Interview by
Ritche Coad

Tell us about your album HOT ROD SEX GOD?

It’s been out about a year now. It features a Johnny Cash cover---“Folsom Prison Blues,” the rest are all originals. IT was mixed and recorded at the same studio as Nonpoint recorded their album. It mixed by Matt LaPlant and produced by Adam Wesley, who is a phenomenal songwriter. He could craft a song for you, and a good one, in five minutes. I wish that I had a little of his talent and we’d be ok. The album has rock, rockabilly, swing, blues and everything on it. We’re really proud of that album. It’s been played on a couple of stations including 93.1 FM and 93 Rock played our song, “Drinking til Dawn” at the start of their 5 o’clock home drive everyday Monday through Friday for about four months.

Known for their unique style, this energetic trio gave us a look into the life of music. Mind, heart and soul, this band puts all they have into everything they do. Tell our readers a little bit about the band.

The Band frontman- Joel Dasilva, Bassist- “Evil,” and drummer-Randy Blitz have been together for 11 years, which is an accomplishment for any band to be together for 10+ years whether you’re famous or not.

Tell us in your own words, for the readers that don’t know, what is Rockabilly?

Rockabilly is a combination of rock and hillbilly music. 50’s rock and western swing came together and formed rockabilly. People put us in the term rockabilly. Bands like the Stray Cats, Flipping the Stouts, the Dillinger’s, and the new swing band Ever-So-Clever, but there is not too many down here though. We don’t really consider ourselves rockabilly. We are more of a mixture of rockabilly, blues, swing, rock and we mix it all together into a big ol’ pot and that’s us.

You guys played alongside a lot of great bands and musicians like B.B. King, Johnny Lang, Iggy Pop and even the White Stripes is there one memory that stands out?

Oh yeah man, when you play along with national bands and big cats of course you’re going to run into a few egos. That’s just how it is. You wish everyone was humble and down to earth and want to hang out after the show, but sometimes that’s not true. And you do meet a lot of assholes in this business whether they want something from you or just people in general.

The person that stood out the most not just cause of the blues, I mean blues comes natural to me, but I like playing rock. That’s where I get my kicks off. But the one person that stands out in my mind and probably always will is B.B. King. Talk about the king of music, talk about the nicest guy. He took the time to talk to every fan that was backstage; I mean every person and signed everything. And the guy is like 90 years old. He was very gracious. You can imagine how many people and even musicians come up to him. I went up to him and the first thing he said was “Man you sounded good.” I was surprised, “You actually listened to me?!!” And he had. IT told him “Thank you man it is an honor to hear that from you,” and we played with him a couple of times. One regret that I have was at one of the shows. I was all packed up and went backstage. It was only him and I and what I should have done was ask his advice on the music business. That’s one regret that I have, but hopefully I see him again and get an opportunity to ask him that.

On your site there is a link to A.J’s message talking about the headache and the heartache of the music business, is it still worth it?

Hell yeah, I could be shoveling shit in a horse stable, you know?! I love it man, I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. It’s a very hard thing to describe, when I’m up on stage playing there’s nothing like it, I just block everything out and absorb the moment. I play from my heart---I channel everything and everyone that I love, from my music and non-music heroes. I just play like it’s my last night on this earth---As if I died tomorrow I would know that I gave it 100% on stage, in the business and in everything. That when I left everyone could say that he had good tone and was a good guy.

The business side of the music industry kind of sucks. Someday something will break in my career, but I’m not going to sit back and just hope that it happens. I’m there making it happen. Doors close and doors open, you meet bad people but you meet good people, this is a career for me. I just have to keep on doing it because this is what I love to do.

Craziest thing a fan has ever done?

Don’t think I can explain…Too crazy!!!

Do your instruments have names?

My main guitar doesn’t have a name, she’s a part of me so she doesn’t have to have a name cause she is an extension of me. But I have one named Blondie and one my wife bought me that I named Gretchen.

Tell us a little about The Sideburns?

It’s a side project that I do from time to time. I enjoy playing with other guys. Like sometimes I play with Rick, a guitar player from the Dillinger’s, who I think is one of the best guitar players down here if not in the world. As well as Mike from the Dillinger’s, who is another great guy. I also play with JP Sores who just won the international blues competition in Memphis, Tennessee. He is touring the world now. I try to play with him whenever he has time.

If you could play with any musician dead or alive who would it be?

Man that answer could take about an hour. Double Trouble, Stevie Ray Vaughn’s rhythm section, that’s a lifelong dream. I would love to play for U2 and sub for The Edge for some gig, that would be amazing. Would love to write a song with Johnny Cash and love to have a beer with Muddy Waters, which would be some interesting stories. Slash would be fun to jam with. Man jamming with Les Paul would be amazing. B.B King again, AC/DC. Man the list can go on forever. You know, actually if there was anyone I wish I could play with would be with my dad.

Is there any album that you can listen to over and over?

Bob Marley & Johnny Cash.

Playing in so many places, is there any one venue that’s your favorite?

My favorite venue to play would be on Mars, I’m shooting for the moon man!! I would love to play on some building’s rooftop like The Beatles.

Who was “Mustang Sally?”

It is the world’s most played cover song. Ha ha!!!

Any last remarks?

That I love playing with my band! Randy Blitz---he’s a monster on the drums and our bassist Evil who is “the gentleman of the band” keeps us all together. When I play with these guys I don’t have to think, I just let the music flow! Thanks guys!!!