BOSS HOG:
“Boss Hog – Who’s The Boss?
Jon Spencer and Cristina Martinez are by far the world’s coolest, most rockinest couple. They are good friends of mine. I had the pleasure of working and hanging our with them for over a decade. Tonight I am visiting them in their apartment, reminiscing bout past and future. Jon just finished a whirlwind US tour with the Blues Explosion in support of the album, that is on everyone’s Top Ten list of ’94, Orange. In the next few months, Cristina and Jon will be gigging and recording Boss Hog’s major label debut with the tight rhythm section of Hollis “Goddess” Queens and my main boy Jens Jurgensen. Jon has also been mixing the new Cheater Slicks’ album for In The Red Records (who are also releasing a live 16 track recording of Pussy Galore’s last show at CBGB’s). After all THAT the Blues Explosion will go back on the road opening for the Beastie Boys. During this interview Cristina broke out a bottle of vino and…
Bob Do you like living up here better than the Lower Eastside?
Cristina I do.
Jon It took a while to get used to….there is no one ever walking the streets around here…it doesn’t have much of a neighborhood-feel.
Cristina I got sick of that neighborhood. Jon would go away for long periods of time and it just didn’t feel safe anymore. I would be stumbling home drunk…late at night.. and I realized it would be pretty easy for me to get tolled and thrown into a car.
Bob It’s a cool apartment and you have a Kentucky Fried right around the corner.
Jon Lots of people live up here now. Hollis lives on 25th Street.
Cristina Julie, who I get along with now, lives on 31st Street in a carriage house.
Bob Is it true that you met Jon at a Jesus and Mary Chain concert?
Cristina (Laughing) You know that story don’t you, Bob?
Jon Bob, do you still buy Jesus and Mary Chain records?
Bob No.
Jon How’s the new one?
Bob OK. Their not on the industrial trip anymore.
Cristina I just saw them for the first time since I met Jon Spencer. it was not very good. The most exciting thing about it was the light show. I went to see them the very first time to photograph them. Somebody at the club said “their fucking weird so you better come early!” I was going to a corporate art school at the time taking a photo class. I was sitting around waiting and these hoodlums come into the club, who were so typically not DC, ’cause I was friends with everyone at Dischord. They came in and Jon and Julie had big spiked black hair, all sprayed and teased…then there was Jared who’s like this DC misfit and Tom Smith, who I worked with at the record store. Then Jon got on my friends butt and was riding around the club, piggy-back! I got really mad…I said, “You fuckin’ idiot!”…I really hated him! Later, Jon and Julie came over by me during soundcheck and kept giggling and asked me what I did…I said a pretty stupid thing…”WELL I GO TO ART SCHOOL!” They laughed at me and were making fun of me! Sometime later that night, I decided I liked Jon so I asked Tom Smith about him and he said, “You don’t wanna like this guy! He hates girls!” So immediately, I was interested. What more could sell you on a person?
Bob Didn’t you work for Dischord?
Cristina No. My best friend was Anna Connelly (Cynthia Connelly’s lil’ sister). I went out with Eddie Machete. He’s on the cover of that book. Banned in DC. I was taking photos for Rights of Spring, so I kinda fell out of that crowd. Jon moved in a couple of days after I met him.
Jon No, I didn’t…it was after that tour.
Cristina You’re right. He went on that Peach of Immortality/Pussy Galore tour which was supposed to be for a long time but it got cut short. Then he came back and moved right in and it’s been sheer hell ever since!
Jon Tell him about the Foetus record…
Cristina Jon loves this. This was my total scheme to win Jon’s heart. I was an import buyer at Olsen’s Book and Records. I heard Jon talk about wanting a Foetus LP. Was it Hole?
Jon No…um…it was the one with the guns on the cover,
Cristina Jeez, which one was that…
(laughing her head off!)…
Bob & Cristina Was it the red, black and white one??? (chuckling).
Cristina It was Nail. I had access to a promo copy. Jon worked at the head shop with out mutual friend, Andy. So, I stopped by with Steve Niles to say hi to Andy, so I could talk to Jon, who thank God, he was there ’cause I would have never gone there again. I casually told him that I have this Foetus record and since I wasn’t a big fan would he like to have it. He said yes and when he came to get it he asked me to take photos of his band.
Bob So now I know why it was so important to say good-bye to Foetus the other day.
Cristina I don’t think Jim knows any of this.
Jon I’m sure there was a night when you were so drunk or drugged up that you told him the whole story.
Cristina I always wanted to tell the Jesus and Mary Chain that story. I never did.
Bob Did you every notice the new JAMC video? The singer is wearing a Pussy Galore shirt.
Cristina It’s a good thing that Jon caught my fancy that night and not Bobby Gillespie (ex-JAMC drummer; singer of Primal Scream).
Jon I thought he did.
Cristina He was cute but Jon was much cuter. You were the catch!
Jon You would have had a lot more money.
Cristina I can make my own money, thank you.
Bob So with Boss Hog being on House of Style and gigging at Bloomingdale’s (yes, kids, the department store!)…are you guys drifting towards the fashion scene?
Cristina No, that’s it. I don’t wanna end up like Dee-Lite walking the runways of Paris and stuff…MTV was exciting because I love House of Style and I wanted to hear Cindy Crawford say: Boss Hog. Obviously I’m interested in fashion…but I don’t wanna get pegged.
Jon Did you go to that Bob?
Bob Uh-uh…I wanted to…but we had a meeting with our booking person and you know how she can yap!
Cristina The only thing you missed was us fucking up 12 X U….if you can believe that!
Bob Is that part of your set now?
Cristina We’ll do it again. I love that song. Our version is like a cross between Wire’s and Minor Threat’s. I yell, “FLEX YOUR HEAD!!!” at the end.
Bob You are making your major label debut, are you going to be naked on the cover?
Cristina No. That was a one time thing.
Bob I wanted to ask Jon… I know you used to be a big Run DMC fan and now you have two bands…one has a drummer named Russell Simins and one has a drummer named Hollis Queens. WHAT’S UP???
Cristina WOW! Great question!
Jon It’s amazing.
Cristina Jon made them change both their names.
Jon In the next Grand Royal there’s gonna be Russell talking to Russell or Mike D talking to both.
Cristina Russell’s quite the schmoozer.
Bob Jon, How do you feel about people like Steven Tyler and Robert Plant having orgasms over Orange?
Jon I don’t know, it’s nice. Really flattering.
Cristina I’m more excited ’cause I was a big Zeppelin fan. Jon doesn’t really give a shit.”
PUSSY GALORE:
“Hey Bob…This is Jon…It’s ’round 12:30 PM…Friday…I called that place in Ameron and they do welding and said they could possibly do something with the cowbell and maybe you could take that up when you go get the snare. I was thinkin’…what you should do is have the smaller bell welded right on that stand…just have them set up the larger one on that stand….just have them set up the larger one so it is loose and can clang against the smaller one. The larger one just needs…you know an Eye-hole where it was loose and can just slide on that bar…but they said that they might be able to fix it so…just give it a try
see ya…”
THE JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION:
“Blues Explosion
November 6 1994
9:30 Club DC
How can a band be this great? Even after 3 days of 10 hr. drives, sleep deprivation, the Blues Explosion toll into their sold out shows on their last day of a 5wk. tour and w/no time for a soundcheck MAKE ME A FIRM BELIEVER THAT EVERY BAND, IN THE, ON THE PLANET SHOULD PACK IT IN!!! Starting w/openers Soul Coughing..” |
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