Evil Presly

of The Independents

By Thomas Vangen Lund

 

I have been a big fan of The Independents since early 2006, and lately I have been very exited about The Independents' new record coming up soon, and I was even more exited when I got the chance to interview them! Here is an interview with the vocalist of the band, Evil Presly. News fresh from the source!

 

T: First off, when exactly did The Independents get together, and when did you have your first gig? Any memories from that?

E: We got together in mid 1992. Willy B and I were in another band that was doing pretty well but we were not happy with the direction. We just decided to do our own thing.After talking with the guys we felt it best to split so we did. Our first gig was in Columbia, SC with Citizen Fish. The show was sold out and they didn't want us to get off the stage. It was awesome.

T: How did you get to open for the Ramones, and eventually be managed by the late Joey Ramone?

E: I met C Jay and became good friends with him. He got us on tour with The Ramones. Before the first show Joey came over and told us he had heard some of our stuff and really dug it. We hung out every day on that tour and became best friends. He believed in us and wanted to help us out. He was such a great guy who taught us so much.

T: The Independents have existed for about, 15 years am I right? How do you feel you have been accepted by people around, do you feel that you have been successful at what you're doing?

E: Yep. We have been touring about 9 months a year all over the world for years now. We are booked up 6 months in advance. We record and print all our own merch and music. We make a good living and answer to no one. I think that is success. We work very hard but are very lucky to be able to do what we do. I feel blessed.

T: The Independents has some crazy lyrics, how do you come up with all that, and how much time do you spend on writing a new song, what's the process here?

E: They just pop in my head. I really don't know why I write the things I do. Most songs are built around my lyrics but on this new album we are working on. I am writing lyrics to the music. I have never done it that way so it' different.

T: What's your favourite and least favourite places to play and why?

E:That so hard to say because it changes from tour to tour. I know we are lucky to play anywhere. This last tour I would say the show in Berlin Germany. It was a festival filled with tons of my favorite bands and tons of old friends. Just a great time with open bar.Berlin is just such an awesome city. My least on this last tour had to do more with the promoter than the venue itself. It was some Bar with hotel in its name in Allentown, PA. The promoter was fucked up and didn't promote and ran off with the cash. Always sucks to get e-mails from a town you just played asking when are you going to be there after you just played there.
 

T: What is your favorite record of all times?

E: Thats impossible to answer. I will say I've listened to Motley Crue's "Too Fast For Love" more than any other record so far.

T: What is your favorite Independents record, so far?

E:The one we are working on Now.

T: The Independents is very difficult to place under just one genre, which genre do you think describes you the best?

E: We were listed as the original Horror ska band for years.We are not just a ska band. I loved the desciption "The Van halen Of Horror Music".

T: What are your influences, and what kind of music do you like to listen to?

E: I listen to everything. From Elvis, George Jones, Etta James to Sade, Fats Domino to The Misfits to Dean Martin, The Ramones, and Bathory, etc. I love it all.

T: Do you have any news about the Independents fanclub, the 'Legion of Doom'?

E: Blackie Levay our our old keyboardist and Batboy are working on it now. It should be up and running soon. They have some great ideas. It's going to be really cool!!

T: Your fans, me being included, are curious about your new CD, now I know no release date has been set yet, but is there anything at all you could tell us about it?

E: Batboy just finished his drums on it! Phil is doing the bass tracks now. It's more of a party record. Just fun songs that are going to be a blast to play live. It's no where as dark as the last record.

T: Again, thanks for taking your time to answer these questions!

E: No! Thank you Tommy!

 

Written by: Thomas Vangen Lund 2008