Ever since Robert Johnson sold his soul the very best music has always been the kind that conjures up a sense of menace, revels in the mire of ruinous relationships and celebrates debauchery. Sure, sugary ballads and angst-ridden odes all have their place, I’m not denying that, but ever since that first six-string was strummed the greatest music has always been dangerous, perverse and uncomfortably close to home.
There’s no band in New Zealand whose reputation for danger, wantonness and speaking uncomfortable truths exceeds that of Head Like a Hole. Born into the creative maelstrom of the early ’90s fusion of alt-rock, metal and sludgy peril, the band is legendary in NZ rock circles—and for good reason. HLAH are the very definition of rock ‘n’ roll. Chaotic, obnoxious and bestial, the band spent a decade slaying crowds and producing some of the most distinctive heavy rock this country has ever seen before imploding in a frenzied mess. Like I said, the very best music is ruinous—HLAH were perfectly destructive.
With their recent return to the live circuit being bolstered by their new album, Blood Will Out, Head Like A Hole remind us of the hazardous nature of rock ‘n’ roll. After reviewing the truly excellent new release for the upcoming issue of Manual, and being reminded of a few nasty home truths myself, it seemed wrong not to hear a few words from the band. Vocalist Booga was kind enough to respond after their recent show with Alice Cooper, providing insight into the band’s history, the path to their re-forming and the new album. Hail Booga.
So, how was the Alice Cooper show? Did you get a chance to meet the world’s leading Christian/golfer/rock star himself?
The Alice show was a support slot, which we haven’t done for a very long time, and it’s always good to get the opportunity to get onto a big stage with a larger production than we are used to. It can be a bit strange being so far away from each other but you soon forget that and get on with playing brutal rock music.
My partner Tamzin and I took our five-year-old twins Jet and Ivy. They loved it. We didn’t get to meet Alice himself but we sat at the side of the stage as the band was coming out of the dressing room and onto stage and Jet and Ivy got to see Alice close up. Jet was worried he would drink his blood.
How have you found getting back on stage again? Any nerves creeping in for you guys, or were you just enjoying the opportunity to rock?
Personally I had all sorts of nerves and strange feelings in regards to all aspects of getting back on the horse with Head Like a Hole. After 12 years of absence there can be, and was, a huge weight of expectation on our shoulders due to our past reputation of being one of NZ’s nastiest and brutal rock outfits—who may or may not produce the goods now that we have definitely returned to the stage.
When we first got back together in 2008 for a rehearsal it brought a huge shit-eating grin to all of our faces, and we knew almost instantaneously that we still had the magic, the stench, and the passion to pollute NZ airwaves again.
Speaking of Alice, who were the bands that HLAH looked fondly upon when you originally formed? Did you have in mind a particular genre or aesthetic you were going after?
Nigel and I had the same taste and influences back then and some of them were Red Hot Chilli Peppers (they were good back then), Black Sabbath, Primus, Mudhoney, Pixies, Soundgarden, The Jesus Lizard and the list goes on. Black Sabbath were huge for us, an everyday listen, and they still are for me.
The band has gone through some stylistic changes over the years, from the alt-metal of your debut to the more streamlined sweaty raunchy rock ‘n’ roll of your later years. Was that a natural progression, or did you deliberately set out to change tack along the way?
No, no deliberate changes for us, we just went were the songs took us. Sometimes we would work on a song and steer it in a certain direction. I suppose you do it without even realising. That’s just the writing process.
I’m old enough to have been to many sweaty HLAH shows during your earlier years, and I’ve always wondered about what happened with the Noise records deal? How did you manage to hook up with Noise, and did you ever gain any benefits from the deal?
Our late manager and good mate Gerald Dwyer put together that deal. Back then I didn’t take much interest in the hows and whys—I just wanted to play the gigs and go overseas. I could go into it in depth, but basically Gerald hooked up with a guy Thomas Reisbeck in Berlin who worked for Noise and it went from there. We toured Europe in ’95 for three months and near the end of it Head Like A Hole and Shihad were sat down and told that the “Shihad-guys are still with us, we are pleased with you, but Head Like a Hole I’m sorry but it’s the end of the line—go home.” We all looked at each other and said, “Yeah, ok, cool, see you later and cheers.” No debt to go home with, just great memories of awesome countries visited and gigs played!
Was there any trepidation about heading back into the studio after so much time away from the band?
I was shitting my pants a bit. It can be a strange experience going into the studio to record. You can either come out of it with a very special end result, or a very cruel feeling of ‘not quite there’. I didn’t have all my lyrics done, and some songs gave me some grief in finishing, but considering how Head Like a Hole works, living in two different cities, we did exceptionally well in pulling together this latest album. It took months of flying back and forth from Wellington to Auckland, and a wad of personal funds.
Did you guys have a specific idea of where you wanted to take the band sonically on the new release?
Mr Regan had basically all of the material sitting at home on his zip disc so we just had to take it into the practice room and put it through the Head Like a Hole stenchometer and pick what tracks we thought had ‘SAC’ and what ones didn’t. It was always going to be our heaviest and most brutal offering. As the songs emerged we knew the sound and direction of the album.
HLAH have always been quite open about the tensions that existed within the band. In many ways that’s what made the live shows and albums go well; there was always that fantastic overhanging feeling that things could get very unhinged at any moment. What’s it like these days?
We’re still open about most things these days, but I’m not the person I was in the late ’90s. Me and Nige did a few years of utter stupidity that had a lasting effect on the band, but the fact that we are back together now says something—no? We are older, much older, and wiser. Hairier, and a little round in the waistline. Ha! I think our music has matured with us like a fine wine or whisky.
I was really surprised to read that the new album was the first from the band to have hit the charts so high? When I think about the influence the band has had on NZ rock, and the sheer quality of the band’s output, it strikes me as unjust. Are you guys aware of the impact you’ve had?
Yeah we know that Head Like a Hole has had an impact on the music and people of NZ, but it’s the faithful few with Head Like a Hole. We have never had a gold album in the five albums we’ve released. Believe it. For some reason our live performances, which used to draw rather large crowds, didn’t equate to large quantities of album sales.
I always thought the equation was that bands that sold a lot of albums didn’t really have much to offer live, but it’s all opinion. A band is great if you say it is. If you love listening to them it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. Saying that, there are some shitty bands out there, and I think that the NZ listeners have been conditioned to listening to very average/crap music and don’t know any better. Sometimes it makes me wonder if my music is any good. It’s bizarre.
Youth are fickle these days. I know what the band’s capable of delivering, but what’s the band got to offer the young whippersnappers these days?
Plenty my friend, plenty. If you want to see a band that pulls no punches and can assault your senses to the point of converting you into a Head Like a Hole fan then you got to come to one of our live shows. Mike, our drummer, is a machine and in my opinion is the best drummer in the country. He holds the songs together and drives them along like an 18-wheeler doin’ a ton! Of course the other guys such as Mr Regan, Mr Ashton and Mr Durno are equally awesome, and as a unit—unstoppable.
What’s in store for the band in the future? You guys have any set plans for a new album or more expansive touring?
We’re always keen to play, so yes I’d say there’s another album in us, and ultimately we want to go to the States and further afield to play to as many people as we can. That’s what it’s all about isn’t it—spreading the disease that is Head Like a Hole!