(F&L) At this point in the game, who is currently in the Dwarves? What can we expect on the new album you are recording?
(Blag) Hello Long Beach! There are more Dwarves than you can shake a stick at. The new record is coming together as we speak, celebrating three decades of sickness and sonic skullduggery.
My name is Blag Dahlia- Rock Legend. I’m joined on this ninth full length record by what can only be described as the greatest rock n roll band of all time. Long Beach native Josh Freese is on there, as is SWAT Team King Nick Oliveri, the Fresh Prince of Darkness, Chip Fracture, Gregory Pecker and Andy Now are joined by punk heroes like Dexter Holland and Spike Slawson. It’s the record other punk bands would make, if they didn’t suck!
Kids today are going back to definitive bands such as the Dwarves and swearing off new music. As a songwriter, author, and producer, where has modern rock n roll dropped the ball Blag Dahlia? Why does it suck so badly?
I’m not very nostalgic. There has been sorry shite ever since I’ve been playing music. Often it comes and goes without making much of a dent. Sometimes, it achieved great success by mining that gold that collects in the middle of the road. The good shit stands out in bold relief to the wack.
“Blood Guts & Pussy” was a landmark album. In the late 80s to early 90s, music in the punk world was underwhelming and bland. I heard “Back Seat of My Car” and knew it was my calling! From your garage/surf beginnings, at what point did you go GG Allin on your musical assault?
We first heard GG around 1987 or so. He was an influence for sure. We visited him in federal prison where he was doing time for assault. He shaved his head in patches so the black inmates would think he had AIDS. What a kook!
I always liked real rock n roll more than the punk version to listen to. Live it was the other way around. Rockabilly and 60s folks sucked live, but punk bands were fun. It took the Dwarves to combine them.
Which GG album do you consider his best?
The double LP Dirty Love Songs had most of his good stuff on it, lots of mid period singles and eps. The Eat My Fuc album was great, but someone stole mine!
On such classic tracks such as “Demonica”, “Detention Girl”, and “Dairy Queen”, who is the girl and what pleasing toxicity does she represent?
Detention Girl is a chaotic fuck up. Demonica is a prepubescent wonder girl. Dairy Queen is mostly tits and sugar.
What types of girls do the Dwarves attract?
Gluttons for punishment.
With self-mutilation, on stage sex, and hardcore drugs rampant in the band’s résumé, how much is true and why do you think other bands avoid going for the jugular?
Most bands pre censor themselves just by being boring. We just never shrunk from the excesses of being a rock band and the honesty of being a punk band.
What’s your favorite Dwarves recording from the last two decades? Is there any album that didn’t produce the results you wanted?
I was really happy with the Dwarves Must Die. It was an attempt to conquer every genre of hard rock and it worked. Most punk bands struggle in the studio, but we got really great records working with Eric Valentine and Andy Carpenter and a bunch of people who could actually produce. How To Win Friends has cool recordings, but most of them came out in earlier versions, so that one is for completists I guess.
There has been a resurgence of interest in the Sub Pop label and its 90s output, what do you think of the label and how did SFTRI differ in their handling of the Dwarves?
Sub/Pop put out lots of slow boring records by people with long hair. Why people called it punk grunge or anything besides mid tempo rock is beyond me. Sub/.Pop gives mediocrity a bad name.
Sympathy is one of the coolest labels ever. No contracts, no giving up your masters, no marketing, no staff. It’s the label of the future!
On the Dwarves Must Die and Born Again, there’s some intensely fucking cool production going on, are you producing your own records and is there a Zappa influence anywhere?
Eric Valentine was a huge help in production. We lucked out meeting him. And we have really good songwriters and players, which is where good production starts. My first rock concert was Frank Zappa at the Uptown Theater in Chicago 1980. He’s an inspiration.
Who are the biggest enemies of the Dwarves?
People who have never heard of us.
What’s your opinion on Queens of the Stone Age?
If Donald Trump played bad guitar and had bingo flaps he’d be that guy.
What’s the key to keeping your world alive? (Fucking shit up, getting high, and the continuous worship of sluts…)
I just keep abusing myself and folks keep cheering me on.
Thoughts on religion and Satan?
No and Yes.
Your opinion of Southern California?
Attractive folks, cool cars, retarded people.
-Kevin McGovern, 2014
Fear and Loathing in Long Beach OFFICAL SITE
Click here to read our latest edition for 2014
FEAR AND LOATHING LB FACEBOOK
