Dee Calhoun, or “Screaming Mad Dee” as he is also known, is a man who has been in the business of producing dark and heavy music for many years. Whilst he had been in many bands before, for me he first grabbed the limelight lending his hurricane vocals to the sadly lamented band Iron Man, and its spiritual successor Spiral Grave. But beyond those bands, he is also a creator not only of dark music with releases such as ‘Rotgut’ and ‘Go To The Devil’, but also a series of horror stories very much in the vein of good old H.P. Lovecraft or his disciple Stephen King. If that weren’t enough to keep him busy, he has just released a solo EP of comedic parodies reviewed here on Ave Noctum, ‘From Under The Smogberry Trees’; and he’s been kind enough to take time to answer a few questions.
Ave Noctum: Firstly many thanks for taking the time to do this interview for Ave Noctum; it really is appreciated as I’m sure you are busy with the release of the new Spiral Grave album, your own solo work, the supporting shows and the day to day business of keeping up with the modern world. I suppose I should start by asking why, as an artist known for serious work, did you think now was the time for an EP of comedy songs? I’m not saying it’s a frivolous thing to do, as you do tackle some serious subjects, but it is a bit out of left field compared to your other work.
Dee Calhoun: The novelty EP, like almost everything I do, happened by accident. For the fun of it, I had started writing and recording songs in response to ridiculous things that were going on. I was a huge fan of the Doctor Demento Show growing up, and decided to release the novelty songs as a tribute to that show and impact it had on me.
AN: I would say that this side of the pond you are best known for fronting Iron Man and now Spiral Grave, bands that are firmly in the tradition of heavy rock and Doom. How does the writing and performing mind-set of being part of a band compare to composing your solo material?
DC: In the band, it’s a team effort. In that setting, I am the lyricist and help with arrangement. It’s a role I’ve been in for decades, even in the days where I was simply the bassist and didn’t sing lead vocals. With my solo work, I write everything. I wouldn’t say solo provides more freedom, as my role as lyricist in the band has that as well. I would say that the mind-set is pretty much the same, just the workload is different.
AN: It is very common for writers in the UK to describe your style of solo music as “Americana” as opposed to “Country”, and it’s something I do myself. For me it is because for many the word “Country” will invoke images of rhinestone clad purveyors of sentimentality as that’s what tends to travel across the water, and using “Americana” gives a separation and legitimacy. Is that true in your experience, and what term would you like to describe something like ‘Old Scratch Comes To Appalachia’?
DC: I’ve been calling what I do “Outlaw Americana” for a number of years, simply because the themes are much darker than what you may find in traditional Americana music. There are elements of country in there, especially on the Smogberry Trees EP. There are things there that are straight-up country, albeit with novelty lyrics. Old Scratch definitely falls into the Outlaw Americana category, due to its dark themes and storytelling. I think that overall, my solo work isn’t that far removed from doom, it’s just presented differently.
AN: Another perception of Country music is that it is a right leaning music form, threaded through with themes of gun toting and flag waving, such as ‘Try That In A Small Town’; is that something you find the case, or is it just an external perception? Your songs clearly aren’t, and with the excellent ‘Woke Dolly’ you rightly fire some sharp barbs in the direction of the MAGA movement.
DC: The stereotypes would definitely suggest that country music is right-leaning, but I think you’ll find a fairly decent representation of all types of people and all types of beliefs and feelings. I write what I feel, and if those feelings fire shots at certain people, then so be it.
AN: Since ‘Woke Dolly’ was mentioned, I have to say when I heard it, it seemed as if you’d taken personal offence to some of the rubbish written about musical icon Dolly Parton in the reactionary press. Is that a fair thing to say, and why do you think somebody with such an incredible body of music as well as charitable work incited such vitriol for essentially suggesting being nice to people?
DC: Dolly Parton is a National Treasure. Everything she does is to benefit someone. To take issue because she’s benefitting people who frighten you is right up there in the heights of ignorance. People like this seem to strive to be persecuted, so I’m more than happy to help in my small way.
AN: I’ve seen some videos put up of you performing your solo work playing on guitars made from everything from cigar boxes to a garden fork. What is it about either the sound, or just plain image of these instruments that draw you to them? Wouldn’t it be easier to just grab an off the shelf Fender or Gibson?
DC: I got into cigar box guitars during COVID. They have unique looks and sounds, and their tuning configurations and whatnot always open creative doors. The pitchfork and shovel guitars just have a dark, evil growl to them that I love. On record, things like that serve more as an accompaniment; something to add murk to the underbelly of the song. It is fun as hell to break them out and play them live. I think that there’s an alternate reality some place where all I play are cigar box guitars and the like.
AN: As well as the obvious ones like Black Sabbath that can be heard in the heavy riffs, Halford for the vocal acrobatics, and Johnny Cash in the exposure of the dark underbelly of America, are there any bands or other influences to your music that might surprise the listener? I’m guessing from your alluding to Dr. Demento on ‘From Under The Smogberry Trees’ that you must also listen to some lighter and sillier music too?
DC: The biggest thing that Dr. Demento did was open me up to all types of music. Every genre was represented on that show. These days I listen to a lot of metal, but I’ve also been listening to a lot of Samantha Fish and to a really fun band called Southern Culture on the Skids.
AN: Alongside your music, you have a number of horror books out. This is a bit of a multipart question; what would your literary influences be, how does this side of your creative nature compare to your musical side, and if you could be massively successful in one medium to the absolute exclusion of the other, which would you chose and why?
DC: Music will always win out for me. I love the craft of each pretty much equally, but being able to go out and perform music is always what will tip the scales. The creative nature for each is pretty similar; at the end of the day I’m a fan of this sort of thing, and being a fan who gets to participate is such a wonderful thing. As with music, I’m a fan of many writers, and I think it’s people like King, Lovecraft, Poe, Neil Gaiman, and Brian Keene who really get me going.
AN: With such a wide and eclectic collection of influences, if you could travel anywhere and any time to be part of a dream tour package, who would be on the bill with you?
DC: Solo, I would love to be part of a day-long run of shows that included the likes of Neil Young, Seasick Steve, Samantha Fish, and other such artists. With Spiral Grave, it would have to be Judas Priest and Testament.
AN: Finally, with your many years as a performer you must have had to plough through piles of interviews and the same old questions. Is there a question you would like to be asked, what is it, and what is the answer?
DC: If I were to be asked “what do you feel is your greatest accomplishment?” I would immediately answer “being a dad.” My children, Rob and Nadia, are everything to me. They’ve each grown into fine adults, and knowing that I had a hand in shaping that warms my heart. Everything I do, I do for them.
Again many thanks to Dee Calhoun for taking the time out to answer some questions. You can find to his wide body of work by checking out the websites below and find links to purchase on his own website.
https://www.screamingmaddee.com
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