Soundnova

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Edsel Dope
Conducted By: Corey Evans

'Group Therapy' doesn't even feel like its been out a year yet, nonstop touring has followed since then, and already 'American Apathy’ has popped up on us, how has the near nonstop pace of the last few years of your life been on you both mentally and physically?

It doesn’t feel any different than usual for me. I am constantly working on new stuff... the new album came together and the Dope fans seem to be anxious for more Dope music. The timing feels right.

A lot of Dope’s music since the beginning has been anger driven, do you find it hard to enter this mind set sincerely after all these years?

I don’t think ‘Group Therapy’ or the previous record ‘Life’ were focused on anger so much. I think those albums were very broad in the subject matter. I wasgoing through lots of different emotions during the writing of them and wanted to express many things. However, the new album ‘American Apathy’ does focus more so on the because its naturally where my head was at while I was writing the lyrics for it. I just write what I feel

While the group has never managed to fully break into the ‘mainstream’ per say, the large underground following is undeniable and what 95% of the bands out there would be envious of. Do you think you have personally accomplished what you set out to do?

I definitely have accomplished what I originally set out to do. The problem is that I am very motivated and I thrive on challenge. So every time I feel complacent, I want to do something more. That’s why we have stretched our sound so much on the last two records... to continue to challenge ourselves.

Did your childhood dreams live up to the hype and pretty perfection your rock star dreams used to be? Back then did you think it would have taken years and years of hard work just to get where you are today?

Rock star? I’ve had my share of rock star moments. I’m kind of past that phase now. It was part of what made me want to do this in the first place, but it has little or nothing to do with me continuing on after all this power. I love this band and I love the people out there that live for our music and our live show. That is what Dope is all about

Do you find it frustrating that bands like Dope toil in the underground after years of dedication and labor, while other bands blow up in American pop culture over night almost seamlessly with half the work and time you put in?

I don’t care. I’ll survive in the business of music as long as I want. Fly by night bands come and go and I wish them all the best. Once the major label hype and the radio support is gone... that’s when you really find out what your band means to people.

On the new tour with Twisted Method and Motograter, what new treats can the fans expect to hear? ...and when will the rest of us poor saps that are missing the show get to hear some of the new material?

The show is killer. It’s an old school rock production. Lots of cool stuff to look at and three great live acts. Dope and Twisted Method are playing several new songs from upcoming albums.

You’ve certainly become active in the Underground Inc. camp as of late... with the remix on the latest Pigface CD, taking part in the United 2 tour, selling your official merch through their store... how did this relationship start and develop, and what kind of partnership are you looking to have with Martin Atkins and crew in the future?

I dig Martin. He has been a part of many incredible things in his career. He likes Dope and we live in the same town. Who knows what to expect, but expect me and Martin to continue to do stuff together here and there.

Now that the year anniversary of ‘Group Therapy’ is approaching and it has had a chance to settle in and run its course, how has it been adjusting to life without the evil corporate conglomerate record label behind you?

Like I said earlier, once the major label and all the political favors and what not are gone, you really see how much you mean to people. All of the dope fans out there are people that have sought us out. There is no huge TV and radio campaign behind this band. I miss the help of the big label to create awareness behind releases and touring, but I don’t miss the bullshit and lack of passion that goes along with it. We are just fine with this situation.

A little after ‘Group Therapy’ was released, and the lineup changes started to happen, and the reported war of words that took place on website postings and interviews, do you find the band, yourself (mentally), and everything else as a whole in a better position from before the turmoil and as a result?

Are you kidding? Losing a bass player is nothing compared to the things this band has been through. It was a bump in the road at best and with the addition of Brix, our new bass player, the live show is better than ever.

With Halloween approaching, and I’m sure not it’s not the first time you have spent it out on the road, what do remember as your fondest Halloween memory?

One of my old guitarist accidentally hit me in the head with his Les Paul on stage. It split my head open three songs into the show. The kids loved it. There was blood everywhere. I’m happy to say, I finished the show, blood and all.

Favorite scary movie?

The Shining.

As I’m putting this together the last presidential debate has ended, time is closer then ever, everyone with any form of public notoriety , big to small to minuscule, has been pitching in their two cents. Where do you find yourself in the issue, did the debates and the onslaught of ads and reports of the last few months have any sway on your opinion?

I’m just going to wait another four years for a decent person to vote for.

And now that I’ve asked that, what do you think of the opinion of rock stars in the world and their politics...self righteous, propaganda, useless, useful?

I honestly don’t care. I say fuck em’ all.

To wrap things up and take a look in the future... the future of music is always a changing environment, you’ve been around long enough and lived enough to see from grundge to pop to nu metal and now to the whole hardcore/emo scene going on... what do you predict to be the next phase of musical evolution?

Heavy metal polka with a hint of new wave.

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