4th May 2022

Exclusive Interview: 21 Questions with… Doc Hammer!

When they’re not drinking margaritas and sunning themselves by the pool, Doc Hammer are creating the kind of Hardcore Punk that dreams are made of. If you’re dream is to sell out a series of dive bars around the San Diego area. So after their latest (and greatest) offering “Paradise“, we caught up with the fun loving criminals for 21 questions of the most hilarious kind…

Q1. What’s your poison?

Arsenics our favorite

Q2. What’s your habit?

Q3. What does the day after a tour look like?

The first day of sleep in however many days. We don’t sleep on tour. A lot of bands do but we stay awake for 13 or 14 days straight. So when we get home we like to have a good 2-3 hour nap.

Q4. Where does your love of a Hawaiian shirt come from?

Because we’re just a bunch of island boiz, you know we’re just trying to make it. Ya someone said we were like island boiz and they said we’re going straight to the top.

Q5. Naming no names, if you read about drama at a venue from a band or two and the offer of a show comes up there, do you think twice?

We for sure consider it. We ask for twice our general rate to play and then when we load in, we rob the venue, get all the employees’ information, and then dox them on the web. But ya we don’t play a lot of places that aren’t fun.

Q6. Someone puts laxatives in your coffee as a prank. How are you getting them back?

We don’t drink coffee so people can’t poison us. We stay ready, so we don’t have to get ready. But we would burn their house down.

Q7. Single “Wet $$$” (or “Wet Money“) remains your biggest to date with the better part of 21k of streams between Spotify and YouTube combined; how important are the statistics and what kind of doors (or windows) of opportunity does that kind of thing open for you?

We don’t give a shit about stats unless we’re talking basketball. But that being said, why don’t you guys try listening to other songs more? They’re better. We’re gonna write a song called wet money 2 and then really start taking in the cash.

Q8. You find Aladdin’s lap and bag yourself three wishes. What are you wishing for?

Infinity wishes obviously. Throw the other two wishes in the trash. Or rather the second and third wish would be used for like, I don’t know, 100 tacos.

Q9. One of your bandmates has a beer bottle thrown at him during a show. Are you diving in and starting a ruckus or letting him sort himself out?

Ride together, die together, Hammer boys for life. Fuck Will Smith though. There would probably be a braining via sick guitar throw.

Q10. What was the last record you listened to; what’s your go-to album and what is your guilty pleasure?

All 3 are anything Sugar Ray puts out. A lot of us consider the boys in “Ray” our biggest influence. We’re not trying to rip them off but whatever happens, happens. “Eye wink”

Q11. What’s the best thing about living in San Diego?

Don’t get us started. You know how sometimes you go somewhere and you’re like “man I fucking hate it here, why is everything so hot/cold and so tan/grey? It’s the opposite of that in San Diego. Some places suck SD is not one of them.

Q12. How brave are you? One Chip challenge, Ice bath or throw your bullets in the fire and run like hell?

Who throws bullets in a goddamn fire? Eat chip? Sure! Ice bath? Done it! Throw a bullet in a fire and run like hell. We’re less brave than stupid but we ain’t not bitches ya know.

Q13. You’re having a quiet drink with a couple of mates when you hear someone at a nearby table in the pub trashing your band for reasons that are frankly bullshit. Are you having a word or letting it go?

We talk shit about us with them. Then later we secretly order them shots of gin and say they are from someone else in the bar. Like romantically ya know? Then they are like oh sick shots and it’s gin. Which is gross. Also we don’t care if you talk shit about us. Nerds.

Q14. What’s your hangover remedy?

Couple cali ritos, and more booze

Q15. Is it better to live fast and die young or grow old and fade away?

Trick question. Living forever is the answer. Invincibility, that’s the ticket.

Q16. An ex-girlfriend threatens to talk nonsense about you on social media to ruin the band if you don’t give her a starring role in your next music video. Are you giving in to her demands or not standing for any nonsense?

We don’t give a shit about that trick. We would blackmail her back. For money. Cause we’re broke.

Q17. If you see a Gorilla riding a Rhino down the road in front of you, are you following to see what the fuss is about?

Run them down in our van and harvest all the parts because we’re so broke, cause you’ve been listening to Wet Money 21000 times. YOU killed those animals with your selfishness.

Q18. Pizza and beer is a sensational award winning combination so what are your favourites?

The ones that are out in front of us. It’s unfuckupable.

Q19. You get offered a cameo in a Robert Rodriguez movie and a song on the soundtrack but in order to get it you have to pay the devil his due. What are you prepared to give?

Our drummer already said he would do terrible shit to get in there. Maybe some hand stuff? Mouth stuff? Your move Robert.

Q20. What would mean more to you as a band this summer? A one off festival appearance at something huge like Lollapalooza or a 20 date tour run with a band like The Bronx or Cancer Bats?

You tour for sure. Fests are cool and all but tour always.

Q21. Who are you thanking in your Grammy Award Winning speech? We throw the award in the trash because there shouldn’t be awards for music.

It’s not competition, it’s about coming together. Fuck you Mr. Jim Grammy.

“Paradise” by Doc Hammer is out now. Do your ear drums a favour and check it out.