BIOGRAPHY

by Rick Florino

 

It just doesn’t happen like this anymore…

 

Three carefree lads cross paths in Hollywood. All of the ensuing bar brawls and dumpster diving rile them up to hone airtight songcraft, play fretboard-burning riffs, and chant anthemic hooks. Born from the gutter yet meant for arenas, it’s the kind of rock ‘n roll we need, but don’t get enough of. It’s what Trash Dögs do best. The Los Angeles trio—Gabriel Glenn [vocals], Derek Berg [guitar], and Dallas Bake [drums]—dole out sinewy sidewinder solos and snarling choruses with unbridled attitude on their independent self-titled debut, Trash Dögs.

 

“We’re just a dirty, gritty, and real L.A. rock band,” exclaims Derek. “It’s honest.”
 

“Our hard work and love of music have really kept this rolling,” adds Gabriel. “We take our instruments, art, and the band very seriously—even though at the end of the day, we usually end up laughing and hopefully taking home a waitress or a stripper!”

 

The story started quite literally on the streets of Hollywood. After bouncing around the country in a van with his trusty mutt Fred, Gabriel ended up in LA, busking on corners, picking up enough loot “for gas, booze, and dog food.”

 

One afternoon, he belted out Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” loud enough for a local “dirtbag skateboarder” named Logan. He immediately approached and implored Gabriel to sing for his buddies Trash Dögs who needed a vocalist for a “show on Friday at the Whisky.”

 

“Which was a complete lie,” confesses Derek.

 

After a few Instagram DMs, Gabriel found himself in a rehearsal spot with the band. One more Zeppelin cover later, the lineup solidified. Countless gigs at legendary spots around town such as The Viper Room, The Whisky, and King Eddy followed as the trio became a mainstay at the infamous Rainbow Bar & Grill, doubling as a de facto “house band.”

 

That almost derailed once or twice though…

 

“Oh you know, there were fights in the middle of Sunset Boulevard or some dude’s ex-girlfriend attacking us with keys,” laughs Gabriel. “One of the waitresses complained about how we smelled, so management was like, ‘We’d love to have you guys back, but you have to promise us you’ll bathe first’.”

 

They eventually caught the attention of producer Rocco Guarino who hopped behind the board for Trash Dögs. The guys cut eleven tracks during sessions at Fonogenic Studios in Van Nuys, Sunset Sound in Hollywood, and out of a secluded studio in West Lafayette, IN. In between, Gabriel made waves as one-half of The Soundflowers with ex-girlfriend Paris Jackson, generating millions of streams and releasing a self-titled EP via IMPERIAL. By 2020, the band and Rocco all moved into the same house and kickstarted the next chapter.

 

“We’re inspired by anything you can hear raw and pure expression in,” explains Derek. “This is nothing contrived.”

 

“We love Slipknot and Megadeth, but we’re also into Foreigner, Enya, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Bob Seger,” Gabriel goes on. “We’re always writing and rehearsing. We’ve stayed focused on the creative side as much as possible, because Hollywood can be abysmal if you get wrapped up in it.”

 

Trash Dögs kick open the doors with the single “Like I’ll Change.” Howling vocals coast over a tide of distortion before a sweeping refrain, “It’s not like I’m gonna change.”

 

“When we first started the band, I hate to admit it, but we all had girlfriends coming in and wreaking havoc wherever they could,” Gabriel explains. “There was a specific stripper I was involved with, and she had a fantasy for us. However, we’re dirty rock ‘n’ roll guys who like to drink. You go on a few dates, and they finally realize that’s what you are. You can’t bring that home to anybody. You’ve got to hose it off and keep it in your backyard. I had to tell this girl, ‘This is what you fell for’.”

 

Meanwhile, “Fox City” pushes into overdrive with a mean groove as it sends “a love song to the city and every woman who sunk her claws into us.” They twist up Jimi Hendrix’s take on “Hey Joe” with a metallic edge, while “Golden Fields” pays a melancholic homage to Chris Cornell and “a recent ex” with its introspective lyrics.

 

In many ways, the name Trash Dögs tells the story.

 

“There was a point we were so down and out we would literally eat out of dumpsters,” Gabriel admits. “We would go through the trash of this uppity fancy restaurant Katsuya until the workers felt so bad they’d hook us up. It’s also a tribute to Fred who’s our mascot. Both are always steeped in our minds.”

 

In the end, Trash Dögs take all of that vinegar and fire and set rock ‘n’ roll ablaze.

 

“Nobody is carrying the torch anymore, so somebody’s got to do it, and it might as well be us,” Gabriel leaves off. “We don’t take a day off from this mission. We’re going to do it until our knuckles bleed.”