Dick Dägger haven’t even released their debut full-length album yet and they’re already planning a second. They’d like it to be a concept album.
“There have been a few good concept albums lately, but it’s one of those things that always gets lost,” says Mick Dägger, the band’s singer, guitarist, and main lyricist. (The band keeps its true identities secret, taking on Dägger as a Ramones-style shared last name, and Mick even uses the Dägger name for his solo project Sandy Ego.)
Indeed, the legacy of the concept album has largely been passed down from rock to hip hop, which seems to be producing most of the operatic album-length statements these days. The rock concept album seems a bit absurd in hindsight.
But Dick Dägger aren’t afraid to be absurd. They’re called Dick Dägger, for crying out loud, and just look at those umlauts in their name.
When asked about the mixing of the album — entitled Yoni Moni Money Man and set to drop Friday, Sept. 23 on BandCamp — Mick says they did it all themselves, with the help of two mysterious characters named Miguel Taco (Mick points to himself) and Mitch Todderson (he points to himself again). These guys like their mythology.
Though self-produced, Yoni Moni Money Man represents a sonic step up from the band’s first release, the 21st Century Bipolar EP, which they dropped back in July 2014. Bipolar’s production values were markedly muddy, while Yoni Moni Money Man sounds more like the mid-fi garage rock of bands like Thee Oh Sees and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – both professed influences.
They’ve also added a new guitarist, Sven Dägger, in the interim between the two albums.
“We’ve become more guitar-centered, more in-your-face,” says Mick. “It has a little bit more edge versus just being stagnant.”
Dick Dägger currently rents a room at Space Eugene, a practice space located in far-west Eugene, on a monthly basis. Nearly all of their prior gig posters adorn the walls. They recorded all of Yoni Moni Money Man there, and they also host an open jam session, “Space Jam,” at the space on Sunday afternoons.
They’ll be promoting the album with two shows this coming weekend. The first is a house show this Friday the 23rd at Whiteaker basement venue the Ant House, where they’ll perform with Eugene bands Egotones, Jargon, and Free Beard. The second takes place the next day at Luckey’s Club downtown with local glam rock band Steel Kitty.
Dick Dagger plays Luckey’s Saturday, Sept. 24. Doors open at 9 p.m., show begins at 10 p.m. $5. 21+. The Ant House is shy on publicity, so readers are advised to seek their show at said venue out for themselves.
