I recently had a chance to interview Brett Hunter after his latest project offering of The Heat Tape “Raccoon Valley Recordings”. This album is out now so head on over to Red Scare Industries and pick it up.
weck: What bands are you currently in?
Brett: The Copyrights, Dear Landlord, Shithawk, and The Heat Tape
weck: I recently heard the new “The Heat Tape” album. It is quite different from your other projects. What was the motivation behind it?
Brett: For a while now, a couple of years, when I have time off from touring or just time to myself, I have been doing lo-fi four-track recordings in my trailer by myself and posting them online. This kind of started like that, but quickly became a band when my roommate, Brooks (drummer), lost his job. That was in October 2010. We figured that if we were both unemployed, we might as well start playing music together and try to make a record and do as much as possible before we both get busy again. We asked our friend Ben to play bass and within about a month and a half we had 12 songs recorded and started playing shows. It’s been pretty fulfilling, gives us both a reason to feel like we’re not just sitting around being lazy bums.
weck: Who were your influences when you started playing?
Brett: Like when I first picked up guitar?? I was definitely into fast, catchy punk rock, anything with a sing-a-long and an upbeat tempo pretty much. I guess it started with bands like Descendents and Green Day.
weck: What bands are you listening to now?
Brett: Lately I can’t get enough of the Jesus and Mary Chain, actually its been an obsession for a year or two now. Raveonettes too. I guess that kind of comes out in these songs a bit.
weck: Are you currently touring? How is it going? Turnouts at the shows?
Brett: We’ve mostly just been playing around town, this band was barely a thought a few months ago, and the main focus became getting a record out, which as of yesterday, it’s officially out!!! I guess now we can concentrate on trying to get on the road.
weck: How has the scene changed since you started doing shows? Has it been for better or for worse?
Brett: Since I first started touring, the world has gotten wayyyy more connected, and it wasn’t even really that long ago. On The Copyrights first couple of tours none of us had cell phones, and sites like Myspace and Facebook didn’t even exist yet, so bands in different areas were a lot more isolated from each other. Lately everyone all over the country, and the world I guess, is a lot more connected and I think it takes away that separation and makes it more like one giant scene instead of a bunch of tiny ones. Fests are also a recent trend that have the same effect. I personally miss the culture shock of leaving town and entering a different state and everyone acting and talking differently and having different things to talk about. It kind of seems like everyone is already on the same page and it sometimes makes things boring.
weck: What do you think of file sharing/illegally downloaded music? Does it hurt you as an artist?
Brett: Well, it sucks that I don’t play music in that amazing period of time (the 90’s) where bands with a small following could make a good living selling records, but I’m not gonna complain. I think musicians need to quit bitching and roll with the punches and try to adjust to make what they do a viable way to make money. Someone will figure it out sooner or later and we’ll all be rich, haha.
weck: What are your thoughts on Vinyl VS. CD formats? Thoughts on limited edition collector type packs? (color vinyl/special package deals/limited to a small number)
Brett: CD’s are becoming more obsolete, but they’re not quite finished. I think vinyl sounds cool and its fun to collect them and stuff, but lately it reminds me of baseball cards or pogs or something. Like how many people actually listen to their vinyl collection? I’m more and more embracing the concept of digital releases, we just need to figure out how to make it as fun to listen to and as visually satisfying as an LP, because those motherfuckers take up too much space in my trailer .
weck: Any words of wisdom for people out there thinking of starting their own band?
Brett: Get a job.
weck: If you could be a comic book character, who would it be and why?
Brett: No offense, but that’s a turd of an interview question, and I would DEFINITELY be Spiderman.
weck: Any parting words of wisdom or shout-outs to anyone?
Brett: Quit your job.