Nasties make pretty

 by Lauren Cusimano
 published on Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Photo Courtesy of Video Nasties

Two months ago, our individuals merged to create something that resurrects a sound thought to be long gone.

The Video Nasties, a punk-driven rockabilly band from Mesa, has already made a name for itself with its throwback to pompadours, leopard print and ideals of nonconformity.

The band, referred to by their stage names, consists of vocalist Dally Dirtnap, 22, guitarist Catman O'Blivion, 21, bassist Sick Dick Gonzo, 21, and drummer Devilyn Bevz, 22.

"We're basically just taking tips from our forefathers," Dirtnap says. Dirtnap names Hank Williams, Iggy Pop, Henry Rollins and Elvis Presley as influences.

The name and the concept of The Video Nasties had been kicked around for a few years by Dirtnap and O'Blivion. The name originates form The Damned song in which the lyrics read: "Catch catch the horror taxi / I fell in love with a video nasty."

The band's live performances are irrefutably unmatched.

Dirtnap's feet are not planted for longer than a second. Bevz is as relentless on drums as Gonzo is collected and faultless. The synergy between Dirtnap and O'Blivion is effortlessly recognizable, making it easy to believe the two are best friends.

The Video Nasties played their first show at Palo Verde Lounge on March 1 in Tempe. The band says this performance was met by an active crowd that called for two encores.

"The whole point of The Video Nasties is for people to fucking move," Dirtnap says. "Whether that be dancing or fighting or moshing — it's just reaction."

The two were finally inspired to start the band by musical influences like My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy and Atreyu.

"All these bullshit bands are following a trend and doing what's popular and doing what sells," Dirtnap says.

"They inspired us to make better music," Bevz says.

And so they formed The Video Nasties.

The first practice was the first time Gonzo had ever played bass.

"If I didn't know previously that this was (his) first time playing bass, I would have no fucking clue," O'Blivion says of Gonzo.

Since he started playing rockabilly-style guitar, O'Blivion says he hasn't been able to play anything else.

Dirtnap says he had known Bevz for a couple of years when he asked her to play drums for The Video Nasties.

Bevz says she's been playing drums since high school. "[Dirtnap] just asked me and I had just been fending to play music," Bevz says. "It was just perfect."

The Video Nasties pump out songs that are bloody and raunchy, but undeniably fun and advanced. What's in the Ridges, Crazy Michelle, Sheriff Joe and Slaughterhouse, to name a few, are, though unsophisticated in nature, extremely talent driven.

The band has yet to create a demo, but plans to record within the next month.

"Finally," Bevz says. "We just really want to hear ourselves — to hear what other people hear."

Dirtnap says the band has about eight originals and three covers that they want to record. "Everything doesn't have to be fucking perfect," Dirtnap says.

Dirtnap says it gives the band character when he forgets a line, Bevz drops a drumstick, Gonzo forgets the bass line or O'Blivion's guitar cuts out.

The band would like to eventually tour, or ,as Dirtnap says, "to spread the gospel, so to speak, of punk rock in all its forms."

"In short, we're kind of like rockabilly, inspired, punk-inspired, goth-inspired — Video Nasties music," O'Blivion says. "It's more about the attitude behind the music."

"It's music from the kids," Dirtnap says.

— laurencusimano@asu.edu