20 Questions With John A. Sepetys, 6/6/00

 

20 QUESTIONS WITH…

Hair Of The Dog’s Guitarist John A. Sepetys

Last month we talked to Hair Of The Dog bass player Boot, and this month it’s John Sepetys’ turn!  Like Boot, John has a good sense of humor and was able to hang.  Plus he spelled everything right, and we don’t get that too often.  Enjoy!

JOHN:  Here’s my answers for ya.  Sorry if I got “wordy,” but I like to write.  : )  Thanks again for including us in the questioning.  Your site keeps people’s heads on straight and egos in check.  That’s a good thing….

Rock-n-roll,

John A. Sepetys

1.  What are you currently up to?  This is your only chance to plug your CDs, tours, websites, and shit like that.

I’ll spare you folks the “hard sell” bullshit here.  If you’re interested in the band you can find all you’d ever want to know on our website (www.hotd.com).   If you’re not interested… God speed to ya.

2.  What bands were you guys in before Hair Of The Dog?  Any Sunset Strip bands we might have heard of or any shit like that? The first band I played in was called, “Broken Glass.”  I still went to high school outside of Detroit back then.  We rocked talent shows and junior high dances with gems like “867-5309,” “What I Like About You,”  and Greg Kihn’s… “The Break-up Song.”   Unfortunately, Southern California rockers were never treated to any West coast “Glass” performances.   On the brink of certain super-stardom, the band split up when I went away to school.  I suspect Motor City rock enthusiasts all removed ear plugs and breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Hair Of The Dog

3.  Why do you call yourself John A. Sepetys?  Is that to separate you from all the other John Sepetys that are in rock? 

Why the middle initial you ask?  Just because I’m an annoying mother fucker.  In fact, for the next album I’m going to throw the surname -“Esquire”- into the mix (ie: “John A. Sepetys, Esq.”).  You see there’s a reason the guys in this band call me, “Ass.”  Quite simply… I am one. 

4.  Which hard rock/heavy metal band shoud give it up and call it a day? 

If a band is hard rock or metal I say, “Ride on my fellow metallic camarades!”  I’d be pretty happy though if this negative, complaint rock, alterna-bullshit would dry up and blow away.  I must have been out of town on the day they filled everyone up to the rim with all this anger, angst, and misery.  Life just ain’t that bad people.

5.  Rate the following guitarists on a scale of 1 to 10.  1 being a guitarist who plays with broken fingers, and 10 being a virtuoso.

When it comes to guitar, I don’t really think of myself as a “player.”  I think I’m a good songwriter, a good performer, and a good band member… but most of these guys could probably “play” circles around me.   Therefore, who the fuck am I to rate these guys?  I will, however, give you my opinions on the ones I’m familiar with.  (I’ll use words, because numbers are gay when it comes to talking about someone’s musicality.)

Tracii Guns = Highly underrated. Tom Keifer = Great songwriter, sweet slide wankin’. Bruce Kulick = “Revenge” was his “piece de resistance.” Ace Frehley = Killer vibrato, impressive liquor consumption. CC DeVille = Fuck the “shred heads” who make fun of him.  How many records have they sold? Mick Mars = I love Motley, but I always focused more on Nikki and Tommy. Steve Vai = Brilliant. Jeremy Popoff = Solid player, prolific songwriter. Joe Perry = Just plain fuckin’ cool. Dimebag Darrell = Not familiar enough with his music to say.  I know he likes KISS though, so that’s a plus.

6.  Rumor has it you guys turned down a tour with Union.  Is that because:

A.  They suck

B.  They put you guys to sleep

C.  You guys actually think you are better than them

D.  You guys actually think you could get a bigger tour

E.  All of the above

Let’s see… sit on our asses in Los Angeles or go out on tour???  Real tough choice.   We’re not in a position to turn down anything yet, so I’m sorry to say this was just as you called it-  a rumor.  Once we gain a little notoriety, then we’ll be stuck-up assholes who snub our noses at everybody. 

7.  Give us an example of how Stephen Pearcy made your life as shitty as possible when you guys toured with Ratt? Midway through the tour Pearcy decided to pull our band name off marquees, not allow our band name to be printed on tickets, and not let us sell our merchandise (even making the decision from stage during the middle of shows sometimes).  Warren, Blotz, and Robbie are great guys who deserve so much better at this point; I’m happy for them.  As for Stephen, he’d be well-advised to remember his own (suddenly prophetic) song lyrics… “It’s so easy to forget, what you give is what you get.”

Boot & John change hairstyles

8.  For $10,000 cash:  In a dark movie theater, slip your hand under your sister?s clothing and fondler her bare breast.  You?ll get an extra $30,000 if you try to finger her.  You may explain how much you are getting paid while you are doing it.  Would you do it?

In the spirit of being a “good sport,” not only will I answer your dickhead question… I’ll go as far as to present you with an even more tantalizing alternative.   How ’bout I fuck YOUR sister in that dark movie theatre and you can explain to her how much you had to pay me while I’m doing her.  If you don’t have a sis, then substitute your mom.  Touche?.

9.  What?s up with all the big pictures of you guys in your CD booklet?  You guys aren?t the Backstreet Boys, so was all that shit really necessary?

All that so-called “shit” was highly necessary. (Using an Adam Sandler “Wedding Singer” yell)  “This is our album, SO YOU WILL LOOK AT US!!!!”  

10.  Rate the following chicks on a scale of 1 to 10.  1 being a mess and 10 being a hottie.

Pamela Anderson = 6

Debbie Gibson = 9

Britney Spears = 4

Cameron Diaz = 6

Gwen Stefani = 8

Donna D?Errico = (Not sure who this is)

Heather Locklear = 7

Liv Tyler = 10

Josie Pearl = 7

Drew Barrymore = 5

11.  What rock star deserves a smack in the mouth and why? Me when I’m really drunk.  Otherwise I’m liable to start pissin’ all over bathrooms, breakin’ stuff, and just generally behavin’ like an anus.  (Note: I’m taking the very generous liberty of placing myself in the “rock star” echelon.)

12.  Don?t you think Eddie Van Halen has become a bitter old man?

God I hope not.  I’ve loved Ed’s music forever and I still want to meet him more than anyone else.  I’d be crushed if he was a dick to me.  Honestly though, I couldn’t imagine it.  I’m a true blue EVH fan and probably too biased to ever answer this question.

13.  Give us 5 Likes and 5 Hates.

5 likes:

1. Running

2. Writing

3. Detroit Lions

4. WWII history

5. Pornography (Not gross, perv shit.  You know… full-frontal, but “tastefully done”).

5 hates:

1. Dallas Cowboys

2. Unrealistic/liberal-ass Democrats

3. Drugs (excluding alcohol bien sur)

4. Lazy people

5. Any club that you have to be “picked” to go into.  (I say, “Pick this… assholes.”) 

14.  Were you guys drunk when you decided to cover the Kiss song ?I?, which is on the worst selling Kiss album of all time, The Elder? We’re always drunk, so chances are good that we were when this decision was made.  However, let me explain our choice.  We love KISS and we wanted to do a cover tune as a nod to our rock heroes.  Songs like “R&R All Nite,” “Deuce,” “Detroit Rock City,” etc… have all been covered to death.  Therefore, we wanted to pick something a little more obscure.  “I” (in our opinion) is a great song that was unfortunately stuck on a not-so-great album.  We thought this would be the perfect opportunity for a lot of people to hear a cool KISS song that kind of got lost in the shuffle.  We also threw in a little tribute medley just before the outro chorus.  KISS rocks.

Hair Of The Dog debut their new image

15.  Which do you prefer and why?

Douche Bags or Feminine Deodorant Spray = Both please.  One can never be too clean.

Free Weights or The Solo Flex = Whatever’s nearby.

Kip Winger or Jani Lane = Kip Winger

Ted Nugent or Kiss = That’s as difficult as trying to choose a favorite nut (ie: left or right).  C’mon, I love ‘em both to death and I wouldn’t want to live without either.

White Castle or Denny?s = No contest… White Castle rules all!!!!!

Jagermeister or Wild Turkey = Definitely Turkey (I’ve always thought of Jager as a gimmicky “Frat boy” drink).

Real A cups or Fake C cups = Real deal  

16.  The following two sentences have numerous spelling errors.  Please rewrite both sentences correctly:

Boot and Mike Dupke went two the river and caughted a whole buckett of fishes. Once they got home they cooked all the fishes their were. They ate until they could not ate anymore.  The ended.

I certainly don’t claim excellence in many areas, but writing is my forte.  So ya sees… I ain’t gunna be wasten my time on this hear elamentury exursize.  Nuge.

17.  What do you remember about the following years? 1982 = “Diver Down” 1986 = “5150” 1990 = Pretty much the end of metal’s glory days… resulting mainly from an influx of corporate-fueled, band wagon-jumpin’, insincere copycat groups.  Sad. 1993 = HOTD is born.  I begin drinking heavily.  1997 = HOTD s/t first album is released.  I’m still drinking heavily. 1999 = Neil Zlozower takes me to meet David Lee Roth (one on one) backstage in San Diego.  I get hammered, proclaim it to be the best night of my life, and then proceed to throw up all over zloz’s wife’s SUV on the way back to Los Angeles.  L-I-V-I-N.

18.  Who’s the most overrated band today?

Hair of the Dog.

19.  Do you and Ruta ever think about ripping off the rest of the band and taking all the money?

Oh yeah… with all that dough we might just have enough cash for bus fare to Santa Barbara.  Perhaps we could even afford to splurge on a stick of beef jerky when the Greyhound pulls off at a truckstop for the old folks to take dumps. 

20.  Time for Metal Sludge’s Word Association.  We mention a name and you give us your thoughts. Jizzy Pearl = “Black Out in the Red Room” (One of our party anthems). Boot = Friend for 18 years who’s seen me at my best and my worst. Nikki Sixx = “Shout at the Devil.”  What a metal masterpiece! Limp Bizkit = I must be too old to understand it… because I don’t. Lars Ulrich = (Use Homer Simpson voice here) Mmmmmm… Danish rolls. Marilyn Manson = Eerily intriguing and a courageous visionary. Stephen Pearcy = Not worth my time. Jani Lane = Drawing a blank… never followed his music. CC DeVille = I know he’s an avid runner.  Consequently, that makes him “aces” in my book.  Eric Brittingham = Nice guy.  Treated us with a great deal of respect.

There you have it!  Now that 2 members of Hair Of The Dog have done 20 Questions with us, we are sure they will go onto Triple Platinum success!!

Ok, maybe not.

Well if you’d like more info on Hair Of The Dog such as their current tour dates and shit like that, you can go to www.hotd.com.