The Ding Dong Devils of Los Angeles perform original songs which celebrate Tiki culture, exotic booze and jungle mystery, inspired by the members’ mutual interest in Mid-Century Modern aesthetic and diverse musical interests in exotica, surf, rockabilly, hapa haole and old-timey jazz. The band features Rama Lama (Edwin Letcher) on guitar & ukulele, Nepheria (Julia Devine) on bass & accordion, Caltiki (Brent Walker) on guitar, steel guitar & mandolin, Puka von Pele (Rosann Simeroth) on drums, percussion & keyboards, and Candy Snatcher (Stacey Morris) on drums & percussion, who joined the band in 2012.
The four original members, who had previously played in The Fleagles, formed this band in 2008 after individually writing songs with such titles as I Carry a Tiki Torch For You, Mai Tais in the Moonlight, False Idols Put a Curse on You and The Belly Dancers of Bali Bali and realizing they were on a mutual Tiki wave-length. Their Tiki Oasis room parties in San Diego have become a center of fun and excitement, and they’ve played such California Tiki events as Tiki Oasis’ car show, Tiki Caliente in Palm Springs, Goin’ Primitive in Mojave, and Forbidden Island’s Luau in Alameda. They’ve also played Southern California Tiki establishments like Tonga Hut and Don the Beachcomber, as well as rock clubs and private parties–all in the quest of a musical good time.
In, 2010 they released their first album entitled “Tassels, Mai-Tais & Mischief,” then followed that up in 2012 with “Hello Little Olives!”, both produced by Dave Klein (Bomboras, Ghastly Ones and Agent Orange) and featuring cover artwork by Derek Yaniger (as well as the art of El Gato Gomez on the more recent release). Among the original songs on the new album are Meet Me at the Hula Hut, Dance of the Tsetse Fly, Rum Snob and Weeki Wachee–a musical homage to Florida’s legendary mermaid show. The Ding Dong Devils have also been known to perform such covers as Yes, Master! by The Whips (complete with a real whip wielded onstage by Nepheria) and King Kong by Tarantula Ghoul & the Gravediggers.
