back from their tour, it was the right time to ask Billy Hopeless (vocals) a few questions?“Alive Without Control” has just been released in Europe. It seems like you guys are very proud of it. How would you describe it compared to “The Violent Years”?Yeah jack Really thrives on that plus we never have much time so its crash and burn as usual .Its funny though some people always say were overproduced and we all laugh !
How did you first meet Adam, your new guitar player?
We met him on one of our first American tours and he’s always been like a brother to us now he’s finally joined the family .
You just came back from a Canadian tour, how was it? You probably have a few anecdotes to share with us?
Ha Canada is always good to us as it’s our home and native land . I think the most fun we have is taking Americans like Adam ,ZEKE ,or most recently our merch girl Shauna across and introducing them to Canadian culture ! Tim Hortons /Cheese curds/snow and moose you know it’s Canada!
The BLACK HALOS are always on the road, is music the only thing you do? Or do you all have jobs that allow you to go on tour whenever you want to?
I try to write for zines and i do a radio show when I’m at home but its hard to get let alone keep a job when you’re labelled as a black halo.
Is there a difference between Canadian and U.S audiences/shows?
Yeah Canadian audiences generally like to have more fun than U.S. ones and they wear toques while U.S. audiences wear beanies or wool caps !
Who are your favourite singers/lyricists/performers?
Wow there’s way too many to list but I really dig a Canadian songwriter called Art Bergmann right now ,hmm Little Richard,Alice Cooper,the RAMONES ,Ben Weasel , Lou Reed,Jesse Malin Simon and Garfunkle,D.O.A,S.N.F.U, the ZERO BOYS ,the MISFITS ,old KISS man there’s too many.
What other Canadian bands have you enjoyed lately?
the WEDNESDAY NIGHT HEROES ,RAISED BY WOLVES ,the FORGOTTEN REBELS ,ILLUMINATTI,the REBEL SPELL, Canada got a lot of great punk rocknroll.
Somebody once said ‘punk is not dead, it just sucks now’ do you agree?
No i think its more alive than ever but that statement is so punk !hahah
When I met you in L.A, you told me how important fanzines/webzines are to you. What are your favourite ones? Do you regret the time when fanzines where only paper DIY cut and paste zines?
No its like punk stores in the mall i think its cooler to see a store selling MISFITS and FEAR shirts than another Gap type store . I still like photo copy zines but i also like glossies it’s the content that matters. I’m probably going to start writting for LOUD FAST RULES so ill say they’re my fav cause they?ll hire me um and I like PLEASE KILL YOURSELF which is a photo copy zine from Houston, Texas , I really like FAT CITY and RAZORCAKE as well ,oh and POPULAR UNO from Spain rules ,I like RUE MORGUE horror zine man I like too many it’s like music dig ’em all no matter how big or small .man that was so phallic like a mae west quote or sumthin.
What books would you advise us to read?
Well, I really like Groucho Marx’s writting see everybody always compares us to the STOOGES and though i love Lary,Moe,and Culry I?m way more of Marx Brothers fan i guess we’re kinda like a Marxist band .oh i just read David Cassidy’s biography and he makes MOTLEY CRUE look like kindergarten kids when it comes down to debauchery ,hmmm Please Kill Me is a must read but if you aint read it you’re probably not reading this dig.
5 albums that you couldn’t live without?
Simon and Garfunkle’s gretaest hits ,the RAMONES anthology ,and our three albums.
What’s next for the BLACK HALOS? A European tour in March 2006?
I’m really hoping that happenism told the gears are in motion and I cant wait !!!!! we’re starting the new year off with a date opening up for SOCIAL DISTORTION in their home town of Aneheim, CA. so i think it’s going to be a great year.
Veglam 