Bronx Casket Co.
An interview with rocker D.D Verni
by Tina Hall
December 2010
D.D Verni
Bronx Casket Co. was originally formed by Overkill bassist D.D Verni. The current line up consists of Jack Frost (guitar), D.D. Verni (bass/guitar/lead vocals), Charlie Calv (keyboards), and Rob Pallotta (drums). With four albums to their credit the band has quiet a cult following. Their sound has been described as Goth Metal.
The bands second release caught the eye of Andrea Lepcio. Bronx Casket Co., A Musical was the end result. The cast featured members from Hairspray, Rent,Dance of the Vampire, and several members from the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Though still in the writing stages several shows have been performed off Broadway for producers/backers. It features a Gothic/Broadway themed soundtrack with a twisted love story throughout. It also includes the music from the first two Bronx Casket Co. albums as well as 13 new tracks by Verni. Recently signed to E1 their latest album is due out soon.
Maximum Ink: Can you tell our readers a little about your background? Where are you from? How did coming from where you do influence your musical stylings?
D.D Verni: I am from Jersey, born and raised. Lived in Manhattan for a lot of years and then moved back into Jersey where I live now. I was raised on Metal…early Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, before that Ted Nugent and Aerosmith, Kiss….never really listened to any other kinds of music, don’t really listen to a lot of different music even now…99% of everything I listen to is some kind of metal…it’s just the music I have always loved.
MI: Did you always want to be a musician? What do you think you’d of been if not that?
DV: Pretty much there was no back up plan….that’s always what I wanted to do. Although I thought about going to film school as well.
MI: What was it like to first realize you could make a living a doing what you love?
DV: Pretty great….and then being able to still do it an have a family really was having the best of both worlds.
MI: What led you to form the Bronx Casket Co?
DV: Just trying new stuff. More and more I like being a songwriter and working with other musicians etc. is a challenge and fun.
MI: How would you describe the live shows?
DV: Ha Ha there have only been a few so it’s hard to say. We will be doing a bunch for this record so ask me in a year or so. There will be lots of energy for sure, and great lighting because that is a lot of fun to try and work out.
MI: What was it like to work on the musical? Did you ever imagine you’d be doing that?
DV: The musical was really weird at first…kind like being punked, but little by little I really got my head around it. I think before I started working on this I saw one musical in my life, but at this point I am pretty well involved in what new musicals are coming out and who is doing them and I have a ton of cast albums, so it’s really interesting and so different that what I usually do…but I really enjoy it.
MI: What is Andrea Lepcio like? Were you surprised there was such an interest in your work there?
DV: Andrea is a play write but also my sister in law. My wife Lisa was really the one who saw Bronx Casket as a musical. She loved the first 3 records and kind of saw a running theme and she went to Andrea with the idea and it just continued to grow. Andrea has done dozens of plays etc, she has been involved in theater for many years.
MI: What genres of music do you prefer?
DV: Metal! There is nothing like it…from something light like Aerosmith to Slipknot it’s just the best music there is. I can appreciate other types but at the end of the day after 3 songs or so it’s like…turn that shit off.
MI: How do you think the industry has changed most since you first began working in it?
DV: Labels becoming more and more irrelevant. People making and distributing their own albums, and at a high quality. Back in the day if you did not hire really top notch people and studio your record sounded like crap. Not so now, I have heard really great shit people did in their apartments so it’s really a lot different.
MI: Do you find it a challenge to provide bass, guitar and vocals for the band?
DV: It was a challenge, but that’s the point. Bronx Casket is a labor of love, it’s takes a lot of time and a lot of energy but the challenge makes it worth it. Vocals are always fun, it’s something I do not have a ton of experience at so it’s new…and guitar is fun as well, very different than bass, but doing both I really enjoy.
MI: What projects are you currently looking forward to bringing your fans?
DV: Right now I am working on a lot of punk tunes. Sooner or later I will develop something around that. Maybe even the next Bronx Casket. I try to change what that band is from record to record. But I love punk stuff Green Day etc. and I have a ton of material for something like that and have always wanted to put it together so sooner or later I will definitely get that done.
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Bronx Casket Co.
CD: Hellectric Record Label: Regain Records
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