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Dead Lucky is a fairly new band on the South African music scene and they have recently dropped their debut album called Sons of Lazarus. We caught up with frontman, Kyle Lakey to chat about the band, their music and a whole bunch of other stuff.
How long has Dead Lucky been around and what’s the story behind the name?
We’ve been going for about 3 years now. We originally started in 2008 and played for about a year and a half, but that was a completely different line-up so we don’t add that in. The name comes from a tattoo that I have. It was done by Mark Houston (he’s not a tattoo artist and it was one of the first pieces he did, we were also both piss drunk, so you can imagine what it looks like).
How did you guys get started and where do you pull you inspiration from?
Well with the old crew we started just as a bunch of mates wanting to play something that we thought was lacking in the scene drawing influences from everywhere, I mean we didn’t even have a proper genre, it was very experimental. The new vibe is a lot more thought out. We pulled all the boys from old bands we knew. The music has direction now. Influences range from the classic rock and metal genres through to punk/ hardcore and stoner rock/ sludge metal bands.
Who are the band members and what rolls do they play in the band?
Well there’s me (Kyle) on vocals, and I also right the lyrics and melodies.
Alex and Chris on guitars. They bring you all the cool riffs and solos. Chris also does backing vocals.
Graham plays bass. He is also responsible for how correct our riff structures and chord progressions are. He’s really good, and actually has a degree in music.
Jean supplies us with the drums and also is a big help in compositions. He can easily spot when something is too repetitive or boring.
All in all we write the music as a group and all add valuable input.
Since starting the band, give us some insight into some of the craziest experiences you have had?
[Laughs] There’s such a lot. From Jean puking on himself during a set, me breaking my nose during a set to graham falling over, smashing a coffee table and trying to hide it by kicking it under the couch at the house we stayed at when we recently played up in Pretoria.
What can South African music fans expect from your music?
It’s really loud and really hard. And it aint shy. Imagine Motorhead and Danzig put together.
Tell us about your debut album “Sons of Lazarus”? How long have you been working on it and how many tracks does it feature?
It’s got 12 tracks of which 11 are music tracks and 1 is a dedication by jean to his mom and sister. The songs have been written since we started as the new crew, so I guess it was written over 2 years. We started recording the album in February 2013 and released it at the end of September. We took our time with writing it and with the production. We wanted it to be perfect.
Which song on the album is your favourite and why?
My favourite is probably “Prowler.” It’s so much fun to play and there’s such an awesome vibe that comes from the crowd when they hear it.
To date, what has been your best gig and why?
My favourite show so far was when we played with Dune Rats at Bohemia in Stellenbosch. It was so packed and sweaty, and it’s a smaller venue. Those are the best, you can get right down there with the crowd and become one with them. The guys from Dune Rats are also legends.
What is the vibe like between the band members?
We’re all pretty good mates and get along well. Musically we fit together like mac and cheese!
How often do you guys get to practice and gig?
We probably practice about twice a week. More when we have to prepare for a show. Shows are up and down depending on how busy we are in a personal capacity. We try play as much as we can without inconveniencing each other. Chris and I have 2 jobs, Alex and Jean have another band (Goodnight Wembly) and Alex has college. Graham Is just finishing his degree and is a session jazz muso so we all have commitments we need to juggle around.
You have also just dropped your debut music video for your single entitled “Prowler”. Tell us about the single and how the music video fits with the track?
Well the track is about a stalker pretty much. And the video portrays that concept. Only a million times better than I could’ve imagined. Zenn van Zyll and Duran Levinson brought it to life. It follows the encounters of a creepy stalker who is infatuated the main character and nothing will stop him from getting what’s his.
What goals do you have for the band and where do you see it going in the future?
Our ultimate goal is to share who we are and what we do with the rest of the world. We love music, making it and playing it, and that’s all we want to do.
What venue, festival would you do anything to perform at and why?
There’s so many hey. All the big festivals are amazing in their own right. Same goes for venues. I guess it’s more about what the crowd is like and who you’re playing with. That being said, I would literally do anything to play with Motorhead.
Any shot outs?
Massive shout out to everyone who has downloaded our album and to everyone who comes to our shows! You are the reason we do it. so as long as you want it, we’ll bring it! If you’re reading this and haven’t gotten the album yet. you can get it at www.deadlucky.co.za and it’s all free!
Photos by: Michael Ellis and Vetman Design & Photography
