Doyle Discusses Guitar Heroes Including Eddie Van Halen, Tony Iommi And Dimebag Darrell

Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein is a member of the legendary horror punk band Misfits. He also performs with his own eponymous band, Doyle. I sat down with Doyle after his recent New York City performance for a chat about his name, his guitar heroes, and more. It’s the second time we’ve spoken, following our 2017 interview. Read the new Doyle interview below.

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Doyle Interview

Dan Redding: I want to talk about your guitars – you build them yourself, right?

Doyle: Yeah.

Have you ever built any experimental guitars in the shop?

All the ones I use.

Did you ever try anything weird or a different musical instrument?

Just the skin flute.

[Laughter] You chose Frankenstein as part of your name, and you’re wearing the Frankenstein neck bolts. What was it about Frankenstein that you identified with?

Actually it was Eddie Munster. His mom was yellin’ at him and she called him: ‘Edward Wolfgang Munster!’ I was like, ‘whaaat?’ [laughter]

So what was it about Eddie that–

He got yelled at.

Did you got yelled at too, as a kid?

Sometimes.

According to your high school yearbook, you were voted ‘most unique.’ Do you remember that?

True. Yeah.

Why did you get voted most unique?

[Deadpan sarcasm] Oh God, I have no idea.

Really?

Look at me!

But at the time, did you stand out?

I got kicked outta school cuz I bought Manic Panic dye from this guy [motions to friend nearby]. In 1978, they kicked me outta school. I think I was the first one to go to school with colored hair. They kicked me out. 1978!

I thought maybe the name Wolfgang was a reference to Mozart.

Fuckin’ – I don’t know what that shit is.

[Laughter] I’ve interviewed you before, and you told me that you don’t believe in Hell or the devil – even though horror shit is a big part of your work. Have you ever heard a story or had a paranormal experience that made you think otherwise about the afterlife or hell?

Nope.

No? Never heard a convincing story?

Nope.

You have a pentagram tattoo on your hand. What does that symbolize?

It’s a vegan pentagram.

Oh, because it has a ‘V’ in it, right?

It’s green right here.

Does it just symbolize veganism?

It’s just to piss people off.

How do people respond to that, when you’re going through the airport or whatever?

I don’t care. As long as they get upset about it, I’m good.

Do you see people react to it?

I don’t pay attention to people.

Who gave the devilock its name?

Uh, I guess the song.

You don’t remember if anyone coined the name for the hairstyle first, or…?

I don’t remember being forty, bro. I’m gonna remember that? C’mon.

What do you eat or drink after you work out?

Protein shake and… Today I had avocados. Guacamole.

You’re a legendary guitarist. I wanna tell you the names of three guitarists, and you can tell me your impressions.

Okay.

Eddie Van Halen.

You want me to do an impression of him?

[Laughter] Sure, if you can. No – how do you feel about him?

Great. Incredible. Changed the game.

Did he inspire you as a kid?

Oh yeah. When the Misfits broke up in ’83, I stopped playing. Then I heard Van Halen I, and I said, ‘Fuck! I wanna play!’ That’s what made me pick [my guitar] back up, was that record.

What about Dimebag Darrel?

Great. Fuckin’ great.

Yeah, I heard you tell a story about meeting Dime on Jamey Jasta’s podcast. Did you ever meet Eddie Van Halen?

No.

Thoughts on Tony Iommi?

Great. He invented the riff. Without Tony Iommi, there’s nobody. And he played [left-handed], too.

Did you ever hang with him?

No.

Have you ever met Oz?

Ozzy?

Yeah.

No. I’m a peon, man! [Laughter] What’re you talking about.

Tell me about Monsterman Records.

You gotta ask me a question.

Well, your publicist suggested that I ask about the expansion of Monsterman Records.

I have no idea what that is. No idea.

[Laughter] Your work has a lot of grave and graveyard imagery – and hopefully you’re gonna walk among us for many years – but when your time comes, what do you want them to put on your grave?

Pizza.

The word ‘pizza’?

No. Pizza.

Author’s note: I think I phrased the last question poorly. I was trying to ask, ‘what would you want written on your gravestone?’ However, I think Doyle thought I meant literally ‘what item would you want put on your grave?’ My bad. Thank you to Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein.