David Dirks Shows Off His Steez

Easily the most eclectic of Monrovia's mental mavericks, David Dirks has been involved in countless, varied projects. The man's creativity seems to have attention deficit disorder as he shifts from more traditional band formats and music production to outrageous yet awe-inspiring performance art at the firing of a neuron. After his tenure as one half of seminal folk punk balladeers The Lethargic Gay and the Aggressive Stepfather along with singer/multi-instramentalist and fellow genius Clayton Rose, Dirks joined alleged cult Collateral Jammage and His Young Friends to terrify the parents gathered at Greg's Backyard Show of Winter 2010 with a primal display of brutal pounding, scattered thoughts, and wild dancing. Dirks broke through into the Monrovia mainstream when he won the 2011 Monrovia High School Battle of the Bands. Performing with mysterious twin anachronisms under the moniker Bob Marley, Dirks unleashed his inner demons and captivated the auditorium for a haunting ten minutes which would prove to be unforgettable. Recent rumors suggest that this was a preview of what could be expected from the vagarious vaudevillian. Dirks' new project is called Primo Steez, an ambitious effort that seeks to blend the aggressive verbosity of  rap music with the lush atmospheric sounds of current bands like Animal Collective. Dirks allowed the Monrovia Renaissance into his lair for a brief interview as well as a two-song performance that recalled his earlier work. Buckle your seat belts:

 

Monrovia Renaissance: What do you feel is the current state of music in Monrovia?

David Dirks: Monrovia specifically is in shambles. I heard we’re the birthplace of Reel Big Fish and some other bands, and it makes me feel kind of down sometimes. When I’m down though, I just pick up my instruments and just keep playin’ em, and playin’ em, and playin’ em…

MR: What do you find gives you the most inspiration to make music?

DD: Definitely Charlie Day from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, without a doubt. His energetic acting skills really inspire me to be a more of an energetic person.

MR: Tell us about your current work: what have you been working on and what is the feeling behind it?

DD: I’ve been working on a solo project I call Primo Steez. It’s a collaboration inspired by various rap artists such as Gang Starr and Wu Tang. I think it’s going to be a great hit.

MR: And you think the folks in Monrovia are ready for this?

DD: No, I don’t. I think they’re still pretty hooked on Reel Big Fish.

MR: Have you considered a Lethargic Gay and the Aggressive Stepfather reunion?

DD: You know, I have considered it here and there and I think it’s about time we did have one sometime. Maybe this summer.

MR: Possibly at the next Greg’s Backyard Show?

DD: If he’ll have us.

   

Look out for further updates on the Lethargic Gay reunion tour and official  releases from Primo Steez. In the meantime, enjoy these two songs from David Dirks, the first release in our Monrovia Renaissance Singles Series.

Click here to go to the Singles Series page and listen to David Dirks