The IE's rappingest, slanginest, most lizard-kingin' hardcore hybrids to ever karaoke!

But when you’re on an Indian Reservation, and there’s a King Cobra tallboy in a paper sack in your hand on a compound on a hill overlooking the glinting lights of the IE—somehow Morrison’s spirit is just more accessible. But how a rapper (Short Dawg) and a gang of sludge-hurling vagrants got the urge to run Pantera through the Roadhouse Blues at breakneck speeds is as mysterious as the weird scenes inside the goldmine. Enter the Dog Faced Gods, a band named after a Testament song that says the spirit of Morrison helped them record their thunderclap of a debut album, Spit in My Eye.

And just like that everyone was getting filthy with the kick drums, baby. Yet DFG are channeling more than the Lizard King, they’re in shamanistic highstep with something like the spirit of rock & roll—or so the bong reports. As the old saying goes, “seek not to follow in the footsteps of the men of old, seek instead what they sought.” Morrison is at the bottom of every tallboy; he’s there in every intention.

We sat down with the enigmatic foursome to discuss, among other things, the cult hit “Bad Motherfucker,” Grand Theft Auto and karaoke.

Members:

Vocals: Raymond “Shorty” or “Short Dawg” Galvan

Guitar: Aaron “Hessian” Brown

Bass: William “Curly Bill” Winburn

Drums/Percussion: Paul “Pizz” Garcia

In your bio it says the new incarnation of the Dog Faced Gods felt a “supernatural force” when this crew came together. How so?

Pizz: Supernatural is the best way to describe it. And it wasn’t only because it was easy for us to work together, whether performing or writing, it’s just that it was comfortable and felt right. I guess it’s that feeling . . . that’s the supernatural part of it all.

Short Dawg, you are also a rapper in the IE. Are the DFG another way to communicate an art to you? Or is the transitional metal/rock thing of DFG just another side of you?

Short Dawg: I like doing the rock thing because I love singin’. I even do karaoke on nights we don’t have shows. But with my hip-hop stuff, I’m really trying to connect people with “tha Native”—Short Dawg Tha Native—and educate the audience about the reservation and my people and nation. I got a lot to say and I rap about a lot of things, but I really like throwin’ in those tracks that come from the heart about where I’m from . . . it means a lot to me.

Describe how you guys write music. Does somebody write the lyrics and then the others build around it? Or is it organic and spontaneous as you sit down? 

Curly Bill: We all contribute in pretty much every aspect of the writing process. I remember Shorty had a great hook and opening verse to a song and wanted some ideas. He described his vision of the song so well that it was easy to come up with a couple more verses. And now we have “Life In Harmony.” Hessian wrote the hook for “Bad Mofo,” as well as a lot of the great riffs and progressions and Pizz wrote some great lyrics and guitar riffs, as well as arranging a lot of the music with Shorty.

What’s the best place to play in the IE? What about elsewhere?

Pizz: I like small clubs with great sound, like the Vibe. 

Hessian: I agree with Pizz on that one. 

Curly Bill: As far as the IE, Stingers is looking pretty nice nowadays with their recent facelift. I like the Vibe also, great people and location. San Manuel’s Tukut Lounge is always a good show, too. After touring, we received a warm welcome home from our fans in the IE.  

Who are some of the bands you guys toured with?

Short Dawg: Fall/Winter 2007 we toured 40 dates with Tech N9ne from California to New York and all in between. Also in late 2005 we went on the road with Brand New Sin, who is with Century Media. On that tour we played with some good groups like the Giraffes and Supagroup.

Cool. Talk a bit about Voodoo Nation Records—how did it come about and what the philosophy behind it is?

Short Dawg: Voodoo has been around ten years or more and . . . well, I guess you could say it’s the inspiration of my family and nation, and my passion and drive for music that helped make this all happen. As far as our philosophy, we want to spread unity through independent music—to surround the people and community around us, and then around that, etc. And to bring hard-working, talented artists forward where they can be seen, unlike with the “bigger” “major” labels and other studios that have left them in the dark. With our studio “Amber Hills Recording” now open to the public, we’re making that happen. Hit us up and record up on the Rez. Awww man, just the views up here are enough to inspire an artist, plus now, we got it all hooked up with top of the line gear and producers. So, basically, we’re independent artists supporting other independent artists and music.  

You guys recorded Spit in My Eye at the famous Ocean Way Studios. What was that experience like?

Hessian: It was great, man. Truly inspirational . . . all of the artists that had been there before us and all . . . 

Curly Bill: It was a great experience, but I was only two weeks on the bass after switching from guitar, so I went in there knowing I had a challenge ahead of me. It went real smooth working with these guys and I wouldn’t have changed a thing. 

Pizz: It was a huge learning process for me as an engineer/producer. I learned a lot from recording and even more from being the one behind the soundboard. 

Hessian: He was a busy man for those weeks we spent there.

Who came up with the track “Bad Motherfucker?” That’s a crowd-pleaser, innit?

Curly Bill: Shorty came up with the idea and started describing what he saw and heard. Me and Hessian were playing Grand Theft Auto during all of our free time at Ocean Way when Shorty came up to us with the idea for “Bad Mofo.” GTA was flying through my mind when we sat down to write it, so that’s where most of the descriptions came from. Then Shorty picked the pieces that fit vocally and pieced it together. 

Short Dawg: Yeah, everyone gets into that one and I think that’s what gets me going too, when I see all those “Bad Motherfuckers” getting down.  It’s one of those faster ones you can really rock out to. I’d like to do some more like it in the future.

You guys have that aforementioned compound in Highland that you rehearse at and base your label out of. It’s a hell of a nice place—what do you call it?

Short Dawg: Thanks . . . the recording studio itself is called Amber Hills Recording, but really the whole place . . . 

Pizz: Headquarters . . . 

Short Dawg: Yep (laughs) . . .  Voodoo Nation Records Inc . . . Headquarters. Amber Hills Recording is built right in there. Like I said, man, it’s a very spiritual and inspirational place and I think artists across the board will appreciate that. 

The IE is getting more steam on the music front. Is the IE ready to compete with LA and the OC musically?

Short Dawg: I think so. There are groups that need to be recognized out here and we’re always asking the fans and the community to support the artists out here and show some love. Make some noise and support where you’re from and your family of independent artists out there. The IE is growing not just in the number of artists, but I think they’re growing in the number of talented artists as well. It’s up to the people, the fans—the people we love so much and do what we do for—to blow all of these talented artists up with their love and support.

Check out the Dog Faced Gods for free this month either at the Tukut Lounge at San Manuel Casino (777 San Manuel Blvd., Highland) on Friday, September 12, or at the Grove in Anaheim (2200 E. Katella Avenue, Anaheim) on Friday, September 26.