Interview with Daniel DiMaggio (Home Blitz)
by Tony Rettman (June 2006)
HOME BLITZ is the "recording project" of Daniel DiMaggio, a sweet and puzzling kid from back where I grew up in Jersey. I first met him years ago down at the local college radio station one Saturday night. He was holding a battered Casio keyboard and stared at his shoes the whole time I talked to him. Since then, he's continued to confuse and entertain me. Daniel recently pooped out all the music he's been consuming on a little 3-song 7" and don't the kids just love it. Well, not necessarily "kids" . . . more like old fatsos, garage nerds, and various other record-hungry nerdlings. His jams are hook-laden and demented. He hangs out at home and eats Cheetos. He walks down the street laughing to himself. He walks into the sun and it retracts. He has a dog named "Dolorean" and walks her down the railroad tracks. He's got a crush on a cassette tape rack. He smokes candy cigarettes in front of the WaWa. He's Daniel DiMaggio and he don't got no time for talkin' smack.
Me and him did this interview on a double date with Lola Falona and Angie Dickinson. They were duds.
* * *
For those who don't live in the central New Jersey area:
John Eastridge is a local kid from Daniel's neighborhood. He and Daniel hosted the infamous "Strong Little Legs" show on WPRB a few years back.
Brian Mulvey is a co-worker of Daniel's, plays in Home Blitz, and records his own stuff as well.
Palmer Square is the town square in Princeton, New Jersey. Rich, filthy hippy kids hang out there and hang up flyers for all sortsa crap.
* * *
Daniel DiMaggio: Wanna do the interview?
Tony Rettman: Yeah, I guess. So . . . in that interview you did on the Terminal Boredom site, you say something like "I've recorded stuff since I was little." Were you recording music when you were little?
Daniel DiMaggio: Why do you "guess" we'll do the interview? We don't have to do it now if you don't want to.
Tony Rettman: We're doing it! So . . . what was this stuff you were recording when you were little?
Daniel DiMaggio: Various stuff. I guess half of it was sort of noisy weird stuff. A lot of it involved me on electronic keyboard in parts and it was kind of gay sounding. Some of it I bet is pretty sweet but I haven't listened to it in a while. I think there were some cover songs too.
Tony Rettman: What kinda cover songs?
Daniel DiMaggio: Like the Stooges and Velvet Underground
Tony Rettman: When did you start playing music with other kids?
Daniel DiMaggio: The first band I was in was Red Episodes, which was with John Eastridge and our friend Andrew. We were really bad, we recorded a full length album that is quite funny when listened to today. The only songs we could agree on covering were by Seal, Madonna, and Elton John.
Tony Rettman: And did Red Eyes come after that?
Daniel DiMaggio: Red Eyes were a band that me and John formed with this foreign kid, Roman, who came to our school in 10th grade. It's really awesome messy bedroom punk with toy drum set and trebly guitar. I would like to have it released at some point, and there are funny stories about the singer that I will relate in the liner notes of that release. This band broke up 'cause after our last practice (the only time we recorded using real drums), we went to the campus of the Hun School, a Princeton private school by John's house, after playing, and started a small bonfire on its grounds. Campus security or whatever came and got us in trouble and took our names and called our parents, and then we ran back to John's house and his dad was there and pointed to Roman and was like "I don't want you coming here any more," even though I think like me and John mostly started the fire, he blamed it on Roman. I think I used this as an excuse not to have practice at my house either, 'cause he was annoying.
Tony Rettman: What ever happened to the foreign kid?
Daniel DiMaggio: As far as I know, he moved to Atlanta with a girl and is now father to a son named Sailor Fire. I hope he doesn't read this
Tony Rettman: So, were these songs on the 7" just lying around for awhile in your archives? Did you just decide one day "I'm going to release these songs on a record"? Was the concept of Home Blitz in your mind when you were recording them?
Daniel DiMaggio: The first two songs were around for awhile. The third one on the single, "Hey!", may have been recorded after I decided to do the record.
Tony Rettman: Where did you come up with the name?
Daniel DiMaggio: I came up with the name while watching TV. I saw that Home Blitz is the name of a TV show on the country music channel. I have never watched it.
Tony Rettman: I thought it was some sorta reference to homemade Oi! music.
Daniel DiMaggio: That's sort of why I liked the name. It sort of suggested to me the idea of like freaking out and going crazy in my house. It sort of sounds like an 80s hardcore band name, but kind of pussy sounding.
Tony Rettman: What inspired you to finally say "Screw it, I'm gonna put this stuff out on a record"?
Daniel DiMaggio: I think it was at the suggestion of Brian Mulvey that I do a 7". He now plays drums in Home Blitz.
Tony Rettman: So Brian Mulvey is to blame for all this crap? I thought it was [name censored].
Daniel DiMaggio: Fuck no! Fuck that dude! Don't print that! Do you have any good stories about that guy?
Tony Rettman: It's not like I ever really hung out with the guy. He's like a lamp post to me. He's always there, but I never pay too much attention, you know what I mean?
Daniel DiMaggio: He looks like a troll. I can tell you that much.
Tony Rettman: So, were you expecting such a great response from the release of the single?
Daniel DiMaggio: No! I was very surprised at the across-the-board good response that the record has garnered. To be honest, I didn't really like this 7" as much as the upcoming 7". I guess I decided to put this one out first so people didn't think Home Blitz was getting worse. I like it pretty well now, though, it's "grown" on me. My life is pretty crazy now in that I have to mail mad packages and I have to package them while sitting on my bed, which I think is putting a strain on my back. It's also cutting into my reading of back issues of XXL and The Wire.
Tony Rettman: What's up with the second single you want to do?
Daniel DiMaggio: It's recorded and ready. I just gotta make the sleeve and send it out to the plant. I like it a lot better than the first one. I assumed people wouldn't like the first one ‘cause I didn't like it that much. I have come around to the first one, though.
Tony Rettman: What makes this new single better than the other one to you?
Daniel DiMaggio: I like the songs better and I feel that the recording quality is better. I think I like them the same at this point, though. Sorry that I keep going back on what I said.
Tony Rettman: No way, man, it makes you look "regular" to the people. It's good for "P.R." How did you rope Brian Mulvey into this?
Daniel DiMaggio: I think I just asked him. He might have proposed to play drums
Tony Rettman: "Proposed" . . . eww.
Daniel DiMaggio: Okay, he propositioned me
Tony Rettman: So is he an actual "member"' of Home Blitz now or is he just a hired hand?
Daniel DiMaggio: I suppose he is an actual member. I'll let him be one.
Tony Rettman: That's nice of you. Is he allowed to "pitch" song ideas to you?
Daniel DiMaggio: Ehhh . . . we'll see.
Tony Rettman: Well, then it's not really a band, Daniel.
Daniel DiMaggio: Yeah, I guess so.
Tony Rettman: You're playing your debut gig in a few weeks, right?
Daniel DiMaggio: Yeah, in a basement in New Brunswick.
Tony Rettman: What's your game plan for the show?
Daniel DiMaggio: I guess we'll play like eight songs. Six originals and two covers.
Tony Rettman: What covers are you gonna do?
Daniel DiMaggio: A song by the band the Vertebrats called "Teen Seen" and "I Don't Know What I Want" by the Raspberries.
Tony Rettman: So, is Home Blitz gonna be a real band now? Are live shows gonna be a real thing or what?
Daniel DiMaggio: Pretty much. Like it or not, Home Blitz is now a brand name, and it is good business to expand on that and take advantage of any potential American audience that may exist by performing live. A long time ago I thought about doing a solo set that would feature a long-form version of "Rockin' Robin" that was frightening and had improvised lyrics, but I decided that having a multi-membered performing group would be better. I still want to get a bass player
Tony Rettman: Any leads?
Daniel DiMaggio: Yeah, there is one person that is a possibility that I've recently learned about, but I don't want to discuss it in depth as not to scare him away. However, that shouldn't prevent anyone interested in being in the band from contacting me.
Tony Rettman: Why don't you just put up a flyer for a bass player in Palmer Square?
Daniel DiMaggio: Actually, the only time I ever put up a flyer to start a band, Brian Mulvey was the only person who answered. That was like six years ago and it was to start a "drone/psych" band.
Tony Rettman: So, fate brought you together. Fate and a flyer.
Daniel DiMaggio: Except he didn't show up when we were supposed to meet
Tony Rettman: So, here's the one question I wanna axe . . . did you want Home Blitz to be totally anonymous?
Daniel DiMaggio: Nah, not really. I guess the reason the 7" looks anonymous is because I sort of wanted to convey the impression that it was a band, rather than just me. It is sort of embarrassing to put out a 7" all by myself.
Tony Rettman: So, do you have any certain musicians in mind when you record this Home Blitz stuff?
Daniel DiMaggio: I wanted the band to be like a combination of early Half Japanese and the Jags, but I think it comes across as slightly more generic.
Tony Rettman: What do you mean "generic"?
Daniel DiMaggio: Like, it sounds more "normal" sounding.
Tony Rettman: Are you saying that record doesn't sound fucked up enough for you?
Daniel DiMaggio: I guess it sounds fine. The songs sound more normal and clean in my head than how they come out. I guess it all evens out in the end.
Tony Rettman: What music are you currently jamming?
Daniel DiMaggio: Queen -- Sheer Heart Attack, Mark Tucker -- Batstew, Lil Wayne -- Tha Carter II, and the Rhino Records DIY Teenage Kicks comp of English groups. That Rich Kids song ["Ghosts of Princes in Towers"] on there is great.
Tony Rettman: Yeah, that's the only Rich Kids song I kinda like, to be honest.
Daniel DiMaggio: Nah, man, their whole album is good
Tony Rettman: I'll try to give it another listen. It's one of those records I always want to like, but I never come away with anything from it. Fuck it. So, break down the future of Home Blitz.
Daniel DiMaggio: The re-press of the first 7" with an actual printed label rather than the rubber stamped labels of the first pressing. The re-press will be in an edition of 300 rather than the 200 of the first pressing. Then we'll have the one-two punch of the Home Blitz "Live Outside" 7" and a Home Blitz/Friends and Family split cassette. I was also thinking of giving some songs to Rich from Parts Unknown, because he expressed interest in doing something with Home Blitz.
Tony Rettman: Rad! So is [same name censored from above] going to play bass in Home Blitz?
Daniel DiMaggio: Yeah, he's dusting off his axe that has been unused since his days in . . . ugh . . . what was that shitty band he was in?
Tony Rettman: I forget . . . for now, let's just call them the Hungry Beavers.
Daniel DiMaggio: Okay, that's cool with me.
Tony Rettman: So, I have the exclusive scoop that [name censored] from the world famous Hungry Beavers is going to play bass in Home Blitz?
Daniel DiMaggio: Yeah. I think that'll provide more than enough of the extra push needed to catapult the project into super-group status.
Tony Rettman: Is there anything else you want to talk about?
Daniel DiMaggio: I will describe the upcoming 7". It was recorded live last fall.
Tony Rettman: Where was it recorded?
Daniel DiMaggio: On the corner in front of my house. I try to give the listener some background information while the record is playing.
Tony Rettman: Like, do you sing "I'm walking to the corner" on the record?
Daniel DiMaggio: More or less. It's all narrated.
Tony Rettman: It's official. You are insane.
pulled from http://www.slippytown.com/2homeb.htm
(dan dimagg is always a pleasure to be around and he always seems to find an escape route out of bad shows which is better than a compass and two sticks and a pack of smokes)
