The band Boss Hog has been around for over ten years. However, the relationship between the band’s frontwomen, Christina Martinez and Jon Spencer, dates back much further, to their days living in Washington, DC. Their collaboration has a long history. During the later stages of John’s old band, Pussy Galore, Christina, who couldn’t play an instrument at the time, was recruited as a guitarist by John, and Christina even took photos for Pussy Galore’s record covers. I first met them three years ago when Boss Hog came to Japan, before they had children and were living as a married couple. After a while, we finally began to bond as a family (lol). This was their first visit to Japan as a family of three, and I was assigned as a babysitter rather than an interpreter, accompanying them throughout the entire tour. In between, I spoke to John and Christina about the rock life of a new generation family.
You’ve already been to the US and Japan many times with the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (hereafter JSBX), and it’s not your first time with Boss Hogg, but this visit to Japan is the first time you’ve brought your son with you, so it must be a little different from usual, right?
“Well, how can I put it… Strictly speaking, this is not the first time I’ve had this experience. In America, I took my kids to a live show on the weekend.
I’ve been there a couple of times, but we just drove around in a car, so this is the first time we’ve been to something this big. There’s a lot to learn when you experience something for the first time. It’s really hard, but it’s nice to know that we can all be together all the time (laughs).”
You two usually work together to raise the children.
“I mean, I think that’s a given. I have responsibilities too. Raising a child is a shared responsibility, and we both have jobs.”
Boss Hog is Christina’s band, and she’s the one who runs it, so it seems like she’s been especially busy lately with running the band. How does John contribute to running the household, including housework and childcare?
“Yeah, I do everything. I do the cleaning, but mostly the household stuff related to the kids. I also cook.”
You’ve already achieved great success with JSBX and are extremely busy, so why are you also working as the guitarist for Boss Hog?
“That’s because I love Boss Hogg. I’ve been with Boss Hogg for a really long time. I think it started in 1988, which is longer than I was with the Blues Explosion. I’ve continued because I love it.”
As Boss Hog, do you have a desire to express a different side of yourself that you don’t see in JSBX?
“I think there is a difference after all.
In Boss Hog, I’m a guitarist. I’m just a musician. So I express myself through the guitar. And Christina came before me.”
What is the difference between JSBX and Boss Hogg on stage?
“Well… In Blues Explosion I do what I want, how I want. Judah and Russell are there too, but onstage it’s my show. But in Boss Hog… I’m just a part of it.”
Being in two bands and raising a child on top of that is a really busy schedule. Have you ever thought about quitting Boss Hog to focus on your own band?
“Well, I guess I have. I’ve thought that.”
When was it?
“Sometimes I just want to focus on myself and do my own thing.”
Do you have any ambitions for your son to become a musician in the future?
“Whatever he wants to do is fine.”
What would you do if your son said he wanted to be a professional musician? Would you support him? Oppose him? Watch over him?
“I think I’ll be supportive of whatever he wants to do. I’ll support him as much as I can, if that’s what he wants.”
The other day your son was in a bad mood, but when you showed him a JSBX live video, he quieted down and was engrossed in watching the video, which surprised me a bit.
“He loves music, and it’s not just the Blues Explosion.”
Do you always show it at home?
“I’ve never shown it on video, except for when I saw the Blues Explosion play in Central Park in the summer.”
Christina said in an interview that she was thinking about having another child, but do you also want more children?
“Yeah, I want more kids too. It’ll be harder, but it’ll be fun.”
How many more people do you want?
“I don’t know. I hope we don’t have too many (laughs). I think two is enough. I think it would be lonely to be an only child. Both Christina and I grew up in families with siblings. Christina has a younger brother, and I have both brothers and sisters. Growing up in that environment, I think it would be lonely if we didn’t have siblings.”
So what are your future plans for Boss Hog?
“I think I’ll be heading to Europe in the new year for promotion and touring. I also have a tour in the US.”
Are you taking children on the tour?
“Yeah, wherever we go, I take him. We’re always together. Wherever we are, it’s going to be the best place for him. It’s really hard to take him though. It’s hard enough to go on tour and do shows.
It’s really hard to tour, do shows, and take care of my son (laughs). But it’s what’s best for everyone: the father, the mother, and the child.”
The interview with Christina turned into a casual chat, and she told me about her fulfilling life.
This is your first time coming to Japan with your children. How do you feel about it?
“Hmm, I’m tired (laughs). It’s really fun to be with my son, but it means there’s an enormous amount of work to do, and I have to run around a lot. I have to always think about my child, take care of him, and at the same time, manage myself.”
But you have a very supportive husband, John, so that’s reassuring, right?
“Yes, I think this wouldn’t have been possible without either of us. And also you as the babysitter (laughs). Our son is very energetic, so he must require a lot of attention, right? But it’s great that the three of us go everywhere together. It’s also reassuring to know that our son is within reach when we’re performing.”
Christina has been asked many times about balancing work and family life, and I think it’s really difficult for women to balance work and family life.
“Yes, isn’t it true that you have to give up something? If you want to work, you have to give up precious time with your family, and if you want to be at home, you have to give up work. But even if you just give up a little,
Even if it’s a job that requires a lot of effort, I think having that kind of opportunity allows you to maintain a sense of self. Otherwise, if you’re constantly living your life for someone else, you tend to lose sight of who you are. I don’t think anyone should live a life that makes them lose track of themselves, and I think everyone should be able to be themselves.”
How does your supportive husband, John, contribute?
“Everything. Absolutely everything. He’s my best friend, so he listens to what I have to say. He also takes care of the kids and does everything equally with me. We share the responsibilities of raising the kids equally. He changes their diapers, feeds them, bathes them. He does everything. And he doesn’t just take care of the kids, he also looks out for me. When I’m tired or want to talk, he’s always there for me.”
That might be ideal. In a conservative country like Japan, men…
“Don’t you change my diaper? (laughs)”
Hahaha, that’s right (laughs). Not only that, but they also don’t do housework. As a result, a society is created in which it’s even more difficult for women to balance work and family life. I’m optimistic that if more people like John spoke out about these issues, the way young people in Japan think might change a little.
“Yes, yes, in that sense I think our culture is more relaxed. Western culture may be more flexible. But I think that this kind of society will also change. It will probably take some time, but after coming here this time I think that it may take root in this country as a new generation family form.”
In an interview when you came to Japan for promotion last time, you said, “Even in America, which is supposed to be a liberal country, it’s still not easy for women to balance work and family life.” Can you tell us more about the situation in America?
“Yes, recently more and more companies have been setting up daycare centers in their workplaces. This is due to the increase in single mothers. There may still not be many of them in Japan, but there are a lot of them in the United States. This is why there are more and more daycare centers, and parental leave policies are becoming more flexible. In the past, if a woman working for a large organization became pregnant, her career was over. But now, parental leave for men has become the norm, and fathers can spend more time with their newborn children. Of course, not all companies are like this, and single mothers still have a low social status. I think it will take a long time to solve and improve this situation. Europe is much more advanced and open-minded in this regard. America is more conservative in comparison. Europe varies by country, but there are countries with low crime rates and happy people (laughs), and Scandinavia in particular tends to be liberal. If people are happier, society will also become more open. I think that is surely the goal.”
You brought your own camera this time, right? You’ve studied photography, so what did you take pictures of with that camera this time?
“Well…most of them are photos of my son (lol)”
Ahaha (lol), I thought so (lol).
“Well, I did take some photos of the band. I took some photos of my son with the band members, and of my son with the crows in Yoyogi Park (laughs). I guess that’s how it is.
My son in the middle school (lol). I feel like I haven’t been taking any pictures of anything other than my son lately (lol). I hate these kinds of things (lol).”
Have you been taking photos as a hobby lately?
“Well, not at all (laughs). All the photos I take are of my son. (laughs). I hate it, already (laughs).”
Have you gone shopping yet this time?
“Not yet.”
Did you just buy Godzilla at Kiddy Land?
“Yeah, I went to Kiddy Land. And Tokyu Hands.”
What did you buy at Tokyu Hands?
“I bought something like a mask but ended up not using it. A black mask like Batman’s. That’s about it. Anyway, when I get back to Tokyo, I plan to spend some time shopping. I have to buy Christmas presents to take home.”
Ah, it’s that time of year. What are you planning to buy?
“Maybe toys. There are a lot of interesting toys in Japan that you don’t get in America. And kids’ clothes. Oh, I’ll only buy kids’ clothes (laughs). But I think Japanese kids’ clothes are the best in the world. So I’m planning to buy a lot of kids’ clothes. And shoes too.”
On the second day of your Tokyo concert, your son saw you two on stage together for the first time. John seemed to be constantly keeping his eyes on the kids and was concerned about them, right? Christina seemed quite concerned as well, so were you worried about them?
“I was a little scared. When I was on stage, I just wanted to focus on that and not think about anything else. But my son
Whenever he comes into view, my mind can’t help but go there. When I see him, I wonder if he’s okay being away from me. Especially that day, I happened to look over and saw you holding our son, and he was whining and acting up, right? So I got worried. But in my mind, I was thinking, “It’s okay, everything’s fine.
I’m sure he’ll calm down soon. I have to concentrate on the stage.” So it was a strange feeling for me. I don’t want to be a mother on stage. I want to be part of the band on stage. It was a strange feeling because I had those feelings, but it’s nice to be able to see my child’s face even when I’m on stage. I also wanted to show my son what I was doing. I took my son to John’s performance in Central Park in the summer, and I was holding him while I showed him. My son seemed to be having a lot of fun at the time.
“I wanted to show my son that I’m on stage with them too, and that it’s not just a man’s world. Women can be on stage with them too. Also, Jens and Hollis come over often, so my son knows them well, and I wanted to show him that they’re in a band and we’re on stage together.”
Battie Smith is another female artist who balances work and child-rearing.
“She has two kids.”
Yeah, that’s right. She’s doing the same thing, balancing work and raising a child. Do you sympathize with artists like that?
“Not really. In her case, after she gave birth she quit her job and became a housewife. She came back after a long break. But after her husband passed away. So she has not been with me at all.
I think it’s a completely different situation. I’d say Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth. She’s been working all this time. She’s been touring with Coco (Kim’s daughter) since she was born. She’s been touring since she was about eight months old, even earlier than us. And she’s been touring ever since.”
I have the impression that female artists with children are strong, energetic, and generous, including yourself. What do you think about that?
“I think that toughness and vitality are actually something that all women possess. If you limit what you can do in your own mind, you won’t be able to do it. What we do is treated as if it’s amazing, but I think that anyone can actually do it if they want to. After all, men do it as a matter of course, right? Having a job, having a family, being a father. It’s not something that’s shocking or amazing, is it? There’s no reason why women can’t achieve that. Because they have the ability to do it. If you’re afraid before you even start, you won’t be able to achieve what you can achieve. You have to broaden the scope of what you can do yourself. In the end, I think that women often set their own limits and end up not being able to achieve their goals. I believe that you can achieve anything you want to do, and that you should push yourself to do new things. You don’t have to be limited to the role of wife and mother. Of course, I think that it’s fine for those who find satisfaction in that. I think that raising children, the next generation, is a great mission. But if you want your children to become better people, you have to keep improving yourself. That’s how your children will grow up. I think it’s very important to take on challenges. Taking on challenges makes you smarter and better people.”
What do you want to express through your lyrics in the future?
“What’s important to me is to stay positive (laughs). Thinking positively can give you power, right? But it’s really difficult to express that in lyrics. The lyrics tend to end up being really lame (laughs). But I believe in the power of positive energy.”
This time, Hollis wrote the set list every day. Is that her role?
“Hmm (laughs). It’s just come naturally recently, but Hollis seems to enjoy it quite a bit. I hate it (laughs). I’m not good at that kind of detailed work, but she seems to enjoy it quite a bit. So it’s naturally become her role, but if that continues for a long time she gets bored, so when the tour gets longer we rotate our roles.”
So what is John’s role in the band?
“He’s like a director of the band. He’s the one who comes up with the ideas for the arrangements, and they always turn out great. He’s the one who
He has a lot of ideas and is good at bringing everyone together. He also has a great ear, so he’ll definitely notice if someone makes a mistake (laughs). John is always the one to find the mistakes (laughs). He knows everything (laughs). That’s his role.”
You and Hollis are really close, aren’t you? She treats her child like a second mother.
“That’s true, but my son loves all the band members. I think he also plays a part in creating a good atmosphere within the band. He’s always there for everyone to pay attention to. I think my son is the mood maker to some extent. Is it thanks to my son that we haven’t had any hostility towards each other? (laughs) Well, this tour is short, so I don’t know what will happen in the future, but on this tour my son was definitely the mood maker, putting everyone at ease and making them laugh.”
What are Boss Hogg’s plans for the future? Will you be touring next year? If you go on tour, will you take your children with you for all of it?
“of course”
It will probably last a long time, but it might be fun.
“Yeah, but I think I can.”
Also, it’s a great place for children to go to various places. It would be fun to do that.
“Yes, Japan is easy. We travel by train and the kids can roam around while we’re traveling. But on a European tour, we’re crammed into the tour pan the whole time, which can be boring for the kids. This time it was only a week, so it’s fine, but I think it should be a three-week tour at most.”
So when do you think you’ll have your next child?
“Hahahaha (laughs). I don’t know, I’d like to have more children, but not for a while. Right now, I’m about to release my record in America and Europe, so I can’t really think about that. I think I’ll wait until things have settled down. Pregnancy and childbirth are difficult for the first two or three years and take up a lot of time. Before I spend all that time, I want to enjoy the rock life a little more (laughs). I’ve finally escaped those two or three years and returned to the rock life, so I feel like it’s too early to spend time on it again. If I keep saying that, I’ll probably become an old lady in no time (laughs).”
It’s okay (lol). But how many more do you want?
“I think one more. Two kids is enough. Me, John and two kids.”
![Boss Hog - Drinkin', Lechin' & Lyin' [2017] (LP, US)](http://www.pop-catastrophe.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/dll-1.jpg)
