Hot Buttered Elvis

You can tell a lot about Hot Buttered Elvis by the fact that they include a special band-logo condom in their press kit. A self-described mix of Green Day and Spinal Tap, the D.C.-based foursome have spent "many glorious years" rocking and rolling and tickling the funny bone of fans around the region. "That's one of our philosophies: do not take things seriously, keep things loose," says lead singer/guitarist Scott Barber. "We're into improvising stuff, and not really having a set list. Keeping it fun, you know." The band's catalog consists of a mix of rowdy, punk-infused originals and bastardized cover tunes of everyone from Elton John to, yes, Elvis. "It's kind of a hodge-podge. I'd say melodic, punk metal, for lack of a better description," laughs Barber. "Whatever people want to hear. You want to keep the arm-folders in the back of the room happy, and do some originals and stuff," he continues. "Obviously, that's our goal, is to eventually have people coming out just to hear Hot Buttered Elvis' own stuff. But you know, I've got to admit it's fun to take a cover and do it your own way, and then you get a positive response out of it."

"We got this idea of putting together a cover band and an original band, and use the cover band to pay for the original band. That was kind of how it started out. And so far, so good," Barber says.

On stage, Hot Buttered Elvis runs a musical circus, complete with TVs and a wheel of fate. "We call ourselves the band for people with A.D.D.," cracks Barber. "No dead air, we just keep things moving. Hopefully at the end of the set, people are like, 'Whew!' They need to take a breath. ... We try to keep it loose, we try to keep it fun. It's rock without a net.

"We're in it to win it, and we're going to have fun along the way," he concludes. Visit www.hotbutteredelvis.com for more info.
- Fly Magazine