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 INTERVIEW
- HOPE by Big Daddy Clay |
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Artist
: HOPE
(Marco Rocca)
Interviewed By
: Big Daddy
Clay
Date :
January 5, 2003
Site :
www.hopepunk.com |
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BDC
: So, what is HOPE up to right now?
MR : Not enough!
We are re-recording our last album called, "It's Not My
Fault You're Ugly" and once we are done, we are going to
post the entire album on our website for free. Other than that,
we are just writing new material for our next album, and for
a split 7- inch record that we are doing with our friends The
Dean Malenkos.
BDC :
Big Jay and I had the chance to catch you guys at the Warped
Tour this summer, how did that go? Is it as long/dirty/skanky/fun/sleep
deprived as everyone says?
MR : It was the
longest tour we had ever been on. It was fun simply because
it's fun to play, and fun to be on tour. As for dirty and skanky..........try
8 Canadian boys - who have never experienced heat like Phoenix,
Arizona, Texas or Florida before - in one van together, waking
up covered in sweat, and only getting to shower every few days...-
Never in my life had I ever smelled so bad. Sleep was fine,
but let's talk about starving ourselves......Taco Bell once
a day at 10 o'clock!!!
BDC :
Do you have any scary/funny stories from the Warped Tour?
MR : We were pretty
lame this summer, so there isn't really any exciting stories
to tell. We were always too tired after the shows or just didn't
have enough time to hang out with the rest of the bands. Those
who were on buses had it pretty easy, but the rest of us traveling
on our own had a lot of driving to do. There was the time when
we were in - and I quote the gas station attendant - "Butt
Fuck, Wyoming". We made a late night stop at a gas station
for a fill-up. A couple of us went inside to use the washroom.
We paid for the gas, got back in the van and left. After aproximately
a half hour of highway driving, we realized that we forgot Tom
(District7) at the gas station. By the time we got back, the
band Thrice was there and were ready to take him to the next
show. Like I said, we were pretty lame this summer.
BDC :
Were there any bands on the tour that you guys were just freaked
out to get to see or hang out with?
MR : BAD RELIGION!
They have been one of my all time favorite bands for so long
and I had never seen them live before. Getting to see them 40
or more times this summer was just amazing!
BDC :
Out of all of the bands on tour last summer was there one band
that, in your opinion, acted like "rock stars"? (ie,
cocks, treating their fans like shit, stuff like that.)
MR : It's always
hard to say. I'm not in their heads. There were some bands that
were kind of "rock starish" but maybe they just don't
like talking to people much. Some people may think that of me.
I know that a lot of times I just wanted to go hang out in the
van and play Nintendo.
BDC :
HOPE's new record, "Feeling Like a Buck Fifty", really
has that rapid-fire feel to it that you guys have live. Do you
take the intensity of your live show and try and get that to
come across when you record?
MR : I don't think
we have actually caught our live sound on any of our albums
yet, but so far, that is what we have been trying to do. I don't
think that that is something we will always do though. I would
like to just concentrate on making our best studio album. Our
live show will always be different and that kind of makes it
more interesting, I think.
BDC :
The hidden track on "Feeling Like a Buck Fifty", is
one of my favorite songs on the record. Is there a reason it
is hidden and could you elaborate on that?
MR : It's a hidden
song on the CD simply because it wasn't written to sound like
a "Hope" song. Also, I have to add that I actually
do like Blink 182, but I did think it was necessary to point
out that as far as marketing and advertising go, they are pretty
much the same as any other pop band.
BDC :
Who writes most of the songs, in HOPE? Is it a complete band
effort?
MR : It is totally
a group effort. One of us might come to practice with an entire
song written, but by the end of practice, the song has usually
been ripped apart and put back together very differently. As
far as lyrics go, I usually write whatever I sing and same goes
for Dana.
BDC :
Today is my birthday and I really feel crappy, could you give
the story behind "Sick On My Birthday"?
MR : A few years
ago, we were in Halifrax, Nova Scotia (a city not too far from
where we live). After our show, we had some friends in town
that let us crash at their place. There were a couple of cats
in the house and Dana is allergic to cats, though he never imagined
how bad it was. He woke up the next morning and could hardly
breath. His throat had swollen to about the size of a pea, due
to his allergic reaction to the cats. I think it was just a
day later that it was his birthday and he was pissed off enough
to write a song about it.
BDC :
Who are some of the bands that inspire HOPE?
MR : Bad Religion,
All, The Descendents, NOFX, Face to Face, Metallica, Tom Petty
and The Ramones.
BDC :
How did you guys come up with the name HOPE?
MR : Well the real
story is, we named the band after the Descendents song "Hope",
but you can make up any story you like.
BDC :
Is it true that it is always cold and everyone says, "eh"
in Canada or, is that something the stupid Americans made up?
MR : It's the truth,
but you are still stupid Americans. Actually not all Canadians
say, "eh", but there are certain parts of the country
where people do have pretty thick accents and say, "eh"
and "bah" in every sentence.
BDC :
What do you like to do with the time you have away from HOPE?
MR : Be with our
families, hang out with our friends, and write and record music
with or without HOPE.
BDC :
Any strange hobbies or weird things we should know about?
MR : Not really.....We
aren't that interesting unless we are playing in the band.
BDC :
What gear do you use?
MR : I use a Mesa
Boogie Dual Rectifier and Godin guitar. I like it, but I want
more!!
BDC :
Any advice for someone that is just starting out in the music
biz?
MR : Play in a band
for the fun of it. If you like it, keep doing it. We have been
playing in punk rock bands for over 10 years because we love
to play music. We have toured all over Canada and the United
States and we don't even have a record label.
BDC :
If we were to take a peek into Marco's music collection, what
would we find?
MR : Tom Petty albums,
Millencolin, MXPX, Green Day, Incubus, The Dean Malenkos, Foo
Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Wilco, Rancid, The Beatles,
etc...
BDC :
Out of that collection, what cd/tape/album would you be most
embarassed of owning?
MR : Bryan Adams
"On a Day Like Today"
BDC :
Which band would you like to have stuffed in a cannon and shot
out in space to never be heard from again?
MR : Just one. It
would have to be the Canadian pop group B4-4. If you have never
heard of them....you are very luky!
BDC :
Is there one band that if you had the power, would be THE BIGGEST
BAND IN THE WORLD?
MR : Bad Religion! |
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