change things up.

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks, who gets the drinks in, and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

I’m the cook, Jake gets the drinks in, and Jordan would pull the guitar out.

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

I get starstruck so easily so it pretty much happens to everyone I meet! When we played Welcome to Rockville in Jacksonville, FL I had excitement overload. We we’re trying to catch Billy Idol backstage and security were being uptight and didn’t allow us back even though we were artists. We walked away in defeat and I look up and see all of the Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age coming towards me! I literally couldn’t speak a word I was so nervous. We hung out for a bit and had the other guys do the talking for me. They also didn’t get to go backstage for Billy, so they invited us to hang out backstage for their sets saying “we wouldn’t have to deal with shit like this”. Coolest moment of my career thus far!

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

Live shows are the best part without a doubt. I get to this euphoric state as the set goes on and I feel like in my own world. Almost like a “body high”. And not to mention the crowd attending your show. Seeing people get pumped and sharing what you’re doing makes it all worth it. I make sure to be at the merch table every night to hang out with fans to show that we appreciate their support. If music were to disappear from my life I would probably end up in a comic shop, record store, or try my luck in the film industry.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

Something off-script and random. “Who’s your favorite superhero?” Batman all the way! The question I get over hearing is “How did you get your band name?”. It’s a cool story, don’t get me wrong. But we’ve been asked that 120,938,938,475,934 times at this point.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

Nothing specific. This industry is very challenging because it’s constantly evolving with everything from social media or streaming sites. It’s a constant grind. I wouldn’t necessarily want to “do over” anything because we’ve learned through our mistakes.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

The first one that comes to mind is Led Zeppelin IV! To watch John Bonham record drums at Headley Grange would be insane. Every time I hear the drum sounds in “When the Levee Breaks” I get goosebumps. From an engineer standpoint I’d want to know the gear and microphone set up to achieve that sound. Of course, the room itself had a lot to do with it.

BONUS QUESTION – Due to the current world situation with COVID-19 / quarantine / shelter in place, what have you discovered you miss the most from your life before the pandemic struck?

Attending a concert is what I miss most. Being in a room to see a band you love and being surrounded by a large group of people who share that passion is an unbeatable feeling. I constantly reminisce on the last couple shows I saw before everything shutdown. Those shows were Microwave and RX Bandits.

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Category: Interviews