THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA's JEREMY DEPOYSTER Doesn't Believe In Relying On Backing Tracks During Live Performances: 'We Literally Hate That'

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA guitarist and vocalist Jeremy DePoyster has weighed in on bands who rely heavily on pre-recorded tracks during their live performances.

In recent years, more and more artists have been given a pass for relying on pre-recorded tracks, drum triggers and other assorted technology that makes concerts more synthetic but also more consistent. For better or worse, pre-recorded tracks are becoming increasingly common for touring artists of all levels and genres and they're not just used in pop music — many rock artists utilize playback tracks to varying degrees.

Speaking to Rock 100.5 The KATT FM's Cameron Buchholtz at THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA's March 13 concert the Diamond Ballroom in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Jeremy stated about acts who rely on pre-recorded tracks (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "We had a bass player leave last August. And then we really just never went home. We went to South America and South Africa and Australia and Europe, and we really had no time to get somebody to come fill in. So we just had some tracks going on a laptop, and we literally hate that. We're, like, a band's band. And so this is our first show back with the new bass player. So we're pumped about that."

He continued: "We've never had a guitar on a track. We've never had a vocal on a track. I kind of grew up in this VFW hardcore-scene era where our big thing was we had a keyboard player, like a real keyboardist. 'Cause we were playing venues that didn't have P.A.s. You had a little speaker for the vocal, and so if you wanted other sounds, you had to kind of do it yourself. And so we try and put on a big show and sound good and everything, but it's mostly just from rehearsing a lot and trying to be tight and not faking it. I just feel like if you pay this much money nowadays for a ticket, you deserve to hear a band play the show."

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA released its critically acclaimed ninth album, "Flowers", last November via Solid State Records.

Among a string of seminal releases, Revolver readers named THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA's "With Roots Above And Branches Below" (2009) one of the "Five Greatest Metalcore Albums", the "Zombie" EP (2010) and "Dead Throne" (2011) each debuted in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200, and 2021's "ZII" marked their sixth straight Top 5 entry on the Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums chart. They have also tallied nearly a half a billion streams — unprecedented for most acts this heavy. The group elevated to another stratosphere with "Color Decay" (2022),selling out their biggest shows worldwide and receiving some of the highest praise of its career.

During 2024, the musicians decamped to a VRBO in Rodgers, Arkansas for three weeks where they constructed the foundation for the "Flowers" LP, with Jonathan Gering (keys, synths, programming, percussion) again at the helm as producer. Following their time "in this heavenly corner of Arkansas," Jon, Jeremy and Mike Hranica (vocals) took a handful of trips to Los Angeles. Putting the finishing touches on recording, the guys collaborated with Tyler Smyth (I PREVAIL, FALLING IN REVERSE),Austin Coupe (LØ SPIRIT, MOODRING),Colin Brittain (LINKIN PARK, PAPA ROACH),FIT FOR A KING's Bobby Lynge, and Marshall Gallagher of TEENAGE WRIST. They also enlisted "Color Decay" collaborator Sam Guaiana as an engineer and tapped Zakk Cervini (BRING ME THE HORIZON, SPIRITBOX) for mixing and mastering.