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"Will Hoge Voodoo Show Attracts New Fans"

(New Orleans) - Will Hoge performed early in the day at the Third Annual Voodoo Music Experience, yet still drew a considerable crowd on the lawn of New Orleans' City Park, enchanting fans new and old.

Taking the rollingstone.com/evolution technologies stage at 11:30am as the second band to play, Will Hoge thanked the crowd for coming out to hear them, though, as he desribed, "we're at the bottom of the music totem poll here at Voodoo."

A handfull of devoted fans crowded the stage area in the shade, while the majority present basked in the warmth of the midday sun on the lawn.

For all Atlanta readers who may desire to see Will Hoge in action, Earthlink Live will host the band on November 7 for the next Atlanta show.

The STING PROUDLY enjoyed the privilege to interview Will Hoge personally after the show.

STING: In light of recent events, what place do you think music has in these days? Will: That's a question that keeps getting asked, and I think that it means more to people now more than ever. Music in times of crisis is something that helps people heal, not just spiritual, or political music, though that has its place, but all music. It's an act of getting away from the newspaper and television and seeing a band for 45 minutes. It means something to people. I mean, we've been able to feel that. It's a sense of normalcy that this band that I know is still coming around and putting on a show.

S: What is the greatest reward for you as an entertainer? W: It's the connection with someone that hears our music. You can see people who are moved, by a particular lyric or song. Sometimes I'll get an email about it. I know it sounds cheesey, but that's what you want. I mean, I wish ten million people were moved by our music.

S: What are some of you former day jobs? W: Let me answer at least one for everyone on that one. I waited tables, was a bartender. Brian worked at a Chinese restaurant in Georgia. Tres worked as an AM radio station DJ.

S: With growing fame, how do you maintain you balance on the road? W: We've become like a familial unit. We haven't been home since July 4th. You start to form a bond that's more than friendship. I mean, even if you're angry with someone one day, you know the band isn't going to break up or something. It'll be fine the next day. It's as if I have three other brothers. I mean, he's just an asshole today, but we're all still together.

S: Any pet peeves with any other members of the band? W: You'd have to ask everybody, but I think that everyone would say that I'm kind of a moody prick. I mean, at least I know it, but I try to do better. Everybody in the band would probably have something to say.

S: What do you do to kill time on the road? W: We have no driver, so we each spend time driving the van. Too, we spend time riding when we're not driving. But we have this new game. We find a classic rock station and we each throw in a dollar. Then when the DJ says that a certain artist will play a song next, we each guess which song it will be. If anyone gets it right, they get all the money. Too, we do blind guesses sometimes, where you just guess the next song to be played. And if you get it right, you get the money and get future credit money for the game.

S: What is your ultimate goal as a band? What do you set out to accomplish? W: Longevity. And too, growth along with that. I mean, we don't always want to be playing in 150-seat clubs. It's not about one song or one record. We hope that in 15 years, when you are writing for Rolling Stone and we've sold millions that we are viewed as "career artists."

S: Now that you are signed with a major record label, what differences have you seen from when you were independent? W: We've always tried to handle things as if we were on a major label. We asked ourselves, "How would this be done if we were on a major label?" So when we did get a record deal, the label was very impressed that we already had done a lot of the groundwork. I mean, we already had management, a mailing list with over a thousand people on it, a website. I mean, sure, now, we do get paid a little every week, but hopefully we'll see the big changes with our next record.

S: Anything you can tell us about the new record? W: We're currently working on demos, and deciding on a producer. We're recording 4-song demos in hotel rooms and everything. We've gotten good feedback. Once we're done touring, we'll probably take time off from the road in late December to early January to record the new album. It will probably be released next year. We don't really know yet. But, we still have a lot of work to do with Carosail(SPELLING).

S: When did you first realize this i what you wanted to do? W: I mean, I'd flirted with the idea. I had my first band when I was in college, and it was cool. But I really made my final decision on November 10th, 1996 was the date I decided.

S: Why that date? W: I don't know. It was just the day I decided.

S: Favorite 3 albums of all time? W: Let me think about this. Can I count a box set as one of my albums? Ok, Otis Redding box set. I listened to that for 14 straight months and it completely changed my life. Then Beatles' Sgt. Peppers' Lonely Hearts. Probably not because that was the best Beatles album, but it was definitve. My father loved that one. It made a big impression on me when I was young. And, Blood on the Tracks, Bob Dylan.

S: What other bands are you going to see today? W: I'm going to try to catch all of them. There is not a band that I don't want to see. I mean, I want to catch 15-20 minutes of all of them. I already saw the Brand New Immortals, our friends. I heard, but dissappointingly didn't see, John Mayer. And if I get to see Missy in her blow up suit, it will make my month.

S: What's the funniest thing ever to happen to you on stage? W: On a good night, me and Tres will get moving around and we will always come unplugged. But, sometimes I'll be getting into it with Tres or Brian or Kirk and I'll realize that I have 2 seconds to get back to the mic to sing and I run back the mic stand. One time I stepped on it and it busted me in the lip and I was bleeding through the rest of the show. I mean, on one hand its like, "yeah! rock on! I'm a fucking rock star," but on the other hand, it hurts.

S: If you were in a circus, what would you be? W: I'll answer for everybody. [chuckle] I'd say Kirk would be a clown because I know he's crazy scared of them. I'd be the ringleader or circus master, cause I like to organize. Tres would be a lion tamer. Which one's sexier, the fire-eater or the tight rope walker? Which ever one, that is what Brian would be.

Later, the STING caught up with Kirk to ask him that same last question.

S: If you were in a circus, what would you be? Will said you'd be a clown.
Kirk: That is the last thing I would be! [Will laughs.] I'd be an elephant!
Will: That's only cause he wants a longer trunk.
K: I can promise its not for that reason.