Scene Point Blank: Have Chuck or Chris thought about using one of their solo songs for a Hot Water Music song?
Jason Black: Chuck actually sent a song that he was gonna use for a solo song that he thought would be better for us to do, and Chris just has—I’m sure Chuck does too—they just have so many that it’s kind of like, “whatever.” I think whatever they’re the happiest with at the time, then you know—Chris is working on his shit for each record and these are his 10 favorite songs, then they kind of go there at the time. Then some other stuff sort of finds its way through. There’s definitely stuff that we do--that he writes—that wouldn’t work for them and the same thing for Chuck. It’s just feeling it out.
Scene Point Blank: If you could pick to turn any of their songs that are out already into a Hot Water Music song, do you know which you would pick?
Jason Black: No, I don’t actually. Not because I don’t know their songs. Although, that’s what it sounds like. [Laughter] No, because I think it’s one of those things where they’ve already sort of gotten it—it’s just how it is you know?
Scene Point Blank: Yeah, that’s their stuff—
Jason Black: Yeah. I mean, it’s the same reason we all play Rumbleseat songs live or The Draft songs or whatever. Everything exists in its own little compartment. That’s not to say, “we would never do that.” It’s just nothing we’ve ever talked about, and I think it’s healthy for everyone to kind of have—is their own thing.
Scene Point Blank: It seems like more recently bands have been playing their full albums either at one off shows or doing tours. Like Bouncing Souls announced a series of shows where they’re going to do their whole discography—have Hot Water Music thought about doing something like that?
Jason Black: We’ve talked about it, but that’s it. [Laughter] It hasn’t really gotten anywhere. I don’t think we do enough shows to do that yet, and I also feel like the time that we would have to spend re-learning all those songs would probably be better spent writing new stuff—for us anyway. I think it’s cool that bands are doing that—and I’m not saying that we wouldn’t do it, but I don’t know what the context of it would be.
Scene Point Blank: Which one do you think you’d be most excited to play live from start to finish?
Jason Black: I think Caution would probably be—I think that or The New What Next are probably my favorite front to back, but we can’t even play half of The New What Next live anyway. {Laughter] That’s the kind of thing—especially going way back and learning some of the old songs, I mean—that stuff’s not very much fun for us to play. People really wanna hear old stuff and some people—I never hold it against the bands that don’t play old stuff because I think if you’re playing something you don’t wanna play—[Jason shrugs]—you know, it’s kind of a bum out for everyone.
Scene Point Blank: Yeah, I understand that. Ok, who would you say are some of the best bass players out playing right now?
Jason Black: Steve Youth from 7 Seconds is insane, and I forget about that all the time just because I don’t see him very often, but he destroyed at Krazyfest. It was nuts. He’s definitely one of my top guys. Um, Karl Alvarez from The Descendents. Mike Watt—
Scene Point Blank: Do they still influence you?
Jason Black: Oh yeah, absolutely.
Scene Point Blank: Who was the last band that you discovered?
Jason Black: We’ve got 3 of them with us tonight. The last band I got really excited about was Make Do and Mend. I’m glad they came and we’re taking them to Europe for a few weeks too. That’s the last like—most recent, but I think there’re a lot of good new bands that are out now. A ton of them at Krazy Fest were really good and promising.
Scene Point Blank: If you could form a 3-piece band using cereal mascots, who would you pick?
Jason Black: Oh wow, probably Toucan Sam—
Scene Point Blank: What would he play?
Jason Black: [Laughter] I dunno. Um, Captain Crunch to like, run the ship, and maybe Tony the Tiger?
Scene Point Blank: I think Tony would probably be the singer.
Jason Black: Yeah! He’s got the most … out there personality. [Laughter]
Scene Point Blank: That’s all I’ve got. Thanks!
Jason Black: Alright, very cool. Thanks man!
