HOT HOT HEAT INTERVIEW
Hot Hot Heat’s new album — the first with guitarist Luke Paquin, who joined the group after the departure of guitarist Dante DeCaro — was co-produced by the band, which also includes drummer Paul Hawley and bassist Dustin Hawthorne, and an array of top-notch producers including former Marvelous 3 frontman Butch Walker, legendary mixer Tim Palmer (U2, David Bowie, the Cure), and Rob Cavallo, known for his work with Green Day and My Chemical Romance amongst many others. “We were way more involved with the production on this record than ever before,” Bays says, “so it made sense to work with certain people on certain songs.”
The forthcoming release boasts a host of wonderfully unique songs. According to Bays, “’Outta Heart’ is the most non-Hot Hot Heat song we’ve ever done.” The song features falsetto vocals, Theremin, a full orchestra, and “a gang of girls singing backup.” Bays says the last song written for the album, “Harmonicas & Tambourines,” has lots of tricks - like four drum kits at once - that make it more than just a dance song. “It’s seedy and dark, but pretty,” he says.
“Like every album we’ve done, the new one feels drastically different than our previous ones,” Bays says. “We put a lot of emphasis on surprise this time around. There are lots of twists and turns and unpredictable arrangements and instrumentation choices — yet somehow it maintains an overall timelessness.”
Watch SMHTP’s interview with the band.
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The King Blues
The King Blues have come a long way in their four years together – and they're primed to go a lot further yet.
Armed with a ukulele, a guitar and a commitment to politics and resistance, The King Blues began life in 2004 when Itch and Jamie Jazz began performing at squat parties and punk shows in and around London. Guitarist Fruitbag joined soon after. Inspired by the reggae-reared punk bands such as The Clash, The Specials and Operation Ivy and the growing worldwide resistance movement, they played anywhere that would have them – pavements, car parks, political rallies and on The King Blues Sound System – a mobile PA carried on a giant tricycle that the band built, allowing them to play literally anywhere. Few bands can say they genuinely come from the streets, but The King Blues are one of them.