Tour life seems quite challenging these days. Well, that’s not the case for musician Doyle. He kills it all and is not ashamed of who he is.
Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein is a very outspoken individual and an amazing musician. While on the road during his massive As We Die tour, he took a little time off to chat with Loud Hailer about some things that were on his mind. In this interview, we dive deep into his feelings on the music industry, vegan life, and the evolution of the industry as a whole.
LH: You have this massive world tour going on to promote your new album, As We Die. I saw in a previous interview that Alex was saying that you guys had to make the print on the shirts small because the tour was so long. I know you guys are in Wisconsin tonight is that correct?
Doyle: Green Bay!
LH: How has the response been on the tour? I know it has to be a lot of fun.
Doyle: It’s been good, man. Some places are very quiet and some places are not very quiet. The ones that aren’t quiet we like a little bit more.
LH: You always put on the best show for whatever crowd it is. As long as you’ve been in the music industry, how do you always keep up the energy to just keep playing and playing?
Doyle: You just do, you just do it, man. That’s how you feel it should be done and that’s what you do. It’s natural.
LH: When you guys released your latest As We Die last year, how was the reception to it and how has it been now that it’s been out a while?
Doyle: They reacted by saying “when is the next one coming out?” and I say “Why don’t you let us tour this one first”?
LH: Speaking of the latest album – you have your own record label, Monsterman, you’re independent, and you’re releasing it all on your own. Being in the music industry, what do you think is the hardest challenge that you can face being on a AAA label vs. releasing it yourself?
Doyle: It’s the promotion that is the challenge because a label helps you promote and lets people know I have a band. I’m on Instagram and half the people don’t know I’m even in a band, even though most of the pictures are me with a guitar. People just don’t pay attention. I’m guessing 70% of Misfits fans don’t even know I have a band.
LH: Continuing on the “Monsterman” discussion. Are there any plans to do some expanding with that label?
Doyle: We are just looking to sign some smaller bands to help get them out there.
LH: You’re very outspoken about your vegan lifestyle. Is that a challenge while you’re on tour surrounded by fast food and things like that?
Doyle: No, it does not. We go food shopping every day. We have vegan restaurants all over the world and we love them. It’s real food, man, everyone seems to think it’s magical unicorn sh**. It’s not, it’s vegetables, fruit, and things like that. It just doesn’t have an animal product in it. There isn’t even a need to put an animal product in your body because animal agriculture causes 50% of heart problems, 50% of diabetes, all kinds of cancers. Animal agriculture is the reason for climate change. 90% of rainforest have dealt with destruction. It’s also with antibiotics, eating animal products build up about 75% of antibiotic resistance because animal products are filled with so many antibiotics, hormones, and bullsh**.
LH: That’s insane! I did not know that.
Doyle: Yeah, a lot of people don’t. There are over 100,000,000,000 animal deaths every year.
LH: Well if you had to pick a favorite meal, what do you think your favorite vegan dish would be?
Doyle: Oh, God, I don’t know. The thing is, is that I get what everyone else gets, it’s just vegan. You know, I eat ravioli, I get pizza, pancakes, or whatever the f**k it is, man. (Laughs)
LH: People seem to think that vegan is a bunch of tofu or things like that. So, people can consume what they’ve been consuming, just vegan.
Doyle: Yeah, man. Definitely.
LH: I just wanted to point out that I had my very first veggie burger a little while back and it was delicious!
Doyle: Yeah, man! That’s where it started with me was the food. My girlfriend got me into it. We were scrambling around town trying to get her back to an airplane to get somewhere. We were starving and she said, “If we can’t get me something to eat, we can get you something to eat” and I was like “f**k that, I’ll never eat anything in front of you that makes you uncomfortable.” So, then we go out to eat, I would let her order and once she would order, I’d take a bite out of her food and be like “holy s**t, this is really good.” That’s what got me going. She enlightened me on the planet, corruption, violence, and all the bulls**t that I explained to you. It’s a no-brainer to not be a meat eater or product consumer.
LH: It’s obvious that you take care of yourself. Being vegan, does that also help you with your fitness life as well?
Doyle: Absolutely, I’m way leaner, I have no cholesterol, and being vegan can cure a lot of diabetes, and help with many things. I’m also sponsored by a company called Conscious Muscle and they make vegan protein powder and a food company called Trifecta, and they send 21 vegan meals every Friday before the shows and we can microwave it. It has protein, low sodium, it is completely awesome. For my physic, I’m sponsored by a company called Powerblock Dumbbell. They have adjustable sets and we bring them on the road with us. We have sets in Europe, Los Angeles, New Jersey, out in Montreal, and pretty much everywhere.
LH: How did these sponsors come about? Did it just happen over time, or did you run into each other?
Doyle: Conscious Muscle, is a company I follow on Instagram. I started talking to the guy because 10% of the profits go to help animal sanctuaries. One day he just came down to the show and was like, “hell yeah, I’ll sponsor you.” We could get them noticed by other people like my girlfriend is in a pretty big band, Arch Enemy and we just want to push it to the people to try to enlighten them. The Trifecta Meals, Nita Strauss with Alice Cooper, she put me on those meals because she was doing it. The Powerblock Dumbbells, I just called them up and told them who we were and they were like “you know what, we will give it to them for free because you’re a really good model for what we are doing here.” I promote them all the time, if people ask me what I’m using I’ll tell them, I post pictures with them, we kick them a lot of traffic. I need the weights and they are really awesome people so it’s great. It’s all I use man. I don’t use anything but the dumbbells.
LH: Being a staple in the music industry and getting to watch it grow from the inside, I’d love to get your thoughts on streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music, etc?
Doyle: I support iTunes because you have to buy. Spotify can go f**king die for all I care because they are ripping us off. It’s bulls**t. You know illegal downloads are killing the business. If I went into a motorcycle factory and took one it would be a crime. People are downloading our songs and they think they are just one person doing it when there are hundreds of thousands that are doing it. Now we have no more record sales. How do people expect to continue to get more music from bands they like if they’re stealing it? We aren’t millionaires. I don’t think I’ve made money from any of my tours yet. It’s always costing me money.
LH: So, you’re saying that you don’t do it for the money, but just the love of the craft?
Doyle: Yeah, but I would like to get paid for it someday because I have to live as well, but with everyone stealing it I can’t. If I went to someone’s work and stole a product of theirs it would be a crime. Why aren’t stealing songs a crime? It should be a big f**king fine and the internet should make it to where you can’t download a song unless you legally paid for it. That’s all there is to it, and it’s bulls**t and I can’t f**king take it.
LH: Do you think that streaming will take over or do you believe there will be another outlet to consume music?
Doyle: I think they should f**king shut streaming down because it’s a f**king rip off to the artist that makes the music. You want the song? Give us a f**king dollar. Every piece of music that I listen to I have bought. You know there was one time that I came out of a show. It was January and I’m freezing cold, I have no shirt on, and I’m sweaty, he asked, “will you take a picture with me”? I said no, and I went to the bus, then I have a**holes blowing me up on Instagram like “awww, you’re too good to take a picture with people?” I said, “look, you a**holes, if I get sick, then I get my singer sick, and the place don’t get to see the show because of you. Then, if I take a picture with you, then everyone outside will want a picture with me and when I say no I’m a d*ck.” He was like, “I paid $20 for your album.” Well, guess what, I paid $20,000 for my copy of that album and I still haven’t seen any of the money. So, you know, f**k off.
LH: I think a problem is, fans tend to put their favorite musicians on a pedestal. They have to realize that when you get off that stage, you’re human.
Doyle: Well, if they put us on a pedestal, they would legally download our s**t, but they are all so ignorant and used to being able to get what they want with a touch of a button instantly. They think everything should be f**king free and it shouldn’t. We work our asses off. I’m going to work out right now, getting s**t ready, doing interviews, and when I’m done with all that I’ll put on my makeup, and do the show. When I’m done with all that I have 30 seconds to myself, and I take that 30 seconds and I’m grateful and excited that I have that 30 seconds.
LH: My final question would be, if you had an overall message from Doyle that you’d want people to grasp, what would it be?
Doyle: I just ranted about it. Please stop f**king stealing music, man. People need to realize that when you keep picking and downloading band’s songs, they don’t get paid and then you don’t get any more. It’s ridiculous.
Photo By: Kanon Madness Photography
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