Full Service Music

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HOAGMAN SAYS:

January 20, 2012

For the past two weeks I’ve listened to “I Hear a Symphony” by the Supremes 3 times a day. Once in the morning and twice at night (back-to-back).

I’ve been in love a few times, mostly with women, but also with songs. Not like “oh, I love that song”, but long-lasting, tumultuous affairs where every time I listen I’m completely washed over and rocked. For a while it was “In the Morning” by Nina Simone, then it was “Time to Get Alone” by the Beach Boys, then “Estranged” by Guns n Roses.

Anyway, now I’m on the Supremes’ song. The other night, when nobody at FSHQ was home, I danced around the living room singing along, and as the song ended I spun around to find our cat Jack sitting eye-level on the counter. It looked like he was concerned for me. I told him to loosen up.

My favorite part of the song is 2:00-2:13. When she sings these lines she is so dialed in. I don’t think I’ve ever seen or heard a more expressive vocal performance than those 13 seconds. Her eyes are open, but she’s not seeing the wall or ceiling or whatever she’s looking at, she’s seeing something else entirely, something that’s not really there and that only she can see. She’s definitely in a “blossom world”, as they say in “Good Vibrations.” And I love that little arm swing she does right at 2:14-2:15. Check it out HERE. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg-ercNIHQA

I’ve been doing nothing but music-related things lately. Rehearsing at the HQ, recording at Ohm, writing in my room, teaching lessons in the jam room, seeing my buddies’ band “Brass Buckle” at Jovitas, and watching that Supremes song on youtube. I feel like maybe I should make room for something else in my life, ya know…in the interest of balance and personal development.

Enter the “Zing” bow and arrow set. Long story short, my cousin Donna is a toy-tester (that’s a job, really) and she sent a big package of toys to the HQ. Included are two sets of soft bows and arrows by a company from Portland OR called “Zing”. I’ve gotten quite accurate with them, and I feel that it has given me the equilibrium that I need in my life, something non music-related. Although last night I broke a window in our living room. So it’s become somewhat of a hazard as well. Check out one of our great ZingBow sessions.

But really, there’s no escaping the fact that it’s music (and soccer in the backyard) every single day of my life. So let me bring y’all up to speed on the goings-on over here on Wilson st.

First of all, Smell is really ramping up his side-project band “Smell and the Senses”. I’m not sure if I’m part of the band, but I did sing back-up on a beautiful track he recorded recently called “The Canopy”. I don’t know what his plans for releasing material are, or when he’s gonna start playing shows in town, but I’ll urge him to keep everyone posted.

Sean is officially moved into the old Whale in the backyard. A bed, neon blue shag carpeting, two shelves, lots of big hippie tapestries, and electricity (drawn through a hole drilled into my room). You really gotta see it to believe it. WATCH THE VIDEO .

The winter tour is coming up soon. We leave early Wednesday morning to get to Baton Rouge. Then I think it’s Houston, Austin, Dallas, and after that we leave Texas for some other states. (All the dates are posted on facebook and the website. I should probably check one of those sites myself). We’ll be doing most (or all?) of the shows with our old pals from Badfish, and it’s been a while since we’ve seen them so I expect much high-fiving and revelry in the coming weeks.

The new album…Here’s the deal on the new album. We write a ton of music, some of it soft, some of it heavy, some of it loud, some of it happy, some of it a little bit sad, etc. And much of the time, songs come in groups according to the creative channel one of us (or all of us) is dialed into. We call these groups of songs “families”. They have similar DNA, if you will. So here’s what we’re going to do. Every couple months we’re going to release a new family of 3 songs. We’ll record maybe 8 families. Each family will only be available digitally, until we put all of them on a hard copy album that will be available at the end of the project. The name of the entire project is “Home Is Where The Yard Is”. So the first family will be called “Home Is Where The Yard Is (Vol. 1)”, then (vol 2), etc. We’ve commissioned friends and fans to draw/paint the album cover (a portrait of our backyard here at FSHQ), and we’ll unveil the chosen design in the coming weeks. “Home (vol 1)” will include the songs “Revisited’, “Apples”, and “Like a Pony”. Revisited is about pulling ropes and the knots just getting tighter, Apples is about a man sitting in his yard watching punk kids cause mischief, and Like a Pony is an homage to my late dog, Nessie. I know you all probably think it’s weird that I still write about Nessie, but I guess I haven’t gotten over it yet.

There will be a video announcing HiWTYi and previewing the first family of songs in the coming weeks, but for now, take a look at some of the studio sessions we’ve been involved in lately at Ohm here in Austin. The songs in this video will be included in Volumes 2 or 3 of HiWTYi. There’s also a priceless clip of Bonesaw bitching me out for being a jerk in the studio.

“You’ve given me a true love, and every day I thank you love…”

~Hoag

October 7, 2010

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR HOAG by SMELLMAN

Dear Hoagie,
What has today been like for you?

I woke up acting like a little baby because we had to do a photo-shoot in the rain. Not because I’m a sissy about the rain, but because I was worried the photos would turn out gloomy and strange, but I was wrong. Then I headed over to the music store to buy a new bass drum pedal (it snapped apart at the last show) and a new drum stool (it also snapped apart at the last show…kinda proud about it actually). After that, I cracked open a chocolate stout and read some of my book (“In the Skin of a Lion” by Michael Ondaatje). So today has turned out well. Rainy and cloudy outside makes one feel rainy and cloudy inside, but sometimes that’s just what the doctor ordered.

Would you prefer the weather to be rainy and warm or sunny and real cold?

I think I’d prefer rainy and warm. That sounds so jungley. Like a rainforest. I’ve loved rainforests since that 5th grade project back in…5th grade. Drop me in a rainforest though and I’m sure I’d call home crying.

If you had to surrender one of your roles in the band (singer, drummer) which would you give up? Why?

I’d give up drumming. I’d probably insist on playing the drums for the albums, but in a live setting I’d rather just sing. I think I’d be a better singer standing up rather than sitting down, and singing is more fulfilling. It has more to do with my feelings than drumming does. Drumming is about being an animal, being rhythmic in that primal sense, but I feel like singing is more about being a human. It’s about sadness, heartbreak, fears, conflicts, and occasionally happiness and silliness. But no matter what the source of the emotion, it’s always a joy to sing it out. And not only is it a joy, it’s a necessity. Drumming is pure fun, but it’s not crucial to my well-being.

What is your favorite song right now?

My favorite song at the moment is (surprise, surprise!) a song by Brian and Dennis Wilson called “Oh Lord”. It was never released, and I can only find it on YouTube. It’s part of the “Hamburger Sessions” that took place when Brian was having a lot of problems and brother Dennis would coax him into his studio to write and record by promising to take him out for burgers afterwards. I’m also getting killed by this song called “Fallin’ in Love (Lady)” by Dennis Wilson. A little obsessed at the moment but that’s how I listen to music. I don’t listen to multiple bands at a time. I find one person and fall in love with them.

What do you enjoy about touring? Dislike?

I enjoy being around the guys in the band, the camaraderie and the all-for-oneness. That’s why I loved getting the 2% tattoo with Smell in Chicago. Touring is great because I’m never really alone. I don’t enjoy being alone too often, though when I do I like to completely retreat, and even then I’m not alone because the retreat usually only happens because there’s something to record. Other things I like about touring are the hotels, I really like hotels. It’s like camp. Of course I also like jamming on stage, that’s obviously the best part. And I really like touring with Scotty Don’t because they are such dear friends.

I don’t like having trouble finding good places to eat, or finding places that sell good beer.

Why do you hate so much that I only drink IPA’s?

I don’t hate it! I think it’s fascinating. If you look closely I rarely stray from the comforts of IPA’s myself. But switching to a stout or a Belgian trippel can really cleanse the palette. Then when I hit the IPA’s again I just get totally blasted by the hops.

If you could trade teams, would you?

C’mon dude. Never.

When making your eggs in the morning, you crack them and then put the empty shell back in the carton. Why?

Ha, that’s a great question. It eliminates a step. Put the shells in the egg carton, then when all the shells are done you just throw away the carton. I think it originally started because we were keeping the egg shells to sprinkle around the rose bush. I wish I could remember why Bonesaw said that was good for the rose bush, but I can’t. I should really know more about things in general.

Are you glad we live in America or would you prefer somewhere else?

I’m happy to live in America but that’s probably a result of ignorance. I’m sure there are much better places in the world. Someday I’d like to live in a snowy cabin, a tree-house, on a farm, on a boat, but for now, let’s face it…that’s just not feasible. We’re in a band, man.

Would having more money change your wardrobe?

I can say quite confidently that it wouldn’t. I might just have more cheap clothes, not better clothes.

Do you believe being a conscious collection of molecules gives us the right to feel an empowerment over the rest of the universe? What kind of responsibilities do we have, if any?
Hey! Woah! Alright, let’s get down to business! Well, I don’t think it gives us the right per se, but I think organisms behave in accordance with the tools they were given. The owl thinks the tree is his. The flower thinks that patch of dirt is hers. Humans have such amazing brainpower that our reach extends way beyond a tree or a single patch of dirt, it happens to extend across the whole globe. We have eliminated environment/climate as a restriction of our habitation, and as a result, we can be found everywhere. With great power comes great responsibility (Spider-Man), so as far as our responsibility goes, I’d say we have a very simple one: don’t destroy the earth, don’t become a cancer. So much easier said than done, however. As the council of animals tells King Arthur in “Merlin”, the human condition is not an enviable one precisely because our consciousness and our powerful brains require that we be responsible. That power makes us more apt to do damage, like a big clumsy elephant in a living room. It’s so hard to remember all the ways in which we are doing harm, even when we don’t think we’re doing any. (Driving to work is harmful, but who among us beats ourselves up about it?) Being a human is hard. As far as we know, no other animal judges itself or others, no other animal suffers through life wondering “why?” A cow, on the other hand, just IS. Oh what a relief it would be to just be a cow.

Pick a color. What are some things of this color?

Purple…eggplant, veins, Merlin’s robe, some fish, bruises, the silk liner-flap inside Bonesaw’s Les Paul case, the Minnesota Vikings uniforms.

What do you love about Twink?

I’ll answer that question with a question, Smell. What could there possibly be to NOT love about Twink? Huh? HUH?? No but seriously, I would have to say it’s his unwavering loyalty and the fact that he doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. He also has zero ego. I’ve never met anyone more sincerely open to criticism. And I’ve never met anyone who adheres more to that classic creed: “If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all”. The guy has a really big heart.

If you were not a rocker what path would you be on?

A similar path towards economic destitution. Novelist, playwright, poet. I think the most fun thing in the world would be to make a movie with your friends. I haven’t ruled that one out yet though.

What are your top 3 creepy crawlies you fear most in order?(1 being the scariest)

Tarantula
Cockroach
Scorpion
Moth

(I know you only asked for 3 but Scorpions are rare, so I thought I’d pick a more realistic creeper).

Who do you like more: Beach Boys or Mastodon? And why?

I like the Beach Boys better than anybody in the whole world. They were wild and fearless. (At least the Wilsons were).

What is your favorite beer? Be specific

Of course I’ll be specific! My favorite beer is West Coast IPA by Green Flash Brewing. It tastes like trees.

What would you be doing if you weren’t in Full Service?

Forming a band called Full Service.

Who is your favorite Drummer?

Brann Dailor from Mastodon and Dennis Wilson from the Beach Boys. I also like Brad Wilk from Rage Against the Machine, Elvin Jones from Coltrane’s band, and Max Roach. Animal from the Muppets is also an obvious inspiration but that goes without saying.

Team Jolie or Team Aniston?

Dude. Team Aniston. I still think I will mary Jennifer later in life. She just hasn’t met the right man yet. And that man is me.

If you could have any twinky p trait what would it be?

I desperately want to be able to Donkey Kick. What’s the f***ing secret??

Philly or Austin?

Philly for sports, Austin for weather.

Who is your favorite athlete?

I’m a big Ricky Williams fan.

February 5, 2009
Some interesting tidbits from Hoag as we head out on our southeast toursaw:

Everything I know about the space-time continuum I learned from watching “Lost.”

I think the best use of the tambourine is on “We Can Work it Out” by the Beatles.

My favorite drummer ever just might be Terminator X, who is really a turntablist. Runner up? Animal, the muppet.

Drumsticks cost too much. I need a drumstick endorsement.

My top-3 favorite combinations are apples/cheese, kick/snare, and me/nessie.

I love eating pretzels, and I love drinking beer, but I hate going back and forth between the two.

Smell is perhaps at his funniest when he has the flu.

The most bewildering feeling is waking up after a nap on the beach. You wake up ten times as tired as you were before you fell asleep, eleven times as hot, and the world looks 12 times as bright.

The song I wish I wrote was “You Still Believe in Me” by the Beach Boys.

I’m pretty sure the song Bonesaw wishes he wrote was “Life By The Drop,” by Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Maybe someday I’ll learn how to drive.

I wish they would include black markers in fabric-marker sets.

One time after we came back from a tour, I didn’t unpack my bags until we left for the next tour.

I hate Wal-Mart, but I have a pair of $9 sneakers from there, proving that it’s sometimes hard to stay true to your ideals.

I don’t think our cat Jack is fat, I honestly think other cats are just small wimpy scrubs.

April 14, 2008
In this, my first personal entry since probably sometime in 2006, I will touch upon many subjects, including:

--warming up before shows

--the popular myth that sharing a drumkit with the other bands on the bill saves time between sets

--my new business enterprise

--reggae music

--the most ridiculous money transaction ever made

1) I go back and forth with whether or not I should warm up before shows. Sometimes I think it’s a good idea to literally get warm, get the blood moving, so you don’t go up there cold and start a dead sprint. A short jog, a game of foosball, or some push-ups work perfectly. But as far as stick exercises? I really don’t think I benefit from them. I’m not from the drum-corps school of thought. I tend to place greater importance on my mental preparedness. Am I in a state in which I can really get myself in “the zone” and give (and take) everything from the songs we are about to play? To get into this zone, a drink or two might help, or even just a relaxed hang with the dudes. Maybe a game of hearts or rummy.

2) Sharing a drum kit does not save time between bands. I’ve long wished to publicly debunk this myth. It takes just as long to re-align, re-adjust, and re-tune than it does to set up your own kit. If only I had the balls to tell this to cranky soundguys.

3) I’ve decided to start selling home-made t-shirts. I’ll use my fabric markers to make designs/slogans/illustrations on blank white T’s, and I’ll sell them for $5 a piece. No two shirts will ever have the same design. They will all be one-of-a-kind. Mass production ruins things. If there was only one glam-band ever in the world, say “Poison”, I bet we’d all be like “Woah, this is so weird and cool”, but since there were twenty-thousand of them, it was lame.

4) Recently a girl from the Daily Texan interviewed us and asked us what we would say to a college student to convince him or her to listen to reggae music. (They’re doing a feature on us to promote the Reggae Festival). I can’t really imagine having to convince someone to listen to reggae music. It’s so widely regarded as a good groove and a good feeling, a “people rhythm” as the great patriarch once called it, that no verbal prompting would be required. All you’d need to do is play them a quick sample and they’d start to feel it. They’d recognize that feeling, like they knew it from somewhere. And they’d realize that they know it from themselves, and from the rhythm of the human race, “people walking, people moving”. This is one of reggae’s central truths: “who feels it, knows it”

If you’re tuned into and “feel” your own pulse and that of others around you, the reggae drop-groove will reaffirm and enhance that pulse. You will “know” it more deeply. And if you’re not tuned in, the groove can help you re-establish and re-ignite that pulse. I think the kinds of music you’d have to “convince” people to listen to or understand would be metal or some really avant garde shit (both of which I happen to love), but the pulse in reggae is the most natural thing in the world, everybody knows it.

5) The other day one of my friends got a two dollar bill back in change from a cashier. This friend was completely unappreciative of how special this was, but my other friend and I were not. We offered him $3 for it, and he accepted. Then we tore the two dollar bill in half and each took a part of it. Now we are forever connected by that magical two-dollar bill. Our other friend thought he made out like a bandit, but we knew otherwise. We knew otherwise.

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November 10, 2006:

Check out this new beat i made. It's dope.