HANDSOME DEVIL

  Sending You Hugs & Kisses

The newest entry into the post-Green Day punk-pop scene is the Southern Cali quartet ––  HANDSOME DEVIL –– a band who cites bands as disparate as KISS and THE CLASH as influences, and whose aggressive yet melodic sound is akin to that of groups like BLINK 182 and THE OFFSPRING, complete with the wry humor and sweat-soaked energy. 

Though together for only two years, Handsome Devil are already signed to a major label and on in the midst of their second national tour.      

Handsome Devil can take to heart the lyrics of that old Beatles’ standard, “I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends,” for it was the lads of the platinum-selling band, LIT, who gave Handsome Devil a helping hand up to the big leagues.   

And they are still in their corner. LIT is making sure these four devilish boys are getting well accustomed to the road, by keeping Handsome Devil traveling across America as  their support band. 

 “BILLIE STEVENS (guitarist/vocalist) and I have been jamming in the (Southern California) clubs for a long time and we met the guys from LIT probably four or five years ago, just playing shows around town here,” said DANNY WALKER, who sings most of the lead vocals and shares guitar duty in the band. 

  “We met them prior to their second album taking off and going platinum,” he continued.  “I remember having a conversation with Jeremy Popoff from LIT one night after one of our shows. He was in the club and stopped to say hello. We hit it off together.  We ended up expressing a mutual respect and admiration for each other’s music and guitar playing, even though we have completely different styles and sounds.” 

Walker caught up with Popoff again in Reno in 2000, after a LIT concert there.  By that point, LIT had stepped up to the major leagues with a best-selling CD.  When Popoff learned of the new band that Walker and Stevens had put together with bassist DARREN ROBERTS and drummer KEITH MORGAN, he asked that they send him a demo tape of their material.

    “Man, I was so excited when he made the offer, that I Fed Ex-ed him some stuff as soon as I got home from Reno,” continued Walker.  “Jeremy called me soon after and told me he liked what he heard and wanted to get involved with what we were doing.  When he got off tour, he came to our rehearsals and from there, the ball started rolling. And now we’re rolling down the road with Jeremy and the LIT guys on tour.” 

Popoff took the fledgling band into the studio and produced better quality demos for them.  Then he personally walked the demos into the A&R offices of RCA Records, announcing his intent to sign Handsome Devil to LIT’s newly formed, RCA-distributed indie label, Dirty Martini.  RCA loved what they heard and quickly got behind the band.

Joining Popoff behind the studio console during the recording of the band’s debut album, "Love And Kisses From The Underground," was producer Ed Stasium (Ramones).

   “I think Ed brought the element of real rock ‘n’ roll to this album,” said Walker.  “He made sure we didn’t process a bunch of crap or put out a bunch of cheese and call it rock ‘n’ roll.  He’s from the old school of using real amps, real guitars and being true to the music.   On the other hand, Jeremy has a great attention for detail and arrangements and hooks and he’s a great guitar player himself.  I think together we had a great team  that made a really rock solid album.”

 Jeremy Popoff plays guitar on the cut, “I Fall Down.” His little brother and LIT’s frontman, A. Jay Popoff, slaps tambourine and does background vocals on the band’s first single, “Makin’ Money.”

 That song debuted at #38 on Billboard’s Modern Rock charts the same week as the first single (“Lipstick And Bruises”) from LIT’s newest album, “Atomic,” debuted at #24.  Walker notes that both bands are thrilled to see their parallel level of success.  “We’re all like brothers, everyone in these two bands. We are pulling for each other and happy for each other’s successes.” 

  “We’re doing about 40-minutes on stage while we’re supporting them,” he said. “And we don’t waste a single minute of it.  We slam through most of the eleven songs on the CD. Sometimes we put together a little medley of some of the songs because we’re pretty creative that way, and there’s nights we might even do a cover or two.  We sometimes toss AC/DC’s ‘Dirty Deeds’ into the show and have fun with it.” 

As for the band’s spirited name?  “We really are a bunch of devils, so it just seemed to fit us.  We’re not an evil or dark band in any way, but we are very devilish in a fun way!”

       And handsome?  “Well...we’ll let the ladies decide that one,” he laughed.

                  (HANDSOME DEVIL perform April 26 at House Of Blues w/ LITand Pressure 4-5)