Band Interview: The Whigs

Fans of good old rock-n-roll get an all-new doo and a wild weave when The Whigs roll into your town playing songs from their ATO Records debut, MISSION CONTROL. This Athens, GA trio is winning over friends and fans with their intense and explosive rock and roll energy. This high-energy gang is fronted by Parker Gispert on guitar, lead vocals, and keyboard; with Julian Dorio on drums and Tim Deaux on bass guitar.

Critics have praised MISSION CONTROL as "a collection of rousing rock n roll fundamentals ... tightly constructed tunes, wiry guitar shards and ecstatic, beer-soaked choruses." We will second all those bravos, and add that The Whigs are excellent. They are a technically superior band to the grunge garage hacks you used to see in your college days, without losing any of the sweaty wild fun. Front man Parker has a great rock growl - equal parts Frank Black and Ornery Grizzly, unleashing it all over twangy melodies, feisty licks, and catchy hooks.

A raucous thirty-seven minutes of fun, MISSION CONTROL follows up the band's critically acclaimed self-released effort, GIVE 'EM ALL A BIG FAT LIP, and was produced by Rob Schnapf (Beck, Elliot Smith). Dig Philly caught up with Julian Dorio, The Whigs phenomenal drummer, who was till riding high from their fantastic performance on Tuesday's "The Late Show with David Letterman."

DP: Where are you right now?
Julian Dorio: Somewhere in VA on our way to Chapel Hill, We are kind of going back down south, then going up north. This tour started in January, after a break from the holidays.

DP: You guys have a grueling tour schedule.
JD: We do, but it is well worth it. All we do is tour and travel, but it doesn't really phase us. It is a piece of cake on the eastern side of the country, but on the west where everything is spread out it is so brutal.

DP: You were in New York on Tuesday for a pretty important moment.
JD: Yeah, we were on Letterman. It was the weirdest thing ever.