Considering Loverboy’s been around for four years now, it’s all kinds of crazy that it’s taken this long for us to work with The all kinds of fabulous Boulet Brothers. They are the evil overlords of alternative, spooky, punk drag as can be witnessed in their show Dragula!

The Boulet Brothers and their photographer Nathan Noyes kindly took some exclusive shots for us before telling us about where they get their ideas, their favourite part of the Dragula process and yes of course their favourite Mariah song. We also spoke to Nathan about his relationship with the demonic duo.

How did you both meet?
We met in an S&M themed restaurant in New York City and from there we formed an unhealthy, lifelong co-dependency that granted us far greater powers than we would have developed on our own. We just clicked and had a lot of fun working on creative projects together. We had similar tastes and interests, but we also seemed to be strong in areas that the other was lacking, so together we were able to take over the (under)world.

The world of Reddit has many theories over whether you are a couple. Are you guys together?
Yes.

Have there been any unexpected pros or cons of being a double act?
Well yeah, splitting all the money and attention is terrible. We also fight over costumes and shows, but at the end of the day it’s nice to have your best friend with you all of the time. It can be a lonely business, and I’m not sure either of us would be traveling around and performing like we do if we didn’t have each other along for the ride to make it fun.

Your look is so polished. Where do you get your inspirations from?
Thank you for noticing. I think our polish is the result of one of us being extremely detail oriented and the other being a sadistic perfectionist. We draw inspiration from horror movies and supervillains, and then we throw in a little dash of 1980s camp and humor. You can also see some British sitcom references in our drag!

Is it just the two of you coming up with these concepts or do you have a trusted team that you consistently work with?
We work as a team on a lot of it, but at base all of this demented shit comes straight from us. When we present the team with an idea and half of them laugh and cover their mouths and the other half turn kid of pink and uncomfortable, then we know we have a winner. They help us figure out how to do it without getting sued.

When shooting for Loverboy we talked about Francis Bacon. Can you tell us about how the shoot was for you?
We wanted to look thin for the shoot, so we actually didn’t eat the Francis Bacon or any of the other things you sent over from craft services. I’m sure it was delicious though and thank you!

You very much encourage the idea of being true to yourself. Who instilled this in you?
Probably the people we grew up around who tried everything in their power to make us not be ourselves. It was the usual “don’t be feminine, don’t be a fag, don’t wear makeup, don’t practice black magic, don’t curse your brother, don’t threaten to kill your teachers, etc.” We can’t help it if loving ourselves means hating everyone else – we still have to be true to ourselves. Remember that, children.

What has been your biggest surprise from airing the Dragula show?
I think the fact that it took one whole season before we got picked up by a network really shocked me. Like, hello this show is incredible, what were you waiting for? There is so much bad tv out there and ours is even worse, so throw us some money, people. We have this incredible train wreck that has people literally, puking, gasping, laughing and screaming – what else do you want from a show. It’s television gold!

There has been a whole host of drama in the boudoir between contestants in Season 1 and 2 which is always fun to see. How conscious of potential feuds are you when making the selection process?
I wish we were crafty enough to be able to take credit for plotting all of that out, but honestly it just magically happened. A lot of these girls are rejects and misfits – they don’t exactly know how to get along with people, and most of them don’t even want to. Part of the journey of the show is watching them grow from these defensive, hurt and angry artists to learning and accepting that there are other people out there like them, and even more people who actually appreciate what they do and like them as people.

What’s in store for Season 3?
More injuries and fights.

There’s been lots written about the nights you have MCed or hosted but can you tell us about your performances. What is involved? Do you still perform now? Do you enjoy hosting or performing more?
We perform all the time, but we usually only do stage shows outside of our home base. Here in Los Angeles we produce and host tons of nights, and that doesn’t really leave us much time to spend on proper stage shows because we’re the ringleaders and presenters of the events. We’re focused on the overall experience of the crowd and the behind the scenes details of the events. Honestly it all sort of all bleeds together – even our hosting is a performance in itself. We set the tone, music, and vibe whenever we get on stage in order to help us take the crowd somewhere fun, scary or exciting. If you come and see us, we’re going to take you on a ride and take you out of the space you’re in. You’re going to have fun.

Lastly we are named after the infamous Mariah Carey song. Which is your favourite Mariah song and why?
I can’t remember the name of the exact song, but she performed it live on New Year’s Eve in 2016 – it was her most memorable performance to date!

Watch Dragula Season 2 here.
Follow The Boulet Brothers on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

And now for something a little extra as we talk to The Boulet Brothers’ close conspirator and co-creative, Nathan Noyes.

How long have you been working with The Boulet Brothers?
For a few years now. I started out filming their parties when I was relatively new to LA. I’d cut videos for DRAGULA when it was just a club party and for the Boulets’ Halloween Ball.

What is it about them that appeals to you?
The Boulet Brothers are provocative. Working with them is exciting because I get to help produce content that isn’t for the faint-hearted. One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned from them, is to never shy away from giving anyone who tries to bring you down a proper ‘fuck you’, by defying them when they say what you’re trying to do is impossible.

How does your relationship work?
I’d say our partnership is collaborative. For example, I work with them on their show ‘The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula.’ They have a clear vision of what they want executed. I have my creative background and technical skillset. Together we’ve been able to produce boundary-pushing work that we’re super proud of. I also want to say that our ‘partnership’ doesn’t just boil down to The Boulet Brothers and I. The Dragula team is unstoppable.

Who else do you shoot?
I’ve shot a lot of drag artists since I’ve lived in Los Angeles, as well as characters I’ve met along the way. I work on music videos too.

Do you perform?
My most memorable performance was a tequila-soaked rendition of ‘Set Fire To The Rain’ at Stonewall in NY during karaoke night. So yeah, no, I don’t. I can imagine that I’d be pretty awful. I’m better off behind the camera I think!

Are you naturally drawn to the Dragula aesthetic too?
I’ve had an affinity for the darkness since I was little. Dragula really is a dream project. Villains are just cooler.

What else are you working on?
Right now I’m working on a dystopian-future themed photography coffee table book. And of course Dragula Season 3.

Lastly we are named after the infamous Mariah Carey song. Which is your favourite Mariah song?
Hero! It’s just so good.

See more of Nathan’s work at www.nathannoyes.com or on Facebook and Instagram.