Dax Callner Interview

Dax Callner was the kid in Twisted Sister's highly succesful 'We're Not Gonna Take It' Video. He's now grown up and living in New York with with his wife and kids. We got together for a chat to talk about his band, his life and of course.... Twisted Sister! 

 

1. How did your band The Dayz get together?

I put the band together mostly through New York Craigslist postings and trying a million people out before finding the right chemistry with the current band. I will say that one of the benefits to living in NYC is that there are very, very good musicians here, and a lot of them. So in a way you are spoiled for choice. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy to get that right balance of personalities, creativity and playing ability.

2. How would you describe The Dayz music and live shows?

The music is an eclectic mix of genres with rock ‘n’ roll at the connective center. It’s an original band but we throw in a couple of covers, done very differently because what’s the point of mimicry?

The live shows are very tight but also very fun. We try to take the audience on a journey and limit mistakes, which always happen anyway.  And for my live shows are a real workout, I can’t stop moving. I’m always trying to lose self-consciousness and just be in the music, which I think is more interesting for me and for the audience than a “show.”

3. When did you know you wanted to be a singer?

I recently found this school project from when I was in kindergarten and it was about what you want to be when you grow up. I had “astronaut” and “singer” as my two top choices.

4. You’ve recently started producing electronic music. Have you always had an affinity for that genre?

Not sure about always but for a very long time, yes. I think my interest actually started with ambient music, or “space out” music. Take Pink Floyd for example – not electronic but there’s a vibe to some of that stuff that has morphed certainly into EDM genres like trance. Trance is big for me – I love the driving beat combined with beautiful melodic hooks and structures. I like deep rather than sparse, so drum & bass for example doesn’t really resonate with me. Growing up I was into Cocteau Twins which isn’t electronic but puts you in a trance-like state (I wonder if it is a stoner vibe – I’ve never smoked pot so I can’t say for sure!). Later it was Pet Shop Boys and not their early stuff but their later albums which were so good (and continue to be). Then it was remixes of other artists that I liked until finally I came across electronic artists like Ulrich Schnauss, Solarstone and DJ Eco, who fucking blew my mind.

5. Outside of music, what else have you been upto?

I am happily married with two incredible kids which amazes me to no end, and I pay the bills working in marketing.

6. Have you always lived in New York? What’s it like living there?

I lived in Westchester County north of the city as a little kid and then returned for High School, left again and have lived in the city as an adult since 2008. New York has a lot to offer but is a difficult place to live. It’s very expensive and the noise and commotion of it doesn’t suit my personality. I like to be chill. So we live in the city but in a quiet little part of Washington Heights, which works for me. But getting on the subway, especially recently, is often a fucking nightmare, so I’m happier just chilling in my apartment.  All of that said, I don’t think this is my permanent home.

7. Has it changed a lot post 9/11? Where were you when the towers fell and what do you remember about that day?

I never lived in the city pre 9/11 and didn’t live here when it happened but I was in fact here that day. I was on a business trip and had a flight booked out on 9/11 that was obviously canceled. I had already checked out of my hotel when the towers came down. No one knew what was going on but I had the sense to go back to the hotel and they let me check myself back in. I ended up staying in the city for another week because all of the airports were shut down, and then I was on one of the first flights out, which was creepy. That week in the city was one of the strangest I can imagine. It was empty. No cars on the streets, no noise. Time Square was empty. It was surreal.

8. Do you believe 9/11 was an inside job?

Definitely not. I don’t believe the government had the wherewithal to pull off a conspiracy of that size. And, as much as I think George Bush is a total fuckwit, I don’t think he is evil.

9. You were the kid in Twisted Sister’s ‘We’re Not Gonna Take It’ video (As well as being in the ‘Come Out And Play’ short video). What can you tell us about what went on behind the scenes? Do you remember much about that experience?

Yeah I have flashes of real memory but also because that stuff is just out there and on video and easily accessible, my memories are reinforced or replaced or whatever (memory is weird) by video footage and stories people tell me. But yes, in general, I remember it. I can tell you that “We’re Not Gonna Take It” was pretty early in the days of music videos and that while it was a real production, a lot of the team making it was winging things. I can tell you that Dee Snider was living at our house because he had zero money and needed a place to crash while the video was in preproduction. I do have memories of that – like Dee being a normal human taking showers and eating and goofing around with us kids. It didn’t seem odd at the time but looking back I realize how unusual that experience was!

10. Did you get recognized a lot when that video came out? Do you still get recognized because of it?

Yeah, I had a very interesting life-experience around the time of the video. Prior to the video I had moved to a new house and spent my first year at a new school and was totally ostracized – not accepted at all by the other kids in the school. I made a couple of friends, but I was considered a total loser, and was even beat up pretty roughly on more than one occasion. After the video was shot I moved again that summer to live with my mom in New York and by the time school started the video and song had become a huge hit. It took about an hour before I was recognized and within maybe 10 minutes the whole school seemed to know I was that kid – noting that this is before everyone had cell phones and social media. Crazy. All of the sudden, though, I was this super popular kid. As fun as that was, I realized it wasn’t about who I was but rather that I was on TV – that was all it took. So as much as being a total loser the year before wasn’t about who I was as a person, neither was this sudden popularity.

I don’t still get recognized but people still bring it up to me because they remember and someone has told them I was that kid. I don’t introduce myself that way, ha ha, but I also don’t hide it. I’m certainly not ashamed of it but it was over 30 years ago, it doesn’t really define me at this point, though I can’t deny it influenced my life and trajectory.

11. It obviously isn’t your voice that says ‘’I Wanna Rock’’ when asked what you want to do with your life by Mark Metcalf’s character. Do you know who’s voice that was?

I do! It was my dad’s voice.

12. The director of the video, Marty Callner, is your father. Did he ever yell at you like that in real life?

Oh man it was hell…it was like a constant barrage of screaming and yelling in my house! Ok that’s not true at all. My dad did have some anger issues when we were growing up but they were never directed at us kids. He’d have road rage episodes that were awful, for example. But he was always gentle towards us and he is totally calm, cool and collected now.

I do think Dee’s father yelled at him like that which is the inspiration for that character.

13. Speaking of your dad, he first worked with Pee Wee Herman in 81’ and then Twisted Sister in 84’. Do you know if he was he the reason TS had a cameo Pee Wee’s Big Adventure?

I don’t think he was but I’m actually not sure. It is certainly possible that he introduced them.

14. Your dad has worked with A LOT of very famous comedians and musicians. Did you ever get to meet or hang out with any of them?

Yes – with many. I have crazy stories about Jimmy Page and Whitney Houston and Aerosmith and others – too long to tell here but maybe for my book or podcast if I ever do anything like that! I’ve met many celebrities and what you learn is that they are just regular human idiots like the rest of us. Yes some have incredible talent but as people they are nice or not and as flawed as the rest of us. Many have barriers up because people are always trying to get something from them but if you treat them just like anyone else I think that barrier comes down a bit. I’d imagine they appreciate authenticity rather than butt-lickery.

15. When was the last time you spoke to or saw any of the guys in Twisted Sister?

I saw Dee last summer and we had a really nice time and a good long chat. I consider him a friend. Eddie and I have DM’d on Twitter and I follow the other guys in social media but we aren’t as tight as I am with Dee.

16. Do you have a favourite Twisted Sister song or album?

I don’t, really. I listened to them when I was a kid after the video and stuff but I don’t think I have purposefully listened to a TS record or song in quite a long time. I did check out Dee’s last solo album which was surprisingly good.

17. Have you ever covered ‘We’re Not Gonna Take it’ with your band?

I haven’t and I wouldn’t. I just think that would be so fucking cheesy.

18. Anything you’d like to plug? Album? Tour? Projects?

Yeah I have new music coming out with The Dayz so I’d say follow us on Facebook or Insta and we’ll be announcing some new tunes soon. Really, really good songs I think! And I am going to launch the electronic stuff under the moniker DaxC. Right now all I have is a soundcloud for that but there are a couple of experiments up there now if anyone is interested. I’d love to hear what people think, actually, about that stuff.

19. Do you have any last words or cool mantras for our readers?

Yes for sure. I know it is a bit of a cliché, but I would say my mantra is BE REAL. There are so many bullshitters out there and also people who put on a façade because they hate themselves or are always self-conscious. But bullshit and the façade are way worse than being real. It is scary and vulnerable to be real but also so much more relaxing and truly you will be happier. It took me forever to realize this lesson and I still strive to be who I am and real in every situation, because it’s easy to act like you think people want you to act.