Welcome to Neon Nights! Tonight on show #41 you’ll be hearing The Dandy Warhols chat with John von Ahlen. Following on from ‘You Are Killing Me’ from a few weeks back, the band have unveiled the second single  from their forthcoming album.  ‘STYGGO’ is a classic Dandies track. Imminently percussive, sexy, slick and packed with meandering, ear-wormy melodiousness. Without further ado… The Dandy Warhols are promoting their new single STYGGO & new album Distortland (released Fri 8 April).

The psychedelic alternative quartet the Dandy Warhols formed in Portland, Oregon in 1994. Initially, the band invited comparisons to influences the Velvet Underground and Ride, but their cool, detached demeanors and knack for melody also provided America with an answer to Brit-pop. The Dandy Warhols were founded by Courtney Taylor (vocals, guitar), Zia McCabe (keyboards), Peter Holmstrom (guitar), and Eric Hedford (drums), who signed on with the independent label Tim/Kerr shortly after their formation. In 1995, the Dandies released their debut, Dandy’s Rule OK?, and while other rock bands may be a bit hesitant to spell out their influences, the Dandy Warhols decided to openly advertise it, as the album contained such song titles as “Lou Weed” and “Ride.”

Capitol signed the group the same year, but the Dandys’ new label rejected a second album they submitted (claiming it didn’t have any “hits”). Disappointed but undeterred, the group reunited once more with the producer of their debut album, Tony Lash, and came up with Dandy Warhols Come Down, issued in 1997. While the album didn’t exactly establish the group as a household name, it did prove to be an underground fave, especially in Europe, where the group became the toast of the critics and enjoyed more substantial commercial success. The single “Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth” received modest attention, for which a promo video was filmed by renowned celebrity photographer David LaChapelle. As the band’s popularity began to increase, Hedford left the band to take up DJing in Portland, and Taylor’s cousin Brent DeBoer stepped in to play drums. In 2000, the band issued its third full-length, Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia. “Bohemian Like You” was a hit in the UK and on American college radio, going on to become one of their most iconic songs. Two summers later, founding member Peter Holmstrom married his longtime girlfriend and took her maiden name of Loew. Taylor also got a name change when he opted to go by Courtney Taylor-Taylor after an interviewer misinterpreted the pronunciation.

Brent de Boer (The Dandy Warhols) talks about their new album “Distortland”, working with Nick Rhodes, Nile Rodgers, The Odditorium and much more!
Saturday 7pm GMT+10 on JOY949.

Tune into JOY 94.9 on your radio, or listen on your computer / mobile device by visiting www.joy.org.au/listenlive

Thanks to everyone who sent in requests and messages on our social media platforms. I love hearing from you! See you next week.

Electronically Yours,

John von Ahlen