Q&A: Dirty Heads talks new, self-titled release, meeting fan expectations + MORE
Words and Interview by Rachael Dowd
Photos by Lori Gutman
Eight years after their first full-length release, Dirty Heads has become a household name in the alternative music scene for their unique fusion of reggae and hip hop sounds they have refined throughout their career. Touring around the world with bands such as Slightly Stoopid and New Politics, Dirty Heads released their fifth studio album on July 15th and wrapped a North American tour with Sublime With Rome.
We recently caught up with bassist David Foral and drummer Matt Ochoa during their run across North America, and they talked all about the unique process they went through while in the recording studio and why they decided this new album deserved to be self-titled.
You guys just released your new album last month. What was the writing process like and how long were you in the studio for?
DAVID: We’ve settled into a comfortable writing process. We’ll meet with various producers and songwriters and throw everything at a wall and see what sticks. We’ll whittle it down to about twenty songs and head into the studio. We spent a few months in the pre-production stages, and then rented a studio in the Hollywood Hills for two weeks and did the live tracking. Those twenty songs will get sifted down to the eleven final songs.
MATT: Jared [Watson] and Dustin [Bushnell] began writing early last summer and continued working on demos with other songwriters/producers all the way through January. The idea was to work with as many songwriters as possible within a few months time. The fact that we decided to record closer to home [in L.A.]made it possible to get with a lot of talented people. Recording started in early February at Perfect Sound Studios in L.A.
How do you think this album differs from your past releases and was anything new brought to the table in terms of sound and songwriting?
DAVID: In the past, we’ve used one producer for each album. With this release, we took a totally different approach, almost every song on the album is produced by a different person. Since we’ve always been a band that mixes genres, we figured we’d find the best people on a “per song” basis.
MATT: I feel this record is a culmination of sound from the previous four albums. This self-titled record speaks for itself. It’s “Dirty Heads”- that old school warm acoustic sound from Any Port in a Storm/Cabin by the Sea mixed with the raw hip-hop alternative elements from Sound of Change. I really feel like we’ve found ourselves on this album, and I think it’s the best we’ve put out yet.
Did you feel any pressures or felt that you had certain expectations to fulfill with this new album, as it is the fifth studio album you’ve released?
MATT: Definitely. I think that comes with any new release or material we put out. We’re our harshest critics most of the time [Laughs.]. Our last record clearly said we were gonna experiment and kind of go in a different direction. Even though we feel it did really well, I know it put a lot of pressure on us to let the fans know we were really gonna hone it in on this release and make a core “Dirty Heads” record.
DAVID: I feel like after our experimental last album, Sound of Change, the pressure was off. The boundaries of our sound had already been stretched so we were able to comfortably write this one without forcing anything. The final product felt so good to our ears it was deserving of the self-title.
How did the concept for the album artwork come up, and does it have any significant meaning?
MATT: The artwork for this record was just so clear to us. For our self-titled release, we could think of nothing better than to just stamp it with our signature Octopus logo that has been with us since our first EP almost 10 years ago. It really has kind of just become our brand. With that, there is also another cool concept with the theme of the album.
DAVID: We’ve broken up the track listing into two “playlists” that we feel fans should enjoy listening to. The first six songs as the “Daytime” and last five as the “Nighttime” playlist. This idea was originally geared towards vinyl, but we all thought that it was just a cool unique concept that we also wanted to focus the artwork around it.
Dirty Heads has a very unique, reggae and hip hop influence in their music. Did that influence come from anything you used to do or listen to when you were younger?
MATT: I truly feel that the “product of your environment” saying really applies to all of us in the band. Everyone grew up on or around the beach, exposed to great music from friends/family in the area. Beastie Boys, Sublime, Rancid etc. Most of us were really into the skate and surf scene throughout high school.
DAVID: 100%. We all grew up in Southern California and a lot of us surfed and skated. It was this surf culture that got me listening to reggae. I attended an inner city school where most of the kids were listening to hip hop. From an early age, I was going to house parties and listening to the DJs spin Tribe Called Quest and Run DMC.
You are on tour right now with Sublime With Rome. What can concert goers expect from your live set and what is your favorite thing about performing live?
DAVID: Now that our album is out, we’re pretty happy to be playing new material. We’ve been auditioning different songs from the self titled and seeing what feels best for us. The crowd interaction is definitely the best part about playing live. Some people have been waiting months and have driven from very far away. You can see it in the eyes of various concert goers how much the show means to them. It’s a special feeling.
MATT: This summer has been amazing. There is definitely a family vibe when we tour with Sublime with Rome. We’ve known Rome for years and have written so many songs together. It’s great to go out and play shows with your brothers. We’ve been playing a good chunk of the new record live. I love to see how the crowd reacts to new music; also it’s refreshing to us as musicians to play NEW songs. Over the years of writing songs with Rome, you can expect him to make some sort of appearance during our set!
Are there any particular songs off of the new album you look forward to playing or that you notice fans reacting very positively to?
DAVID: We’ve been asking people at our meet and greets what they want to hear and most people are saying “Moontower.” This is collectively one of our favorite songs from the album. It definitely goes over well every night.
MATT: Being the drummer in the band, I love playing the groovy mid-tempo songs. “Oxygen” and “Red Lights” have been my favorite so far. I have noticed “Too Cruel” definitely is a fan favorite. It trips me out when I see fans spitting word for word on all the raps! Our fans are the shit!
You guys have a very active social media presence. How do you think social media and the Internet have impacted the band, whether positively or negatively?
MATT: Social media has created an outlet for us that can reach so many people around the world. It lets us engage with our fans directly and connect to them in ways that really weren’t possible ten years ago. It also allows us to be more creative in connecting with them whether it’s with online contests, Skype sessions, or just previewing new songs/content. Social media is a huge asset to us and artists all around the world.
Be sure to catch Dirty Heads on tour this fall with New Beat Fund. Dates & tickets can be found here.
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