The gimmick of taking an existing genre of music and performing it in a different style is nothing new. Steve Allen did it during the "Golden Age" of television. Bill Murray's alter-ego, Nick The Lounge Singer, crooned his way through "Saturday Night Live". Black Velvet Flag shook up the Cocktail Nation of the '90s. Now the torch song has been reignited by Richard Cheese and Lounge Against The Machine.

"I'm a big fan of any irony," states Mark Jonathan Davis, better known by his musical moniker Richard Cheese. "It's the wrong thing to do and I enjoy doing the wrong thing."

Davis is an unlikely and rather reluctant rock star. During high school, he worked at a hobby store warehouse and passed the time by singing radio hits in the style of Frank Sinatra. In 1994, while working on Kevin and Bean's morning radio show on Los Angeles' KROQ, he created the character of Paul Talbert, the 55-year-old intern who recorded his own "retro" versions of alternative hits. Davis eventually started his own company producing television jingles and commercials, but still wanted to take his idea further and put out an album. With backing from Oglio Records, Lounge Against The Machine was recorded with studio musicians and released in 2000.

"This Richard Cheese thing was not supposed to go this far," he claims. "When we put the album out, I thought 'I'm going to do a show so I can say I was a rock star.'" Davis put together a band for a show in Hollywood, and to his surprise, people who weren't friends showed up. "We started getting more gigs, and the next thing you know, we've got offers from around the United States."

Cheese's current backing band, who he describes as "three of the greatest musicians I've ever met," is comprised of pianist David Adler (aka Bobby Ricotta), bassist Christopher Monaco (Gordon Brie) and percussionist Charles Byler (Buddy Gouda). When they aren't lounging against the machine, these seasoned musicians still hold day jobs. Adler scores films, Monaco is employed by an insurance company and Byler works for an Internet business. When asked if playing modern-day versions of grandparents' music would be their claim to fame Byler laughingly exclaims, "It's the last thing I thought I'd be doing!"

That very juxtaposition of alternative and lounge music has found a level of success that surprises everyone. "We thought it would go a month or two. We'd play some shows and that would be the end," says Monaco. Davis adds, "I think people are really in on the joke. Some people think it's silly and they like it, and then some people think it's brilliant and they love it." However, Davis continues to be frustrated by people who request songs like "Mack The Knife". "They think they get it, but they don't get it" he says.

What's the secret? "Not just delivering the joke, but making the joke have a lot of layers so people go 'Wow, that kind of touches me.' And the drunker you are the deeper you appreciate those layers" he says. That, and having exactingly high standards of musicianship. Davis explains, "Despite the fact that this is a wacky, jokey, novelty band, we do it very carefully."

Having consistency and focus doesn't mean it isn't fun. Cheese is boorish, while Davis is more low-key. "I don't think I'm living vicariously through the freedom that Richard Cheese has, but it's certainly fun to be able to go up to a girl and sit on her lap and simulate sex. I wish I could do that in my day-to-day life," he says. "Richard Cheese doesn't really know he's being offensive and doesn't realize he's about to get beat up by that boyfriend, or slapped by that girl. He's really a simpleton, and he doesn't know he's pushing the boundaries of good taste and politeness."

Last year the band released a second album, Tuxicity, which meant finding a new batch of songs to swankify. "The litmus test has been is the song wrong as a lounge song. The wronger it is, the better," Davis explains. "It's hard to find the right style, whether it be straight big band, swing or bossa nova. Matching the style to the lyric and melody is the trickiest part."

Crowds at LATM shows tend to be amazingly varied, yet everyone usually expresses similar gleeful disbelief. "We are able to unite these different types of people," Davis says. "It feels really good to have punks sitting at one table and businessmen sitting at another, people who like different kinds of music all in the same room."

The phenomenon can now be witnessed Sunday nights at Sunset Station, where LATM is performing in Club Madrid. The band is booked through March and they couldn't be more thrilled. "It's been a goal to have a regular gig somewhere where we are appreciated," says Davis. "To finally reach the level where we are taken seriously is an accomplishment I'm happier about than making money or selling CDs." "I think it's fun playing in Vegas where this style was established," adds Adler.

Aside from having unusually pricey dry-cleaning bills, this touring lounge act encounters problems that the average indie rock band never would. "I broke my bowtie one night an hour before a show," recalls Davis. "Luckily I was in a casino, so I went down to a blackjack dealer and said 'Can I have your bowtie?' They said 'No' I said 'I'll give you ten dollars' and they said 'OK!'"

What does the future hold for LATM? Davis would like to move in a more serious direction. "It's Been A While by Staind is a really beautiful love song. This is no longer a joke; I love that song because it's a real tearjerker." As a social and environment activist, Davis is also considering a move into politics. "Obviously it's going to be weird running for office when I've spent so many years of my life singing 'I want to fuck you like an animal.' That'll be an interesting press conference."

Club Madrid Sound Check - February 9th, 2003

An edited version of this interview was published in Las Vegas CityLife on February 20th, 2003. Photo by Poizen Ivy.