Covering Their Bases: The Handsome Devilz’s Joseph De La Mora

Cover bands. Say what you will about them, but unlike their more successful and famous counterparts, they’ll always play the hits and won’t be snobby assholes about it. In Covering Their Bases, The A.V. Club asks a cover band to weigh in on a contentious issue regarding the reason for their existence. In this edition, Joseph De La Mora of The Smiths and Morrissey cover band The Handsome Devilz talks about playing to the cult of Johnny Marr, Mexican Moz fanatics, and being celibate. The Handsome Devilz begin a residency tonight at the Abbey Pub, and will play the last Wednesday of every month through December. 

The A.V. Club: Why The Smiths and Morrissey?

Joseph De La Mora: We’re all very huge Morrissey and Smiths fans. As a band, we’re honoring them. There are no other Smiths or Morrissey cover projects in Chicago, as far as I know.

AVC: You have five people in your band vs. The Smiths' four. What gives?

JDLM: We’re not going out there trying to sound exactly like The Smiths. We’re playing their music, but putting our flavor on it. We add a little more oomph. Having both a rhythm guitar and a lead guitar adds a little more to the music, I think. The Smiths have Johnny Marr, who is amazing, but on the records, some of the songs have two or three guitar tracks. When they’d play out live, a lot of times they’d have an extra guitarist.

AVC: How many songs do you know?

JDLM: Right now, we know about 20 songs: 12 Smiths and eight Morrissey. There’s nothing we’ve had difficulty playing. A couple of songs—“Girl Afraid” and “Barbarism Begins At Home”—are intimidating to try, though. “How Soon Is Now” is the one everyone wants to hear live but as a musician, that song has two parts, and you just play them over and over. It’s long and not fun.

AVC: Do you emulate The Smiths physically or just musically? What kind of hair gel do you use? Are you vegan? Celibate?

JDLM: We don’t emulate them physically. Our drummer has long sideburns and greased hair, so he looks rockabilly. I’ve had people tell me that I should put flowers in my pocket and wear baggy button down shirts like Morrissey, but I’m not into that. As to being vegan or celibate, that’s a resounding no. None of us could be vegans if we tried. We are pretty debaucherous. Celibacy is not in the cards.

AVC: The Smiths have a huge Latino following—do you guys?

JDLM: I am Mexican, as are my brother, sister [his siblings play in the band with him—ed.], and our drummer [Oscar Torres]. Our bassist is the only white guy in the band. We do have a huge Latino following, because of The Smiths and Morrissey, but also because of who we are. I can’t explain the connection between Morrissey and all Latinos. I never got into Mexican music. Being young, I did get into The Cure, Depeche Mode, and New Order, and along with that package came The Smiths and Morrissey. People have said that Morrissey appeals to the immigrant experience and the alienation of that whole thing, but I don’t know what that’s like.

AVC: Morrissey’s a notorious shit-starter and straight talker. What’s the meanest thing you’ve ever said or done to someone?

JD: Years ago, I was at a Smashing Pumpkins show at the Aragon and there was a guy crowd surfing to a slow song. He kept kicking people in the head. My cousin got kicked twice. I reached up, grabbed him by his head, and pulled him right down to the ground.