Rock and Blog Interviews. We talk with Crash of H.E.A.T. about the band and new album «Into the Great Unknown»
«Into the Great Unknown» is the new album of H.E.A.T. and we talk about it with Crash.
About H.E.A.T
RnB: It seems like yesterday that H.E.A.T was born, but It was ten years ago How would you summarize these last 10 years for the band?
Crash:That´s a good question. Actually we also are very aware that is ten years since we started with the band. But we try not to talk about it (hehehe) too much. You know it feels like yesterday we were 19 years old. But to answer your question. Well we’ve done thousands of shows, we have drink millions of beers and we have released six albums, five studio albums and one live album. We have toured Europe, Japan, China, USA, I think we will go to Australia very soon. We are not puppies anymore.
RnB: You have had some very important changes during these years, but Jona, Jimmi and you have always remained. Can we consider you three, the backbone of the band?
Crash: The whole band is the backbone of the band, buf of course I guess you can say that in someway cos we have been here since start. But also Erik Gronwall is being in the band for 7 years. Still people say he is the new singer, but I think is the same with ACDC, the present singer is the new singer even though he is being in the band for 30 years
RnB: Has Dave’s return to the band been easy? I mean, were any wounds reopened or did everything flow easily?
Crash: No, It was really easy. We know Dave, he Know us. But since he left the band I think we have stepped up. We have more experience, we are more professional now than we were in 2013. So that´s a new thing for him but we are helping him. He´s learning.
RnB: The style of the band has varied over the years from Hard Rock to AOR and exploring other genres. How would you define the style of H.E.A.T.?
Crash: Today? I would say, we play H.E.A.T., that’s our style.
I mean when we started we played melodic rock and AOR with an American sound from the early eighties that’s what we did but then you know somewhere along the way in six albums, ten years later, I think we have found ourselves and who knows what the next album is gonna sound like.
But on this album we’ve done a lot of experimenting with taking our time and we had a lot of fun making this album and we’re really proud of it. we love it .
We think it’s kick-ass and it’s got many different kinds of songs. it’s got close to metal song and also it’s got some retro 80 songs but also It´s got something like I guess you could say melodic Rock 2017 songs.
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RnB: With the previous lead singer leaving and Erik joining the band from a reality show, how has this pushed the band to become even bigger?
Crash: well I think we have worked to get together the past seven years since he joined the band to make it bigger. Of course he’s a great singer and an awesome talent and that has helped but we have worked together to become what we are today.
RnB: But do you think that the fact that Eric came from a reality show was good for the band or was it just the opposite?
Crash: I don’t think it matters. What matters is that he is a great singer yeah and a great frontman . I never thought of the idol thing that shall gave us a positive thing other than when we searched for a singer. It was a really great way to find a good singer. We could see him in interviews, how does he behave on stage, how does he sing different kinds of music so it was the perfect audition for H.E.A.T. that’s how I see it.
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RnB: It seems that the band is at an important turning point. You have had very good numbers with previous albums and ticket sales, and it seems that it is time to take the next step, and to climb some levels in the festival lineups. Do you feel that pressure?
Crash: I understand what you mean but I don’t feel pressure at all. I think it feels like we have an opportunity to take this to the next level and that’s what we’re gonna do.
That’s why we have agreed to let’s up the game and think more as a headline act and bring a bigger production to the audience.
RnB: Before we talked about your 80s influence at the beginning. In our blogs we love to see young people who make rock music with a full eighties style. Does the 80s influence and sound in your music come from a specific inspiration or from personal experience?
At the beginning we all listened to 80s music. That’s the only thing we listen to when we were in our early 20s. There were so many bands for us to discover. We were so young so we’ve found new bands and new types of genres within the melodic rock.
But today it’s more personal. I think we have so many inspiration in the backpack, you know, so we can use that to find inspiration within ourselves.
About «Into de Great Unknown»
RnB:The new album is different from previous ones and although there are still many days before its release to the public, some critics have already been ranting and raving about it. Does this make you concerned about how fans might react to it when it drops?
Crash: It has been a long time to make a baby, but so this is our baby. We love it and we hope that our fans will love it too
RnB: Those critics were perhaps expecting an album with similar sound and style to your previous ones, and they were surprised by the change. We know it’s hard to please everyone. If you continue with the same style some people complain about a lack of ingenuity, and if you innovate and change, others complain that you are abandoning your original style. How does affect the band´s direction?
Crash: I think it’s a human thing, fear of the unknown and that’s where we’ve gone we’re going on into the great unknown
I know what you talk about I’ve read some some comments on social media and so on and I’m just amazed that people care so much about this band. It seems like heat means a lot to a lot of the people and that makes us all very glad. they say.
it’s just proves to us that heat means a lot to, a lot of people that really have a lot of feelings. I think that’s a lot better than nobody giving a fuck okay.
I could argue with them or against them. “Redefined” I think that song could fit perfectly on address the nation our third album .yeah I mean listen to the song, it’s also like a slick production a lot of melodies not so much attitude but with a popular attitude.
And also the first song on the new album bastards of society it could fit perfectly into tearing down the walls in my opinion
RnB: Regarding the new album. It’s clear that you have decided to experiment with new sounds. How has Dave contributed to experimenting with these new sounds?
Crash: He has played all guitars
When he joined the band we had been we had been working on the album for more than a year already. But he did his fair share of contributing.
We all do when we record it and when we do the pre-production we all help out too to make every song like as cool as possible. So we all have suggestions here and there, and if everyone’s happy we do it. That way so this is a project of us five working together.
RnB: Are you trying to reach an audience that is not just the Hard Rock audience?
Crash: I don’t think we’re trying to reach we did this album for ourselves. We did the album that we wanted to write
RnB: What was the creation process of this album like? I mean, how long did it take? And How did each band member contribute to the process?
Crash: When we released the album tearing down the walls, we did a lot and a lot of touring. We played many many many shows. And somewhere along the way we felt that to continue touring we have to make an even better album. So we decided to not alive show until the new album is out. And that’s what we did. So the last alive show we did with H.E.A.T. was in Tokyo, September 2015. Two years ago. That´s the time it took to create this new album until we were satisfied. I think this is a luxury that not many bands have. We really took tie off to make a killer album, our best one.
The beginning went like into a black hole, because we were not releasing anything and not playing any live shows, so we slowly faded away. Shortly after that Eric left the band and we had a problem in our rehearsal place so all instruments was drowned with water…
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So at the beginning of the songwriting period things didn’t seen too great. We felt like we were in an imaginary city where everything was unfair and nothing was going our way, so that’s when we wrote the song shit city. And after that song was written everything went easier cuz we felt this song is cool to write more songs.
I think most of theses songs are actually inspired by these two years itself for example “Bastards of Society”:
—- first saw their line fire me up
and I’ll burn the Sun
I come loaded with a million guns
and that’s how we feel today that’s how —-
We feel now this we haven’t played for a long time and we’ve got a killer album and we’re all fired up and we got a million guns and here we come.
Next H.E.A.T. Tour
RnB: You already have some concerts planned for this fall. Can we expect a big tour?
Crash: We’re gonna start with a great European tour. We’re gonna come to Spain I don’t think the dates are official and set yet but you will find the dates very soon. We will announce European tour and of course will come at Spain. Spain is one of the best countries to to play. That´s why me and Jona have learned a little bit of language. We love the Spanish culture and food and all the Spanish people.
RnB: Are there any Festival in your tour plans for next summer?
Crash: Yeah, we’re gonna have a fall tour before the year ends just to promote the new album and next year we’re aiming for the festivals during all summer
Time to talk a little bit about Crash, H.E.A.T.´s drummer
RnB: Who are your favorite drummers or those who have inspired you the most?
Crash: The most all right I’ll say Vinnie Paul of Pantera I think he has a great way of playing. Then you have Mike Portnoy ex Dream Theater as well I’ve learned a lot from him. I can say name so many drummers, Simon Phillips as well actually I met Simon Phillips and he it taught me a few tricks in a minute lesson and also I’d like to mention Lars Ulrich. That’s a drummer that most people think is a crappy drummer but I think it’s is more to a drummer than just play drums. I think if you’re on stage you’re there to entertain and he’s a great entertainer
RnB:What is your current drumset
Crash: I have a TAMA STARCLASSIC
RnB: what music do you listen to?
Crash: Highly I like to listen to well mostly Swedish hardrock all the new bands Art Nation, eclipse but also I’ve learned to appreciate classical music during the these past two years, and Beethoven 14th Sonata is my favorite
RnB: What was the first live concert you attended to, as an audience?
Crash: It was a Swedish rock and roll by that’s called Jerry Williams and I think he’s 70 years old today
RnB: What was the first record you bought?
Crash: I think it was an Iron Maiden. I don’t know the actual name of the disc but it was a greatest hits or collection album
RnB:Who first turned you into loving rock and roll?
Crash: Good question, originally it was my dad he has always loved Deep Purple and he´s been a great 70s rock fan.
But actually it was Jimmy James fault that I started playing drums because he had a band and they didn’t have drummer, and my dad’s a drummer he’s always been so Jimmy asked me hey Crash you can you can start playing drums with us, we got a show in two weeks. I had never touched the drums but that’s that’s how I started playing drums.
Ok, that’s all Crash, Thank you very much and we hope to see you soon here in Spain.
Si lo prefieres pudes leer esta entrevista en castellano aquí
