EMQ’s with Hellaphant
Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with Canadian Power-Pop/ Punk band Hellaphant. Huge thanks to them for taking part.
What is your name, what do you play and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the
band?
Chris: I’m Chris Arenburg and I play bass in the band. As for the history, Hellaphant was already a band that was looking for a bass player and drummer. I met Gary through a mutual acquaintance, Gus, who also ended up playing in Hellaphant for a little bit. I was playing in this other band but
wanted something more, cause one band was not enough. So I meet Gary at the
rehearsal space and he says he is waiting to try out this new drummer, if I’m cool with that.
Which I was. So this guy Dave shows up in his landscaping uniform and muddy work boots and we set up. Gary says “Okay, you guys listened to the songs?”, I said yeah I had a few of them figured out. Dave said he’d listened to the songs and had them all down. So Gary says “Let’s do the one you know best,” Dave says the ‘Boxed In” one. We start off and Dave is a fucking mess! He didn’t listen to our songs. Anyway, the guy tried. Good on him. He said he was a much better guitarist , but
usually played Zeppelin, and The Tragically Hip or some shit. Anyway, Gary called practice and
stopped me after Dave left and said he liked what he heard.
How did you come up with your band name?
Gary: Gary here, the guitarist and vocalist. I’d had the name for a long time in a book of names and writings. It was based on the early 90’s skate term “Hella”. Metallica used to use it all the time. “Hella cool” , “Hella stoked” etc. One day I just jokingly said “Hellaphant” and it stuck. Years later when this band was starting and I needed a name I went to my book and it stood out. I had envisioned the logo as well and had made some t-shirts years before the band was ever a thing. So we went with it. Chris, Scott and Jay all joined the band as “Hellaphant”.
What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal / Rock scene like there?
Chris: We hail from London Ontario Canada, and there is a good thriving scene here. Lots of bands, lots of stuff always going on. As the scene changes and evolves the music and bands will too and that’s what we are, a band born from evolution.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
That is our album “Crumble and Rise”, released on Faster and Louder Records.
Who have been your greatest influences?
Gene Simmons, great business mind overall and an underated bassist. Cliff Burton – just raw skill and life. And Fat Mike of NoFX.
What first got you into music?
Watching those Guns ‘n’ Roses videos of their stadium shows. It’s all I’ve wanted, to be
able to play to that many people. Music is special, it connects us, you hear a lyric and the tone of the
music and hook, you’re feeling the same thing as the person who wrote it. It’s such a fascinating
thing. I want to feel that, the arena show.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
I’d like to work with Bob Rock.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
All of them, playing festivals must be an absolute bash backstage for the musicians. I’d like to
spend a year in Europe doing only festivals if I could.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
Nothing. No gifts yet.
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Live your best life. We all have to work and get shit done but at the end of it you do what you gotta do to make you happy. Remember you’re not alone, and the music helps with that.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Jim Morrison.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
I love the live show, for me it’s all about the live performance. The lights, the crowd, I love it… I
hate soundchecks.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
Autotune.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
Linkin Park, “Hybrid Theory”. It just touched me in a way that’s hard to explain but I had all the feels.
The way the heavy mashed with the rap! It was killer. I can put that album on and say “See ya!” for a
while.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
Our best vinyl, “Crumble and Rise” is available on all options. Each one has its own quality. Vinyl for sound, and streaming for the accessibility of the music to anyone.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
Opening for A Wilhelm Scream at RumRunners here in London. Thanks to Brand Eedy of SummerCamp Productions and Rumrunners and the Music Hall for setting that all up.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Trying to be a club owner or something like that. Who knows? I like baking things, maybe a bakery.
But I quite like being a musician.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
Bruce Springsteen, Harry Hamlin, President Obama, Ryan Renolds and Nicole Kidman.
What’s next for the band?
Currently working on some videos to come out this year, some shows and Gary has already started writing songs for the next album.
What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
Bandcamp – https://fasterandlouder.bandcamp.com/album/hellaphant-crumble-and-rise
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/3TWpIVGmW0Da99Az2cpDu6?si=Q0TUx9bcQgWfIVoJg2M7fQ
Time for a very British question now. As an alternative to the humble sandwich, is the correct
name for a round piece of bread common in the UK either a Bap, a Barm (or Barm Cake), a Batch, a
Bun, a Cob, a Muffin, a Roll or a Tea Cake?
Bap.
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
I would Like to say thank you for your time and we really hope you like and listen to the album. Stay smart, don’t hurt anyone.
Disclaimer: This interview is solely the property of Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.