To borrow their own description, Deathvalley Driver is a raw, unshaven, hard-hitting chunk of rock that just happens to weigh about a ton. From Columbia, South Carolina, DVD stands out from the pack and demands your attention. I was able to hear from Deathvalley Driver's guitarist J and ask him a few questions.

What's the story behind the name "Deathvalley Driver?"

Anybody who calls themselves a wrestling fan should know this one! The "Deathvalley Driver" was a finishing move where a guy would pick up another guy across his back and drop him straight down on his head. Sounds devastating… There was a fella named Perry Saturn that used to wrestle in WCW then WWF that used that as his finisher.

Tell me a little bit about the history of Deathvalley Driver.

All of us had been in other bands for several years around SC so we all knew each other fairly well. We got together and started jamming around Oct. '03 because we were basically tired of the same old shit. Once we got together, we found that we all shared the same ideas when it comes to making music. That is, play what comes naturally, and have fun doing it...

What makes Deathvalley Driver so metal?

We don't give a fuck what anybody thinks of us or our music. We do what makes us happy first and foremost and we have fun doing it. That's the foundation that this band was started on and people see that. They see it and they can feel it every time we play. We're not putting any act on here...

Who writes the lyrics? Is it a collaborative effort?

Our old singer, Damon, wrote the lyrics to the songs on our EP "Standing Tall Before The Wagon". He has since left the band to pursue other musical interests. No hard feelings though… we're all still buddies. Now, our new singer Scott handles the majority of the lyrics on our new stuff. The rest of us pitch in ideas here and there but for the most part, Scott takes care of that department.

If you could have your dream concert with your top three favorite bands playing, which ones would you choose?

Let's see, if you asked each one of us this question, you'd probably have a list of 15 different bands. But, since I'm on my own here, I'll just give you my three: Crowbar, Pantera, Maylene, and the Sons of Disaster…

What would you say to readers new to you and your music?

Check us out! If you like good heavy music that fuckin' rocks, you'll probably dig us. And if you don't, hey that's cool too. But, you probably know somebody that will… Just let them know about Deathvalley Driver! And even though we might not be your thing, thanks for checking us out!

Where can your new fans find you online?

www.myspace.com/deathvalleydriversc. We also have our website at deathvalleydriver.net but it's in the process of a major remodel right now so the best place would be our Myspace page.

What are your upcoming tour plans?

Well, play a bunch of shows within short driving distance because we've got a new member to the DVD family expected around late April-early May. We can't venture off too far right now, you know…

What do you think is the best part about playing live?

Just being able to get up on stage in front of a bunch of people who really dig the stuff that you wrote. There's nothing like looking out and seeing complete strangers knowing every word to your songs. That's what makes it all worth it. Plus, it's a lot of fun too! Hell, if it wasn't we probably wouldn't do it. There are a lot of shit-heads in this business that really zap the life out of you sometimes and take the enjoyment out of it. Everybody is concerned about status and how much money they can make. What ever happened to just having fun?

What's next for DVD?

Finish writing new material for our next record. Then, hopefully hit the studio by early summer. We've been doing some demos in our own little studio so once we get a couple of the tracks polished up real nice we'll be posting them on our Myspace page.

Anything else you'd like to add?

Just a big thanks to Elizabeth & Metal Monthly for the interest in Deathvalley Driver. We appreciate the help in spreading the word. Also, we have our music for sale on our Myspace page for $.99 cents a track. We also have a bunch of T-shirts, ¾ sleeves, hats, and lots of other stuff for guys & gals! Plus: bands… we trade shows! Hit us up! Thanks again!

Thank you for your time and good luck in all you do.