Interviewed by Ryan Daoust

Mr. Do It and the Downtown Boyz.
Jimmy: Guitar/piano/lead vocals
Dave: Guitar
Randy: Bass/vocals
Jesse: Drums/vocals

We are a high energy, riff heavy, Garage Pop band based out of South Florida. We write music, polish it up, and take to the streets. We never stick to a genre and just play what we want to hear. The themes range from deeply sentimental to absurd, goofy, immature humor. The current lineup in the band began when Jesse joined in on the drums alongside Jimmy and Randy in late 2016. We then snatched up Dave in 2017 and have been working hard at it since. You can hear a bit of what you’ll see at our live shows on any streaming platform.

Mr. Do it and The Downtown Boyz

As a garage pop band, what artist do you pull some of your musical influences from?
Jesse: We’re just trying to play really high-level music in a more-or-less pop structure with the intensity of a high school garage band. Our influences are all over the map, but there really isn’t anything we’re trying to emulate. Just trying to be a great band. As a drummer, I personally draw a lot from straightforward pop drumming. The band that does that the best right now, in my opinion, is 1975. Playing simple drums allows the guys in front of me to do the intricate parts that they play without it feeling too crowded.


You mention you play what you all want to hear, so it’s safe to say the band’s sound is ever- changing. With two albums out now, how would you say the second album differs from the first?
Jesse: The most significant difference between the first and second albums is Dave’s guitar addition. All of the songs on the first EP were written BD (Before Dave), and the songs on the second EP were either written with Dave, or they only ever felt genuinely complete with Dave. Randy also got to show off his bass skills a little more on ‘So Cool.’ The bass solos in RGM and Body Language are as good as any I’ve heard on a rock record.

I had the pleasure of going to a private show recently, and you all seemed to play with such great chemistry! How did you all meet? And how did it turn into Mr. Do it and the downtown boyz?
Jesse: Randy and I know each other through mutual parents, and I met Jimmy when he and Randy started hanging out and playing music when I was just a wee lad. I’ve always had an affinity for the music they’ve created, and I’ve always wanted to play drums with them. I finally got the opportunity once I finished school and moved to South Florida in 2016. We met Dave through playing music in the area, and he was just too tasty to not invite out to a couple of practices. The rest is Downtown Boyz History. We’ve had several past members also: Bob Dolder, Casey Marek, and Cory Goldsmith, and we’re all still best friends and/ or brothers, and they always have an open invitation to come to play. The music runs deep in our crew, and chemistry is central to our philosophy.


Okay, the question all of us want to know, which one of you is the only Mr. Do it? (please explain who and how the name got started)
Jesse: Mr. Do It isn’t a person, per se; he’s more of a figure that stands for order and hard work. Eyes on the prize. First in, last to leave. Brick by brick. Blood and sweat. Do. It and The Downtown Boyz are spirits of passion and chaos that live for the moment. Creatures of the night. Life of the party. Servants of Dionysus. Ever inspired, but distracted by their own bliss. Where these worlds meet is really what our music is all about. Taking all of the raw energy, inspiration, fun, and chaos and the molding it into something tangible and permanent that you can bet the house on every time.

Hearing you guys rock out in person was a lot of fun, I must say. What caused you guys to put together this event?
Jesse: Honestly, we’ve been going stir crazy, not playing for people, even if it’s just for our friends. And on top of that, this period without playing shows has forced us to write some of our favorite material. When we usually played a show, we had a practice where we worked on one new song for over three hours. Writing an abundance of fun songs keeps us going, and we wanted to share those fun songs with our friends, who were missing live music.

What are your thoughts on the Drive-In concerts that started due to Covid-19?
Jesse: I love the idea of Drive-In Concerts! Mosh pits are gonna be INSANE!

What would you say is your dream venue to perform at? And who else would you guys like to perform with on the same bill?
Jesse: My dream venue at which to perform is Red Rocks, in Denver, no doubt. I would love to open for Ben Folds/Ben Folds Five. Or, more realistically, Jukebox the Ghost. Or we could just run it back with Not Spices and Any other color.


I’d like to know each band member’s favorite original song you guys perform. I wonder if it’s all the same or different?
Jesse: “Speed of Light.” It starts with me screaming the count in at the top of my lungs, and it only gets more intense after that. Jimmy: There’s a point with a new song when it just clicks with everyone for the first time, and it feels like it’s always existed. The magic in the room when that happens is what I’m still chasing. It’s cliché, but the newest song is literally always my favorite. “Pointed” has become my favorite song to play live. It’s a real flex. Dave: “Speed of Light” because it’s insane, and I love hearing Jesse scream initially. My favorite of our released tracks is “Laughing at This.”
Randy: I could just easily say “Speed of Light” and feel okay about it. When we play that song, there are moments when I feel like I’m gonna rip my bass in half from the rush I get. But these days, “Rivers” really gets my blood pumping. There are so many complex layers in the music that flows so naturally. We really worked hard on this one, and it makes me appreciate everyone’s patience and talent in this group… “Speed of Light,” though.

In your songs, you mention the theme tends to change a lot. Does the band have one writer, or do you all take turns writing different songs? (also explain where some of the influences for the songs come from) Jesse: Nearly all of the songs begin somewhere in Jimmy’s brain, usually mood-driven by a riff or musical theme. If the riff feels crazy, the theme tends to go more psycho and absurdists like “Filling the Void (FTV)” or “Salty Spitoon.” Some things feel like a celebration of life and come out more like “Speed of Light” or “Laughing at This.” The lyrical idea is always dictated by the music. He’ll have a general outline of a song figured out. We’ll polish it up together and finalize the structure and dynamics at practice. We all have a ton of musical free-dom because a song never feels right until everyone is happy about every single note they’re playing. Dave wanted to make sure I quoted him, and now, let me make sure I get this right: “I’ll play around with different ideas for my guitar parts, and I usually just go with whichever one makes Jesse and Randy’s eyes bulge and smile at me like psychos.” (laughs)

Lastly, where can you find your music? ( time to plug everything you got)
Jesse: You can find our music streaming on just about every streaming service (Spotify, Google Music, Apple Music, Amazon Music, etc.). We also have a YouTube channel set up with a couple of live videos. Just search “Mr. Do It and the Downtown Boyz,” and the track should pop up. We’re also on Instagram, @thedowntownboyz. We’re also on Tinder, Plenty of Fish, and Farmers Only, but you have to earn that info, baby.