EMQ’s With HOMME
EMQ’s With HOMME
Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with French Progressive Rock band, Homme. Huge thanks to their Vocalist/ Bassist/ Songwriter, Chris Massol, 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?
My name is Chris Massol, I’m the singer, bassist, and songwriter of HOMME.
The band was born in 2021 in the south of France, and it brings together four musicians with very different backgrounds but a shared appetite for raw emotion and introspective storytelling. What started as a very personal project — a way for me to retrace more than twenty years of writing, playing, and searching — quickly became a full band with its own voice.
With Arthur Delevirg and JP Mendez on guitars and Jacques Anoufa on drums, HOMME explores the tensions, doubts, and desires that make us who we are. Our music blends French lyrics with a progressive and emotional rock sound, moving between dream and reality. That’s the core of the band’s history: turning human contradictions into something visceral, poetic, and alive.
How did you come up with your band name?
The name HOMME came naturally. In French, “Homme” means “human being,” and that’s exactly what our music explores — emotions, doubts, impulses, and everything that makes us human. We liked the idea that the name sounds simple and direct, but carries a deeper meaning. It’s not about being a man, but about being human — in the broad, universal sense of the word.
What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal / Rock scene like there?
We’re from the south of France, in the Nice area. The local rock and metal scene has been growing a lot — it’s creative, energetic, and full of emerging bands pushing boundaries. What’s really interesting is that French-language rock is coming back strong. More and more bands are choosing to sing in French again, exploring deeper themes and reconnecting with a very personal way of expressing things. It creates a scene that’s rich, diverse, and constantly evolving. Being part of that movement is truly inspiring for HOMME.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
Our latest release is our debut album “Ma vie en théorèmes.” It’s a project that condenses nearly twenty years of writing, experiences, and reflections into a deeply emotional rock record. The album blends progressive elements, poetic French lyrics, and a very instinctive approach to composition.
Who have been your greatest influences?
Our greatest influences come from artists who mix poetry, depth, and a strong sense of atmosphere. In France, Gérard Manset, Hubert-Félix Thiéfaine, and Ange have had a big impact on the way we approach lyrics — their ability to explore the human mind with intensity and mystery really resonates with us.
Musically and visually, we’re also inspired by bands like Pink Floyd or King Crimson, especially their surreal imagery and the way they turn music into a complete artistic universe. Those influences helped shape the identity of HOMME: emotional, a bit dreamlike, and driven by a need to tell stories that go beyond the surface.
What first got you into music?
Music allows me to express emotions that I can’t put into words. It’s a form of release — a way to let out everything that stays inside, everything that’s too complex or too intense to explain in everyday language. From the beginning, music has been that safe space where I can translate feelings into sound, and that need for expression is really what led me to create HOMME.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
If I could collaborate with a current artist, it would definitely be Herman Dune. I’ve been following his work for a long time, and what really speaks to me is his incredibly sincere approach to music. There’s a honesty and a simplicity in the way he writes and delivers his songs that feels timeless. I think that authenticity would create a fascinating contrast with the more atmospheric and introspective universe of HOMME.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
If I could play any festival in the world, it would obviously be Woodstock — if it ever rose from its ashes. That festival represented a unique moment in history, when music was pure communion and had the power to bring people together. It was also a revolution of freedom, a cultural shift where artists and audiences shared something bigger than themselves. Playing a modern Woodstock would mean reconnecting with that spirit — raw, human, and transformative.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
To be honest, I haven’t received anything truly weird from a fan yet.
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
If I had one message for our fans, it would be: thank you for giving life to our music.
Everything we create comes from emotion — doubts, impulses, things we can’t always explain. Knowing that these songs resonate with you means everything. Stay curious, stay true to yourselves, and keep supporting the artists who speak to you. We’ll keep giving our best, with honesty and instinct.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
If I could bring one rock star back from the dead, it would be Jim Morrison. He had a unique way of blending poetry, darkness, and raw energy — a sort of magnetic presence that pushed rock music into deeper, more existential territory.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
What I enjoy the most is that magical moment on stage when the band and the audience become one. There’s a connection that goes beyond sound — something instinctive, where everything makes sense for a few minutes. That feeling is impossible to describe, but every musician lives for it.
What I hate the most is the moment right after it ends — when you go back home after a show or when a recording session is finished. It’s like the magic suddenly fades, only to be reborn at the next concert. In a way, that’s the musician’s drug: chasing that moment where everything lights up again.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
If I could change one thing about the music industry, it would be the lack of space given to true creativity. Today, everything moves fast, everything has to fit a format, an algorithm, a trend. There’s less room for risk-taking, for artistic depth, for music that needs time to exist. Creativity should be the heart of it all.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
One of my all-time favourite albums is “Crime of the Century” by Supertramp. Even just listening to the first track, School, you’re immediately transported into another world — almost like stepping into a film. The atmosphere, the tension, the storytelling… everything pulls you in. It’s an album that shaped my way of listening to music, and it still inspires me today.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CDs or Downloads?
I think everyone has their own preferred format — the one that fits their lifestyle and the way they experience music.
For me, the only format I’ve truly kept over the years is vinyl. I find it absolutely fascinating. I have a large collection at home, and what I love about vinyl is the physical relationship you have with it — the touch, the artwork, the beauty of the object itself.
And of course, vinyl encourages you to listen to a full album from start to finish. It’s a completely different experience, and one I still cherish.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
The best gig we’ve played so far is probably our first live show at the Fontanne Automne Festival. That concert has a special place in my heart because it was our very first performance as HOMME. Something happened that night — the chemistry, the energy, the connection between us and the audience. It felt like the moment when the magic of the band truly began.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
If I weren’t a musician, I would probably be a film director — or at least I would have tried to become one. When I was younger, it was one of my biggest dreams. I can still remember the visual shock I felt the first time I watched Pink Floyd’s The Wall or Phantom of the Paradise. Those films opened an entirely new world for me, where music and imagery collide. In a way, that cinematic influence still shapes what I try to express with HOMME today.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
I would invite Bob Dylan, Herman Dune, Lemmy Kilmister, Ritchie Blackmore, and Jim Morrison.
That would be quite a dinner, wouldn’t it?
What’s next for the band?
What’s next for the band is to keep developing our visual universe. We’re currently working on new music videos to push our imagery even further and give our songs a stronger cinematic dimension. At the same time, we’ve already started preparing our second album — most of the songs are written, and we’re now shaping the direction and the sound we want for this new chapter.
What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
We use several platforms to share our music and connect with people. Our official website is the main place for news and releases, and we’re active on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Bandcamp.
https://www.facebook.com/Musique.Homme
https://hommetheband.wixsite.com/homme
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7kdkqxzPh9Xk4MtvgNvx9g
https://homme-musique.bandcamp.com
There’s a long-standing food-based debate here in the UK. And we’d like your help. So… A Jaffa cake – is it a cake or a biscuit? Discuss!
Honestly… whatever it is, it disappears way too fast!
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Thank you for having me. I’d just like to say that we’re grateful for everyone who takes the time to listen to HOMME. Stay curious, stay passionate, and we hope to see you soon — on stage or through our next releases.
Disclaimer: This interview is solely the property of Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this interview, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.