Rebel Heart: A Conversation with Doghouse Rose 

Before Doghouse Rose became a full-time touring machine, what moment or experience convinced you that this band had to exist?

JZ – I think we realized it pretty early on. I maybe knew Sarah and Jeff for a month before we went on our first tours together. You get to know people pretty quickly when you're shoulder to shoulder 24/7. We really hit it off and formed an extremely tight bond very quickly. We recognized how special this was and embraced it. We simply love spending time together and creating together. That, and simply all being crazy enough to do this, it’s a perfect recipe!

Your sound blends punk, new wave, and rock ’n’ roll. When you first started writing together, what influences were catching your attention?

JZ – We all have a wide variety of influences, but I think we all let the song dictate which ones to draw from. Our writing process usually begins with the most bare-bones idea that is worked on from the ground up. Along the way, we’ll always hear something and say, “Oh, this part reminds me of…” and then follow that rabbit hole for a bit and see what happens. I’m a big fan of this approach to writing because you are not held back by any genre-specific moves or restrictions, and you often come up with something new that you usually wouldn’t have done. It is a very “yes, and” approach that allows you to feed off one another and let everyone’s taste shine through. In terms of actual artists we were drawing from earlier on, Blondie, early No Doubt, and all the Fat Wreck bands were a big influence (and still are!).

Unlearn feels like a big evolution for the band — what was the creative spark or theme that kicked off the writing process for this album?

JZ – It definitely feels like a big leap for us. I feel like our collaborative writing process on this one spawned the whole idea behind the album title and really inspired us. We went real deep into the weeds writing every song and explored every possibility. It pushed us all out of our comfort zones on many occasions, and we learned so much. We also all had to unlearn so many of our habits. It was a really humbling, inspiring experience that I think made us all better listeners, bandmates, and friends. It really felt like something clicked for us this time around. I think we have found “our” sound as a result of this ego-free, song-serving collaborative effort.

Doghouse Rose is known for high-energy, acrobatic live performances. How do you keep that intensity fresh night after night, especially on long tours?

JZ – We try to take care of ourselves and each other as best we can on the road — eating well, staying hydrated, stretching, etc. Sure, we have our fun, but we never want to put the show or our health in jeopardy. It’s a fine balance! We also divvy up the labour that comes with being on the road so no one burns out. Another big thing is having a few creature comforts that we go out of our way to accommodate to keep spirits high. One of those for us is good coffee!

Touring internationally exposes you to so many different scenes — which city or country surprised you the most with its response to your music?

JZ – In more recent memory, France was really surprising. It was a country we’d never been to before on our last Euro tour, and we had a bit of an assumption they might not like us on account of us being pretty goofy. We didn’t think a country known for its fine dining would vibe with the hotdog song! All the shows were awesome, though. The humour was not lost, and the crowds and people were lovely.