Amigo The Devil Interview Rockville 2021

ROCKVILLE EXCLUSIVE: Amigo The Devil Interview

by Mitch Foster • November 11, 2021

A conversation with Danny Kiranos aka Amigo The Devil Interview

► L I S T E N H E R E ◄

SIGT: At Welcome To Rockville 2019, I think your set was cut short because of the weather that day?

ATD: Yeah. Which is really funny, because we went straight from the stage to a plane that day… Because we played Mexico City the next day. And then the day after that, we played Chicago! That was one of the wildest weekends of my life.

SIGT: You have such an energy when you perform and you’re such a powerful performer. What happens when you take the stage? Where do you go?

AMD: I don’t think I go anywhere. To be honest, I think I very much stay put and just try to enjoy that moment as much as possible. I think it’s embracing the moment, more than escaping it.

SIGT: Your album, Everything is Fine, came out in 2018. This was the first major release for you. And things just kind of went crazy after that. What was it like becoming a full time touring musician and business owner to everything coming to a halt in 2020, as the world refrained?

AMD: If you ignore all the terrible things that happened to so many people. And if you ignore the fact it was an actual global pandemic causing it all, there was a lot of time to sit down and think—that I would have never given myself. I had a lot of time to essentially re-establish myself as a human—above being, this Amigo thing, that I would have never given myself otherwise. It’s so hard to say it because obviously so much horrible shit surrounded it. Like tons of people died, businesses went to hell, and we realized how hopeless a lot of the systems that we rely on really are. So if you ignore all of that, for me personally, I think there was a reset that I was never going to give myself. So, I guess that’s the whole “silver lining” concept.
“I had a lot of time to essentially re-establish myself as a human”

SIGT: I know Florida means a whole lot to you. Where did you start your journey performing music in Florida?

AMD: I guess really all the way back to Miami when I was like 15, 14, playing shows in a bunch of bands—we would do little tours of Florida. Amigo started way later. Amigo didn’t actually start in Florida at all, which is funny. When I moved up to San Francisco, that’s when I started Amigo. I’m always going to miss Florida. I miss people and I miss friends and I miss moments and memories, but I’ve never been like, “stick-to-one place.” Florida is always going to be amazing to me. It’s always going to feel like home—I just don’t have the necessity to be where I feel “at home.” But I am stoked to be coming back. I know Rockville is a really good time—all the Wimmer festivals have always been a really good time. I’m sad we don’t get to play Orlando or Tampa, but we’ll make that happen again.

SIGT: Earlier this year, you released Born Against, through your own label, Liar’s Club. Was this your first official release on Liar’s Club?

AMD: Yes! First official record on Liar’s Club. I think it was more of just the next step for me [starting a record label]. We’ve been working with Tejon Street Corner Thieves, who are one of my favorite live shows—they genuinely are a giant ball of energy. They’re hilarious, great musicians, great songwriters—it’s fucking awesome.

SIGT: Which artists on the Rockville 2021 line up are looking forward to seeing the most?

AMD: There are quite a few actually. But, I’ve never seen Metallica. I’m really excited to finally see Metallica.

SIGT: I am too. And that Blacklist album—the cover album they just released—have you listened to that? I mean, it’s a big fucking listen. It’s like 59 songs, but just pick and choose the ones you want to start with. Like, PUP covers a song. IDLES covers a song. Fucking Jason Isbell…

AMD: That’s nuts. I heard the Isbell one. I fucking love IDLES too.

SIGT: There’s a bunch of stuff in Spanish, too. You don’t speak Spanish, do you?

AMD: Yeah!

SIGT: Well, we should have done this interview in Spanish…

AMD: Nos vamos hacer lo ahora.

SIGT: ¿Hay algo que quisieras decirles a tus fans de Rockville este año?
Danny, ATD: Si, que espero que todo el mundo esté listo para cantar, y que todo mundo se cuide hasta el festival, que nadie se enferme, nada de eso para poder disfrutarlo juntos. Habrá muchas bandas buenísimas que quiero ver, así que no vemos pronto y cantaremos juntos pronto

SIGT: Muchas gracias señor

ATD: Si, gracias a ti.

[ENGLISH TRANSLATION
Mitch Foster, SIGT: Is there anything you’d like to tell your fans at Rockville this year?
Danny, ATD: Yeah! I hope everyone is ready to sing. Also, stay safe until the festival. I hope no one gets sick or anything like that, so we can all enjoy it together. There are going to be many amazing bands. We will sing together soon, see you all then!

Oh look, Rockvillains! A 2024 clue!
https://forms.gle/
next clue:
“when I die, you won’t pray for me
That’s when I learn to
Cut my ties”