I'm Head Ned. I started and currently front a Ned Flanders themed metal band called Okilly Dokilly. AMA

What happens when we eventually run out of Ned quotes? Re use them? Break up and form 'Progressive Frink' ?

Oh man. Progressive Frink. That's gold. We have a couple band ideas if needed. Moe Town - all the greatest prank calls as soul hits. Propane and Discomfort - the King of the Hill death metal band. Bite My Shiny Death Metal - a bender quote band that is at least 75% metal.

How did you all decide what kinds of Neds to call yourself? Head Ned because you are leading it, sure. Shred Ned, ok. But what about the others?

The English language only contains so many words that rhyme with Ned, so some are a stretch, but many have relevance. Thread Ned had much nicer pants (i.e. threads) than us. Stead Ned was originally just going to be rhythm guitar (steady rhythm), Cred Ned was very honest and credible, Dead Ned was the guy we killed in the music video, Bled Ned once cut his hand while drumming and bled all over the white drum heads. For our current members, Dread Ned has dreads. Bed Ned can nap pretty much anywhere. Zed Ned was the last Ned name we could come up with.

Whose chopper is this?

It’s Zed’s.

Who’s Zed?

Zed’s Ned baby, Zed’s Ned.

We quote this constantly.

Did you have to jump through any legal hoops to form this band?

We always thought it would be a possibility. So far we haven't had to.

We all know Ned loved caroling. How bout a Christmas album? Please.

That could be interesting. It's not beyond possibillitlydiddly.

I saw the video for 'White Wine Spritzer' and that's now what I imagine goes on in Ned's head when he uses the word 'heck'.

Can you describe your ideal burger?

Thanks neighborino! I'm glad the reneducation is taking hold.

Medium cooked burger, plain with nothing on it. Like my favorite popsicle flavor.

What are the chances you guys do a Christian rock record? I feel like Ned would approve.

We'll probably stick to Nedal as our main genre, but that could be interesting.

What is the process of writing a Ned Flanders metal song? Do you watch the Simpsons while writing them or just have random/favorite quotes you use as a base?

Great question! The first record was largely based on favorite quotes. For the second record, I actually sat down and watched the first 10 seasons of The Simpsons over the course of a month. I kept a notebook nearby to jot down any Ned quotes.

That sounds like a great way to spend a month do you have a favorite quote you haven't gotten a chance to write into a song yet?

It was a wonderful month. There's a line that I wrote a song for that didn't make the record. We're saving it for a future release. It's a quote where Ned is praying over dinner and says "And let's not forget the humane but determined boys over at the slaughterhouse."

What are your religious views?

PS. Saw you guys at the vanguard in Tulsa. Good shit.

Not as religious as Ned himself. But that's a high hurdle.

On the Itchy and Scratchy CD-ROM, is there a way out of the dungeon without using the wizard's key?

What the h- diddly are you talking about?

What's your favorite Simpsons character besides Ned?
What's your first Simpsons memory?
Does pineapple belong on pizza?

When I was younger, it was Bart. As I get older, it's becoming Homer. I grew up with the show, but the first thing I remember was actually seeing The Simpsons on butterfinger BB ads and stuff. I thought they were mascots of it or something, that they had built an entire show off of. I was maybe 3 or 4. Pineapple belongs on pizza. Just not my pizza.

Did you have to salt the Earth so nothing would ever grow again?

Hehehe he. Yeah.

Are you the ones dressed in the hazmat suits when your settings up or yall have roadies?

Shhh. But, yes, that's us. We are our own roadie-o-active crew.

How do you start a Ned Flanders rock band?

The 3 essential ingredients are 1. Attire - green sweaters, pink collars, grey pants, glasses, mustaches 2. Friends or acquaintences who do not think you're insane when you say you're starting a Flanders band. 3. Puns - lots of them.

What were some other band names you guys considered when first starting? Thanks for doing this AMA my day just got much more interesting.

Thanks for the question! We actually never intended to start a band based on it. It was just a running joke of imagining the worst band name for a death metal band to walk on stage and say. I think some of those were 'The Wiggliest Worms' or 'The Blueberry Boys'. Someone said 'Okilly Dokilly'. When we realized we could fit the word 'kill' in the name twice and call it Nedal, we started to move the idea into reality.

Would you rather fight 100 duck size horserinos or one horse size duck diddily ding dong?

As far as melon scratchers go, that one's a honey doodle. My vote is 1 horse sized duck. We could go hide in the panic room until it goes away.

Are you surprised at how long the fifteen minutes have lasted?

I was surprised at the initial 15 minutes. We intended on getting an illegible font and being 1 of 9 bands on a Tuesday night show that no one goes to. The fact that we keep getting extensions is cherished by this humble Ned.

What is the very best cheese?

Cottage. Goes great on cucumbers.

Loved you at First Ave! Really wish you had a longer set then. Is the ski suit insanely hot to wear under a sweater?

Thanks neighborino! Minneapolis was, I think, 17 degrees that day, so the ski suit wasn't so bad. The ski suit breathes really well and doesn't get as hot as you might imagine. With just the ski suit, it kind of feels like I'm wearing nothing at all. So fairly breezy.

What is your favorite Ned episode?

Hurricane Neddy. Lots of great Ned moments and my 2nd favorite Lenny moment, when he walks up and Ned says, "I don't even know you, but I'm sure you're a jerk."

What bands inspired the metal side of Okilly Dokilly? Also are u planning on coming to or near Montana?

The first band that got me into screaming vocals was Thrice. I kind of worked backward through their discography. There's a band from Japan called Maximum the Hormone that bounces between Jpop and really grindy death metal. That juxtaposition of musical elements was a big inspiration. I also had a friend named Kevin, who screamed in a local black metal band, but wore fun astronomy shirts at shows. Kevin's hardcore vocals combined with his light-hearted attire was a big inspiration. Kevin is great.

What were some of the best stops on the tour that just ended?

Chicago was really memorable. The show had already sold out, and that was the night the episode aired that featured our video, so we got to celebrate with everyone. Just about every stop was really fun, so it's hard to pinpoint any.

Which song is your favourite to play? My personal favourite of yours is panic room! Also thanks for the great show in London 🤘🏻

Thanks neighborino! I do like playing Panic Room. I get to play the mandolin for that one and the crowd reactions to the music changes are great. My two favorites to play are Godspeed Little Doodle and I Can't It's a Geo (second one is newer). Both have crowd singalong parts that are really fun.

How many green sweaters do you own? Also what's laundry like?

Ha, great question. We all have 5 sweaters and sets of Ned gear. Laundry is a big source of our Nedly rage. We constantly sweat in the clothes, hotels generally have only 1 or 2 washers and dryers, and hotel dryers are often far too weak to dry the sweaters well. Even Mr. Sparkle can't help us here. Also because Mr. Sparkle is dish detergent.

Saw you Neds at the Masquerade in Atlanta last week. Have any of the former Neds contacted you since the "White Wine Spritzer" video was on the Simpsons? Was it congratulatory or were they asking to come back?

Thanks for coming to the show! I contacted all the former Neds prior to the video airing to let them know, and everything was congratulatory. The previous Neds all mostly left because of the touring schedule. Many of them have Maudes and Rods and Todds and other obligations that wouldn't let them tour as much as we do.

Do you pay any royalties, etc to Fox/The Simpsons/Etc?

Did you ever have Harry Shearer guest star in a song, and if not, were there talks about it?

We haven't. We thought we might be contacted by them early on, but we've always been careful about what we use. We never use any direct Simpsons merchandise in shows and never mention The Simpsons on our website or social channels. There haven't been any talks about having Harry Shearer on, but we're big Spinal Tap fans, so that would be very cool.

Any truth to the rumour that Stupid Sexy Flanders was forced to leave the band because his heinie was too distracting to your audiences?

100% True. Stupid Distracting Flanders.

what's the difference between apple cider and apple juice?

If it's clear and yella, you've got a juice there fella. If it's tangy and brown, you're in cider town.

You guys are awesome, I got to see you in Milton Keynes when you came to the uk. What did you make of the UK and do you plan on coming back, if so when? 🤘👨

Thanks neighborino! The UK was really awesome. I never knew how far The Simpsons reached outside the US until we started this band. We had a great time in the UK and met lots of really cool people. I don't have any concrete details yet, but we're already working on coming back in Winter of 2019.

What made you decide to make an all Ned Flanders band?

We came up with the idea and didn't have enough reasons not to. We just happened to have a pink flying V guitar in our drummer's garage. I worked for a clothing warehouse and could get green sweaters easily. I could grow a mustache and happen to be left-handed. We thought it would be fun and decided to go for it.

Have you ever heard the song "Ralph Wiggum" by the bloodhound gang?

Would you ever consider touring with The Misfats in a satire punk/metal extranaganza?

I haven't, but I'll check it out. That sounds like an awesome tour. We're working on some shows in Australia and want to tour with a Simpsons-themed doom band called Dr. Colossus.

Saw you on both the 2017&2019 tours, love what you guys are doing. Is there any reference/quote you want to do something huge with and just haven’t found the right instrumental for (I.e. a quote from the episode you guys played the credits on)? Secondly, is there any song from the Simpsons you guys have considered working in like you did with the Panic Room song, like monorail for example?

Thanks for coming to the shows! The episode that we were on the credits didn't have Ned, so I don't think we'll be able to pull anything there. There's a quote where Ned and Homer are betting their sons will each win at mini-golf. Ned says "Mercy is for the weak Todd!". I want to use that one. A lot. We really want to create a Nedley of songs from the show. There's a scene where Ned is singing his own version of Rod Steward to Maude. I want to use that, Nacho Man, Everybody Hates Ned Flanders, and a few others all in succession. It's in the works.

How hard is it for you and the band to stay in character? I love the band by the way, you saved my life.

Thanks neighborino! After so many tours, the character and the real person begin to meld. No one in the band uses the word 'brutal' anymore. We all say 'brutalino'.

Where did you get the doughnut floats. Goodyear tire?

We order them in bulk, since one is destroyed at nearly every show. To date, over 100 have been destroyed at shows.

I saw you in Tallahassee, and thank you for commenting on my Mac Sabbath shirt. What has been your favorite band you toured with?

Thanks for coming the the show! Mac Sabbath was really excellent to tour with. I can't really pick out a favorite, but our February tour with Playboy Manbaby sticks out, just because we drove through some really harrowing and gnarly winter weather. We'd each show up to venues in shell-shock from the death-defying drives and that created a kind of bond with those guys. Seeing them meant we had survived to diddly another day. They put on a really fun show too.

What was the process like for having your music video played on the Simpsons?? Did the producers contact you guys first, or was it more of a “omg, that’s us on the Simpsons!”

Caught your show a few months back in Bellingham, WA, and loved it! Looking forward to seeing you all again next time you hit the Pacific Northwest.

Thanks for coming to the show neighborino! We did know ahead of time that the music video was going to be on the credits. They e-mailed us about 2 months in advance. The date moved a few times, so we didn't know it was going to be Apr 7 until just a week before. We kept it really secret because we almost didn't believe it was going to happen and didn't know how they were going to present it.

I would associate metal maybe with the Nelson character from Simpsons. How come did you choose Ned Flanders?

It all started with the name. We thought up 'Okilly Dokilly' as the worst name for a metal band. From there we added the idea of the Ned character. I think a Nelson band would have to be an 80's cover band called 'A-ha ha'.

If you were to do a Futurama themed band, what would it be called? Would y'all play other styles of music or would it be similar to the nedal genre of Okilly Dokilly? Also, is there a Maud Flanders of the group?

It would be Bite My Shiny Metal Band, a Bender quote band with such songs as, "Compare Your Lives to Mine and Then Kill Yourselves," or "I'll Get My Own Band, With Blackjack and Hookers". Option 2 is a Scruffy the Janitor band called Boilin' Toilets. There isn't currently a Maude, darn t-shirt cannons.

Saw you at the grey eagle in Asheville. You guys were the best band on the bill. we had fun . Anyways, my question is will you play Ogdenville soon?

Thanks neighborino! We'd love to play Ogdenville, but we're not sure Ned Vanders can make it across the hundreds of miles of desert roads to get there.

Do any of you drive a Geo, by chance?

Our original drummer, Bled Ned, had a Geo. We made many jokes, mostly asking if he could fit his drum set in his car.

Can I Join?

Yes, but the initiation includes some pretty intense left-handed conversion therapy.

What’s it like to invent a type of genre of music?

Very strange, but very fun. We often get asked what Nedal is. I always say it sounds a lot like Rock and/or Roll.

Are you still watching The Simpsons? What's your opinion on the more recent seasons?

I am. It's tough to watch on tour, but I catch up when I'm back home. I still enjoy the new episodes and seasons. There are definitely some gems. The first 12 seasons are the golden age for me though.

My friend and I literally just discovered you guys last week. Do you find Sexy Ned Flanders to be intimidating?

Thanks neighborino! Yes, but many body goals are intimidating at first.

What's your favorite venue to play in and favorite venue to go to?

There have been lots of really great ones. The Rebel Lounge in our hometown has always been great to us. There's a collection of stages in Atlanta called The Masquerade that is really fun to play at. Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland is really good to us. We got treated really well at a place called Norton's Brewing Company in Wichita, KS and played a fun Halloween show there. I know I'm forgetting some, but each place has different charms, so it's hard to note all the good ones.

What's your favorite cities to perform in?

Hometown shows in Phoenix are always very fun. We've had a lot of fun in Chicago, Denver, San Diego, Boston and NYC too. We're always excited to play smaller towns too, that don't get a lot of touring bands coming through.

Howdilly doodilly! I saw you guys in Denver, in 2017 and 2019, and was a Bonus Ned both times, which leads into my question: what's the best costume you've seen at a show?

Thanks for grabbing a picture with me in 2017 at Marquis. It meant a lot!

You're welcome neighborino! Thanks for coming to the show! And as a bonus Ned! We had a really great Sideshow Bob one time. I also watched a Rod and Todd tear it up in the mosh pit once. My favorite was probably a Maude that was riddled with wounds that had rolled up t-shirts poking out of them.

If you're Prune Tracy, then who am I?

Also, shout out to your song "White Wine Spritzer". I was jamming out to that just a few weeks ago.

Sounds like you need a visit to Dr. Foster. Thanks neighborino!

I've heard of you and I'd just like to let you know that a lot of laughs and a lot of good music have come out of your band for me and my friends over the years. Also sence we need a question to post, what is your favorite color?

Thanks neighborino! I'm glad to hear.

I'm fond of beige. Anything else is a little too exciting.

Never listened, but will check you out. Have you considered any songs about the episode where Ned loses his home and the neighborhood helps “rebuild”? It causes Ned to end up in a psych ward.

The Hurricane Neddy episode is my favorite. We've got a song from it too. It's on the first record and it's called "You're a Jerk." If we write another from the episode, I think we'll call it, "Oo, Kicking and Screaming Please."

Did you consider any other characters as insperation before landing on Flanders, be it from Simpsons or another show?

Kind of. The idea came from the band name. We were imagining the worst name possible for a metal band and thought up Okilly Dokilly. Originally the idea was to have all the members dress as different Simpsons characters, but that was short-lived. Moments later, we realized it would be better if everyone dressed as Ned.

How is "Nedal" different from or similar to Metal?

The major difference is that all the song lyrics have to be Ned quotes or Ned-based. Musically, it's very close to medal but with more squelchy synth noises.

Saw you guys in Red Deer, Alberta 2 years ago. Loved the gimmick. Any chance of another few western Canadian dates?

Thanks neighborino! Red Deer was awesome, as was much of Canada. The rampant availability of Tim Horton's was great. We're trying to get back up there later this year.

Will you guys ever come back to the UK? Met you at the Peterborough show and would love to see you again

Awesome, thanks neighborino! Yes, we're working on setting up some more shows there in Winter 2019.

I remember seeing you guys online a few years ago. Do you guys get much business?

Flancrest Enterprises has been booming. We've set up Leftoriums in 30+ states.

Why Ned Flanders?

Availability of puns. It let us call the genre Nedal and name the band Okilly Dokilly, with the word 'kill' in there twice.

Hi!

I heard you guys on 93.9KWSS a couple years ago and dig everything you guys do! I’ve never been into metal too heavily before but Okilly Dokilly is just so FUN.

Do you have a schedule up for more AZ shows? I haven’t had the chance to see you in person yet!

Thanks neighborino! KWSS is a great station. Beef Vegan was one of my favorite morning hosts. We don't have anything officially announced yet, but we will be playing a show in Phoenix in late July. Stay posted for details.

When are you coming back to Frankie’s in Toledo OH?

There's a very large possibility that we'll be playing Frankie's in August, but I'm not allowed to say anything yet. So, TBD.

Gutted I missed you guys in Peterborough UK. Will you be back?

We're looking at coming back this Winter. We'll hopefully have some details soon.

Will you come to Portland Oregon soon?

Hopefully! We played Dante's in February and it was a blast. The VooDoo Donuts across the street gave us a free dozen, so we had a donut eating contest to fish out the most 'Homer-est' person. We'll hopefully be back soon.

Any plans to tour England again? I missed you guys in sheffield.

Definitely! Working on Winter of 2019. We should know a little more soon.

Do you feel that you missed the opportunity to call your guitarist “Shred Ned”?

Not at all. Our current guitarist is called Shred Ned.