Features / One Question Interviews

James Manson (Holy White Hounds)

SPB: How do you find out about new bands or music that you enjoy?

Manson: I think that the first bands that made an impact on my life left a bread crumb trail of artists and records that I ended up diving into because of the admiration I had for those first bands. My music …

Seth Bogart (ex- Hunx & His Punx)

SPB: Do you read press written about you?

Bogart: I guess if I see it and it starts off not totally boring or I feel like I did an interview and said something juicy, then yes.

Mike Moynihan (Hollow Earth)

SPB: What is the best “song about a girl” ever written?

Moynihan: Led Zeppelin – “Whole Lotta Love.”

This song makes me feel like Robert Plant is going to fuck me so good, but then hold me afterwards and tell me how much he loves and cares about me. At the end all anybody wants is …

Matthew S Williams (Hell)

SPB: Are more touring bands being robbed these days or is it just better publicized? Do you do anything special to try and prevent it from happening to you?

Williams: There may just be more opportunity for the thieves to take. There are a lot more touring bands on the road than there used to be. …

Robbie (Humans)

SPB: How does being in a band compare to being a forest fire fighter?

Robbie: Being in a band is somewhat similar to being a fire fighter.

Reason #1: In both jobs you have to carry lots of awkward things in awkward places. Firefighting wins out on this though, as the things are more awkward, as are …

High Priests (Mikey)

SPB: How did you “discover” punk rock?

Mikey: Well, like a lot of folks out there, I had older relatives who got me into music; who started bands; and brought music I had never heard into my ears. I’d watch my cousin practice at my Aunt’s house and then they’d show me a cd or two that I’d …

Hard Girls

SPB: What is the most valuable thing you’ve lost on a tour?

Morgan: Mostly we lose things like phone chargers and sunglasses, shirts and t-shirts, crap like that…I guess you could say we’ve all lost our wide-eyed innocence on the road…SIGH…

We have lost 2 drum seats and one drum kick pedal over the years.

Mike: On our …

Nathan Joyner (Hot Nerds – guitar/vocals)

SPB: Who is the hottest nerd of them all?

Joyner: That's simple: any kid who stays in school is the hottest nerd of them all. So, the hottest nerd of them all changes constantly. Stay in school, kids, eat your greens, and don't back talk your parents. A close second would be the world …

John Panza (Hiram-Maxim-drums)

SPB: Has the change to more headphone listening changed how you listen to music or mix it?

Panza: Last night I witnessed – because “saw” is inadequate – Swans perform here in Cleveland. The band’s reputation for relentless, brutal, euphoric, and cilia-killing live shows is legendary. But my intro to Swans came via headphones. Back in the …

Dave Hoenack (Hymie’s Records-Minneapolis, MN)

SPB: What is your preferred way to store vinyl in a home?

Hoenack: We believe records are best stored as near your turntable as possible. A comfy couch in the same area sure helps.

Hannahband

SPB: Besides music, what other arts are you interested in?

Nathan: Besides music my favourite type of art would have to be a tie between visual art and performance art. Both these mediums have the ability to be immediate, engaging, and can be executed on next to no money. Visual/performance art can create context on no budget, but is …

Nathaniel Chapman and Austin Lunn (HammerHeart Brewing)

SPB: What about Bathory’s music is most aesthetically similar to your beers?

Chapman: A simple question requires a simple straight forward answer. I asked Austin, his response: "Epic metal inspires epic beer." 

I will add to that by saying that the HammerHeart album was the beginning of the Viking Metal genre. So much of who we are …

Houseplant Records

SPB: Do you run your own website, facebook, twitter, etc. Do you enjoy that side of the industry?

Houseplant: Yes, I do run all of those things. I would say they're necessary and I try to find some enjoyment in them when I can, but generally, no, I don't enjoy that aspect of releasing music. I like to be in …

His Dream of Lions

SPB: Assign each member of your band to a character in The Breakfast Club.

His Dream of Lions:

Colby - Criminal - He thinks his hair cut is really cool (applicable to all members) 

Blair - Brain - He eats differential equations for breakfast

Seth - Princess - Like Claire, he too has never kissed a …

Richard Minino (Horsebites)

SPB: Do you think the digitalization of music has negatively influenced your trade as there is less emphasis on cover art?

Minino: Not necessarily because now bands are putting a lot of that lost income in their merch. If their record sales are down because of downloading then they just make other stuff for people to buy …

Hank III

SPB: Who has the best “metal voice” of all time?

Williams: To me Oderus Urungus because of his approach was a bit more unique and different and he is for sure in my top 5 singers of all time....

Frances (Hop Along)

SPB: What was your best subject in grade school?

Frances: My best subjects in grade school were English and Art, though I think that really depends on the teachers a lot of the time. History was amazing when the teachers were good. One history teacher almost ruined it for me because she used to bust me all …

Hank Williams III

SPB: When did you first decide that you want to make music for a living?

Williams: For me I got into music at a very young age.1st time I was on stage I was 10 years old backing up a band for a few songs. Playing drums and guitar was something I would always do 24/7 and …

Karl Hartwig (Hope Drone)

SPB: What is the feeling of the current Australian black metal climate? It seems that Brisbane is shaping up to be a kind of epicentre for the genre, and it would be interesting to hear thoughts from a band of that area. 

Hartwig: I can’t really comment on the Australian black metal climate, as I don’t …

Cam Merton (Hidden Shoal Recordings)

SPB: What is your go-to karaoke song?

Merton: My initial impulse is to put on something from Harold Budd and Brian Eno’s Ambient 2/Plateaux of Mirror and hum along but apparently that’s against the strict rule set of karaoke. Failing that I have to find something in my very limited range so if the karaoke …