Hot Lunch is a rad-as-fuck band hailing from the San Francisco/Oakland area.
I won’t try to describe them, because I’ll fail to do them justice, but as their bio states: “The quartet’s unique blend of brown-acid skate-rock and wah-fuzz proto-metal was born in the bowels of skatanic rituals, biker beer busts, and wizard staff meetings.”
Fuck yes.
If you’re in the San Francisco/Oakland area, check ‘em out, or at the very least check out some of the Bay Area eateries they were nice enough to recommend below.
Thanks again, dudes!
Why the name Hot Lunch?
Eric: I saw “Hot Lunch” written on a sign at Tommy’s Joynt in San Francisco and loved the way those letters looked – they just popped off the sign. Since Rob plays two kick drums, I envisioned us putting “Hot” on one drum head and “Lunch” on the other one.
Do you guys have a favorite hot sandwich?
Eric: I love Katz’s hot pastrami. Whenever I’m visiting New York, it’s the first place I go to eat.
Charlie: B.L.A.S.T.O.F.F: bacon, lettuce, avocado, sprouts, tomato, onions, and french fries (on the sandwich). I came up with this a few years ago, and it never lets me down.
If/when I ever make it out to the Bay Area, are there any go-to food joints you’d recommend?
Eric: We love eating at Cancun Taqueria whenever we play El Rio in the Mission. My favorite Bay Area restaurants change pretty regularly, but for the last few years, I’ve been obsessed with Tacos Oscar in Oakland. Oscar is a taco magician – he channels the spirits of abuelitas into his amazing tacos
Charlie: There are city blocks with 10 taquerias on them, all of which have been in business for decades. It's because every one of them is amazing in one way or another. If there is a vertical rotisserie visible from the street, go in and get some tacos al pastor. Double points if there is pineapple on top. And go to Pizza Hacker.
If you could describe your sound/tone using only pizza toppings, what would they be?
Eric: I liken our sound to caramelized onions – somehow strong and sweet at the same time.
Charlie: Prosciutto and arugula. Heavy, salty, and meaty, but not too much, so you still know you're eating pizza. And arugula for some bite, and to balance out all the grease. Layers of flavor and texture.
Unfortunately, I was kind of straight edge most of my life, but listening to your music I feel like if I were high, then it’d open up this whole other dimension to your music... do you recommend getting high while listening to your music, and/or while seeing you live? And I swear I’m not high while writing this dumb question.
Eric: You shouldn’t get high to enjoy music. You should get high to enhance it!
What are some of your biggest influences?
Eric: Blue Cheer, Dead Kennedys, Grand Funk Railroad, Bl'ast, The Who, early Misfits
Charlie: Captain Beyond, the first 4 Yes albums, Andromeda
How would you describe your music to someone who has yet to experience it?
Eric: Hard rock played at hardcore speed. Sometimes we get weird.
Charlie: A smorgasbord of heavy riffs, high-speed rippers, flowery interludes, and everything in between.
Anything you guys are currently working on?
We have a new album on Tee Pee records coming out in mid-March. It’s called SECONDS.