As you will read in the interview, Dan Vapid & The Cheats is the latest project from singer/songwriter Dan "Vapid" Schafer, a veteran of the punk scene who has played in numerous essential bands, like Screeching Weasel, The Riverdales, The Methadones, Sludgeworth, Noise By Numbers, The Mopes, and the Queers. Impossible for this blog not to have an honest conversation with a guy with such a resume. Here we go!
1) For the viewers of this blog who would not know you, What would you tell about DAN VAPID AND THE CHEATS to introduce yourselves? How long are you guys together as a band? Who is playing what instrument in the band nowadays? I am Dan Vapid, singer/songwriter of Dan Vapid and the Cheats. I’ve played in many bands, mostly in the pop punk genre, since 1987. Some of these bands include, Methadones, Riverdales, Screeching Weasel, the Queers, Mopes, Sludgeworth, Noise by Numbers. In many regards, I feel the sound of Dan Vapid and the Cheats has elements of all of the aforementioned bands. We formed in 2011 and have had a few line up changes. Currently, the line up is:
Me-vocals and guitar.
Gabe Usery-is the drummer/engineer/co-producer
Simon Lamb-guitar
Dillon Dunnagan-bass
It was a fairly long process with most sessions done at night after I put my kids to bed. Encapsulated Studio in St. Louis is a 45 minute drive from where I live. Getting our schedules to align and providing adequate time was the biggest challenge we faced. There were lots of tired mornings at work which followed those sessions. However, after a span of a year and a half, we finished. The process for the recording was track to track with overdubs. We recorded 15 songs and then chose 10 of them for the record.
3) Do you consider it should be foolish not to use the nowadays digital recording technology or do you guys only work with analog machines in analog studios?
No, we use pro-tools the same as most bands. I think recording live to tape can certainly produce great results for the right band. However, I was happy with the result from pro tools and will likely continue working in the same fashion.
4) When you compose a new song do you record a full detailed demo with all the various parts you want the guys in the band to play or do you come at the rehearsal and just tell the guitars chords so that everybody is involved in one way or another? Or are you guys just jamming until something interesting comes out of it?
5) What is your favorite topic/topic that comes easily when you write a new song?
Although I have been married for almost 10 years, I’m drawn to break up songs. I don’t know why. I think it’s a topic that works well in music. Often breakup lyrics just emerge, seemingly of their own accord, when I pick up a guitar and strum.
6) DAN VAPID AND THE CHEATS are sometimes described as a "punk/powerpop" band. Do you agree with this label? Are you proud of it or do you consider there is way more than that?
The punk/power-pop label gives some description but believe there’s more to it than that. I draw inspiration from more than punk or power pop. At the end of the day, music labels don’t mean a lot to me. Great songs do. These labels might be necessary to give a general idea about a band but beyond that I don’t pay much attention to them.
7) Do you have a new video on youtube featuring a track from the new LP??
Not yet. Working on it.
Here is an old one, then:
8) What can concert goers expect at a DAN VAPID AND THE CHEATS gig? Are you playing any famous cover songs or songs of your previous bands?
Yes, I often play Riverdales, Mopes, Methadones, etc...if I wrote the song I’ll play it live. However, now that we have a new record (three) I will likely be playing less of them unless there’s a demand to hear them.
9) To what kind of music did you listen to as a teenager and does it still influence your today work? What was your favorite band as a teenager? Name 3 bands that you consider still have a influence on your own work today?
Early teens I listened to metal. By the time I was 16 I was mostly listening to punk/hardcore. Ramones and Naked Raygun were my two biggest influences. Both bands inspired and made me want to play music seriously. I still think both bands play a role with my songwriting today.
Naming three main bands providing influence currently is nearly impossible. There are so many bands, from many genres new and old I draw from. However, if I HAD to pick a favorite along with the aforementioned, I would say the Smoking Popes.
10) What can you tell about this rather dark cover art (well, at least, compared to the 2 previous albums anyway)? And where is this stairway leading to? To the depths of people's souls?I was working on a song called “Spiral staircase” that was a metaphor for someone’s life sinking into a deep depression. When we needed a record cover I asked my guitar player, Simon, if he had any photos of a spiral staircase and it turned out that he did. The photo was taken by him somewhere in Europe (Scotland, I presume) and with a few graphic designer tweaks and the band logo we had ourselves a record cover.
11) Anything you wanna add?
Thank you for the interview, Eric. We will be playing Raduno Fest in Italy this July 14th. Hopefully Belgians and Europeans throughout the continent can make the trip over to this great festival.
PURCHASE A DIGITAL COPY HERE:https://danvapidandthecheats.bandcamp.com/album/three
PURCHASE A PHYSICAL COPY HERE: https://www.eccentricpop.com/copy-of-home
PURCHASE OTHER Dan Vapid & The Cheats GREAT STUFF HERE:
https://danvapidandthecheats.bandcamp.com/merch
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