It’s kind of a big deal when a band raises a ruckus with their debut release. Arizona quartet DED released their first full-length album Mis•an•thrope July 2017 and have been a showstopper since. With their high-energy performances, hardcore sound, and mesmerizing stage presence, there’s no doubt the band will continue to make waves in the rock scene.
Vocalist Joe Cotela sat down to talk about his first Shiprocked experience in the Bahamas.
ANTIHERO: Good morning! We woke up on the beach of Half Moon Cay. Can it get any better than this?
Joe Cotela: (sighs) Probably not. No, it’s pretty awesome. Now, if I woke up in a swimming pool full of millions of dollars, that’d be pretty kickass. But other than that, this is priceless.
ANTIHERO: What has been your favorite experience so far on Shiprocked?
Joe Cotela: The whole thing. The whole thing has been a highlight. I’ve never been on a cruise before. Being with a bunch of my friends, befriending other artists. It’s just dope. The food is great, the people are great. My jaw has been hitting the floor.
ANTIHERO: You guys had a killer set in the Victoria Lounge.
Joe Cotela: Thank you. It was so much fun.
ANTIHERO: It was packed, man. Like sardines in there. People were even rocking out in the foyer area and watching you all perform through the glass walls. Were you expecting that amount of engagement?
Joe Cotela: Oh, no. We try to be realistic about shows and never expect anything. You just see how it goes every time. It’s been awesome to have that support and have so many other bands coming and chilling. The fans… Shiprockers. It’s been one of my favorite shows we’ve ever played. The energy was off the roof. I can’t wait for our set tomorrow. That one will be outside.
ANTIHERO: You guys have had a lot of success with your debut album, having “Anti-Everything” on Sirius XM and your new single “Hate Me” is on airwaves. What’s it like from your perspective seeing fans singing along and your fanbase growing?
Joe Cotela: It’s been awesome for a couple of reasons. Obviously just to see people knowing your music. We were a band for a long time… we had already started playing shows and touring. It was a real challenge with just one or two singles to get people to enjoy your show. Which is awesome, we like the challenge. But it’s so gratifying now to have people listening to more and knowing the lyrics to the songs. Like one of my favorite things growing up listening to punk rock… I love sing-a-longs. I love putting the mic out there and people grabbing it. I love that energy.
ANTIHERO: What are some driving forces for you or inspirations that drive that mentality? Who do you look up to?
Joe Cotela: There’s a lot of them; I could name a list for forever. I have a Bob Marley tattoo… Every Time I Die is one of my favorite heavier bands. Deftones. I listen to all kinds of stuff.
ANTIHERO: You guys have been on the road with In This Moment and P.O.D. How has that been going?
Joe Cotela: Going great! They’ve both been amazing. All of the crew have been awesome and super intertwined, always helping each other out. It’s been super smooth. Everybody in the bands are super chill, super rad. The shows have been great, and the bands have been awesome.
ANTIHERO: Have you had a most memorable show yet?
Joe Cotela: I really dug St. Petersburg. It was an outdoor venue in a courtyard with almost like a Mad Max feeling. We’d never played in Florida, actually. Good reactions.
ANTIHERO: What’s your favorite lyric from Mis•an•thrope and why?
Joe Cotela: Oh man, that’s a pretty good one. There’s a lot of them. If you ask me this tomorrow, I’d probably give you a different answer. “What I say goes / No control” from “Architect.” “Architect” itself is a big one.
ANTIHERO: What plans does DED have for 2018?
Joe Cotela: A bunch of touring. We’ve got some stuff coming up that we haven’t announced yet. We’re looking to go overseas as well. We’ve got the Las Rageous festival coming up with Ghost, Underoath, and Atreyu. A Perfect Circle will be there, too. There’s a bunch of stuff, we just haven’t announced it yet. It’s really hard to say. We’re going out with Islander and P.O.D. after In This Moment. New stuff should be announced by March, but until then, come out of one of the shows.
