Page 30 - ROCKNATION ISSUE 27

PAGE 30 ROCKNATION ISSUE 27

THE MIDNIGHT DEVILS

Hello Midnight Devils and welcome to Rocknation. Congrats to your new “Something
Bigger” release. Please tell us about some of the tracks.
Sam Spade - First of all thank you for featuring The Midnight Devils on Rocknation. It’s
really an incredible honor to be featured next to some of the greatest bands in the world.
Something Bigger is our debut album and is our first step out into the light on our own.
We wanted to capture the energy of our live shows and still have a down n dirty rock n roll
album. It’s part glam, part punk, all mixed together with wild guitar driven madness. The
first single we released was a song called “Generation Durt”, a hard-hitting break neck
power pop song about pulling yourself up when times get tough. The second single we
released was “Pink Halo”, a boogie woogie inspired from-the-crotch love song. “Pink Halo” was
also released as our debut music video. The video has sex, drugs, and explosions, everything you every wanted in a music video.
Who did the music and lyric writing for this release?
Sam Spade - For the most part all three of us are involved in bringing our songs to life. Sniper and I have been writing songs together
for a long time now and we compliment each other’s writing styles very well. We will come into the writing sessions with an idea and the
other guys will pick it up and run with it. I write a lot of the lyrics and I really feel like as the singer the songs lyrics must come from the
heart. In order to have a sense of authenticity I write about the ups and downs we are going through on the road or in our personal life.
On the same side we really push each other to write hook oriented songs that will suck an audience in during a live performance. Our
writing style is very influenced by KISS, Van Halen, and The Ramones. Don’t bore us, get to the chorus.
Where did you record these tracks at?
Sam Spade - Something Bigger was recorded at 2520 Studios in Omaha, NE and produced by Greg Turner. We learned a lot on our
debut album and I really believe the next one is going to knock some socks off, or leave them on haha. We just returned to 2520 to lay
down the demo tracks for our sophomore release. We are gearing up to head to Chicago and start recording again with Chip Z’Nuff
producing our follow up album.

If you had to tell someone what your music sounded like, what bands would you mention?
Sam Spade - I always tell people we are a rock n roll band. It’s that easy but there is so much more. We mix in boogie woogie, early
70’s glam, and punk rock to form something very unique. Nobody does it like we do. I grew up on KISS, AC/DC, and Elvis. Sniper is
the guitar player and musical director. He is the guy calling the shots on stage and sonically he adds this Van Halen style guitar action
that really separates us from any other band. Jimmy Mess is the heart and soul punk rock style drummer that brings The Ramones-
esque attack behind the skins. We are loud, we go fast, and we bring the party every night. There’s also the visual element that comes
into play. When we walk into a club covered in lipstick, glitter, and huge hair that dynamic changes everything. It’s a very sexual, high
energy thrill ride from the get go.

What national bands have you played with?
Sam Spade - We have had some of the greatest opportunities imaginable for a new band. We have performed with the heavy weights
in our genre like LA Guns, Faster Pussycat, Enuff Z’Nuff, and even Ace Frehley. Earlier this year we were on tour with UK rock legends
The Quireboys. We did two weeks with them across the US before the virus hit and sent us all home. We were also scheduled to be on
tour with Japanese metal band Loudness but unfortunately that has been pushed back until 2021. We are really pushing to get over to
Europe next year but it’s really all up to this global pandemic.

Your band played the Rocklahoma Festival in 2018 along with Poison, Cheap Trick, Vince Neil. Please tell us about the fan
response and any good backstage stores meeting your idols.
Sam Spade - Rocklahoma is almost an indescribable experience for people that haven’t been there. I call it Rock N Roll summer camp
for three days and we always do it up really big. We have met some of our closest friends just walking around the festival. You spend
three days and nights in a field in Oklahoma with 25,000 people. Everyone is there to have an incredible time and the energy of the
whole festival is off the charts. Rocklahoma was started as a 80’s hair metal festival and even though it isn’t so much these days when
we roll in completely covered in makeup and glam trash. Everyone gets off on it big time. We can’t even walk around because
everyone wants to stop and talk or take a picture. The show itself only lasts about 35 minutes but seeing thousands of people go crazy
makes it all worth it. It’s the big leagues for sure and you have to command a big stage and a giant audience. The Midnight Devils fit in
perfectly and our live show is built to climax in a giant rock n roll party. Rocklahoma is special and I urge everyone to take a chance and
get in the field and have some fun. As for the idols, everyone is so busy that you don’t necessarily get to meet the big guys.
Honestly it’s more fun hanging with the party maniacs out in the campgrounds anyways. That’s
where the good action is.

Thank you for taking time for this interview and any last words to the fans?
Sam Spade - Thank you so much again for the great questions and for featuring our debut album
Something Bigger. Check out the music video for Pink Halo on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40yEhjWfRsI.
We will be doing a few shows around the US in 2020 but look out for some big tours in 2021 and a
brand new album as well. We travel a lot and love being on the road so we can’t wait for this all to
be over. I hope everyone stays safe and just think of the party we are going to have when we get
the all-clear.

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