Death Metal Bird Song, is without a doubt, unlike any other act, you may have come across, within the music genre. Especially within the metal genre's death metal scene. That said, Death Metal Bird Song, have gone on to release, a set of singles, which were combined into a release titled “Capella Gold”, with plans on releasing songs off it, here and there, as well as further plans to play shows and release even more music. The man behind it all, Darren Cowan, discusses these matters, if not more, about the so called birds, that have flocked away into the musical skies of our minds, hearts, and souls.
1. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.
Darren: Death Metal Bird Song is more than just a band, it’s a circus of many friends playing birds in a death metal fashion, if that makes any sense. It’s a comedy, yet it can be brutal and harps on ideas of survival.
Our members are Randy “The Bald Eagle”-percussion and 'Merican, Chris “Stoned Raven,” song writing and electronics, Daryl “Grosbeak”-tape making, booking Michigan shows and electronics (Michigan flock), Michael “The Dodo Bird,” a very rare bird, indeed, Mike “The Mad Wolfman Berserker”—weaponry. Oh, and can’t forget Joey McCoy—backing vocals. She and her daughter Zoe have been ardent fans since the beginning. Her daughter is part of Shapeshifter PR, too, and has worked for DMBS merch.
Keep in mind, though, besides the Stoned Raven, none of these members have performed with DMBS, but are tapped for our live extravaganzas.
2. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that?
Darren: Ding, ding, the million-dollar question. This is a funny story. I was out at Blunn (Blunt) Creek in Austin, Texas like five years ago bird watching, smoked a joint in the woods and then cranked some Cannibal Corpse “Tombs of the Mutilated” on the journey home. All the sensory overload just hit me and I got the concept. Then I just started working on it. The whole thing had me scratching my head, though, like how can I make birding brutal. Well, as you’ll see on our true debut, it can be…nature can be very brutal.
3. Why did you want to play this genre?
Darren: I love birding and death metal, plain as that. On our Facebook page, you’ll see a list of influences that range from John Denver to Cannibal Corpse to Suffocation to Chris Christopherson to Marty Stoufer and John James Audobon to Mayhem and Emperor. I’ve been a fan of death metal since the early nineties and have interviewed many of my death metal idols and seen them in concert numerous times. It’s a complex form of music that is catchy and bruising at the same time. IT’S BROOTALL!!!
4. Have you had any luck seeking members to play and record with you for this project?
Darren: My luck has been up and down. I have people say they are going to commit and then they flake. I have musicians from major bands express interest and then all of a sudden their life changes and they become too busy. This is kind of a sore spot as this is how it has been throughout life. Fortunately, though, I have a lot of friends who are down with the DMBS flock, so they will be helping out, if nothing more than doing bird calls through my lap top. I actually have Texas and Michigan flocks with members like our computer/electronics Chris "The Stoned Raven" and Daryl "The Grosbeak". Also, I'm talking to wine bottle blowers for some of the country songs.
5. Out of all of the birds in existence or non-existence, which bird would you say is your favorite and why?
Darren: It depends one what I want in a bird. If I want something brutal, I'll pick a bird of prey. My first sighting of a bald eagle was one of my best experiences birding. Lately, I took my best picture of a bird of prey-a caracara, which is actually a falcon, but acts like a vulture in that it scavenges. Overall, though, the painted bunting for it's sheer beauty.
6. What other songs off “Capella Gold”, do you think we will see, be made into singles and or videos, or you would like to see?
Darren: Well, all of these songs are basically singles. They will be singles for upcoming albums I've already written or have a concept in mind. For instance, "Finger Fucking Fang Bangers" will come out on an album about fangs. There are the country songs from Bill Barnes and the Geiners + A Beiner, so there will be a lot of singles off this "demo." The main single, right now on the Gold album, though, is "Tits." This song really resonates with people, especially boob lovers (not all men/women are boob people).
7. Who produced “Capella Gold” and what was it like working with them?
Darren: I recorded and produced every song and it was fun working with me :).
8. Who did the cover art for “Capella Gold” and how much input did you have on it?
Darren: That's the closeup of a marijuana bud that I shot with my Nikon D40 with 28-300 ml lens. I no longer have that lens. I have a better one, because it's automatic. The lens I used on this photo was manual and I had issues with blurry-ness. I am also a pro photographer (and pot smoker).
9. Is there any story or concept behind the “Capella Gold” title?
Darren: Nope, it's a Capella album and the gold part is a pun on Acopoco Gold, the strand of marijuana. Don't ask me what strand is pictured.
10. What can people expect when listening to “Capella Gold”?
Darren: To laugh, to have fun, to get brutalized by shit like "Finger Fucking Fang Bangers." You have to have a twisted sense of humor to get it, though, and I think that has really come out in my press releases I do for Shapeshifter PR, my press company. I feel like a revoluntiary publicist in that many of my
press releases are satire. Who does that? The average press release is nothing more than a purging of facts. DMBS releases are part fact/major fabrication.11. Which bird would you say, will likely become the mascot for Death Metal Bird Song and why?
Darren: The cuckoo bird because the concept of the cuckoo bird nest robbing is death metal brutality, the fledgling cuckoo killing its brood and then enslaving the smaller foster parents to feed it. It's called brood parasitism and on our self-titled album you'll hear a song called "Blood Parasitism." That song is also represented on our first t-shirt. I also just made t-shirts for The Undertaker Bird, a song that will come out on the debut, as well. Also, I'm the cuckoo bird, so it just fits.
12. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?
Darren: Yes, I had tentative plans to play with G.O.A.T. and your M.O.M. at SXSW but that didn't work out. He was too busy doing other shows to do a house show. House shows and back yards where you can feel nature are the goal of future live endeavors. I am going to Michigan in a couple of months to play the "Death Metal and Birding Across Michigan Lakes and Lawns" tour. We'll see how that goes. Again, flaky people.
13. What plans do you have for the future as a band?
Darren: Put out a ton of records, play shows, have surprise guest appearances-have fun with the audience and flock members.
14. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
Darren: You can buy Capella Gold on Bandcamp (https://deathmetalbirdsong.bandcamp.com/) and Shapeshifter PR's Reverb Nation page at (https://www.reverbnation.com/shapeshifterpr).
Our Reverb page is #1 metal site in Georgetown, Texas, basically north Austin. We have a ton of good content. Listen to some of the songs, interviews and watch some of the videos of our artists.
15. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?
Darren: I would like them to think it's funny and weird. The concept alone was definitely a stoned idea that just kept with me like THC on my lungs. Thanks for the support Natalie. You’ve always been very supportive of the Shapeshifter brand. Keep on keepin’ on cheers.
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