Hot New Mexicans

originally published March 7, 2007

Hot New Mexicans are playing at Little Kings on Saturday, Mar. 10.

Local group Hot New Mexicans is the combination of two fellows from Cleveland, MO (singer-guitarist Patrick Jenning and drummer Joe Dakin), one from Athens (former Carrie Nations bassist Ian McCord) and roughly two gallons of Schlitz. After living and playing in Missouri for their formative years, most notably alongside near-legendary DIY band One Reason, Jenning and Dakin traded up for Athens' beer-soaked service industry lifestyle, fitting in perfectly with the town's clock-out-then-get-wasted aesthetic.

But lest you believe it's all liver-damaging bad behavior, let it be known that these dudes write some incredible pop songs, somehow compounding the basement-show feel with bands such as the Replacements, Squeeze and Spoon (especially if the latter cut loose a little bit). Flagpole grilled the Hot New Mexicans for some info.

Flagpole

Tell me about the last show you all played sober.

Joe Dakin

It's a lie! That never happened!

Ian McCord

With Hot New Mexicans? I remember a few practices.

Patrick Jenning

We don't drink.

Flagpole

When did punk rock start playing a role in your lives?

Joe Dakin

Thanks to the frameshop/ farmhouse venues in Cleveland that started around 1996, bands like High Strung, Pezz, This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb, Pain, Nowhere Squares, The Bananas, Atom and His Package and Operation: Cliff Clavin, among others, were touring through showing us that you can do everything yourself and tour sustainably. Of course, gas was a lot cheaper then, but we've been playing and touring for a few years now.

Ian McCord

There's a mixtape my friend made me in '94 which involved a bunch of Sugar and Morrissey. However, mixed into all of that were two songs: Hickey's "Everyone's a Whore" and White Trash Superman's "Punk Rock Hero." The search to find those two bands led me to a guy in a skate shop/ record store that sold me Action Patrol and VSS CDs. Everything else was Kurt Cobain-related.

Patrick Jenning

Seriously, we don't drink.

Flagpole

Why the move to Athens?

Joe Dakin

After going on tour with our hometown friends One Reason and Athens' Carrie Nations, we talked to Ian about playing bass for us. Cleveland is boring and it's impossible to find work, so we moved here and now we do a shit-ton of dishes. Hooray!

Patrick Jenning

Okay, we drink.

Flagpole

Any suggestions for surviving lengthy tours?

Joe Dakin

Scam as many Taco Bells as possible when starving. Gas station attendants will not notice if you fill a Nalgene full of soda and walk out. You just paid $70 for gas. They owe it to you.

Ian McCord

Label your piss bottles!!! And bring a roadie who is straight-edge and has a license.

Patrick Jenning

Drink.

Flagpole

Favorite Replacements song?

Joe Dakin

Despite the fact that we've covered "Androgynous," one line comes to mind: "The ones who love us best are the ones we'll lay to rest / And visit their graves on holidays at best / The ones who love us least are the ones we'll die to please / If it's any consolation, I don't begin to understand them." Well, that, or "Gary Got a Boner."

Ian McCord

This is a trick. If I say a greatest hit, I'm a dork. If I say an obscure B-side, I'm a dork. How 'bout They Might Be Giants' "It's Not My Birthday"? Fuck yeah, I'm a dork…

Patrick Jenning

"Beer for Breakfast."

Jeff Tobias

Spotlight is a biweekly feature looking at newer or emerging local acts.