Holiday Interview with Gary Ho Ho Hoey

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Grab your hot chocolate and a plate of cookies and sit down for our interview with Gary Hoey, one of my all-time favorite guitarists. Gary is probably best known for his guitar renditions of classic Christmas tunes. What people should know is that he's no one-trick-pony. Gary is an excellent guitarist, with albums that have more than just holiday songs. Read the following interview, get yourself in the mood for some Christmas cheer, and then go out and buy all of his albums, and see why he will go down as one of the best guitar players in history.

FoundryMusicRob: Gary, it’s Christmas, is this one of your busiest times of year? Most people got to know you years ago because of your kick ass versions of Christmas tunes, so I just assume you get a lot of recognition this time of year.

Gary Hoey: Yes Rob I do, I recorded the first Xmas CD on an 8 track recorded in my bedroom, it was a fun Idea the took off in a big way. I have expanded my adience from 8 to 80, It’s an honor to be a part of peoples Xmas.

FoundryMusicRob: My personal favorite of yours is your version of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.” I also think that it’s a great contrast to all of your other Christmas tunes. Is there a little bit of Mr. Grinch in Gary Hoey that we don’t know about?

Gary Hoey: Grinch is one of the favorites coast to coast. It just rocks and I think the appeal is everyone has a little Grinch in them. But in the end the spirit of Xmas wins.

FoundryMusicRob: You do realize that you’re Ho Ho Hoey album’s title is derogatory towards women, right?

Gary Hoey: I’ve been signing my Xmas cards with Ho Ho Ho for years. I heard they want Santa Clause to stop saying Ho Ho Ho in the malls, that’s crazy. I think there are better things to focus on like Global warming, poverty, racism.

Hey man, hows about a round of Guitar Hero... oh, nevermind.

FoundryMusicRob: Silliness aside, I really felt that you never quite got the mainstream recognition you deserved, while a ton of mediocre guitarists get all the spotlight. What keeps you going these days when you sit back and look at the state of the music industry?

Gary Hoey: I’m happy with where my career is, I love to play and keep building my fans. Maybe because I didn’t sell my soul to the devil and drink the vile of blood is why I’m not bigger than I am. I’ve been making a living at music for over 20 years; I feed my kids on Rock n Roll that’s pretty cool. I would love be more famous. Talking to you is making me famous.

FoundryMusicRob: Your fans can join the Hoey Army on your website. Are you afraid of Gene Simmons suing the pants off of you for using a four letter word along with “Army” as a fan club name? He’s sued people over wearing similar stage makeup, so I’m pretty sure the sky is the limit!

Gary Hoey: If I get sued by Gene Simmons that would be an honor and I might be doing well if he notices.

FoundryMusicRob: I’ve had your CD American Made, since it came out, (thanks for autographing it, by the way!) and I have a few favorite tracks, “Shed My Skin,” “Lunatic Fringe” and “American Made.” What are your personal favorites from that album.

Gary Hoey: No problem any time. My favs are Shed my Skin, Lunatic, Welcome to My World, American made, Fades Away, and Gonzo Guru….. it’s hard to pick…..

FoundryMusicRob: If you weren’t a magician on the guitar, what kind of job do you think you’d be working?

Gary Hoey: I like carpentry, and Karate. I’d be working with wood and taching kids Karate.

FoundryMusicRob: Going back some time, you had jammed a version of ZZ Top’s “Tush” with Zakk Wylde. How did you get to meet Zakk and are you still in touch with him these days?

Gary Hoey: Zach and I jammed on that at The House Of Blues in Orlando, It was fun. I don’t talk to Zach often but I think we have a mutual respect. We are both busy people.

Back in the day with Zakk Wylde

FoundryMusicRob: You have a section of your website where you sell merch. People can buy your CDs and T-shirts, but nothing else. How come you haven’t gone the merch whore route and tried selling Hoey thongs, Hoey pencils, and Hoey bandanas?

Gary Hoey: We are finishing a new web site as we speak and it will have more merch designs with an e-commerce feel. We’re doing music, ring tones, picks, song books, DVD’s etc……We are launching a cool on line video guitar lesson series as well. I filmed 40 lessons. They are all 3 to 5 minutes, easy to digest.

FoundryMusicRob: Have you ever started on a song where maybe you had some specific vision in your head, but then the end result is something different? How frustrating is it for you when that happens?

Gary Hoey: Yes songs to twisted in new directions all the time. And your vision goes somewhere else. I try to look at it as fate. I try to let songs fall out in a natural way.

FoundryMusicRob: Describe for us, your favorite sandwich.

Gary Hoey: A nice roll, Turkey, Swiss cheese, basil, spicy mustard, sun dried tomatoes, lettuce.

Air Hoey!

FoundryMusicRob: Well, that’s it, you’ve endured our stupidity long enough now, do you have any last words or thoughts for our readers?

Gary Hoey: Yes, Thanks for taking the time and for supporting my music, It’s fan like you that keep me going. And tell you readers to tell ten friends about me and each of them tell ten more.

FoundryMusicRob: OK, one last one, I promise… What do you want on your tombstone?

Gary Hoey: “Gary Hoey a Husband, a farther and a Rockin guitarist.”

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