HEWHOCANNOTBENAMED

HEWHOCANNOTBENAMED

You've had a long career and tenure in music - how did it all begin?

It all began watching my father play the piano when I was very young. He would play classical music like “Flight of the Bumblebee” and tunes from shows like “Mary Poppins” I remember him doing a little act, hamming it up for me and my brothers.

Was music an important outlet for you early on in life?

I guess, although I didn’t think of it that way. It was something I liked to do. I took piano lessons and it took a little while to get any good at it.

When did you realize it would become a focus?  

Eventually I could play a few basic pieces by J.S. Bach. That’s when I started liking it and thinking of it as something that I could do that other kids couldn’t.

How and when did you begin writing songs?

I learned to play guitar when I was about 16. The first songs I wrote were religious.

How did you learn to play guitar, and who were some of the artists who inspired you to start writing?

My family was very Catholic so I had to go to church every Sunday. They had a guitar Mass and I saw that a few kids my age were involved in this and were playing the guitar. They got to hang out in back of the church and I figured that it would be more fun to do that then stay up front with my parents. My favorite bands were The Beatles and Elton John. It was about 1976. I learned how to play songs by bands like that and I’m sure that helped to shape my creative style even to this day.

What projects or bands were you in before The Dwarves?

I formed my first band in college with two fellow music students in 1978. We all played acoustic guitars and sang country rock covers, mostly stuff by The Eagles and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young.

How did The Dwarves come into the picture for you?

I was a college student in Waukegan IL., a city north of Chicago, when I got a knock on my dorm room door. It was a long haired 16 year-old kid who had heard that I owned a vintage Farfisa organ. He told me that he had a psychedelic band and that their organist had just quit the band and they were looking for a replacement. We smoked a few bong hits and arranged an audition. I got the gig, probably more because I had a cool keyboard than anything else. The band was then called “Suburban Nightmare”. Eventually the band changed it’s name to The Dwarves and the kid changed his to “Blag”.

What was the scene like in San Francisco at the time you began playing in The Dwarves?

We arrived in San Francisco in 1986. Everyone was talking about how cool the punk scene had been a few years before that. We didn’t really think of ourselves as a punk band so we just tried to find gigs wherever we could. “Mabuhay Gardens” was still around but it wasn’t much like we heard it used to be. We became regulars at small venue in the Mission District called “The Chatterbox”. We were also one of the first bands to play at the newly opened “Gillman Street Project” in Berkeley.  Bands in SF the late 80s tended to sound more like “Guns N Roses” than “The Dead Kennedys”.

Throughout your time in The Dwarves and into your solo project that continues today, your songs have long been associated with grim humor, sexuality, uncomfortable realities, and otherwise controversial themes. However, you're also known to write very catchy melodies and many of your songs have a poppy feel offset by the darker lyrics. Has this always been your natural modus operandi?

It took a while for me to gain the confidence to contribute any of my own stuff to the bands repertoire. One of the first songs was called “Fuckhead”. My band mates liked it so I guessed that fueled the dark humor of my lyrics. Back then most of my creativity went into writing music while Blag and Saltpeter added the lyrics. Much of the “Blood Guts and Pussy” era featured songs cowritten by me and Blag. I also had an obsession with GG Allin’s songs around that time. The catchy melodies I blame on my love of the Beatles and other rock music of the 60s and 70s that I listened to as a kid.

Your songwriting seems to incorporate a certain musical competency that suggests some formal training - do you know a lot of music theory?

I know some theory. It seems like that kind of knowledge isn’t always valued in rock n roll. The ability to play 1, 4, 5 chords goes a long way and doesn’t require much theory. Playing by ear is sometimes all that is needed.

When we've worked together, you seem to understand some of the more elusive nuances of harmony and song structure. How did you accumulate this knowledge? 

That kind of knowledge was mostly gained through experience and learning how to play piano.

On your solo albums, you tend to vary your style of songwriting significantly while retaining your distinct personality. Are you comfortable writing in different genres?

Yeah I guess. I am mostly a rock and country songwriter. I don’t think I could pull off jazz or classical very well.

How do you typically begin writing a song?

Usually with a guitar. I come up with some chords and hum a melody to it. If I know I want to work on it and make it into a song I usually add some lyrics, either some catch phrases for a chorus or a first line of a verse. If it sticks I keep developing it then little by little. Sometimes it takes a while and sometimes the song seems to almost write itself.

Do you have a method for recording or cataloging ideas so as not to forget?

I always have a notebook going. I have often made demos of songs on my home computer as well.

You seem to be fairly knowledgeable about recording and also seem to have a lot of fun with that process - has this always been the case?

I have been involved with recording projects going back to 1982 when the first “Suburban Nightmare” album was recorded in a studio in Champagne IL.

What specifically do you enjoy about the recording process, and is there some advice you might give to DIY enthusiasts who want to make their own recordings sound good on a budget?

I enjoy tracking a lot more than mixing but I most enjoy creating the songs before they even get to the studio.  As for advice, get a good engineer that you trust.

We've discussed the dangers of being an honest artist in today's world - particularly for we masked individuals who happen to sing about fucked up topics! What are some of the challenges you've faced in your professional and personal life as a result of having an alter ego? Do you proceed with caution even today?

Yes, it seems like people often forget that performers are entertainers primarily. It is a show and anyone who gets up on a stage is presenting a character who is not exactly the same as the person who is off stage. Performers can forget that as well. Wearing a mask has helped me remind myself of this.

What's your level of involvement with The Dwarves currently?

I have recorded with them on most of the albums. I play any shows that I can. I love playing with those guys.

Do you have a significant role in songwriting these days?

Currently most members of the band write. I usually get one of my songs on each album these days.

How would you describe your songwriting relationship with Blag Dahlia?

He has always been easy for me to collaborate with. Usually I feed him a riff or even a fully developed set of chords and a melody sometimes lyrics.  If he likes it he will often add lyrics and make a few changes. I trust that he will come up with something good. I think there has to be high level of trust with a songwriting partner.

Do you two have similar instincts? What have you learned from his songwriting approach?

Yes I think we do have similar instincts about what Dwarves songs should be like. I think I have learned more from Blag than anyone else about writing and performing, probably because he likes my songs for the most part but isn’t afraid to give constructive criticism. He has taught me that you don’t always have to stick to conventional formulas like intro/verse/pre-chorus/chorus/outro etc. Sometimes I still fall into that anyway though.

As a musician, which accomplishments are you proudest of so far?

My answer to this question may be surprising to those who don’t know me but I think I am more proud of accomplishments as a teacher of music than as a writer or performer. My parents were both teachers. They passed away a few years ago and I had the opportunity to speak with many of their students at the funeral. So many of them expressed to me how much meaning both my mother and father brought to them through teaching. That kind of impact is very important and truly something to be proud of.

Is it somewhat strange to be such a well-known figure in punk, yet to be virtually unrecognizable to fans when you're unmasked? Is that fun for you, or somewhat unsatisfying?

I will admit that I do enjoy the un-recognition. It makes it that much better when I am recognized.

How do you approach being an artist who by design refuses to reveal himself publicly?

I do have to be careful about taking photos with fans. It didn’t used to matter much but in this internet age I realize that any photo will be immediately made public.

Some of your lyrics are particularly dark and savage, yet in person you're a very humble, down to Earth kind of guy. Do you see music as an outlet for expressing negativity that might otherwise manifest in the forms of addiction, depression, violence, etc.?

I am an optimist by nature I think. But yes there is a lot of fucked up shit in the world and I am not without blame for taking part in some of it. Creativity can be a personal expression but it can also be a reflection of what is going on around us.

How do you incorporate music into your current lifestyle? 

Music is a big part of my life. I always have a several projects going. For example I am currently getting my band ready for a European tour this fall. This is the first time I have toured over there with my own band. I also recently started working with Spike Slawson playing keyboard in his band The Re-Volts. That is challenging because he writes music that is generally more complicated than my own stuff or most Dwarves material. I am also constantly creating MIDI based film score type of ambient music just for the hell of it. I did manage to get some material into a couple very under the radar documentaries recently and would love to pursue this further. I also have been working with my sister on a children’s musical based on a book my mother wrote and tried to publish about 20 years ago. I also attend quite a few concerts as a fan. I was just over in Blackpool, UK at the Rebellion Festival and loved seeing more bands than I can mention here.

What are your observations and views on the direction that music - rock music in particular - is headed?

I think the most significant driver of history right now is technology. I have seen big changes in my lifetime as a result of it. When I was a child our family had a black and white television and a rotary phone. We had a big acoustic piano in our house and that was not uncommon. When I started playing rock music, we recorded on tape. We went into a studio for a few days and played the songs over and over until we got it right. A few years later Pro Tools appeared and it changed the way recording was done. It also made it cheaper to record and so what once involved a high level of expertise became something anyone could do. One of the unexpected results of technological advances is a “dumbing down” of the people who rely on it. Think about what “Spellcheck” has done to the need to know how to spell. Rock music is electrified folk music. As such it is in a position to reflect this technological world perhaps more than any other genre since it grew out of technology and relies on it.

Do you feel that punk rock songwriting is something that people will continue to view as relevant for generations to come? Also, how do you see yourself and The Dwarves in the context of being "legendary" punk musicians. Clearly you're at that level, but in a different way than other popular bands with a less offensive and more marketable image.

Like any genre punk will fade over time. It has already lost its edge for sure. The biggest thing that punk did was create a genre that anyone can do. Skilled musicians aren’t needed for it. Singers don’t even have to sing, guitar players can get by with a few “power chords”. This allowed people from lower economic classes to get involved in creating and performing rock music like never before. It also tilted the whole genre toward amateurism where it remains for the most part today. Because the bigger entertainment culture driven by profit motive has taken it in as a “style” to be sold, it has lost its rebellious edge. Rebellion and criticism do still exist because kids are kids, but the cry for social justice is less a critique of oppressive institutions these days and more of a call for a rigid moralism cloaked as diversity and inclusion. When punk becomes a “style” it loses its potential for meaningful rebellion. That is why it is most compelling when it is unmarketable. Offensive content is one way this can be accomplished.

Dwarves fans seem to be a rather diverse crowd - do you find that your own music attracts a similarly diverse following? How has your solo career felt in comparison to your tenure in The Dwarves?

I don’t think Dwarves fans are a diverse group. I see mostly young white men in the crowd. My own music seems to attract about the same group. only less of them.

Do you feel more inspired now that you're doing your own thing, and are there significant benefits to being able to do it all yourself if you need to? What are the drawbacks, and what are the challenges of maintaining a project where you're putting out quality recordings and releases on vinyl in a time when fewer and fewer people are buying music at all?

I am able to expand the subject matter of my songs in the solo project. It seems like Dwarves material gets caught into themes about getting high or fucking. While there is some of that in my own songs I think I am able to write about a wider variety of subjects. My releases are almost all money losers. Like I said, it is an amateur genre and I am ok with that. I just like to write and perform music. Fortunately because of my involvement in The Dwarves there are some people who will listen.

What are your future goals as a songwriter? Do you have a "bucket list" of accomplishments or milestones you'd like to reach as an artist? Do you feel that you've already accomplished enough to feel "secure" and just be able to enjoy what you're doing?

I write when I fell inspired to do so. Sometimes personal situations seem to cause that and sometimes other things. For example, I wrote most of “Sunday School Massacre” when I was working a job counseling and teaching emotionally disturbed kids. “Humaniterrorist” came out right after my parents were killed in a car crash. I don’t really have a list of things I want to do as a songwriter. I would like to get some of music into film scores though.

What motivates you today, and what can we expect from you in the near future?

Well Dustin, you inspired me with your song “Bad Things” recorded by Grim Deeds. When I heard it I got the idea to write more songs using the word Bad. That then led to songs with the word Good. I had a rush of creativity and wrote my soon to be released album, “The Good, The Bad, and The Brutal”.

For aspiring songwriters out there, what advice can you offer? What is the key to longevity as a songwriter? How do you remain inspired, motivated, and challenged as a songwriter?

Well, there are many approaches to songwriting. I guess you should find whatever genre you are most comfortable with. If it is rock music, some ability to play guitar is probably the easiest way to go. For rap, you might want to get a home recording rig. They are cheap and easy to learn these days. It doesn’t hurt to learn some basic music theory. I recommend learning to play a little piano for that. As for lyrics, I keep a notebook going and jot down ideas for lyrical and musical phrases, rhymes, and rhythms. Most of these go nowhere but that’s ok.  Don’t be afraid to edit, some of these fragments can be shaped and fit into music. Inspiration can come at any time from anywhere. Sometimes other music, sometimes stuff people say. Whatever, that’s up to you and that is what makes it so fun.