interview with HELLBASTARD
How was the band formed? I formed the band in 1984/5 with friends. We come from PUNK ROCK. Not a metal background. We were 3 scruffy kids who came from depression families, we used to steal clothes to wear from other peoples' drying washing on clothes' lines. We had no equipment and we were (and still are) all vegetarians.
Can you tell about your band? We are in search of the mighty riff, that will inevitably conquer all the rest of the shitty riffs and make one huge big riff. Back when we formed there was no internet. We all wrote letters and made phone calls to organise gigs and stuff. Concerning spreading music - everything was done by TAPE TRADING which is a dying artform these days - this is sad.
Where are all band members from?/Who does what in the band? Originally we were all from the North-East of the UK,... a place called Gateshead/Now? South West of the UK, Scruff - Vocals/Guitars Drums - Nathan Bass - laine Guitar - Pete.
What was the ambitions of the band when you started? To make a really great sounding first demo tape, and we did, it cost 25 pounds,.... and it still influences people to make music to this day.
Where was your first gig? Newcastle Upon Tyne. 1986.
Where was the latest gig? 2 nights ago in Birmingham UK.
Who writes your songs?/Who writes the music who writes lyrics? Scruff = 99.9% of the music comes from that guy. Also most (if not all) of the lyrics, too. He's a clever guy with a big mouth and a lot to say.
Who has the best sense of humor in the band? Scruff. Followed a close second by Bassplayer Laine.
What's good/bad with the band?/What genre do you feel you are? GOOD - We love it. BAD - People still misconstrue us an english "crust" band. We are anti-genre.
Why did you pick that particular style?/What are your songs about? No style, just songs. We came from Punk Rock but also enjoyed the heaviness of other bands like Venom/Hellhammer/Discharge & Slayer. Try reaching into the existencilist jackpot. You'll find it all in there. Mainly environmentalism and misanthropy.
Do you write your own material or mainly covers? 100% own material on every album/EP/CD/RECORD.
Have you made any albums?/If yes what are they? "Heading for internal Darkness" 1988 "Ripper Crust" 1986 "Hate Militia" 1987 "They Brought Death" 1988 "Natural Order" 1989/90 "In Grind We Crust" 1997 "Blood. Hate, Fire" 1997. "The Need to kill..." 2008 "Eco War" - 2009 "Sons Of Bitches" 2011 "Feral" (2014,...still being mixed as we speak).
Do you have any clips on YouTube? Yes, "Arcadia" "Slough feg" "Sea Shepherd" "Pylons" "Engineering Human Consciousness..." and lots of trailers, some of the best are "Sons of bitches teaser"... just do a search on "HELLBASTARD".
How old are you?/What got you started in music? Scruff is 46, the others are respectively 31 28 and 30. Punk Rock and all its' many guises got us started. Scruff is the only original band memeber these days. Hellbastard formed in 1984, split in 1992 and then re-formed again in 2008.
At what age did you start playing? Scruff - 1978/9 but as a band very early 1980's in "The Apostles". The other members of HELLBASTARD each have their own story to tell, we have all been playing in various bands over the years a long time.
How old were you guys when you first stood on stage? Scruff was 9 years old. The rest of us were much older.
What year was the band started? 1984.
Best/worst gig you've played?
BEST - NAPOLI on a Napalm Death/Hellbastard Italian tour.,... it was fucking insane/.
WORST - The Snooty Fox/Wakefield Yorkshire.
What places will you be playing in the immediate future? Eindhoven Dynamo/Itlay/UK - London and various other countries.
Where have you played from then till now? USA (2 headlining tours) USA AND CANADA (small tour ) EUROPE. UK.
Which band is the best you´ve seen? 16 HORSEPOWER.
Is it always the same songs live? 16 HP used to vary their setlist a lot. Same as HELLBASTARD.
What has been the best/most promising gig so far? VERY HARD TO ANSWER. SO CANNOT.THERE HAVE BEEN TOO MANY.
How big crowds do you usually play for? Anything from 200 to 30,000
What are the plans for the rest of the year? Got to work, be a slave. Strive to make our band shine better.
Where do you usually play? WORLDWIDE.
How do you get psyched up for a gig? No need it comes naturally.
What are your goals with your music? To write the ultimate riff.
When did you decide to go all in for the music? from 9 years old onwards.
Is it easier to get your inspiration from older bands or from bands more modern? WE'D GET MORE INSPIRATION FROM SUCKING THE END OF A SHOTGUN OR DRINKING ACID. ARE YOU INSANE??? WE GET NO INSPIRATION FROM ANYONE OTHER THAN OURSELVES.
What are your sources of inspiration? DEATH/FORESTS/GRASS/ANIMALS/CATS/TREES/THE SUN/THE MOON/EARTH/THE STARS/CATS and MORE CATS.
What's the first step when making a new song? COMPLETE THE WHOLE SONG.
How do you feel about the downloading of music instead of buying albums? BAD. VERY BAD. BUT ECO WISE IT IS VERY GOOD.
What would be your dreams for the band? TO PLAY INSIDE THE KREMLIN.
Besides your own music, what genres and bands do you listen to? JAZZ/HARDCORE PUNK/SOUL/POP/INDIE/CLASSICAL/COUNTRY/BLUEGRASS/DEATH METAL/METAL AND PUNK IN ALL ITS' MANY FORMS.
What do you hold most dear? MY CAT (Padda)
What would be your greatest fears for the future? THAT THE HUMAN RACE SURVIVES A NUCLEAR WAR.
When you are on stage, what do you fear most then? NEEDING A PISS.
What songs and what years were they released? WHEN WAS THE PISS RELEASED??? WHEN IT NEEDED TO BE.
Have you been part of any other projects? MANY. MOODHOOVER/SIDEWINDER/BLOOD OF ASH/NERO CIRCUS/THE APOSTLES/SIDEWINDER/HEAVY WATER/KING FUEL/DAEDULUS' RIGHT EYE/SOCKMAKERS/ENERGETIC KRUSHER/THE DISCHARGERS/and a load more besides.
What would you do if there was no music? LOVE LIFE A WHOLE LOT MORE.
How important are your fans? 100% important. It's not that we WANT to sell loads of records and play in front of huge crowds, for me (scruff) personally the creativity is the best part of being in a band. Hellbastard can tour ANYWHERE in the world and get by. We have not become a mainstream band like other bands that formed the same time as we did or after us. We just do what we do, and if people like it - great, if they don't, great too.
How often do you rehearse? ONCE A WEEK.
Where do you rehearse? PITCHFORK STUDIOS, TIMSBURY, NORTH EAST SOMERSET. UK.
Name 2 of your own songs you like at the moment? "SHAME ON US" and "4-PAWS" off the new album "Feral" which is still being mixed by the legendary AJEET GILL at HELLFIRE STUDIOS, DERBYSHIRE.
What do you feel is the best live band you've seen? CRO-MAGS. 1985.
What drives a band that isn't all that famous and renowned to try to make a living on their music and to keep playing? NOT A CLUE.
Do you have any webpages? HELLBASTARD.CO.UK
Any pearls of wisdom for all other bands out there? BE FRIENDS. TREAT BAND MEMBERS LIKE FAMILY. REMEMBER YOU ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS YOUR DRUMMER. BE PATIENT, LISTEN TO EACH MEMBER. WHEN PLAYING, LISTEN TO EACH INSTRUMENT.
Describe your show, visually and musically A WAR IN THE HEAD. TIGHT-AS-FUCK CHOPS from SCRUFF & PETE.
How do you view the musicindurty of today? WITH ALARMING DISGUST.
What advice would you like to give other bands? RESPECT EACH OTHER OR IT WILL NEVER WORK.
What are the biggest obstacles for a band? WORKING A FULL TIME JOB TO PAY TO LIVE, and then trying to make a band work as well.
What is best/worst with playing the clubs? BEST - INTIMACY WORST - MEETING stupid slurring inebriated DRUNKEN ASSHOLES.
Tell us about upcoming gigs and why we should be at them? THAT IS YOUR CHOICE, REALLY.
How would you describe your sound in one sentence FAT.
What is your favorite crappy instrument? A BROKEN BANJO.
What was one of the most quarrelsome times for you in the band? FAR TOO MANY TO MENTION HERE.
Whats your Pre-show ritual? SMOKE A ROLLIE, (tobacco) AND TRY AND FIND A DECENT CUP OF TEA.
Do you have anything to add?YES, I CORRECTED ALL YOUR SPELLING MISTAKES. Thanks Robex, Take Care. SCRUFF/HELLBASTARD.