Dead Boy Productions

 

09/29/07
Hell Cesar & Dan Zig

Dead Boy Productions with Left Alone

 

Hello fellows! Introduce yourselves please.

I'm Elvis, I sing and play guitar for Left Alone.

What kind of music do you play for those who don't know?

We play a mix of punk, ska.

Where are you guys from?

We are from Wilmington, California its 30 min south of Los Angeles.

How long has Left Alone been around?

I started Left Alone in May 1996

Since Lonely Starts & Broken Hearts, Left Alone’s Hellcat debut, what has changed?

We have toured almost non-stop going to Europe, Canada, and Hawaii and all over the U.S. and even Mexico. We have grown as a band and have enjoyed everything that has come our way.

You recorded the last couple of CDs out at a studio in Riverside, which is Deadboy’s hometown. Why go out so far to record?

We always recorded at a little studio called Love Juice Labs and it ended up just kinda happening. We were supposed to record, I think, at Westbeach, but I like recording the band and it turned out really good, because I always have creative control and I always feel comfortable recording at Love Juice for some strange reason, maybe because of all the years that we have recorded there.

What music inspires yours?

Real music, music that is not just produced to make money I like a lot of old school punk, ska, and of course Elvis Costello.

You put out a split album with Voodoo Glow Skulls. How did you hook up with them?

I booked a show with them and I asked them to be on a comp and they sent a song and they sent a couple more and I was like “Hey, since you gave me all these songs, why don’t we do a split?” and that was before Lonely Starts came out and they were like yeah so we ended up doing the split and it has been really helpful for us because they are way bigger and their fans kind of like us because of that and its been a pretty good thing. It’s going to come out in about three months in a digipak remastered, re-everything, it’s going to be really, really, really cool.

Describe the road experience with Left Alone?

On the road it's a bottle of jack Daniels many broken strings and late nights out with our friends we only see when we tour.

How is Hellcat treating you?

We love hellcat and are very happy with them as our label. Words cannot describe what they have done for us!

What bands have you toured with?

We have toured with Bouncing Souls, Horrorpops, the Briefs and many others, and on Warped we were on with Transplants, Tiger Army, Anti-flag NOFX and you know how that list can get.

Best experience on tour?

There are so many, but this last tour I think it was getting ripped in SF at slims on Halloween then sleeping on the street cause we had one more night there. I just remember drinking till I passed out and in the morning I woke up with the bottle next to me so breakfast was served.

Favorite horror flick?

I’d have to say Nightmare on Elm Street, I don't give a fuck what anyone says, I saw that at like seven or something and till this day that shit is intense!

When did you start Smelvis records?

Well I started Smelvis records in 97 to put out a demo for my band and it just kinda started to put a label on it to look official, then it kinda morphed into nobody wanting to sign us and I thought OK I will do it myself because I don’t need anybody. It started from there and we did an EP, a second EP, a third EP and it spread and to this day I think we are at release number 27, which I am really happy about. We’ve got Los Creepers, Black Rose Phantoms, a bunch of Backyard Rockers and a few Left Alone CDs.

What is new with Smelvis Records?

I just signed the Black Rose Phantoms and their record comes out May 29th. I also have a new Backyard City Rockers comp out also in May and a Loveless record (that's me and my girl’s band) out in late 2007.

Why did you choose the song I Hate Emo to do a video?

We made the video for I Hate Emo because we were on tour and I was thinking of stupid ideas for it because I wanted to make it funny because the song is funny itself. We used one of our merch guys to dress up like an emo guy we put fucking extensions in his hair and all that shit. It was funny we made him a little cape and it worked out really well because our friend he was a wrestler out of the ring, so he ended up doing the whole fighting thing so it ended up pretty good.

What's the ultimate goal for Left Alone?

I want to ride it till the wheels fall off I’d rather cheat life and be in a band than be a nine to fiver again, I hated that shit.

What can you say to bands that are going through the same road you did?

Don't stop and never give up.

Thanks a lot, any last words?

See ya on tour and bring some Jack and Coke! Thanx Elvis