A Complex Q&A With Rockers White Denim
(Left to right) White Denim’s Terebecki, Petralli and Block are trashy.
White Denim has been “breaking through” for years now. The prog-punk-psychedelic-blues trio from Austin, Texas has been hailed the next big shit two consecutive years at the South by Southwest music festival and been fawned over in damn near every rock blog in existence for their hysterical live shows and tight recordings Let's Talk About It (2007) and Workout Holiday (2008), so the notion that they're on the brink of doing something is a little odd to the crew.
Though they haven't achieved the success of fellow lo-fi rockers the White Stripes yet, frontman James Petralli (son of former Texas Rangers catcher Geno Petralli), drummer Joshua Block and bassist Steve Terebecki are living the life, rocking the fuck out of Europe and promoting their new LP, Exposion. Complex caught up with the decidedly entertaining dudes after a recent show. Watch their music videos below, and then read the interview to learn about the abuse they subject their bodies to for music and their specialized fast-food ratings system…
Interview by Justin Monroe
Complex: You guys have been a “buzz band” for a couple years now. What's the last buzz or hype that you got caught up in?
James Petralli: Crystal Pepsi. That's probably the last hype that I got really into. I think that was '96, whenever that Van Halen record came out. “Right Now! No tomorrooow!”
Steve Terebecki: I could think of another one but I'll kinda just steal James's and go with Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper.
Joshua Block: Coca-Cola Zero?
JP: Sparks! Spice Girls!
JB: Sparks [alcoholic energy drink] I did get caught up in. We put our own twist on it though'a few shots of whisky on top of it. It's probably not too original, actually. I think that's just sitting in some really gross place with a bottle of whisky and some Sparks and deciding that they should go together. Hey, it's better than Mad Dog or Thunderbird.
ST: It's great if you like having your shirt off at the end of the night.
Complex: So, White Denim…isn't that a little racist and exclusionist?
ST: I guess maybe so, because when we named the band we thought, “Man, this name's really trashy.”
JB: It's the most horrible denim there is.
ST: We've talked about changing our name so much. We thought about if we changed our name to White Dinner, how much worse that would be. [Laughs.]
Complex: What are your current obsessions?
ST: Mispronunciations of words.
JB: Yeah, Mickey Donaldi's from McDonald's, or Ad-ville for Advil.
ST: Sex and sundials for sock and sandals.
Complex: Critics have described your music as unpredictable and spontaneous. How are you spontaneous in your personal lives?
ST: I spontaneously drink beer sometimes. [Laughs.]
JP: I'm kind of a compulsive Internet shopper.
Complex: What's the last thing you bought?
JP: A Richie Havens record. [Everyone laughs.] That's pretty spontaneous! I think my car broke down and I was walking home and in my mind I was singing, “Freedom! Freeeeeeedom!” [Laughs.] Now I've got some Richie Havens record. I don't even know what it is. It should be in the mail when I get home.
Complex: If you had an unlimited budget, what would your stage show look like?
JP: I'd like to see Josh drumming in one of those 360-degree rotating cages like Tommy Lee did in Tacoma.
ST: Pizza and aquarium screen savers projected behind us. I mean, at least that, maybe some animals and pets and things. Maybe a wardrobe change in between every three or four songs R. Kelly style.
JB: If any time one of us sang, we had a laser shoot out of our mouths, that'd be really cool. Or, pretty much, cymbals that aren't broken.
ST: Yeah, working gear. But I was thinking more theatrical…
JB: Well, I would definitely like just a shit load of Tonka trucks on stage. I guess that [doesn't require] a big budget to have on stage, just like $100.
Complex: What is your worst music-related injury?
JP: I was carrying this big speaker cabinet that Steve was playing out of up stairs with our tour manager and she lost grip and dropped it on my foot. It was a really bad idea to try doing that. There's no worker's comp in this business.
ST: I don't know. I've smashed my lips. I've twisted my ankle a couple times jumping.
JP: You fell off the stage one time. What about the wrist injury?
ST: Oh yeah. This is super embarrassing. Thanks for bringing it up! [Laughs.] I opened up for Quiet Riot, but as an air guitarist. At the end, I went to do a crowd surf thing and [the crowd] just totally parted. I probably fell about nine feet and landed on my wrists. I was totally messed up for like six months.
Complex: Did the crowd at least help you up afterwards?
ST: Um, no. They thought it was part of the show. I was already covered in fake blood, and so I guess they thought it was part of the act that I break my arms. Well, I didn't break my arms, but it sucked.
JB: It's kind off wussy, but I hit a lug [while drumming] and it ripped my whole fingernail off, including the cuticle.
Complex: Did you go on with the show?
JB: Yeah.
Complex: That's pretty badass.
JB: Of course. [In geek voice] I was in marching band!
Complex: That happened in marching band?!
JB: Fuck yeah, man. During a competition. I just had to keep going. It's really kind of a dorky story.
Complex: It wasn't until you mentioned the marching band in that voice.
JB: Yeah, better leave the marching band out.
Complex: What's the most regular in-group argument?
JP: I guess it's food-related most times, “What fast-food restaurant will we eat at Topeka, Kansas?”
ST: We have a one-to-five rating for fast-food restaurants and we always argue about what is a fast-food restaurant. Is Schlotzsky's a fast-food restaurant?
JP: What would Bojangles' be? That's a four-star, you say?
ST: I say it's a four-star fast-food restaurant.
JP: Long John Silver's is two-star?
ST: Yeah.
Complex: What are the qualifications?
JP: Deliciosity is probably top of the list. [Everyone laughs.]
Complex: Who tends to win those arguments?
JP: I think we're all winners. [Laughs.]
“Shake Shake Shake”
“All You Really Have To Do”
“IEIEI”
“Let’s Talk About It”
