The self-professed “Satanic doo-wop” band may be considered “the embodiment of evil” by far-right radio host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, but that hasn’t made Alexandra and Zachary James pause for a second.
The Los Angeles-based couple has built a solid audience via solo tours, plus opening slots with heavy metal stalwarts Danzig and Ghost. Along with their growing fanbase came plenty of pearl-clutching pundits alarmed by the James’ pro-Satanic lyrics and iconography.
However — Dark Lord aside — the couple see themselves as ambassadors for free-thinkers who live outside the status quo.
“I think we make the music for all the outsiders,” says lyricist and vocalist Alexandra James. “I’ve never met anyone who made me feel they’re quote-unquote normal or perfect or any of those things. I feel in so many ways, they’re just constructs designed to make us feel less than, to a degree. I feel like putting out our shadow side and being honest about our limitations and who we are can hopefully inspire some other people to do the same and make them feel more accepted.”
Adds her husband Zachary James: “We haven’t created art to placate and be universally loved. That’s why, in our life and music, we stopped trying to pleasure everyone. If you’re going to call us evil or wicked, well then, yes, I am. If me living the life the way I want to is evil to you, then sure. It’s taking back that power and not hiding things and trying to be perfect— we’re human.”
They may not be everyone’s cup of sacramental tea, but there is plenty to please on their second full-length record, God Is Dead. Twin Temple build on their unique genre with songs that pull from the classic “Wall of Sound” methodology perfected by the producer Phil Spector and the collective of musicians known as the Wrecking Crew.
“I think we just wanted to follow our muse on the second record," says Alexandra. "We were getting really obsessed with a very specific period in American doo-wop music from 1962 to 1964 in Los Angeles and New York, most coming out of the Gold Star studios along with songs written in the Brill Building. That era of doo-wop and rock 'n' roll is pretty much all we were listening to. We got obsessed with being sonic architects.”
Because the James’ don’t do anything halfway, they spent hours listening to records from the period and combed rare books about the sessions to piece together the nuts and bolts of how the multilayered music of that genre was made. Having recorded their 2018 debut Twin Temple (Bring You Their Signature Sound … Satanic Doo-Wop) in a day and a half in their living room, God allowed them to dive deeper into a sound they revere as much as the Dark Lord.
“We did it all individually as opposed to live, so it definitely took a lot longer than a day, but the process was just as rewarding," says Zachary James, who plays guitar. "We got to write every single part and play everything the way we’d play it because no one can play [the songs] exactly as you could do.”
Perhaps the album’s most amusing tune is the cha-cha-influenced “Let’s Have a Satanic Orgy,” for which the couple released an adorable Fleischer cartoon-style video. As Alexandra croons lyrics such as, “Come to the Sabbath, take a ride on my broom,” in her velvety growl, it may be hard to tell if the band is serious or pulling the listener’s leg, but with music this magnetic and amusing, who cares?
“The thing about our music is its themes are dark, but we still love a good melody. That’s what manages to hook a wider variety of people." – Alexandra James
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Songs “Be a Slut” and “Let’s Have a Satanic Orgy” might suggest the couple’s tongues remain firmly in cheek, yet Twin Temple takes its sound — and look — incredibly seriously. Each tour brings a new set of Nudie-style Western suits chain-stiched by RoseCut Clothing. They’ve even made their sartorial mark with a collection for the Goth brand Killstar. Beyond the brand’s logo, the designs feature chic pussy-bow “Chalice” blouses and bum-flattering flares emblazoned with upside-down crosses on the pockets.
The fact that a band trafficking in such a niche genre can sell out a clothing collaboration means Twin Temple is tapping into a culture that goes beyond the Gothic. They may be creepy, kooky (and just a little spooky), but they’re also a hell of a lot of fun to listen to and follow — pun intended. Their effortless mix of genres and styles means there’s a little something for everyone, resulting in a surprisingly varied audience.
“There are people who are into Goth and punk, and there’s some people who are like, ‘I love Amy Winehouse,’” says Alexandra. “The thing about our music is its themes are dark, but we still love a good melody. That’s what manages to hook a wider variety of people. We’re still writing pop music; it’s just the music we’re referencing is the pop music of the early ’60s.”
By pushing back against the confines of society and questioning the status quo, Twin Temple has created a safe space for the weirdos, the misfits and the disenfranchised, who also happen to like a jaunty tune they can dance to — even in a conservative state like Texas. Perhaps surprisingly, Alexandra says Twin Temple’s Southern audiences get what they do.
“I love playing the South because I feel like traditional American roots music and big hair are still going strong in the South,” she says with a laugh. “They get us in Texas. Someone once said we’re like the satanic Dolly Parton and Porter Waggoner, and that made our night!”
Twin Temple plays at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17, at the Echo Lounge & Music Hall (1323 N. Stemmons Freeway).
