interview with HECTIC HOBO
How was the band formed? We were born in the dirty factories where men are demeaned. We grew up in labor camps and cold back alleys. We met on the rails and in the soup kitchens. And we sing on the tops of mountains, at the protest podiums, and in the capitol rotundas.
Can you tell about your band? We play Wild West Gypsy Rock music from the heart, and for those that don't have a voice.
Where are all band members from?/Who does what in the band? We live in Utah, USA. And half of us are from there, but we also have a Virginian, a Texan, and a Californian.
What was the ambitions of the band when you started? to write and play awesome music.
Could you explain your music to someone that haven't heard you? We are a backwoods mash-up of whisky, soot, campfire, and musket. A woodsman hacked Tom Waits, Johnny Cash, Devotchka, Old Crow Medicine Show, Gogol Bordello, and Woody Guthrie up in to tiny pieces, then used the bloody flesh and bone chips to create a sculpture of the Empire State Building.
Where was your first gig? A now defunct bar & grill called Moe's in Salt Lake City.
Where was the latest gig? A seedy motel-turned-bar in Ogden called The Sand Trap.
Who writes your songs?/Who writes the music who writes lyrics? Hasen, the singer/guitarist, mostly does.
What are your songs about? Our songs are about people with hard lives, strange stories, and strong addictions.
Who has the best since of humor in the band? Tom Johnson, the drunkard drummer.
Do you write your own material or mainly covers? We write our own shit.
Have you made any albums?/If yes what are they? Preachers, Paupers, and Pimps (2010); We Lost Our Legs In The War, We Just Can't Remember Which War (2012); and Our Medicine Will Do You In (2014).
Do you have any clips on YouTube? We have two awesome music videos, directed by the talented Chris Rodgers.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEB3croam_s
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJ94za9Ng5I
What year was the band started? 2009
What places will you be playing in in the imidate future? We typically have one or two shows a week, mostly at bars and venues around Utah. We also tour frequently to Wyoming and Colorado, and sometimes to Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and California.
Is it always the same songs live? We have about 4 hours of music in our repertoire, so we mix it up.
What are the plans for the rest of the year? Right now we are looking at booking a tour in Alaska, and then in Europe.
How do you get psyched up for a gig? Mostly booze.
Is it easier to get your inspiration from older bands or from bands more modern? Both, all, and everything in between.
What are your sources of inspiration? Life experiences, other artists and musicians, and my twisted imagination.
What's the first step when making a new song? find a groove or story that I like.
How do you feel about the downloading of music instead of buying albums? It's the way of the future. I love holding the physical result an artist has created, but I also love the easy access we have to so much more music today thanks to the internet.
What would be your dreams for the band? To keep on rockin'.
When you are on stage, what do you fear most then? I feel pretty comfortable on stage. I guess I have a hard time doing the inbetween-song banter. I try to make jokes and half the time they end in an awkward silence.
Have you been part of any other projects? I've played with an Irish band, a French cafe band, a Neil Diamond cover band, an Appalachian folk band, a funky beat-jazz rock band, and a Latino folk pop band.
What do you work with outside of the band and the music? I'm an artist in all I do. I make food for work, and I also spend time in writing (all kinds) and photography.
What's the funniest/most memorable thing a fan has done for you? I probably shouldn't say here.
How often do you rehearse? Once a week.
Where do you rehearse? At the drunkard drummer's house.
Name 2 of your own songs you like at the moment? Good Ann, Rise and Shine; and Last Train
What drives a band that isn't all that famous and renowned to try to make a living on their music and to keep playing? because some of us have to make music, regardless of if there's money or not.
Do you have any webpages? facebook.com/HecticHobo, and Reverbnation.com/HecticHobo
Any pearls of wisdom for all other bands out there? Be nice to each other, support each other, help each other. It's a mean, scary world and a short life. No point in being a dick.
Describe your show, visually and musically. High energy, audience-involved, fun.
What are the biggest obstacles for a band? A band's biggest obstacle is themselves. It's the unwillingness to dedicate more time and energy to their art.
What is best/worst with playing the clubs? The audience is the best. The party. The fun.
Tell us about upcomming gigs and why we should be at them? We have lots. People always leave our shows having had a great time. Come see us!
How would you describe your sound in one sentence. Fun, catchy, light and dark.
What is your favorite crappy instrument? The trash table.
