.An Odd Conversation with DIESEL DUDES

This week, I wrote about Diesel Dudes, a muscle-obsessed electro-punk Oakland band that likes to dress up in adult diapers and sweat a lot in front of people. Read the full article here, which describes how they dodged my in-person interview attempts, and left me with this absurd Q&A instead. I asked them about their obsession with masculinity, the father motif in their music, and a more subdued project from two of the members called Morning Hands. They responded in capitalized run on sentences about big cockroaches and screaming dump trucks. 

Who’s who? (Names and roles in the band.)

LORD NEWT (SHOT PUT COACH), SNAKEMAN (THE MEANEST WORST GUY), KING TOAD (LOCOMOTIVE), RIOT COP ALONE (LIASON TO THE PUNK ROCK MUSIC COMMUNITY)


Who are you people? How did you get this way?
BAD DREAMS EMPTY POOL BIG COCKROACH

Give me a short history of Diesel Dudes.
In the Spring of 2010, mighty Zeus threw his sizzling bolt down to earth, striking Lord Newt with the secrets of the Hercules Initiative. Phase 1 was a solitary mission, until Snakeman slithered onto the drum throne. During Phase 3, King Toad hopped on a secondary kit with a Luddite’s humble charm. Phase 4 was initiated by Riot Cop Alone, a crucial officer of brutal toad law who kettles us together with our fellow muscles with a shield and keg of brew. Now we are one, a Diesel Dude.

Describe your sound.
IT IS LIKE WHEN A GIANT BOULDER TUMBLES DOWN A DARK MOUNTAIN AND DOLPH LUNDGREN IS LIFTING SOME HUGE WEIGHTS RIGHT NEXT TO BOULDER ROLLING AND A DUMPTRUCK SCREAMING LIKE A HUMAN MAN AND A CRANE WITH A MUSCLE ARM MAKING TIMPANI DRUM NOISE INSTEAD THE MOTOR MUSCLE

What do you take inspiration from sonically/aesthetically?
Sound of    , sound of factory, BART train. Father’s industrial/noise record collection that sits atop the dusty tool shed in the old garage.

Why are you so obsessed with all things masculine?
MUSCLES AND BULK AND RUNNING WE ARE NOT A BETA FISH WE ARE AN ALPHA FISH SWEAT AND REGRET AND WE NEED IT IN OUR LIFE.



Did your dad actually put you on the wrestling team?

WHEN WE WERE A KID WE WRESTLED OURSELVES FOR FUN NOT SPORT, WE WOULD NEVER LET FATHER TAKE THAT AWAY FROM US.

Why adult diapers? Why so grotesque?
WOW WE DIDNT KNOW ANYONE SAW US WEARING THOSE IF YOU MUST KNOW BEFORE EACH CONCERT WE BECOME QUITE NERVOUS AND THE RHEA WANTS COME OUT AND RUIN OUR CONCERT BUT NO WE WILL PLAY AND THE RHEA WILL NOT KEEP WINNING



What’s the most absurd thing that you’ve done during a performance?

WELL IF YOU MUST KNOW ONCE IN THE TOWN OILDALE, CALIFORNIA WE PLAYED A CONCERT AND THEY TOLD US NOT TO DO WHAT WE WERE THINKING OF DOING AND WHAT WERE THINKING OF DOING WAS TO LET THE GIANT COCKROACH OUT OF THE CAGE AND WE DID IT AND IT RAN AROUND AND IT CAUSED QUITE A MESS OIL EVERYWHERE THIS COCKROACH HAD BEEN IN OIL IT RAN IN THE BACK AND THEN THANKFULLY BOSS HOG THE JUNKYARD FROG CAUGHT THAT BEAST AND BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE FILTHY CAGE WE FREED IT FROM SORRY

Are you guys like that all the time?
OF COURSE

Tell me about Morning Hands.
THAT BAND MADE US CRY AND IT DIDNT FEEL GOOD TO DO THAT

What’s your tour going to look like?
We’ll be doing a short West Coast tour from Oakland to San Diego from May 23rd-29th.
We’ve also got a good amount of material that we’ll be releasing in the near future. 

Diesel Dudes on Facebook. 

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

East Bay Express E-edition East Bay Express E-edition
19,045FansLike
14,611FollowersFollow
61,790FollowersFollow
spot_img