Pleased To Meet Me: Drakulas
Austin, Texas synth-punk lifers Drakulas return with Midnight City, their third full-length, out May 1 via Dirtnap Records (Wild Honey Records in Europe/UK). Built from proto-punk grit, garage rock urgency, and the synthetic pulse of early new wave, the record pulls from the worlds of Devo, Gary Numan, Grauzone, Kraftwerk, and the weirder edges of Neue Deutsche Welle, landing in a tight, off-kilter pocket where jagged guitars and cold synth lines push against each other without ever settling. It plays like a lost transmission from a strip mall arcade in 1982. Not nostalgia, not revival, more like something unearthed and reassembled, flickering but fully alive.
Introduce yourself… (Where are you from, what band do you play in etc..)
Savage Lord Mic aka Mike Wiebe. I play in Drakulas.
Why do you play music?
SL: I initially started in an acting program but became frustrated with the gatekeeping and the industry. I had been playing guitar for awhile but didn't consider myself good enough to be in a band. At some point I hooked up with some like minded friends and we played our first show. The world opened up to me and I found my thing. 30 years later it's still the same rush.
What was a major influence on you as an Artist/Band? What’s a favourite book or film?
SL: For Drakulas we got really into the 70s, early 80's era of New York. The fashion, music, drugs and the general sleaze. I got really into reading about the Golden Age of pornography in that scene. Back when it was all in movie theaters and grindhouses. There is a great podcast called the Rialto Reportthat I was listening to and it kind of became an ethos for the band.
Do you prefer the recording process or performing live? What would be a dream collaboration?
SL:They are completely different animals and I have things I love and hate about them both. I love the early process of recording and writing and collaborating with Pink Rick aka Zach Blair when are working on new material. I hate when towards the middle of that process gets tedious and you are excited to get it done but you really have to try to be deliberate while not overthink it. Sometimes writing lyrics is easy and sometimes it feels impossible. Again trying to find that balance of perfection while not overthinking. As far as live shows... They are always great but endless hours in a van or bus or plane is grating when you just want to get to that glorious hour long experience of actually playing.
What would be a dream collaboration?
Dream Collaboration would be with David Bowie. Sadly he is occupied now.
Describe a favourite album.
SL:Well I am in Drakulas mode right now so that's what's on my mind. Our newest record is Midnight City and it is the culmination of everything we have been evolving to. The first record is very guitar based but on this one we recorded using lots of synths and of kilter sounds. It's a look deeper into the psyche of a rotting metropolis
What's your favourite local haunt?
SL: There is a night club called Cafè Hiroshima in town. It's dirty and sleazy but they have a DJ after hours into the night. It's kind of a speakeasy after closing hours. You have to know the owners. Many times we stay there until sunrise
What's your strangest experience while performing live?
SL: We were playing a show in Tampa and former football player Terry Bradshaw came to see our show. Apparently his kids were huge fans and he had gotten into our stuff too. Not our normal target demographic for a listener. He was really cool and had crazy stories about hanging out with Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg and smoking weed with both of them.
If I were pursuing anything other than music it would be…
SL:We have also been producers on the This Is Gwar documentary and have other films in the works. The next one is a documentary on the rivalry between Mr. T and David Hasselhof in the 80's. It gets crazy.
What are some of your favourite aspects of being a musician in (Austin)?
SL:They have a program in Austin where musicians get free archery classes. It's weird but it's cool. I'm not at an olympic level yet but I've gotten pretty skilled.
If you weren’t playing music in (Austin) where would you be ?
Probably locked up in a mental health facility
Any sage advice for young musicians?
Not really in this climate. I guess make friends, form a scene,write a bunch of cool songs, play live as much as you can. When it comes to business and algorithms and social media I am sadly of no help For Drakulas we got really into the 70s, early 80's era of New York. The fashion, music, drugs and the general sleaze. I got really into reading about the Golden Age of pornography in that scene. Back when it was all in movie theaters and grindhouses. There is a great podcast called the Rialto Report that I was listening to and it kind of became an ethos for the band.
Drakulas’ new LP Midnight City (May 1 on Dirtnap Records / Wild Honey Records). Featuring members of Rise Against and Riverboat Gamblers, it’s a synth-punk / new wave burner with shades of Devo, Gary Numan, and LCD Soundsystem — weird, wired, and built for late-night repeat listens