The Murder City Devils are currently on a collision course with the nation. Armed with their newest release on SubPop "Broken Bottles Empty Hearts" they are dealing their brand of greasy rock-n-roll out in large doses in some of the sweatiest rock dives across the country (and in tonight's case some of the nicer beach bars). This particular Saturday night found the Devils at a Solana Beach bar called the Belly Up. Normally home to anything but loud rock, the Belly Up was invaded by the essence of contemporary rock-n-roll (namely the triple threat lineup of the Murder City Devils, Zeke and the Super-Suckers). I found a post sound check Spencer Moody (singer), Nate Manny (guitarist), Coady Willis (drummer) and Leslie Hardy (organ) and along with some beers, we found a nice loading dock to chat about what it is that makes the Devils so....cool.

AMZ - So you are still riding the success of Broken Bottles Empty Hearts but I hear you already have plans to go back into the studio this summer.

Nate - Yeah, we're starting to think about it. We're writing material right now.

Spencer We'll probably record in the summer sometime.

Nate We've got ourselves on a pretty strict schedule...so I don't know

AMZ - Has a deal been struck as far as who's going to put this album out (SubPop or other?).

Spencer - It will come out on SubPop. Actually our next two records are on SubPop.

AMZ - You covered a Hanoi Rocks song (Dead by Christmas) on your special Christmas release. What other bands do you think the Devils could do justice to?

Coady - We've tried many cover songs and they never end up panning out all the way. We just kind of mess with them for a while and then we end up dumping them - it just never ends up getting done.

Nate - We talk about them a lot, but we never do them live. With that "Dead by Christmas" - it was coming out on Christmas so we just decided to do that real fast and we learned it and recorded it. I can't imagine doing a cover outside that setting.

AMZ - I read somewhere that Spencer, Dan and Derek all shared membership in Area 51, The Hookers (and Dan & Derek in Death Wish Kids) for those not too familiar with the bands histories - how did these bands result in the forming of Murder City Devils?

Spencer - Dan and I and Andrea Zolo (who was in Area 51) all lived together and started a band and we met Derek (he had just moved here from Oakland) - and the 4 of us all lived in the same house and started a band. We had different people playing drums. Then I quit that band and Derek and Andrea and Dan changed it into the Death Wish Kids and then we started the Hookers (and Andrea Zolo played drums in that band) and Derek played bass and Dan played guitar. Then the Death Wish kids broke up, the Hookers broke up and the Murder City Devils formed.

AMZ - You worked with Jack Endino on this album. I've seen him referred to as an 'anti-industry legend'. Accurate?

Spencer -I think he just isn't interested in the bullshit that comes with being involved with big record labels and I think he feels he's seen bands sort of compromised by that stuff.

Coady - He's been around forever. He knew all those Seattle bands way before any of that. So he was along for the whole ride and he's still around and still doing it so...

(We were then interrupted by security telling us not to be drinking outside...um...Ok...next question)

AMZ - By the way...this is a weird venue for a band like yours to play...

Spencer - Yeah, we starting to get that hint....

AMZ - I keep seeing Die Young Stay Pretty referred to as an 'imprint' of SubPop. How does that all tie in with the MCD first release? And why did the second album find MCD moving to SubPop proper?

Spencer - Die Young was sort of supposed to be like a "one off" kind of label - like they don't sign bands for more than one record. It was sort of like a test thing - so we could get to know them and they could get to know us and they could see if (SubPop) wanted us. It was time to do another record and they stepped up.

Coady - I think the reason they started it was they wanted to do something, but they didn't want to do it commitment wise. They wanted to be able to do it for bands without contractually being obligated - for either party for a long period of time. I think it's more of a developmental thing - that's the idea behind it.

Nate - When SubPop first started I think it was more like that where it was more them just saying "Hey I want to put out your record" and not necessarily having any other circumstances.

Spencer - Yea it was like they could put something out just because they liked it. Now with SubPop, you have this fairly hefty contract and there's just more people involved in the decision making and it's more like dealing with a bigger label and all the bullshit and I think they were just trying to avoid that.

AMZ - Do you think it worked?

Spencer - Sure.

Nate - It seems to have...They just released an album by a band called The Black Halo's from Vancouver...

Spencer - A really great band...

Nate - Yea we're going to be touring with them for a little while (they're friends of ours from up there) and it's good because it gives a chance to bands to just have a chance to make a record. And they get to put it out so then they're (SubPop/Die Young Stay Pretty) dealing with bands they like...

Coady - And no harm done with anybody. It's like the record will always be there and both parties can either continue to work together if that's what you want to do or you can go and do other things. I think it's a good springboard thing. A kind of a "no-lose" situation.

AMZ - Please explain more about the New Orleans show where you (if I understand this correctly) got in a fight with the crowd - and then they wouldn't let you leave without finishing your set?

Spencer - That was a long time ago...

Nate - Kind of what happened was, we were playing this really shitty bar and it was kinda full of pricks. I don't even know why people go to shows in New Orleans because no one wants to see music as far as I can tell. But everyone had kind of pulled up chairs and were just sitting down right in front of us, in front of the stage. It was on our first tour which was a disaster in it's own completely different story. So there were sitting down there and we were kinda messing around with them (cussing at them and stuff like that) and Dan got down and kind of straddled this guy and was kind of playing in his face and when he got back up on stage I guess he hit the guy in the head with his guitar by accident - someone threw a pitcher and hit Dan in the head and then we all started kicking everybody and then it turned into this huge thing so we were going to stop playing. But then they wanted us to play more. I don't understand it because they wanted to beat us up, but they wanted us to play more so I don't know. Maybe they felt ripped off and wanted to get their money's worth out of the show - they didn't care if they like us or not. So it was a pretty weird scene and we got out of there as fast as we could....The promoter liked us just fine.

Coady - I was like playing...I looked up and just saw beer pitchers flying everywhere and then Gabe (our roadie) knocked everybody over for a second and that kind of stopped everything for a second.

Nate - He just came running from behind the corner with his arms out and just knocked the whole thing down.

Coady - We seriously thought we'd have to fight everybody. It was weird. And at the end of the night the promoters were inviting us back. It was really weird. We were ready to get in the van and bust out of there as fast as possible.

Nate - We were worried about being able to get our equipment out and leave and fight everyone...I don't know it was a bad scene.

Coady - We've been back since then and had perfectly normal shows.

AMZ - Give me some opinions on the state of rock-and-roll as seen through the Murder City Devils

Leslie - Sad.

Nate - There aren't a whole lot of rock bands out there but it seems like its kind of coming back a little bit. People are more into rock. So it's good for us and it's good for us to have bands we want to play with.

Coady - It's good to see bands that actually are doing it because they like rock. It seems like people are starting to see rock-n-roll coming back and people are putting together bands on purpose to sound like AC/DC or something else and I think that's stupid.

Nate - It's already losing its grip..

Coady -Yea there's already people trying to ruin it already. But when you see it, you know it's real.

Spencer - Like Zeke. Zeke is fucking amazing. They are a good example of legitimate, straightforward awesome rock.

Nate - Just where the bands that are having the attitude....Like we get comparisons to the New York Dolls and the Stooges and stuff - which musically I don't see as much (which is fine) - but I think it's more of the attitude surrounding that where rock was kind of underground. It wasn't Pink Floyd or whatever. It was dirty and sleazy and just kind of filthy music - so to have that kind of coming back...that sweaty, beer soaked heathens...

Spencer - Like rock-n-roll as a lifestyle and as a music.

AMZ - I saw in an interview you guys are fans of the movie 'Over the Edge'. What is it in that movie that you identified with?

Nate - Kids being bored and liking rock-n-roll and doing really stupid things. That movie is awesome because it captures really well that late seventies ...y'know just kids...kids when you didn't have anything else to do beside just be kids.

Spencer - Just kids that are just bored and finding something to do. Smoking pot and fucking drinking...

AMZ - - Do you see a lot of yourselves in that movie?

Spencer - I think it's pretty timeless in the sense that I'm sure that 30 years from now, 15 year olds that smoke a lot of pot and drink beer are going to be able to relate to that movie. It's one of those that's sort of like on local TV at noon a couple times per year.

AMZ - It's usually pretty hacked on real TV.

Nate - Yea. Daytime television viewers don't like to see 15 year kids having sex in abandoned houses.

AMZ - Any other lesser (or more well known) movies that have influenced you personally or the band as a whole?

Nate - We watch a lot of movies.

Spencer - One of our songs is about Night of the Hunter. I like movies a lot.

Nate - I think it's probably collectively one of our favorite pastimes when on tour we try to see movies as much as we can. So it's something that we like a lot. Everyone's got their favorite movies or whatever, but we just are really into that.

Coady - There's a kind of thing with us with stupid movies. We went and saw the Postman (giggles) We saw it at Mann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood and we were like the only people in there to see it.

Leslie - That movie has inspired me in many many ways.

Nate - It changed my life

Spencer - We've actually saw the Postman in the theater and we've rented it also.

Nate - As a group.

Spencer It's like three hours long...maybe longer and is one of the worst movies ever made. Totally horrendous.

AMZ - What is the Coolest?

Nate - The "Tight Bros from Way Back When". They're the coolest.

AMZ - What is the Lamest?

Leslie - There's too many things.

Spencer - Harvey Danger. (much laughter)

Nate- We've got a publicized feud with them.

AMZ - Being from Seattle (and this is meant in the most non-offensive way possible) do you (Spencer) ever get mistaken for Harvey Danger singer Sean?

Spencer - Yes it has happened. And I find it very offensive.

Coady - It's kind of a joke in one of our local papers in Seattle.

Spencer - Once I was doing an interview and it was in a restaurant and the person at a table next to us overheard us and it was obvious I was doing a music interview or whatever and I think that's why they were like "I really like your band" and I was like "Oh, thanks a lot" and they were like "Yea I saw you on MTV and it was really awesome" and I was like "unnng hgggg" (covering head) "No that's not me" and they were like "yea, yea it was" and I was like "No, no that wasn't me. That's a different band".

Leslie - Somebody said they read something on the internet that said they were a friend of ours but insisted that Spencer was in Harvey Danger and Murder City Devils.

AMZ - Who is a Sinner?

Nate - Marilyn Manson. He's going to hell.

AMZ - How about that girl that stole your coverless 7''s and then copied the covers and sold them all herself.

Spencer- Oh yeah - those Area 51 ones. What a fiasco. I'd have a different name for her.

AMZ - Who is a Saint?

Nate - Our friend Joe in Austin. He's the patron saint of beer.

Coady - He has a Thai restaurant in Austin and he gives us free food when we go there and lets us stay at his house and is really nice to us for no apparent reason, besides that he's really nice.

AMZ - How does the press (specifically music critics) effect/influence your opinion of other people's music?

Spencer - Not at all.

Nate - I don't read much of it actually.

Spencer - I don't even read the local music papers really.

Nate - I'll flip through and I'll read bands reviews of bands I know or am anxious to read reviews of like I always read the Harvey Danger reviews, my friends' bands, or whatever.

AMZ - Is there some animosity towards (Harvey Danger) also being out of Seattle?

Spencer - Sean Nelson wrote a really nasty review show preview of us and he had never seen us or anything and so that was sort of....if it wasn't for that we wouldn't give a shit.

Nate - So Derek called up and threatened to beat him up.

Spencer - And then he (Sean Nelson) called and like apologized.

Nate - He calls all our of answering machines with like half hour messages saying he was sorry.

Spencer - And that was when we lost like all respect.

AMZ - How do you view how the press has handled MCD so far?

Nate - Great.

Spencer - Really well.

Nate - They've been really good to us. I'm just waiting for the backlash...it's only a matter of time before people start hating us.

AMZ - I have a feeling the MCD have some pretty wild tour stories. Want to share any?

Nate - A lot of it is when your touring - it's not so much the things that happen - you mostly sit around and do nothing.

Leslie - You watch a lot of TV.

Nate - You watch TV and you start making shit up. So a lot of what we do is kind of like an inside joke so if we actually told you any of it - it wouldn't make sense.

Spencer It's not like crazy things that happen. It's like you just go crazy because it's such a fucked up way to live. Like just being somewhere different everyday and you don't make any decisions at all. You just get in the van, go to the club, do the show...

Nate - You're biggest decision is what your going to eat that day

Spencer - And you don't have many options anyway. It's like Taco Bell or fucking Denny's. So you just go nuts. It's like the lifestyle is crazy - it's not that crazy things happen all the time. Although crazy things do happen, I can't really think of anything specific.

Nate - We do things. Throw bottles, light fireworks and climb buildings...

Spencer - ...fall down

Nate - Fall down and get really drunk. When your that drunk all the time you just start doing dumb things.

Leslie - Derek almost knocked Dan out - gave him a concussion - he hit him in the head with his bass.

Spencer - Usually when crazy things happen is when you run into other bands on the road that you hit it off with that are as crazy as you are. And then just mayhem.

Nate - ...and then the shit hits the fan. Otherwise it's pretty contained because y'know, you're in the van or whatever and you run around and you break things and stuff. It's mostly when you are with somebody else...it's like a champagne bottle...

Spencer All of a sudden it's like 4:00 in the morning and your in a fancy hotel for some reason and your with all these crazy people and all this just crazy stuff is going on...I don't know.

AMZ - How has being from Seattle affected how the MCD are perceived nationally (or does it really not have an effect)?

Spencer - I don't think it's affected anything at all really.

Nate - I think in a lot of ways people don't really care...

Leslie - It's kind of over with I think.

Nate - There would have been a time where it would've been bad and people would say "You don't sound like your from Seattle" but I think by now people have stopped paying attention so much.

AMZ - Really? I would almost have to disagree. I don't know if living there....

Nate - Our perspective could be totally screwed, who knows...

AMZ - Not that everybody is waiting for the next revolution to come out of there, but just because of the undeniable early 90's impact (people still pay attention to Seattle).

Leslie - You'll get your occasional idiot that will be like "Pearl Jam, Alright!" That's the only thing I've ever gotten.

AMZ - So as far as it's affected your world...you don't really see it?

Spencer - Not at all.

Nate - I wouldn't say it would've hurt us in any way because if anyone says "Oh they're from Seattle - just another Grunge band or whatever" Any bands that are actually playing grunge in Seattle are not going to be on tour nationally I guarantee that. They don't leave the four clubs in Pioneer square they play every Tuesday or whatever. I think if anything it's just people still kind of pay attention to what comes out of that town, but I don't think it has as much of a reputation for a sound as it used to.

Coady - If anything, if Seattle has affected us at all, it's only because if we didn't live in Seattle we wouldn't have met the people that we met and know the people that we know.

Spencer - We probably wouldn't be on SubPop.

Nate - Us being on SubPop is just because we are in that town and those people hang around wherever you go.

Spencer - In the last couple of years we've been on the road almost as much as we've been at home. So it's like being from Seattle seems so...It's hard to associate what we do with the city at this point. Our musical influences weren't really local. I mean the stuff that came out of Seattle that made it famous or whatever, we don't hate it or dislike it - we're not trying to reject it. What we're doing is not a response to what made Seattle famous. It doesn't have much to do with what we do musically.

AMZ - Best thing to ever happen to you?

Nate - I don't know. I got a really nice guitar. That's pretty nice.

Coady - It's pretty awesome playing in front of arena crowds.

AMZ - What was that from?

Coady - We got to open for Pearl Jam for three days. It was pretty awesome.

Spencer - That was one of the best experiences in my life. As far as just fun. I think this band is one of the best things that's happened to my life. I've met some good people. Dropping out of school was a good thing.

Coady - I can't count on my hands how many times in the past year I've been in a situation that I'd never thought I'd be in. Where I was like sitting there and it's happening and I'm just like "I can't believe I'm here doing this". Like seeing New York City for the first time. Just like traveling around and meeting somebody...like somebody famous that I know (I won't say who) but coming up to me and going "hey...I really like your band" or just crazy stuff like that or winding up in some weird place and you never thought in a million years that you'd be doing that.

Spencer - Like every four months or six months or something, there's a situation where I'm like "Jesus Christ, I can not believe this is happening. This is so amazing and awesome". A lot of the decisions that I've made in the past that have sort of been questionable have sort of been validated by the fact that I've had such a great time with this band.

Leslie - This is a really fun fun band. A lot of bands aren't this much fun.

AMZ - Messages to the masses?

Nate - I don't think we have a message...

Spencer - Kurt Vonnegut said the meaning of life is to fart around and Ted Nugent said the meaning of life is that you start at point A and end up at point B and in-between you gotta kick maximum ass...and I think the best message to the world is somewhere in between those two things.