Interview: Duke Evers
Volunteer Park, Seattle, WA
05.31.15
When we first discovered local band Duke Evers, they came out of nowhere like a runaway train. Josh Starkel (lead vocals/guitar) and Kyle Veazey (drums/vocals), the powerful duo that makes up the band, bring to the stage free-for-all rock and roll with more than a little swagger. Born of being roommates first, their friendship is obvious both on and off stage. We decided to take the guys out for a walk in the park and chat about where they’re at and what’s to come.
SMN: So you guys have one EP out thus far, Handful of Pennies, but I saw on social media you’re in the studio again?
JS: We are, we’re wrapping that up on Thursday.
SMN: Full album?
JS: You know; it’ll be about eight songs. So it’s in between an EP and a full-length, but we’re just going to call it a record.
SMN: Well that’s a pretty good thing to call it!
JS: It’s hard because we don’t want to call it a full-length but I guess an eight-song EP is kind of weird too.
SMN: So you’re wrapping it up this week and it’ll be out there when?
JS: We don’t have a set date yet. The last record we did, we were very green, we put it out in the most jumbled up…
KV: It was very rushed.
JS: Yeah, very rushed, you could tell we didn’t know what we were doing. So this time we’re going to try to take our time, probably close to fall or maybe even a little bit later.
SMN: And you’re playing Bumbershoot this year?
JS: Yeah, yep.
KV: We’re pretty stoked for that.
SMN: And it’s your first time at the festival.
KV: That’ll be the first time, yeah.
JS: I’ve been going to it since I was a little kid, so that’s a pretty encompassing moment. It’ll be very cool. Yeah, we were pretty excited to jump on that.
SMN: Anyone else you’re excited to see there?
JS: The local scene that they’ve got going on at Bumbershoot is good. I’m excited to see a lot of our friends’ bands. Cake will be fucking sweet. Man who else is playing?
KV: There’s a whole bunch of people.
JS: Every time we see the thing we just see our name and we’re like “yeah!” Oh, isn’t Social Distortion playing?
KV: Yeah, he’s playing.
JS: Yeah, we actually opened up for one of the dudes from Social Distortion at the Crocodile back in October or something. That was pretty cool, we were just like little giddy kids. But now we’ll actually get to see Social Distortion.
SMN: It’s always fun to see those big ones.
JS: Yeah and you’ve heard their songs like a million times on Tony Hawk Pro Skater or something! And it’s cool to actually see them.
SMN: So you guys were roommates, are you still?
JS: We’re not but I live literally a block away so it’s really not too much different. Our life is just a triangle. We go from house to practice space to work, a revolving door of that.
SMN: But that’s how the band formed?
JS: That’s definitely how the band formed. I was just looking for a roommate, found Kyle.
KV: We were both in different bands, and I showed up one day and he was playing guitar in his room with some other dude and I heard him playing some sweet riff.
JS: I’m sure it probably sounded like shit.
KV: And I was like I gotta jam on this!
SMN: That’s pretty organic.
JS: Yeah it was very organic.
SMN: Do you feel like you still maintain that nature when working on new songs?
JS: Absolutely. We realize how organic it is when we go into the recording studio and we think we can’t just sit here and like riff off a ten-minute song. We gotta end it somewhere. Kyle and I are very different, in fact we’re quite the opposite but when it comes to music that’s something that we just vibe on.
KV: Yeah.
JS: It’s very rare that there’s something we don’t agree on with a song. Honestly, you always have your artistic opinions, but we’ve always gelled and been very compatible musically. And we’ve always enjoyed a lot of the same music, I mean, there’s a lot of music that I don’t like at all that Kyle listens to and I’m sure there’s a lot of music that I listen to… that’s just how it is. But we’ve found a common ground. We don’t really strive for a sound or anything like that. I think our music definitely reflects what we’re listening to and inspired by at the time.
SMN: And what is that right now?
JS: I’ve been listening to Unknown Mortal Orchestra on repeat. And Tame Impala. Which came at the end, so I feel like the end of the record is starting to get into something like that. We’ve always been very straightforward rock band, but I feel us kind of slipping into something different. I don’t know what it is. But it’s not just four on the floor anymore so that’s cool. That’s what I’ve been listening to a lot, don’t know about Kyle.
KV: Queens of the Stone Age. A lot of that.
JS: What about you? What do you listen to? Besides Duke Evers!
SMN: Well with this gig it’s a pretty wide range! But we did just get back from Sasquatch! Tame Impala was there and a ton of great local acts.
JS: Yeah, I know. It just wasn’t our year to do it. But next year I’m hoping that we get that chance.
SMN: Watching the local scene is a lot of fun.
JS: Yeah it’s always fun to see your friends blow up. What was it? The other day, I saw Ryan from The Grizzled Mighty crowd-surfing on the front of Seattle Weekly! It’s good to see people getting recognized.
SMN: Definitely, great to see people supporting other local acts.
SMN: So the big question: you’re on a desert island, that’s the prequel.
JS: Oh shit, okay.
SMN: You get one book, one movie, one album. What are they?
JS: Man, I’m really trying to get the album out of the way right now.
KV: My album would be Zeppelin IV.
JS: Ah, I hate that question!
KV: I don’t think I could ever get tired of listening to that.
JS: Yeah, it would probably have to be Led Zeppelin III or IV.
SMN: Don’t pick the same thing! Then you’ll just have two copies!
JS: So we’re both on this desert island together?
SMN: Yeah, so you can share!
JS: Okay, so then I’ll go with Led Zeppelin I or II.
KV: Yeah, yeah.
JS: Can we just get the catalog of it?
KV: The discography!
JS: Greatest hits!
And there you have it. Despite their differences, the guys clearly have a special bond. They were finishing each other’s sentences, staring off in the same direction at the same time, and when asked to sit on a bench for a photo sat in exactly the same position. They were totally game to stop by an ice-cream truck, climb a tree, and lay in a field of daisies. Can’t wait to see what they do next.
Find Duke Evers here:
Website | Facebook | Spotify
Interview by Stephanie Dore
Photos by Sunny Martini
Love this band! Thanks for sharing!