Blag Dahlia (Dwarves – vocals)
SPB: What is the most important vocal element when doing sound check for a Dwarves show?
Blag Dahlia: A sound man who isn’t profoundly retarded. They do exist, but to find them you have to travel far and wide sorting through countless buffoons until, like the princess and the pea, you find one that’s just right. Then you fire him for doing heroin while driving the van.
One-question interviews with artists where we find out about the gear and equipment they use to achieve their sound.
— More from this series
Tell us about your bagpipes? Read more
Courtney Ranshaw (Black Adidas) SPB: Is there an instrument that's central to "the Black Adidas sound"? Ranshaw: I’d like to showcase an instrument that’s central to one of the songs on the record and has made its way onto a few songs of ours over the years. This is our … Read more
Eric Angelo Bessel SPB: Walk us through your gear setup for the recording of Mirror at Night. Eric: I composed the album, Mirror at Night, using a pair of digital Mellotrons (proto-sampling keyboards), an Alesis Micron (keyboard synthesizer), and guitars. The Micron is a new addition, and is the main … Read more
Mike Huguenor Tell us about the primary guitars you used making Surfing the Web with the Alien? Read more
Matthew Brammer (Six Below Zero) SPB: Can you walk us through your studio or recording set-up to get a glimpse of how a one-man band works for Six Below Zero? Brammer: Since I don't play live anymore, I'm pretty much 100% "in the box" these days. Especially since a lot … Read more
The Dwarves first cut me off on my path with their 1986 garage-rock debut, Horror Stories, on Voxx Records. Been a fan since. Over the forty years they've been around, some albums hit, some didn't connect as much. Their last main outing, Concept Album, bloated into a 26-song deluxe CD. Jenkem returns to familiar territory: 14 tracks screaming by in … Read more
Sunshine, Lollipops & Rainbows is a live studio recording from 1989, released on picture disc earlier this year on limited vinyl for Record Store Day. Given that it came shortly before the release of Blood, Guts & Pussy, it's no surprise that it's heavy on songs from that record (10 of 14, if I've counted correctly). It's more primal than … Read more
Take Back The Night isn’t one of those experiment Dwarves records, like the industrio-tinge of Come Clean. On their latest offering, the long-running band alternates styles consistently between their unique and twisted take on bubblegum pop-punk and screaming, single-vocalist hardcore. For the most part, the hardcore songs are fronted by Rex Everything (Nick Oliveri), with occasional SPB guest contributor Blag … Read more
Aemilia (ELDP) SPB: In your experience, what band has been the most fun to play with? Aemilia: Our most favourite band to have played with so far has been Dutch band All Dogs Go To Heaven. They're not only great people off stage, but they also make amazing music! When … Read more
Sarah (Quattracenta) SPB: Which of your songs is the most difficult to play live? Sarah: “In Dust,” from our new record III. It’s not necessarily difficult in a technical sense, but because it is a very quiet and intimate song, playing it in a noisy club or bar can be … Read more
Joao (Illuminati) SPB: What inspired Illuminati to reform? Joao: The original lineup disbanded in 2004 after I migrated to the United States. We self-released a demo in 2003 that was intended to be a literal "demonstration" of our songs rather than a definitive statement of what we wanted to do … Read more
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