Har Mar superstar - rhythm and blues musician - Brief Article - Interview

Thrasher Magazine, May, 2002 by Alan Velasco

Superstar," is one of the hottest new R&B sensations since Stevie Wonder or Michael Jackson. You may have heard stories about this funky one traversing the lands, a masterful dancer who has all the gnarly good looks of a young Ron Jeremy and the stage prowess of an Andy Kaufman. When asked if anyone really likes R&B, Har Mar had this to say: "Oh, fuck yeah. I listen to it all the time. I love Mary J and R Kelly. Two of the best songwriters around." This keeper is signed to Kill Rock Stars Records and will be on tour forever, so keep an eye out girls because Mr. Mar is totally available. I caught up with the superstar in his hometown of Minneapolis at Paisley Park for one of Prince's exclusive garage sales. The interview took place on the purple porch and it went like this...--Alan Velasco

Oh, it was fuckin' awesome, man. I partied really hard; a girl tricked me. She said she was friends with a guy that was riding with us so she had to ride with us, but she never talked to him. So, I'm stuck in the back of this truck with her. She kept trying to make me sing with her and then she tried to make out with me. I was like "HELP!" I was banging on the window but my friends were listening to R&B really loud so they couldn't hear me.

A lot of people get confused that I'm my brother Sean Tillman who does Sean Na Na and who was in Calvin Crime. That happens all the time, I guess I can't really avoid it. He still tours in Sean Na Na and plays on other people's records sometimes, but I just sort of keep the Har Mar thing as my only priority. I'm starting a girl group though. I want to have a four piece band and play bass in it. Write all the songs and do a Ronnettes kinda deal and get three girls to sing everything. I'm going to work on that; I'm not sure what I'm going to call it yet. I was thinking the Lemon Meringues, but if Sean's involved we'll do the Seanettes.

That's the same as the CD that's on Kill Rock Stars. I only have one full length and that split 7" with Atom And His Package, and then a tour support thing I did on Insound.com. It's like a three song single but two of them are on the record anyway because I'm kind of a bastard like that. I'm making the new one right now and that should come out in August or September on KRS.

I used to shred and then I fucked up my knee; it wasn't even skate related--I jumped over a car. Now I ride a chromed-out low rider bicycle. My next addition to the bike is going to be a big flag with a unicorn skull and cross bones. I won't be able to go in tunnels or under freeways.

I just road Beer City generic ones. They were cheap and good. I started out on the Tony Hawk Medallion; it was huge. That's probably why I couldn't ever ollie. It was like riding around in a bowl.

I could do a 180 heelflip over a median, that's what I'd do in front of girls. Dream tricks... I guess being able to bust a fat air, but I can just live my dreams through that video game now so it's all good.

Actually they are. Some people are like, "I thought you were a black guy from the '80s." It probably just makes it funnier when I show up. Some people get pissed, but I don't care about them.

I don't think I'm cut out for pimping. I'm pretty good at pimping myself but that's about it. I'm pretty good when it comes to pimpery, and it does pay. Har Mar's a money machine.

God, I want to so bad because I know I could fuckin' win that shit over. I love the Apollo and I would totally want to go rock that shit. One time I saw this hippy white kid go up there and do some blues song. The crowd loved him, and he wasn't that good. Sometimes the crowd turns on people.

I would want a video of the crowd turning on me, but they wouldn't. That's my perfect crowd. They would go for it, I would hope. I'm as legit as possible. I can sing, that'll get 'em. I can dance too. That might scare them a little bit. I'm not going to stop until everybody agrees that I'm the best show they've ever seen. I have to get on at the Apollo. That's part of the plan.