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| INTERVIEW WITH DARRYL DONALD December, 2008 How did shooting your first video go? It was extremely fun, mighty and badass... we managed to put together a top- drawer team of production peeps to make it happen and we're very satisfied with the result. And the entire experience re-awakened our desires to do more visual entertainment. We are back in the throws of creating a TW TV show and have been brought together with some powerful Hollyweird types to help us bring that to fruition. Does Darryl Donald have a day job? (I read something about Junior Rock Music)? Junior Rock Music is the name of my publishing company..which exists for song writing purposes. As of now, I have only published songs with Tenacious D and TW. When I'm not wearing the leather vest and Wrangler jeans, I put on other costumes as a means of making a living. I have been fortunate to support myself as an actor the last several years. I do lots of commercials and dabble in the MP/TV world. I most recently shot a Castrol Motor Oil commersh with a bunch of chimpanzees that I'm told will first appear on the Super Bowl broadcast in February. Also, did a Time-Warner Cable spot that I'm hoping will air soon. And I also just optioned a TV show idea that is based on a play I wrote and directed at The Actors' Gang Theater several years ago. I try to keep my fingers in several show-biz pies.. and hoping to serve up delicious slices for the public's consumption in the near future.=2 0 A lot of the newer TW songs have had much more of a progressive rock sound... is the Wreck leaving its country roots behind? Not so much leaving them behind as we are growing and satisfying our musical palates. Personally, I still love the countrified and country-fried sounds, but yeeeeah, we have been drifting off in more progressive rock directions as of late. I suppose we are impressionable and also responsive to what we are listening to. And I don't think country and rock are mutually exclusive.. they are like seasonings in the soup that compliment one another in proper amounts. Right now, the ROCK SALT is dominating the spice rack. We don’t have to worry about you retiring your mullet, do we? Nosiree. Howevs my coiffuire will evolve with time like a good boxed wine. Every now and then I like to have some more air on my neck... I shall continue to go 'business in the front, party in the rear' with my 'doo until I get an intervention make-over. What bands are you listening to these days? Kings of Leon are still top of my play list. Just saw them in concert a few weeks ago, and they shredded. Loving the Black Keys' "Attack and Release" album. The new Eagles of Death Metal is also tasty. The Raconteurs are solid. Spoon. I’ve heard that you’ve completed work on the debut album... when can we expect to see it? I have been trying to answer that question for myself the last 5 years... it's official, we are now 2nd only to GunsN'Roses "Chinese Democracy" for length of album production time/release. We are in the final stages of mastering and minor tweaks and then trying to figure out the next step... which is for a distribution deal and/or selling it ourselves. The music industry is in the midst of redefining itself in the era of file sharing. No one sells albums anymore..it's moreover an Itunes world. And so, we are trying to make the best decision.. but I feel with confidence that it will somehow be available in the earlier parts of 2009. And hopefully we will tour with it's release, taking it to the streets. We are all itching to get back on the road and serve it up. You’re known to be a man of the wilderness... what are your favorite spots? I have been backpacking for many years with my dear Papa. We have mostly been all over the Sierra Mountains of California..which includes Sequoia National park, Yosemite, and the John Muir Wilderness. I have climbed Mount Whitney (tallest point in the continental US), trekked up Glaciers with an ice ax and crampons, and battled bears (once had all our food stolen by one in the=2 0middle of the night). My favorite spots are those above 10,000 feet, above the tree-line where few people venture to because of the difficulty it takes to get to them. In the High Sierras, there are glacial lakes that have golden trout in them... me and my Pops like to find one to ourselves and fish to our heart and tummys' content. And yes, "Rock, Boulder, Mountain" was written on a backpacking excursion. I do lots of song writing under the influence of altitude. You guys have now passe d the five year mark as a band, what would you say were your favorite moments over the years? Performing on the Jimmy Kimmel show was one fer sure. And opening/touring with the Supersuckers and the Reverend Horton Heat was a blast. One of my more memorable times was when we played the Moedown Festival in upstate New York with Moe, Blues Traveler and Spearhead. We played the first slot in the early afternoon and had only a few handfuls of onlookers when we started. But as we played, peeps started swarming in from the campgrounds and by the end of our short set we had groves of dancing festival goers. And we still get emails from those who saw that show asking when we will return to them parts. Is it true that Darryl Donald is getting hitched? That is indeed true. I found myself a most lovely lady that will become my betrothed. We shall tie the knot next year and soon thereafter begin the art of reproduction. And then a Darryl Jr. (or Darrylita) can carry on the boot- scootin', hard rawk'n legacy. Any last words for the fans? The Wreck is about to explode itself upon the tracks of the collective musical psyche...and then we are going to get visual on your boob-tubes and create Wreckertainment to satiate and satisfy your hunkering desires. Stay tuned, and check back here often and lots for a ll the deets of forthcoming badassery. And thanks to you, Tenacious Joe, for all your hardwork and support, you the man with power plans. Rawk steady, roll wise. |
