With the new Hawthorne Heights album ‘Skeleton’s released later in the year, R13 caught up with the bands drummer Eron, to see what the lads have been up to and what their plans are for the future…
R13: For those in the UK that have never heard of Hawthorne Heights please introduce yourselves.
Eron: We’re a four-piece rock band from Dayton, Ohio. We formed in 2003 and have released 3 albums to date. Our fourth, ‘Skeletons’, is due out June 1st in the States and Canada.
R13: We are curious, where did the band name come from?
Eron: Unfortunately, there really isn’t an interesting story behind the name. We used to give a bullshit explanation of it being a reference to the author and transcendentalist, Nathaniel Hawthorne in order to sound more intelligent, but really it’s just something that our bassist (Matt) came up with. We all thought the name sounded cool and didn’t pigeonhole us into any particular genre of music.
R13: How would you describe your style of music?
Eron: I would say we’re a rock band first and foremost. We all have different influences that we try to bring to the music, so there are touches of punk, hardcore, pop, metal, classic rock and even a little country mixed in to taste. Something for everyonE.
R13: So, what’s going on with the band right now?
Eron: At the moment we are getting ready to release our fourth studio album ‘Skeletons’. We’re finalizing some b-sides (a whole album’s worth of songs), doing all kinds of press, rehearsing and spending some last few precious moments with our family before we hit the road non-stop in support of the new album.
R13: Your fourth album ‘Skeleton’s’ is released soon, what can we expect from it?
Eron: This is by far our most diverse album to date. We really tried our best to make each song standout from the one before it and be unique unto itself. This album is a bit heavier than our previous, ‘Fragile Future’. Lyrically, it’s much darker than anything we’ve ever done as a result of everything we’ve been through between lawsuits and the death of our friend and band mate. We brought back the screaming element a little bit, which I’m sure will please some of our old fans, but don’t expect superfluous misplaced screams like ‘Silence In Black and White’. If it fit the song, we put it in there.
R13: Where does the inspiration come from to write a song?
Eron: We’re inspired to write music that expresses what we’re feeling in a manner in which others can relate to. When your music connects with a listener on a lyrical or emotional level it’s the most amazing thing in the world.
R13: You have released four albums. Of all the songs you have written and recorded, which are the most personal and why?
Eron: Several of the songs on our latest album ‘Skeletons’ are more personal than anything we’ve ever written because they deal directly with the worst period of our lives and overcoming that adversity.
R13: If you could team up with any other band/musician and record a track, who would it be and what song would you choose to record?
Eron: Every one of us would probably pick someone different since we all have different tastes in music. I would pick doing some kind of collaboration with Dave Grohl. I’d love to work with him, pick his brain and learn as much as I can from. The song could be anything.
R13: How does music by other artists, whether it is bands/musicians you listen to now or while growing up, influence the music you create?
Eron: When you start playing an instrument, you spend 90% of your time imitating your heroes and learning all of their chops. Those chops become so ingrained in how you play and they meld with the other chops from your other influences. Finally as you improve, you start to tweak and modify everything you’ve learned and make it your own. It’s those influences that push you to hone your craft. This is why now, when I write a drumbeat there’s usually a little John Bonham, Dave Grohl, Matt Cameron, Alan Cage or Sammy Seigler in everything I play.
R13: Are you planning any UK tour dates in 2010 as I am sure the UK would love to see you live?
Eron: We don’t have any immediate plans to get to the UK unfortunately. We haven’t been over in a few years. We absolutely intend to come over, ideally, this year! We love the UK and all of our fans there. If we have it our way we will spend a lot more time there once ‘Skeletons’ is released.
R13:You have toured alongside some incredible musicians over the years. Who has been the most exciting to tour with and why?
Eron: Two acts come to mind. On Warped Tour 2005, My Chemical Romance was exploding in popularity and witnessing that first-hand was amazing. We also had the pleasure of touring with Linkin Park on Projekt Revolution. We’ve never toured with a band that big before. Each night they would play for an hour and a half and the set would be nothing but hit singles. Their stage set-up was awe-inspiring and they were great to all of the bands on tour even though we beat their asses in Halo 3. They’re at a level of success that I would love us to reach some day and they’re a great example of how to handle that level of success graciously.
R13: There must be some terrible tales of the road. What was the most embarrassing?
Eron: There is something about a technical issue that not only derails the momentum of set but also has a way of embarrassing the hell out of you. It’s almost as if all of the sudden you’re naked, standing in front of the crowd. It sucks. It’s guaranteed to happen at least once a tour.
R13: What’s is the most memorable in your mind?
Eron: There have been a lot of memorable moments along the way. Some that come to mind are performing on the various live late night TV shows and the first day of our tour with Fall Out Boy, we had never played an arena before. That was the first time I’ve ever been nervous performing.
R13: Any naughty tales you would like to share? Any pranks on other band member/other bands?
Eron: We’re not a very naughty band. Still there are times when things get crazy on tour. That’s the nature of the beast when you put a bunch of guys on a tour bus. There was one time we played Las Vegas on tour with Fall Out Boy. Vegas is usually a pretty crazy night for everyone. After the show we were hitting the casinos and the half of us that drink, were getting a little wild. Our former guitarist Casey drank a lot threw up in the hot tub, which was in the room comp’d to Fall Out Boy and headed back to the bus much earlier than any of us. We stumbled in later and our sound guy had the bright idea for a prank. We eagerly went along. We took an empty trash bag and duct tape and completely enclosed Casey’s bunk. We then cranked the heat up to 90 degrees in hopes that he’d wake up and freak out. He was so drunk that he slept right through the prank, but our then tour manager jumps out of his bunk, wearing nothing but underwear, dripping in sweat and bitching about how hot it was. So the prank worked, just not on the intended target.
R13: Lastly, what is in store for the band over the next year?
Eron: LOTS OF TOURING! We hope to come over to the UK and the rest of Europe.