Bands just starting out, take notice. Even when you start to gain some clout, you still need to help setup. Those are the breaks.
For those that don’t remember our talk from last year’s Dirt Fest, Zachary Coleman (vocals), Carl Bartig (bass), and Adrian Pulley (drums) continue to thunder on as Alpena, MI’s favorite misfit sons, Death Of The Party. With a new album set to release officially Aug 16, 2016, Rage Millennial, is already streaming if you know where to look for it. We highly recommend peeping that bad boy out.
So, after last years tough, introspective questions, the rapscallions of the band sent two of them to handle things this year. Never bring water to beer pong contest I guess. Hell, we don’t know what that means either but we’re sticking to it in a Dr. Phil kinda way so deal with it. Anyway, we got Zach and Carl to talk to us about the secrets of life, bloody beer on women, and sometimes you’ll end up being glorified roadies without really knowing how you wound up there in the first place. Some of these statements are true and some are written through sleep deprived eyes, you’ll have to read the interview to find out which is which.
Then, head over to our Twitter or Facebook pages to let us know your answers. The quiz will be graded on a curve. Enjoy the ride and if you see a damn Squirtle, that little bastard is ours!
NRR: Thanks for taking some time out of your busy schedule to answer some questions for National Rock Review’s Dirt Fest 2016 coverage. What’s been going on with the band, Death of the Party, so far in 2016?
Zach Coleman: Thanks for having us. So far this year we’ve been taking time to get our new lineup solidified and be as well-rehearsed and coordinated as a unit, as we can possibly be. Outside of band stuff though, Carl and I have been pretty hooked on Pokémon Go like the rest of America, (laughing).
Carl Bartig: Ha, yeah. We’ve been making huge steps in the right direction with this band, and the next couple of months are going to be very exciting.
NRR: Let me start off by asking about new music. You guys have recorded your debut album, Rage Millennial. What details can you give us about it?
Zach Coleman: The name Rage Millennial was inspired by the way older generations tend to look at people from our generation and say that we’re so entitled and lazy and spoiled to technology. The album is kind of biting back and saying that the world we were born in to is a product of the generations prior and we’re just doing the best we can with a fucked situation pushed on to us. That isn’t to say we turn a blind eye to some of our own generation’s bull shit and we definitely poke fun at our own generation as well, i.e. selfies, site models, and over-dependence on validation through social media.
Carl Bartig: We worked with the phenomenal Matt Dalton of Metro 37 Studios in Rochester Hills, MI to create this album. We also wrote about the struggles of mental disorders that plague this country. I’ve dealt with everything from anxiety to becoming agoraphobic at one point in my life and we want people to know that they are not alone in their struggle. That anyone can overcome anything, and that it’s fucked that we all have to live this way to some degree.
Debut Album 'Rage Millennial' OUT Worldwide 8/16! #DeathOfTheParty #DOTP #RageMillennial #DebutAlbum #DirtFest #37Studios #GraciRocksPhotography
Posted by Death Of The Party on Friday, August 5, 2016
NRR: “Tell Me What I Look Like” is the first single off the new album to get video support. What is special enough about that track that it got love first from you guys?
Zach Coleman: Throughout the recording of this album we were making trips back and forth from home (Alpena) to the studio downstate and our producer, Matt Dalton, said we needed that song that just comes out of nowhere at the last minute.
When we got home from one of our trips to the studio that song just came out of us and we had to use it. It’s kind of our mission statement, “I don’t mind if that’s how you get off. Who am I to judge?” It’s just totally dismissive to anyone that thinks they know us and it’s saying we don’t give a shit what you have to say, we’re gonna keep doing our thing and hope there’s people out there that like it enough to support it. It also says open your eyes to the world around you before you pass judgment, “With your eyes shut, tell me what I look like.”
NRR: Is social media a necessity for bands today and is it more of a hassle then it’s worth for some outfits?
Zach Coleman: Social media is absolutely a necessity for bands today. It’s the most effective way to share your art with an audience unless you just have mounds of cash for a marketing team. Social media is a blessing and a curse though, really, because it allows us immediate interaction with the people that make music matter (the fans) but at the same time people abuse the shit out of social media to spew their hateful bullshit on total strangers.
NRR: How does it feel to play a well established festival in your backyard like Dirt Fest, especially since it’s not your first time at this rodeo?
Zach Coleman: Dirt Fest has given us so much over the past few years. We’ve made so many friends through Dirt Fest. It really is just a big, grubby, hardworking family of rock/metal fans that come together to make the best festival in Michigan.
Carl Bartig: This will be our third year playing Dirt Fest, second as DOTP. Also, our fourth year working at it. We also help out the day before setting up stages, tents, and any other things that need to be done. We’re very appreciative for everything Dirt Fest has done for us. It’s an incredible experience, unlike any other festival we’ve played. Coleman’s right, it’s one big hardworking family, and we love it!
#DeathOfTheParty #DOTP #RageMillennial #DebutAlbum #DirtFest #37Studios #GraciRocksPhotography pic.twitter.com/PjTOwzsR7h
— Death of the Party (@OfficialDOTP) July 25, 2016
NRR: Do bands of all sizes need to be even more aware of keeping your gear safe while out on the road?
Zach Coleman: Lock your shit up, make your ride look as inconspicuous as possible, and don’t tell everyone at the show where you parked. We all want to show up in this sweet whip to show everyone all of the money we’re not really making, but it’s probably best if people don’t know that there’s thousands of dollars worth of music equipment in your trailer. If you’re Slipknot or Manson you probably have a team of people to guard everything, but if you’re some local guys you don’t have that luxury.
NRR: What’s been the wildest night on stage since we talked to you last if boobs, beer, blood, and loud music don’t seem to faze you much at this point?
Zach Coleman: I’ll let Carl take this one, (laughing).
Carl Bartig: Lorem ipsum dolar elore…
(Laughing), all of the above for sure. Let’s just leave it at that, (wicked smiling).
NRR: If you were in the crowd after your set, and heard two people talking about Death of the Party, how would you hope the conversation might go?
Zach Coleman: I would just hope they had a good time and they walked away excited about the time they just spent with us. I would like to hear them say a specific song connected with them or something.
Carl Bartig: Absolutely. Isn’t that what it’s all about? It’s the connection between you, friends, fans, and complete strangers through your art. As long as they had fun and got to forget about the bullshit in their lives for that 30 minutes, I’m happy.
NRR: If any or all you guys have day jobs, what level of success would there need to be or should be there before you all would be full artists chasing the dream?
Carl Bartig: We have “day” jobs to get by, but we don’t let them interfere with the progress of the band. We get to work full time on music but are still able to put food on the table. We’ve had a lot of great tour offers and we’re finally able to hit the road outside of this state. So our jobs will most likely be coming to an end in the near future to push forward to the next step and make this a full time career. It’s what we’ve always wanted and we’re not slowing down for anything.
NRR: Are you guys still music fans outside of being on stage, and if so, is there anyone on the Dirt Fest bill you’re excited to catch since everyone plays on the same day this year?
Zach Coleman: Before I would consider myself a musician I would consider myself a music fan. And by music fan, I mean total fanboy, (laughing). I’m stoked to watch Attila because I love their ‘don’t give a fuck about anything just have fun attitude’. I’m stoked to watch Killswitch Engage because they were one of the first metal bands I ever got into when I was about thirteen years old watching Headbanger’s Ball. I’m super stoked for Heartsick too! We used to have this little venue in Alpena called The Attic and they would come up north to play and we got to play with them a few times back when both of our bands had different names. That’s gonna be a good time for sure!
Carl Bartig: Same here. Music has been a major role in my life for as far back as i can remember. And I mean not just playing and writing music, but listening, really listening to music. I do get pretty excited when Manson’s in town, (laughing). As for Dirt Fest, I’m stoked to see everyone I can, I love live music! Wilson and Heartsick for sure. It’s going to be all around one wild Dirt Fest!