Chaotic Riffs Magazine - Issue 1 - The Rods

ROCk: you are the Lead singer/Guitarist for the u.k.
based band Teenage Casket Company....what year was the
band formed?
JD: We formed very late on in 2003, played our first gig
in May 2004 and released our debut album early 2005.
we went full steam ahead until I decided to get sober in
november 2006 and since then it’s been a bit of a sporadic
band really!
JROCk: what part of the u.k. are you from? Is there
much of a music scene there?
JD: we’re pretty much based in nottingham. It’s easy to
say that when we’re asked, but in reality, we’re all spread
out around the country these days. The uk music scene
has been very steadily on the decline for the best part of ten
years. It’s got to the point now where something has got to
change. Venues are closing, promoters are losing money
and bands are breaking up because there’s no money to be
made. It’s really tough out there to try and make a name for
yourself. It’s harder than it’s ever been and I’ve been doing
this a long time. we’re down to the die-hard music fans
now. God bless them all!
JROCk: who were the bands/musicians who had the greatest
influence on you?
JD: I actually bought my first bass guitar just to play the
riff to “unbelievable” by eMF. Before I knew it, I’d joined
a hardcore punk band and we were supporting some of
the underground greats like “sick Of It all” and “Born
against”. I really didn’t know what the hell I was doing,
but I knew enough to know that I’d found my calling in
life. I was introduced to bands like the Ramones, the Misfits,
Descendents, Germs, Minor Threat, Black Flag, Green
Day and Operation Ivy and I’ve never looked back. I’ve
always had quite a diverse taste in music, but in my heart
I’ll always be a punk rocker. I like my music to have balls,
attitude and loud guitars! The bands and artists turning me
on right now are The Loved Ones, Dead To Me, Danko
Jones, Jesse Malin, One Man army and D Generation.
JROCk: Like I said you are a singer/Guitarist...which of
those roles are you most comfortable in?
JD: I’ve always said that I’m a jack of all trades, but master
of none. I can play lots of instruments, just not very well!
I’m totally from the Johnny Ramone school of guitar playing.
I attack my guitar with basic chords and never play
solos. There are millions of amazing “technical” guitarists
out there that will probably never even get out of their
bedrooms. I’m self-taught, I only know the basics, but I’ve
done pretty well for myself and I beam with pride at the
things that I’ve accomplished so far. There is nO substitute
for passion, self-belief and hard work.
I think I’m an ok vocalist and I really enjoy singing. I was
the lead singer and guitarist in pop-punk three piece PanIC
for ten years, but it got to the point where I needed someone
else to share the load. That’s how TCC came about. I
wanted someone else to sing other than me and also someone
to play solos better than my crappy efforts!
I also play bass for the Irish based rock n roll band the
DANGERFIELDS. Bass was my first instrument and my
first love, so I think that I’m most at home with the old fourstring.
sometimes it’s nice just to rock the fuck out with
your weapon of choice and sing a few backing vocals here
and there.
JROCK: How old were you when you first started playing
the guitar?
JD: I bought my first bass in 1991. I was sixteen. I guess
that’s pretty late on in life to start learning an instrument by
today’s standards. In 1993, the band I was in had a sudden
line-up change, so I taught myself how to play guitar
in one week and in another week, I learned how to play
guitar anD sing at the same time. I can honestly say with
my hand on my heart that I have not improved on those two
weeks in sixteen years.
JROCK: Do you remember what was the very, first song
you learned to play on the guitar?
JD: as I mentioned earlier, I learned how to play “unbelievable”
by eMF on the bass. It was all wrong, but it was close
enough for me at the time. On the guitar, it was an obscure
song titled “Tied Down” by an old us hardcore band called
negative approach. It was three chords, my friend taught
16 Issue 9 - January 07, 2010 Copyright 2009. Chaotic Riffs Magazine - www.chaoticriffsmagazine.com