INTERVIEW
When a band from The Netherlands describes themselves as ‘raw, psychedelic Southern rock’, it may take a little cognitive processing to work out what that might mean. One listen to DeWolff, however, and you will be duly transported to the 60s for some fuzzed-out rock ’n’ roll
DeWolff are a three-piece band comprising brothers Pablo (guitar and vocals) and Luka van de Poel (drums) with keyboard player Robin Piso. The band takes its inspiration from the tie-dye days of the late 60s, and they pull it off, too. The sheer enthusiasm for music that was made before any of them were born exudes from the stage, providing audiences with a mix of nostalgia and up-to-the-moment frenzied rock.
We caught up with Pablo as the dust was settling at the end of end of DeWolff ’s recent UK tour, a few days after playing at the Omeara in London. “I did have voice problems right around that time, but after all these years, I’ve kind of learned to just not worry about it,” he tells us. “Every time, the last show of the tour is always the best one…”
Not only were the 60s a driving force in DeWolff ’s music, but the era influenced Pablo’s taste in guitars, too. Along-time Gibson Firebird fan, he turned up at Guitarist’s studios clutching not one but two examples of Ray Dietrich’s famous creation, as well as a pedalboard festooned with fuzz pedals…
Where did your journey with the guitar begin?
“I first started when I was eight years old. I was a massive Metallica fan; how that came to be I’m not entirely sure, but they were very popular at that time. Every hour or so there would be a Metallica video on the music channels on TV and, for some reason, I was attracted to the sound and the look and the guitars.
“My dad was singing in a covers band and so every chance I had, when I had school vacations and stuff, I would come along with him to rehearsals and I was always mesmerised by the sound and the look of the guitar. Their guitar player had a Gibson Les Paul, so that must have imprinted something in my psyche. I was determined I wanted to play guitar. I had to save up for one myself, so for a full year I saved all my money and I bought a Squier Telecaster.”
Did you take lessons?
“Yes, I had to promise my parents that I was going to take lessons. So I took guitar ones and I was this Metallica kid, but my guitar teacher wanted me to read music, like Old MacDonald Had A Farm, stuff like that. I was not interested at all, but I was also a very polite kid so I just kind of played along. This teacher, I don’t want to discredit him, but he kind of turned me off guitar playing. For some reason he thought it was a good idea to teach a nine-year-old metal kid Old MacDonald…!
