The DTEASE

The DTEASE is a punk rock band from California and their music video for “I Got Mine” is nothing short of crazy. With clips from live shows and video of just some epic stuff going on this is definitely a video that will be discussed. Plus it has well over 20,000 views on YouTube so it’s obviously doing something right. In this video there is no shortage of whips, chains, crazy behavior, and everything in-between. The song has a great rocking vibe to it that makes you wish you were in the music video with them. Produced by Imperio of Electric SEX Enterprises, you can tell they knew what they wanted to do and they knew how to get it. This video will blow your mind and have you rockin’ out at the same time, check it out! - Booked Promotions

If you’ve ever seen a patent-leather-clad dominatrix whipping a man in a sharkskin suit on State Street, you’ve probably spotted The DTEASE, Santa Barbara’s famously revved-up rockers. No show is complete without sexy dancers, moshing, and raining condoms. This week, the glam punks celebrate the release of their new EP, The Wall Street Prostitute, at Whiskey Richard’s.

Lead singer Wilson Gil and band manager Catherine Imperio found each other about two years ago when Gil sent an acoustic recording of “Wall Street Prostitute” to Imperio’s then-fledgling booking agency, Electric Sex Enterprises. “I listened to this song and was like, ‘Oh my god, I need to meet this guy tomorrow,’” Imperio said. “He’s like Jim Morrison.” Soon, a symbiotic business partnership developed. “She jives into where I’m coming from as a performer,” Gil said. “If I have a crazy vision or an idea, she can put it all together.” The self-professed “Punk Rock Renaissance Woman” does everything from running online sales to designing merch to modeling as the band’s personal pin-up girl.

Many assume that The DTEASE is all a gimmick, but Gil asserts that that’s not the case. The band coats a recurring string of political commentary with seemingly mindless rock ’n’ roll excess; it’s a phenomenon the frontman calls “the poison pill wrapped in candy.”

We live in a culture of distractions, says Imperio, who double majored in psychology and studio artTK at UCSB and has a neuron tattooed on her torso. “You turn on your phone, and there’s just stuff popping up everywhere.” The ubiquity of information overload presents a problem when attracting the attention of potential listeners. Additionally, the unpredictable state of viral content has made Gil and Imperio willing to do anything it takes to get noticed. “The whole world is a big psychological experiment to me, where I’m just putting out stimuli and seeing what bites,” says Imperio.

The band’s notoriously over-the-top show is meant to double as an immersive experience. Gil says that all preconceived notions of labels disappear during their set — and within about 20 minutes, everyone lets loose. He creates an interactive environment by crowd-surfing and once even climbed atop the bar of SOhO as a woman grinded on his leg. “I always put myself in a position to get hurt, and I never [do],” Gil says. “I trust the people, and they trust me, and we’re all in it together.”

The literal smoke and mirrors of their show has come a long way recently, too. “It’s definitely gotten super tight. It’s a controlled atom bomb,” said Imperio. They’ve progressed from accidentally violating safety codes at Whiskey Richard’s with fire dancers to knowing the exact type of pillow to use in their onstage pillow fights. Imperio says she’s fascinated by how concertgoers interact with the band’s props. She recounts a show last September where two girls came out of the bathroom, made out with each other, then made out with Smokey the Clown, a life-sized-dummy/fog-machine hybrid.

Although the duo fully embraces the idea of “sex sells,” both Gil and Imperio note that sex is intrinsically tied in with their music — “rock ’n’ roll” is a reference to sexual acts, after all. The band’s inclusion of half-naked dancers writhing to raw riffs becomes “social lubricant” to make people feel more open, Gil says. He even relates the concert experience in sexual terms: “We build the arc of the show all the way up, like it’s a really good fuck.” - The Santa Barbara Independent

Making music on their own terms drives the Indie Rock Band, The DTEASE. Making music that others will want to listen to drives this publication to interview this brilliant band that delivers with a mean punch. Perhaps one of the baddest and coolest sounding bands out in the Indie Music Scene The DTEASE knows how to rock hard and still have fun at what they are doing. In this spotlight with our publication, the band sounds off about being an indie band in today’s market. Enjoy!

Isaac: Thank you for being a part of our weekly music interview spotlights. Let’s get started. The Indie Music Industry is an amazing beast. Many music critics have stated that Indie Music is on the rise with many new performers being discovered each day. Do you believe that indie music artists can rise to the level of stardom that their major music studio counterparts are able to now?

The DTEASE: Yes, but it is difficult for many reasons. Being signed to a major label doesn’t guarantee you fame and fortune. Majors these days just want a quick return on their money. Also, things have changed in the world and there is a lot of stuff competing for peoples attention, being in a band does not carry the same weight as it used to, it doesn’t drive the culture or carry the message the same way it did say in the 60s.

Isaac: What do you feel has been your biggest contribution you have made to Indie Music Industry thus far in your career?

The DTEASE: A constant effort to keep putting out music that we are proud of.

Isaac: I am interested to know if you could go back and change anything about your own musical career, what would it be and why?

The DTEASE: I would have recorded every song I had written because if you don’t capture it, it will eventually vanish because of many reasons …the band breaks up…I tire of playing it etc. if its recorded, then it can survive on its own and perhaps be used at a later time …otherwise it’s like it never existed.

Isaac: I am curious to know do you feel that the music industry as a whole is surrounded by an endless pool of undiscovered talents or overcrowded with mediocre performers.

The DTEASE: A combination of the two…there will always be talent, but they doesn’t mean they will break through, with all the new technology it makes it easier than ever to make a decent recording so more people are doing it. But, that also makes it harder to sort through because every band has something up on YouTube or whatever.

Isaac: Are you currently signed with any of the Indie Music Labels? If not, what are you looking for in any music label that you hope will complement your music?

The DTEASE: We have some label interest and we are waiting to see if it pans out. I think the main thing would be a label that has enough to help us with tour support and promotion. But its tough for everyone, I think you just have basically “sign yourself” and if some label wants to jump on board, then that is always an option. If you are just waiting around to be signed, then you should not be holding your breath.

Isaac: What do you feel has been one of the biggest challenges for you to bring your music to the masses?

The DTEASE: Well, financial help is always nice but again it doesn’t guarantee anything. Also, it’s always a challenge to present something that is interesting and will make people want to tell other people about it. Just because you are able to get your stuff to the masses doesn’t mean they are going pay attention to it.

Isaac: One of the best attributes for any performer to possess is tenacity. What is your professional and/or personal drive that has made you continue to make great music over the years?

The DTEASE: Knowing from a very early age that this is what I wanna do. If it’s truly your calling, then you have no choice.

Isaac: How has living in your current city affected the way you look at the music industry?


The DTEASE: It has helped us get a better understanding of who we are trying to reach, and allowed us to fine tune our show to really make people notice.

Isaac: We would love to see a music video from you! Do you currently have one that you can let our readers know about?

The DTEASE: Yes here are the links:

http://youtu.be/UBxnXQGLsW4 The DTEASE - I Got Mine

http://youtu.be/A4k7qeIZDx4 The DTEASE - In Too Deep LIVE

http://youtu.be/T60W7W1pKuU The DTEASE - Wall Street Prostitute

http://youtu.be/5vjI_kZ0RYk The DTEASE - Dirty Mattress LIVE

http://youtu.be/rj7m-ENCvsg The DTEASE - Shake

Isaac: At the end of the day, if you never reached musically to a certain level of fame and fortune, would you be happy that you made music on your own terms?

The DTEASE: WE ARE EXTREMELY HAPPY WITH THE MUSIC WE MAKE ON OUR OWN TERMS!

Isaac: For those who want to learn more about you and your music, where can fans find you online?

The DTEASE: Our website www.TheDTEASE.com has links to our music, social networks, photos, videos, etc.

Here are li - Junior's Cave Magazine

The DTease ~ April 27, 2013 @ SOhO

A public service announcements comes on, sirens wail, smoke fills the air - now you know The DTease have arrived.

The DTease are a local Santa Barbara glam rock band created a year and a half ago, a fully formed vision of lead singer Wilson Gil's frenzied mind. Banned from SOhO after their first show (about a year and a half ago) due to their complete demolition of everything, they made their return with what Wil calls a "now controlled demolition." A benefit of trial and error.

The show itself consists of strobe lights, smoke, barely clad dancers, confetti guns, pillow fights, crowd surfing, glow sticks, shinny suits, shoe drinking, literary quotes - oh, and of course, rock and roll.

The DTease immediately assault your senses with hard hitting rock and intelligent lyrics. Wil strives to gets his point across through his performance drawing on inspirations like Mick Jagger and Iggy Pop, urging the crowd to take his lead as permission to let go of inhibitions. The songs are political, sexual, and humorous. Hopefully the audience grasp that this is performance art at its finest, there is a point to the madness.

The set takes you from a public service announcement ("Insurgent"), through corporate corruption ("Wall Street Prostitute"), to some down and dirty rock ("I Got Mine"), and ends in "an ejaculation of feathers" ("Dirty Mattress"). And just when you thought it was over and you were satisfied, they erupt in one last blast ("Come Again"). Wil claims "it's like really good sex - sloppy but worth the clean up."

According to Wil, "it is hard to go to a DTease show and not have a good time." And he's not wrong. ‘Cause I got mine… and you can have some.

Upcoming DTease Shows - June 6th at Velvet Jones. - EdHat Santa Barbara

I managed to make my way to Muddy Waters where I planned on catching Kevin Seconds (of 7 Seconds), and managed to catch Wilson Gil (of DTEASE) as well. I was so glad that I did! This is where miracles of festivals happen, when you fall in love with an artist you did not intend to see. Wilson was the ultimate sleazy heroine sheik modern day punk rocker. Complete in a slick suit and greasy hair, he lamented about doing too much crack on a dirty mattress to rapid punk rock rifts then smashed his guitar, and it was instant love. - BlogSpot

WASHINGTON DC (Top40 Charts/ DTEASE Official Website) Just as explosive as the Occupy Wall Street grassroots revolutionary movement, punk/glam/rock band DTEASE have released "Wall Street Prostitute," The single has been making the rounds of the viral underground and has become the virtual anthem for those who have taken to the streets to demand change from corporate fat cats. The single was leaked well before the anticipated release of the DTEASE recording debut.

DTEASE have come out of nowhere slamming Southern California like a pissed off voice of reason. Seemingly talented, DTEASE have declined interviews citing "protecting the innocent," but have instead let their live show speak for them. It's one of those things; you have to see it, to believe it.

"Wall Street Prostitute" was produced by notorious producer Ronnie King (Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, The Offspring, Pennywise,) and mastered at Capital Records in Hollywood. - T40

The DTEASE have come out of nowhere, slamming Southern California like a pissed off voice of reason. Seemingly talented, DTEASE have declined interviews citing “protecting the innocent” but have instead let their live show speak for them. It’s one of those things: you have to see it to believe it. Banned from every club in town only to be asked back repeatedly, The DTEASE fan base has grown organically through word of mouth. Extreme energy coupled with a rock show not seen in decades, The DTEASE deliver much needed CPR into today’s music scene. Gone are the days of shoe watching performers – The DTEASE bring an involuntary dance reaction; you just feel compelled to participate. Their singles “Wall Street Prostitute”, “I Got Mine” and “Shake” are available on their website at www.thedtease.com and fan them on Facebook – www.facebook.com/thedtease . - Pop Vulture Mag

Santa Barbara, California, has brought to light some fascinating independent acts throughout the years. Without a doubt, one of these would have to be The DTEASE. They were brought together in 2011 and are managed by Catherine Imperio of Electric Sex Enterprises. While I don’t think interesting is the right word to describe them [DTEASE], they are anything but ‘just another band’. When it comes to their sound and lyrics, they have a competitive and unique style for their genre.

Their live shows are mind-blowing through video and I can only ideate the experience in person. Their lyrics are political, from the heart, and pissed off. Such is the case with ?Wall Street Prostitute,? a song targeted towards big corporations. The single [Wall Street Prostitute] was leaked well before the awaited release of DTEASE’s début album. However, the song made its rounds in the viral underground and essentially put The DTEASE in the light, helping the band hit number 8 on the reverberation charts.

According to Top 40, “DTEASE have come out of nowhere slamming Southern California like a pissed off voice of reason.” They [DTEASE] have shared the stage with a few known acts such as; Micky Avalon, stomprocket, and Agent Orange. The DTEASE have also been featured on the Dr Susan Block show, where they preformed as if they were playing for an arena.

With a style mix between the 80s and Today, it most certainly makes for an interesting band. With influences such as T-Rex, The Doors, and The Rolling Stones, it leaves no room to wonder about the energy of their live shows. The DTEASE have amazing sound, and the ability to go far if they play their card’s right. - Top Music Database

WASHINGTON DC (Top40 Charts/ DTEASE Official Website) Just as explosive as the Occupy Wall Street grassroots revolutionary movement, punk/glam/rock band DTEASE have released "Wall Street Prostitute," The single has been making the rounds of the viral underground and has become the virtual anthem for those who have taken to the streets to demand change from corporate fat cats. The single was leaked well before the anticipated release of the DTEASE recording debut.

DTEASE have come out of nowhere slamming Southern California like a pissed off voice of reason. Seemingly talented, DTEASE have declined interviews citing "protecting the innocent," but have instead let their live show speak for them. It's one of those things; you have to see it, to believe it.

"Wall Street Prostitute" was produced by notorious producer Ronnie King (Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, The Offspring, Pennywise,) and mastered at Capital Records in Hollywood. - Top40 Charts

"The DTEASE...are definitely the next big thing; they deliver the full experience, and if you have not seen them perform, you have to." - Electric SEX Enterprises - The Santa Barbara News-Press