Smoker Dad X Fresh Off The Scene
Interview by Esosa Zuwa and photos by: Ron Harrell
First of all, 'Smoker Dad' is a unique band name. What inspired it?
We had a hard time trying to come up with a name in the beginning. We probably went back and forth for a few months before landing on Smoker Dad. It was my Instagram handle at the time and when I suggested it, we all felt pretty good about it. Now here we are 6 years later!
How did you get to where you are today? What's your history as a band?
Our bass player Derek and I were roommates for a while and played in another band for a few years before Smoker Dad. When that fizzled we just kept on jamming and eventually my brother Teagen joined in on lead guitar. We met the rest of the band just going to shows in Seattle, you start seeing the same folks and building relationships. First, we met Adam at an Oh Sees show and he jumped in on drums, then we had a full band and could start playing gigs. Soon after, we met Chris King and Chris Costalupes and found the sound we were looking for.
"Hotdog Highway" is a unique album, not just in its name, but it's the theme of being a band that tours and is on the road. What inspired choosing this kind of concept and the creative process of executing it?
Well we didn't really set out on writing an album about touring, it all kind of just fell together and happened almost subconsciously. We were touring a lot when we wrote the songs but it didn't dawn on us that there was a theme until everything was recorded. Hotdog Highway was a running joke we had on the road and even then, we were just trying to come up with a name for the album. We thought that one was pretty funny, Chris King was determined to write a song for the title track and it came together super quick, we recorded it live not long after and had the whole album!
How is "Hotdog Highway" different from your self-titled debut album from 2022, and your previous releases from that?
I think the band has matured a lot, both in the sense of our individual selves and as musicians and songwriters. With the first album, we had just started all playing together so things were fresh and a little rocky. We all kind of grew into our roles by the time we started recording Hotdog Highway and by that point, we had all toured extensively together. It not only made us tighter friends but also tighter as musicians and playing together as a unit.
What is your favorite song off "Hotdog Highway" and why?
My favorite song is 'Rollin' On'. It kind of takes a right turn compared to the rest of the songs on the album and on the previous one. It's punchy and poppy and super simple - It's just a different vibe and shows our range. We aint messin around!
Which artists inspire you and who would be a dream collaboration?
I think a lot of the artists that we love and inspire us are long gone or too old to keep touring... But we all love Neil Young and that would be the dream! A more realistic artist I think would be something like The Nude Party or Natural Child.
What do you hope to achieve in the next year and beyond?
We'd love to get picked up by a label or tour booker! We are an independent band and have so much more in the works so having some support in those areas would be a huge step in the right direction!
