Interviews: Death & Memphis talk their new EP

Death & Memphis are no strangers to the punk rock community. The band collectively has decades of experience playing in bands throughout Chicagoland and surrounding areas. The band recently released a new EP of six heartfelt songs which will appeal to fans of the classic Chicago sound as well as fans of bands such as Off With Their Heads and Hot Water Music. Punknews staffer Jason Baygood recently had the chance to sit down with guitarist / vocalist Paul Garcia, guitarist Steev Custer and bassist Devin Morris to discuss the band’s history, member changes, the current state of the music industry and beyond.

Thank you guys for taking the time to meet with me. For those unaware, can you please tell the Death & Memphis origin story? Paul: Well, Steev and I talked about starting an alt country band. We got together and started writing songs. But we just couldn’t shake the punk rock n roll out. So we figured “let’s just write songs and not bother with genre. Some of those twangy ideas stuck around and here we are.
Steev: Paul and I have been in bands together since high school. Punk bands, pop punk bands, psychobilly, you name it. After leaving The Bomb, we both dove into separate projects (Paul joined The Boneyard Brawlers, which I eventually played guitar in for a short time and I played in a reformed MY Big Beautiful for a few years.) When those projects wound down, we got together to form the band that we had intended on forming when we initially left the Bomb, and our goal was to incorporate all the styles we had played over the years. There have been a large number of members come and go over the years, but Devin has been with us on bass for about 5 years now and Dave joined the band as drummer in 2022.

I have always found your band name interesting until I realized it’s origin. Can you please explain the inspiration for the band name? Paul: So once you realized the origin it was not interesting anymore.LOL or you not a fan of the Mats.

No. I simply meant that once I learned the true origin, the “interesting” name made more sense! Paul: I was listening to the Replacements and the line in Alex Chilton, ”if he died in Memphis, that’d be cool, babe”, hit me like I’d never heard it before but was searching for it. We kicked it around, worded in a few ways till Death & Memphis. That’s Fuckin It!!
Steev: When Death & Memphis formed, Paul and I were the only ones officially in the band. We wrote 4 songs with Paul on drums and recorded them so that we could find a permanent drummer and perhaps a second guitarist (Paul played bass in the first incarnation of Death and Memphis.) While we were in this infancy stage of the band, we threw a million band names around, as every band does, I'm sure. All of those first million band name suggestions sucked, so it took us a hot minute to choose something that we both felt was suitable.

You all seem to have many years of experience, both collectively and individually in the music scene. What are some of the major changes you have seen over the years since first playing in bands? Paul: There’s a shit ton more bands. An ass load.
Steev: When Paul and I first started playing in bands, there really weren't many places to play. There was one place in Joliet, where we are from, called The Club and we considered that to be our home base, but overall Joliet wasn't exactly a hotbed of venues looking to host all ages punk shows. I was talking to Ken Fitzner (Bollweevils) recently, and he was saying how much he liked Fractured Adolescents when he heard us, and he had always wanted to set up shows with us, but didn't know how to get a hold of us. lol. So I think the biggest change I've seen over the years is the massive increase in opportunities for bands to get out and do live shows, The DIY aspect of then scene has flourished with the help of the internet of course, so connecting with like minded bands is a given at this point, whereas at the time we started out, the lack of a world wide web left us handing out flyers outside of random shows and hoping people would show up and sending postcards in the mail to people who had showed up to shows in the past. The indie music scene has come a long, long way.

I am glad you brought up the internet actually. How would you say that the internet has changed the landscape of the music business? How has it changed your band and your approach to writing and releasing music? Paul: Well it hasn’t changed writing per se but definitely have more(to be angry about mostly) to write about.
Steev: Do you remember when it was a big, big deal that your song got played on the radio? Nobody even thinks of that anymore. Who listens to the radio anyway? Since the internet, we now have streaming services that allow bands and artists to broadcast their music at will. Social media platforms are connecting bands from across the country (and the globe) and giving us the opportunity to network at a much more rapid pace. THe internet has increased competition by a million percent as well, if you choose to look at the music business that way, because there are literally thousands of new songs being independently released each and every day. I tend not to look at the internet as increasing competition because the best part of art is that nobody is limited to only one thing. It's ok to consume as many different artists as possible, from only one song or entire catalogs of work and the internet brings it all to our doorstep in a fraction of the time it used to take us to discover it.

Let’s now turn to your music for a moment. You last released the album “Exhausted” back in 2019. This was your first full length following two previous Eps. Did your song writing process change in writing for an album as opposed to an EP? Paul: No, we just wrote songs and picked 6 for an EP.
Steev: I don't think that writing for an album as opposed to an ep changed our approach, as much as the lineup did. We've always been a band focused on writing and presenting new material and we wanted the album to be an accurate snapshot of the band as a whole. In the case of the two previous ep's, our lineup hadn't really been solidified yet, so both ep's featured Paul on drums as well as bass and vocals. For the full length, we really wanted to have a solid crew performing the songs we had written as a whole. That almost happened lol. About halfway through the writing process for the full length, we parted ways with our drummer and we had to delay the album a bit to bring a new drummer into the mix. I'm extremely happy with the album. It did end up being an accurate picture of the band as it was at that point, but shortly before it's official release our drummer up and bailed on us, so I view Exhausted as an accurate picture of the end of a chapter in the Death & Memphis saga.

Speaking of songwriting, what is the process for Death & Memphis? Does everyone contribute? Does one member come with an initial idea, either musically or lyrically? Paul: It happens all kinds of ways. I’ll have a whole song or a part to build on. Steev will come in with a riff or a verse abd chorus idea. We make tweaks and adjustments. We take a single part and just play it till we feel the next idea come. It’s the most enjoyable part of being in a band to me. The creating something out of feel. I write all the Lyrics, aside from two songs on the EP which Devin and I shared vocal duties and wrote our own parts respectively.
Steev: Everyone contributes to the song writing process in Death & Memphis. The main ideas or beginnings of songs generally come from either Paul or myself and then the band hashes the song out together with each member adding their insights and skills.

Speaking of band members, this recording features Paul’s son on drums. Paul: Yeah, this release hits different for me. He’s 19 but played with us for the first time, and on and off since, when he was 13. He’s a powerhouse of a musician. The kid can pick up anything and play a song on it in no time. Doing this with him was one of the highlights of my life. He helped craft some of the songs, some of the backup melodies. In fact he’s kinda been a part of this band for a long time. When I wrote “Way back home” I had him play the guitar with me as I worked out the lead part.

You have a new Drummer now. What does the addition of Dave bring to the band? Paul: Dave is a heavy hitting animal. We had played a show right before Covid hit with his old band Double Feature and I remember just watching him thinking this dude is great. Talented and fun to watch. Didn’t know him other than that night but when he answered our post looking for a new drummer I immediately remembered him and was excited to jam with him. When you see us play we pretty much leave everything we got on the stage. He is no different. He’s definitely the most energetic drummer we’ve had.
Steev: Dave is one of my favorite drummers that I've ever played with. I knew instantly that he was going to be a great fit for the band because he doesn't hold anything back. He plays hard and it's evident in his presence that he's leaving nothing on the table.
Devin:Energy. Sometimes when I'm on stage, I'll turn around to lock in with him a bit on rhythm, and damned if sometimes I don't forget I gotta turn around and sing sometimes. The dude just has energy that is infectious. He's a riot to watch.

You guys have a new EP coming out June 2nd out on ByPolar Records entitled “The Time Between Dog and Wolf” Can you please tell us about this release? Is there any central theme surrounding the songs. Paul: There is never an intentional theme. Meaning we never think about it. But the songs are about battling things, both inside and out. Trying to see if what’s coming is good or bad. Never really knowing until it hits you but staying true to yourself no matter what. There’s a Spanish movie called Between Dog and Wolf. I liked that title. But if you search that you get the definition of the phrase “the time between dog and wolf” which in short is that time of day when the light is such that is becomes difficult to distinguish between a dog and a wolf, between friend and foe, between known and unknown.
Steev: The songs on this ep were written post covid, so i suppose there's an underlying frustration there stemming from the hardships of being separated from normal life. I think for me, the most surprising thing about writing this ep was the amount of songs we wrote and discarded and the time it took for us to transition back into writing and being a band again. We had no shortage of ideas and no hard times writing songs, but I feel that while writing this ep we wrote and discarded more songs than we ever had before. It was definitely an interesting process.
Devin:I kind of noticed that a lot of the songs are about change---whether it's about the change in ourselves individually, a change in relationships, and a change in the relationship that a lot of us have had with the country we live in. Seeing relationships deteriorate, and how we react and should react to this change.

Your previous recordings were independently released. How did the band connect with ByPolar? Paul: I connected with Damon Workman through FB. He’s an executive chef for Cantina Laredo. Does a lot of traveling. At the time he lived in Chicago. A music loving guy who doesn’t play anything but love the community and was determined to be a part of it in some way. We communicated back and forth as friends. He’s a great, selfless, all around genuine human being. His job had moved him to St. Louis. We had a show there so I let him know. He invited us to come to his restaurant. So the rest of the band met him then. Fast forward to the Ep completion. I have a few people I send music to for input. He became one of those people. I also asked him for advice or ideas as far as its release. He loved the songs and a few messages later we were welcomed to the Bypolar Family and were discussing its release. That’s the short version.
Steev: I had always been opposed to releasing via a label, but to be honest, for me it was the money that was thrown at us and the schmoozing. We turned Bypolar down at least ten times, but after they bought us each Porsches and started whisking us off to fancy dinners in the label's private helicopter, I was sold (or bought as the case may be.)

You released the song and lyric video “Sea Pounds” a couple weeks ago. When writing that song, did you know this was going to be the single? Paul: No. I knew it was a strong song. Maybe a bit harsher than most stuff I’ve written. Definitely a front runner. I don’t think it was much of a discussion when the songs were chosen for the EP. We all just kinda said let’s make a Lyric vid for sea pounds.
Steev: I never know what the single is going to be until Paul tells me. LOL

Now that the new EP is out, what are the future performance plans for the band? Is there any plan for touring? Paul: It’s hard making plans. I’m the primary booker and I get frustrated with it. It’s not a job I want or am good at but somebody has to do it. Plans are to play as often as we can, do road trips at least once a month. That’s been the talk lately. We got a new drummer and some new songs so let’s burn the wheels off.
Steev: Our plan is always to play as many live shows as possible, with no distance being too great. We would also like to follow this ep up with a full length album next year.

Getting back to your collective experience as a band, what is it that keeps things interesting after all these years? Paul: I see so many musicians our age get discouraged from playing music. A new drummer every few years keeps it interesting. LMAO JK. Everyone has a thing. We are music makers. We aren’t into, flying kites or building bird houses. Some people don’t acknowledge their thing. Or are told from the beginning that it’s a waste of time. This thing we do is our passion, our life force. Without music I’m just getting up, doing things that need to be done, eating when my body needs fuel, going to sleep and at some point dying. People my age all around me are getting their bands back in the swing or starting new ones. Some should some shouldn’t, haha, but fuck it. You only get one life. Live that mother fucker. There’s a younger generation and we’re who they’re lookin at. Gotta show them that life is for livin, fuck being rich, be happy. Rich is cool too but if you spend time chasing it, you’ll never stop.
Steev: For me it's always about moving forward and not resting on my laurels. I find that if I have a musical idea in my head, I need to work it out before I can focus on the next idea, so writing frequently and collaborating on other ideas keeps me focused on the future.
Devin:The things that really keep me going are how we keep expanding our depth into different genres. Or at least different sounds from punk and rock adjacent genres. Nothing against Ramones-Core bands because I actually listen to a few of them, but I don't know if I could ever be in one. I like the stimulation I get from being in a band like Death & Memphis. I don't think I could get that playing the same type of song 10 times over.

What are some current bands that Death & Memphis feel are keeping the flame alive? Are there any newer bands that you feel are doing something so unique that they have become possible influences? Paul: Oh, we’ve played with quite a few bands that are hard at work keeping their passion going to the fullest. More recently bands like Moonraker, Lightweight, Norchos Y Horchata, From Parts Unknown, Dead Rest, Size 5’s. So many more. Every moment of every day is an influence.
Steev: My influences come from life in general more than i would say they come from other bands, but there are a ton of bands out there that I feel give me some drive to keep creating. Dead Rest (Chicago,) The Wilderness (STL,) Not Dead Yet (Chicago) just to name a few.
Devin:I really enjoy the energy and feeling I get going to a Butchered show. Those guys influence me to be a more exciting live performer. I think that when folks are on stage giving it their all, whether there's 2 or 200 people in the audience… I think there's something admirable about that. And those guys really personify that ethos.

Punk Rock has become very accessible worldwide, thanks to the internet as we had previously discussed. As a Midwest band where punk has always flourished, have you seen any additional benefits of getting your music accessible online to the masses? Paul: I don’t really know that it’s a benefit. Maybe if this was the world when I was younger I’d feel different but it seems a bit overwhelming at times. There’s just so much . Everything, everywhere, all at once.
Steev: Getting music out to people is always a good thing. It's always flattering and surprising to me to see the stats on Spotify and see what songs are being listened to and where in the world our music is being heard.
Devin:It's pretty cool that we've seen people from Germany, Australia, and France listening to your music. So there's a benefit! Even if the negative part is you're only getting .03 cents per stream when folks are listening.

Being from Chicagoland myself, I know there is no shortage of punk bands. Do you feel there is a lot of competition amongst bands, or do you feel a sense of community? Paul: I feel both are present. Not sure if it’s, so much, competition or just so many bands that you can’t know everyone so it may come across that way. Just from lack of or mis communication. I love what we do. It’s my passion so I usually can connect with like minded people. We gravitate toward each other and vibe off of each others energy.
Steev: It's pretty easy to fall into the competition aspect of things, but as i said earlier, the bands you feel like you are competing with aren't really your competitors at all. We're all just out there creating art and having fun, maybe getting some catharsis, It's all just a fun thing and a big part of what makes me feel alive and connected to people.
Devin:I feel like there's a sense of community, but I do sense some cooperativeness, which is natural. A lot of us are trained from birth to think of things as a zero-sum game. Like if they get theirs, I won't get mine. But the great thing about the scene in Chicago is you have a lot of folks who break that mold of thinking. There's a sense of happiness when someone does well, generally. But I would honestly like to see a bit more community develop in the scene.

Anything you would like to cover which we have not discussed? Steve: You said there would be cookies. There are no cookies.

Looks like we will need to do a follow up interview after your next full length comes out then!