To coincide with the release of their seasonal blues-rock single and video Christmas Is the Time to Say I Love You, we caught up with the rock and roll front-man himself, Dustin Douglas, for a quick interview. Here’s how it went.
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Hi Dustin – huge congrats for the wonderful new Christmas single and video! What made you choose this particular song, and what is it about Christmas that inspires you to the hit the stage and entertain?
Thanks so much! We’ve recorded a few Christmas songs over the years but I always knew I’d record this Billy Squier classic someday. Something about the bluesy vibe and rock n roll spirit of the track just screams Dustin Douglas & The Electric Gentlemen.
I’ve always been a huge fan of Christmas music and really love the classics and modern takes on the classics.
The rock and roll edge is refreshing for a modern Christmas anthem. How long have you and the band been making music together, and where can fans catch you performing this in the coming weeks?
We are currently celebrating 10 years as a band! It’s been an amazing 10 years and I can’t wait to see what the next 10 bring. We will be closing out 2023 with a handful of hometown shows.
What was the video making process like for you as a creative, and how much impact do you think a release has when there’s a visual side and an image to connect with on top of the music?
I feel like music videos are more important than ever. I knew from the start I wanted a fun video to accompany the release of this single. We called up our extremely talented friend Jonathan Edwards who we’ve worked with in the past and had a blast filming. From Santa suits to snow machines, we hope viewers have as much fun watching it as we did filming it.
What else comes to mind as one of the best Christmas songs ever written (after Billy’s of course!), and why?
Oh man, I really love anything Elvis has done. A few years ago I recorded and released my version of Santa Claus is back in Town. Elvis’ renditions of so many Christmas songs just hit the spot around the holiday season.
I also love all the Jackson 5 tracks as well as Tom Petty’s Christmas All Over Again. There’s so many! From Thanksgiving on you can bet I got a lot of Christmas tunes jammin’ in the car.
You also released Black Leather Blues this year – what’s the plan of action for 2024?
2023 was such a great year for us and we can’t wait for another big one. We will be releasing new music in 2024 and playing live in many new markets. Be sure to stay tuned for all things Dustin Douglas & The Electric Gentlemen at www.dustindouglasmusic.com.
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Download or stream Christmas is the Time to Say I Love You. Find Dustin Douglas on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.
