Interview Hannah McLamb - Photos Adam Dewey | November 22nd 2003
Everyone's favorite musical quandary, Hanzel und Gretyl, recently went out with the notorious Genitorturers in support of HuG's latest masterpiece UBER ALLES. On their pass through Fayetteville, NC the tricksters of HuG sat down with Choler's Hannah McLamb to talk about the record labels, music festivals, and the return of metal. Here's what went down on the HuG tour bus (which was in the author's eyes one of the cleanest, most pristine she's ever seen) at Fayetteville, NC's Jester's Pub.
Hannah the Wicked: Why did it take so long for HuG to get a new album out?
Vas Kallas: Our record label slowly, slowly went out of business and left us hanging in the galaxy with no idea what to do and we tried to get signed to a new label, but couldn't because we weren't released from the old label. Then, the guy disappeared. It was terrible - he sued us and then we sued him. It took awhile - it took like five-years of this nonsense before we were free and clear to move forward with music and we had to give up a CD of music to get off a label that doesn't exist. It was a terrible, terrible thing.
HAN: I can imagine so - what a prick.
VAS: I mean come on, really - it's not like we are HUGE rock stars with lots of money. We are an underground band.
HAN: Maybe underground, but I regard you guys as pioneers.
HuG: ::laughs::
HAN: Really! Many people do - think about Transmissions from Uranus. HuG did some stuff on that album that was quite unique and hadn't been heard before. You listened to it and thought, "Hey, this is kinda cool! Wait - what the fuck is this?
HuG: ::laughs::
HAN: And everyone, EVERYONE thought you were German.
HuG: ::Big laughs::
VAS And still do!
Rob Loopy: Yeah - and especially now!
VAS: And some get VERY upset when they find out were not German.
HAN: Yeah - I've heard it. I spoke with Das Ich about a year ago and we were talking about the whole industrial genre of music and they asked me which artists I listened to that were industrial. So, I named a couple of bands and HuG - even though I knew you were based out of New York.
LOOPY: And what did they say?
HAN: They kind of laughed and said, "Oh…. Them."
JOHN: ::really good German accent:: "Scheisse! I DON'T like them!"
LOOPY: I'm not surprised. ::shakes head::
HAN: You guys came to North Carolina a few years back and played in Charlotte in support of Transmissions.
VAS: Oh yeah.
HAN: I didn't go - but everyone I knew kept talking about this fucking great German industrial band who had this weird space thing going on, but were an extremely high-energy stage band. When I found out you were from NY and started correcting people they were like, NO FUCKING WAY. They speak German. They are German.
HuG: ::laughs::
HAN: The new album, Uber Allies, was it waiting in the wings ready to go? Were you just patiently sitting on it waiting for the chance to record?
VAS: Yeah - basically we just had to finish up a few lyrics, write a couple of riffs and go in there and record then mix it. So it was basically almost all there.
HAN: How long would you say it takes HuG to put together a new album?
LOOPY: Three years!
HuG: ::laughs::
VAS: Three years of arguments, stress -
HAN: Yeah - I remember you guys do argue quite a bit.
VAS: Yes! We DO fight a lot.
LOOPY: But it's all good-natured fighting.
VAS: "Out of chaos comes big dancing stars" - how does that saying go?
LOOPY: I don't know. Who said it?
VAS: How does it go? "Every dancing star comes out of chaos." Some Nietzche guy or some shit like that.
HAN: Yeah. I can see that. I've read some articles about the Swans and they said a similar relationship existed between M. Gira and Jarobe - and it shows in their music. It's very passionate.
VAS: Exactly.
ANNA K.: Every band fights a lot during the creative process. There are so many wishes and important things that have to go together. You have different visions of things and you fight. Then, you end up with something in-between - which makes the band unique.
LOOPY: And the strongest person wins.
HuG: ::laughs::
VAS: More like the hardest punch!
ALL: ::laughs::
HAN: The new album is very different from Transmissions.
LOOPY: Yes, for us it is.
HAN: Why did you all decided to creatively go in that direction?
LOOPY: We just thought everyone would be expecting another wild eclectic, crazy blend of stuff -
HAN: More Sumeraian chanting?
LOOPY: Yeah! And were like, we want to keep everyone guessing. We wanted to make a more powerful, straightforward record with just a few eclectic elements.
HAN: Cool. Do you feel due to the solid nature of this album it sounds harder live?
VAS: Definitely.
LOOPY: Yeah, all of our stuff usually is.
HAN: That is what I am REALLY interested to see. How it sounds live with your older stuff.
VAS: You've NEVER seen us live???
HAN: Nope, I have never seen you live.
LOOPY: Oh - this is going to be fun!
HAN: ::slipping in to gushy, starry-eyed fan mode:: Really? I am SO excited!
VAS: We love de-virginizing people.
HAN: Come to think of it, I have never seen the Gentitoturers live either.
JOHN: ::laughs:: You're in for a ride tonight!
HAN: Almost everyone from where I get my tattoos done are coming to see the show. They saw the Gens a year ago. They are all like, "She sprayed a douche on a guy!…. she pierced a guy! You have got to fucking see it!"
LOOPY: Well, she's got a few surprises tonight for you!
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