Interview: Alex Dezen of The Damnwells
Posted by Joe
Since forming in Brooklyn in 2001, The Damnwells’ have lead a dynamic existence to say the least. After recording its first album in a Manhattan mini-storage, the band was signed and dropped by a major label (as chronicled in the documentary Golden Days), released the acclaimed Air Stereo and toured extensively-both as a headliner and opening for some big draws like Cheap Trick and The Dixie Chicks. The Damnwells released their third full-length, One Last Century, on Tuesday, Feb. 10, via free digital download.
Through it all, Singer-Songwriter Alex Dezen has been at The Damnwells’ center. He told us about creating and releasing One last Century on his own terms.
The Goodish: How was your mindset different going into this record?
Dezen: I didn’t want to worry about anything except making the record. I didn’t want to wonder if the record label would like it. I didn’t want to put any pressure on it. I had these songs and I just wanted to make a record. So, we went to Oxford (Mississippi) to record a bunch of tracks at a friend’s studio and just kind of kept it real, one or two takes for a song-just tried not to take ourselves so seriously. We worked hard and tried to make a record that reflected where I was, which is not where I am now and not where I was before.