MF Robin: How did you react when you first made it official that you wanted to do Head Automatica?
Daryl: How did I react?
MF Robin: Well, how did your band mates, your family, anybody close to you.
Daryl: Most people in my life seemed real excited, y'know? I mean it was about time for me to record this other music I was always working on, so I mean most people were really happy for me that I got a chance to do it.
MF Robin: How did you get involved working with Dan the Automator? Daryl: I know Dan through people in New York and just having met him a bunch of times, I just knew when I was really going to get to do a rock record, I wanted it to be pseudo-electronic, and I knew he'd be able to do a rock record with that feeling and Iknew he'd be able to do it well, and he did.
MF Robin: What were your practice sessions like when you first started? Daryl: It was just me and Larry. MF Robin: Just you two, hanging around? Daryl: Yeah, there was no band until after the record was really recorded for the most part, but I would show him a song I wrote and we would work out a structure, the best structure, and record it, and that's how we always did it 'cause it was just the two of us for so long.
MF Robin: Alright, how has your inspiration in general differed from this band, as opposed to Glassjaw?
Daryl: Well, I mean what inspires me is what inspires me, but a lot of the music I listen to in my everyday life can connect directly with what comes out in this band, so I guess the inspiration, as much as it is the same bands that move me to write music for Glassjaw, there's a whole bunch of other bands that have almost taught me how to write different types of music in the last year or two. Since it's a different type of music, it differs a little bit. MF Robin: Any past experiences or anything like that that affect you lyric-wise? Daryl: A lot of the lyrics in this band are just stories, it's nothing too introspective, and it's nothing too over-emotional, it's just more a lot of light-hearted rock songs with just story-telling in it, and it's one of the first times I've fucked with that in a band. Glassjaw was just very serious- Glassjaw was over-serious and that's why I wanted to do the polar opposite of that right now.
MF Robin: Was it coincidence or intentional to go on tour before the release of your cd?
Daryl:Totally intentional. We wanted to be touring since the record was actually still being recorded. Yeah, we started playing shows when the record was still being done. We knew we wanted to be on tour indefinitely and we knew we weren't waiting for the record to come out to do it. Robin: To see how the fans react too? Daryl:Yeah, it's cool. I know the record had leaked, a really bad version of the record, and it's funny that people were still into it. And if they're into that, then they'll definitely be into the real one.
MF Robin: Ok going along with that, talk about the album. Any details about that?
Daryl: The album is called Decadence, it has eleven songs, comes out on Warner Records on August 17th. It's an eleven song rock record, and that's about it. Sort of like when rock, when a lot of the white British rock acts were playing R&B soul rock in the early and mid 60's, that's kind of like a lot of what we drew the vibe from. And it's also dancy, and not too serious. Serious, y'know but not over-serious. MF Robin: Glassjaw serious? Daryl:Yeah, not as serious as Glassjaw.
MF Robin: What's the greatest thing you feel you could accomplish as a band in your musical career? Daryl: I think the coolest thing is I'm on tour with The Cure right now, that's pretty goddamn interesting, I couldn't have ever asked for much more. I never would have thought a year ago when I started making a record that in one year I'd be on tour with The Cure, or have done a record with the Automator or toured with all these bands. And I think also the best thing that I've accomplished so far is that all the bands that have taken us out on tour are bands that were friends of mine or bands that have liked my music or what I've done in the past so it's pretty cool that they've looked out for us and took us out when we were ready to start playing shows with this band; that's a pretty good accomplishment.
MF Robin: What song has received the best reaction from your fans so far? Daryl: "Razor", or "Brooklyn Is Burning."
MF Robin: If you could randomly kick the shit out of someone, who would it be and why? Daryl: (laughs) no one. It takes a lot out of me to ever really contemplate fighting, so no one. But if I was big enough to win that fight, I'd pick ... Jarvis: What if you could pick anyone from *inaudible* to kick the shit out of? Daryl: Oh wow. (laughs) Probably someone I dated at one point in my life. (Scott, their manager walks in the door.) Jarvis: Would it be Scott? Daryl: Yeah, it'd probably be Scott.
MF Robin: I read somewhere that you listen to a lot of hip-hop and electronica; what's in your cd player right now? Daryl:A singer/songwriter named Nick Lowe, the new Ghostfaced Killa record, couple of Squeeze records, My Bloody Valentine.
MF Robin: Life on the road, what's that like? Daryl: Fun. It's the most fun thing ever. There's nothing as fun as touring. The only thing more fun than touring is playing music, and I guess getting to do both every night is pretty ideal. There's nothing that makes me happier than playing music.
(Just so you know, Daryl's sitting on the couch next to me with his shirt off, for point of reference for my next comment.) MF Robin: This actually works better for my next question. Your tattoos, what're your meanings for most of 'em? (Points tothe tattoo on his arm of two intertwined C's.) I saw this on a website, so I thought I'd ask you this question. Daryl: This one? This one's is kind of like the crew I'm in, it's called cardboard City. MF Robin: A cult? Daryl: Cult? (laughs) No, I'm not in a cult. I'm a practicing Satanist, but besides that I'm not in any other cult. Everything has a little bit of meaning.
MF Friend AJ: Seriously now? Satan? Daryl: Sure. Jarvis: Your Mother would kill you! "Oh my God!" Daryl: Yeah, they all have meaning. I dunno, traditional Japanese tattoo work is just something I just liked, so I just got 'em. MF Robin: Someone spraying a sock? Daryl: What? Oh, that's Frank Zappa spraying a a dirty sock. I have three x's in my lip, 'cause I was straight-edge. But I'm not now. (laughs) Jarvis: Yeah, you're not now. Daryl: (laughs) yeah. All my friends signed my legs and I tattooed their names on my legs. I have the Air Jordan symbols, I have a bunch of stuff.
(At this point, their keyboard player is putting all the beer lying around in the fridge, and finds a bunch of candy in the freezer and him and Jarvis are rejoicing in the fact that they have a lot of chocolate.) Jarvis: I know about fat-kid food.
MF Robin: Best concert you've ever been to?
Jarvis: American Nightmare, Long Island, dude.
Daryl: Yeah, man. The time American Nightmare played Insomnia. Every time I've seen Squeeze, made me happier than seeing any other bands in the world. Seeing this hardcore band, Burn.
MF Robin: Have you ever seen Elvis Costello? Daryl: I have never seen Elvis Costello. I have actually never seen Elvis Costello, which ispretty weird 'cause anybody I'm fanatical about I've seen a lot of times. But Elvis wasn't touring as much during the years when I grew old enough to see a lot of concerts. And Elvis Costello managed to stay so big that his tickets cost so much money, whereas if the older artists that I worshiped like Squeeze or whatnot would tour now, it wouldn't be very pricey and would be really easy to see them.
MF Robin: If you could have any super power ability, what would it be and why?
Daryl: Uh, I'd wanna fly. That's just great.
Jim: Yeah, you have to say "I just wanna fly".
Jarvis: Yeah, sung to the tune of Nelly Furtado.
MF Robin: (Laughs) No man, that was Sugar Ray.
MF Robin: Any pre-show rituals? What do you guys do before shows? Daryl: I usually, me personally, there's a couple of guys who can answer this. My pre-showritual is to try and listen to Squeeze for a little bit or I try to play guitar for a littlebit. Worry about getting hot on stage. Jarvis usually has to shit about four times.
Jarvis: I'm usually just bored. Daryl: Yeah, I'm usually the exact opposite. I can't exactly .. shit, if I have to. Jarvis: Oh we're really talking about shitting? Daryl: Yeah, what are your pre-show rituals? Jarvis: From the time we get to the venue to the time that we play, I probably shit between three and five times. Daryl: (laughing) Between three and twelve times. Jarvis: That's not really a pre-show ritual man, that's just like.. living. Pre-show ritual is just.. I'm bored until we play. (At this point, my Mom calls me on the phone. Hi Mom.) Daryl: Yeah this band's real good at walking in circles. "Alright let's all go here now." And we dance a lot. And hug a lot. (Then Jarvis starts asking me about my tape recorder, because it's also a camera.) Daryl: Then we eat. And smoke some weed. And eat some more shit. And smoke some more weed. And hug some more. (Someone's cell phone stars ringing, so Jarvis answers it.) Jim: Dude, there's so much beer!
MF Robin: Where's your favorite location to play a show? Daryl: New York City and London. (Some girl walks in the door and brings the boys MORE chocolate and they rejoice about thisfor a few minutes.) Jarvis: Jesus, so .. much .. chocolate. (Brandon, their guitar player walks in, says his hello's)
MF Robin: Your long term goals for Head Automatica? Like what do you want to get out of it? Daryl: I just wanna keep making music, the same goal I have with every project, justkeep making music without ever having to compromise any of my personal ideals and if I canmake a living and get by making music for the rest of my life, I'll be happy. I don't needto be famous, I don't need to be pampered, I don't need to be worshipped. I just need to getby and be able to make music, that's all. That'll be a fine, fine life.
MF Robin: And, the last question, what's next for you musically? Planning on doing anythingspecial? Daryl: Head Automatica record comes out August 17th, it's called Decadence. We're in the process of starting the recording of the Shoot Frank album, which is hip-hop rapper/producer LP and a rapper named Cage, I sing vocals, and Shawn the guitar player from Hatebreed's in it, and me and Larry. We're just doing that, it's kind of like a spacey-rockband. I dunno, I can't really explain it, but it's called Shoot Frank. Brandon: And you sing on that one band, the Rondo Brothers ... Daryl: Oh yeah, and I sing on that one band, The Rondo Brothers. Yeah, Brandon and my keyboard player Jim have a band called The Rondo Brothers and they have a record coming out.....Alright, gotta change. That was a great interview, got anymore? MF Robin: Nope that's it. Daryl: Alright thanks. Robin: Thank you.
