 She’s the
Boss:
An interview
with Cristina Martinez of Boss Hog
By Gail Worley
"I think
you’re looking for me," Cristina
Martinez says, surprising the Hell out of me as I
turn around in the bar of Pop, a
super-trendy East Village eatery that thinks
it’s in Soho. Martinez has obviously entered
the restaurant on my heels and is watching me
"look for her." The truth is,
she’s hard to miss: the lead singer for New
York City’s underground darlings, Boss Hog, is one of the most
beautiful women I’ve ever met-- and I
don’t think she’s even wearing make-up.
As we find a table and order our first round of
drinks, Martinez expresses concern that her
shaggy, black wool coat makes her look like a
Hooker. On the contrary, it adds to the
undeniable aura that she’s someone
important, someone you want to know. The coat
makes the stunning, dark-haired singer look like
what she is: a Rock Star.
Martinez
hasn’t had much reason to capitalize on the
look lately. She and her band -- which includes
her husband of ten years, guitarist Jon Spencer
(of the eponymous Blues Explosion), bassist Jens
Jurgenson, drummer Hollis Queens and keyboard
player, Mark Boyce -- have been missing in action
for nearly five years. The band’s latest CD,
White Out, released on Valentines Day,
proves Boss Hog used their retreat from
the playing field as an opportunity to regroup
and return with superior fire power. After
releasing their major label debut, Boss Hog,
on Geffen in 1995, and signing to a five record
deal, things did not go as planned. In the midst
of the tumultuous Polygram buy-out, Boss Hog were dropped from the
label, but walked away with the full advance for
what would have been their sophomore effort, and
ownership of all their songs. Martinez considers
the band fortunate.
She told me all
about it. She told me all about a lot of things.
At one point, she even reached across the table
and turned off my tape recorder so I
wouldn’t write about the more personal
aspects of our conversation. You gotta love
Cristina Martinez: the woman is in control, but
she remains one of the nicest, coolest people
I’ve had the pleasure to interview. And as
you’ll see, we talked about all the things
that make Cristina Martinez -- wife, mother, rock
star -- tick.
*******
You worked
with a lot of different producers for White Out
rather than just one, why did you chose to do it
that way?
When we wrote
the songs, we wrote them in two spurts. They
ended up being very different, stylistically. The
first group was very New Wave and the second
group ended up sounding a lot more modern and
poppy to us. I thought that it would take two
different sensibilities to really deal with this
properly. My initial intention was to have only
two producers: Andy Gill and Tore Johanson. When
Andy Gill came, he had to do eight songs in about
two weeks, so by the end of it we were mixing
four songs a day or something. It was ridiculous.
Naturally, when that was all said and done, some
of the songs weren’t quite up to snuff. I
had to then deal with the fact that I had
run out of money at that point and Andy was
unavailable, he was onto his next project.
So, I recruited
friends, basically, who live in New York City and
who I knew would do a good job as well as an
inexpensive job to fix a couple of the mixes. It
ended up being five [producers] rather than two,
but the initial intention was only two. Tore is
the only one actually who is a producer
and he is such a genius, he’s just very
talented. The rest of them are performers and
that’s how I knew of them, because they
produce their own work. Andy produced Gang of
Four’s stuff and that’s how I knew of
him as a producer. Jim Thirlwell and Roli
Mosimann, Wiseblood is one of the hugest
influences on me, and that’s how I got to
meet and know them. Jim Sclavunos, I know because
of the Bad Seeds. So, it was really them as
musicians that interested me in what they did.
You’ve
got some big names in there nevertheless
I know it looks
like the Who’s Who of producers, but
I’ve always had the idea to take one song
and give it to as many producers as I could
afford, and see who did the best job and then go
from there. This is sort of the back end
of doing that. Instead of going to them and
seeing which I should pick, it ends up where
I’m seeing "Oh, maybe this one would do
a good job." And it worked out, you know,
I’m okay with it. The whole point is that in
the end -- I call myself is the Executive
Producer -- I have to be a person who maintains
the cohesion to the array of things that
happen...to make sure it sounds like it all makes
sense together.
The record
has a cohesive retro sound, especially with the
keyboards.
It’s funny,
because it’s retro-modern. We used drum
loops, which is something we had never done. That
wasn’t really so much because I wanted
to use a drum loop but because the producers
wanted to. I just wanted a steady beat through
the whole song, which is something that we had
never done before. We wrote those songs with
steady beats in the rehearsed versions and then,
just for perfectionists’ sake, they were
looped, but not because that wasn’t what
Hollis had already played. I really like the fact
that, no matter what, a lot of stuff came in and
out. Whatever crazy stuff was going on, there was
a constant beat that was very trance-like, very
hypnotic, it really locks you in.
When I listen
to the record, your performance, both vocally and
stylistically, really reminds me of early
Blondie. What’s your comment on that?
Several people
have said that to me and I think it’s hilarious,
because I want you to know that the first record
that I ever picked up the hairbrush and did the
microphone thing to was Parallel Lines,
one of my favorite all-time records. I can still
listen to "Fade Away..." all of those
songs are just genius. It’s a tremendous
compliment to me that you would say that. My
voice I don’t think even comes near
Debbie Harry’s voice. Her voice is amazing.
If that’s in there, it’s because I love
her. If it comes out at all reminding you of her
then Hell yeah, that’s great.
The whole
record gave me a good feeling of nostalgia, like
I was a kid again.
Definitely, some
of these songs are so crazy New Wave, and that
was really exciting.
What was it
like to get back in the studio after such a long
break and concentrating on being a Mom?
We were pleased
as punch to come back and play together again
after such a long hiatus. We were really excited
to play with each other and all these songs are
really energetic and poppy in the best sense of
the word. They have a lot of positive energy
happening. It was so great. All I can say about
this record is, when I listen to it now is,
it’s so Pop (laughs). That can be a
frightening thing, you know. It can be really
frightening to me because I would have maybe
censored all of that stuff in the past but I was
just completely overwhelmed by the positive
feeling, by how much fun it is to play music. It
had been so long for me, I was so eager to go
back and to play after two years of focusing on
entirely on someone else, my son. To go back and
redirect all of that energy back inside and think
about, what is it that I want to do? Who am
I? What is it that I want to do with my life?
What do I love doing?
I only had this
much time [gestures with two finger] to do the
record because then I have to take care of my
son. I have a very limited amount of time to do
something. My time is so much more precious to me
now. It’s not like something I can just
throw away and disregard. Being in a band is
something that I love to do, have always loved to
do. But [before our son was born] it was just
what I was doing, it didn’t seem like it was
an active choice on my part. Now, to return to it
was really something that I struggled for,
that I really wanted to do and that I fought for
and that I had to make other sacrifices for,
which I’d never been in a position to do. To
really sacrifice the time that I spend with my
son to do this for myself is mentally rewarding
and it makes me realize how much it means to me.
It puts everything in perspective.
It’s
obvious that you are having a great time and that
you really love what you do, loving the music...
I’m glad
that comes through...
That’s a
point of contention with me with a lot of music,
especially popular songs that are played on the
radio, is that it doesn’t seem like these
people really love music.
I agree with
you.
It’s
more like they’re a product "and this
is the way this girl pop star will dress and this
is the song she will sing and this is her
video." It seems like no one’s having
any fun and it’s not very good music.
You know what, I
so agree with you and I’m so glad to
hear you say that because that is absolutely the
way I feel about it. I have two pet peeves. One
is when you see a band that doesn’t look
like they’re having any fun, doesn’t
look like they enjoy what they’re doing. And
it’s not about being shy, because I can
totally understand that. It’s more about
being jaded, "Oh we’re so cool,"
you know, that kind of vibe I can’t
take. I think music is the most visceral of the
arts, of communications, it’s direct, to the
point and it’s so immediate -- the response,
the give and take is so immediate. -- that
it’s really a beautiful medium. So often you
see people who are doing it for not that reason.
The fame thing, of course, is obvious. You see
Britney Spears, she looks like she’s having
a good time at least, but what is she doing?
I want to know where...who started that? Where
did she come from? Does she love music? Who does
she like to listen to? What is that all about? I
don’t know (laughs).
What I think
of is "Why do I hate all of this popular
music?" I can still get turned on by "I
Wanna Hold Your Hand" but you can have the Backstreet
Boys and their whole catalog.
The Beatles,
they were so crafty and their songs, as simple as
they are, were so well written. That’s what
I think about this record. Not to compare myself
to the Beatles (laughs), I would NEVER even dare,
but they were really genuine and heart-felt. And
all of these songs are that, I have complete
confidence in them. And Tore Johansson sounds
exactly like George Martin.
You mentioned
before about taking some time off to raise your
son, and I know Boss Hog had once signed deal
with Geffen, what, about five or six years ago?
Then obviously with the Polygram buy out, that
deal would have most likely gone the way of the
Buffalo anyway. But with it all, I just wondered
why the band took so long to put out another
record.
You know, I
really like the way that you phrased that
question because normally everybody just says
"What took you so long?" and so for you
to know the basics of it is much easier for me.
That whole ordeal -- which was completely
unforeseeable when I signed to Geffen and quite a
shock to me actually -- did take a while. They
were bound to us for two records and we were
bound to them for five or six, I don’t
remember now...more than they were legally bound
to us. When we started recording our second
record, it was right in the middle of the merger.
We had to submit -- which I had never done in my
life before and I was totally indignant (laughs)
being the Diva that I am -- a demo. I was
shocked, but they asked for us to give them a
demo of what we were doing.
At that point it
was all of the New Wave stuff...the first wave of
songs. We gave that to them and they said
"No, thank you, Goodbye." They handed
us, luckily -- and they didn’t have to,
which is due to the great negotiation of my
manager at the time, and my attorney, who did an
amazing job for me got me back not only the songs
that I had recorded, which legally -- technically
-- they owned, but the entire advance for the
second record, which they were contractually
bound to give me. So, I ended up in the best
possible [role] of course, which is that I had
all of my songs and all of the money. For this
record, I got to record it on Geffen’s tab
and now everything that the record makes is
profit for me. Otherwise I would have never seen
one cent of profit because it would have all been
recoupable and who knows, we may or may not have
recouped that money -- probably not -- and
[we’d have] been with a really shitty record
label.
--
You used to
always say that Boss Hog was a punk rock band,
do you still think that?
Absolutely,
always. In ethic we are so punk rock. I
can’t lie and say hey, it wouldn’t be
nice to make some money so I didn’t have to
do anything else. What idiot’s going to say
otherwise? A liar maybe, but no one else. But
that we won’t do anything specifically for
that purpose? Absolutely. We’re going to do
whatever the fuck we want no matter what and if
somebody pays us for it, that’s great. I
don’t have any problem with making money.
But I do have a problem with doing anything that
I don’t truly believe in for that purpose.
That’s punk, rock. That’s DIY. If
I’m off Geffen, I’ll put my record out
on an indie label, I just want my record out! I
love music, I love playing and making records.
Whatever enables me to do that, I’m there.
I want to ask
you about some of the songs on the record.
What’s the story behind "Fear for
You"?
That song was
inspired by the birth of my son. It never ever
occurred to me that it would be this open wound.
Of all the things you think about, how much
you’re gonna love this kid and what
you’re going to do with them, it never
occurred to me how painful it would be, because
it’s an extension of yourself, really, that
can somehow be hurt. Unless you’re tied to
them, which you can’t be, because
they’re independent people, you just give
birth to them and then there they are.
That’s something I only ever felt for Jon,
you know. When he went away and I feared for his
well-being and I thought I would be so devastated
if anything happened to him. That’s such a
burden and such a weight of loving someone is to
be afraid for them, that something will happen to
them. I never considered that at all. I mean, I
read every fuckin’ book, I talked to
everybody I knew who had a baby and that really
never occurred to me. I was really shocked when
it happened. After awhile you become more
comfortable with it and you rationalize it more
as you go on. But still, it’s sick.
After you had
recorded "Fear for You" did you feel
any kind of relief or catharsis?
Not at all.
What’s
the story behind the "Itchy &
Scratchy" song?
I am a big fan
of the Simpsons but that’s not how the song
was named at all. When we wrote that song, I did
that guitar scratch part (imitates sound) in the
song. We kept referring to it as the
"scratchy song." So then I named it
"Itchy & Scratchy" thinking of the
cartoon. Then, when I started to write the
lyrics, which we just sort of wrote and
improvised, it started to take shape and it
really was very much like the two characters, so
I kept the title. We often have working titles
and change them. Occasionally, they’ll
stick. In this case it was appropriate, so I kept
it.
Many times
people tell me that they work with great
hindsight...after it’s written we decide
what the song’s about.
Yeah,
that’s so true. It’s a work in progress
and in the end often you’ll keep a working
title and often not. The CD we did, Cold Hands,
where [the songs] are all boys names...it was
because in the rehearsal space it was just sort
of, let’s name them after different boys.
They were written and we gave them these working
titles. In the end I thought it was so funny that
they all had these boys names that I worked them
into the songs and just kept them there.
And there
were probably critics who asked "Is this
because your songs are your children?"
Well, it was so
horrible because my old boyfriend’s name was
Eddie, and Gerard Kosloy was working with us at
the time, so two of the songs were
"Gerard" and "Eddie." I was
really mortified that they would think the songs
were in some way about them, because they were
not in any way at all.
She loves me,
she wants me back. Move over Spencer, she’s
mine.
(Laughs) So they
were weird songs, but anyway, it’s all about
our stupid sense of humor in the rehearsal space.
We laughed out asses off about everything.
That’s a beautiful thing about Boss Hog that makes me so happy
to play with these people. Jens, Mark, Hollis,
Jon and I just have a great time. We love
playing music and hanging out, cracking jokes.
That’s, to me, what being in a band is all
about, this sense of comradery. It’s
something I never felt. I never felt particularly
akin to any of my family. To find this being my
family is so much more satisfying in every way.
I love that
song, "Trouble" with the chorus where
you go "I can’t stand it."
It’s so catchy and very cool.
That’s the
funny thing about that song is that so much of it
is so catchy. We’d be so annoyed with
ourselves because I’d go home and go "I
can’t get this song out of my head."
That turned out to be a good sign because [I
thought] if that catchy-ness sticks with me,
I’m going to keep it.
What I like
about the title track, "White Out" is
that it has a gospel feeling to it, almost like
you’re testifying.
That’s
Hollis. I don’t sing that part, I must say
that is Hollis Queens and her astounding voice.
She has a really great voice and pulls off the
Aretha Franklin thing like no one I’ve ever
heard. She’s such a talented performer with
her own band, Low High. She sings and plays
guitar in that band.
Also, the
song "Chocolate" seems like a total
rocking love song that you and Jon are singing to
each other.
Well, it’s
all about Jon, that song. But I guess that’s
true because she sings "My baby" and I
guess I’m his baby (laughs). Then I think
about what I’m singing and I’m talking
about how he’s The Man and how...I love him.
Yeah, it’s the "I Dig You" song on
the record. There always has to be one. "I
think you’re really great. I love you!"
It’s
cool though, and very funky. It’s the most
Blues Explosion sounding song.
Well,
that’s because that’s the song that Jon
wrote the most. That one was really one,
‘cause it’s so simple, it was written
on the spot. And I think he came up with that
riff, so that’s the song that I attribute
more to his input. For the most part it’s
really collaborative, but I think that song is a
bit more his.
What do you
feel you’ve accomplished personally with
this record?
What it’s
done for me is that it’s inspired me to make
another one. That’s all that they have to
do. It’s a good record, I’m very proud
of it. Anything that comes after this is really
icing because to me it’s like I accomplished
this. I made a good record and I’m proud of
what I did. It’s better than the last record
I made, and that’s all I can hope for is
that I keep improving upon myself or that I
believe that I’m improving. It’s like
Star Wars, you know? There are people who are
expecting the same record out of you forever. You
know what? I’d rather disappoint those
people than myself. I’m not going to put out
the same fucking record forever because then
I’d be stuck in a rut. It’s about
trying new things, experimenting and figuring out
what you want to do and who you like. It’s
about the journey, not about being struck in the
same place but about moving. People’s
initial reaction is to want the same thing.
It’s hard to overcome.
You and Jon
have been married or a really long time, ten
years. You guys have probably the most successful
rock and roll marriage of anybody. Working
together in a band with your husband, what’s
that like? Do you two butt heads creatively all
the time or what?
Oh sure,
absolutely. You know, I just read this interview
with Yo La Tengo and I have to respect them so
much because somebody asked them "Do you
mind people asking you about your
relationship"?" And Ira was like
"No,I don’t mind as long as they
don’t mind me saying ‘It’s none of
your business.’ (laughs). People constantly
ask, because it is an odd situation it
doesn’t happen in the majority of bands. But
it’s what you think. It’s all the
stereo types. It can be the best thing in the
world and it can be the worst thing in the world.
All the cliches are true. It can be either
extreme, I can’t say anymore than that.
If I had one
moment in my entire life that I could relive it
would be to look at Jon on stage and for he and I
to have that insane kind of telecommunication
where we’re just "This is the greatest
thing in the world and I love you and this is so
much fun!" Every piece of bullshit that you
have to endure is worth that moment on the stage
or that moment anywhere else -- walking down the
street or at a party or whatever. That means more
than anything to me...and it also sucks more than
anything to have to tell someone you love to shut
the fuck up.
Love is a
good thing.
Love is a
beautiful thing. And you know, in the end,
that’s all that matters.
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