Smoker Dad | Interview | A Joyride Down ‘Hotdog Highway’
Smoker Dad, a band that hurls itself from one moment to the next, refuses to be boxed into neat little genre categories.
Their latest album, ‘Hotdog Highway,’ sprawls across a landscape of sound that’s gritty, honest, and unafraid to laugh at itself. The record feels like a road trip across America, highs and lows, open highways and late-night truck stops. It’s a collision of freedom and madness, the kind of thing that could only come from a band that’s spent its fair share of time crammed in a van with seven or eight people, battling the trials of the road and somehow finding their way to something beautifully chaotic.
The humor in Smoker Dad’s music is what sets them apart, there’s no pretension here, just a genuine spirit that thrives in absurdity. It’s all about the experience, the imperfections, the moments of sheer insanity. ‘Hotdog Highway,’ the title track, is a perfect embodiment of that—equal parts grease, grit, and movement, a metaphor that says it all about their approach to life and music. It’s a road trip in a song, full of bumps, strange detours, and roadside diners.
“There are so many stories that could be turned into songs”
Let’s rewind—what were the Conway brothers jamming out to in the basement before Smoker Dad existed? Was it full-on “garage rock,” or something weirder?
Trevor Conway: Definitely something weirder. I was really into pop punk—like Blink-182, Sum 41, Green Day, that kind of stuff—in my teens. I always had neighborhood bands covering that style of music, but Teagan wasn’t really in the mix. I often tried to force the bass guitar on him, but he had no interest. It wasn’t until after my second band had broken up that I found out Teag could rip. By the time I knew, he was already playing along to Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page. I was pretty quick to ask him to start a band after hearing him shred.
How did the rest of the band get sucked into the Smoker Dad vortex?
Derek and I went to the same high school, but we were a few years apart. I met him in my early 20s, and we soon became roommates. Music was always a thing, and Derek was happy to join the ride. We played in a couple of bands before landing with Smoker Dad. The rest of the guys were playing in other bands around town, and things just kind of came together. We met Adam at an Oh Sees gig, Chris King was a bartender and booker at our favorite pinball bar, and we met Costalupes at a COVID BBQ.
What’s the scene in Seattle like today?
It’s cool in Seattle! We have our own little niche in the rock ‘n’ roll/country space. We tend to play in the Ballard neighborhood, which is in northwest Seattle. We frequent the Sunset Tavern, Tractor Tavern, and Conor Byrne. From an outsider’s perspective, I’m sure Smoker Dad seems a bit out of place in Seattle, but over half the crew are Seattle natives.
The pedal steel adds a real kick to your sound—was it always part of the plan, or did Chris Costalupes just show up with it and change the game?
It was definitely something I really wanted but had no idea where to look. There aren’t a bunch of country bands hanging around Seattle, so in turn, there aren’t a ton of steel players. Teag and I even bought a steel ourselves to try and figure it out before we met Costalupes, but it proved too challenging for us…
We really lucked out with Costalupes, though. He’s played in a ton of bands over the years and brings a different vibe to the steel than I think most people are accustomed to. He adds a kind of punk flair to it that really works well with the rest of the band.
‘Hotdog Highway’ is such a visual name—it’s got grease, grit, and movement. What came first: the album title or the songs?
The songs came first—except for ‘Hotdog Highway,’ of course. We had been touring these songs for a year or so before finally getting them recorded. When we were brainstorming album names, ‘Hotdog Highway’ came up, and we all agreed on it pretty quickly. At the next recording session, Chris King came to me and said, “I wrote it.” Confused, I asked what he was talking about, and he then played us ‘Hotdog Highway.’ It was an instant hit with the rest of the band and is still our favorite one to play. It’s hard to take yourself too seriously when you’re playing that song live…
You’ve described the album as capturing the loneliness of the road. Are there any particular truck stops or late-night haunts that inspired specific tracks?
Yeah! A few spots that come to mind are the Dew Drop Inn in Grass Valley, The Palms restaurant in Joshua Tree, and a vivid memory of a piss stop off the highway somewhere between Spokane and Boise.
‘Part II’ is the opener—why start in the middle? Is there a Part I lurking somewhere, or is this just your way of keeping us guessing?
Yeah, we couldn’t come up with a name for that song, and somebody threw out Part II as a placeholder. It just became a joke. We really thought it was funny to start the album with that song because there is no Part I. It’s also a coincidence that it makes a great live opener—we often kick off our concerts with it.
Touring can be a circus, but it can also be pure poetry. What’s one insane road story that could’ve been its own song on the album?
Oh man, there are so many!
We got an Airbnb once in the Sierra Nevadas and basically stayed up all night doing all kinds of crazy shenanigans.
We played a concert in the woods in Montana and ended up staying at the camp for three days…
Another time, we stayed out in the desert, and all hell broke loose.
There are so many stories that could be turned into songs—I hope to someday!
Also, I have to mention all the great times we’ve had staying with friends who were kind enough to take us in.
The breakfast-making music video—who’s the best cook in the band, and who burns the eggs every time?
Well, Teag and I’s dad (the OG Smoker Dad) is an incredible cook, and we were lucky to grow up with that. Teag was the only one who actually retained some of that, so I’d have to go with him. Derek definitely burns the eggs!!
Pink vinyl is iconic. Did you choose that because it screams “Hotdog Highway,” or are you just trying to mess with collectors?
Yeah, I’ve always wanted to do colored vinyl. We wanted the vinyl to look like a glizzy, and the color is pretty spot on!
Seven or eight people crammed in a van—how do you stay sane? Or do you not?
It’s pretty tough! We’ve all had meltdowns and are closer because of it. I’ve probably cried the most on tour, though…
The first couple of tours were pretty rocky, but we’ve gotten to the point now where we know everybody’s boundaries and respect each other’s personal space. It’s still a struggle, but we get better with each tour!
What’s the one unwritten rule of Smoker Dad van life?
No randos allowed!!
“Hotdogs down the highway” is a killer metaphor. Is it also the best thing you’ve eaten on tour, or do you have a better junk food champion?
Haha, no, I’m probably the only one who eats hotdogs regularly on the road. There are a few dudes who have dietary restrictions, so we often hit the supermarket or we’ll get tacos—that’s a good middle ground for everyone.
With so many people in the van, what’s the one playlist that keeps the peace?
I’d say Chris King has the playlist that keeps the peace. With that being said, Derek is usually the one with the aux…
Love and sobriety are big themes on ‘Hotdog Highway.’ Did you find writing about those topics helped you process them, or did it just make things messier?
For me, it absolutely helped me process through it. I find that writing is a good way to channel my anxiety and depression on the road and acts as a sort of therapy.
Touring can feel like a weird limbo, halfway between freedom and madness. How do you think that space shaped the sound of this record?
It’s a really weird thing to wrap your head around. At times, I’ve felt silly and like I’m an imposter, especially when you have a string of bad shows. I definitely think it shaped the sound of this record. It’s a constant back and forth of “this is the best time of my life” to “what the hell am I doing with my life.”
The humor in your music is refreshing. Is it a coping mechanism, a band philosophy, or just who you are?
Honestly, I think it’s a little bit of all three. We’re a pretty silly bunch, and it just naturally made it into the music; we never force it. We just want the listener to know that we are genuine and this is who we are. It also helps to keep things light—we are always having a good time on stage.
With two records down, where do you see Smoker Dad going next?
Hopefully, a record deal and more tours! We’ve released our last two records ourselves. It definitely takes a toll and sure ain’t sustainable. We’d love to have a label jump in and take some of that weight off our shoulders.
We are back on the road this spring after a long touring break and hope to get back in the studio for LP3 when we return.
If you could put Smoker Dad on the ultimate dream tour, who would be your roadmates?
Well, we have a ton of legends we’d love to play with, but I’d say something realistic would be the likes of the Nude Party or Natural Child.
What’s the one question you’ve always wanted to answer in an interview but never got asked—until now?
I guess a good one would be something like “What would your 14-year-old self think about where you are today?” This is something I often ask myself when I’m feeling low. It really helps to put things into perspective because I’ve already reached so many goals that I feel my younger self wouldn’t believe. It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock n roll!
Thank you!
Klemen Breznikar
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