Recently, we at Dark Obsessions got the chance to interview Ed Long and Damien Gloneck of Living Dead Dolls, here is the interview in full...
First of all guys, I wanna thank you for taking the time to do this. I'm positive that alot of people will appreciate this alot.
So, onto the questioning eh?
I'll start with a question that I'm sure alot of people wanna know. Can you let us into any info about upcoming dolls, exclusives, other Living Dead Dolls concepts?
Damien - 2006 is going to be a big year for Living Dead Dolls. We have some great exclusives coming out this year as well as some other projects in the works that will be announced shortly. All I can say is start saving your money now and look into airfare if you don't live in our area.
Ed - They are all dead.
The fanbase of Living Dead Dolls is strong, new fans seem to be coming in all the time, did you expect such a varied aged fanbase when you set about introducing your idea of horror dolls originally?
Damien - I think in the beginning we didn't really know what to expect and probably assumed as did everyone else that the dolls appealed to more of a Goth crowd, however we quickly learned that was not the case. People of all walks of life and every age group were coming up to us to buy dolls. We continually get emails from people who discover the dolls each day. We do not cater to just one specific genre and try to pigen-hole ourselves.
Ed - Nope! I thought they would all worship Satan! Turns out I was wrong.
Which Living Dead Dolls are your favourites? And why?
Damien - I don't have too many favorites per se. I love them all, they are all like my children. I usually love each new series we do once they come out. But probably some lasting favorites are Hemlock and Honey because they are some of the scariest dolls we ever did and I like The Lost because she captures that creepy innocent look. Ask me again tomorrow and it could all change.
Ed - I hate them all like my children!
There are alot of other horror dolls out there, some of them obviously taken inspiration from LDD's. Do you guys have a favourite of the other horror toy franchises out there?
Damien - The new line of Voodoos look really cool as does Mezco's Afterlife. But mostly everything else is a been there done that sort of deal.
Ed - They are all a bunch of fakes trying to get rich quick!
It's a well known fact that you guys do the United States and Canada horror convention and comic convention scene each year. Do you have a favourite con that you attend? If so, why?
Damien - Well Chiller Theatre will always be home to the dolls, so that is sort of special, but Cinema Wasteland is probably one of the more fun convention we do. It is so laid back and filled with cool people.
Ed - Chiller...It's their birth/death place! But I have to agree Cinema Wasteland is a blast!
Living Dead Dolls seem to be not only inspired by horror movies, but also by music and other media outlets. What movies and bands are you guys into, and do they influence the designs on the dolls?
Damien - Everything we do influences the dolls, and yes music and movies are a big part of that. To ask which movies and music we like would be a whole other list. Movie wise, it will always be the 70s and early 80s horror for me, especially the Eurotrash stuff. But I love it all. I like a lot of Asian horror, though recently that is becoming a worn out genre. Anything anti Hollywood. Music, I am all over the place. Black Sabbath, best band in the world, lots of 80s punk rock, Misfits, Ramones, Dead Kennedy's, Exploited all that shit. Lately I have been listening to a lot of Lynyrd Skynryd.
Ed - Way to many movies, way to much music... Just think 70s horror and old school punk! Get it?
Is Living Dead Dolls a fulltime job for you both, or do you guys venture out to other areas too? Do you guys work at the side of the whole thing?
Damien - We don't do LDD full time, though it feels like it is a full time job how much devotion it takes. We have other ideas, but rarely does LDD allow us to do anything else.
Ed - I love doing it from the side.
Going back to the question of inspired toys, how do you feel about now and then seeing a product that is obviously adapted from your LDD idea? Good, bad, indifferent?
Damien - I think it is pathetic bullshit, it has already been done, come up with something new. Don't ride other people coat tales. Horror scary dolls, that has been done already, somebody do something different. Little Apple Dolls is probably the best thing out there that came from a LDD influence and she was one of the only people to actually approach us and thank us for it.
Ed - See bunch of fakes answer.
Ok...a few of those "this or that" questions for you guys to answer...
Movies or Music?
Damien - A rhetorical question, there is no answer. Like the whole who would win in a boxing match question Lemmy from Motorhead or God? There is no answer because Lemmy is god.
Ed - Don't all movies have music?
Sex or Beer?
Damien - I never had a beer I enjoyed more then my girlfriend.
Ed - Doesn't it take beer to have sex?
Texas Chainsaw Massacre - Original or Remake?
Damien - I can't even dignify that question with an answer. Go home and stick your head in a bucket of glue.
Ed - Are you retarded?
Well, I'll guess you guys like the remake eh? Thanks alot for taking the time to do this for D~O, good luck with all the stuff in 2006, CHEERS!
SERIES 11 WILL BE IN THE STORES THE FIRST PART OF 2006
Jubilee
Maggot
Isaiah
Killbaby
Rain
Not to mention the new announcement of the Living Dead Dolls exclusive, Jason, yes...THAT Jason, check images out here...
http://www.horrorchannel.com/dread/...rticle&sid=4770
The Twisted World of Living Dead Dolls
In 1998, Living Dead Dolls make their first appearence, handmade by Ed and Damein, the dolls become more and more popular, being sold at conventions on the East Coast, and on Damien's website (Unearthly Posessions).
The year 2000, Mezco and Ed and Damien sign a deal for Mezco to produce Living Dead Dolls.
March 2001, The first series of Living Dead Dolls is released, the series included Posey, Eggzorcist, Sadie, Sin and Damien. Tag lined "We've passed away, now it's time to play! Because deader is better!" Series 1 is still a favourite among collectors of the line to this day.
Over the next few months, Died and Doom, a Tower Records Exclusive set, Hong Kong Penny, limited to 666 pieces, and the first Sinister Minister and Bad Habit set, a Spencers Gifts Exclusive, are released.
In October 2001, Living Dead Dolls and Mezco released their second series, entitled "Class Deceased". The set included Kitty, Schooltime Sadie, Lizzie Borden, Lou Sapphire and Deadbra Ann.
Things didn't slow down for the Living Dead Dolls machine in 2001, with Red Sinister Minister and Bad Habit, limited to 999 pieces, Spencers Exclusive White Sinister Minister and Bad Habit and Club Mez Penny being sold.
March 2002 begins with a BANG, as Series 3 are released. With the title of "The dead shall rise again", Series 3 was a hit, Sheena, Lilith, Bride of Valentine, Schitzo and Lottie were well recieved by a now rabid fanbase.
Between then, and the release of Series 4 in October, Tower Records released Hazel and Hattie, a beautiful set of siamese twin girls. Tragedy is also released through Hot Topic.
October dawns...and Series 4 are released. "Dolls to Die Four", Sybil, Lulu, Inferno, Ms Eerie and Macumba kept collectors salivating and hungry for more.
2002 came to a close with the release of Abigail Crane and Mr Graves.
Onto 2003 and April sees the fifth series of Living Dead Dolls. "Hollywood Babylon", the 5th anniversary series brought us Siren, Vincent Vaude, Dahlia, Jezebel and Hollywood. Also released was a set of Series 5 Black and White varients that were concealed by a black coffin lid. Five of the varients released were blood splattered, and the lucky owner would have the special privelage of having a handmade Living Dead Doll created for them by Ed and Damien.
"Series 666 - Six dolls, six pets, six series's, Do the aftermath!" The sixth series were released in November of 2003, with the addition of one doll to the usual five. The set included Dottie Rose (who came both with or without eyebrows), Hush, Revenant, Issac, Jinx and Calico, along with their pets.
2003 was a strong year for Living Dead Doll exclusives, with the introduction of many during the year. Cookie, the evil girl scout, San Diego Comic Con exclusive Blue Eggzorcist, UK exlcusive Jack The Ripper, Diamond Comics Dr Dedwin and Nurse Necro, Tragedy's boyfriend Misery, and Tower Records two-pack Psycho-billies, Billy and Jilly. Certainly a busy year for collectors of the dolls.
2004 began with German exclusive Walpurgis being sold and the new concept of "Living Dead Dolls Presents..." being showcased with the two-pack Nosferatu and Victim.
May saw Series 7, "The 7eadly Sins", appear in stores around the World. The series was based on Ed and Damiens vision of the seven deadly sins, and contained Vulgur the Obscene as Gluttony, Bad Bette Jane as Wrath, Eve-A-Go-Go as Envy, Bed-time Sadie as Sloth, Madame Dsymorphic as Vanity, Mistress Demonika as Lust and Miss McGreedy as Greed. The set, much like Series 666, saw the addition of an extra doll, giving collectors seven dolls in one series.
The demeted summer of 2004 saw many exclusive releases. The first of which was Jack and Jill, sold in Red (Club Mez), Black and White (SDCC), and with rare bloody, glow-in-the-dark varients mixed in. The set was popular with collectors. The Great Zombini and Viv, Tower Records exclusive, were unique, with Viv being the first Living Dead Doll that came apart at the waist. August, September and October brought us Captian Bonney, Double Pack Honey and Hemlock (AKA Trick & Treat) and "Living Dead Dolls Presents.." American Gothic two-pack.
November of 2004, Series 8 were released. "If these dolls dont scare you, you're already dead", and scare they did, as Hollow, The Lost (in both white or black dresses), Faith, Angus Littlerot (with 3 face moulds) and Grace of the Grave came into the World of Living Dead Dolls.
Since November of 2004, the Living Dead Dolls line has been somewhat quieter. The release of Series 9 in June 2005 broke the silence with the introduction of Purdy, Elisa Day, Dawn, Blue and Toxic Molly. The set differed from any other, with all five dolls being girls. The dolls were also the first to be released with the new Living Dead Dolls body mould. Along with the color versions, a set of black and white, glow-in-the-dark varients were released through Club Mez, limited to 666 sets.
July 2005, San Diego Comic Con exclusive, also available in limited numbers through Club Mez, Edward Scissorhands was released. The doll sold out quickly, and was presented in a special window box, rather than the usual Living Dead Dolls coffin.
In the last quater of 2005 Series 10 was released. The Series included Wolfgang, Mildread, Tina Black, Arachnid and Demonique and it seemed that Ed and Damien had gone back to the more traditional ideas that existed in earlier series.
Also released in 2005 was the exclusive Jeepers, who was based on the ragdoll of the same name. She was body bagged so the red and black varients could not be seen before purchase!
Throughout the time since Living Dead Dolls began, various other merchandise have been designed and released through Mezco. The Minis, Fashion Victims, Dollies, Barware, Porcelain, Plush, Ragdolls, Headknockers, A board game, stationary set, journal and pencil sharpeners were released. T-Shirts and Living Dead Doll costumes were also available, which proves there is no end to the ideas and creativity of Ed and Damien.
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