The Divine Nine: Q / A with Los Straitjackets


Nearly 10 years after the birth of Los Straitjackets, guitarist Danny Amis and his fellow masked men are going as strong as ever. Their new album, Supersonic Guitars in 3-D, is in stores now.

ADAM: Thanks for doing our interview. How's life?

DANNY AMIS: You're welcome. Life is good, we have a new CD out that's doing quite well, and we've had some great tour dates so far.

ADAM: The new album has a very specific sound. Mark Neill talked about wanting to replicate the sound of playing in a cave. How easily does that sound make the transition to the live show?

DANNY: Playing in a CAVE?!? What's he talking about? Don't believe a word he says. The songs translate live just fine, with the exception of "Tarantula" and that stuff Mark added between tracks four and five. We'll just leave those to the home listeners.

ADAM: I read a quote in an interview that I found interesting that one of you guys said that, as instrumentalists, the art of arranging a set list is more complicated than it would be if you had lyrics. Why is that?

DANNY: Hmm... I wouldn't say it's more difficult, but it is different. With instrumentals it's all about creating a mood with instruments rather than expressing something silly in poetry. We like to come out with something that hits hard and then give the audience a rest after a few songs. It's actually much more fun this way.

ADAM: For a band that formed in Nashville, what was the genesis of what could be called the California influence in your music, from the surf-rock sound in general to even specific songs like "Pacifica"? Is that something you all shared prior to forming the band, or is it an influence that was honed once Los Straitjackets came into being?

DANNY: We've always played this type of music, even before we formed in Nashville. Also, Nashville is a little more diverse than the media would lead you to believe. I grew up in Minneapolis, home of the Trashmen, and Eddie grew up on the East Coast, Link Wray's old stompin' grounds. And don't forget, The Beatles were huge in Nashville, too, where Jimmy grew up. Okay, Pete's from California.

ADAM: Along those lines, your band has been in high demand out here in Hollywood, with tracks of your used in an eclectic batch of TV shows and movies. Has there ever been the desire, or offer, for doing a full-fledged score for a film?

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