Hot Mud searches for truth on Rehab Rock
Coming to terms with addiction is not easy. For Ottawa artist Muddy Watters, his ability to run away from his problems quickly ended when he entered a rehab facility for alcohol use. Soon after, Watters’ alter ego Hot Mud took on a new life exposing the gritty realities of alcohol dependence through music. Using old equipment and a computer found in the facility’s basement, Watters recorded songs that balance harsh truths with humor. The result is Hot Mud’s debut album Rehab Rock.
Rehab Rock is an honest, and sometimes brutal, look at addiction and recovery. Moreso, it uncovers the deep emotional transitions that come from healing. On the indie rock anthem “Learning To Be Lonely,” Hot Mud tries to find comfort in solitude. On “Birthday in Rehab,” Hot Mud sings “So, gimme a hug/It’s not that bad/Gimme a high five/At least we’re still alive.” In other words, Hot Mud tries to make the best of a situation. The song “Chain Me Down” looks at the complicated history between the artist and addiction. On the musical collage “Self-Destruct,” Hot Mud goes even further by exclaiming “I don’t want to kill myself/But I don’t care if I die.” In the closing song “Mistaken Point,” named after a Canadian coast that many ships have crashed into, he sings, “It’s not too late to turn around/You can turn this ship around/and go homeward bound.” By acknowledging his past, Hot Mud closes the door on it and looks to the future.
The psychedelic pop, slacker rock, and alternative influences combined with Hot Mud’s lyrics result in a quirky and amusing release. The lo-fi quality that permeates throughout the album accentuates Hot Mud’s imperfection. However difficult it is to face your inner demons, putting those feelings out into the world, in the form of art, is even more demanding.
In our Q&A with Hot Mud, we discuss art as therapy, mental toughness, music and visual artistic influences, a follow-up album, and more.
While in recovery, you turned to creative pursuits, making music and videos, as an outlet. Was this your first time turning to art as a release?
Hot Mud: I’ve always been an artist. Music has been a creative outlet for most of my life. I learned how to play the blues from my dad and went on to play in many musical projects with my brother, Danny Watters, most notably our project simply titled Watters Brothers. That was my first honest attempt at writing rock n roll and pop songs. I lost focus for a while, but always had ideas and lyrics floating in my head. While in recovery, I was able to rekindle that passion. I found the drive and the means to record music again.
As far as the videos go, I’ve always enjoyed filmmaking and editing. I went to film school and worked in the industry for a while too. The two mediums go hand in hand. It’s the perfect way to tell the story of Hot Mud.
I also started a journal, documenting the wild misadventures of Hot Mud during his days of addiction and early stages of recovery. I had a mild intention to get it published but I put that aside for the time being.
The record is an earnest look at self-examination and getting sober. In “Learning to be Lonely,” you talk about losing your identity and seeking comfort in yourself. What pushed you to the point of wanting to release such honest material?
Hot Mud: Writing honest and real words was the only thing that I could do. Anything else felt wrong. I needed a connection to music. Writing about my thoughts, feelings, and ridiculous actions during this time was a therapeutic way to find some sort of sense in my misery.
I was pretty invested in the idea at the time, but once it was finished, I had second thoughts about releasing it. There is a lot of personal stuff in there, and it’s not the good stuff. I had to put aside my feelings of being judged and just say “Hey, this was me, but I made it out alive and standing, and now I’m a better man because of it!” … also, it’s a damn cool record!
The big motivator to release this was that I have a sequel to the Hot Mud story already completed. Once the second record was finished, it made more sense to put out ‘Rehab Rock’ as the perfect introduction to the world of Hot Mud.
In your lyrics you manage to insert humor into brutal observations about addiction. How did you find a balance between those two different spaces?
Hot Mud: Addiction is far from funny, it’s devastatingly awful and brutal. At first, I was writing gritty, tough, and emotional lyrics, but over time my perspective improved. When dealing with my struggle I find a good sense of humor helps with my attitude towards life in general. It’s a mental battle. If I can get my mind out of these negative thinking patterns and focus on a positive outlook, life is a little bit easier. A positive attitude and gratitude are keys to happiness. I try not to take myself too seriously. I love comedy, I love to be silly, and I’m done with feeling miserable.
The videos for the project, which were shot in your room with a green screen, have a strong cohesive aesthetic. What influenced the visual direction for Rehab Rock?
Hot Mud: First, there’s the character of Hot Mud. This image was built around my broken smile. I added some broken sunglasses and topped it off with dark black hair. Hot Mud should be shot in black and white too.
I put on the Hot Mud uniform and sat on my bed in my tiny rehab room in front of a wall covered in green Bristol board. I had some old photography lights set up with an old HD camera on a tripod to shoot the video. I lip-synced and used a few props depending on the song.
I scoured the internet for free footage trying to find things I could use for editing. I blended and superimposed images and added a lot of film grain and VHS effects. I used a frame within a frame effect and added some weird fonts. They are all pretty tacky and trashy, but I guess that’s part of the charm. These were made while I was living in a rehab bedroom, and they will be forever documented.
If you look at my YouTube channel each music video comes with a disclaimer. “Video made with extremely limited resources in Hot Mud's rehab room the size of your mother's closet.”
You found equipment in the living facility’s basement and sang quietly to avoid bothering other residents. Do you have any anecdotes about the recording process you can share?
Hot Mud: I was a little nervous and embarrassed. It was pretty much done in secret. I don’t think I told anybody staying there that I was recording music. A few of the fellas knew I had instruments, but I never told anyone I was making an album and dressing up in my room to shoot videos. I tried to sing when people were either downstairs or outside. I faced the furthest corner of my room and sang as quietly as possible.
I liked the idea of a broken man making a record with broken instruments. It felt right for a record made in rehab. I wanted it to be done with cheap and minimal equipment and all done there in that tiny, cluttered room.
A lot of influences shine through on Rehab Rock: stoner rock, art rock, and psych-pop, to name a few. What inspired you to create in all of those genres?
Hot Mud: The sound of the record is mostly influenced by indie rock circa 2010. All I listened to for about a year was the band Deerhunter. Another big influence was Ariel Pink, and I liked Jack Stauber. I dig that lo-fi creative and weird music/video making. I hope to one day carve out a significant little corner of the internet with the weird, wonderful world of Hot Mud. The Velvet Underground and Andy Warhol were big influences too. Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins as well--that’s where those distorted guitars are coming from.
What do you hope people will walk away with after listening to Rehab Rock?
Hot Mud: I hope people can find a connection to the music, to the character, and maybe even some inspiration. Inspiration to create something on their own, or better yet make a change in their own life for the better. At the very least, I hope some people take the time to listen to the whole record and get to know the songs. I think when listened to at the right moment this record can be pretty damn beautiful.
Dutch post-punk band Docile Bodies’ debut album, Light Will Come Our Way, is a powerful, emotionally-driven release that showcases their intuitive approach to songwriting. The album explores themes of art, nature, and family, while delving into hope and possibilities. We spoke with vocalist Sjoerd Aarden about the band moving in unison, turning gut feeling and indecisiveness into creativity, and their plans to experiment even further in the future.