Interview: Sick Hot

1: How did you decide on the name, “Sick Hot”?

The origin of the name “SickHot” traces back to when the band was first formed in 2016 with a completely different lineup. Our manager at the time had walked in during a practice and said something like “Hey that sounds pretty sick and hot… sick hot!”, and the name pretty much stuck from then on.

2: What inspires you to create?

A lot of times our inspiration for writing is just simply because it's fun. We enjoy coming up with ideas and seeing them come together in a song. We usually write songs inspired by our own experiences and places we’ve been. 
3: What advice would you give to someone who wants to be in a creative profession?

Just go for it and don’t hold back! Write down as many ideas you have even if you don’t think they’re the best. Often times you’ll find a way to make them work in one way or another. It’s also important to not be afraid of being yourself. That’s what makes your creations authentic and original.
4: Do you feel open minded about what you listen to? Do you like going out of your comfort zone?

We’re pretty open minded as a band. Although our core music taste is rock, we all have our own different styles of music we listen to. We don’t mind going out of our comfort zone at all. We’ll listen to just about anything if it gets our attention. 
5: What outlets do you find out about music from? (Record stores, magazines, samplers, etc.)

We find most of our music through social media and streaming services like YouTube, Spotify, and Instagram. A lot of times we’ll find other bands by looking into some of our favorite band’s influences and going from there. Its also fun hearing new music from other bands we’ve played with. 
6: How do you think the internet has impacted the music business?

The internet has changed the music industry significantly. The most impactful change is the accessibility to music thanks to the internet. Now everyone has unlimited access to virtually any piece of music created. This makes it way easier for an artists music to get discovered. With social media and modern advertising algorithms, music can reach a large amount of people in such a small amount of time. Now, artists no longer need the  help of a record label to release and promote their music. However, it's now a lot harder to make money. Before the internet, bands used to make money off of physical record sales. Since sales of physical formats only make up a small percent of how people today listen to music, bands now have to rely on the 0.00000001 cents per listen they get from the streaming services. 
7: Do you have any hobbies outside of music?

Sure! We all have our own hobbies. Whether it be exploring nature, working on cars, surfing, long boarding, and collecting vinyl records. 
8: What motivates you to check out a new artist?

What motivates us to check a new artist usually has to do with their sound, look, or message. If they have a cool and unique sound or look, we’ll check them out. We also find new artists if they convey messages that we relate to or find interesting.
9: Who was the first band/artist that became your favorite band?

When we first got into music as kids, some of the first bands we were really into were Aerosmith, Rush, Led Zeppelin, and Guns N Roses. 
10: What was the inspiration for your song “Spirit Woman”?

Spirit Woman is about an experience Brandon had about a year ago when he stayed for a week at a house that was haunted. Everything described in the song is based off what he saw and heard while he was there. It's quite literally about a spirit woman who haunted this house he stayed in.