Drama fiends band Interview

Welcome to L.A.'s Coolest Rock Newspaper

Discovering L.A.'s Best Bands Since 1983

Interviews '04 - Interviews - Editorial - Main - Home

I N T E R V I E W
June 2004
Drama Fiends

Band email (2) dramafiendmusic@yahoo.com
Band contact number: 323-851-6121(LANCE V)

RCN: Hello, we are here with Dramafiend, a local band from Los Angeles, Ca and their Drummer Robbi Black, so we're going to find out a little more about what makes them tick. . .

1. RCN: What type of band are you?

Well we have a blended mix of music with our songs to keep things interesting. We have a little bit of pop music a little punk music a tad bit of industrial and a lot of rock n roll.

2. RCN: Tell us the brief history of your band.

Brief history is like asking us to draw a Picasso on a napkin, but Ill try. The Idea of Dramafiend and its songs started in 1998 and 1999. It has had a few different versions and the songs have all evolved into what they are now. Officially the band was truly born the 1st week of November 2003. We really didn't get the ball rolling until January this year, as we all know here in Hollywood, music sorta goes dormant on the local scene around mid November and December. Most of the people of Los Angeles are from somewhere else and we all end up going home to see out families. It's kinda like college winter break, well with the rare exception of Lance (our bass player) who is from New Jersey but hates it there in the winter time. (include when you started and some shows you've played): Like I said we started in November, played our first show in December at the Whiskey A Go Go and basically have been exploding at the El Rey Theater, The Viper Room, and The Troubadour ever since.

3. RCN: Who are your musical and non musical influences?

Well I cant speak for everyone but I think collectively we are all influenced by what we grew up with. The music is really influenced By Lance's eccentric mind. But we really like stuff like, the Ramones, Garbage, Motley Crue, and a vast amount of other various influences.

4. RCN: What are your dreams and goals?

Personally I just want a shot at what we all here in Hollywood work so hard for. The chance for a label to push our music to all the world and let them judge for themselves wether to buy our music or not. Band wise we want it all. A sustained monstrous musical career.

5. RCN: Who writes the songs, what are they about?

That would be our mastermind, Lance v. He writes our songs from his heart. He basically writes about (in my perception of course) his life's experiences including life love and all the pain that that entails. The songs may sound pretty at times but don't let that fool you. There is a lot of hurt and anger in those songs. Tiffy, Cash, and myself all write music too but we just feel that Lance's songs best represent our band name and concept right now. I'm sure in the future we will all have a part in there somewhere but right now we have about two albums worth of Lance's stuff which we all feel is brilliant.

6. RCN: What's your opinion of George Bush?

I just think the man has too much anger in him from his dad's failures and wants to build his own legacy in history. Honestly though who else out their is gonna run this country better? Kerry? I don't think so. I thought Clinton was our best president in a long time. So he got his member sucked a few times. Isn't that what this life is all about. Love your fellow man, so to speak. He is our first rock star president. Long live Billy C!!! Bush for pres 2k4.

7. RCN: How do you promote your band and shows?

Like whores! Lance and I are from old school Hollywood where you go out pretty much every night and bust your ass whoring your band to anyone and everyone. Now days technology has created many different ways to do this now with the Internet and we use it to the fullest. Lance is our computer whore and Tiffy, Cash, and myself do the leg work.

8. RCN: Describe your show, visual and musically

We put our hearts out on that stage. We bleed for each other on stage and give everything we have every time no matter what. Of course we would like to have more of a visually stimulating show, but with a budget that extends to so many different parts of music, all we have to offer is our hearts and souls! I promise no one leaves a Dramafiend show disappointed! We try to intertwine the music with that movie type mentality. You know peaks and valleys, starting off with a harsh mid tempo song like Electrostatic. That gets people interested. Then we hit ya with a series of guitar riff heavy in your face smack that bitches ass tunes to put people in a frenzy. That's when we come in with our radio friendly (what we like to think of as) "smash hit" type material. To show what we are capable of. Depending on the venue and city, we might throw out a ballad or two at that point followed by a hard core leave you dripping type ending.

9. RCN: What do you think about downloading music online?

I think in someway it is great as far as clips of music and bit's and pieces to give the fans a taste. Otherwise it is killing our business. Back in the day we (our former bands) were able to move records and demo's and such at our shows and by mail. Now it is almost impossible for a band to make money on record sales. If Warner Brothers is having low sales with huge artists how are a local band just trying to get recognition going to sell any.

10. RCN: What's your outlook on the record industry today?

I think every 10 to 12 years music itself finds a way to recycle itself with newer versions of what already has been. This is because of the industry. For bands that are out there trying to create something new and experiment a little there is little hope, thanks to our beloved music industry. All they want (and it's been this way for years now) is for a band or artist that is a proven money maker. No one wants to take a chance anymore on music making it harder and harder for a band to get a major recording contract. The Indies are gonna prevail because of this and sooner or later the big boys will have no choice but to start taking some chances. Maybe we can get that chance.

11. RCN: What's your claim to fame?

In one word. Tiffy! Tiffany Kyees is our claim to fame. She is a living Rock star! She epitomizes what rock n roll is all about. She is born to be a star and she takes our music to another level. It is something that can not be described but only experienced. She is why we have come into the limelight so fast.

12. RCN: Tell us a story about a day in your life.> A day in the life of "The Fiend" Ill give you a taste. Show night at Ventura's Nicholbys night club. This was the bands first road trip and we were all so excited to be their in a different city playing to a completely different audience than we are used to. When we booked the show it was billed as a new music night this club was putting on sponsored by a new music station out their called live 105.5. They were to promote and sponsor this night along with Firestone beer and a few other sponsors. Well, when we got there this place had basically lied to the band in just about every facet of the contract. There was no radio station involved as we were told and the drink tab we were told about was nil, they never promoted the show as they had promised. Even the manager himself dissed his own club. We were gonna give out a free copy of our new record to the first 25 people in the door, but their club manager told us "ha, I would be extremely surprised if 25 people even come out all night." We decided instead of making this trip gone array into a full fledge spinal tap, we decided to take this into our own hands. We went rampaging down main street in Ventura grabbing all the people we could find going into bars, coffee shops, movie theaters, porn shops and all in between. We managed to gather a good mob of about thirty people or so before finding that most of them couldn't get into the club due to the 21 and over rule. So that set us at a place called Sans Soucci. a bar we promoted as our after party hang out. The owner absolutely loved our band. our attitude and crazy look and the party atmosphere we brought with us when we got to her venue. After playing the show we (the band) went back to Sans Soucci to collect our offered free round on the owner. That's when it was on. Our road crew loaded the gear and met us up there only to find out that Lance had talked the manager into giving us free drinks all night If we played a set for them. So they had to unload the gear again. We never found a way to play as we were without a p.a. and Tiffy couldn't sing. But in all the commotion we had run a tab of about three hundred dollars and the owner ordered us about 5 large pizza's just because of the chaos we had going on in her bar. Tiffy became celebrity guest bar tender giving out shots to guys and dancing on the bar with their bar tender. She started making out with the big titted bar tender and putting the patrons in a frenzy. Then there was a mob out side that wanted to fight the band because our manager in trying to collect Tiffy off the bar had totally stiffed the guy who was trying to take Tiffy home. She went a little crazy leaving with her sister and some other guy and we all went back to the hotel to destroy that place. Wow what a night. That is only snippet of what that night and many many others are like when you hang out with the Fiend!

13. RCN: What inspires you to do what you do?

Our pure passion for our music and each other and the bands that proceeded us. We want the dream.

14. RCN: What advice would you give to fellow bands?> Do not pay to play. This is the worst thing ever created by clubs to ensure they make their money. Do not use promoters if you do pay to play as these guys are even worse than the clubs themselves. Think about this - a band wants to showcase there music to the paying public. they promote there asses off to get people to come see them and then they have to give some club between $400.00 to $1000 bucks to get on there stage for maybe a half our and that's it, game over. Band does all the work club makes all the money. I think that is a screwed deal. It has to go away!

15. RCN: What are some of your pet peeves?

Pay to play obviously, cocky bands who think they are cooler than they really are, gas prices, drink prices and bitchy waitresses and bartenders who just don't give a crap. What ever happened to being nice!

16. RCN: How does music affect you and the world around you?

If music were not around, nor would I be. It is the only thing we all as human beings have in common. No one on this planet can say they don't like or listen to music. Even tribes in Africa make music. As one famous singer once said "music is our only international language!" Think about it, worldwide sales for Avril Lavigne were 14 million records. That means that millions of people whom don't even speak English bought her record, and for what? The music! That is what makes our everyday lives worth living!

17. RCN: What's new in the recording of your music?

Pro tools. Digital recording is obviously the wave of the future. Thank God Lance is schooled in all this stuff or we would be doomed!

18. RCN: What are the biggest obstacles for bands?

Playing shows and getting people to believe in your music. Los Angeles is the absolute worst place for a band to try and get noticed as there are millions and millions of bands past and present who are and or were so good but just didn't have the means to get noticed and for many different reasons end up disbanding. It is so sad.

19. RCN: What's the best and worst thing about playing clubs?

The best is the pay off. Since bands really cant make money playing an LA club, the pay off is when you fill a room and they are really feeling your tunes. That's intense.

20. RCN: Tell us about your next shows and why we should be there.

We are playing a last minute add on show June 4th at 14 below in Santa Monica. It is an early show (rare for us) and that is dangerous for us. We don't need that much party time! Ohh will that night get crazy! I guarantee that show will be a blast. And June 21st at UCLA Akerman Grand Ballroom. That is gonna be huge. You can see all our shows and dates on our web site. www.dramafiend.com The reason to go to these shows is simple. This is the fastest rising band in LA right now. We are personable to our fans and friends and we put on a show you wont soon forget! Oh and Tiffy will kick your ass if you don't go. Can you say no to a hot 6 foot blonde with an attitude and a mini skirt! I think not.

RCN: Thank you for your insight and time. We'll look forward to hearing your music and seeing your next live show . . . Later gator.

Rock City News / Records / Entertainment