Write up and Interview from Keeper Magazine

It’s all too easy to lose yourself in the jaded hustle and bustle of the Hollywood/LA fast track/onetrack-mindset. It seems that it all has to happen here, there, now, and in a specific way. It takes a certain kind of person to move to the land of glitter and glam to further one’s ambitions and goals, and that person on a mission. What is often forgotten on this fast track, however, is remembering how you got there and why you’re doing it. Hostile Groove is on a mission to rule the world with heavy music. Inserted is the “Devils Advocate” mission of staying true to one’s roots no matter what the cause. Sitting down with Hostile Groove was a refreshing and nostalgic experience that reminded me what it’s really all about: The Love of Music, the Love of Metal, and the Love of here and the Now…

By: Leah Collery

Hostile Groove is an East Coast born band from Uxbridge, Massachusetts who has been around since 1995. In 1999 Singer/guitarist Shawn McPherson and drummer Dan Welby relocated to Hollywood in order to expand their musical capabilities and knowledge at the Musicians Institute, where they recruited Aric Wright on bass. They have received much attention, as well as unprecedented amount of support, driven and derived solely from the blind faith and belief of those who have invested their time, energy, and efforts into the manifest station of Hostile Groove. Hostile Groove remains a prime example of “What you put into something is what you get”.

Keeper: What is your message? What are your songs about?
Shawn: It’s about being productive, pushing as hard as you can, and brutality.
Aric: What you want can be accomplished if you dedicate yourself to it as much as you possibly can.
Dan: Do it.

K: You guys have a new album coming out February 7th called “Unleash The Massattack” What does this title mean?
S: Well, we want it to be in the eye of the beholder, but from a broad perspective from us means, “Take a look at what’s going on and don’t take it for granted. We’re all going to die soon and we should figure out how we want to live before that happens.”
A: It means “Take cover all you poser trend following motherfuckers!” (laughing)

K :You guys went to the Musicians Institute. What was your experience? Do you feel that you learned a lot? There are a lot of people who have heard about it, but they have negative assumptions about it…
S: Musicians Institute gave us an atmosphere with an almost unlimited amount of resources to work one hundred percent on the band and on top of that it also made us more universal as musicians instead of just straight metal players.. It was worth it. I got my moneys worth.
A: I think it’s how someone goes into it and their mind-set. If they think it’s something they are going to go into and all of the sudden make them have a great career or suddenly make them a good musician then that’s not really going to happen. You have to go in knowing that what you put into it is what you’re going to get out of it. Anything you want is there, from learning your instrument to business, recording, repair, you name it. There, you can find people with the same focus and direction.
D: It was great, music all the time, all different kinds.

K: What do you guys think about the LA scene?
S: There’s a scene here?
A: Yeah… (laughs) It’s different out here compared to other towns in the country. When you live here you can basically see any band you want to see.
S: Yeah, we’re building our own scene. We’re not trying to find a scene. It’s time to start our own.
D: Exactly. It’s spread out so that’s the only way you got to do in LA. You do what you got to do and create your own. Find your team, your friends, your fans…

K: How many shows do you guys play on an average and what’s the response?
S: We play about 2 shows a month. We played this one show where there were a bunch of Japanese kids in the crowd. There was this kid there, we call him the “shoe bandit” because he would come up on stage and take off his shoe then chuck it as hard as he could into the mosh pit. Then he would go back down, find it, and do it all over again. That same night another kid got up onstage buck naked from the waste down when I was in the middle of my solo in our Creeping Death cover song. I looked up and choked on the solo! It was hilarious! Hopefully some of this footage will make it to the Hostile Groove home video (DVD) that is coming out towards the end of the year (or early 2004). The shows keep getting bigger and better.

K: I’ve noticed that you guys have never played shows as such places like the Whisky or the Roxy. Why?
S: Well, even though we would love to play through their P.A. Systems and that quality of gear, it’s not worth it to charge our fans $15 for something they can see for $7 at the Dragon Fly or the Teaszer. Pre-selling tickets is a mess and I’m not denying that one day we’ll have to do it, but I’d rather have a good time at a little club and pack the house than to spend 2 grand to play at the Whiskey. It’s hard enough being a starving musician, than to have to dish out money out of your pocket to play a show. Our CD release party will be at the Whisky, but that’s a special occasion. Luckily there are still clubs to play that are cash at the door, discount with a flyer.
D: I tell you what I think… I think that if a band wants to play at any venue they should never have to pay for parking. I think that is one of the most fucked up things about LA. It’s just wrong.

K: How do you guys feel about the music industry?
D: Umm…corrupt. (Snidely joking under his breathe)
S: It rocks if you can afford a good lawyer. We’re lucky because we’re at a turning point in the industry where we can go either way. We have the option to be independent which is what most of the world is starting to turn towards. Back in the day bands would basically get signed and it was hit or miss to become rich and famous. Now a days the home studio recording era is starting to take over where everyone can do it on their own. We’re pretty lucky to be coming out at a time where we can take advantage of either one.

You guys have your own independent records label. What’s involved with having your own record label?
S: For now we are the only band on the label. We do business as Massattack Records and with that we are able to run our own business. We spend on average six to eight hours a day working on anything band/label related, after an eight hour day of work. All the money we make and earn filters through the name Massattack Records and it goes to anything like promotion, CD replication, merchandise, recording, gas, vehicle repair, etc. It’s also the name we’d like to rule the world with, unless another record label comes along and wants to rule the world with us and help us accomplish our dreams. Otherwise, we want to be the next metal Ani De Franco!

What is it that you would look for in a record label?
D: Complete submission!
S: I think too many bands get signed and aren’t a priority band which does the exact opposite of what the band was hoping for. Also, we would need a record label that would help us keep our creative rights. If they did that, then that would mean they believe in us and would build upon that. Massattack Records would be the foundation that a record label could work from and sink money into…
A: Not sink money into, but invest into! (laughs) Not the money for us, but the money for tour support, merchandise, distribution, shit like that.

K: How did the CD recording come about?
S: We prepped a lot knowing we had no budget. We did pre-production for 6 months before we recorded the album and tracked all the reference tracks at home. We recorded and mixed at Tommy Tadesco studios in Hollywood with Paul Murphy, and mastered it at Extasy Studios in Beverly Hills with Mike Lazer. We recorded 14 songs in three days. It was definitely the biggest challenge in the world to get the final un-mastered product in… (counting in his head but out loud) in a little over 40 hours. Considering the money and time we put into it, it came out perfect.
D: It was brutal. I won’t ever forget it.

K: Where is the best place to purchase your CD when it comes out?
S: The CD will be on consigned to a couple stores in town but the best place to get it is on our website or at our shows. It’s an Enhanced CD with 10 video clips, extra audio, pictures, and information about the band. There is something for everybody on this album

K: What are your plans after the CD is released?
S: Write another album and hopefully be able to repeat this in another year. We’re shooting for local mini tours in California and we plan to go back to Massachusetts and do an East Coast tour. A: Write more music, play more shows, and kick more ass!

What is your motto in life?
S: Live to jam, jam to live.
D: Work hard, work smart.
A: Play the music you want to play, and not the music “they” want you to play.

K: What do you guys think about Keeper magazine?
A: I think Keeper magazine is bad ass! I think it’s definitely a true magazine for people who are really into metal. The first one I got I read from front to back. They cover almost everything I want to read about…
S: Alls I can say is that Haunted was on the cover of one (like a little kid in a candy store) and of all the stuff I read I like over fifty percent of what they cover. They are doing their magazine what we are doing with our band.
D: It’s cool. I want to see more.

What would you say is the main motivation for the success of your music?
D: Getting across a positive message.
A: That a person in the audience, if just for a moment could fell what I’m feeling to be able to make a connection and forget everything else through music.
S: To be able to send a positive message through aggressive music. The more people that hear it the more people might not take for granted what they have in life. If nothing else, I find peace in myself.