pastepunk: you guys have been around the U.S. in the past six months and have undoubtedly seen your audience grow. Do you think it is deserving to see your fan base grow that much?

HWM: In what way? pastepunk: Do you think that finally, your  hardwork and years of playing has paid off? HWM: It's good....I'd be full of shit if I said no, but it's not what keeps us going. It's good to look back at everything we've been through, everything we've lost and overcome through touring and sticking it out. When we look around now and see people not only hearing us, but listening - that is where it pays off and makes it all worthwhile.

We were at the point where we couldn't hold down a job, but we weren't able to pay the rent either from being on tour all the time. Now, it's not like we are rolling in dough, but we can come home, pay our rent, eat, and just continue doing what we love. It's far more than what we ever dreamed it would become.

pastepunk: You played that big tour with SOIA, AFI, and INDECISION this fall, what was that like?

HWM: At first it was really scary. It was the first tour we had ever done where we weren't in complete control of everything. We had never been to most of these places before, never met the people booking the tour, or promoting it. It was out of our league, so it was a bit intimidating at first. Also, whenever we had toured before, we always had good relations with the bands that we were playing with. Sure, we've all been listening to SOIA since we were kids, but we didn't know them, and the people of INDECISION and AFI weren't really familiar to us. It was ironic though on how well it really went. There was a total of 22 of us at one time, and there was no conflicts whatsoever. The worst part of the tour was that INDECISION and SOIA couldn't get into Canada. We just kinda rode through and finished it up though, but it wasn't nearly as much fun. INDECISION really impressed me in their character and their music. They were super down to earth people who just loved to rock. It was a blast, a traveling circus.

pastepunk: You guys have been touring quite a bit since the new album on Some Records came out. How do you avoid tour burnout?

HWM: We pretty much go home when we can. It rejuvenates us. I'm married, Chris is going to be married, and so is Jason. Everyone has their own separate life away from the band. "We're all so different, but the one thing that we agree upon is Hot Water Music." When we come to practice, to tour, and write songs, it all changes, we have one focus, and thats to write good music, and to what sounds right to us. As to burning out? It's a tough one. Sleeping on the floor gets old pretty quick. You miss eating out of your own pantry, sleeping in your own bed...I miss my wife, Samantha, my dogs, my garden and everything. Just to be home for a little bit can revive me for how long it takes.

pastepunk: How did the band get hooked up with Some Records, and why didn't Doghouse Records workout?

HWM: We demoed some stuff, giving it to friends, and Matt, Sammy, and Walter of Some heard it, and liked it a lot. We liked them personally, hung out for a bit, went out to dinner and just hit it off. They shared the same focus that the band wanted. We wanted to have somebody to put out our record and make it a priority, get it out there, keep in print and just promote it. Var is here from No Idea, he's here for the whole tour, we kidnapped him for the entire East Coast tour. With Var, we will always work with him, but he is the kind of person where he has so much shit going on non-stop and that's just not right for us. We need someone who is going to promote the record and not be distracted with other stuff. We've had some small conflicts with Some over what zines get promo stuff and what not...but nothing major. Our view is that no zine is more important than another, but overall, we think they are doing a great job and couldn't be happier.

pastepunk: What happened with Doghouse?

HWM: There were some misunderstandings on both sides. First off, we never had a contract, it was more of a gentleman's kind of handshake. We felt that Dirk didn't come through with everything that he promised to do, and in turn, we backed out. We just skipped out. If he wasn't going to do this, then why should we do that. I'm definitely not going to put the blame on him, because we certainly did not communicate nearly enough with him from the start of what we wanted to happen with the release (Forever and Counting). He maybe did some things, and rather than us going "check it out Dirk, if you don't do this, then we're outta here," we just bailed, and looking back, that was totally wrong of us. We were looking out for our best interests, ya know, which was what the same thing he did. I feel bad that it has to take a business to interrupt or divide a relationship, but it does and it sucks.

pastepunk: How important is a contract to band of your size?

HWM: It's extremely important, unless your just a band putting out a 7" or a tape, and don't plan to be around next year. For awhile, I was very much against it. Punk wasn't a business, it wasn't DIY, it wasn't what i was about, but then i realized that if we had a contract (with Doghouse), we wouldn't have got screwed. It goes both ways, you can deny all this shit, and go ahead and do without it, but what if you get fucked? You have no ground to stand on. There is that weird fine line where things have to be agreed upon. I think completely different about it now. I sure wouldn't want to sign my life away to some label, that's just stupid. We know this band won't last forever, and we couldn't ever commit ourselves to signing to something that would suck our lives away. "I guess it's all about having a level head."

pastepunk: Are there mornings where you just wake up and wonder why you are doing this? why a band? HWM: Not really....there are some mornings where i wake up with a terrible crick on my back, and I'm wondering why I drank all that whiskey last night, or why did i end up wrestling with Chris for two hours. No man...I love what I do. I mean, I miss Samantha, I miss my dogs, but I wouldn't change anything for it...well maybe a new back... pastepunk: When the band broke up, what was it like for you?

HWM: It was like this is it, no more band for good. We knew that if we didn't stop then, we would never play together again. It would have ended really messy, like not even talking to each other right now. We just decided to end it as it was. It wasn't nearly as dramatic as some people made it out to be, as we found out later on. We sat down for coffee in Munster Germany when it happened. We just decided to stop. It was on tour and we had about a week left, and that was the worst part because we knew that when we finished playing, that was going to be it. We all had to reevaluate the "why am I here question." The way we play is that when we are here together, we morph into one thing, and when we broke up, the meshing wasn't there anymore. Everything sounded different, felt different, and my mind was totally on what was going to happen when we got home. But if we hadn't broken up then, we wouldn't have survived until now. Everyone went their own separate ways after it. I had to get away from everything. I couldn't be in the same town as the rest of them. I knew I still had my friends, but I was heartbroken. Samantha and I packed up our gear and lived in the woods for a month or so. I came back, and we started hanging out again, and then it was like, "what are we doing??" All we needed was a break. We came back together as a group, and not as a band. "When it felt like we were a band, it was fucked. That's the last thing we want to become, just a band."

pastepunk: Before the band was full-time, what were some of the jobs that the members held? Anyone go to college?

HWM: I still work, I do carpentry. I work mostly for myself and for friends. I was helping a buddy build his house a few weeks ago. He pays me, but it's not about the money. We as a band have done just about every odd job under the sun, from scrubing pots to throwing steel. Gas stations, etc.... Hmm...Jason graduated from the University of Florida, his degree is in English. Chris is kinda on and off with community college, and i've always wanted to go, just to get an edge on things. But I doubt i'll be able to find the time to just get the credits I need for my AA. I'd love to if I could, just to study the things that I'd like to learn about. George will never go to college. He's a professional drummer, he will be playing drums for the rest of his life.

pastepunk: What is the absolute craziest thing that has happened to you guys on tour?

HWM: There have been so many...hehe. Car accidents, arrests...we were arrested in Tiajuana. It's always an adventure, which is the craziness of touring - you just never know what is going to happen. It's pretty dangerous being on the road that much. Your chance of running into cops increases, automobile accidents, etc....I'm sure that once I walk out of this door, i'll remember some great story for the interview, but right now i'm drawing blanks.

pastepunk: I like to ask bands this question because they really know how to differentiate between a good band and a great band. In your opinion, what are the most underrated bands right now?

HWM: The guys were are touring with, SMALL BROWN BIKE are amazing, absolutely amazing. I've been wanting to play with them for awhile after they slept at my house a long time ago. PANTHRO (UK United 13) was an awesome band. There are so many underrated bands, especially in Gainsville, Florida. There is a fellow by the name of Robert McGregor who is one of the most amazing muscians that I have ever known. He plays everything, he does everything, just amazing. He's got bands and records a lot of the local bands, but he never really gets out of town. He is just one of the hundreds in Gainsville. I totally agree with SMALL BROWN BIKE being underrated. I think they are going to get everything they deserve though. They are just amazing people, an amazing band, and its an honor to be on the road with them. I guess you just have to take the good with the bad, ya know man, PANTHRO broke up and that sucked, but it's great to be here with SMALL BROWN BIKE.

pastepunk: What's the next step for HWM, or is there even a next step?

HWM: We don't set goals like that. After this tour, we'll be home for two weeks and then its off to Europe, and after that, we were invited to do the Warped Tour. "We're the kind of band that will play anywhere at anytime. Whether it is the main stage of the Warped Tour, or the kitchen in your mother's house, we'll do it." We're here to share our music with anyone who wants to listen. We're there because it is a show, and its an adventure, and we love doing it. Right now were writing some new stuff, we have about eight songs done and are working on more. We have another album to do for Some, and we're just enjoying this time of our lives. We'd like to just keep on doing tours, playing with friends, maybe even get back to Japan. We set short term goals and it works.

Thanx to Chuck for doing this, and Jamie for setting up the show with these guys.

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