Interviews: D.I.

Today we've got an interview with long-running punk band, D.I.. The band features ex-Adolescents and Social Distortion drummer Casey Royer on vocals. Royer formed the group after he and Rikk Agnew left that band. The band formed in 1982 and has features a frequently changing lineup including former members of The Adolescents and Social Distortion (including the Angew brothers Rikk and Alfie).

The interview was conducted by Ariana Rodriguez. The band talks about their past, their new album, On the Western Front and being covered by Slayer on Undisputed Attitude.

You can click Read More for the interview.

There is a very tight association with D.I. and your
former band, the Adolescents. The two bands have shared band mates and even
song sets. Where does this closeness come from?
Casey: We’re not trying to sellout or anything, we’ve always
just been friends. It has never a business; it’s just been an underground punk
rock vibe. We have never grown apart, and have always just been happy being
semi-popular. We never thought we were going to be successful, and now kids
from this generation still love the music and we’re still kids in our own head
so it just keeps perpetuating in a very strange way.
What makes D.I. different from the Adolescents?
Casey: Besides the singer being totally different style, …I
don’t know, we’re kind of from the same mold. Everyone that’s in D.I. was
around when I was in the Adolescents. We all grew up together, so we’re pretty
much the same­- just different faces.

There have been many significant events in D.I.’s career,
the first being appearing in the 1984 film, "Suburbia." Tell me about that
experience:
Casey: We were just playing a gig and then Penelope Spheeris
(the director) came up and said she was making a movie and asked if we wanted
to be in it. So we said yeah and just showed up. We went down there and started
filming the scene. It was at Godzilla’s, a private club in L.A. and we filmed
all the footage there.
What about Slayer doing covers of your songs?
Casey: Kerry King, Slayer’s guitarist has always been a punk
rocker at heart and he’s the one that asked to do it for (their album)
"Undisputed Attitude." I think it was awesome cause these metalers thought that
punkers were cool. You know, metalers are kind of arrogant and just to hear
them be like ‘yeah, Dr. Know and D.I.’- that was surprising. Even though punk
wasn’t big, we knew that we were coming correct with being honest about
everything: brutally honest. I always knew that it would come back in a
positive way and it did.

People were a lot more unfamiliar with punk rock when it started and everybody was freaked out. The hippies wanted to beat us up and everybody thought we were just junkies or fags

Monster Garage?
Casey: Oh, that was cool! That was so great! We found out
that D.I. is Jesse James’ favorite band and I couldn’t believe that! I thought
that was awesome. We were on the show and it was great cause there were flying
midgets and we got to play Jesse’s birthday party. In fact when you watch
Monster Garage, you could hear ‘Johnny’s Got a Problem" in the background. They
painted our guitars for us, so we were really stoked. They’re really cool
dudes; just like us but with different faces, again. We’re really honored to
have that happen.
The members of D.I. have been in the scene for a long time,
what are some major changes you’ve seen?

Casey: People were a lot more unfamiliar with punk rock when
it started and everybody was freaked out. The hippies wanted to beat us up and
everybody thought we were just junkies or fags. It was more of a challenge to
have green hair and now if you look around everyone has green hair so just the
social context has changed greatly cause it was just a new fad then and now
it’s more understood. It’s just more mainstream and it’s just gayer now than
it’s ever been.
Eddie: I’ve seen punk rock become marketable. Back when I
was young I actually didn’t think I’d live it to be this old. We were just
large and in charge, y’know charge and forward march. Anything was possible,
anything went. These days, I’ve seen bands come back. It’s coming back around
to how it used to be but it’ll never be what it used to be. But it’s here and
it’s a fuckin’ movement!

Joey: The change that’s really interesting to see is the
young kids. There are so many Hot Topics and the kids are into punk rock. It
wasn’t so mainstream back then and you had to go to Black Hole Records to
actually access it, but now with MySpace and punk in the malls with the Hot
Topic stores, it’s a lot more accessible and has gotten a lot more commercial
but there’s still a lot of crazy kids out there that wanna tear it up so it’s
definitely a different crowd. It’s a different scene with all the younger kids
wanting a piece of the old action.
Chckn: Punk rock hasn’t really changed, I think the people
that listen to punk rock have changed. It’s a dynamic that no one could’ve seen
coming. A lot of people whine ‘oh, punks not what it used to be’’ - of
course not, stupid your fuckin’ face isn’t the same, either! Nothing is ever
the same, ever. So, sure a lot of it has gotten commercialized but so what-
that happens. We play shows and see little kids 12 years old, singing the
lyrics to our songs. It’s fuckin great! I don’t get it when people complain.
They should go turn metal or something, get the fuck outta here!

Clinton: It’s kind of come full circle. I was into it as a
kid. It never really faded out but it’s more mainstream now which is good and
bad. Good for bands like us cause kids that are younger can be exposed to our
music. Anyone can access the Internet and listen to our songs without having to
go to a record store. They can watch a video. Basically see the whole thing
without even being there and make his own choice on whether he wants to take it
or not.The negative side would be the over saturation. Everybody’s in a band.
Is Punk Dead?
Casey: No way! I’ve been in two major movies about punk in
the past year: "Punk’s Not Dead" and "American Hardcore."
Eddie: Well, we’ve always been here! We haven’t gone
anywhere. People would consider punk dead cause everyone grew out their hair
and started wearing flannels, but it just migrated into different scenes.
That’s what people do. It’s changed.

Tell me about the new members of D.I.
Casey: We’ve just always been friends from the neighborhood
and Eddie and Joey Tater lived down the street. Everyone from D.I. went to the
same high school as me. Eddie and Joey went to the same jr. high school so we
go back to about the 6th grade. When I was in Social Distortion and
the Adolescents, Eddie and Joey would always go the gigs or house parties, so
everyone that’s in D.I. was there all the time, no matter if they were in the
band or not. They know everyone that ever was in D.I. In fact, Brad and Louis
of the Kottonmouth Kings used to be in a band called "Doggystyle" back when we
were all kids. Brad used to live down the street from me, too. We were all
hanging around since way back. Everyone in D.I. knows Brad and Louis from back
then. They used to live in Placentia and we lived in Fullerton. So yeah we all
went to the same high school, except for Chickenhead he got kicked out and had
to go to continuation. We all went to Troy High School. Since day one, we’d all
hand out. We’d have parties and set up Social Distortion right in people’s
living room.
To the newest members of D.I., when did you officially
join D.I. and how has the experience been so far?

Eddie: Late 2001, but I go way back. I’d jump in to play for
D.I. throughout the years but it’s been more constant over the past couple of
years up until this point. The experience has been exhilarating.
Clinton: I’ve been in the band since 2001.
Joey: I’ve been in the band for about 3 ½ years. It’s
been great. It’s strange to see the resurgence of kids wanting to hear punk
rock from Orange County punk. It’s really popular again.
Chckn: I was in D.I. back in 1998 and played a few shows
with them and then I rejoined in early 2000. The experience is a blast. I’m in
D.I., a band that I’ve loved since I was a kid. It’s a natural progression of
things to go from hanging out with them to being in the band.

What was it about D.I. besides your friendship with Casey
that made you want to join?
Eddie: I’ve been in the punk scene for about 23 years and
D.I.’s always been a great part of the punk rock movement, a pillar in the punk
rock community. I grew up with D.I., I’ve been around D.I. a lot and it’s just
in my blood. So to be a part of that in a different phase of the line up is
really great. It seems right. We’re bringing it all back home to the members of
Fullerton, to those that were a part of the early punk rock scene.
Joey: Casey and I had been in and out of bands and we went
to the same high school back in the early punk days. We did it then and now we
get a chance to do it again. It’s a different year, and the musicianship- we’ve
all gotten tighter so the shows are really fun to play. We’re all Fullertonians
that have sort of kept D.I. alive in the old style way.
Chckn: Casey and I have worked really hard to put D.I. back
in a position where we could play a lot and the current lineup clicks really
good. Eddie writes great lyrics and Casey and I write really well together.
It’s working out really good and happy with how things are going.

Clinton: The music. I was a big DI fan before I joined the
band.
Chickenhead,… how did you get your nickname?
Chckn: Oh, I got that name when I was like 19 or 20. We used
to play drunk punk rock baseball in the park and I used to have these Mohawks.
I was too drunk to hit the ball. I kept swinging and missing it and then
someone yelled, "hit the ball you fuckin chickenheaded motherfucker!" I used to
hate it but now I’m kind of partial to it.
Tell me about the new album.
Eddie: It’s been a lot of work forthcoming. I think the
writing a record was sort of challenging. D.I. has a certain profile and anyone
can write music but some of these songs I wrote quite some time ago. I had a
whole memoir of songs and when I got together with Casey and started to come up
with choruses to songs, everything just fell into place.

Joey: This new record sounds very 80s-esque. Eddie, my
brother did a lot of the writing and it sounds like these songs are from that
time frame and it wasn’t such a big change to hear.
Chckn: D.I. turned up the temp! One thing I was really
disappointed with bands from our era, I mean I love them, they’re great friends
but it just seems like I’ve been disappointed with their latest releases, they
sounds tired and kind of nice. That’s why it took us so long to release this
record. We’re really picky, we’re not just gonna release anything and just be like
‘well they’ll love it cause its us.’ I wanted to make sure it was heavy and
angry. Just being pissed off, ‘fuck you’ punk rock!

Clinton: We tried to capture the old sound of D.I. with new
songs. We stayed true to D.I. without trying to be overproduced or change the
format of the band.
What was the record inspired by?
Casey: It’s just a persecution of the modern California
citizen. Similar to communism, our political state has become a little invading
on everyone’s privacy and we feel that it’s not a free country if you’re just
being persecuted and searched for no reason. The prison system doesn’t care
about anybody. They get money for just holding bodies. They’re just trying to
get their dough so they’re trying to get people in trouble so it’s a hypocritical
system and this album just tries to combat that unfairness.
How is the new album different from previous ones?
Casey: I think it just sounds the same, pretty much. That’s
who we are, and that’s all we know how to do, is be ourselves! It just seems
that now we have the obligation and the ability to make some pertinent comments
about society because we’re role models now. There’s a lot of people that are
going to listening to us, so I think we were able to go over the edge a little
and talk about things that are a little more controversial now like prison
reform. We have the ability to bitch more and that’s fun.

Joey: Each song has a story and it sounds like vintage
Orange County punk rock but obviously from the year 2007. I like that it has
that feel to it. That early sound had a lot of harmonics; even the Offspring
uses a lot of harmonics when they play. The songs are pretty diverse, every
one’s is very well thought out. It’s catchy, it’s got something for that young
skater punk today and it also has that heavy feel. It has something for
everybody. There’s a lot of stuff people can grab onto.
How long did it take to work on the record?
Casey: It took a few years cause we wanted every song to be
perfect and let every one in the band agree cause it’s important that everyone
give their input. It took a while but it’s definitely the best album put out by
D.I. and I’m really excited about it.
How has your experience been as part of the Suburban
Noize family and how is it different from other labels?
Casey: We’re a family of different sounding music but we’re
closer than labels that have music from the same genre. It’s great. Hed Pe and
Mondo Generator are excellent bands. It’s a total brotherhood. It’s great to be
on this label.

Eddie: Hooking up with Suburban Noize was great and talking
with Brad X, I’ve known Brad for years. I remember him from early early days in
Placentia when he was with "Doggystyle" which was a great band. Brad has always
been Brad X. He’s bad! So hooking this new CD up with Suburban Noize was great
for a number of reasons. Brad’s one of us so that’s really cool. It’s not just
gonna go to some random label that doesn’t know anything about us. Brad
actually is a part of the punk rock movement, has been for years and he has our
best intentions at hand. We totally trust him and it brings it full circle for
us, having someone that knows who we are and what we’re about that’s dealing
with us.
Joey: The time in the studio was the smoothest time I’ve
ever had. I loved it. We recorded in many different locations, over a period of
a year and a half. It’s always stressful in the studio so it depends on whom
you work with that’ll make it go smoothly or not.

Clinton: Working in the studio was awesome. We’ve known Brad
for a long time so it was a comfortable situation.
Chckn: Brad was a fuckin kook just like he is now! We ended
up backing KMK during a show and one thing led to another! Nothing personal,
but labels like BYO- it just seems like that’s where punk bands go to die, a
punk rock cemetery. It’s a trip cause it’s two musical cultures and it proves
that good things can happen when you put your mind to it.