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Interviewed by: Becky Collins |
Hotwire ~ Rus Martin |
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It was a rather humid hot day and nothing seemed to be going right. I awoke around 5:45 a.m. from only going to sleep around 2:30 a.m. I did my morning regimen and tried to prepare for my very first time attending Ozzfest. I arrived at the venue [Tweeter Center-Camden, NJ] around 9 a.m. and waited about 45 minutes to an hour for my passes. The first band took the stage around 9 a.m. I finally made it to the second stage to only see that some of the bands that I was assigned to had done their set. Around 10:45 a.m. I left the photo pit to head over to the media tent for my very first interview. I was fortunate enough to speak with Rus Martin (vocals) from HOTWIRE. Becky: How has your day been so far? Rus Martin: I haven’t been awake long enough to have a good day, yet. But, it’s getting there. B: Ready for your performance? RM: Nope! (Laughing) B: Excited? Anxious? RM: Yeah! Yeah, whatever! Get up there and do it! B: This is my first time I’m going to see Hotwire… RM: Alright! B: So, what can I expect? RM: Maybe for me to puke onstage, not by a… B: I’m a joiner! RM: Yeah, not by accident, you know. B: Rough night partying? RM: Nah, I just can’t drink like I used to. It sucks! (Laughs) Ya know after 26 you start getting senior citizen it is. I have to keep drinking right now to make it go away or I give myself 3 days to recover. (Laughs) I didn’t even think I drank that much yesterday. B: I want to find out a little bit about you! RM: Alright. B: Who are your musical influences? RM: I don’t know…Iggy Pop, Misfits, Ramones, Clash, Dead Kennedy’s, Jeff Buckley. Older shit. B: How was your first studio experience? RM: I can’t remember. (Laughs) B: You’re honest! (Laughs) RM: I really can’t remember it! B: How do you like being on tour with Ozzfest? RM: I like it! I don’t know. It’s an experience. It’s definitely an experience above all. It’s a lot of…people say there’s a lot of jocks on this tour. B: Have you learned anything? RM: Yeah, that I should probably stop playing soccer ‘cause I suck! B: How do you prepare for your shows? RM: I think I…well the last thing I remember doing was having some sort of witchcraft cult, you know. Kill the chicken, let it bleed a little bit…hang it upside down…wash my clothes, do some laundry and the rest is…alright. The details are scarce. B: Who would you like to collaborate with in the future (or would have liked to in regards to dead artists)? RM: I don’t know, maybe…Jim Morrison…Jeff Buckley B: Do you come from a musical background? RM: I’m the only musician in the family. I think they are pretty proud of that. Everyone else is doing something like playing golf. B: They support you pretty well? RM: When I talk to them. B: What’s tour life like? RM: Don’t get a girlfriend! Not because of anything stupid. It just sucks! B: Not being around them? RM: Yeah…you can’t be around them. B: Do you like it? RM: Yeah, I do. I think its okay. I can deal with it. I’ve been doing it since like ’95. Not in this band. It’s nothing new to me, especially when you’re on a bus. All you do is get in, sleep, wake up [and] you’re at [the] venue. Try to wake up. Especially the day festivals. Man, it really kills me. B: On this tour, what group are we most likely to catch you watching? RM: Nothingface…Marilyn Manson B: How do you feel about Marilyn Manson being banned in certain cities? RM: I hate it. I think it’s stupid. B: Does this influence your stage performance in anyway? RM: Not at all. B: How long has the group been together? RM: Probably like 3 years now! Yeah! B: How’d you come up with Hotwire? RM: I don’t know. It was just a fluke, you know. We didn’t want to come up with a band name that meant anything too rad, it’s different or too rad or some kind of crazy name or strange. It’s just a band name, you know? We don’t really care. It’s just our music that really matters. We could be called; you know…Mudskipper and the Flukes. B: How did you all get together? RM: We have been friends since junior high. We were all in separate bands at one time and then along the line it came to a point where none of us were in these bands, so we just decided to make one. B: What’s your favorite song off The Routine? RM: I don’t know…probably…shit…I like all of them. I don’t think there’s really one song that I don’t like to listen too. B: And you write your own songs? RM: Yeah! We all write our songs. Sometimes we have Keith Richards come in and help us write songs, but that’s only if he has time. You know, when he’s got some time off. B: Do you feel that your music will become more commercial? RM: If it does, it does. I don’t really care, you know, I just want to make a good record. B: What Cd’s are you currently listening to? RM: Let’s see….My Morning Jacket...a lot of soundtracks to movies. I don’t really listen to a lot of really cool music these days. SO it’s all those old bands. B: DO you remember the first time you stepped on stage? RM: Well, yeah…but it wasn’t in a band. I think it was in a talent show in 6th grade. B: How’d you feel? Was that “THE” moment? RM: No, well, yeah…maybe. I don’t know…I did some sort of Karate demo by myself. B: And how about in a band? RM: Let me see, yeah! I remember…Yeah I do. I was playing bass in some band in high school. I think…I was a little bit too punk for the band. They all had long hair. They were like metal kids and I was wearing like orange pants. (Laughs) B: In one word, describe your music? RM: Maybe…Shit…one word huh? B: Yep! RM: Maybe it would be...(laugh) I don’t know, Caution. Caution! B: A question for all your female fans…boxers, briefs or commando?? RM: No way! I haven’t worn boxers, briefs, or…what was the last one? B: Commando RM: What’s that? B: Nothing! RM: Oh that’s what I do! I haven’t worn any of that in ages. I never do! B: Do you have any advice for bands trying to break into the music industry? RM: Put out an Indie Record. Get a following. Stay on the road. You know, it doesn’t matter who you know at this point. You shouldn’t rely on who you know; you should rely on your band and music you create. B: What do you think about the state of heavy metal music at the moment? RM: I don’t know. I’m not really in touch with it. I’m on Ozzfest, the biggest metal, heavy metal tour there is. I keep up with bands [like] The Stunts. A CD I listen to a lot, lately. Stunts are awesome! I don’t know about heavy metal. Heavy metal is not…I don’t think it’s alive. I think it’s fabricated. When Black Sabbath was around, that was heavy metal. B: Would you ever consider doing a benefit concert for breast cancer research, education and awareness? RM: I’d do a benefit concert for any service, any sort of corporation that’s trying to do something for the good. I’ll play a solo act, if I have to. I believe in benefits. I think concerts should be sponsored by benefits every year. I think people should be going to those sorts of concerts, these sorts of festivals. B: Great response! How does this tour differ from other tours? RM: There are more people. But at the same time, I mean, we’re playing in front of more people…a bigger show…but, are they the same sort of people? B: On this Ozzfest Tour which city was the wildest? RM: Probably Japan. B: Most boring? RM: Wisconsin was pretty boring. Had a shit load of people but I don’t think they know what to do when they hear music. You come to a festival like this to see bands, to hear music and shit. It’s like what do you do, you know? I mean you get blank stares. It’s like there are other bands on this tour and they get blank stares. It’s like what are you fucking hearing…sheep? B: If you could meet any artist/star, who would it be and why? RM: I’d have to say, Steven Segull ‘cause he makes the best movies in the world. I really think he makes some of the best. B: Do you like playing clubs? RM: I love clubs! If I could always be a club touring band, I’d do it. B: Is it because you’re closer to your audience? More personal? RM: Yeah! Just the whole vibe of it, you know? It’s like that’s where it started. [I] fell like I’m picking up my roots. B: If you were a cartoon character, who would you be and why? RM: I think I’d be Shaggy ‘cause he’s the biggest stoner in the world. B: That’s great! Fabulous! (Laughing) RM: Okay, good! That’s perfect. (Laughing) That’s a good one! B: Message for your fans? RM: Stay out of the limelight. Stay out of trouble and that’s pretty much it. I want to meet everybody! B: Thank you for your time! RM: Yeah…alright! I had a blast chatting with Rus and wish I could have met the rest of the band, Gabe Garcia (guitar), Brian Borg (drums), and Chris Strauser (bass). Unfortunately, due to some interview changes during that day, I was unable to catch Hotwire live on stage! However, I have listened to the CD, The Routine and it is a definite must have for anyone that appreciates music!
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