If big bands that were kings of the scene at one point would pass on the crown, Ded would be a crown prince waiting for the throne.

Matt Reinhard (drums), Kyle Koelsch (bass), Joe Cotela (vocals), and David Ludlow (guitar) are quickly becoming Phoenix, AZ royalty. Ded is a high octane, thunderbolt out of the blue that sounds like Slipknot and Limp Bizkit decided to do a Dragonball Z merge. Yes, we like Dragonball Z, deal with it.

The guys have dropped a new video directed by the aforementioned Limp Bizkit front man, Mr Durst. They are hitting the road soon with Korn and Stone Sour, and just happen to have finished up what looks to be a killer album we want in our grubby little hands already. So, we managed to catfish Joe with a few bottles of Jager to talk to us for a few minutes about all of that and more.

Hit up their links below to find out where all of their tour stops are coming up and maybe even give them a like. If you see the guys live, throw some pictures our way or just your opinions on our Facebook or Twitter feeds. We love seeing things through your eyes, and phones of course.

NRR: Thanks for taking some time out of your busy schedule to answer some questions for National Rock Review. What’s been going on with the band, Ded, so far into the early part of 2017?
Joe Cotela: We just finished up our full length album with producer John Feldmann and we’re getting that ready to release on May 19th. We just released a music video for our single “Anti-Everything” directed by Fred Durst, plus we’re gearing up for two tours with Korn in May and July and between all that we’ll be playing festivals like Rock on the Range, Rocklahoma, Carolina Rebellion, Chicago Open Air, and more!
NRR: There is a wicked video, since you brought it up, that dropped for “Anti-Everything,” which we highlighted on National Rock Review.com. What was it about this track that begged for visual enhancement?
Joe Cotela: Well we want to be visually stimulating with everything we do. We want Ded to be an attack on the senses. This song is a powerful statement about individualism and the video needed to represent that sentiment. It needed to be unique and stand alone like the track. We couldn’t be happier with the way the video turned out.
NRR: You guys got a man I have followed, since the first time I heard the song “Counterfeit” when I was a wee lad, on this video that you mentioned above. How did you get Limp Bizkit’s own Fred Durst to be a part of this project and how was the experience working with him?
Joe Cotela: Our manager used to manage Limp Bizkit back in the day among many others, but we were talking about how sick Fred was at directing videos like Limp Bizkit, Korn, Staind, etc., so we got him the music he was into it and he got on board. Fred was killer to work with, he’s a super solid guy and really helped bring out our best for the video. It’s really cool working with someone who is also an artist so there isn’t that separation of band and director. It made for a great environment and a great video!
NRR: Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. Tell me how you guys got on a pretty killer tour line up with Korn, and later Stone Sour too, as well as some of the big boy festivals?
Joe Cotela: Luck is when preparation meets opportunity. We are always prepared with Ded. We are humbled and excited to be a part of these tours. A handful of believers reached out to Korn for us, Jonathan and the guys responded well and we share the same booking agency, CAA. The festivals as well, beyond excited and grateful for the opportunities.
NRR: You guys got signed to a label not that long ago. How’s that working out so far and what plans do you have to start putting out music with them?
Joe Cotela: It’s been incredible. They’re super supportive of us continuing to be artists and keeping our vision of what the band needs to be. Suretone has opened up doors in ways we never could have on our own. Great people across the board.
NRR: Every band has a story of how they got together, some more interesting than others and some more real than you might think. Where does this outfit fall into the fray and how did you guys come to play together or was it just you were bored, really?
Joe Cotela: We wanted to make dangerous music that could be universal. That is the game plan. Whether we accomplished that or not, this is our best effort at that. We wanted to fill a void that we weren’t seeing and hearing as music fans.
NRR: What influence(s) would you be able to hear in your style of play regardless of the genre that might have hatched it/them? We have a bottle of Patrón Tequila riding on this here at the NRR compound.
Joe Cotela: (Laughing), Gojira, Deftones, Pantera, Every Time I Die, Meshuggah, Korn, Bring Me the Horizon, Slipknot, White Zombie, NIN, Black Breath, Glassjaw, Limp Bizkit, Emmure, Nails, it’s endless.
NRR: Looks like I’m drinking well tonight. If you were in the crowd after your set and heard two people talking about Ded, how would you hope the conversation might go?
Joe Cotela: I would hope that someone hated it and somebody loved it. I like the idea of being polarizing. Personally, I don’t want to please everyone.
NRR: Go through Ded’s writing process. One person do all the heavy lifting or mp3 files back and forth or how…?
Joe Cotela: David is the mad scientist in the studio. He and I usually sit and work riffs for days sometimes. We’re so unimpressed with so much shit that we do. When we both like it we know we’re on to something. I write all the vocals and lyrics and then David does all of the programming. Again, I sit and guide ideas but it’s him creating it. Then Matt and Kyle tell us if it sucks or not. We’re hard on ourselves to a fault.
NRR: Are you still music fans outside of being on stage, and if so, is there anyone you’d be excited to catch live or play with, and if so who and/or why?
Joe Cotela: We’re huge music fans. I’ve never seen Slipknot or Rage Against The Machine live. Those two would be rad for me. I would also like to see John Mayer, I’d like to see Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers as well. Oh, and Lamb of God. I’ve seen almost everyone else in the world. To play with? All of the influences listed above in that earlier question. Maybe add Avenged Sevenfold and Metallica to that for the sharing the stage list. We’re on a fest with Metallica, but not a proper bill of opener and closer.
NRR: My favorite question to ask is one that has given the National Rock Review fans some very cool stories from previous interviews. Not necessarily with this band, but if you had to recount your seminal Spinal Tap experience, what would it be if the statute of limitations is up on the details of said story, (laughing)?
Joe Cotela: One time in an old band our drummer pissed in a cup as you do while driving in a van on long drives. He was in the second row of seats, the only window open was the front passenger window so he went to throw it out, very drunk, mind you, and the wind had other plans. It blew in and splashed all over on our bass player sitting shotgun. Hilariousness ensued. Funny in retrospect… But not at the time.
NRR: If an adult beverage maker wanted to throw money and product at you to sponsor a tour, is there a brand of drink that would be acceptable, no questions asked?
Joe Cotela: Jägermeister for me – Holla!
NRR: Last but not least, where is your dream venue to play for a one night, headlining, a sold out show and why?
Joe Cotela: I guess Madison Square Garden, sold out. That’s the dream! Always has been, always will be.

Ded
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