Drinkin, stinkin and skating straight to hell comes Whole Hog. These gnarly San Diego RnR outlaws may steal your girlfriend but they will rock ya ass in the process and hell maybe even buy ya a beer. Get high on the Hog.

 Interview by Ian Pickens.

 Gravy: OK, guys introduce yourselves:

WH: We're WHOLE HOG. An unstoppable rock & roll machine who's stated goal is to maximize the size & amount of rock & roll that is created within a 10 mile radius of our being on any given night. We 'sonically' introduce ourselves every night to drunks in dive bars and will not stop until things are real hot, sweaty and smell like a $10 hooker’s twat. That is your WHOLE HOG rock & roll guarantee that we give to you.

Gravy: Describe Whole Hog in 3 words.

WH: Drinkin', druggin', rockin'.

Gravy: You’ve been described as ‘Greaser-Metal’ and ‘Metal-Billy’ – care to expand on that?

WH: Probably cuz we look like 'Motortrend' and sound like 'Motorhead'.

Gravy: Whole Hog cite AC/DC, Ramones and Motorhead as your main influences, but I hear a big ole slice of rockabilly in there too; so who else gets the Whole Hog all wound up?

WH: Strippers with big asses and a wad of bills get us wound up.  As far as music? Maybe the attitude we have allows some of that crap to creep in but it's honestly nothing that's done on purpose.  We basically just try to sound like AC/DC, Ramones & Motorhead and then this other shit kinda comes out.

Gravy: How has the tour been going?

WH: We’re home now cuz we ran outta good California weed and got tired of smelling like a dog's ass. Actually a dog's ass probably smells better. We’ll be heading out again in spring.

Gravy: Did losing guitarist Gino cause you any major problems with the tour?

WH: Naah, we hadda fight half of Southern California's smokin'est lead guitarists off, once word got out that there was an opening in the HOG. That was our only problem.

Gravy: Gino’s playing with Guana Batz now right?

WH: To be completely honest once he left we didn’t really pay much attention to what he was gonna do, but I do know that he was playing occasional gigs with them around that time.

Gravy: I understand you guys had a little altercation with them back in the summer?

WH: Nah, no altercation. They had us booted off a bill one time cuz Gino probably tipped 'em off that we're a straight up fuckin' rock band who doesn’t play sappy love songs or try to be cute and spend an hour combin' our hair and stupid shit like that. We ended up playing a bigger gig the same night and until you asked, I'd kinda forgotten about it. I honestly don't blame them though. We woulda done the same thing if we had to play after us.

Gravy: So who’s handling guitar duties now?

WH: That would be Darrin Berlin from the amazing 'Tommy Homicide'. He’s great and we love him, but he's starting to feel the strain, cuz playin' in 1 band and WHOLE HOG is probably like playing in 4 bands.

Gravy: Does having a confederate flag in your logo cause you any hassle? Antiseen used to cop a lot of flak for it.

WH: Fuck 'em.

Gravy: And since when has San Diego been a Southern state?

WH: WHOLE HOG transcends borders.

Gravy: Does it bother you that people might think you are rednecks?

WH: Why would that bother us?

Gravy: Jim Beam or JD?

WH: Yes, please.

Gravy: Whole Hog are doing the soundtrack for Skateboarder magazine’s ‘Punk Rock Pool Party’ video; how did that come about?

WH: They heard us. They liked us. They asked. We made 'em get us drunk, high and laid and voila 'Punk Rock Pool Party'.

Gravy: So you guys skate right?

WH: Let’s just say one of us does some 'Skatin' for Satan'.

Gravy: With so many good RnR bands out there at the moment; why should people check out Whole Hog?

WH: Cuz we're not only generous with the rock & roll, we've been known to be quite generous with our substances, our drink tickets and our loose moral character at the WHOLE HOG show. You’re not gonna get that kinda benevolence from spiky hair faggy little emo bands. It’s hard enough for them just to get outta the house stealin' there sisters tight 'girl' jeans and eye make-up. Now, how are they gonna share anything else?

Gravy: Has www.MySpace.com been helpful in getting the Whole Hog manifesto out to people?

WH: It does seem to be the 'new crack cocaine'... so I guess there is some good in it.

Gravy: Do you think the Internet is more important for breaking new bands than traditional methods like printed zines and touring?

WH: Nothing will ever replace a couple of Les Pauls, big Marshalls, a big motherfuckin' bass rig, a set of drums, a couple of pitchers of shitty beer, a hot sweaty club that smells like puke and a buncha motherfuckers rockin' out. Except for that internet porn thing....that might run a close second.

Gravy: If you could do a split ep with any band, from any era who would you choose?

WH: Since we get a choice of era's...
40's - Hank Williams
50's - Link Wray & his Raymen
60's - The Stooges
70's - Ramones
80's - Misfits
90's - N.W.A.

Gravy: A split ep with N.W.A? Really?

WH: Fuck yeah. That shit was more punk rock than anything else being done at the time. We still rock that 'Straight Outta Compton' record pretty regular.

Gravy: It was noticeable with the recent US Election that a lot of bands became overtly political and pushed a political agenda; do you feel that politics has a place in music or should the two never mix?

WH: We can barely trust ourselves not to piss in each other's beer half the time. We’re probably not the best guys to look for political advice from.

Gravy: Who would win a fight between Whole Hog and Manowar?

WH: 1982 Manowar or 2004 Manowar? Who am I bullshittin'? Those guys'd probably be able to kick our asses 10 ways to Sunday no matter what year it was. But in a drinkin', pot smokin' and fuckin' your girlfriend behind your back contest, we'd mop the floor with 'em.

Gravy: Do you think more bands need to bring back the cowbell?

WH: The cowbell is our secret weapon. I hope everyone underestimates the power of the cowbell.

Gravy: Future plans?

WH: Just sending you a CD... and lookin' over our shoulders for Manowar.

Muchos Gracias to the Hogs.