During the band’s 20-year run, The Dollyrots have released more than a dozen albums and EPs, played all over the world, performed with countless punk and rock and roll mainstays, and had their music featured on television shows and in films. Though the band itself has quite a long and interesting history, its founding members go back even further. Now back on the road in support of a new release—a 24-track collection of B-sides, rarities, and covers called Down The Rabbit Hole—on Wicked Cool Records, the story continues for Kelly Ogden and Luis Cabezas.
Prior to a recent show at X-Ray Arcade, The Dollyrots welcomed My First Band host Tyler Maas into the band’s RV to talk about Down The Rabbit Hole, the ongoing tour, upcoming European shows with Bowling For Soup and Lit, and the possibility their biggest hit is still to come. Over the course of the conversation, Ogden and Cabezas spoke about meeting in middle school, dating in high school, going to college together and starting a band, and moving to Los Angeles with no money and a bunch of exotic pets. Along the way, they talked about being featured in a commercial, their appreciation for people like Joan Jett and Steven Van Zandt, and how much they appreciate their drummer Justin (who also makes a cameo in the episode).
My First Band is sponsored by Mystery Room Mastering and Lakefront Brewery. The show is edited by Jared Blohm. You can listen to My First Band on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and wherever else you get podcasts. You can also listen to rebroadcasts of previous My First Band episodes on WMSE every Wednesday from noon to 12:30 p.m. CST. Music used in this episode comes courtesy of Devils Teeth (“The Junction Street Eight Tigers”) and The Dollyrots (“Too Fun For My Health”).