Words by Art Jefferson
Photography by Kristin Burns, Skyler Barberio and courtesy of Dorothy
Dorothy is rock and roll; the kind of rock and roll that was once a soundtrack the hedonistic streets of Sunset Blvd. This is that gritty and raw rock that oozed from the roads of Detroit, the Lower East Side of Manhattan and the historic city of Nashville; that in your face rock that pumps with sheer attitude. Fronted by Budapest-born, San Diego-raised Dorothy Martin, the group is one of the most dynamic bands to emerge in the past four years. They have not only managed to land in the mainstream charts but they did it on their own terms.
Making their debut in 2014, along with Dorothy Martin the original line-up included Mark Jackson, Zac Morris and Greg Cash. Their first track ‘After Midnight’ received mass acclaim among music critics in the U.S. as well as internationally. Following up with their single ‘Wild Fire’, Dorothy soon hit a grand slam with their third release ‘Wicked Ones’, earning them not only a fleet of praises but the song went on to be featured in various television adverts. The same year Dorothy released their debut self-titled EP with Martin executing edgy, commanding and utterly powerful vocals that made it cool for rock and roll to have punch again. Their fierce sound also caught the attention of music giant and business mogul Jay-Z, with the band inking a deal with his Roc Nation label.
In 2016 Dorothy released their debut album ROCKISDEAD. Severing with hard and blues rock, the LP was applauded by the press, reaching Number 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart, Number 5 on the Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums chart, not to mention both singles ‘Raise Hell’ and ‘Dark Nights’ landing in the Top 40 Rock chart. Dorothy’s single ‘Missile’ was also featured in Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, the remastered version Call of Duty 4:Modern Warfare and WWE’s Mae Young Classic event.
With a new band line-up including Eli Wulfmeier (Leroy From the North) and Owen Barry on guitars, Eliot Lorango on bass, as well as drummer Jason Ganberg, Dorothy’s latest album 28 Days in the Valley was produced by music royalty Linda Perry. Striking a perfect balance between the powerhouse rock of previous, sun-soaked desert rock a tinge of 60s psychedelic and a light dash of pop, this is their most diverse album yet and arguably their best offering to date. A masterful record indeed, Dorothy continue to deliver premium rock and roll with guts and glory.
In my opinion, you completely hit the nail on the head with 28 Days in the Valley. Whilst ROCKISDEAD was a power-hitting LP packed with hard rock, musically 28 Days in the Valley covers such a wide spectrum of rock & roll. Did you and the band already have the idea to cover that much ground in terms of sonics?
Dorothy – Yes, we wanted to expand the sound. We felt that it was time to change and evolve. I am not going to make the same record twice. It’s much more exciting to take risks and do something you haven’t done before. We honed in on a more psychedelic, 60’s, desert rock sound.
You worked with Linda Perry on this record. She is someone who can bring out the best in an artist. In your opinion, what were some of the things that Linda brought out in you?
Dorothy – She taught me to be more comfortable with my vulnerability. She also allowed me to grow and express myself more as a songwriter. Sometimes you can be stifled in the studio when there are a lot of dominant energies in the room. This time around I felt more free and open. It was an opportunity to heal through the music.
I want to ask about the content of the title track. It’s basically an interlude on the album. While it’s about being young and free, what exactly does the 28 days represent? It could almost be interpreted as a count down or perhaps a time frame of just an all-out wild and free moment that was had.
Dorothy – 28 days represents the female cycle, it is connected to the lunar cycle, and it also happens to be about the amount of time it took to record the songs we wrote.
One of the songs that is gripping is ‘Black Tar & Nicotine’. Was that autobiographical? If not, what was the inspiration behind it? The songwriting is incredibly engaging.
Dorothy – The song obviously speaks to inner demons and heroin addiction. Linda Perry had already written that song and asked me to sing it, which was very humbling.
With ‘Flawless’, just the first line alone hits the listener straight away and already clutches one for the ride of the song. When writing, is that something that you are conscious of in terms of grabbing the listener from the jump?
Dorothy – I didn’t think about that too much. Linda started playing the guitar and I started singing. The lyrics came very fast and I realized they were about an ex who did me dirty.
One of the underlying themes of your career has been that of freedom. You have managed to not only gain respect as a great band but have also had chart success all the while doing things your way. Living in Los Angeles, which is one of the biggest industry hubs, how have you been able to perfectly walk that line between creative freedom and success?
Dorothy – Lots of heartache. I think good music, a lot of the time, comes from pain. As for creative freedom, I surround myself with people who are supportive and want to make great music. We constantly push and challenge ourselves. It feels good to be in the top 20 on the rock chart right now.
You all put on an exciting show when performing live. Every band member is completely rocking out but more than anything, it feels like you are truly a family on stage, simply all in-sync with one another. Would it be safe to say that on and off the stage that family dynamic is strong?
Dorothy – Yes, I feel like I’m surrounded by my brothers. I’m in awe of everyone’s talent and we’re already talking about writing the third album. Everyone is excited about it. We just want to get in a room and start jamming. That’s where the real freedom lies.
Finally, Dorothy, as a singer people may know you as this bad-ass rebel rocker, but it seems that you also love to have fun and have a laugh. What are some misconceptions that people have about you?
Dorothy – I’m really not sure. I do consider myself rebellious, but I’m also a sensitive artist who just wants to give and receive love and connect with people. I hope to continue making music that does that.
28 Days In The Valley is out now on Roc Nation.
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