In a typical rock band's life cycle, the early years are typically filled with the most energy. Then, time smooths out the rough edges, and reunions are fueled more by nostalgia than inspiration. Dogstar, surprisingly, took the opposite path.
On his new album All In Now The Los Angeles trio of vocalist and guitarist Bret Domrose, drummer Robert Mailhouse, and bassist Keanu Reeves have refreshed their style, creating a tense, post-punk sound grounded in texture and unsettling melody. This is their second album since reuniting live in 2023, and this time, the progress feels like a real leap. "I think we're still Dogstar," says Reeves, "but Dogstar might be a different band.".
More from Spin:
-
Tom Morello rocks out with his 15-year-old son Serj Tankian.
-
Bret Michaels, Martina McBride continue the Freedom 250: Exodus movement.
-
«Friday's Deep Release: Nine Inch Nails' "Reptile.".
The songs have become sharper and more confident, a result of a successful return to touring and the guidance of producer Nick Launay, whose own history dates back to the post-punk era.
It's mid-afternoon at Sid the Cat Auditorium, a new music venue in South Pasadena, a convenient spot for the trio to meet to discuss the album. Inside the Mission-style former schoolhouse, all three are dressed in black, the guitarist and drummer clean-shaven. Reeves's hair is cropped short, and his black beard is bald.
Gathered around the kitchen table near the stage, Reeves is the quietest of the three. But when he does speak, it's with the most enthusiasm. He just bought a new bass guitar and is eager to start playing again. He's touring Europe in June and July. "I can't wait to get to rehearsal tonight," he tells the others, practically bouncing on his chair. "Let's go play!"«
While touring in support of their 2023 reunion album Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees The band learned several lessons that helped shape the album. All In Now . They realized that some slow, quiet songs weren't making the same impact at their festival sets, while their cover of the Ramones classic "I Wanna Be Sedated" invariably ignited the crowd. The same can be said for their own song "Shallow Easy," a new composition with shimmering guitars that will undoubtedly appear on their next album.
For the album Power Lines and Palm Trees The trio wrote and refined their songs in Mailhouse's home in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles. For All In Now They gathered at Nightingale's rehearsal studio in nearby Burbank. Domrose brought a whiteboard and colored markers to track the songwriting progress.
Nevertheless, the recording process flowed in all directions. "We didn't have any preconceived notions like, 'Oh, we'll write some ballads,' or 'Are we going to write some rock songs?'" the singer recalls. "We just get together in a room, and whatever comes out, comes out.".
The latest album essentially began as an experiment, to see if Dogstar had another chapter in its history. Many years had passed since their first collaboration in the '90s. During that time, they remained friends, but their lives and careers had taken their own paths: Domrose, formerly of the Bay Area punk band The Nuns, became a composer for film and television. Robert Mailhouse is a working actor and musician. And Keanu, of course, remains Keanu. "We were excited by the idea of trying," says Domrose. "I don't think we knew whether it would work or not. We just said, 'We'll see what happens.'".
The album, released in collaboration with producer Dave Trumfio (Wilco, My Morning Jacket, Kool Keith), saw Dogstar return with a richer, more contemporary sound. "It was a moment of our return, a kind of introduction to each other," says Domrose. "Now we have a certain confidence that we can do it. We've had these fun 100-plus shows we've played. It just kickstarts a natural direction for what's next.".
For album All In Now Even more important was their astute choice of producer, Launey, whose recent career includes energetic records by Nick Cave, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the Idles, and Amyl and the Sniffers, among others. Mailhouse has a friend in a major rock band who has worked with Launey before and offered this advice: "Do whatever he says.".
«"He was very involved in the song selection process during pre-production," says Domrose. "He wasn't the kind of producer who was constantly reworking things. He was more like, 'This song goes. This one goes.'".
«"He's like a sound master," says Mailhouse. "He sculpts and layers.".
The British producer, now based in Los Angeles, began his career in the early 1980s, working on albums and singles for key figures such as Public Image Ltd., The Slits, Killing Joke, and Gang of Four. While working with contemporary artists, he still maintains a traditional approach, often resulting in bolder, more vibrant, handcrafted recordings.
«"You watch the Grammy Awards and you see the winners, and it turns out there were 15 writers and 10 producers working on the song," Mailhouse says of many contemporary artists. "I think, 'Who are these people?'"«
Dogstar and Launay worked at EastWest Studios, a classic recording studio on Sunset Boulevard that, under various names, has hosted the Beach Boys, U2, the Rolling Stones, Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Frank Sinatra. Their producer seemed no less enthusiastic and dedicated to his craft than Dogstar. "There was this room in that place where everything sounded really good—bass, drums, guitars, vocals, microphones," recalls Mailhouse. "So it was quite a magical place.".
Their producer felt right at home there. "Nick, man, that guy can work 10 hours straight without even getting up from his chair," the drummer adds. "He doesn't need a break. I asked, 'Nick, do you want something to eat?' He said, „"May be “».
Domrose says Launay "was incredibly passionate about her work and completely dedicated to it, and that was incredibly inspiring. It made you want to do your best.".
Likewise, each band member was typically present for most stages of the recording process, even when their parts were nearly complete. "There's definitely a family aspect to this band," says Domrose. "It's like a family gathering around the dinner table, eating together, and recording together. We never did it that way, but that's the atmosphere.".
They finished working on 15 songs and then chose the final dozen for the album. All In Now Album Opens with Reeves' rolling bassline on "Math," where Domrose sings of romantic temptation: "Where I sleep could be a mystery / Are you the future or are you history?" (Mailhouse compares the song to Squeeze's 1981 hit "Tempted" and its vocal chorus: "There's no other / Tempted by the fruit of another.") Beneath these lyrics, the song's dark rock sound sets the tone for an album that often leans toward post-punk.
A few years ago, Reeves was a guest on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," where he was asked what song he could listen to for the rest of his life. His answer was Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart." He says the gothic, punk-bass tune often comes to mind when he's working with Dogstar. "It's in my head," he says. blood »"," says Reeves. "I only started playing bass when I was 22. Self-taught, if you haven't figured it out yet. This melodic, minimalist tune—I love melodies.".
A few bass lines created by Reeves became the basis for some of the album's most dynamic tracks, including the album's rousing title track. "When we're doing soundcheck on tour," says Mailhouse, "[Reeves] leaves early, sets up the equipment, and I'm always sneaking up on him with my phone and the record button: 'I've got another one!' I have so many that I have to mark them on my phone, like 'Cleveland Riff 8.' They're like gems for a song.".
«"I think we're a storytelling band," Reeves says. "Musically, I think every song has its own story. I don't think we're a band where every song sounds the same.".
Their '90s discography is missing from streaming services, and their recordings haven't been released on vinyl or CD for years. This wasn't always the case, but by the time Dogstar decided to reunite, the rights to their first two albums and EP were unclear. "So we thought, 'You know what, it's been such a long time, let's just start over,'" says Mailhouse.
Some older songs are available on Dogstar's YouTube channel, and longtime fans have also uploaded their favorites. However, the band rarely plays anything from that era anymore. Occasionally, they might perform something at a soundcheck or special event, but the truth is, the older songs sound like music from another era and no longer reflect the band as they are in 2026. Reeves compares them to clothes from an earlier era, and Mailhouse jokes, "Are you really going to wear those bell-bottoms?"«
Ahead of the album's release Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees The reunited band performed both brand new songs and several covers. "The response we received exceeded all my expectations. It was like a warm welcome," says the vocalist. "We'd been away for a long time. Who would have thought anyone would know who we were or that anyone would be interested?"«
Playing festivals meant encountering audiences who might not be familiar with Dogstar. "People have every right to leave if they don't like the band. And seeing people stay and keep coming up to you is really touching. I want to keep doing this.".
Equally encouraging is the support Dogstar has received from some of their musical heroes and contemporaries. Former Joy Division/New Order bassist Peter Hook invited Reeves to join him onstage to play bass on "Love Will Tear Us Apart" while he was touring. At one festival performance, Mailhouse was drumming with his eyes closed when he suddenly heard a drumbeat coming from his kit, which he wasn't playing. Startled, he opened his eyes to see Jane's Addiction drummer Stephen Perkins drumming next to him. Then, at the 2024 Ohana festival in Dana Point, Mike McCready invited Domrose onstage to play guitar with Pearl Jam during the band's cover of Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World." The members of Dogstar felt a newfound acceptance.
«"It was different in the '90s," Mailhouse laughs. "It was the complete opposite." Moral support from colleagues is crucial and "helps us stay on track." "We're just trying our best," Mailhouse adds with a smile. "We're just a small group from Silver Lake.". Check out our 2023 Dogstar article Here .
To see our constantly updated list of the 100 Greatest Rock Stars of All Time, click here. .