Hot Freak Nation is led by Tiger High’s Greg Roberson (Tiger High, Reigning Sound, Arthur Lee’s Love) and songwriting partner Don Main (The Late Show). The band features all of Roberson's Tiger High band mates, Jake Vest, Toby Vest, and Greg Faison. Hot Freak Nation is one of two studio projects, put together by Roberson featuring all the members of Tiger High, to be released this summer between their other project’s releases. The first was Tiger High’s debut "Myth Is This" released in April and it’s follow up “Catacombs After Party”, coming this September.
When asked about Hot Freak Nation and their numerous releases, Roberson laughed and said, “If other artists can release two and three records in a year, I figure we can release four in 6 months. No one can accuse us of being lazy. We like to stay busy. We have our own studio, when we are not touring with Tiger High we are writing and recording. As far as Hot Freak Nation, Don and I write constantly, we already have all the songs for the next record written we are just trying to find time to record them. “
Roberson met his songwriting partner Don Main in the legendary Indianapolis watering hole The Red Key, a bar frequented by such legends as Kurt Vonnegut and Going All The Way author Dan Wakefield, while working as the music supervisor to director Mark Pellington on the film version of Wakefield’s book. Roberson and Main formed an immediate musical bond that day and within days had written and recorded their first batch of songs.
“It all happened by chance.” Roberson said of his meeting Main. “We were going to be shooting a lot of scenes for Going All The Way at The Red Key because a lot of the book, which is a true story by the way, took place in that bar in 1954. So I dropped by to talk with the owner, who has been a bartender at the Red Key for 70 years, about the music scene in the city back then. It’s like 10:30 in the morning and there are only two guys in the bar drinking their breakfast. They are obviously listening to my conversation with the bartender about music, BBQ, and my hometown Memphis. At some point one of the guys asks if I was from Memphis. That was Don. I was familiar with Don because I had seen his band, The Late Show, play in my hometown of Memphis, but we had never met. In fact, I didn’t even recognize him until he introduced himself and we talked for a bit.”
Hot Freak Nation's 13 song debut record, Lifetime To Lifetime, was recorded in Memphis by Toby Vest (Tiger High) at High/Low Recording and produced by Roberson & Main with Vest. The record is available on CD and for digital download through Trashy Creatures Records and on Cassette through Trashy Creatures Records/Burger Records.
credits
released July 31, 2012
Hot Freak Nation
Lifetime To Lifetime
Produced By: Don Main & Greg Roberson with Toby Vest
Recorded & Mixed By: Toby Vest at High/Low Recording in Memphis, Tn
Mastered by: Brad Blackwood at Euphonic Masters in Memphis, Tn
All Songs Written By: Greg Roberson & Don Main
Everyday Parade Music ASCAP
Hot Freak Nation is:
Don Main – Lead Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards, Background Vocals, Songs
Greg Roberson – Drums, Percussion, Songs
Jake Vest – Lead Guitar, Background Vocals, Keyboards, and Drums, Bass & Percussion on “Blow Them All Away”
Greg Faison – Bass Guitar
Toby Vest – Background vocals
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