I’ve done a revamp of the Edsel interview section on EDF Photo: it is now the Interview Directory! The Directory is simply a curated collection of Edsel Dope interviews all in one place. In the Directory, not only can you browse our screencap collection, you can go right to each interview by following the link in each album. It will take you right to the original source! As I’ve said before, I want EDF.org to be your ultimate resource for the support and appreciation of Edsel Dope. Now, it’s never been easier to get your Edsel fix!
Curious about the update? Here’s the complete list of what’s been added to EDF Photo.
Please support the content creators in the Directory by watching their videos with the links to the interview provided in each album! All credit is to them, I simply screencapped the interviews and gathered them in one place. Looking at the screencaps isn’t a substitute for seeing the real deal, so please do check out the interviews when you can. Edsel is always an engaging and entertaining person, and these interviews show that and then some!
You will also be able to access the Interview Directory via Edsel’s biography page. I’m in the process of overhauling a lot of pages on the site and that one’s on my list.
It’s always my hope that you enjoy this site as much as I enjoy running it for you. If you ever want to reach out, please feel free to do so here. While I do have social media accounts for EDF.org, I prefer people follow Edsel on socials and not me. So I don’t really publicize EDF’s socials a lot. But you’re always free to contact me there too: I’m edseldopefanorg on Tiktok and Instagram.
The second leg of the highly successful Machine Killer North American Tour starts February 1st in Myrtle Beach, SC! Dope joins Static-X and Sevendust on this explosive jaunt across the United States! This is a second shot to see certified rock and metal legends if you’ve not already. Guys, I was at the Atlanta stop and I can attest: this show is WELL worth your time! I had an absolute blast!
VIP packages are still available! I also took part in the VIP Bus Hang add on – if you can swing it, this is an incredible experience. I had the honour and pleasure of meeting Edsel during, and found him to be very sweet and gracious. If you’d like to read my thoughts about the Machine Killer Tour stop in Atlanta, I wrote it up awhile back here on EDF.org.
I could make a slick video or write any number of flowery words to try to convince you to get tix to this show, but talent always speaks for itself. Check out this video I took in Atlanta! Yes, it’s off our Tiktok… don’t you dare judge me.
I’ll be back with a proper update a bit later, but just wanted to call attention to our new layout! I’ll also be slightly revamping a few pages again. Nothing drastic, just to make them more in line with the style vision I have with this layout.
Thanks for you patience while I work on the site! I really do appreciate you more than you know. I’m genuinely blown away whenever I speak to Edsel’s amazing fans! You guys are the best, thank you so much for your continued support.
For your Flashback Sunday today, I’ve got a fun one for you. Ever wondered what the inside of a tour bus is like? Of course you have. Did you know there’s a Youtube channel where you can have a peek inside of one?
Digital Tour Bus takes you inside the roving residences of your favourite musicians, and Dope was featured on their platform in 2017! Dope – Bus Invaders takes you inside Dope’s tour bus to see what life on the road is like for the legendary rockers. If you’re not familiar with Digital Tour Bus, it’s a bit like what MTV Cribs was, but for tour buses. Same basic concept – famous person shows you around and you ooh and ahh. So if you liked MTV Cribs, you’ll probably like Digital Tour Bus.
This video has a few notable things about it, for one… our guy himself is giving the tour! He’s very engaging and funny, as always. Additionally, Acey Slade also makes an appearance in the video! I won’t give away too much, but it’s an entertaining watch for sure. Dope also did these videos on the channel: Dope – Tour Tips and Dope – Tour Pranks.
If these videos interested you, why not check out the rest of Digital Tour Bus’s offerings on their Youtube channel? I admit, I’ve watched quite a lot of their stuff! It’s actually really interesting to see what essentials people bring with them as they crisscross the country.
Looking for more Flashback Sunday articles? Click here!
I happened to be poking around the Dope website when I noticed a section called Holiday 2023. Of note: you can buy gift cards for the picky people on your list that would rather do their own shopping in Dope’s merch store. They come in denominations up to 200 USD, and honestly guys? I’d look into this if you’re buying for a Dope fan in your life and don’t quite know what to get them. Maybe they can look through my past Merch Roundups and get some ideas while they browse!
Also within the Holiday 2023 section are the various bundles Dope Shop offers. With price points from 99 USD to 124.99 USD, I really think this is an awesome deal for what you get with it. And you get a lot with it! This might actually be a metric fuck-ton of merch. The bundle could also easily be split into multiple gifts, if you wanted. Plus uh… you’ve been good this year, right? Even if you haven’t, keep some of the merch for yourself! Tis the season, after all.
I’ll be keeping my eye on the merch store, I’ve got a feeling we might see some new drops on the horizon. There’s also quite a few things in the Sale section that may or may not be going in my cart. (This one in particular – that shirt is rad.)
Dope has a habit of putting out consistently excellent music. We all know that. But which albums are the ones we’d recommend to those starting out in the fandom? Which ones are the best of the bunch? The bar is already shockingly high, and with seven studio albums to choose from, the question is difficult to answer.
Today on The Essentials, edseldopefan.org attempts the monumental task of ranking our favourite Dope albums. Links to listen to each release are included, via Dope’s official Youtube channel. (You know the drill: sub if you haven’t already – it really does make a difference!)
A disclaimer: I’m not a professional reviewer by any means, but I am a long time fan. What all reviews have in common is they are just one person’s opinion. If you would have chosen differently, great! Differences of opinion make conversations about music more interesting. What a boring world we would live in if everyone agreed on everything all the time.
With that out of the way, let’s hop right into it!
I admit, the fact that this album is so nostalgic for me is part of the reason why it’s ranked so high. Truthfully, this record was what made me fall in love with the band! American Apathy is often overlooked in the conversation about Dope’s albums, and that’s kind of a bummer. This is the album responsible for No Way Out, I’m Back and Survive – and all three are pretty essential Dope tracks. (Always is also on this album, which remains one of my absolute favourite Dope songs) In interviews from the time, Edsel stated American Apathy is an album that doesn’t take itself so seriously, which actually makes me like it even more. I’m dying on this hill: this album doesn’t get enough credit, it’s awesome. In fact, you should go listen to it immediately. Or at least… after you read the rest of this article.
To hear me talk sometimes, one might think I listen to nothing but Dope all day. This is not the case, but I digress. We were all waiting a long time for this album, and in that time I listened to a lot of music from other artists. Some awesome, some lousy. When Blood Money Part Zer0 finally dropped, I listened to it from start to finish for hours without skipping a song. I genuinely do not remember the last time I did that. One of my favourite things about Blood Money Part Zer0 is how the record goes for it with new ideas while still remaining true to Dope’s style and aesthetic. Of particular note to me are Dope’s take on “Lovesong”, along with “Parasite” and “Row”, with all three songs feeling both fresh and familiar. People change and grow, that’s a good thing! We love to see it.
When asked to name Dope’s most iconic album, many fans point to this one. It might arguably be the band’s most well known work: Blood Money Part 1 was Dope’s highest charting album in the US (ranking at number 27). It also produced some of their best known songs: Selfish, Hold On and of course, Blood Money were all on this album. To this day, the videos for these three songs are some of the most popular videos on Dope’s official Youtube channel. Blood Money Part 1 also has low key bangers like Lexipro and Numb alongside the eternal classic 1999, making it a must listen for any Dope fan.
The fact that I named my hosting domain undevoted.org might be a clue to this album’s place in my heart. (undevoted.org is what hosts EDF.org, after all…) I’ve found that if people don’t name a song off Blood Money Part 1 as one of their faves, it’s usually something from No Regrets. And with good reason – this album has a lot of great stuff. Violence, Addiction and My Funeral were standouts on this album, as were the title track and Best for Me (both personal anthems of mine). Its simplicity is its strength. No Regrets is the kind of balls to the wall rock that Dope is known for: put it on and crank it up loud.
So, what do you think? Were your favourites on this list? Have your say at any time by contacting me. Until next time!
For today’s Flashback Sunday, we’re looking back at an interview with Edsel with Heavy New York. For those unfamiliar with Heavy New York, here’s how they describe themselves on their Youtube channel:
Alex Haber of Heavy New York takes you on a journey through the Heavy music through many artist interviews to discuss their songwriting process, inspiration, creative energy, hometown scenes and the metal community itself.
In the interview, Edsel talks about Dope’s start in NYC, his inspiration and lyrical process, and a whole lot more. Check out the interview, and if you like what you see, why not sub to Heavy New York on Youtube? You can also visit their website at heavy.nyc.
A few little updates for you today. For those in the US, happy Thanksgiving! Consider this my gift to you. And if you live elsewhere, it’s still a gift for you. Just… not a Thanksgiving one.
Wallpapers
Three Wallpapers have been added to the Wallpaper section. Your desktop needs more Edsel, and I’m here to deliver.
I’ve been obsessed with making more media relating to the Lovesong video and had the idea for that one kicking in my head for awhile. The wallpaper is a bit of a different visual aesthetic than people are used to for Dope, but that’s not a bad thing. You could say that for the video itself, too. Change is good! We support Edsel wherever his creative mind takes him.
Simply click on the previews to get the full sized wallpaper, and if you’d like to see all my offerings click here.
46 screencaps of Dope’s Now or Never video have been added to EDF Photo. This tends to be a video fans either haven’t seen a lot of or don’t remember, and that’s really a shame. Before Lovesong came out and unseated it, Now or Never was actually my favourite Dope video. (Coming in second isn’t anything to be ashamed of though!) I’ve linked the video for you to check out if you haven’t, or it’s been awhile since you’ve seen it. I really recommend that you do!
Site Cleanup
I’ve been going through the site and giving some pages a facelift and improvements. You might not notice them right away, but I hope you appreciate it none the less. I’m always working on making this site the very best it can be for you.
And that’s about it, I know this update was a bit all over the place. It’s the result of me working in the background for the past week. Please enjoy!
Nailing a cover song is hard for an artist. You’re performing a song that was written to be right for someone else, not you. Picking the right song is incredibly important, but equally important is taking what was awesome about that song and putting your own unique twist on it. Or else, what’s the point? Dope knocks it out of the park with their covers every single time: producing cover songs so natural and effortless, you’d believe they were original compositions.
In our last Essentials, I mentioned doing an article just on Dope’s cover songs. Today’s the day: welcome to The Essentials: Dope (The Cover Songs). And yes, this is an ordered list.
Curious? Read on!
Rebel Yell Original Artist:Billy Idol (from the album Rebel Yell) Appears On:No Regrets
Bet you thought we’d choose You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) for the top spot, huh? Don’t worry, you’ll see it in the countdown for sure. Part of what informs my decision is being a Billy Idol fan, admittedly. Dope’s version of this classic has all the style, snarl, and swagger of the original while still remaining consistent with Dope’s aesthetic. A good cover that pays tribute to the original while keeping the artist’s own point of view is hard to come by, and Dope not only knocks it out of the park with this one… they send the ball into outer space!
Lovesong Original Artist:The Cure (from the album Disintegration) Appears On:Blood Money Part Zer0
The addition of Drama Club on this track adds a fun twist to Dope’s interpretation of The Cure’s timeless classic. Edsel’s vocals are full of passion and longing, but there are also times where his voice seems to reflect a sense of urgency. That’s a take that’s not present on the original, and it’s an intriguing way to interpret the song. It’s almost a lonelier version, a viewpoint enforced in the video by the scenes of the bleakness of winter and the isolation of the video’s protagonist. This is of course, my subjective opinion – and that a song can be interpreted different ways is what’s great about covers. They can with just a few stylistic changes bring a new depth or a different point of view to the song.
You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) Original Artist:Dead or Alive (from the album Youthquake) Appears On:Felons and Revolutionaries
This is a mainstay at Dope concerts for a reason. It’s an absolute blast to hear live! To be honest, I believe this cover version to be one of the few out there in all of music that actually surpasses the original. Don’t get me wrong – both songs are incredible. But Dope’s arrangement of the song fits better with the lyrics, in my opinion. This total 180 in attitude and style still keeps the original cheek and fun of the song while clearly expressing Dope’s artistic point of view. Plus… you put either version of this song on, and I’m dancing. No questions asked.
People are People Original Artist:Depeche Mode (from the album Some Great Reward) Appears On:American Apathy
I’ll be honest with you… I *almost* put Dope’s cover of Thieves (originally done by Ministry) in this spot. The most important reason this won out? Dope’s version of People are People takes everything great about Depeche Mode’s original and makes it bigger and better. That’s not to say Thieves doesn’t do this, but People are People ever so slightly edges it out in this regard. A great cover should also harken back to the original while still presenting a new and fresh take. This cover does that and more.
And that’s our list of the essential Dope cover songs. What do you think of our rankings? Would you have said something different? You’re always welcome to contact me! I love hearing what you all have to say.
I know I said I would do a Flashback Sunday this week, but with this post being completed I didn’t see the sense in waiting. Flashback Sunday will return next Sunday, and recur every two weeks.
