Keeping hard rock alive and well in the face of a global pandemic is no small task, but Hearts and Hand Grenades reveal their tips for upcoming artists and share their new projects in this exclusive interview.
Any new projects going ahead for 2020?
Yes, we just released our third EP “Adrenaline” on May 1st. We have already started working on our fourth release. Having found our true calling in the realm of hard rock, we plan on putting out another solid EP around the beginning of September. As with everyone else, the COVID virus is putting a delay on a lot of our plans, but as soon as we are all in the clear, we are going to put a tour together to bring our live show to the masses.
Who would you say are your biggest musical influences?
Personally, I was influenced by the rock and metal scene of the early eighties. Judas Priest, Metallica, Van Halen, AC/DC, and a host of other bands that laid down the footprints of that era. If it wasn’t for those bands, the hard rock music of today would not be what it is. Moving forward, bands like Korn, System of a Down, Rammstein, and Avatar have played a role in shaping what our music is today.
Favourite albums?
My favourite album of all time is hands-down Back in Black from AC/DC. Aside from being one of the highest-selling albums of all time, it’s one of those albums where every song on it is great. How many CDs do you have where you’re skipping three songs to get to the next one you like? On that album, you just never find yourself doing that. The influences and the all-round great feel are undeniable.
Have there been any major changes to the music scene in the time your band has been performing?
Yes, COVID-19 has ruined the scene for everyone. But aside from that, the only notable change is the late crowd for live shows. At some point during our gigging over the last eight years, the crowd stopped staying out as late as they used to. We are finding that it is necessary to play earlier shows so people can be in bed by 11p.m. What happened to all the die-hard fans out there?
Advice for new musicians looking to survive?
Start off small and get some shows with only a handful of people present. After several of these, start looking to book some bigger venues. If your product is good, the other venues will hear of it and slowly start adding your band to the roster. It took our band a couple years of grinding out the smaller venues before the bigger ones started to take notice. Just don’t give up.
Anybody you would like to collaborate with in the future?
I’d love to get on a tour with Avatar. I love their stage show and the energy they bring. They are very similar to what we do as far as entertaining the crowd goes. I think the combination of both bands on the same card would be spectacular.
