Dash Rip Rock Looking To Hit 'Paydirt'

Stolen From BOOGIE Pensacola July 8-14, 1998

By Mike Roycroft

Dash Rip Rock is probably the most infamous party band to emerge from the already infamous party city of New Orleans. Formed in 1984 by guitarist Bill Davis and bassist Ned "Hoaky" Hickel, they've burned through eight albums and nearly as many drummers.

Their biggest success came with a remake of Danny and the Juniors' 1950s chestnut "Let's Go To The Hop," with the lyrics hilariously reworked to "Let's Go Smoke Some Pot." Now with drummer Kyle Melancon for four years strong, the band is enthusiastically set to release its latest album, Paydirt, on July 28.

Paydirt was produced by Fred LeBlanc, who used to be the drummer for Dash Rip Rock and is now the drummer and singer for fellow New Orleans band Cowboy Mouth.

Dash Played Pensacola this May at Springfest, where they opened for Jerry Lee Lewis. When we heard that Dash was coming to play The Dock on Pensacola Beach in late June--a show that would attract a record crowd--we decided to give them a call.

My first step into the world of Dash Rip Rock was memorable, as any contact with this Cajun three-headed monster would be. I was on the phone with their manager Reuben Williams trying to set up an interview with the band when Reuben's voice suddenly took a serious hushed tone as he asked me, "You heard that the bass player just killed himself right?"

I figured I must be the only idiot in town who hadn't gotten the news, and here I was on the phone trying to hustle an interview with a dead man and his grieving bandmates. I could only pick my jaw up off the floor and whisper, "God no, I hadn't heard."

Then Reuben lowered the boom: "Just kidding, man."

Now that I was properly initiated, I was put in contact with Bill Davis, lead singer, guitarist, and main songwriter for the band, who spoke about the new album, the band's ties with Pensacola, and their bad reputation.

How was working with Fred LeBlanc? I know he used to be the drummer in the band; was there any friction left over or was that all worked out?

BD: Well, he quit the band a long time ago, so we have had some time to work out whatever personal differences we had with him. We still enjoy playing together and just jam, so it was very natural for him to produce the album just because he knows a lot about the band and he still likes Dash Rip Rock a whole lot.

You guys are probably most famous as a live band. What are the problems getting that feel and that sound down in the studio?

BD: For us, the studio feels sterile and it doesn't feel like a good place to make wild rock and roll. So, we've never applied ourselves in the studio. We always go in because the record company is making us, and it's almost like going to the dentist for us, because we are a live band and that's our reputation: live. But this time, we went in with a friend who is a former member of the band, and it was nice and pleasant. We love playing live so much that when we're in the studio, it's like someone's got your wings clipped, you know? But this time it wasn't like that at all, and it was just a big party. We played a lot of the new stuff at Springfest, and we've been doing that lately, just to get used to playing it. But, we're just really proud of the new songs, and I think it shows in the live show.

How was it opening for the Killer, Jerry Lee Lewis at Springfest last May?

BD: It was a total dream come true. As soon as we found out we had that show at Springfest, we started getting pumped up. And then we heard that James Burton [Elvis Presley's guitar player in the 70's] was playing guitar with him, and that Doctor Nick, the guy that gave Elvis all the drugs, was gonna be the road manager. [Dr. George Nichopoulos, Elvis' private physician, lost his license for writing the prescriptions that eventually led to Elvis' death.] We basically just got to meet three of our idols on one stage in one night. Another thing was, I was standing out front watching Jerry Lee, and he mentioned Dash! He was like, "Man, that band that was just up here sure was good, " or something like that. So I was like, "Oh, my God!", and that was the icing on the cake.

You guys made a reference to not being able to use profanity at Springfest. Do the guys at Springfest really give you a hard time about that?

BD: It kind of goes without saying, because we've played a few festivals. It specifically got us in trouble at Bayfest in Mobile, from which we were banned for the rest of our lives because Kyle took his clothes off, and I think we did "Pussywhipped." But we've learned our lesson; we've missed out on some of the biggest festivals in the country because of our reputation, so we've tried to kind of tone it down. So it's not just Springfest, it's everywhere.

You guys have played Pensacola a lot. How many years have you been playing here?

BD: I know we've been playing there at least ten years because we used to play The Handlebar, and we played Sluggo's when it was over on Tarragona Street, and Seville Quarter, we've been playing there a long time as well. So yeah, it's been quite a while, and we've always done really well there. When TK101 started playing "Let's Go Smoke Some Pot," that's when we really enjoyed our biggest success.

Are there any local bands that you are into?

BD: There's a band over in Panama City called The Honey Bees; they're a rockabilly band. Usually when we play around Florida, it's just cover bands. There's some pretty cool punk rock bands, but I just don't get a chance to hear them. We are pretty much just in and out of there.

"Cajun Man", the guy who plays the washboard onstage with you when you're in town, is from around here, right? What's the story with him?

BD: Yeah, he lives on the beach. His brother has a coffee shop down there. He went to the University of Mississippi, and we first met him in Oxford up at Ole Miss, and just started jumping up on stage with us with that washboard. At New Orleans' Jazzfest, he got to be almost more popular than Dash Rip Rock. He's a pretty cool guy. He's a lawyer in Pensacola, so he's got a real job.

Do you have any advice for up and coming bands?

BD: Yeah, when we first started the band, the first thing we did after we'd written ten or twelve songs was to make a demo tape. That's the first thing I would do, because you have to have something that you can just hand to people. Otherwise, nobody's going to pay any attention to you. Make a demo tape, and then send it to clubs, and then go on the road. That's how Dash Rip Rock did it.

Does it feel like you guys have been doing this for 15 years?

BD: No, it really doesn't. It's still so much fun to travel and play live, and it doesn't strike me at all as being in a rut or being bored. It's just too much fun. I mean, how could it be a drag when you're playing live music every night and playing to a different audience every night as well?

Are you guys content with your regional success, or do you still have dreams of being like the Rolling Stones or something?

BD: We're certainly not content, just because I feel like this kind of music we're playing has universal appeal. You know, it's not like we are doing some kind of strange experimental stuff. I think we could be hugely popular. It's just that we've had management problems, and now we've got our ducks in a row, and we've got a really good management company. We've kind of cursed ourselves because we have such a wild reputation that bleeds over into the industry. So when we've tried to go on to David Letterman, or we've tried to get signed to a major label, those people say, "Oh no way, we've heard about Dash Rip Rock!" So basically we're trying to live it all down.

Does being on the road agree with you pretty well?

BD: It does! I know I can't do it much longer if I'm going to settle down and have kids or whatever, but it's never gotten to be a drag. It kind of fits in with my personality. If Hoaky and I are home for more than three or four days, we just get really itchy and kind of bored and ready to go. I don't want to be as big as the Rolling Stones, and I just don't want to keep on because I feel that if I'm going to play music while I'm that age, I might as well switch to country music and be George Jones or something. Because our music is so energetic, it's got an age limit, and pretty soon we'll be approaching that age limit. Everybody says to me, "What are you gonna do when Dash breaks up?", and Dash is never going to break up. Because with Hoaky and I, and also with Kyle in whom we've found a dedicated drummer, but even if Kyle ever quits, Hoaky and I are just able to work so well together that we're just going to keep doing it as long as people want to come see it. We just won't be able to jump as high, or drink as much either.