Interview: Dubb Sicks

AHHS recently got a chance to sit down with Dubb Sicks after releasing his latest album, "Mind in the Gutter". Read on to find out why looking trashy is not such a bad thing.

AHHS: Can you give your fans a quick bio of yourself?

Dubb Sicks: I'm Dubb Sicks originally from Odessa, moved to Austin in late 2005 and have been smashing and grinding ever since. I go to everyones shows, enjoy women, alcohol, and the general night life. I'm out of line at times, but always handle my business. I'm a breath of fresh air to this scene and I'm doing my best to keep moving forward and expanding my horizons. Bang!

AHHS: Which is your latest CD? and how do you think it differs from your previous works?

Dubb Sicks: "Mind in the Gutter" is the new shit. It's a raw collective of storytelling tracks, anthems, introspective cuts, some comedy shit, and some of the most banging production this town has ever seen. With production from my regular producers S.Killz and R1 I've managed to keep it changing and moving musically while still keeping that eye popping boom bap shit I've been known for. My man Von Smear did a track and a little mixing, S. Killz did most of the mixing, and a highschool friend Charlie Johnson laced a beat for it that I love. The difference between this and "Sunrise Alcoholic" is simple: 1 word...Quality. I recorded on better equipment, used better mixed beats, had a better knowledge of what I needed to do recording wise, and knew my target audience. Gotta shout out my man N/A for recording most of the joints, Don Saltine for the cover art, and my man Nutter for the photog. It's just a really well rounded work in my humble opinion haha.

AHHS: What gives you inspiration and how does that transpire into your music?

Dubb Sicks: Everything. Bums, Cracked out mothers, bartenders, suicide girls, children, old bitter ass people, life stories, my environment and the relationships inside it, other music, other hip-hop folks and the way they conduct business, mainstream media, underground secret societys, massive alcohol consumption, riding public transit, fucking hot ass summers, shitty jobs, police brutality, sexual satisfaction with numerous partners, trying relationships with women, books, movies, strip clubs, the war, government...shit there's alot of things that get me ticking and itching to sit down and write. It all depends on my mood and surroundings. I don't write many songs, but when I do I have alot of shit to say in a small amount of space so it has to be meaningful to me.

AHHS: Which artists inspire you the most? and why?

Dubb Sicks: Bob Dylan- Creativity, raw truth, underdog mentality. He wasn't the best singer, but his lyrics made you think. I've been on psychedelic drugs many a times banging his shit and trying to decode his messages.

Hunter S. Thompson- Amazing writer. My album is basically a gonzo-style novel. Fucker was off his rocker and that's what made him genius.

Charles Bukowski- I never read him until I was compared to him in an album review. Since then I have dove face first into his shit and he is a wild ass dude. Really reminds me of myself.
John Lennon- Innovator. Genus. Ahead of his time. The motherfucking Walrus. Need I say more???

And theres a bunch of random hip-hop that I bang. Non Phixion, Cage, Jedi Mind Tricks, Rakim, Wu Tang, MOP, Dead Prez, Rass Kass, Devin the Dude, ODB solo!!!!

AHHS: What has kept you from moving to cities with larger markets? especially since it's only been recently that Houston has blown up.

Dubb Sicks: I have a lease until December 2008. After that I may explore a little. But I feel like I need to do a little more here before I smash out. Phranchyze and me have a tour coming up that should tell me alot about what I need to do. I'll be hitting the east coast in late Sept. early October and that should gauge my options and let me test Austin out alongside some other spots. I tell you, it's tough to leave a place with this much hip-hop and this many bars and young college chicks ahaa. Houston blowing up has nothing to do with what I do. Different shit. I respect some of it, they respect some of my shit. I feel like I'm doing shit in Texas that nobody has heard before and that's how I like it.

AHHS: How do you see the scene locally? and where do you see it going?

Dubb Sicks: There's mad talent. Alot of the cats with the most talent don't want to grind. They may grind in the studio, but why you gonna put out a dope ass album that only you and your homeboys hear? Why you gonna sit home and spend your paper on weed and video games instead of on stickers and fliers and be out on the streets meeting people and getting the name out. Go to someone else's shows!!!! You'll meet potential fans. There's a shitload of talent here, but everyone wanna act broke when someone else is having a show or an event. When I first moved here I felt a rift between the older cats and the newer generation, but recently I have seen some of the older wiser cats lending out advice and giving cats valuable info about this place. I can say there should be more unity, but thats cliche. People need to get serious about what they are doing. I know it's had when you got kids and jobs and wives and girlfriends and shit, but if this is what you really want to do and it's more than a hobby you gotta make some moves and guit waiting on the train to stop and pick you up.

AHHS: What is your favorite venue to perform at? and why?

Dubb Sicks: The one with the biggest crowd. I don't give a shit about a venue. I want energy. I want participation. Take PLUSH for example. It's a shithole of a bar. But when Table Manners have that fucker popping off it's a damn basement style house party and everyone is having a good time. It don't matter if you're in a parking lot spitting over a karaoke machine on top of an '88 Honda Civic...if people are getting rowdy and the crowd is apeshit; thats a party to me.

AHHS: Can you give us 3 of your most favorite local artists?

Dubb Sicks: No. I need more than 3...

Crew 54
DOS
GrimNasty
Smoke Jumpers
Phran and Zeale
Tee Dub
Vu
Flynn D
Brokebread
Cali Zack
Mirage
Poise

There's a LOT more. Like I said, there's mad talent here.

AHHS: What is the best piece of advice that someone in the industry has given you?

Dubb Sicks: If you perform for free too much, promoters are gonna expect not to pay for your service. This shit has value. There's no reason random shitty rock band gets paid and you don't. If all acts stop performing for free so much, we can start getting everyone a little paper instead of just promoters and the bars we bring people to.

AHHS: And a more light-hearted question: Have you seen a correlation between your level of success and quality of hoes?

Dubb Sicks: I'm not very successful yet. So I guess that's why only trashy broads like me. haaahahahahha No offense if you like me. You may not be trashy. You might just look a little trashy. And that's not always bad. Some people like trashy chicks. Suicide girls get famous too.

AHHS: Any parting words?

Dubb Sicks: Get "Mind in the Gutter" at Cheapo or Waterloo Records. Listen to it. Come to my shows. Buy me drinks. Check out www.dubbsicks.com or www.myspace.com/dubbsicks. I appreciate the interview.