The Hardcore Hotel | Meeting A Need, Simple As That
hen I saw Ascend The Hill post on Twitter that they were staying at the Hardcore Hotel it immediately caught me attention. It took me over a month to track down a contact for the Hotel, but when I finally did it proved to be worth every minute of my time. What I found was a couple, Neil and Camille Rittle, that are flowing with the Spirit, and desire only to bless bands that give so much of themselves on the road. What was once a mere basement is now a haven for most of your favorite touring bands. Inside this interview is insight, lots of laughs and hopefully inspiration to give of yourselves for the good of others.
Many readers have no idea what you guys are about. You have been a pretty well kept secret. So talk to us about what you guys do at the Hardcore Hotel…
Neil Rittle: I don’t know about being a secret, but basically we’ve turned our basement into a place where bands can relax and hopefully recharge a little bit while they’re on the road. My wife is an awesome cook (although she would never say that) so the bands get a chance to eat a healthy meal, take a shower and do some laundry. We’ve converted our basement into “the hotel.” We’re actually in the process of putting a bathroom in the basement so they don’t have to trek up two flights of stairs in the dark.
“We’ve converted our basement into “the hotel.” We’re actually in the process of putting a bathroom in the basement so they don’t have to trek up two flights of stairs in the dark.”Camille Rittle: What the Hxc Hotel is about is two things: 1). We support Christian musicians and want to refresh them in any way they can so they don’t get tired of countering darkness. 2). We want to bless any band, Christian or not, and give them good things as much as we can. So we just offer up our house as a place to get comfortable and eat well. And hopefully we can encourage you to rejoice in the Lord. We just make sure people have enough real food to eat and drink, throw in some treats, we hang and try to keep them from leaving, and then we clean up and wait for the next visit.
There is a reason why we are not famous. We have a little townhouse and in the basement we have bunk-beds from the camp that Neil went to when he was in middle and high school. We couldn’t afford mattresses so we folded up egg-crates. It’s been under construction for a year with no finish line to speak of. We are a humble home. The only reason people like us is because God fills our house with love. Also, when the alternative is sleeping in a van, any house can look good! Thirdly, our son is the bomb dot com. He has been headbanging since he was 18 months old.
How did the idea come about?
NR: A couple years ago I was working with a non-profit organization called Creative Paradox (creativeparadox.org). Their goal is minister to artists, musicians, filmmakers and the like so that they can be relevant in today’s culture as well as being grounded in Christ, it’s a really great organization and God has really been blessing them, it’s been great to see. I was their first “artist-pastor-in-training,” which pretty much means I was being trained in what it means to pastor artists and as part of that, the idea to do a hotel for bands was kinda birthed out of that. It’s something we’ve always wanted to do and Creative Paradox gave us an opportunity to do so.
CR: When I was a teenager I went to shows and this one time a band said they had no place to stay and I just blurted out “Oooh! You can stay at my house!” When I got home my Dad was like “Are you crazy?!” So they slept in their van in our driveway and I brought out some toast the next morning. Although my Dad crushed my first attempt at the concept, he was where I get my love of feeding people. And he’s quite gracious and hospitable. So I like to feed people. And we like having them over. I do think I remember shortly after we got married Neil just saying ‘Why don’t we invite bands on tour to sleep here?’ and I was like “Yeah!!!”So if my memory serves me, it just was a little seed in both our hearts and when Neil brought it up we just got started!
And how many work along side you two?
CR: We don’t work ‘alongside’ anyone per se, but we have friends who we can call on if we get too full. Our best friends put some people up when we had a full house. We could have done it, but it’s kinder to everyone to not have to wait as long for a bathroom, etc. Truth be told though I did NOT like sharing (Laughs) And it’d be a hard sell to get me to ever do it again.
Do you have any cool stories of the Holy Spirit moving while a band was staying with you guys?
NR: There are quite a few that we’ve heard from bands, but just recently after Unified Underground we were hanging out in our living room praying for each other, seeing people get healed from some back pain and just having some awesome prayer time. A few months ago, Camille’s back was so bad that she couldn’t walk, and couldn’t sit. It was like that for about 20 hours straight. A band came at 5 a.m., we prayed for her and in about 5-10 minutes the pain was healed and she was jumping up and down and dancing (she was so happy). It’s pretty hard to just give one story or instance because there have been so many. We’ve been really blessed with some of the people that have come through here that have taught us and prayed for us, it’s really amazing.
CR: Nothing really comes to mind… (Laughs sarcastically) How can i narrow it down?! The Holy Spirit is so willing to manifest His greatness to us, and God is generous with His unfailing love. I literally met the Holy Spirit because of the hxc hotel. Like the first time I felt His presence was when we were hosting this one musician/pastor, we asked him to tell us more about the Holy Spirit and he starts talking and I just get all hot and thickly nauseous but in the most pleasant way! It was like He was saying “Hello!” That was in 2008 and two years later He still is moving, currently giving us insight and prayers for each other. Which is really fun by the way! It’s amazing to get knowledge about someone that you could not in yourself have known! And to see God help people with things in their heart.
I think another movement of the Spirit that doesn’t like jump out at you is just unity. Just being together and liking being together. Peace, being agreed, and loving, honoring and respecting each other. And that happens to us with Christian and non Christian friends in bands. I’ve been starting to appreciate unity more and more. And I think it’s a Jesus-y thing.
That’s really incredible. Changing gears a little, what is the most outrageous (funny) thing that has ever happened at the Hotel?
NR: I don’t know about outrageous, but there have been a quite a few funny things. Don’t take this the wrong way, but Camille loves to pick on people, like, in a good way, just teasing sister-to-brother kind of stuff. One of those people is Andy from A Plea For Purging. She has done some super funny stuff to him, pranks and stuff (ask him about the garlic and hair in his suitcase or her trying to wax his eyebrows). Chadwick Johnson from Hundredth is another one. She hasn’t really pranked him yet (and I stress yet) but it’s fun to see them bicker back and forth. Or her and our friend Geoff wrestling over a Super Soaker. Probably my favorite story is we let For Today stay at our place but we weren’t home. We let them know how to get in, but it was around the back of our townhouse. I think they got to our place around 2 or 3 in the morning and so Mattie went around our row to let the other guys in, but didn’t count which house in the row we were, so he was literally peeking in the doors and windows of our neighbors houses in the middle of the night trying to see if it looked like our house or not. I still laugh just thinking about what would have happened had any of our neighbors been awake and seen his face pop up in their window.
CR: Do not ask Andy about any of those things. Oh and Neilie you dropped something. (*picks up names*) (Laughs) It’s never funny at the time, but there is one band, who I love, that I cannot believe still stays with us because our dogs repeatedly, intentionally victimize them. I’ve never seen or heard of anything like it. They have stayed with us several times and every single time it’s another chapter in the ongoing saga of small dogs that are full of hate and poop and pee. Our dogs have never done it with anyone else. I can’t understand it. Okay it’s actually the same band that Neil was talking about, Plea, and the first time they stayed with us John, who is the huge viking guy, goes to set up his stuff downstairs, and steps in fresh poop. It was camouflaged by an oriental rug so he doesn’t see it, slips on it like a banana peel and slides off the rug, onto the basement floor so just grinding the poop into both the rug and the cement floor, with all its little nooks and crannies. He wanted to help me clean it up and let me tell you, that dude was gagging and wretching like you can’t believe. Just dry heaving rapid fire. “So many bands have told us how they appreciate kids at a show letting them crash, or gotten stoked on kids giving them stuff or verbally encouraging them at a show- that could be you! It doesn’t have to be beyond what you can afford- God multiplies love!Then, the next time I was with our dog all morning and I ran upstairs for like three minutes and in that time, Clara poops right in front of the basement (Hxc Hotel) door. John comes upstairs, sees the poop, tries to sidestep it and steps right into this huge puddle of pee, in his socks. He let out this like Darth Vader type “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” I don’t know if it translates but I am dying of laughter just writing this. It’s so embarrassing for me since it’s my dogs but it’s so funny! Their next visit our dog actually climbed up onto the arm of the couch and peed on our friend Blake’s laptop. That stunk. I wanted to die. I mean, who does that?! That is how much our dogs try to ruin their life. One other time I sat on John’s lap because I thought it was Neil. They both had a beard…I’m not a detail person…I was cuddling up and everything before I realized.
(Laughs) Of course the funny stories have to do with Plea! So I want this to be a piece that inspires our generation to take what resources they have and do something great with them. So what would you say to those that think that they are “not included”, or “not cool enough” to do something like this, or to follow their dreams?
CR: I would say meet us. We are the most average people. I am just complete Mom-core. I’m getting fat and I have really bad hair. There is nothing to do with cool enough. So many bands have told us how they appreciate kids at a show letting them crash, or gotten stoked on kids giving them stuff or verbally encouraging them at a show- that could be you! It doesn’t have to be beyond what you can afford- God multiplies love! Last comment about the cool enough thing- are you going to not help someone because you’re not cool enough? No. That’s silly. what is ‘cool’? Think about a person that you know, that you think is cool. What do they do for you? Don’t they bless you? Isn’t a cool person one who blesses? Here in Baltimore it’s a big thing to act indifferent, you know crossed arms and hmpf-looking faces. You don’t have to act indifferent. Or be timid. You are free. Your calling to serve the Lord and others is vibrant and beautiful. I’ve sensed that I look dorky and all at various times and
I haven’t cared. The only thing that bothers me in the quiet of the night is what I haven’t done. When I haven’t listened to God. When I’ve held back money or love or helpful words. If you want to give or serve, don’t stop yourself. Take the first step. Build your knowledge of God now and learn to hear His voice. If you want to serve in any way, get to work on it! Be willing to have a “covering” of good people you can pray and talk with and get honest feedback from. Some friends we have have radically changed their life to answer their call. We might be doing that someday to answer callings.
Right now we can do this ministry as part of our everyday life but I am beginning more and more to know that our life must be structured around partnership with God above all the things that are normal or expected in society. Always check the heart motive. If you want to be different or if you’re lazy or aimless or want some kind of throwing off of authority, ministry shouldn’t be a cover up for that. I think though if your intent is to minister, if you want to embrace something God has given you, embrace it! It’s from God! And as you work through the execution, remember this- your Father is rich! So rich that He can give you what you need. And He is faithful. And a huge thing I’ve learned from people we’ve met in the Hxc Hotel is press into it when you don’t hear and don’t understand. There is something to it, there are always answers! There is so much to God, Christianity and life, so much we can learn.
If you think you’re not included, include yourself. A calling from God is your validation. You don’t have to “You don’t have to have a title or an association to something on earth to be someone. God gives us authority to do His will. Like just picture working side by side with
the Father!”have a title or an association to something on earth to be someone. God gives us authority to do His will. Like just picture working side by side with the Father! Who can legitimately criticize that?! You are fully backed! I like what you said in the question, because the resources you have ARE what you need to do something great- you have resources on earth and in heaven!
NR: Yeah, I agree, it’s got nothing to do with status or anything like that. Pretty much the way I look at it are the bands that come into our house have a chance to spread the love of God to people that I will never even have a chance to meet or have a conversation with. We want to support that.
What is it that keeps you two sacrificing and doing this thing when times get tough or you get burnt out?
NR: Free merch! (Laughs) Just kidding! The friendships that we have make this so worth it, I get so stoked when I know a band is coming through, I’m always lurking on MySpace or Facebook to when someone’s coming, and one of the most rewarding parts for me is that smile and hug when we open the door to friends we haven’t seen in months.
CR: Well, burnt out is just if we are tired, we really like doing this and it gives us energy and joy so burn out is hard to come by. But when we are like dragging ourselves out of bed to let people in, if I’m sleepy-grumpy, as soon as they come in I just get so much love for them. It’s truly truly never going to even out, we’ve received so much more than we’ve ever given. It is a gift to be able to do this for people. I love God and I always want to understand Him more, and these friends do that for us. We learn. It’s fun. This is the fun thing we do with our lives. This isn’t the sacrifice, this is what we like.
Is there anything that the readers can do to help you guys, or to get involved at the Hardcore Hotel?
NR: I don’t know if there’s a specific way for someone to be involved at our hotel, but we always appreciate prayers! Maybe put some prayer into starting your own hotel. Check out the RYFO Network, they seem way more organized than we are and I know they’ve blessed a lot of bands. The only reason we’re not on RYFO is because we’re already pretty much full to capacity. It’s kind of cool to think that throughout the country people are looking out for our friends. If you’re really feeling led to give financially, my paypal is neil@creativeparadox.org
CR: Prayer! Rejoice with us that God protects our house. Our friend Eric prayed a while ago for more angels to cover our house and we reap the benefit of God’s watchful eye and eager heart continually. Praise Him with us! We ask for prayer for life change in the “scene”. For deep purity in each band member. For spiritual support. It’s hard to be on tour. Support our friends! We really need prayer for the Mid-Atlantic region. We need the dominion of darkness to break! Please pray into that with us. Thank you. We thank the bands who have supported us. Man, it’s weird to receive financially, not that we don’t need it but there are so many neat causes and projects out there. I’m just gonna name a few- World Vision, Come&live! and Compassion [International].
Any final thoughts or words of encouragement for our readers?
NR: Love Jesus.
CR: A discernment thing- don’t give to a band because you want them to like you. Give to them to encourage them and/or to meet a need. If you’re reading this and you’re someone who’s stayed with us, we love you! Just to share our sources of teaching, you can download Podcasts from Tithemi, Revolution Reality, and Espresso With George on iTunes. I agree with Neil. The way I’ve found to love Jesus is to accept that Jesus loves me. I know it’s hard, even/especially for Christians, but it’s not by our failures that He sees us. If you just start to do things and pray from the perspective that He accepts and loves us, and is happily willing to talk to you, you are going to experience the greatest things! 
