The Abominator. An Interview With Doyle (Ex-Misfits)

Some days, I have the best job in the world. I get to take photos from up close and personal. I get to hear music before it’s released and on the extremely good days, I get to speak with someone I’ve listened to or looked up to for years. The Misfits were a part of my youth, as well as countless others, and it’s still a part of me that I can’t explain. It was unlike anything else I had ever heard and I couldn’t get enough of it. I was fascinated. Fast forward a few years and that music still has the ferocity and wonder of my misguided youth, but it means more to me now. Somehow, it’s both nostalgic, as well as still relevant. The Misfits, as I knew them, are no more and ex-guitarist Doyle has had a few bands since his departure. I have to say though, his new band, simply titled Doyle, is his best yet. The new album Abominator is great from start to finish. We here at Unsung Melody highly recommend it!

Listen to the entire Doyle interview below:
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Today I’m totally having a fanboy moment here. I’m welcoming Doyle to the Unsung Melody family. Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein is of course an ex-member of The Misfits, who has a new solo album out. First off Doyle, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me today.

You’re welcome. Thanks for having me.

I’ll do my best to not waste too much of your time today, so let’s jump right in here. Your new project is called Doyle and the new album is titled Abominator. It’s fast. It’s brutal. It’s horror. It’s awesome. Did I miss anything?

Nope. (laughter) I like it. (laughter)

I do feel that this is a really strong album. I think the term I used to describe it to a friend was Punk Metal. You have the intensity of Punk. You have the basic structure of Metal. I do think that Alex Story delivers his cadence in such a way too that gives a familiar feeling to it. Specifically the song DreamingDeadGirls. What do you feel Alex brings to your music?

Well, I write the music. They’re not called music, they’re called songs, so he writes the vocal melody and the words. Without him, there is no Doyle record. That’s it.

I never knew that a song about necrophilia could be so badass.

(laughter) Yeah, it’s good stuff.

Alex has kind of became the yin to your yang so to speak when writing. Do you guys write together or do you finish the music and just have him write over it?

That’s exactly what happens. I write it, arrange it, record it, program the drums and then send them to him. I write on the sheet about what I think the arrangement is, so he doesn’t have to figure the song out. Because that wastes time. You listen to it and then you’re like, “Okay. What’s what?” Here it is, as soon as the part changes, it’s the next thing on my paper. Then you can do whatever the fuck you want and then he sends it back and I go out of my mind when I get it back. I’m like, “Holy shit. This guy’s fucking crazy.”

That’s awesome. I saw where he was the first person to respond to an ad for a vocalist. Do you think that was blind luck or fate?

It was actually the only CD I listened to the whole thing. Every other one, as soon as I heard the singer, the fucking thing went in the garbage. Nope. Nope. Nope. His CD had like 20 songs on it and I listened to every fucking one. I didn’t move. I was like, “Holy shit.”

I also watched a video where you stated you have quite a few tunes in the can for Doyle, which tells me you have some big plans for this project.

Actually, I’m recording today. I’m on the 12th song, I think we’re going to do one more to be 13. The only thing that has to happen on these are drums and vocals on these two songs and we’re ready to mix it.

Are there plans to release this soon or is there a tour in between or what can we expect?

We don’t know. I think we’re going to tour this one for a little while. Then drop it, maybe the same time that we dropped that one and just keep touring. Hopefully every thing works out good.

Well speaking of touring, you just finished a run with Glenn Danzig. It was a 25th Anniversary tour for Glenn. How was that tour this time around?

It was a lot of fun. We had a great time. The turnouts were great. It was actually a really great promotional tour, because we did it from April to the end of October. Great promotional tour for enlightening people that the name of my band is Doyle now and I have a record and all that stuff. He let me sell a shirt and the CD at the shows and I’ve done a ton of press. It’s really working out well.

I saw where you stated that you don’t listen to a lot of music, you prefer to create it. I can’t help but feel that some musicians still inspire you today. Say a Zakk Wylde using a little pinch harmonics. Is there anyone out there that you listen to that inspires you?

I listen to music while I’m working out and it’s usually violent stuff. Like Pantera or Slipknot. I’ll listen to Painkiller by Judas Priest, I think that’s awesome. I’m listening to old Iron Maiden today. I like listening to The Agonist. That’s a band that’s opened up for us in April. Cancerslug I love listening to, it just makes me happy. So fucking funny and nuts and I know him, so when I hear him singing those songs, it just puts a smile on my face.

I interviewed the lovely and talented Jill Janus from Huntress and asked her about coming onstage and singing with Glenn and yourself. She was as giddy as a schoolgirl. Music, for me and it seems many more, is the best drug there is. Does a moment like that with Jill mean as much to you as it would to her?

I don’t remember her coming up to be honest with you. (laughter) I don’t even notice the people. I don’t notice anything. We just did Heavy MTL Fest in Montreal, I didn’t know Rob Zombie was there until I walked past him. I was like, “Hey, how you doing man?” (laughter)

You are still quite the rather large dude. I’m sure you work out everyday. A lot of people nowadays are going vegan or making their own juices on the road. Is there a certain diet that you adhere to?

I just eat a lot of protein. I eat peanuts for fat. I drink a lot of water. A lot of coffee. Oatmeal. I try to eat as much Vegan food as I can actually. It’s hard on the road. Sometimes I hardly eat on the road.

I’ve been on the business side of music before and I saw a lot of stuff that a lot of people never get to see. It’s definitely not as glamorous as everyone thinks it is.

No. It’s a job. You hire guys, sometimes you hire people you know or your stuck and you need someone to drive a truck or sell merch or whatever, then when it comes time to load and unload, they come in and they’re like, “Where’s the party? Where’s the girls? Where’s the booze?” I’m like, “You see that gear. Unload that gear and stay with that gear all day and all night. When we’re done playing, load it back up again. Then you’re done. ” They don’t understand that it’s a fucking job. It’s hard. Rock and roll is hard. You’ve to be like an athlete to do this shit.

Alright, I always try to end on a random question. I put myself in your shoes and imagined wearing the devilock. The first thing that came to mind was the old Steve Martin movie, The Jerk. I think I’d be cross-eyed by the end of a show, much like the people who bought the opti-grab. So, I have to ask, did that or does that ever happen to you?

No. I don’t see it because it’s, put your finger over your nose, can you see your finger?

Oh, you’ve got it close enough to not worry about it.

Exactly. You don’t see it. I don’t see it.

Awesome. Well, I had to ask that and I appreciate you taking the time. It was with all the respect in the world.

It’s okay. If it’s not fun, then I don’t want to do it.

(laughter) Alright, well Doyle, I appreciate your time so very much. We love the album and we wish absolutely nothing but the best and hopefully we can catch you on the road here pretty soon.

I think we’re booking a February tour for the East Coast and down South and maybe to the West Coast for like a month. Should be brutally cold, but hell, I’m in. I want to do this. Anytime you need an interview, just contact us. I’m in.

Very cool. I appreciate you taking the time and best of luck with the recordings today.