Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein is a legend in the punk rock and metal scenes. Doyle is currently on the start of what is ending up to be a lengthy world tour hitting up much of the US, Europe and Australia. He doesn't seem to be taking any time off as he is also releasing his own signature guitar, strings, pickups and even protein powders and hot sauces. Luckily, he found sometime in his monstrous schedule to sit down and chat with CincyMusic.
Anyone who knows me, knows that I love the legendary horror punk band The Misfits. My basement is covered in their posters and memorabilia and I am covered in Misfits related tattoos. Doyle’s own band, simply called “Doyle,” will be making a stop at the Blue Note on April 1st. When CincyMusic Editor in Chief, Courtney Phenicie, reached out and asked me if I’d be interested in interviewing Doyle prior to his show, I almost had to change my pants before I answered her with an ecstatic, “Hell yeah!”
CincyMusic: Hey Doyle! I wanna first thank you for taking the time to chat with me today. How’s the tour going so far?
Doyle: Pretty lame. Really weird.
CM: Oh yeah?
Doyle: Yeah, it’s weird. I don’t know, just being around people, it’s a weird vibe. It’s fucking weird.
CM: I guess it may be a little of trying to get back to the “norm” and getting people coming back and attending shows again. It’s been a little while since you released your second album, “As We Die,” have you been working on any new material?
D: Yeah, we got like 25 songs we are working on.
CM: That’s awesome! Any plans to start putting them together for a new album?
D: I think we are gonna do singles.
CM: Oh really?
D: The only thing musicians can’t sell any more is music.
CM: Do singles sell better?
D: I think they would, if we keep getting to be able to tour and put one out every 2 months or something and keep doing that and when we get to 10 songs put another album out there.
CM: With that being said, would they be physical releases? 7”s?
D: Yeah, I was thinking a 7’ with each song or 2 songs. I don’t know. We need to sit down and figure out what we wanna do.
CM: I think the 7”s would be really cool and keeps the band in the news and on the top of people’s minds, the fans excited to hear more stuff.
D: Yeah, I think I’m going to open a Patreon. Do you know what a Patreon is?
CM: I do.
D: So, I’m probably gonna do a Pateron and put the songs out on there, fuck streaming. Sell hard copies through there, and if you don’t wanna join, then you don’t hear it and you can go fuck yourself.
CM: (laughs) Well, I would definitely join! I like your attitude towards that. I like Patreons, I think they are a really cool way for bands to engage with fans and to actually get money for their music.
D: Yeah, it’s a fucked up world we live in.
CM: I agree with you. Any new songs finding their way on the setlist?
D: They're not even finished, they’re just music. There are no lyrics or melodies on them, just all arranged music. It’s all recorded, I just need to hand it off.
CM: Gotcha. You and Alex (Story, vocalist for Doyle) have great chemistry together. Seeing you guys on stage, doing interviews, your Instagrams. It seems like you have a lot of fun together.
D: Yeah, he’s hilarious. (laughs)
CM: I love his introductions to songs during your shows. Even though he says the same thing every time, I still laugh. “This next song is a love song, you can dance to it if you want.”
D: Every time it’s funny. It makes me laugh too. (laughs)
CM: I remember when my wife caught your show with me she said to me, “Is he really going to say this for each song?”
D: But he says it differently every time. Every time.
CM: He does. You think to yourself, “Oh maybe he’s saying something different…nope!” Can you tell me where the “Woo Woo Boys” nickname came from?
D: From him! (laughs) Well, people ask us at the truck stop or wherever, who the fuck we are when we are walking down the street. “Are you guys in the band?” “Yeah, we’re the Woo Woo Boys,” So they leave us alone or “We’ll have to check that out!”
CM: Your stage presence of course is amazing, You’re like a monster unleashed, just punching and beating the shit out of your guitar. How many guitars are you cycling through during a set?
D: We bring 4. We have 5 right now but we usually bring 4.
CM: I’ve seen you switch out guitars in almost every other song. You keep your guitar techs busy.
D: Yeah they string strings all day then they tune them all night.
CM: Speaking of guitars, it was recently announced that you were collaborating with Dean Guitars to release your signature guitar the Annihilator. Can you tell me how this collaboration came about?
D: We were on tour in 2017 and were driving through Tampa and my Tech knew some of the guys there and brought a guitar there and left it there. They didn’t look at it until 2021, then they tried to make one and it was wrong, made another one and it was closer. That’s pretty much it. We’re working on getting it right now and the contract as well.
CM: That’s one of the coolest looking guitars in all of rock n’ roll, metal, what have you. I’d definitely love to have one of those. You also have your “Made in Hell” hot sauce, which is phenomenal. It sucks that it sells out so fast! My wife and I can only use it for certain meals because it will be awhile before we can get it again. I haven’t tried the hotter one yet because I noticed amongst the ingredients are ghost peppers and carolina reapers. Think I’ll wait on that one.
D: We have an even hotter one coming out too. That’s just too much for me. (laughs)
CM: An even hotter one than the one with the reapers in it? Jesus Christ.
D: Well everybody thinks, “Oh, it’s not hot enough. I’m so tough!” What a fucking moron. I think “Made in Hell” is perfect.
CM: Yeah, I think once you start going really hot, you lose flavor for straight up fire.
D: Yeah well, some people want that. I don't want that.
CM: How did you get into making hot sauces?
D: A buddy of mine, Danzig’s personal assistant, made me some hot sauce and I had never eaten hot sauce before and he made me a bottle or a jar and I ate the whole thing in one day. So I was going to go into business with him and I tried to get a fire under his ass and it just wouldn’t light. So I got another guy.
CM: You also have a protein powder, Vegan Monster, that I actually just tried prior to this interview. That was actually pretty good. What do you usually pair yours with? I tried it with some oat milk and it turned out really well.
D: Water or coffee. Nice little pre workout up to 20 ounces of iced coffee in a shaker and put a scoop in there. It’s a lot of creamier with nut milks but I don’t waste my money because it would cost me a fortune to drink my shakes if I did that.
CM: Right now you just have the chocolate flavor, any other flavors planned?
D: We have a new one coming out soon, it hasn't been announced, I won't tell you the flavor.
CM: When will that be announced?
D: I don’t know! (laughs) Just like the guitar. I don’t know.
CM: Fair enough! Changing gears a bit, the show I’m interviewing you for is in Cincinnati (or Harrison) with Wednesday 13. I think this is gonna be a fantastic show. Have you played shows with Wednesday before?
D: I don’t know, I couldn’t tell you. I mean, I’ve met him. I don’t pay attention to that. I don’t know where the fuck we are going today honestly.
CM: It seems you do stay pretty busy between touring, interviews, so you probably don’t get much time to check things out. I was going to ask if there was anything you planned on doing or seeing while in Cincinnati.
D: I didn’t even know we were going to Cincinnati! So no, not really.
CM: When you are playing you are always chewing bubble gum and blowing huge bubbles as you play. I gotta ask, what’s your favorite brand of bubblegum?
D: I like Extra. Classic bubble gum flavor.
CM: Regarding your signature look, what brand of makeup do you use?
D: It’s clown makeup. Whatever’s vegan.
CM: I love your logo. It’s pretty iconic looking and definitely has your stamp on it. How much input did you have on its design?
D: I drew all the logos. Also, I design all the packaging. I’m also coming out with my own music line with strings and pickups and stuff. It’s called Von Frankenstein Music Gear. I drew all the logos for that. I got a few artists (bands) that are also gonna be there. I drew their logos and I let them keep their name.
CM: That’s really cool! I didn’t want to take up too much of your time, my son who is 4 loves you. We have tons of Doyle posters and such and he loves to pretend he’s Doyle and stomps around and punches his guitar. He wanted me to ask you, “Who do you think is the king of the monsters?”
D: My girl (referring to his girlfriend Alissa White-Gluz). (laughs) King Kong.
CM: Why did you choose King Kong?
D: I base my playing style off King Kong.
CM: I can totally see that! I think that’s all I had for you today. Anything else you would like to add?
D: We are going to be in the US until April 11th, then we go to Spain from June 29th through July 3rd. Then I think we are back in Europe for Wacken and Rebellion Fest. Then we are going to Norway, Sweden, UK, Ireland and Germany. We got an east coast run in September, we have a Muddy Roots festival, some more runs there and back and we have the Misfits show at Riot Fest. On December 15th-17th we will be in Australia.
CM: Damn, you’re touring the entire planet!
D: Yeah, world tour.
CM: That’s great to hear, glad to see you getting out there and playing more shows, we are looking forward to your show here in the Cincinnati area.
