By David Accomazzo
The world is filled with visionaries who made a difference.
Steve Jobs created a digital marketplace for music. Dr. Dre launched a hip-hop empire. Al Gore created the Internet.
And then, there's Okilly Dokilly, the world's first and only Ned Flanders-themed metal band, based on the Simpsons character so friendly you can't help but hate him.
Launched by five green-sweatered, pink-collared dudes with varying degrees of mustache, Okilly Dokilly has taken the Internet by storm with such Flanders-themed tracks such as “Nothing at All” (from Ned's infamous ski suit) and “All That is Left,” a nod to Flanders' doomed business selling accessories for southpaws, The Leftorium.
]
The band members include Head Ned (vocals), Red Ned (keytar), Thread Ned (bass), Stead Ned (guitar), and Bled Ned (drums). The band has released four tracks so far, and they're surprisingly well put-together for a novelty act about a Simpsons side character. Listen to them here. The band's first show is scheduled for September 5 at Trunk Space, and Man-Cat, Hug of War, and Andy Warpigs are slated to join them.
The band posted the music on Monday, and the response has been rapid. The band's publicity photo skyrocketed to the top of Reddit, and the band's music has gone viral. According to Head Ned — the Flanders front-and-center of the picture at the top of this post — the attention was totally unexpected. The idea came to Head Ned and Bled Ned while they waited in line at a grocery store, coming up with cutesy names for death metal bands. One of them suggested “Okilly Dokilly,” and the rest flowed like a Squishie into a cup from there.
They headed back to Head Ned's house — the “Nedquarters” — and began writing.
The result is Nedal — an new entry into the hardcore Simpscene.
“It's not as fast as Bartcore, but not as dirty as Krusty punk,” Head Ned says, in all seriousness.
The Flanderses are in other bands around town, but none so heavy as Okilly Dokilly. It's their first foray into metal, and the results seem to taking off, aided by a huge stack of Simpsons puns.
“I just find some [Flanders] quotes online that are somewhat dark when taken out of context and then riff on the guitar a bit,” Head Ned says of his writing process.
And don't fear, there's more up the band's collective sweater sleeves.
“We've got four more songs that are complete that we didn't do demos on,” Head Ned says.
Okilly Dokilly performs with The B Sharps and Stupid Flanders at the Constellation Room on Saturday, Nov. 28. 8 p.m., $10. For full details, click here.
See also
10 Punk Albums to Listen to Before You Die
10 Goriest Album Covers
10 Most Satanic Metal Bands
Follow us on Twitter @ocweeklymusic. Like us on Facebook at Heard Mentality.
