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Josh Hoge: thecheappop.com interview

June 23rd, 2008 Jon Chattman Leave a comment Go to comments

The Hoge Truth
By Mike Johnson

Josh Hoge went Good Will Hunting and it backfired, but only slightly. After going to California to “see about a girl” and pursue a relationship that wound up falling apart, Josh was left with the inspiration to lay down the tracks for “Everything She Was,” his debut album set to hit stores in September. Josh’s sound is a mix of r&b, pop, and soul. Business time music. He’s toured with Elliot Yamin and has a few gigs lined up with Ryan Cabrera, but here’s to hoping it’s only a matter of time before he’s headlining his own nationwide tour as he’s a good dude and an unabashed fan of the ’stache.

Josh gave “the pop” a little bit of his time to discuss the new album, his attorney’s love making habits, and his hump happy alter ego.

Tell me about the new album coming out this September…
Sept. 9th is the date and it’s my first album to be released and I’m super excited about it. It’s kind of a mix of pop and R&B and a little bit of rock and a little bit of southernness to it as well. I worked on it with a bunch of really cool people and it was my first experience making a real record with live instruments. In the past I got used to doing stuff to tracks and things like that so this was a fun experience for me to be a part of. Finally after three years of touring to have an album comin’ out… I know there are a handful of strong Josh Hoge fans who have been waiting for it too.

I live in NY, if my girlfriend was movin out to California what advice would you give me?
Stay in New York. [Laughs] I went from Nashville to California [for a girl], and my advice to anyone is that following a loved one somewhere else is… well I’m probably not the right guy to ask that question to anymore because I’m kinda anti “follow me anywhere.” Unless you wanna write a bunch of really cool songs about her when you’re on your way back.

How do you feel about the fact that your songs probably lead to a lot of love making around the country?
That’s actually really cool. I enjoy it. My attorney has told me that he makes love to my music and that’s kinda weird.

Good to hear that an attorney has some time to make some love…
Exactly. [Laughs] He’s probably charging me for it. But it’s a cool thing, I’ve never really thought about that but I dig it. That’s how I feel about the Brian McKnight’s and other artists like that, so maybe I can have people feel that way about me.

Any dream collaboration?
There’s so many, man. I’ll give you a male/female. One male I’d love to do something with would be Lenny Kravitz, and female I’d have to say either Pink or Christina Aguilera.

Anybody specific from Nashville that you looked up to musically?
Probably my older brother, Will. He comes from more of the rock side, he’s been at it for 10 or 11 years and I would say him first and foremost. There’s another guy I’ve collaborated with who’s really cool on the r&b side of things, Tommy Syms, we did a song on the album together… but probably my brother.

You have a pop/R&B feel and that’s your love, but what if somebody told you that if you recorded a country album it would sell 3 million records… would you do it?
That’s a tough question… Maybe. I would want to get this out of my system but if somebody told me this is never gonna happen and you’ll sell all those records another way, as much as I hate to say it I have to say, yea, I’d probably do it.

I would do it with my alter ego though. I have an alter ego country name that I will go by at some point with the name Harden Young.

Love it.
Harden Young and I just wear tight, tight pants with the big belt buckle and my only move is just to hump the whole time while I sing.

That could also be a good time to bring out the ’stache
Oh are you kidding me? Harden Young with a mustache? It’s ridiculous.

You have a few shows coming up with Ryan Cabrera, is there any plan for a tour through the rest of the summer to help promote the album?
Absolutely, we’re in the process of trying to [get out there] if all goes well from July through January. There are different things that are being discussed right now. The single, “Stay Away,” goes to radio in two weeks so I’ll be spending quite a bit of time in July going around doing the radio tour at stations and all that, and there’s two or three tours being planned with my name being kicked around so if that worked out it would be great. I collaborate a lot with a guy named Ryan Tedder from the band One Republic and he got the record and really likes it and he’s possibly thinking of having me come out with those guys. There’s a couple of other cool opportunities in the mix too so we’ll see.

You said you had the chance to record with some live instruments and more band members for the first time, is that gonna change the live show at all?
For the last year and a half I’ve been touring just me with an acoustic guitar player but I have toured with full bands before and if anything I’d say this record is better catered towards the live band performance. In the past I’ve done stuff that was more track based and I had to figure out how to make that work live, so if anything this is more easily done and it will translate better to the live show. Hopefully we’ll spend it up and land a bigger slot touring, bring out all the elements to give it the full feel.

What’s your take on reality TV and competition TV finding such a huge niche in the entertainment industry?
I think it’s oversaturated, but I say that and I’m the jackass who watches every episode and tivos the ones I can’t see. As far as American Idol goes I’d love to sit here and tell you I wish the show would never come on again and I’m tired of it but I watch every season. I’m excited about this new one I see coming out where people are getting the hell knocked out of them, that wipeout show… looks like a fun one. But it’s cool, I wish they would bring back Remote Control on MTV.

I’m waiting for the day that somebody says Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr decided to do a competition on TV to replace George and John to get the Beatles back together.

Ha-yuge ratings.
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