Artist
Information
Instrumentation
David Tomaloff
| Vocals, Guitar
Steve Hawkins | Drums
Biography
The Dammitheads are a rock and roll entity
unabashed and unbowed. While the name serves to represent the
group as a band, it more accurately puts to name the creative
writing/recording vehicle and schizophrenic alter-ego for one
otherwise begrudgingly titled singer/songwriter named David
Tomaloff and his creative counterpart, drummer Steve Hawkins.
The
Dammitheads are a strange contradiction by design that refuses
to be defined by today’s oft too matter-of-course musical precepts,
recording their own records as they see fit…damn the torpedoes…playing
all of the instruments themselves and performing augmented versions
of their songs live, as a two-piece.
Their
objective is simple: to create music that speaks to those less
spoken to by the whole of the mainstream and its various mediums,
while simultaneously offering something to everyone who listens.
Their sound recalls hints of bands such as The Rolling Stones,
David Bowie, T-Rex, The Clash, Elvis Costello, The Cars and
Gang of Four.
The
Dammitheads have garnered quite a bit of positive attention
since the release of their critically celebrated and highly
regarded debut album, Freeze Motherstickers in March 2004. Not
only has the duo landed a co-publishing deal for several songs
from the album with A&R veteran, Pete Ganbarg of Pure Tone
Music, the band has also licensed several songs to network television
and film nationally as well as internationally and have been
chosen to showcase at several national music conferences.
The
band’s second and latest release, The Heart of the Matador,
shows the band confidently stretching out in terms of both musical
fortitude and studio savvy. Analogously speaking, if Freeze
were Alexander’s outnumbered Macedonian army assembling on the
plains of Gaugamela to assess a strategic plan of attack, then
The Heart of the Matador is most assuredly the undaunted charge
into battle that brought historic victory over the ample armies
of King Darius III.
Sweeping
historic metaphors aside, the pertinent words here are “rock”
and “roll”. The sound is unapologetically thick and bleeding.
The keen sense of almost poetic lyrical imagery, delivered with
a healthy dose of old school swagger is enough to inspire even
the most jaded of fists back into the air.
All
of the elements here integrate seamlessly, almost to the point
of begging the question, “Is The Heart of the Matador a songwriter’s
record cleverly masquerading as a brazen collection of swaggering
rockers or is it a rocker’s record masquerading artfully as
a shrewdly constructed songwriter’s opus, coyly impinging on
concept album territory?” The knowing is in the listening…and
the believing is in the knowing.
The
Heart of the Matador was conceived and recorded at the band’s
own Hey! Low Sound System and mixed by the inimitable Joel Hamilton
at Studio G, Brooklyn.
BC: Ok, I just need to say, I totally dig your bands
name!! How did that come
about?
[dt]:
Ha. Thanks! That gets asked a lot.actually, it was just something
I said one day out of silly frustration. This was after a lot
of going back and forth about needing a band name. I didn't
want to go the singer/songwriter self name route and it was
like a daily question as to what it would be then. It took like
a month for both Steve and our manager, Jen, to realize I was
actually serious after saying it. It kinda got solidified doing
a telephone interview, I think.
BC:
So, how long have you been playing together?
[dt]:
Something like 4 or 5 years now, I think.
BC:
At what point in your lives did you realize you wanted to be
a "rock star"?
[dt]:
Well, I'm kinda trying to work out this whole "professional
musician" thing at the moment but if it falls through,
I'm thinking maybe I could fall back on the "rock star"
thing. Seriously though, I grew up in a very musical environment
between days spent with an organist grandmother and parents
whose record collection was a virtual who's who of classic recordings
at the time. All I did was play those records day in and day
out..that was my introduction to this.those songs, those voices.
Like, Matchbox cars and Thin Lizzy, man.I was feeling that sh*t!
I wanted to play music long before I understood what any of
that meant. Nothing has really changed.'cept maybe I prefer
Legos to Matchbox cars now. Still a toss up, really.
[steve]:
I think when I was about 22 I decided that it would be much
cooler traveling around performing for a living rather than
sitting behind a desk. If that means being labeled a "rock
star" I'm into it.
BC:
How long have you been playing your respective instruments?
[dt]:
I started guitar in middle school and began singing out of necessity
after high school..there was just nobody else around to do it
and my bandmates sort of elected me. I was actually quite reluctant.
[steve]:
I picked up the drums at 22 so almost 9 years.
BC:
Are you naturals? Or did you have to fork out the money for
lessons?
[dt]:
Well, as I said, I grew up in a musical environment. I didn't
take lessons proper and I guess you'd call that self taught
but I have always been an absolute rabid fan of all kinds of
music. I could never get enough.and for me, every minute spent
listening to those records was (and still is) school in session.
Hanging around music stores and watching other cats certainly
helped fill in the blank spots. It's important to realize, though,
that nobody just makes this stuff up and I think anybody that
tells you they're completely "self-taught" is just
not being honest with themselves.
[steve]:
I'd love to think I'm a natural but lets be serious. Every drummer
I've ever heard has taught me something. I took formal lessons
for a short time but the best teacher I have is my CD player.
BC:
Your sound has been compared to the likes of the Stones, Bowie,
T-Rex, Elvis
Costello and the Clash. Have any of these bands helped to inspire
your
sound? If not, who has?
[dt]:
Absolutely those bands have been huge influences on the music
we do and certainly others have as well. I'm really a fan first
when it comes to music. So many people like to go the route
of pretending they invented this stuff and distorted guitars
just fell out of the sky for them but I don't mind saying that
the music we do quite purposely goes a long way toward recognizing
and paying homage to the great architects of music and rock
and
roll in particular. I mean, sure, it doesn't stop there, but
we aren't afraid to build it in and run with it. Keith Richards,
Johnny Thunders, The Stooges, The Clash, Marc Bolan, Mick Ronson.what
the hell am I gonna do reinvent THAT wheel?! I mean, c'mon.
I think I sorta secretly hope it sparks others to rediscover
this stuff and maybe the secret that feel is not
something you wear will somehow leak out.
BC:
How would you describe your bands sound?
[dt]:
It's rock and roll, unapologetically. At the same time, though,
it's an ever changing thing. That's kinda the soul of this band.to
be able to go in any direction we see fit..so maybe I'd describe
it better as fearless and artful.
BC:
I find it interesting that it is just the two of you, why no
bass player?
[dt]:
We actually had a bass player in the very early stages of the
band. Long story short, he flaked and by that point I was really
tired of going through flaky musicians. We kept working on material
and the sound kind of started coming together with just the
two of us. The really great thing about playing with Steve is
that he's not a slave to convention.he likes a good challenge.
He's always really open to whatever I might throw at him and
he's one of the only guys I personally know that really has
the heart for this stuff, long run.
BC:
Have you ever considered a bass player?
[dt]:
Sure. Early on it was discussed and voted down very quickly.
There is a lot of great flexibility in this set-up and we are
very comfortable with it. I think the official Dammithead membership
desk is pretty much closed but we've talked a bit about whether
or not to hire on guns for larger tours and whatnot. I mention
this because, oddly enough if we did bring in outside guys,
we'd both be way more interested in what something like the
right keyboard or sax player might do to augment the sound than
a bass player. I dunno. We're pretty picky as it is..no doubt
you'll be seeing just the two of us for a good long time.
BC:
How about a backup singer/dancer? I am available. (joking)
[dt]:
Steve has recently come up with a Four Tops-esque step, clap
and spin routine for "Matador" he could teach you
if you ask nicely. It's almost worth asking nicely just to witness
him do it.
BC:
Anyway, your album entitled "Heart of the Matador",
is there any story
behind that name?
[dt]:
Yeah.basically, the record as a whole is kind of this whole
sort of concept album dealing with the recurring themes of life,
death, struggle, art and the artist. I was thinking about the
artist and the artist's place in society.how sometimes it's
double edged sword. Think of the many great artists who have
paid high prices chasing down and/or hiding from the muse.from
Van Gogh to Elliott Smith. It's really a long story but, to
me, bullfighting and the matador's struggle with the bull is
the ultimate metaphor for life and death and art...it's like
war.the struggle, the strategy, the grace, the violence, the
death. The matador is a rock star in his arena.more than human,
and yet, far less than human. Who is he? What really goes on
in the heart of the matador? I mean, it's a concept album only
very loosely but I think the keen listener can make the right
connections.
BC:
Do you think the album was received well?
[dt]:
Well, we're not U2 or anything but, yeah...I think it has been.
Certainly, it has been by fans and it's slowly making quite
a name for itself in the industry as well with television placements
and a song that, at this time, is currently in the running as
a finalist in the International Songwriting Competition. We
worked hard to make a good record and I think
it's something that probably almost anyone can find something
they like in.
BC:
Looking objectively at your two albums, how would you say the
albums differ?
[dt]:
I'd say that "Freeze" definitely has a more stripped
down appearance whereas "Matador" is purposely more
"over the top" with a greater emphasis on lyrical
and conceptual content. "Matador" is kind of this
big grandiose statement in my mind. It's kind of a songwriter's
rock and roll record with a little bit of concept album thrown
in for good measure. There's almost this air of pretentiousness
to it.like "Ziggy Stardust" or "The Slider"
but it's not actually pretentious at all.
BC:
With the exception of less instruments, how are your songs different
live
from studio?
[dt]:
Well, I have always said that we take sort of a "jazz"
approach to live shows, not so much the genre but definitely
the spirit. The song is a path and we tend to walk that path
a little differently each time. With just two people, it's very
easy to just change direction mid flight and do whatever comes
to mind. We like to have fun with that and see how far we can
push certain things. It may not always work but that's the beauty
of pulling something off, isn't it? Being only two guys, we
also have to approach our instruments and arrangements differently
than we do in the studio.it's really an art of its own. It's
certainly more a form of interpretation.
BC:
Do you have any new projects in the mix?
[dt]:
I'm doing a whole lot of writing and have some pretty wacky
ideas but the focus for us right now is to keep The Heart of
the Matador in the public eye and get some more music lovers
on for the ride. (that's "artspeak" for "mostly
promoting our current record")
BC:
When can we expect to see you in Chicago next?
[dt]:
Hopefully very soon and often. Chicago's tough on a rock band
but we love it. Yep. Tomorrow, we take Chicago!
BC:
You seem to have had a busy 2005, anything fun and exciting
planned for '06?
[dt]:
It's all fun and exciting.people have been very kind to us.
That's how it happened in '05 and I'd say that '06 has already
been shaping up very nicely.
Five
Fun Facts about The Dammitheads:
BC:
What is the worst job you've ever had?
[dt]:
The one where I worked at this second hand store and one day
that manager pulled me aside and assured me that I had to give
up this "music thing" and that he would "take
me under his wing". Man, that really happened.at a second
hand store that smelled like a warehouse basement. I can't believe
I passed that up.
[steve]:
It was also my shortest job. I cleaned the edges of plastics
after coming out of the mold. My first day was my last.
BC:
If you could have one super power, what would it be and why?
[dt]:
I'd love the luxury of teleportation.I hate long drives but
I'd settle for some sort of "super lyric memorization"
power, I think.
[steve]:
I would want to fly, I hate traffic.
BC:
What are the most embarrassing CD's that you own?
[dt]:
Man, you know.I'm not embarrassed of a damn thing I own musically
and no one else should be either. Our manager would tell you
that, for me, it's Dickinson-era Iron Maiden but you gotta understand,
people, Maiden is the Dylan of Metal. Don't even forget about
Thin Lizzy.
[steve]:
Kelly Clarkson, but hey she's hot, give a guy break.
BC:
If you were another person, would you be friends with yourself?
(be honest)
[dt]:
I'd say yes but I'd also put forth that I can be a hard friend
to have sometimes. I have a solid tendency towards pissing people
off at the worst possible times. I'm not always so good with
the sugar coating and I can be pretty militant in my ideals
but I think I'm the kind of friend people want when they outgrow
"acquaintances".
[steve]:
Sure, but only to steal his girlfriend.
BC:
The Glass: Half full, Half empty, or just needing to be topped
off?
[dt]:
I'm probably a half empty person but I think that our manager
is a half full and Steve is a just needing to be topped off
so, in the end, it all works out.
[steve]:
Top it off, drink it down, repeat.
BC:
Thank you very much for your time today!!
Thank
you for asking and thank you for supporting local music!
Website
http://www.ourdamnwebsite.com
Discography
Album: The Heart of the Matador
Recomended tracks:
The Heart of the Matador
I Kid You Not
A Painting of the Sea
---------------------------------------------------
Album: Freeze Motherstickers... (2004)
Recommended Tracks:
Aright
Stop Engo
Gimme Bood
Taking the Long Way Home