Rock ‘N' Roll only seems pure when it's a bit dirty, dark, playful, and distorted. When the music remains beautiful in the midst of a sad sentiment. Rock is played by people who know what they're hearing, and in tune with the Artists that have influenced and inspired them. The Lovey Dovies have made this impression on me. James Hayes, Dan Fox, and Isidore Grisoli are staying true to the music and to themselves with what they're doing. I personally have watched these guys play in a combined 25 different bands over the years, all of which have been at the least interesting. Punk, metal, noise, grunge, whatever sub-genre's branched from rock, these fellas have most likely played it. They've come together as The Lovey Dovies, a rock band that may be compared to such ‘90s groups as The Lemonheads or Dinosaur Jr. It's possible that their influence comes from growing up during the grunge explosion, but the songs are their attitude, mood, and stories.
In the short time that The Lovey Dovies have existed they've made a lot of progress. With two tours both international and domestic and an LP already out, they've proven themselves to be serious musicians. The Lovey Dovies even have a video for their song "Workhorse" directed by Mike Kennedy that can be viewed on YouTube. Where Y'At Magazine had an opportunity to sit down with the band and talk about the experience of touring in South America first, and home after.
Where Y'at: Give me a quick run through of how this line up came to be?
John Hayes: So there was the Red Beards first and it was me and Izzy, Sarah from Ovary Action was the first bass player of the Red Beards. That ended after Katrina. I left that band and Izzy kept it going. Then I was just jammin with different people. Then I had a consistent group and recorded some stuff with them. Then there was a line up change (laughs), and now I have a new band.
WYAT: You guys recorded your LP, The Lovey Dovies, at The Living Room Studio with Chris George and Daniel Majorie. How soon after did you go to South America?
JH: We finished recording it in November 09', it came out in February 10', and we went to South America in March.
WYAT: How long were you guys there?
JH: A month. Chile, Argentina, and a canceled date in Uruguay.
WYAT: What happened to the show in Uruguay?
Isidor Grisoli: James ah, broke his ankle in Argentina, running down some stairs trying to steal some fuck'n….
Dan Fox: Whoa whoa whoa (everyone protests)
IG: Wait that's off the record.
JH: We were partying with this band and things got crazy; we had to make a quick escape and I flew down these stairs and I broke my ankle. We all had to hop the fence to get away. But it was a good tour.
WYAT: So why South America, it seems random?
JH: Why not?
IG: Why not dude?
DF: Por que no?
JH: I have a lot of friends that book shows down there, so that made it easy.
WYAT: What were the shows like besides the broken ankle party? Did you guys play every night of the month you were there?
DF: It was at least 15 shows in 20 days. We didn't have that much time off; we were definitely playing five to six nights a week. And the shows varied.
IG: It was like litte punk shows, metal shows.
JH: Big hardcore bands, a disco place one time.
DF: We played like a block hut in the sub-burbs of Argentina.
JH: Yeah they had like 200 kids out there watching us.
WYAT: Wow that's awesome.
DF: Like in Lomas de Zamora, there had never been a band like us, never a band that wasn't from Argentina. We were the first international band to play out there in a couple of spots. And we beat Charmaine Nevel to Chile!
WYAT: Wait what?
JH: Someone was telling me that they were on a plane or something and they were talking to Charmaine Nevel and they said something about The Lovey Dovies, and she said something like ‘Oh they beat me to Chile'. We should have played together (laughter).
WYAT: So how long after the South American tour did you do the domestic tour?
DF: It was late August through September, about a month, a lap around the country.
WYAT: You guys have done a lot of touring in bands over the years, compare touring in a different country to home.
IG: It was cool because we're about to go on this U.S. tour, and it's like, we've already toured South America, so how hard can it be. In South America every little thing you have to go find, different adapters for the amps, borrowing equipment…
WYAT: Were there any bands that really stuck out to you all?
DF: Acidos they were fucking good. They get fast and heavy.
JH: Yeah they love New Orleans metal. They may have thought we were going to be metal (scratches balls). Then there was Los Pus—they were really great.
DF: They obviously listened to a lot of music that we like. They had a male/female vocal thing going on.
IG: Jersey Killer! They were fucking awesome. Funnest show of my life was a show they set up. Their mom called us saying ‘yall better come play, I got a bunch of kids in my house'.
WYAT: I love house shows, they always have the most intimate feel. And I can imagine how much they appreciated you all. What about in America?
JH: Pygmy Lush from Sterling, Virginia, those guys are like our best friends. They're such a great amazing band. Des Ark is awesome.
DF: Here are some bands we really liked on the American tour: Megafauna from Austin, The New Creases from Columbus, Secret Society of Smaller Lies from Houma were really good. Teens In Trouble, some guys from Pygmy Lush, is really good. The Black Birds from New Jersey ruled. We met up with them twice on tour, we played with them in Chicago and D.C.
WYAT: That's great. Some of the bands you guys mentioned I'm familiar with, and know that they're really good bands. So 2011, what's next?
JH: Please Gretna Fest people, if you have REO Speedwagon on the bill that would be awesome, but we would love to play Gretna Fest.
To see pictures of The Lovey Dovies US and South American tour, go to loveydovies.net where you'll also find their video for the song "Workhorse".
