 "Photo: Photo Courtesy of Jane Mallen")
I'm willing to bet that mostly everyone at Loyola has heard of Rams Head Live! It's a pretty well known place, and happens to be one of the favorite venues of Evan Anderson, who plays guitar and sings some vocals for the band that calls themselves Hotspur. Ever heard of them?
On Friday, September 19, Hotspur played at Rams Head with another local band, Fools & Horses.
Hotspur is a group of five guys: Joe Mach, Coop Cooper, Dave Trichter, Scott Robinson and Evan Anderson. They're local guys, basing in the Maryland and D.C. area. "Joe, Scott, Cooper and I were all raised in Montgomery County, Maryland. Dave grew up in Long Island, New York. Joe and I actually went to high school together for a year," says Evan.
"Joe and Dave met in college, and worked together as interns for MTV. Scott joined the band after producing the first Hotspur EP. Coop got picked up after the first bass player left, and I found the band on Craigslist, believe it or not!"
Three members of the band, Joe, Dave and Scott, attended the University of Maryland, and Evan went to the Berklee College of Music in Boston. "Cooper is a graduate of the school of hard knocks!" says Evan. These guys have been out on the scene for about four years. "I've been with the guys for almost a year of that," says Evan. "Things have really been taking off since the new record was released."
While talking to Evan, I found that he's not entirely sure how the name of the band came about, but the thinks that it's "…Joe's doing. The name Hotspur comes from Shakespeare's 'Henry IV.' Henry 'Hotspur' Percy was the sort of anti-hero of the story. He was hot tempered and had an ill disposition. Henry Percy was actually a real person who was the inspiration for the character in the play. He was killed at the Battle of Shrewsbury when he lifted his facemask off and got hit with an arrow!"
In total, the band has four full compilations of music. The original Hotspur EP, Hotspur Beta, Hotspur Beta Undressed and the newest one, called You Should Know Better By Now.
Says Evan, "Joe and Dave were the primary songwriters on the first two records, and from what I understand and … experienced so far is that ideas come to the table, and the band fleshes it out and works out the arrangement together. On the new record, a lot of stuff came together in the studio." Each member of the band has their own musical preferences. Joe goes with Jimmy Eat World, Dave is a "huge Ben Folds Fan," Scott likes Incubus, and Evan pulls from the Foo Fighters. "I know we would all say Muse, The Killers, [and] the first Panic! [at the Disco] record."
Being local boys, they know the best places in the area to play a show. What are their favorites?
"Rams Head Live!, baby!" says Evan. "I also love the 8x10 and Sonar. We're playing at the Quarter for 98 Rocks Noise in the Basement on November second, so we'll see how that one is too." Unfortunately, they've never played here at Loyola. "We'd love to, though," Evan hints.
Recently, the guys came out with a video for their new single, "Chandelier." "We filmed the video at Scott's grandmothers house out in the sticks in New Jersey. The place has 25 years of cigarette smoke caked into everything. By the end of the two and half days I was dying! But we are grateful to them and the setting was really nice…" says Evan.
Changing a band's lineup can be difficult, but also helpful. It can help band members evolve as musicians, and Evan believes that Hotspur has evolved as well. "Anytime you start playing with new people, you learn things about them and yourself and the way you play. It's been interesting playing with these guys the past year because I come from a pretty academic background when it comes to music. Basically everyone I played with was schooled formally. This is a little different, and kind of nice. It's a different creative environment."
I found these guys through MySpace, which is a very important tool for many bands, because of the amount of information that can be placed on the site, even though many people think that it is dying.
Besides using MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and their own Hotspur website, these guys promote themselves well. "Some of our strategies are top secret due to the competitive nature of the business. However, use your iPods, get some paper, grab a handful of CDs, and go out to shows and promote. Make people listen to your music, sign your email list, and sell them records!" says Evan.
Fans mean a lot to most bands, and Hotspur is no different. Even believes that the fans are one of the best things about being in a band. "Playing shows for people that love our music" is another favorite. "It's the best thing in the world, and makes it worth all of the stress, drama, hardship, a- - holes, etcetera!"
They plan to be the "biggest band on the planet," according to Evan. "…Or at least one that can pay the rent!" Help them out by heading over to http://www.hotspurmusic.com, click on the various links, and check out their music.
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