On March 5 I interviewed Mike Hartman using AOL Instant Messenger over the Internet. The chat lasted for approximately two and a half hours. Part 1 of the 2 part chat transcript is displayed here for your enjoyment. The next installment will be available on April 6.
The transcript has been edited for cosmetic purposes only (ie. spelling and punctuation have been corrected). If you wish to quote parts of the interview on your web site, magazine, mailing list or newsgroup, all we ask is that you post the URL of this page as a reference. Thanks.
vhnd.com: What have you been up to since the DLR Band album?
Mike Hartman: I immediately finished up my solo disc with John Christ at Steve Vai's house. We used (Gregg) Bissonnette on drums. Labels were making offers.
vhnd.com: When you say finished up, does that mean it was already in progress before you joined Dave's band?
MH: Way before, I started it in the summer of '96. I wrote the tunes, then hired John Christ to help me get some tones and coach good performances out of me.
vhnd.com: The new album is titled Black Glue. Who thought of the title?
MH: Black Glue is real glue, my wife and I like playing with it. Use your imagination. Kids will be reading this.
vhnd.com: We don't have Black Glue in Australia...
MH: Go to an arts and crafts store, laughter all around!
vhnd.com: What was it like working with John Christ?
MH: John is like my best friend, he is a hulking guy.... He almost kicked a guys ass who pushed me.
vhnd.com: Cool! Was he a slave-driver in the studio?
MH: John is a great musician overall, he almost made me cry!!! He kept saying, "you can do better!!" I was screaming at him and Vai's engineer.
vhnd.com: Was Steve Vai present during any of the sessions?
MH: No, he would call in a lot though, he was out doing G3 at the time.
vhnd.com: How did you get to use his studio for the album?
MH: Steve is like a dad to me, we have known each other for years. I just asked, he said no problem. I talked to him last night, he loves the record. He said he was really proud.
vhnd.com: What other musicians played on the album? I heard a few past and present members of Dave's band made a cameo.MH: Ray Luzier, and Gregg Bissonette, but get this, Billy Sheehan is doing some stuff with me this summer!
vhnd.com: Now where have I heard that promise before? :) Make sure you get it in writing! :)
MH: Well, Billy is just playing on my next disc, not joining my band, LOL
vhnd.com: Only joking, that's really cool!
MH: (Neil) Zlozower hooked us up. I hung with Carmine (Appice) at NAMM.
vhnd.com: Don't tell me he's gonna be on the next record too?
MH: Carmine will be on my next disc too, as well as Randy Castillo of Ozzy.
vhnd.com: LOL!
MH: Yep, Sheehan, Castillo, and Carmine Appice, they all love my disc.
vhnd.com: Does he still have that big black moustache?
MH: Yep!!
vhnd.com: I used to work at a place that had promo posters all over the walls. One of them was Carmine Appice - he looked like he was straight out of Rod Stewart's "Hot Legs" video.
MH: Carmine is so cool. These guys all just said they are there if I want them. That is cool.
vhnd.com: A few DLR questions for ya...
MH: Ask away.
vhnd.com: The gig as guitar player for DLR is pretty coveted...
MH: Yeah, I guess its a chops thing, lol
vhnd.com: Actually, my high school year book has an entry for me that relates to that. My ambition after high school was to be DLR's guitar player.
MH: You have to be able to play all the Vai, Van Halen and Becker.
vhnd.com: Yeah, well that kind of ruled me out! How did you get the gig?
MH: Roth heard I was doing some stuff at Vai's. My disc was passed on (to Dave). He liked two songs, had me come down and jam with Carmine in front of him. They called the same day and said "you're in". That was December 18th, 1997.
vhnd.com: Just after The Best...
MH: Yeah, and the DLR book.
vhnd.com: So Carmine Appice was the drummer at the rehearsal/try-out?
MH: Yeah, he actually gave Dave the thumbs up on me at the rehearsal. Carmine helped me out.
vhnd.com: Where was the rehearsal?
MH: A rehearsal hall in Van Nuys, CA. Real low key....
vhnd.com: Do you know why Carmine didn't stick around? Dave said in interviews that Carmine was the drummer and Billy would be on bass.
MH: Carmine went to Japan.
vhnd.com: Was Billy ever at a rehearsal?
MH: I really don't feel comfortable talking about the Carmine/Billy thing though, that is not my cup of tea. Billy was never around. That's all I can say.... They are my friends, I don't want to mess that up.
vhnd.com: No probs. Who came next? Ray Luzier?
MH: Dave heard my demos, asked who was drummin', the rest is history.
vhnd.com: Cool. When did John Lowery enter the scene?
MH: January I guess, I didn't meet him till March. My wife was in the hospital. I was really sick too.
vhnd.com: From the car accident?
MH: Yeah, she broke her pelvis and leg in 3 places. Mine was because of my lungs.
vhnd.com: Were Indeedido and King Of The Hill already written before Lowery was in the band?
MH: Way before, I wrote King in '96. It was called Stomp, that it how it appears on my disc.
vhnd.com: Indeedido is Southern Romp, right?
MH: Indeedido was called Southern Romp, that is how it appears on my disc.
vhnd.com: How many of the songs on Black Glue did you play for Dave when you were with DLR Band?
MH: All of them!
vhnd.com: So he could have used them if he wanted?
MH: Yeah.... DLR Band would have been a lot heavier. Maybe too heavy, lol.
vhnd.com: Were King Of The Hill and Indeedido the only ones recorded? There aren't any others in the unreleased archive in Dave's basement?
MH: Nope, we only recorded "King" and "Indeed".
vhnd.com: It will be interesting for Dave's fans to hear what he passed on. Recently we heard a VH song from the 1996 sessions with Dave, but with Gary's vocals. The Dave version was called Blood From A Stone, with Gary it became That's Why I Love You.
MH: By the way, that brings up some earlier things I was mis-quoted on.
vhnd.com: What mis-quoting?
MH: I was quoted as saying Extreme was a hair metal band.
vhnd.com: You didn't say that?
MH: What I meant was, "the music industry, via MTV, radio, and trendy type folk". That affected the way people viewed the new Van Halen. Narrow minded folks I might add! I like new VH and Extreme! Nuno is great, so is Gary.
MH: Eddie is a god, he created shred!! Also, I said the fans deserved to hear the good versions of King of the Hill and Indeedido. What I meant was, my songs on Dave's disc were mixed muddy, I spent hours tweaking the mix on my disc. I wasn't slamming Dave, you yourself agreed that there is a world of difference in the mix quality.
vhnd.com: Sonically, Stomp (KOTH) and Southern Romp Indeedido) sound better to my ears.
vhnd.com: Was Edward Van Halen your main influence as a kid learning guitar?
MH: Yeah, Ed was an influence, but Vai was like a god to me!!
vhnd.com: Were you nervous the first time you met Steve Vai?
MH: Eat 'Em And smile changed my world, I was ten. I was so nervous, he made me feel at home though. I have spent holidays with Steve, he treats me like family.
vhnd.com: In the liner notes for DLR Band there is a guy named "Burbon Bob" playing bass. Is that an alias for you and John Lowery?
MH: Yep, John and I. It was more of a time factor in the studio I guess. That's all I can say. It was fun though, I don't really think about it much anymore, my career is doing great as a solo artist. I hope to sell about 60 thousand in a years time. That is good for instrumental stuff. I also am doing more film stuff.
vhnd.com: What do you think is the reason Dave didn't tour behind the album? It was begging to be played live!
MH: I don't know, I was out of the picture when the disc came out, John (Lowery) was gone soon after. I havent spoken to any of them since May of 1998. My attorney handles business, royalties etc. Your guess is as good as mine.
vhnd.com: Let's get back to Black Glue for a while... Tell us about "Song For Jeanie". Was that written for your wife?
MH: Yeah, it is simple and beautiful, like her.
vhnd.com: How did the deal with Dreamworks come about, ie using Song For Jeanie in the film, Forces of Nature? (Starring Sandra Bullock and Ben Affleck)
MH: The film music editor called me up, she heard I had some great stuff that fit the film. She is hooking me up with other film folks too. Then Warner Brothers called me and offered me a deal, a publishing deal.
vhnd.com: What does the publishing deal entail?
MH: They will work to keep placing my music in huge films and television. There is huge cash in that field!!
vhnd.com: The song isn't on the movie soundtrack album though... just in the film?
MH: WB does TV, major films and soundtracks, they work to get my music in them and take a small percentage. (The song is) just in the film. That is good though, a soundtrack can bomb, but I still get royalties if the movie is a hit. Every time it plays, goes to video, and tv, I get paid. For life!
vhnd.com: That's nothing to sneeze at! I read that the film is like a romantic comedy version of Planes Trains and Automobiles.
MH: WB already has a tv project in the works for my music, but it is under wraps right now. They also get my music to other artist, like Ozzy, and George Michael, two favorite artists of mine.
vhnd.com: You mentioned that John Christ worked on the album with you. Is he the official "Producer"?
MH: Christ co-produced with me. He was the drill sergeant!
vhnd.com: I heard he wrote some of the songs, is that correct?
MH: John didn't write a lick!!!! Ask him, send him mail at http://www.johnchrist.com! He was pissed at that accusation!
vhnd.com: He should have been flattered.
MH: His quote: "I only helped get tones and coach Michael, the songs were written months before my involvement." John loved the tunes by the way...
vhnd.com: Gregg Bissonnette played drums on "Insanity" and "Groovin". Man, those tunes are heavy!
MH: I wrote them while in Dave's band. Dave passed on them!!!!
vhnd.com: Those songs have DLR written all over them!
MH: I hope Dave's fans buy the disc, they would enjoy it.
Black Glue was released today (April 6, 1999) on Fuel 2000/Universal Records. Look for A Song For Jeanie in the Dreamworks film Forces of Nature, now playing in cinemas all over the world. You can download the first single, Pooh's Day Off, in MP3 format from the links below:
A Washburn radio/clinic tour is planned for this summer, along with live dates.