Sure, musicians are cool – they make great art, and they’re usually pretty dope people off-stage too. But you know who’s way cooler than any musician? The pet of any musician.
It’s a medical fact that scene pets are the leading source of nature’s serotonin reserves. Enter: A Band’s Best Friend, one of the all-time greatest columns from the olden days of BLUNT (back when we were in print – remember magazines!?), groomed and re-trained for the modern day. This time around, we’ve been given the privilege to meet Hugo, the right-hand-man of Silverstein guitarist Paul Marc Rousseau.
What’s your best friend’s name?
Hugo.
And what do you actually call them?
It’s already a pretty good name, but we have been calling him Higgo for some time now.
What animal is your best friend?
Hugo is a dog. Specifically, if you want to trust the DNA test we ordered, he’s roughly equal parts German Shepherd, Labrador, Malamute and Golden Retriever, with non-trivial amounts of Husky and Saint Bernard in there too.
How did you and your best friend meet?
My pal Ken from the band Seaway was posting lots of Instagram pics with a dog I thought looked very good and chill. I asked him, “How can I adopt a dog like this?” And he told me, “You can adopt this very dog. I’m just fostering him.” And the rest is history.
How would you best describe your best friend’s character?
Chatty. He doesn’t bark much, but he’s always talking. Sometimes when I record demos he hangs out with me and you can hear him yelling at me in the vocal takes. I always leave it in.
Tell us some of the more trying times in your friendship with your best friend?
Before we adopted him, he needed an invasive surgery on his hip to repair an injury sustained when he was very young. Apparently he was hit by a car, but I have no way to confirm that. In any case, he went from his foster home to the vet, and when his surgery was over, we picked him up. He couldn’t put any weight on that hip, so we had to hold his hind legs up with a sling. He was neutered in the same surgery. This poor dude’s world was completely turned upside down in 48 hours.
But what keeps the friendship going strong?
He’s the fucking best. He’s funnier than most people I know, he’s hungry, he’s smart, he’s soft, and he loves people and other dogs. It’s all good vibes with this guy.
What’s your favourite memory with your best friend?
He’s still just a pup, so I think the best is yet to come. But the first time I saw him jump for a ball after the surgery was a huge exhale moment.
Where can we catch the adventures of you and your best friend?
He doesn’t have his own account, but I’m posting all the Hugo content you may need on Instagram at @paulmarcrousseau
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