CHKLZ, a DJ/producer duo formed by two former members of the ‘Nedal’ band Okilly Dokilly, are remixing the group’s iconic single “White Wine Spritzer”. Embracing and refining groovy house music, they’ve carved out a successful niche.
Okilly Dokilly, active from 2015, gained fame as the world’s first ‘Nedal’ band, blending heavy metal with the thematic influence of Ned Flanders from “The Simpsons”, complete with Flanders-inspired attire for performances.
We caught up with the duo to learn more about their new musical endeavors.
What drew you to remix “White Wine Spritzer,” and how did it feel to revisit a song from your Okilly Dokilly days?
This remix actually started as a kind of joke idea with some friends of ours on an August morning last summer at our first major international Friendzy Fest in Alberta, Canada, we started joking about how the vocals would sound on a house track and started pretending to do the deep growls like Head Ned and mouthing the beats and the structure; we all started laughing, but I actually thought it was a great idea, so we followed through with it. And here we are today. Ironic how Okilly Dokilly began the entire project similarly. Not taking something seriously, and it somehow became a thing.
And it was great to revisit this song from the old days. Okilly Dokilly gave me 5 great years and 10 great tours. I did my first international tours with that band to Europe, UK, Australia, and New Zealand. They weren’t my first shows abroad, but they were my first tours abroad. And the Neighborinos went absolutely nuts during this song every night we played. So there is a great connection to so many great memories from that as well. It was an honor to get Head Ned’s blessings on this too. It will always remind me of my time served in the world-famous Ned Flanders band.
How did you ensure that the remix stayed true to the spirit of the original track while also incorporating your unique house music style?
More than anything, I wanted to make sure we were doing the original justice. If we were going to be making this house, it was house music Ned Flanders himself would get down to. I even shaved my beard and am back to just the Flanders mustache for this Pawsitive Vibrations North American Tour, in the spirit of the song and my time in Okilly Dokilly just to drive it home.
We just took the lead guitar and vocal stems from the original track and used them in our favorite ways. This riff was like the band’s calling card while we toured. And we really wanted to make sure we kept true to the Nedal. By using a big halftime breakdown focusing on the vocals, we were really able to keep to the roots of the song and the sound of Okilly Dokilly.
Can you describe the fan response to your remix and how it compares to reactions from your Okilly Dokilly performances?
You know this is an interesting question. We have been getting great reactions at the shows for sure. People seem to enjoy the heavy vibes of the tune integrated into our live shows. I have already had Doggies approach me after the gigs after hearing the song and ask if I was in Okilly Dokilly. Sometimes they freak out a bit, but in a great way. And I am always happy to talk and take photos with them. Dread Ned was and always will be for the people. And his spirit will live on within me as long as we keep playing this song and I keep playing music for a living.
Have the responses been as crazy as the Okilly shows? No. But it’s house music, and I don’t think we are trying to start a mosh pit. Even the breakdown is more of a head bang than mosh pit vibes, at least I think so.
During the Okilly Dokilly days, what was it like to have your music video featured in an episode of “The Simpsons?”
That was absolutely nuts. Kind of life-changing, to be perfectly honest. I remember the morning we found out in the van.
Head Ned thought it was a cease and desist. He actually said, “Hey guys! So there’s an email from Fox here. This might be a cease and desist and this might actually be it.”
Then he opened it and almost couldn’t speak for a minute. He finally said it and we all lost it. And then I remember it actually aired while we’re on stage in Chicago, playing a sold-out Sunday night show on our Howdilly Twodilly Tour. We all watched it after the show.
It was crazy because, after that, we were trending in publications like Rolling Stone, and I even remember flying to New Zealand and I saw my picture in the inflight magazine from the airline. Talk about nutty!
And all the calls and texts and messages from my friend and family. It was just nuts, and still is to me.
I mean hey, we are even still talking about it today. That’s how crazy it really is to me. And I think to everyone else out there who knows about Okilly Dokilly might just feel the same way.
What message do you want to convey to your fans through this remix and your ongoing music projects?
That we are here to have fun with you always, Doggies!
Music is supposed to be a release. A place of mental refuge. A judgment-free zone. An energy exchange. Something that provides peace and healing. Something that we can fall in love with. It can truly create an atmosphere of intoxicating love. And we also believe that our music is something that we want to dance and move our bodies to. We are here to create and share those experiences together with all the Doggies out there!
Everything we do, we feel honored and privileged to have your support behind us. We love you and we thank you! We are so blessed and thankful to be able to do what we love because of you, Doggies!
