HOËCK
MSN
3rd January '02
   
Welcome to SkidMark's first "virtual interview" of 2002. We have the pleasure of rockin' into the new year in the company one of Florida's finest independent rock bands, HOËCK. Our resident interviewer extremo, SkidMcSkidder, pinned down the guys (Mac - Vocals, Hook - Vocals/Guitar, Crash - Bass & Kendo - drums) while they were holed up in the office of their manager & booking agent Drew McNee.

SkidMcSkidder: Hi Mac, Hook, Crash, Kendo and last but not least, Drew! Let me start by wishing you all a happy and prosperous New Year!

HOËCK: Same to you Skidder, we're so happy to be here.

SkidMcSkidder: Thanks for taking time out to wax lyrical with us and I hope nobody gets finger strain with all the typing involved!

HOËCK: We are famous for our finger dexterity

SkidMcSkidder: (Laughs out loud) we won't go there! heh heh!!

HOËCK: But we could.....

SkidMcSkidder: (laughs out loud) not today anyway!

SkidMcSkidder: So, to kick off the interview, can you give us a little history on how you all met and formed the band? From reading your Bio page on your website, www.hoeck.org, I can see you've all "served time" with a number of seasoned bands

Hook: Ok, Hook here, I played with Kendo in a previous we-won't-mention that-band. Then I picked Mac up hitchhiking, we started a band, and together we went through several guitarists until I decided to play guitar and avoid all that hassle (LAUGHS OUT LOUD). When we met Crash who was playing bass in another band at the time, we asked him to join us, and he has since been a great asset.

SkidMcSkidder: You picked up Mac hitch hiking? That leads me on to a question to him - Mac - You're a natural born Glaswegian - how'd you end up singing in sunny Florida?!

Mac: long story short, always thought I should have been born in the US, I have many cousins over here. Came over to cross the continent and see the US as cheaply as possible. I was coming back from the West Coast when this pickup pulled over and the driver asked me if I'd ever been in a band.

SkidMcSkidder: (Laughs out loud) Best chat up line I've ever heard!!

Mac: Don't know what I looked like but Hook was driving. She put a tape of her stuff in the player and I was "hooked"!

SkidMcSkidder: Cool! What was Hook doing driving a pickup? - Her bio on the site describes her as a "Bad ass biker bitch from hell"!! - Shouldn't it have been a Fatboy or a Lowrider??

Mac: She told me she wrecked her Harley.....

SkidMcSkidder: Aahh, bummer! I'm going to upset her now and tell her I'm a Jap bike fan sorry!

Hook: We all have our flaws

SkidMcSkidder: (Laughs out loud)

SkidMcSkidder: Your bio page lists all of you with 2 degrees - how'd you find time in between studying for them and playing in a band??

Mac: I was a child prodigy

Kendo: Community college drop-out

Hook: What can I say, I had a stroke of luck.

Crash: At least I don't have 98 degrees.

SkidMcSkidder: The closest I ever came to a degree was as a kid, being forced to listen to my Dad's records - Three degrees!

SkidMcSkidder: Let's talk about your CD..

SkidMcSkidder: Your self-titled CD "HOËCK" is a superb collection of alternative, moody tracks. What would you say are the influences on your distinctive writing and sound?

Hook: Sisters of Mercy, David Bowie, Sex Pistols, Patti Smith, Violent Femmes, Gang of Four

SkidMcSkidder: Quite a varied set of influences there - any particular favourite?

Hook: I LOVE DAVID BOWIE!

SkidMcSkidder: Anything to do with his bizarre eye colouring??

Hook: Ok if you want to say that.....

SkidMcSkidder: Or the tight pants he used to wear in the '70's! (Laughs out loud)

Hook: Actually it's his mind (LAUGHS OUT LOUD)

SkidMcSkidder: Yeah, okay .... back to the CD!

SkidMcSkidder: I must say I really dig the tracks "Little yellow people box", "Left For Dead" and "Beautiful man"!

Hook: Coolness, glad you like them!

SkidMcSkidder: The album gets plenty of airplay on the excellent Bumpskey webcast radio show over at www.bumpskey.com - how do you feel independent internet radio has helped to expose your music to a wider audience?

Drew: Jerry and yourself and others like you around the world are the lifeblood of indie bands who haven't made the BIG leap to corporate record deals.

Drew: Actually I hope the whole record business collapses up its ASS! and you guys who appreciate music take over.

Drew: And I vote on the Grammys! Don't' tell anyone.

SkidMcSkidder: Sounds good to me! You can't believe the satisfaction we get from doing the albeit small promotion of indie music via the net - it's a great way to both hear fresh and exciting new music and hook up with great musicians like yourselves!

SkidMcSkidder: Staying on the subject of the internet, do you believe your web site & independent webcast airplay has added in any significant way to your fan base?

SkidMcSkidder: Or do you believe in the old fashioned way of attracting fans of gig, gig, gig?

Drew: Gigs are good, but it's an international world for music, and the internet is the way to hear new sounds no matter what local radio stations CHOOSE to play.

Kendo: We'll be over to see you soon!

SkidMcSkidder: I'll hold you to that! I LOVE meeting up with artists who I've come to know through the site! A couple of month's back LA's Ali Handal came down through England from Scotland on the UK leg of her tour and we hooked up at a gig in Manchester which was way cool - hanging out, talking about the web scene and of course hearing her wicked sound live!

Hook: That's the plan! The UK scene is happenin'!

SkidMcSkidder: It'd be great to organise a indie festival - you've been to Woodstock now come to the UK for SkidStock!!! (Laughs out loud)

HOËCK: YEEHAW from the USA!

SkidMcSkidder: Talking about gigging - Any tours or major gigs on the horizon?

Drew: I'm in preliminary discussion for a potential HOECK tour of Britain/ Western Europe. Feedback from your site will help

SkidMcSkidder: Cool - tell me what you need and I'll see what I can do

Drew: Great! We'll do that another time.....

Crash: Looking forward to conquering women of a new continent! Does anyone have an AC adapter?

Mac: I haven't seen Glasgow in 10 years, I'd love to come back over!

Kendo: Awesome! I'm looking forward to getting out of the US and seeing how the rest of the world lives! PS. DO I need to bring my own water?

SkidMcSkidder: Not in the UK - Europe VERY DODGY!

SkidMcSkidder: Going back to CD's...

SkidMcSkidder: Any plans for a new Hoëck CD in 2002?

Kendo: YES! Got great new material and can't wait to get it recorded!

Drew: Show me the money!

SkidMcSkidder: Money! It's the bane of every indie musician! I'm in the same boat - I haven't recorded anything new since a private commission back in '98 - I'm bursting with new material but can't afford to record!!

Drew: Truthfully neither can HOECK, but hopefully with your promotion and support and some of my contacts we'll make it happen.

Kendo: where are all the embarrassing questions Skidder?

SkidMcSkidder: I lied!

SkidMcSkidder: I can ask you filth if you want though!?

HOËCK: Do it!

SkidMcSkidder: who gets laid the most in the band?

Drew: Hmmmm.

Kendo: Twice a week, does that win?

Mac: I can't count!

Hook: A lady never tells

Crash: Depends whether I'm on the road or not.

SkidMcSkidder: so there isn't a record in the band for the most groupies after a gig in one night?

Hook: we're all working on setting that record!

SkidMcSkidder: and finally with the filth - who'd be prepared to perform sexual favours to further the band's careers and if it's hook, how soon can you fly to the UK???(Laughs out loud)

Hook: Be right there!

Drew: I hate this part of management

Crash: I WOULD but it depends on who it's with

Kendo: I second that.

Mac: I'm glad you didn't tell Crash what he had to do before we brought him in....

SkidMcSkidder: Heh heh! Well guys anything you want to talk about before I ask you the closing questions?

Mac: Is the scene in the UK still as advanced as the U.S.?

SkidMcSkidder: In what perspective Mac?

Mac: When I came over here I couldn't believe how small town the US really is? GB & Europe led the world in listening to new sounds

SkidMcSkidder: Yeah, there's still a vibrant underground indie scene in cities such as Manchester, Birmingham and London but the mainstream charts are screwed - the same tired boy/girl band drivel and hip/hop rap music seems to dominate. One thing I have noticed though is there is an upsurgence (ooh! big word!) of the "Grunge Metal"-type scene again in the young teenage population - bands like slipknot, Marilyn Manson, Korn, etc are big here

Drew: Product does seem to dominate the charts here too but it's through guys like you that MUSIC gets a chance. (Ass kissing HOOK tells me).

SkidMcSkidder: I like it keep it up !

Mac: Fuck the product, Rock & Roll still has a place to play!!!

SkidMcSkidder: YEAH! Fuckin' A!

Kendo: I like what you're saying

Hook: We may not have the sophistication of the formula boy/girl bands but we can still kick their ASS!

SkidMcSkidder: And ASS kicking is the name of the game dudes!

SkidMcSkidder: I think the honors should to guys like Jerry over at Bumpskey - I don't know how that guy has the stamina to broadcast live indie every day of the week - Bumpskey we salute you!

HOËCK: We salute Jerry!!!

SkidMcSkidder: Bumpskey ROCKS!

HOËCK: NO! Bumpskey & Skidder fuckin' rock!!

SkidMcSkidder: Blush!

SkidMcSkidder: Well guys...

SkidMcSkidder: So what're your personal and band visions for 2002?

Crash: Our music is primal we want to touch you in a way that is not possible with our fingers

SkidMcSkidder: Oohhh! keep talkin'!!! (Laughs out loud)

Hook: Band visions: record our kick ass new tunes, get our asses to your side of the pond.

Crash: Give me power chords or give me death.

Kendo: Play Europe & get our music out.

Mac: To play the UK and see my family again.

Drew: To get some money out of this group of lowlife scumbags who I love

SkidMcSkidder: Sounds like you've got some worthwhile targets for this year and SkidMark wishes you success in achieving all of them - and don't forget if we can help in any way, that's what we're here to do!

HOËCK: Hope to see you soon! Thanks again for your support and make sure you all are fully stocked with condoms. Oh yeah, how are the Bloody Mary's over there?

SkidMcSkidder: Bloody awful!!! (Laughs out loud)

HOËCK: Just the way we like them!

SkidMcSkidder: Guys - it's been fantastic - I'd forgotten how much fun these interviews can be - the last one I did was with Kirk McFee last July. Thanks for all your time and we're gonna have to do it again REAL soon - let me know how you're getting on with everything

HOËCK: OK!

Drew: Love ya - mean it from everyone in the band.

Crash: In a non-committal kinda way.

Hook: we'll see about that.

Kendo: Let's just be friends!

Mac: I'll save my Glasgow kisses for your enemies.

SkidMcSkidder: Keep in touch and we'll be seeing you in the YOUKAY sooner than you think!

HOËCK: Righty-O! Signing off now, and thanks again Skidder, you ROCK!

SkidMcSkidder: You rock HARDER! Party on dudes!!

Back to top of page



Virtual Interview conducted using MSN instant messenger ™ 03-01-2002
© SkidMark Multimedia Productions MMII