Hate Junkies interview

The Hate Junkies hail from Hollywood and have actually been around for over a decade. I recently got to interview guitarist Rustee Cassanova and bass player Eric Becica and find out more about their band and what they are up to.



MM-Tell us a little about your band and how you formed?
Rustee-Well the Hate junkies Originally Formed in 1996 me and a High School buddy Tristan Davis formed the band out of the ashes of our former bands Shotgun Wedding and SexSick. We were tired of all the Grunge shit out there. We wanted to go back to our Rock n Roll roots. Well we played for a while. Things went great but after a year we parted ways. So I formed the band with several line changes until I hooked up with a friend Marky DeSade from the band Revl'on Red. We got a stable line up and now are ready to make history.
Eric-I have known Captain Anarchy for 10+ years and have been in competing bands. I had always thought this guy is one of the best front man I had ever witnessed! When I saw the ad for the Hate Junkies looking for a bass player I replied (look no further I am your guy). Luckily for me, they took the Captains word that I can do the job.

MM-Who are your influences?
Rustee-I am totally into Johnny Thunders and Stiv Bators.
Eric-My influences as a bass player are King John Entwhistle of THE WHO, John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin, Terry Butler of Black Sabbath, Chris Squire of Yes, John Glasscock of Jethro Tull, Bill Wymann of the Stones and Dee Dee Ramone, and I play most like Entwhistle.

MM-What are you currently up to?
Rustee-We are playing tons of shows in So. Cal getting ready to branch off to the rest of the states

MM-Any plans to record soon?
Rustee-We will be finishing up our new CD "We are So Abused" in January to February
Eric-We had just recorded a song called Beauty for a movie called The Beauty of Marilyn's Mole. As soon as we can afford to record again we have 4-6 new songs just about ready to go.

MM-This band has gone through a lot of line-up changes. Why is that and are you fairly stable now?
Rustee-Well I gotta put it like this you have to drive a lot of cars before you buy the right one.

MM-What bands have you opened for?
Rustee-We just opened for the Bullet Boys last week.

MM-So what advice would you give to bands just starting out?
Rustee-Get Management and play shows.
Eric- The best advice I can give to any new band is Do Not let your guitar players ego to get in the way of the whole bands creativity. Write all you can, try new parts until it sounds great, and most of all do not play the same songs for more than 1 year unless they are recorded and your fans want to keep hearing them.

MM-What's the LA club scene currently like? Do you think it has picked in recent years?Rustee-It is alright but not as good as it was in the 80's.

MM-Who do you think are the best bands in the LA scene today?
Rustee-There are a lot of great bands out there two that come to mind as great up and comers are "The Hitz" and "The Prostitute Mary's"

MM-What are you doing that sets your band apart?
Rustee-The energy and we are a whole package not just 5 guys in jeans and t shirts

MM-Pick the band from the following pair that you prefer and briefly tell why you picked them

Alice Cooper or New York Dolls

Motley Crue or Hanoi Rocks

Ratt or Poison

Slade or Sweet

Rustee-WOW Thats a Hard question cuz I love em all But the Dolls, The Sweet and Hanoi would top my list.
Eric- Alice Cooper & New York Dolls, Alice has the most under rated band ever! Every record is great in evory way. The Dolls were genious with their song writing as well, arrangements 10 years ahead of their time, meanwhile back in the states besides Screaming J Hawkins and Little Richard, Alice Cooper band was the original Glam and Metal band!

MM-Is there anything else that you want to say about your band or your music?
Eric-I am very happy to be a Hate Junkie because they let me be myself and do not restrain me in any way.After all its just about being in the moment having a great time and the brother hood of rock'n'roll.
Rustee-Just Help Spread the HATE, Tell a friend about the Hate Junkies. Cuz you’rE gonna have to face it "YOUR ADDICTED TO HATE".

Thanks to Rustee and Eric for doing the interview.

http://www.myspace.com/thehatejunkies