Davey Suicide
Davey Suicide by MichellexStar
Extreme hairstyles? Check. Morning-after runny clown makeup? Check. Thick, grooving nü-metal licks with anguished scream-o vocals? Check. Bad blood with former record label, with the band ultimately prevailing? Check. Access to the Cenobites’ wardrobe? Check. Stage antics somewhere in the region of GWAR, Sweet Tooth’s “Twisted Metal” universe, and a hybrid of Steel Panther’s humor with Ministry’s industrial metal/punk crossings? Check.
This is Davey Suicide. Formed in 2010 and comprised of the eponymous front man, Drayven Davidson (drums), Niko Gemini (guitars), Needlz (keys), and Derek Obscura (bass), the band has had quite the ride in its seven years. Scouted by Linkin Park’s former manager and signed in spring of 2012 to Standby Records, the band toured extensively and released an EP and an LP. They had fans, momentum, and people’s attention. And then Davey Suicide got a taste of the music industry’s dark side with the release in late 2014 of their second album, “World Wide Suicide.”
The following year-plus would be spent primarily in litigation, not music-making, with Standby accused of having abandoned the album instead of promoting it, and Davey Suicide effectively grounded. It took a performance of sorts to break the stalemate: In August of 2016, Davey himself posted a 10-minute video, entitled “Record Label Scandal,” detailing his troubles. The clip drew more than 1.2 million views, and Standby quickly settled, granting the band its freedom and ownership of its recordings.
With catalogue tucked safely under wing, Davey Suicide have resumed the grind with a new album, “Made From Fire,” and a tour featuring a novel meet-greet-and-get-tattooed package. Nü-metal might take some flack, but Davey Suicide transcend the genre. They don’t take themselves too seriously — just seriously enough to guarantee their followers a great experience. “Rock fans haven’t gone anywhere; they just need a reason to fall in love again,” is Davey’s oft-repeated credo.
Buoyed by their legal win, they’re back in control of a destiny that looks bright. And it’s no mystery who they’re “sick, so sick of” in the lyrics of their recent single “Rise Above.”
Davey Suicide perform December 13 at Respectable Street in West Palm Beach. sub-culture.org ~ Abel Folgar
