Meet Erik Huey.
Government relations pro representing the video game industry during the day and rock star by night. Literally the man is a rock star, which you can see for yourself next Friday. Huey will be playing with his band, The Surreal McCoys, at Hill Country. Luckily he had a few minutes between levels to catch up with FamousDC
1. What is your favorite thing about the District?
Everybody is wicked smart here. And they are so willing to help people out. It’s a town full of people who are great connectors and everyone of all stripes is always willing to hook you up with someone who can be helpful. It’s coded in DC’s DNA. So many people opened up their Rolodexes for me when I moved to town. I try to pay that forward every chance I get.
2. Your band, The Surreal McCoys has an upcoming show at Hill Country on Friday, May 17. What can folks expect?
It’s a real sweat-soaked rock-n-roll hootenanny. A lot of jumping around onstage and audience participation. I was talking to the comedian Sarah Silverman a while back and she asked me to describe our music. I said it’s sort of Johnny Cash meets The Clash. And she deadpanned “well, why don’t you just call it ‘Johnny Clash’”? So yeah, that pretty much nails it.
3. Joe Biden’s office calls this afternoon and wants to hit a few music venues this weekend. Where are you going?
We are so spoiled with great live music venues in DC. We’d start at the 9:30 Club, which is arguably the best midsize rock club in the country. And I’ve seen so many incredible shows at Black Cat. Lastly, I’m biased because we’re playing there, but the downstairs stage at Hill Country is a warm, intimate room for exploring the twangier end of the spectrum.
Now, if they were game for a road trip, we’d head up to Manhattan and hit Fontana’s—the rock-n-roll bar on the Lower East Side that my wife co-owns. It’s covered in large-scale rock-themed art (that she painted) and it’s got a dark, sexy, gritty authenticity to it. Plus, it’s a great place to see a rock show!
4. What are the top five songs on your playlist right now?
The best thing about publishing our online music magazine Weeping Elvis is that it forces you to keep up on the latest music.
My favorite song right now, on infinite repeat, is a song about the Citizens United case called “Robin Hood in Reverse” by LA punk legends Bad Religion. Also, “Recovery” by English folksinger Frank Turner. “Thinking Bout Burning the Wal-Mart Down” by Steve Earle. “Hold On” by Alabama Shakes (arguably the best song of the new Millennium). And definitely “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. That song is pure, infectious genius. “I’m gonna pop some tags!”
But I never go a day without dialing up some combination of the Replacements, Bob Dylan, Nick Cave, The Ramones, and my favorite band of the last decade—Brooklyn’s The Hold Steady. I “heart” them like a teenage girl “hearts” Bieber.
5. With your position at the Entertainment Software Association, you represent the video gaming industry. Growing up, what was your favorite video game?
Oh, most definitely Donkey Kong. At the Dairy Marton Route 7 in Morgantown, WV. Who knew at the time that it would actually turn out to be career training?