Doyle made his annual return to The Whisky for two blistering nights of horror and heavy tunes. There’s always something special in the air when Doyle comes to the iconic venue. You can practically taste the crowd’s hunger for nostalgia and making new memories with the titan of horror punk and metal. The crowd was filled with an abundance of younger fans, which was a pleasant surprise. Like many of us old-school fans, the question of who will carry the torch of the scene is always everpresent. But that question was surely answered by the throng of teenagers getting into the pit and screaming along with every word. Alongside the young hellions was a decent number of hardcore fans who had made the drive from all over the country to be in attendance. Seeing that dedication and hearing their stories of how Doyle’s music has influenced their lives was remarkable and reassuring that this music and scene will never die.
The lineup for the night was a cast of badass bands that knew how to get the crowd louder and more excited as the sets went on. By the time Doyle took the stage, you could just feel the electricity in the room. Doyle always makes his grand entrance from the side door off the stage that goes out to the street, and everyone had their eyes locked on that door just as the lights went down. As the wailing distortion blasted through the PA, the crowd erupted and was ready for chaos. Once the entire band hit the stage it was pedal to the metal from start to finish. Not only is their show full of raw aggression and nonstop thrashing, but hearing the relentless and twisted sense of humor from their vocalist Alex “Wolfman” Story in between songs is always a welcomed feature. For as gruesome as their songs are, Wolfman introduces every song as a “love song” and invites us to dance to it if we want. The band’s lineup has a fantastic addition of their new drummer by the name of Luke Wright. His skills of pummeling those skins was breathtaking. His style of drum fills and his ability to steal the spotlight for his killer drum solo was out of this world. I look forward to seeing more of his contributions to the band.
As usual, the night can never be long enough. Just as we were feeling the blood, sweat, and tears, the lights went up and it was time to get the hell out of there. Many fans were gifted with broken guitar picks, setlists, and busted drumsticks. All in all, another fun and brutal night with Doyle at The Whisky.
I was afforded an opportunity to sit down with the monster man himself and ask him a few questions.
AS: This is my third time taking photos of you at The Whisky, and it’s always a great show. You always make a stop here on every tour. What is it about stopping at The Whisky that you enjoy? Is it working with the crew, the environment of a historic venue? What do you like about this place?
D: …That’s a good question… I don’t know.
AS: When you’re on tour, what are three special spots that you like to stop at? Maybe like a record store or a favorite restaurant?
D: The toilet, the shower, and my bed.
AS: So you’ve been vegan for 10 years now, and fitness and wellness has always been a necessity for a touring musician; even though it might’ve taken a few generations for most bands to understand that. It’s been inspiring to see, especially in the punk rock and heavy metal communities that many have that focus. I know you’ve ventured into the world of protein powder with “Vegan Monster Protein”. Would you ever go further with doing anything else like supplements or vitamins, or even opening up your own gym.
D: I have my own gym so I don’t need to open that. I want to make protein bars and other flavors of protein.
AS: What might be one of your inspirations that your fans might find to be a surprise?
D: I enjoy listening to Kobe Bryant say shit.
AS: What are your first steps when you are inspired to write something new?
D: First thing… pick up the guitar.
AS: If you were a different kind of artist, what medium would you choose and what themes might you explore?
D: A different kind of artist?
AS: Whether it’s a sculptor, painter, writer, anything like that.
D: I would probably paint, I think.
AS: Would you do portraits, still life?
D: Monsters probably.
AS: Haha I dig it. What do you miss back home when you’re on the road?
D: The kids, and I miss not having to fucking paint my face.
AS: Haha I bet. Lastly, horror and heavy music has gone hand in hand for decades now; something that you’ve had a hand in when it comes to inspiring new generations. With artists both classic and new incorporating horror into their music and album artwork, what would you like to see in the future of horror-inspired music?
D: Good songs.
I want to thank Doyle, his crew and the folks over at TAG Publicity for giving me the opportunity to have this conversation, as well as the team at The Whisky for their professionalism, patience, and hospitality.
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WORDS AND MUSIC BY AARON STORY