Loud and Bad: Hogbean

Words by Ambar Ramirez and Photos by Amiyah Golden

It’s 3 p.m. at Cool Stuff Vintage, technically 3:05pm as I was running late to meet up with Hogbean, a local country, alternative rock band. Or as they refer themselves in their Instagram bio: a “Cosmic Swamp Country” band. As I made my way into the eclectic vintage shop, I first ran into lead singer Luke Bacon checking out some vintage matchbooks, not far behind him was drummer Zach Vannoy and bass player Billy Paulger. As I made my way farther back to the library, where we were scheduled to have our interview, I bumped into guitarist Andrew Heinzman looking at some vintage cameras and then keyboardist Sarina Steffen. 

The group met back in the day during their college years and began playing music the same way many of great musicians did — drunk in a garage or out the storage unit they used to rent out. Keywords there are “used to” as they got kicked out by the owners … something about their music being too loud, which, in my book, means they were doing something right. 

“Anyone can play good and fast, right?” Bacon said. “So I’m gonna play loud and bad,” Heinzman added. 

As the songwriter and male version of Taylor Swift, Bacon draws inspiration from classic American singer-songwriters like Townes Van Zandt, Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen. This, combined with the diverse tastes of the rest of the band—ranging from Steffen’s love for Chappell Roan to Heinzman’s admiration for Marcus King’s guitar skills, not to mention Paulger and Vannoy’s passion for rock climbing—creates a sound that’s a seamless mash-up of good ol’ country with touches of rock and psychedelic alternative. In short, it’s unlike anything you’ve ever heard.

“I found out recently that I’m really good at writing breakup songs, so I just need to continue getting dumped and dumping people,” Bacon said.

And with a unique sound, you have to have a unique name. Before landing on Hogbean, the band had tried on a couple of different names: Asbestos Texas, Fore Horseskins, Twins Jander. And for a while, they went by Swingers.

“We were Swingers for a while, like five years,” Paulger said. “We put out multiple records as the Swingers and then everyone was like ‘Oh, The Swingers?’ No, that’s an actual band that, like, has fans,” Bacon added.

With Swingers taken, they landed on Hogbean. Not because it sounds like a barbeque restaurant though that was a bonus, but mainly because it wasn’t taken. 

“We had a bunch of names, but I think I was looking at pictures of flowers and Hogbean wasn’t taken,” Heinzman shared. “Probably because it smells like a dead body,” Vannoy added.

With an established name that was completely their own, the band released a five song ep. The band delves into a variety of narratives and unique sounds and re-established themselves as a band to keep an eye on. Some of their favorites songs to perform and listen to on the EP are “Blooming Gardenias”, which Steffen added is for the girls, “Burnin’ Rubber, Head West” and “In the River”.

And Hogbean is just getting started. As Bacon put it, this band isn’t making them any money…yet.

Meet The Band

If you were stranded on a deserted island, which instrument would you bring to keep you guys entertained? Only one. 

Steffen: My marimba, for sure. 

Bacon: Wait, are we all trapped on the island together? 

Folio: Obviously. But I guess you guys can each get one. 

Steffen: Oh, we don’t have to, like, collectively pick one?

Bacon: Well, I was gonna say if it’s one between all of us then the marimba.

Vannoy: I’m setting sail off this island. 

If each band member had to describe their role in the band as a type of vegetable, what would they be and why?

Heinzman: We almost made an album cover like that once.

Steffen: I think I’m corn. 

Paulger: I am bok choy because I’m really present.

Heinzman: Eggplant.

Folio: Is there a reason for you being an eggplant?

Heinzman: Nope.

Steffen: He really gives purple vibes.

Vannoy: Yeah I don’t know much, asparagus probably. 

Folio: OK, because?

Vannoy: That’s the only other vegetable I could think of.

Bacon: I’m thinking potato.

Folio: Why?

Bacon: Pale and Irish. 

If your music was a soundtrack to a movie, what genre would it be? And what kind of what story would it tell?

Steffen: A dramedy horror. 

Vannoy: A folk horror. 

Bacon: No found footage, though.

If you had a time machine and could visit any musical era. Which era would you visit and why? 

Heinzman: Seventies.

Vannoy: I’d go back to Bach.

Steffen: I almost want to, like, go to the future. I already know what happens, I wanna know what’s going to happen. 

Paulger: I’d go back to the ’30s and see Woody Guthrie.

Bacon: Some Gilded Age jazz parties would be pretty fun. 

What are your plans for the band? Any hopes, Dreams, goals? Final comments?

Bacon: Well we are working on something right now. I guess it’s a record. It’s like nine songs and one of them is a cover, but the rest are originals. One or two Andrew wrote. A couple are older that we’re reviving and rearranging. Obviously the goal is world domination. You know, it’s like you’ve got to set attainable goals. 

Heinzman: Become president of the United States.

Bacon: Get really famous, run it hard and fast and do an early grave before we start making bad records.