Stereoboard Talk To Former Hollywood Undead Member Turned Solo Artist Deuce (Interview)
Friday, 27 April 2012
Written by Heather McDaid
When you find your time in a band is becoming stale, it’s always a huge risk to take the plunge, leave the band and pursue your own solo project. Two years ago, Deuce did exactly that. Following his departure from Hollywood Undead, he embarked on his own solo record ‘Nine Lives’, which is finally seeing the light of day.
“Yeah definitely, I’m excited!” he begins. “It has been a long time coming. This really represents the next step for me and the fans can finally get the follow up to Swan Songs that they have been waiting on for years.”
Following the split with his former band, there was some legal issues surrounding his music. “I wasn't able to put up music on the internet for a year,” explains Deuce. “But at the same time I had to write my own album, so it inspired me to write the songs I did. Songs like ‘Nobody Likes Me’, ‘Walk Home’, ‘Help Me’ and the fact that I knew that people were actually trying to stop me from putting my music out there, on the internet, anywhere, made me go harder, party harder, write harder, perform harder. The fact that I knew people were trying to shut me down really made realize that I had something dope, something special, so it was shitty but inspiring.”
“I want the fans to finally hear my voice – uncensored,” he continues. “Being in a group, you can get held back. The fans deserve to hear the full and honest voice of Deuce and now they finally have it. [The record turned out] better than I wanted with songs like ‘America’, ‘I Came To Party’ (ft Travie McCoy), ‘The One’. People listen to it and tell me I have the type of music for stadiums. I don't think I would have done anything differently; I think I got lucky and made an amazing album... not lucky, but I think it worked out right you know - the right time, grab my fans back, make new ones. To me it’s just the start.”
“It all has to fit together, the reality of the life, the sound, the melody, the raps,” he adds, referring to his lyrics. “They all have to go together into one message and if they don't we tweak it until they do. It’s really that approach, you know; grab a pen and some paper and party. I would say my biggest influence is the experiences that revolve around Deuce, what Deuce has experienced. That’s my biggest influence. Musically I listen to everything, every type of music, but the main influence is real life, my life.”
“I feel like my experiences as a solo-artist seem to be crazier than in a band,” he notes, comparing being solo artist to being part of a band. “It just seems like there is more everything: more groupies, louder shows, more crowd-reaction, more mosh-pits, more fans to say wassup to, more freedom, more everything. It’s more crazy and I love it, and people keep tellin' me that Deuce is better than what I had made before, like every day, saying its better and I improved.” With his new record due imminently, the age old question rears its head: as a musician, what does he make of downloading? “You know I would rather people buy the album and singles and videos, I can't always control that stuff, but I hope my fans support me by buying it instead of downloading it for free.”
Turning to his solo career’s trajectory, he says, “I just see me making a lot of music, a lot of new songs coming out. You know, I don't depend on other producers, engineers or anything, so I would say I just see it with a lot more material, videos, singles, etc. I just want to make shit tons of music and will keep doing it since I don't need anyone. [A year from now I’d like to see myself] fuckin playin’ arenas and making new music!”
What should fans expect from the rest of 2012? “A lot of fuckin’ partying! Just Deuce going bigger, goin’ harder, takin’ other mother fuckers out of the game.”
“Thanks for the interview; to all my sexy fans reading this shit, I love you guys!”
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“Yeah definitely, I’m excited!” he begins. “It has been a long time coming. This really represents the next step for me and the fans can finally get the follow up to Swan Songs that they have been waiting on for years.” 
