The Untitled Interview #202: Starring Justin Hoben (The Deadmen)

It's safe (and pretty obvious by now) to say that The Deadmen is by far one of my favorite local bands. They've got a little bit of everything good - a little bit of rustic Americana, a little bit of country, a little bit of shimmy...y'all know what I'm talking about. It's good stuff, and if you haven't given them a listen yet I'm pretty disappointed in you.

I made some queries to Deadmen HQ, and Justin Hoben (one of the band's two guitar-playing and singing Justins) had the following replies. Obviously, Justin knows the correct answer to question 5. Make sure you take a gander, and if you're local, make sure you're at DC9 on the 16th of this very month when the band does their thing.

Fuzzy Logic: How the hell are you?
Justin Hoben: Hangin' in there.

FL: What was the last song you listened to?
JH: GnR - "Sweet Child o' Mine" (not by choice but I'm not complaining).

FL: Playing music is:
JH: Hit or miss.

FL: What album most made you realize you wanted to make music?
JH: Dead Milkmen - Big Lizard in My Backyard.

FL: Beatles or Stones?
JH: Stones, again and again.

FL: Top 5 albums (of now, of this week, of ever):
JH: Bob Dylan - Bringing it All Back Home; Violent Femmes - self titled; The Replacements - Let it Be; Canyon - Empty Rooms; Jawbreaker - 24 Hour Revenge Therapy.

FL: Favorite music-related movie?
JH: I'm still hoping for an adaptation of Our Band Could Be Your Life. So i suppose The Decline of Western Civilization, by default. Or Don't Look Back. Or Losers Take All. Is there a Shaggs documentary?

FL: Half-full or half-empty?
JH: EMPTY.

FL: Which of your peers do you think is making the best music these days?
JH: Fellow Deadmen excluded, I've got my money on Brandon Butler, as usual.

FL: What's the first thing you think when you wake up in the morning?
JH: "Five more minutes."

FL: Little-known Deadmen fact?
JH: We put Bill Murray on the guest list of every show we play.

FL: The greatest record store in the world is:
JH: Joe's Record Paradise.

FL: Your boots were made for:
JH: Making me feel inferior when I see Josh Read's boots.

FL: Shaken or stirred?
JH: Shaken.

FL: Favorite venue (either to play or to visit)?
JH: 9:30 Club.

FL: Best piece of advice you've ever been given?
JH: "Deal with it."

FL: If you weren't in a band you'd be?
JH: Complaining a lot more.

FL: If you were so inclined, whom would you form a tribute band in honor of?
JH: Rick Springfield. My first two concerts were his Working Class Dog and Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet tours. Hartford Civic Center. '81 and '82 respectively.

FL: Best song ever written?
JH: The Drones - "Sixteen Straws."





[posted 12.1.14]

[photo copyright Megan Petty]