“BOSS HOG
I think if you can have a child, you can do anything. Rock music is easy, it’s easy (laughs).
Despite the breakdown of their relationship with Geffen, Boss Hog has completed their long-awaited new album, and the cover features a return to nudity. How has four years and childbirth changed Cristina, the core of the band?
First, I’d like you to take a look at a photo of all five members of Boss Hog. Even without that, most readers—especially male readers—will be immediately captivated by the unchanging beauty of Cristina Martinez, standing majestically in the center. Captivated by her sharp facial lines and determined eyes, they’ll no doubt be daydreaming of becoming a part of the fabric that covers her skin, a fabric that’s neither underwear nor swimsuit, or of trampling them to their heart’s content with those black high heels. That’s the truly pitiful state of the men when they see Christina.
Boss Hog’s activities as a band haven’t been particularly active in recent years. Cristina and Jon Spencer’s new baby boy, the time spent raising him, Jon’s increased involvement with Blues Explosion, and their split with Geffen Records all contributed to the continued delay of their new album. Their first album in four years, “Whiteout,” boldly features multiple producers, including some unexpected talent for Boss Hog, like Swedish pop legend Tore Johansson. The album showcases Boss Hog’s current rock ‘n’ roll, with just the right blend of R&B and pop influences. The cover art, a return to basics(?), features a nude Cristina. Even as a mother of one, she still exudes pheromones. Listen to her incredibly confident words.
・Let’s get the unpleasant stuff out of the way first.
I think one of the reasons it took four years for the new album to be completed is that your relationship with Geffen broke down.
“Well, of course, with the Geffen thing, production on the album was put on hold for a while. We were held up for about six months, or maybe four months. When we started production, we were still under contract. Recording began last summer, and then in the fall, the issue of the merger with Interscope came to light, and we didn’t know until January whether we would be cut or kept. With the future still uncertain, we thought it would be difficult to concentrate on recording, so we stopped work for the time being. Because, you know, it would be terrible if we finished the album, only for Geffen to take away the master rights, and then not release it at all.
The Geffen merger was a shock to the whole industry. It was a massacre. A lot of bands were cut, a lot of people lost their jobs. But for us—obviously the timing was bad, we were in the middle of making an album, so I think ultimately we’re going to gain more from this than anything. And I don’t think Geffen really gave it their all on the last album either.”
—In an interview a few months ago, Jon Spencer said that some nasty issues were emerging, like whether he would get the tapes back and what would happen to his money. “Yes, but I won! I got the tapes back and my money back.”
How did you create this new work?
“Basically, it’s the same as always.
It all started with us trying to play together, then we went into rehearsal, pressed record on the cassette, and continued playing for hours, then went home and listened to it again, kept the parts we liked, and went back to the rehearsal room, and that’s how it went. However, with this album, we also changed the arrangements of the songs together with the producer after we started recording. That was a first for us. We actively sought objective opinions. We reflected the opinions of Andy Gill and Tore Johansson, who would say, “Why put the chorus here? Wouldn’t it be cooler if you put it here?”
“We changed the structure of the songs. It was the first time we’d had a third party tweak a song that much. But I think it made the songs even better.” –Did they — the producers — come to New York where the band was?
“Yes. Andy lives in London, and Tore lives in Malmö, oh, he lives in Copenhagen now. I’ve known their reputation for a long time. Andy Gill was in Gang of Four, right? I’m a big fan of that band. Also, I think Tore Johansson’s Cardigans album is amazing. But I thought working with him was an impossible dream. He’s a pop producer, after all. He’s never produced punk rock, and this was his first time working in America. I think he wanted to experience working with a rock band, too. And I think he wanted to experience New York too (laughs). I was convinced of Tore’s potential. I think a great producer can always produce great results.
Punk rock bands use instruments that are more complex and thicker than regular pop bands, so I think it was a challenge for him. Or maybe it was just a pain to do (laughs). But he was really motivated. Have you heard the album? He created a really clean sound. It’s a clear, beautiful sound.”
I’d always thought, “Let’s use a different mixer for each song on the next Boss Hog album,” but I didn’t have the money to make it happen. But Jon works twice as fast as me (laughs), so he was the first to come up with the idea. So it seems like he was the one who came up with it. Well, whatever.
Was that in line with Boss Hog’s aim this time?
“Yes, it was a perfect fit. From the songwriting stage, I felt that this song had a strong clean feel, so I wanted to create a clean, beautiful sound when recording.
You can hear each instrument clearly and it has a beautiful, deep sound. Great job.”
――――Tore’s songs tend to have an old-time, evergreen feel to them, rather than a sound that is at the cutting edge of the times.
“Well, I think it’s closer to the ’60s sound. The Beatles, George Martin.
It’s fine, there’s absolutely no need to argue about it. And it’s not just John. A lot of artists do it.”
We were in good spirits and positive moods when we were doing this, so I think that was reflected in the songs.” –Did you use a lot of people as producers?
Is there any connection to the fact that last year’s Blues Explosion album “ACME” made use of a number of mixers?
-However, with this method, each producer just adds their own color to the songs they’re given, without considering the album as a whole.
“Well, it was actually my idea. I mean, living with Jon, sometimes we both want to do the same thing.
“Hmm, but I don’t think that’s the case this time. The two key producers-
First, I gave all the demos to Torre and Andy and asked them to choose the songs they wanted to work on. Basically, the division went as I expected. Torre chose the more pop and clean songs, and Andy chose the punk rock songs. These two are really as different as night and day (laughs). So we both had a rough idea of the direction of the album.”
–But ultimately, the band took care to ensure that the album wouldn’t fall apart.
“Of course it is. It’s my responsibility and I’ve done it. I was the executive producer.”
—It seems like the most reliable option would be to have Jon Spencer produce your album, since he’s been around you for many years and knows the quality of your singing. What do you think?
“No, to be honest, it’s Hollis (Queens) who helps me the most when recording vocals, not Jon. Of course Jon helps a lot, but there’s this misconception that he’s the one who’s in charge of Boss Hogg.
However, it tends to be disliked as it means getting older, but that’s nonsense.”
――――But don’t you think your fans want something a little more chaotic and vulgar?
“Well, I understand the desire to stay the same forever, but change is a good thing.”
—By the way, about your jacket this time, you’re taking it off again.
“That’s right (emphatically). This is a little scary, isn’t it? (laughs) It gives the feeling of waking up from a deep sleep. Waking up and attaining enlightenment.” –Why enlightenment now?
“Well, I wonder why. Are you confused? Think for yourself sometimes (lol).”
-Don’t say that…
“Yes, it’s a beautiful image, but it’s not traditional beauty. It’s not sensual. It certainly reflects the music. It’s still the same Boss Hogg world, but it’s also a kind of awakening.”
Q: When you first appeared completely nude on the cover of your EP, did you say, “I threw away the Catholicism I had been taught.”
Especially for me. Things change when you have a baby. You can see the world more easily. I feel like I can do anything once I have a child (laughs). I feel like a superwoman. Rock music is so easy (laughs). I can perform on stage with ease. I think I’ve done about 24 shows since my son was born. I’m more confident than before, and I enjoy everything I do.”
–Yes, you had a child, didn’t you? Belated congratulations.
“Thank you. To be honest, I feel like giving birth to a child was a greater accomplishment than making the album (laughs). My son was my top priority while I was recording. I always had him in mind, both musically and lyrically.” –How old are you now?
“He just turned two a week ago. I gave him his first drum kit. He has a great sense of rhythm. He’s not just good at drums, he’s also good at guitar and has just started playing “Of Love.” He’s in the groove of “Fire” and is a big fan of Boss Hog. I’m so proud of him. He’s a great kid.”
-You and Jon are not just husband and wife, but you have also taken on new roles as father and mother.
This time, we were all messing around and acting silly, and that really comes across on the album. I guess it was liberating to be able to do that. I felt good and confident, so I didn’t feel as angry.
I don’t want people to interpret it that way. It’s not true at all. We care about vocals and lyrics a lot more than the Blues Explosion did, and we’ll continue to do so. Vocals and lyrics are very important to me, and I wonder if Jon cares about them as much as I do.”
–Looking back at Boss Hog’s history, it seems like they’ve gradually changed from a junky chaos to a more controlled sound. Do you think this reflects your maturity as a musician? “Of course. But I think it’s become more relaxed rather than controlled. I was just thinking about this last night when I saw Atari Teenage Riot. Watching them play, I was reminded of when I was in Bushy Galore. They’re full of anger and screaming. It’s very powerful. You can’t help but get drawn in when you watch them. But the anger eventually gets digested. Before you know it, you’ve solved the cause of your anger, you’ve found more things you like, and you’re happy. I think it’s a good thing to grow up and become an adult. What does it mean to ‘become an adult’?
He said, “I did it for that reason.”
“Yes, at that time I had just emerged from a repressed Catholic adolescence and was finally discovering myself and my beliefs. I was excited, I felt like I had been reborn as a completely different person, full of new energy. And I loved this new me. I was like, ‘This is me. Naked. Sexy. Fuck you!’”
(Oh, fuck me!) At the same time, you were probably thinking to others, “My body is amazing, I deserve everyone to see it.”
“Of course. It was the first time in my life that I felt beautiful.”
-If there’s anything new that Boss Hogg didn’t have back then that you’ve acquired this time, what is it?
“I guess it was the lightness. Up until now, Boss Hog has had a strong image of dirty hard rock, but this time I think it’s a little lighter. The feeling of us all messing around and acting silly really comes through on the album. I think it was liberating to be able to do that. I was in a good mood and full of confidence, so I didn’t feel that angry.
But has it changed your awareness in any way?
“Our lives have changed a lot. Before we had children, we lived just the two of us for 12 years. Going from a life centered around just the two of us to three people brought about many changes. We were both nervous about being good parents, and it took some time to get used to having a child. It’s a lot of pressure, of course. It’s a huge responsibility, and we had some pretty intense fights. A small baby can’t survive without someone looking after them all the time, so it was difficult to get used to that. Raising a child is a great joy, but it also requires a lot of sacrifices. You have to act with the other person in mind at all times, not just the two of you. You can’t just suddenly decide to do whatever you want anymore. But I’ve never been happier to meet my son. It feels more like we’re friends than parent and child.”
–Your child’s future is promising, both in terms of his talent as a musician and his looks.
“Yeah, but he might rebel against us and become a football player (laughs). I just can’t stand that!”
