Photo by Jeff Fasano
You may not know the name Phil Leavitt but you certainly know his work. The multi-talented singer, songwriter and drummer has been writing and performing live for decades with big-time radio hits as well as songs appearing in national commercials, Amazon series’ and films like The Wolf of Wall Street. He is a member of the three-piece rock band dada, whose ultra-popular song “Dizz Knee Land” grabbed the ears of the masses back in the 90s, and plays drums and sings lead vocals in the rock blues duo 7Horse.
Eponymous Review recently caught up with Leavitt, where we talked technique, his bands’ forthcoming tour (which kicks off next month) and what it feels like to be included on the soundtrack to a film by legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese.
Laurie Fanelli: I love that the new 7Horse song is called “Swagger” because you have such a cool vibe to your music. How would you describe the sound of the new song?
Phil Leavitt: “Swagger” is really a quintessential 7Horse track. It sounds like a gunslinger from the Old West coming through the barroom doors. It’s got a big swinging groove and Joie’s [Calio] signature style riff, — part Zeppelin, part Beverly Hillbillies — and a lyric about the search for identity in a world where the odds are stacked against you. It makes you thirsty for whiskey and a night with Miss Kitty.
LF: How do you approach drumming differently from project to project as you play with dada, 7Horse and other groups?
PL: Good question because the approach really does differ. In dada I’m a pure player; totally focused on driving the feel of the band, locking down the time and accenting key emotional moments in the music from the drums. 7Horse is a bit different, especially when I’m singing lead. We have a concept in drum set playing called “independence” — having all four limbs playing different rhythms simultaneously. It’s really about coordination. To be a lead singing drummer you have to get all of that going and then forget about it and focus on telling the story of the song and connecting to the audience. It’s pretty easy when you just lock the phrasing of the vocal completely with the drumming but when you play with the vocal phrasing against the groove — laying it back or sometimes getting in front of the time, it can be a challenge. I think that may be one of the reasons why you don’t see that many lead singing drummers. But I’ve been playing drums a long time. I try to just let my body do its thing and stay in the song as a singer and storyteller. I also spent some time with Blue Man Group playing drums in the Vegas show in the early 2000s. Very physical gig. Jumping around and attacking the kit like Keith Moon on steroids. A lot of fun.
LF: 7Horse’s “Meth Lab Zoso Sticker” was featured on The Wolf of Wall Street soundtrack. How does if feel to hear your music in a Scorsese film in a collection of music that includes songs from the likes of Elvis Presley, Bo Diddley and the Foo Fighters?
PL: Being featured in Wolf is a career highlight for sure. Let’s start with Scorsese. Does anyone use music better in film? Impeccable. It’s a high honor to be included in his soundtrack. It was nominated for a Grammy. Super cool. Howlin’ Wolf, Bo Diddley, Elmore James not to mention “Baby Got Back” by Sir Mix-A-Lot! Great company.
LF: You’re also celebrating 25 years of dada. What inspired you to get back into the studio to record “The Bluebird?”
PL: We did our first tour in four years last February and March. We came off the road like a good band should, hot and inspired. We hadn’t recorded together in 10 years. I said “Fellas, let’s get this thing into the studio while we’re feeling it.” Michael and Joie agreed. We had experienced a harrowing trip from Salt Lake City to Denver for a show at The Bluebird Theater so we had something to write about. Sometimes that’s all you need.
dada
LF: Dada is really known for your live concerts, what do you like most about performing with the trio?
PL: We’ve been at it so long it’s sometimes like we’re sharing a brain. We can improvise within the context of our songs and sometimes take things way outside, turn on a dime and go somewhere completely unexpected. I love listening to Mike Gurley play a solo. He’s a phenom. Under appreciated by the mainstream but for those in the know, he’s special. Plus the incredible power of the combination of the vocal harmony with the driving force of drums, bass and guitar. But best of all it’s the audience. They’re the reason we have been able to survive for 25 years. They’re the reason we still give it everything we’ve got night after night. I can’t get enough of them.
LF: Which dada tracks have evolved the most for you over the years, taking on a new meaning from when you first recorded them?
PL: I guess I’d have to say “Ask the Dust” from our second album American Highway Flower. It’s become a real showstopper over the years. It always had epic guitar but over time we’ve incorporated musical quotes from everything from “Eleanor Rigby” to the “James Bond Theme” to “Peter and the Wolf.” We’ve stretched that jam to great lengths many times. Our hardcore fans keep a stopwatch on it. I don’t know the record, but they do. “Dorina,” the opening song from our first record Puzzle also comes to mind. We always close with it. For me it’s really our signature song, much more than “Dizz Knee Land.” It’s sort of our way of saying farewell to the audience and thanks for sticking with us. Till next time…
LF: The dadaforever 25th anniversary Tour kicks off in July, what can fans expect from the show?
PL: We can’t wait to get back out on the road. Fans should expect energy. Epic solos, soaring harmony, thundering drums. Dada classics, deep cuts and brand new songs. A unique cover song or two. A mini-set from the greasy underbelly by alter ego 7Horse and above all a chance to be together, forget all the noise of the outside world and get lost in the music with like-minded souls. Hey, that sounds pretty good. Where do I sign up?
LF: Is there anything else you’d like to share with Eponymous Review readers?
PL: If you know us only from our hit song “Dizz Knee Land” you really don’t know what we’re all about. Come check out a show when we hit your town and hear the truth of rock ‘n’ roll. People say it’s dead. Not even close.
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Click here for a list of dadaforever tour dates and be sure to keep up with all things dada (Facebook and Twitter) and 7Horse (Facebook and Twitter).