Out of the ashes of the Orange, a rather popular (but typical) rock act out of Dallas rose Aztec Milk Temple, a whole new beast of a band.
Led by guitarist (and artist) Scott Tucker, Aztec Milk Temple melds psychotic rock (think Butthole Surfers and Scratch Acid) with ambient noise and field recordings. “It’s just the music that comes out of me,” says Tucker matter-of-factly from his apartment near Dallas’ legendary Deep Ellum area. “I knew I wanted to do something heavier and more experimental.”
Once the frontman of the Orange, Tucker saw that project dissolve in the office of a major record label. “All those stories people tell you … the horror stories you hear about major labels trying to change a band’s music and their image … 100 percent correct,” Tucker says. “We were a local band headlining Granada Theater, bringing in 300 people a show. That changed the dynamic for all of us, and we all just kind of went our separate ways, amicably. With Aztec Milk Temple, I’m not really shooting for anything like that.”
So far, the band, with a sound reminiscent of the rock sounds of the late ’90s and early ’00s, has released two singles and is posed to release a third in the near future. “Digital Natives” came out in June 2020, followed by “Milk” a few months later. Both songs are wildly ambitious with the latter featuring a whirlwind of buzzes and beeps before the song crashes to a start with Tucker ranting like a carnival barker on steroids while the rhythm section of Vincent Martin and Braxton Fugate bravely keep up with the chaos.
Produced by Chris “Frenchie” Smith (whose credits include Dandy Warhols and Slayer), both singles are a breath of fresh air for the Texas punk and metal scene. A full-length is planned on Dallas’ own Idol Records, followed by a tour once the pandemic ends.
Photo by Savannah Butler
