The long-awaited Doyle tour in support of Abominator
Mister Wolfgang Von Frankenstein himself was kind enough to spare a few minutes to talk to us as he put on his face for their headlining set at Strummer’s in Fresno, California. Lucky for us, bandmates Alex Story (vocals), Left Hand Graham (bass) and Tiny Biuso (drums) were all there to chime in on the interview … all surprisingly relaxed considering the absolute pummeling they were soon to bring to the packed house.
I don’t know Doyle if you remember, but the last time we talked was almost exactly a year ago at the Gibson Amphitheater.
Doyle: Okay, I remember that.
What has been going on in the world of Doyle since then?
Doyle: We put our record out and now we are touring it.
I counted 30 shows in about a month. When was the last time you’ve had a tour this grueling?
Doyle: It’s not grueling to me.
Why is it not grueling?
Doyle: Because I am a fucking beast, look at me. [laughing] What do you think this is?
Now I understand things got off to a shaky start. I think people are a little bit surprised that CHUD is not on the tour. What happened there?
Doyle: He decided not to come. He bailed out. We practiced like two or three times and we were just reaching the point where we were like, okay it’s sounding good and then he decided not to go and I haven’t actually spoken to him since then really. I called him and called his girlfriend and said, I have the crew and the manager is coming on the airplane in two hours from LA … you have one hour to call me. I’is 8:24, at 9:24, we got to get somebody else. He never called so….
And you guys found Tiny (Biuso) who people might know from T.S.O.L.
Doyle: Yes.
How did that come about so quickly?
Doyle: I met Tiny at the NAMM show. I am walking through the NAMM show, having horrible social anxiety and then he is like, “I’ve got a TV show for you tomorrow night.” Really, I am a fucking mess you know, so I said, okay good. And then we did his TV show and it was really cool. And then later on, with Alissa we did an autism benefit and we did Tiny Talk with him. And then, he was calling me … he was like, you know anybody needs a drummer, let me know and I said well my drummer has got one foot on a banana peel right now, actually.
Tiny: Exact words.
Doyle: Exact words. [laughing] Then I wanted to do some selling of clothing and you know he deals with those guys so I talked to him again. He is like, if you know anybody, you know. I told him again it is you. He is on a banana peel and then he stepped on it, so we called him in. Within an hours’ notice, he was on the plane. He came out and came in jetlagged, learned four songs. Next day, I dropped him off about six hours, went home to pack, came back in another four, and we all knew the misfits stuff.
Tiny, what was the toughest song on the set list to learn?
Tiny: It’s the last one, which is “Hope Hell Is Warm”, which is the most burning and grueling on the feet.
Which is the extra song off of the [vinyl] LP.
Tiny: Yeah, it is actually my favorite song to play. So when it comes up even though I am tired, I look at Doyle like I am not letting this guy down … I do not want to deal with him. So we just hammer it.
I actually heard a rumor Tiny that you are not playing with T.S.O.L. anymore. Is that true or false?
Tiny: I quit in May 2014 and it was a very difficult decision, but it was a decision that I had to make for myself to just move on in life, and 10 years with the great band T.S.O.L., I had a blast. No malice. No real disappointment in the breakup, but just was like one of those things – hey man, 10 years run its course moving on. And then here I am … lucky dog.
What are they doing about the new record – the drummer?
Tiny: This is a fucking Doyle show, fuck T.S.O.L. [laughing]
All right, hey, so Doyle, you mentioned social anxiety. What would you recommend for younger folks that have the same kind of problems?
Doyle: Don’t go anywhere alone..
Is that easy being on tour?
Doyle: Well like at the NAMM show it’s sardines in there and I stick out like a fucking like beacon and everybody is like, take a picture with me, take a pic … and it just gets overwhelming, you know. I was freaking out and I stopped at one of Jonny Coffin’s booths and my friend from Kamelot, the drummer, Casey came up and I felt so much better because I knew somebody, you know what I mean. I need that fucking buffer. I do not like people all up in my grill.
I understand that aside from the CHUD issue that we talked about, your bus broke down on its way to pick you up to your first show.
Doyle: Yeah. This isn’t the bus we ordered actually, but it is good enough.
Is it a better bus or …?
Doyle: Is this a better one? We are having a problem with the air conditioner right now. It is working right now, but during the day it doesn’t work.
Well, you are in Fresno, so why would you need an air conditioner?
Doyle: Because it is fucking hot in here.
So, how have you been spending your time when you are not playing?
Doyle: I am with Alissa (Alissa White-Gluz, vocals Arch Enemy). When she is not working, I am fucking picking her up at the airport.
I heard you are going to go on a tour with Arch Enemy?
Doyle: If I am not working, I am going to go.
So looking at the set list you guys have a lot of Misfits tunes on there. How did you choose which Misfits tunes to include?
Doyle: I asked Alex what he wanted to sing.
Alex, what is your favorite misfits tune to sing?
Alex: Hell, I like all of them. It is like we just added a couple of more to the set, like halfway through and we got a hell of a good set right now.
So Doyle, do you remember your first show with the misfits ever?
Doyle: Yeah.
What do you remember about it?
Doyle: Everybody was in a costume. It was Halloween.
What costume were you wearing?
Doyle: My own.
Did it (the show) go well though?
Doyle: Yeah, it was great. Screamin’ Jay Hawkins opened up.
I think last time we talked you mentioned there was another album or two of unreleased material.
Doyle: Yes.
What is the plan for that?
Doyle: Spring, we got to do the drums obviously and …
And will Tiny be doing the drums?
Doyle: I don’t know – I don’t know.
Where did Tiny go? He is not here to answer. Okay, we’ll save that one for him. And have you been able to find good vegan food on the road?
Doyle: Yep. My tour manager Robin is a vegan and we are picking my girl up tonight and she is the queen of vegan, so we are going to be eating good.
I noticed you guys have been using some your stage-used equipment to sell at the merch table. Why does Alex keep drawing giant demon cocks on the merch?
Alex: Because everybody likes giant demon cocks, I mean hell you mentioned it. [editors note: touche, Alex]
You got a day off coming up in two days. Is it the first day off since you have been on tour?
Doyle: No, second.
What do you plan to do? Anything good?
Doyle: We are going to drive.
That does not sound like much fun.
Doyle: It is not.
One of the things I noticed is that you redid the Doyle logo on all of your amps. You added a devil lock and bolts. Why did you decide to do that?
Doyle: Thought it would be prettier.
Alex: We wanted it to be sassy.
Sassy?
Doyle: Sassy is cool.
Tell me about the new hot sauce.
Doyle: It’s hot! You want to try it? It’s right in there. [pointing]
I would love to try it!
Doyle: Open that cabinet up.
Alex: Everybody is serious about hot sauce.
Doyle: Get the real small one.
Why is it so small?
Graham: It is the experimental batch.
Oh! It looks deadly.
Graham: It is deadly. You better be serious.
Alright, let me ask my last question before I try this.
Doyle: Yeah. You won’t be able to speak.
Favorite what’s your Robin Williams movie?
Doyle: I am not a big fan.
No? Favorite movie of all time?
Doyle: “Pick of Destiny”
“Pick of Destiny” with Tenacious D? I was not expecting that. I was expecting a horror movie, why not a horror movie?
Doyle: Because the fuckers keep asking me about horror movies, move the fuck along man. I don’t give a fuck about horror movies.
All right, well, thank you Doyle. I appreciate your time. Looking forward at the set.
[At this point my sound engineer Emilio and I toasted with chips loaded with Doyle’s the Abominator Hot Sauce and quickly left the bus in search for something to extinguish the fire in our mouths]
More on Doyle: Facebook | Website | Shows | Instagram | Twitter
Fresno Setlist:
- Abominator
- Learn To Bleed
- Valley of Shadows
- Violent World
- Where Eagles Dare
- Cemetery Sex
- Head Hunter
- Hybrid Moments
- Devils Whorehouse
- Love Like Murder
- Last Caress
- Attitude
- Mark of the Beast
- DreamingDeadGirls
- Horror Business
- Drawing Down The Moon
- Die Die My Darling
- I Hope Hell is Warm
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