Becky and Rus Martin

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 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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! Ozzfest is on tour until August 28, 2003. I highly encourage you to get tickets and check out the show! Every band is tearing it up!
-Becky

Becky also writes for www.experiencemetal.com

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