Courtesy The Dilrods
From left, Dusty O'Brien, aka Dusty O, drums; Robert Andresen, aka Bobby Rod, bass and vocals; and Dean Randall, aka Larry Rod, guitar and vocals, are The Dilrods.
Punk Palouse Fest returns this weekend for its second year of punky goodness, and one band I’m the most pumpt (see note), I mean punked, to check out is The Dilrods.
Yeah, you could call me biased since I played in a garage-punk band called The Rummies with The Dilrods’ bass player/vocalist/friend Bobby Rod, aka Robert Andresen, from 1999 to 2003. We defo rocked it pretty hard and had some wild times, that’s for sure.
The Dilrods recently got signed to San Francisco-based record label Blackhouse Records and plan to release a new recording later in the year.
Mad Marv: Let’s learn about Bobby Rod’s awakening to music. Do you remember when music started making a profound impact on you? Who was your favorite band back then?
Bobby Rod: For me, music started early with my parents and grandparents’ music collections. Old country (think Hank [Williams] Sr., Loretta Lynn, George Jones, Marty Robbins, etc.), Elvis and ’70s radio staples (The Eagles, Captain and Tennille, Peter Frampton and Carly Simon).
My first piece of vinyl was a Christmas gift from my mom. My stepbrother was gifted AC/DC’s “For Those About To Rock We Salute You,” and I got Foreigner’s “4.” We wore the grooves off of those first albums. The first bands I ever really got into were all influenced by those early couple of records. It was all rock and heavy metal: bands like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Mötley Crüe. Metal eventually turned to thrash, hardcore and punk as I reached middle and high school.
MM: What was the first instrument you learned to play?
BR: I had a cheap guitar in sixth grade, but it didn’t really stick at the time. The first instruments I learned how to play were the clarinet and alto sax in the middle school band. I didn’t start playing bass and guitar until my senior year in high school.
MM: Were you playing music after The Rummies disbanded, before you formed The Dilrods? What gave you the wild hair to start up another band?
BR: After The Rummies disbanded, I played around the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley with several different groups of musicians trying to get something started again. Nothing stuck. Lewiston and Clarkston were a bit of a desert for musicians who wanted to play the kind of music I wanted to make.
At the same time, I was just finishing up college, bought a house and we had our first kid. Life was crazy. I never stopped playing, but it was all solo, by myself stuff. When the kids started to get older, I got the itch to start playing out again. I threw up a Craigslist post, and that is how I met Dean, aka Larry Rod, and we formed the nucleus of what would become The Dilrods.
Courtesy The Dilrods
From left, Dusty O'Brien, aka Dusty O, drums; Robert Andresen, aka Bobby Rod, bass and vocals; and Dean Randall, aka Larry Rod, guitar and vocals, are The Dilrods.
MM: How would you describe The Dilrods’ sound? What genre does the band nestle into?
BR: Dean and I are Gen X punk lovers (like you), and we gravitate toward those late ’70s and early ’80s punk and hardcore bands. Dean is from Orange County, Calif., and grew up in the epicenter of that movement. It makes sense that our music draws on those influences. Bands like Agent Orange, Adolescents, Circle Jerks, Descendents, Black Flag, Minor Threat, Zero Boys and Bad Brains all rattle around in our consciousness when we are writing music.
MM: How many releases do you have out? Which one is your favorite and why?
BR: We have two full-lengths (“Spare The Rod” on No Front Teeth Records and “Waiting To Die” on Blackhouse Records). We also have an EP that we self-released called “One Nation Under Rod.” You can find them on all the streaming platforms, or you can purchase vinyl through our Bandcamp at thedilrods.bandcamp.com.
MM: Let’s get “gear nerdy” for the musicians out there. What kind of rig and bass do you use? Do you use pedals?
BR: I used to use a Fender 4x10 cabinet and a Super Bassman 300 head for live shows, but that head weighs close to 70 pounds. I just started using a Darkglass Microtubes 900 v2 head (same cab), and I love it. It is light, has plenty of grit and fuzz, and is super portable. The days of me hoofing a boat anchor down into a basement house show are over.
MM: How many shows have The Dilrods played since their inception?
BR: Good question. I have lost track now. We usually play one to two shows a month, and we have been together for about five years now. I’m not great at math.
MM: You didn’t get to play Punk Palouse last year. What bands are you stoked to see or play with?
BR: Yeah, we were bummed we couldn’t play last year, but we were opening up for Agent Orange and we weren’t going to miss that show. We are stoked to see all the bands this year and to play down in Moscow. The Palouse is a killer place to play, and the audiences bring so much energy. This year’s lineup is sick. We love Blunt Skulls, Hayes and Puddy Knife, but there isn’t a dud on the lineup.
MM: You’re getting old like me. Do you have plans to write more music and play more shows? How long do you think you’ll keep doing this?
BR: Dean and I are getting a little long in the tooth, and Dusty isn’t a spring chicken either. With that said, we are in a good creative space right now and are making new material that we are all proud of. This will be our first album with Dusty banging on the drums. He’s brought a new energy and enthusiasm to The Dilrods, and Dean and I are using him as a muse to light the creative fires.
MM: I hear you play some Rummies covers with The Dilrods. Which ones? Will The Rummies ever have another reunion? Would people care?
BR: Haha yes, we do. We recorded “I’m Your Man” on “Waiting To Die,” and we play it all the time live. We also do a great rendition of “Vampire Baby.” I don’t care if people like The Rummies or not. We made good music, and the shows we played during those times was a big part of why I love to play live so much.
MM: Any advice for someone wanting to learn how to play bass?
BR: Just start. You don’t need fancy gear or lessons. Throw on your favorite song, tune your bass and get to playing.
MM: One last important question: Who would win in a cage match? Axel Rose or Vince Neil?
BR: I think Axel is more feral than Vince. Vince has gotten soft in his old age.
NOTE: We’ll help you out here, readers: It’s a Marvinism. His Instagram handle, for example, is @marvin_pumpt.
Lee is a self-professed music nerd and part-time artist. He can be reached at madmarvmedia@hotmail.com.
IF YOU GO
Punk Palouse Fest
What: The festival launched last year in Moscow as a collective of artists and local organizers with a mission to celebrate DIY punk and get people out to enjoy it together on the Palouse. This year’s event promises bands representing a variety of styles under the banner of punk music.
When: 5 p.m. to midnight Friday and 1 p.m. to midnight Saturday.
Where: Bands will perform at three Moscow venues:
- John’s Alley, 114 E. Sixth. St.
- Mikey’s Gyros, 527 S. Main St.
- The Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre’s Backstage venue, 508 S. Main (enter through the alley in back).
