Monsters, Music, and Muscles

1. Why did you decide to call yourself the Dead Elvi?

We all sort of looked like Elvis at different stages of his life, and we were dead so the name The Dead Elvis's sounded good but Elvi is the proper way to plural it! A more sinister reason, it's an anagram for The Evil Dead!!

2. How did you come up with the concept for the band?

Criswell and I are big horror fans so what would be more unnatural for us than a monster music influenced band. We each looked like Elvis if he had died at different stages of the career.

3. How much of an inspiration was Elvis?

Elvis was the King of rock and roll! ( until he broke out the polyester suits and studded capes, that is) We also love the 60's garage surf type stuff. The truth is we enjoy all different types of music except for that disco crap!

4. how would you describe your music and what is your role in the band?

I would describe it as a mixture of garage surf punk shock-a-billy with a dash of horror and a pinch of everything from the Ventures to the Cramps. In other words loud rock & roll. It's sometimes a treat when we actually tune up the guitars before we play a gig. My role in the band is leader and songwriter.( both shared with my guitarist Criswell) We wrote are first song together "The Creature Stole My Surfboard" in about 20 minutes one night. Our singer Skullhead came in and changed a few lyrics and refined it, and it wound up on Rob Zombies's "Halloween Hootenanny" CD a few years ago! First song out and we landed on a CD for Geffen. When I write a song now I always have Skullhead come in and refine the lyrics.

5. When did the Dead Elvi first form and how did you all meet?

The Dead Elvi formed 10 years ago at my Chiller Theatre convention in New Joisey! I wanted to have a party with live bands and Criswell whom I had know for a few years already said that we should form a band together. He has done a lot of studio work so most of his friends are musicians. We started off with me Thumbs, Criswell, Ecto on keyboards, Chaz Beats on drums, and Clownie on bass guitar. After the second year Skullhead came in to sing, Clownie was replaced by Vincent Priceless and then Vincent was replaced by Gelvis on bass. Chaz was out as drummer and was replaced by The Blurr, whom has been with us for half a decade now! By the way, Ecto moved to Ga. back in1995 but still comes back to do studio keyboards for us. His most recent session was on my goth love ballad, Gothica!

6. What are some of your favorite bands?

The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, The Dickies, Iggy Pop, The Stranglers, The Beatles, The Stones, Metallica, The Plasmatics, anything rock-a-billy, Link Wray, and classical music.

7. How would you describe your music?

Not for everyone, but then again what is? When we play we put 100% into the music, then again so did the The Cowsills and The Carpenters??

8. Where do you come up with the ideas for your songs?

Bad dreams, scary movies, and a lot of time on our hands. I wrote a lot of our second CD "Buddy Bought The Farm" while taking an overnight train ride to Florida. I just sat in the dark with the small night light on in my sleeping compartment, looked out the window and let my imagination take off!! My last song "Bone Daddy Shake" was written in about 30 minutes the night before we went into the recording studio last month. Everyone had written something except for me and we had a rehearsal a few nights before going into the studio. The night before recording I couldn't sleep so I got up at 5:00 a.m. in the morning and wrote the song. After the session everyone thought that it was the most fun song out of the session and it has a very memorable hook to it!

9. Who are some of your idols?

I really don't have any idols but I've been influenced by Marlon Brando during his 1950's-60's work, legendary Artist Frank Frazetta, Les Paul guitarist and inventor of the electric guitar, Frank Lloyd Wright, and the Big El!!

10. What makes your band unique from others?

We actually write some decent lyrics and music and play songs that have more than three chords in them! Another thing is that when we play live you never know who's going to come up and join us for some songs. Specials guests that have joined us on stage include Ray Manzarek (The Doors) Cherie Currie & Sandy West (The Runaways) Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway, Neal Smith (Alice Cooper Group) Joe Bouchard (Blue Oyster Cult) Bill Mumy (Lost In Space & The Generators) Richie Scarlet (Ace Frehley's Comet & Mountain) and many more special musical friends. At this past April's show, Mick Taylor ( The Rolling Stones 1969-72 ) joined us for a great forty minute set! Oh yeah, by the way, did I mention that we're dead! That's unique!

11. What advice would you give to up and coming musicians?

If you enjoy playing, do it! If you stick to your own material, sooner or later you'll find groups of people out here that will enjoy it. Remember, it's also fun to do some cover tunes, just try not to do too many.

12. Does your band tour?

We usually only do 2-3 gigs a year in Jersey during the year. We haven't really toured yet, but do plan on playing in Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Seattle, Florida, Baltimore, and yeeha!! Texas in 2004. Were putting that together right now!

13. What are some of your favorite horror movies?

Bride of Frankenstein, The Haunting (the original), House on Haunted Hill, The Omen, Re-Animator, The Shining, Horror Hotel, The Exorcist, and Gigi

14. What scared you as a child?

When I was around five years old I was sitting on the living room couch with my mother watching t.v. one night and just happened to glance towards the side living room window and saw someone outside the window just standing there. This man was looking in at us through the curtains. My mother noticed him and screamed and he ran away! That scared the hell out of me!!

15. What is your favorite horror convention to go to?

Well, I'll have to say mine, The Chiller Theatre Expo in New Jersey is my favorite ( http://www.chillertheatre.com ..... shameless plug) but I also like traveling to others such as Fanex and Horrorfind in Baltimore, and to the Monster Bash in Pittsburgh.

16. Do you have a connection with the Chiller Convention?

Yes I do. I created it out of old dead brain cells that I found would work again if I applied myself to putting together a horror show. This October will be our 13th anniversary on Halloween weekend. It's also the 10 year anniversary of the forming of The Dead Elvi. I'm also going to be putting on the Fangoria Weekend of Horrors conventions starting this January 2004. I just can't get enough of this monster stuff!!

17. How many cd's do you have out?

We have one full CD out titled "GRAVELAND". We also have 2 E.P. CD's out there, have appeared on the Halloween Hootenanny CD. We did music for the Image DVD "Monsters Crash The Pajama Party" (this includes 4 promo clips of vintage home movie horror) and we also did soundtrack supplements for 13 different Image Horror DVD releases. The other day we found out hat between all the CD's and DVD's that we've appeared on that the band has been exposed and crammed down the throats and heard by at least 225,000 poor souls!! Oh, the pain!! Our new CD "Buddy Bought The farm" will premiere Halloween weekend and will include 11 new songs including 2 songs performed by our special guest artist, t.v.'s first horror host, the legendary John Zacherle, the Cool Ghoul. ( More info available at http://www.deadelvi.com ...... another shameless plug)

18. Who did the cover art for your most recent cd?

The most recent CD cover art is by my friend Frank Frazetta. Frank is best know to the fans of horror for his amazing Vampirella, Creepy, and Eerie magazines cover artwork!! It's his first piece of commercial artwork drawn in over 8 years. He did it as a favor for me and my friend Pumpkinstine. It is going to be our 13th anniversary Chiller Theatre T-shirt design!!

19. How can someone purchase a Dead Elvi cd?

It will be available for sale on the website in October or you can pick it up at the Chiller Theatre Expo Halloween Weekend or from me when I visit the other cool horror conventions during the year!

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