Kai FlandersOur music feature this week is on Seth Bogart, Hunx of Hunx and his Punx. Bogart is too much man for one story. He talks a lot, as any hairdresser worth his salt should, and almost everything that comes out of his mouth is hilarious, raunchy, and fascinating. And sometimes it's even a little sad. Below are excerpts from the interview that didn't make the final story.
On his experiences as a hairdresser:
“Everyone's gotta make a living somehow and Hunx ain't exactly paying my bills. I went to beauty school when I was 19 because I thought it seemed funny, not because I thought I'd be good at it. I was terrible at first. I gave a girl a perm and she cried. I was cutting this man's hair and he grabbed the clippers outta my hand and finished the haircut himself! But eventually I got really good at it. Being a hairdresser is really fun, especially if you don't work at a stupid rich-lady place. You basically just get paid to hang out and talk with a bunch of cool weird ladies and help them with their looks.”
On the beginning of Hunx and his Punx:
“It's hard for me to talk about because I was writing songs with Justin [Champlin] at the time and we were romantically involved and the whole time is a huge blur in my memory. All I know is that some of those early songs were written for teenage girls to sing, but lucky me, I got to attach my annoying voice to them and call them my own.”
On being a gay guy in the punk scene:
“There have been a lot of gay punks before me, and there will be a lot after. Members of the following bands are/were a least somewhat gay: Limpwrist, The Buzzcocks, The Wipers, Pansy Division, The Germs, The Dicks … the list goes on. I'm honored to be any part of this. The important thing no matter you are is to just be yourself.”
On his friend and band-member Shannon Shaw of Shannon and The Clams:
“She's an incredible songwriter and obviously has the most amazing voice. She's like my sister at this point and I love her with all my heart. Same with Erin Emslie, our drummer and all the girls and guys that have been in my band. I don't fuck around with assholes or let jerks in my band. Only friends.”
On the differences between Los Angeles and San Francisco:
“I moved here six months ago and was totally depressed and thought L.A. was the worst place in the world. Recently though I became obsessed with it and am proud to call it home. I miss SF a lot but it feels so tiny now.”
On the plethora of L.A. theme parks:
“Within a month of living here I had been to Disneyland, Magic Mountain, Knott's Berry Farm and Universal Studios. Uh, I wonder why I'm so poor.”
On his friendship with the late Jay Reatard:
“Jay and I became close the year before he died and I miss him so much. He brought my faggy flamboyant band on tour to freak out his fairly hetero crowd that was progressively turning super masculine. Once we had a sleepover with my ex-boyfriend and he gave us both foot rubs (with lotion!) and the next day paid for us to go out to a really expensive breakfast and for all of us to get pedicures. He obviously didn't care if people thought he was a homo. He'd call me at all hours of the night and I miss him so much. A true talent. I wrote a song about him because I think that's the most respectful thing to do for someone close to you who dies.”
On upcoming projects:
“I'm in the works of finishing the first episode of my forthcoming TV Show called Hollywood Nails. The project is done by me and one of my best friends, Brande Bytheway. I can't wait to share it with the world.”
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