our brief story

who we are and why we make music

who we are

Alex Nerney

music producer

Alex was born and raised in Dallas, Texas and went to college at the University of Arkansas. Started his first business when he was 15 selling travel vacations to adults. 

Random facts: 

  •  Loves hiking, basketball, beer, and sports. 
  • Favorite sound: BRASS 
  • Favorite album: Graduation
  • Favorite band: Brand New (an ironically, very old band)
  • Favorite drink: Moscow Mule
  • Broken bones: Arm, Hip Dislocation, Ribs, Shoulder

dale mcmanus

music producer

Dale was born in New Orleans, LA and lived most of his childhood in Tampa Bay, Florida. He graduated from Full Sail University in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in Film.

Random facts: 

  •  Loves to surf, skate, & skydive.
  • Favorite sound: SUPERSAWS
  • Favorite album: Sick Boi
  • Favorite band: Sum 41
  • Favorite drink: Whiskey
  • Broken bones: Arm, Foot, Shoulder, Face (wear a helmet kids)

why we make music

it all started with a bucket list

Dale and I love making shit. 

There’s really no other way to say it – we are creatives by nature.  

We own a couple of YouTube channels and various online businesses you probably have never heard of….

We just love creating. 

And something we try to do (when we find the time) is to creatively challenge ourselves.

We have personal goals as well and love making new things to help us outrun the scary demons in our heads. 

In 2020, after a very depressing year in our lives, we both realized we had the same goal on our personal bucket lists:

 – Make an edm song – 

Sooooo we gave it a shot. 

We ‘downloaded Ableton the next day’ and made our very first “beat.” 

Here’s exactly what we made:

No, we were not going to be play Tomorrow Land anytime soon…

But we loved it.

It was challenging, technical, fun, frustrating, confusing. and creative all at the same time. 

And after spending a year in a really bad mental state – it was just the boost of serotonin we needed. 

We loved it so much we would come home every night from work to make music. 

What was a dumb and fun ended up quickly becoming a creative obsession

None of it was good.

Most of it still isnt.

But in our first year just messing around we were able to make this:

 

For having zero musical experience when we started, we are pumped about sharing that. 

No, we’re not even close to where we want to be…. 

but we like this shit too much for it to matter.

 

So we have made a very impulsive decision

To put everything on we have into making music and put all other projects on pause… 

This is either going to be the biggest failure of our lives or a crazy success. 

We might go back to being broke. 

We might be the worst producers of all time. 

But why not give it a shot? 

That’s why we chose the name The Dead Presidents. 

Because we’re all going to die and nothing really matters… so you owe it to yourself to shoot your shot in this life. 

Morbid? Fuck yes it it. 

It’s tragic.

But we like tragic.

We’re all going to be dust one day so we all owe it to ourselves and those around us to live a life of full sends. 

To say “fuck it” and take the leap because who cares if you fail

What does it matter anyway? 

This is our insane leap. 

We believe are going to change lives through our music.  

We are going to be the biggest edm duo in the world one day and change lives through our music. 

Because why the fuck not… if not us then who?

This is just the beginning of our story and we’ll keep updating this as we move along.

more of our team

Levi Hagen

web designer | social media manager | videographer | photographer

Josh Butcher

audio engineer | cannabis connoisseur | videographer | photographer