West Palm Beach, FL based Stoner Rock Band HELL & HOLLAR has released the official music video for "Showdown," off of their debut EP, 442.
I recently sat down with Blake Burns and you can check out our chat below
Emmy: How did the name come about?
Blake Burns: My friend Jean Lacerte and original drummer of the band heard it in a Hank III song. He called me right away and asked what I thought of it. I loved it and it stuck.
Emmy: How would you describe your genre to someone who isn't familiar with your music?
Blake Burns: I'm not sure that we fit real snugly into any one genre other than straight rock. We like to experiment with different genre's and form them into our rock thing. So its kinda all fair game.
Emmy: How did the band form?
Blake Burns: I was playing bass in a band that Jean was in with me. I have always been a guitar player since I was young and that what I really wanted to do. So I started writing the songs for H&H when I was in that band. When it ended I immediately put all my focus into H&H. Then while I was at Guitar Center in Palm Beach looking for a new sound to play with. I met Johnny Dusko. He liked what I was doing and agreed to come jam and see if it fit. We fit well together right away. I have become a better player and writer just from working with him being he is so talented. Then when Jean had to move for a job. We brought in Nate Largent. He really spiced things up on the songs and put them where they should be. Then after recording. We brought in Ian Pattison to join as a second guitar and to share the lead work. He has also made me a better player just from working with him. He is also very talented on guitar as well as being a recording engineer. So we have a great group and everyone is really tight in and out of the band.
Emmy: What are some of the artists that influence you?
Blake Burns: QOTSA, Frank Black, Them Crooked Vultures. I could go on forever really. I am a big lover of all things music.
Emmy: If you could tour with any artist or band (still active or not) who would it be? Blake Burns: QOTSA, Them Crooked Vultures, Frank Black, and The Catholics, Deep Purple. Again, I could go on and on. Emmy: What's your favorite show you've played? Blake Burns: Probably opening for Lukas Nelson at Sun Fest in Palm Beach last year. Was awesome to meet him and see his Dad's old famous bus with the indian on a horse art. I am a huge Willie fan. I really love all that old stuff that him Waylon and Cash did. Emmy: You guys just released 442, your debut EP. Can you explain how the writing process was for this album? Blake Burns: Well I started writing the songs when I was in the band before this. I think I wrote Low and Slow and Doublewide Party then. I also wrote Ciudad Muertoback then which the demo of is out. But the final of that will be on the upcoming LP that we are working on. A lot of the lyrics were written by me and Jean having beers over a fire and talking about the subjects I had in my head. I would just add out while Jean would talk stories and write all kinds of stuff that I would later organize. After he moved it became something that I now mainly do on my own in private. Emmy: What's your favorite track from the EP and why? Blake Burns: That's like asking which one of your kids you love the most. Hahahaha! The only way I can answer that is that I move around on stage the most when we play Showdown. Emmy: Can we expect a full-length album at some point? Blake Burns: Yes. We are currently working on a full-length LP. The recording process is going to be exciting. We have access to some rooms in an amazing house that we are going to utilize for things like drums. But we will also be doing a lot of the recording in our studio here in western Lake Worth FL. We want to incorporate some of the old ideas of using natural room sounds. Should be a lot of fun. Emmy: What's the future hold for Hell And Hollar? Blake Burns: We are about to head out on our Why The Hell Not Summer tour with stops in Johnson City TN at The Hideaway on June 26th, Milwaukee WI at Summerfest on the Uline Warehouse Stage June 28th, Fairfield Iowa June 29th (details to come), Raleigh NC at The Pour House July 2nd, July 3rd we will be in Andrews NC (details to come) and Atlanta GA at Smith's Old Bar Music Room July 4th. We also have some big news that we can't just yet spill the beans on. But go follow us on all our social channels to stay up to date with all things H&H.
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