If memories of rotary phone party-lines and toll-free hotlines got you feeling some kind of nostalgic, you aren't alone. LA-based Urbyn Yates Michaels and his partner Dyami O’Brien are the duo behind HOTFIRE: the first of its kind, a dial-in free magazine. The dedicated audio source features monthly episodes of artists, musicians, and curated contemporaries.“When I was I kid I remember calling party lines/800/900 numbers, specifically the LA party lines (which were local numbers) where younger people/gang bangers/women/crazy people etc. would call in and try to see what was cracking for the night/week," Yates Michaels tells The Creators Project. "I also grew up very poor and multiple times for Christmas I received the ultimate gift; a five dollar gift card to ‘Talk to a Live Santa.’ These experiences essentially began my infatuation with 800 numbers.”
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With their monthly episodes focusing on contemporary icons, fine artists, musicians, and creatives 1-844-H0TF1RE (844-408-3173) is accessible any time of day. “I'd like to think that users call in from anywhere. I mean it's a phone line, so you can call in as you deliver your UPS packages to the Tinder office through your Bluetooth in your ear,” jokes Yates Michaels.Similar to a print magazine or online source, you can take in as much or as little as you’d like at any given moment. Episodes consist of an intro, and an artist selection menu. You can chose an artist and hear an exclusive message they have submitted. He says, "Typically, we limit the artist to 60 seconds but on some episodes we bend the rules. Our average episode is 10 minutes.”
As an instantly accessible, clutter-free media source, listeners have the option to access the hotline online as well. The duo archives all of the episodes the day they release on the site www.hotfire.la.“I started HOTFIRE as a personal art project/venture. We started making merch for the hell of it, and our listeners are backing us through that lane too." So, why audio? Yates Michaels explains, “In our current times everything is so visually stimulated, so I thought why not revert to the analog feel of sound, through the phone? It has a much different feel, I truly believe that it's more intimate this way.”
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