I like to consider Pete Bernhard, of The Devil Makes Three to be a very close friend of mine. We have the kind of relationship where we can really open up to one another. I want to fill you all in on how cool he is, show you the real Pete, the one I feel I know. I don't know how much of our conversations would be appropriate to share with you. I have to be careful. Because even though I feel like he and I are really great friends. I think he might consider me just some guy he met on the phone a few days ago. He can take a while to warm up to people. Pete is just like that.
Pete is the front man for The Devil Makes Three. He does the talking. He will be the one pictured front and center holding a jackalope. Cooper McBean, shown cradling the Earth, and Pete were the first two members of the band to play together. I normally wouldn't consider this an important fact. It might be important if you realize that Lucia was the third member of the band. Think it through. It's numerology. They're trying to tell us something.
Pete took some time from his day off to chat with me and answer some of my notoriously ridiculous questions. I think he only did it because we're so close. In fact, I'm not sure why his publicity people wanted him to talk to me. I know for a fact they read some of my other stuff. Yet they seemed eager to set up the interview.
I asked Pete about the strange power they seem to have over their fans. I assumed it was some sort of voodoo, that they were casting a spell to make the audience gyrate and scream. I personally loved the music. But when you're dealing with an entity as powerful as Lucia, you have to question exactly what is happening sometimes. He claims there is no black magic involved, that it's just the music. But I wonder. Even the numerous videos of fans covering The Devil Makes Three songs have an air of questionable intent. Are they worshiping, in some drunken, drug addled frenzy? Many of the videos contain open use of alcohol and drugs. All contain jubilant, swaying minions, lost in their cultish communion.
Pete said they're just having fun.
The mist of Lucia's spell has woven itself into every aspect of their music. You can't seem to pin them down. Are they bluegrass? One minute you might think so. Then it changes. You feel transported to the likes of ragtime, country, rockabilly, etc... "This can't be right" you say to yourself. "Momma, you warned me. I knew I should have paid more attention in Sunday school." But it's too late. You might as well order a whisky and get to dancing. Put your tennis shoes under the bed it's time to go.
Pete agrees drinking and having fun is part of their show. "We really want our fans to understand it's OK to get into the show, kind of like a Rock audience would. We want to approach the show in a different way. Y'know where a lot of bluegrass or folk shows the people will all sit down. We work really hard to get everybody to stand up."
They'll be playing at Workplay on the 9th of March. Check out the video below.
I swear to the Lord R. God this is how many views this video had when I checked it out. Be afraid! (I'm not making that up. Check it out and do the math.)
666 views
Also check out, y'know, the real actual band:
I asked Pete how he felt about being compared to Rusty Cuyler. "Who is that?" he asked. Here you go Pete. "How ya like this old man?"
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