Interview with HAGSTONE
!!!HARD ROCK FROM THE USA!!!
Welcome to the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine.
Tell us a few things about HAGSTONE (Members, Starting Year etc).
Hagstone is Alison on bass and vocals, Forrest and Joe on guitars, and Nathan on drums. Hagstone started off with Forrest, Nathan, and original bassist Spazzy having a few jam sessions in October of 2023. The three of us got together because we all share a love for hard rock, psych-rock, proto-metal, NWOBHM, etc. and decided to get together and see what we could come up with. Nobody was taking it super seriously at first or had any set goals in mind but gradually things began to take shape and we started to focus on writing full songs and rehearsing them. Joe joined up, Spazzy left the group to do some traveling, and after trying out a few singers, Forrest's wife, Alison, stepped up to not only fill the bass void but to take on vocals as well. We began practicing regularly and quickly realized all of us play really well together and were having a lot of fun. So, we kept practicing, settled on a band name, and recorded our demo.
You have recently released your demo ''Demo '24''. What is the feedback from your audience as well as from the press?
We are a little blown away. Reception has been really great so far. It's only been out for 24 hours and FILTHY DOGS OF METAL has already reached out to do this interview so it seems like it's going well!
Label or DIY and why?
DIY for us so far since we're a brand new band and working on getting our music out there and playing some shows, but the future is wide open. All of us have been playing in bands in the DIY punk and underground scene for many years so that's always been our ethic.
Is there any funny or weird story from the recordings or from your live shows that you would like to share with us?
We are a completely brand new band and we actually haven't played out yet. Our first gig is coming up next month here in Richmond, Virginia. Our recording process went smoothly with the help of audio wizard Russell Lacy, so nothing too wild beyond us getting pretty stoned at times - but Forrest and Nathan have been playing music together since teenage years so there is a long history of acting like idiots together across many states. It's certain that isn't going to stop anytime soon.
Do you prefer Vinyl, Tape, CD or Digital Format and why is that?
All physical media feels superior to digital because there's something special about a tangible item that you can enjoy while you listen to the music within. From checking out album artwork in a gatefold LP or a record insert, a J-card in cassette tape, or when bands go the extra step and throw in cool stuff like flyers, stickers, etc. Digital media is great for sharing quickly and for portability but we plan on physical releases in the future for sure. The demo that is up on our Bandcamp page was the fastest way for us to make our music available to everyone.
Your music style is Hard Rock. Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)
So many bands that we could mention but a short list would include Motorhead, Girlschool, Dr. Feelgood (Joe says all rock and NWOBHM produced by Vic Maile), Thin Lizzy, AC/DC, Judas Priest, Heart, Hawkwind, Pink Fairies, Diamondhead, Masters Apprentices, Pretty Things, ZZ Top, The Kinks, Discharge, and early UK anarcho-punk. Many more of course but we're all music nerds so we'll stop ourselves there.
Which things do you think a band should sacrifice in order to succeed? Have you ever sacrificed anything in your life for a better future for your band?
Time is definitely the biggest sacrifice I think we all make. All of us are in our early 40s, work full-time jobs, and Joe and his girlfriend just had a baby, so time is something that seems more precious to us than it did say in our early 20s. We all sacrifice time, money, and energy each week to make sure we can rehearse our current songs and work on new material. A few of us have upgraded our gear throughout the formation of Hagstone as well to help improve our sound and unfortunately musical equipment isn't cheap - but we really enjoy what we're doing so any sacrifice we've had to make so far has been worth it.
Describe your ideal live show as a performance band. Have you already experienced that?
We're a brand new band and actually haven't performed live yet. Our debut gig is coming up next month here in Richmond, Virginia, and we're excited to finally play live. Some things that would be a part of an ideal gig would be playing with bands that fall within a similar genre, or at least flow together sound-wise like in the same way if you were putting together a mix tape for someone. It always seems best when you see a band perform that leaves a lasting impression on you or can evoke strong feelings or emotions. Energetic performances are always the best and conversely it can be a massive letdown to see a band you're excited about and their live performance is lackluster.
What attributes do you think that a new Hard Rock Band should have in order to gain identity and be unique?
It's important for any band to take from their influences without straight up ripping anyone off. Nobody wants to listen to carbon copies of other bands constantly, it gets old fast. Of course there are "worship" type bands that I think all of us enjoy from time to time but I think in order for a new band to truly stand out there has to be a degree of originality. Each member of Hagstone brings something different to the group as a whole and we all hope that shows within our music.
Do you believe that Digital Platforms help the new Hard Rock Bands? Which, do you think, is the ideal way for a band to promote its music?
We definitely do to an extent. As mentioned earlier, we feel like digital platforms are the fastest and least expensive way to put yourselves out there. Some sites make it easier for bands to sell their music and merch than others and there is so much new music out there that it's inevitable that some really good bands get lost to the algorithms. So overall, depending on the platform, digital can be a good way to share music in a pretty DIY manner.
Do you see any differences between the US Hard 'n Heavy Metal Market & the EU Hard 'n' Heavy Metal Market (Labels, Bands, Fans etc)?
Yeah. We actually like a lot of newer European Heavy Metal and Hard Rock bands because many of them seem to be going for a more classic sound which is what we are into. There are definitely some US bands that are doing this too but it seems to be more prevalent in the European scene.
Tell us a few things about the New Underground Hard 'n' Heavy Metal Scene in Richmond, Virginia (Bands, Fanzines, Webzines, Metal Clubs etc.)
Richmond has a lot of really great bands happening at the moment. Richmond is most famous for being the home of bands like GWAR, Municipal Waste, Bat, and Windhand but there are many other bands doing really awesome stuff right now. Our friends in the hardcore punk band DESTRUCT as well as heavy industrial act PRISONER and metal punk maniacs LOUD NIGHT continue to crank out slabs of punishing music and have been touring regularly. Some other Richmond bands worth checking out include LEFT CROSS, ASM, PUBLIC ACID, INVERTEBRATES, LE MORTE, SERQET (Forrest and Alison's other band!), CIMITIR, R-COMPLEX, FRIED REALITY, and CICADA. Fortunately a lot of newer bands have been popping up left and right as a younger generation seems to have emerged locally, and it's awesome to see more kids carrying the torch of underground and heavy music. Bars, clubs, and DIY spots come and go seemingly in waves but we're fortunate to have a few spots where folks have put on outdoor generator shows as well as a few long-running DIY spaces.
Do you know anything about the Hellenic Hard 'n' Heavy Metal Scene?
Not enough, unfortunately. That Aphrodite's Child: 666 album is fucking awesome though.
The last 4 years, worldwide in the world, we have faced many dark, strange & new situations in our everyday life (covid, lock-down etc.) Did all of this affect you positively or negatively?
Lockdown during the start of the pandemic was wild because I think it made a lot of people come to a lot of major realizations - namely the frivolousness of capitalism - at least here in the United States. I think it made a lot of people make some serious changes in their behavior and lives, for better or for worse. As the world was on hold during that time, it allowed a lot of time for personal creative exploration and growth. People were trying new hobbies out for the first time, focusing on writing music at home or masked and from a distance with close groups of people. We were fortunate that we all maintained our health, some of us quit or really dialed back drinking and drugging, and I think everyone can say that we can now recognize many things that we once took for granted - especially playing music together or being at a sweaty beer-saturated gig. Overall, I think there have been some positives despite all of the horror.
What are your future plans?
We have some upcoming gigs on the horizon and are hoping to record some more tracks in the fall!
Thank you very much for your time & keep up the good work! The closure is yours.
Thanks so much for reaching out and for allowing us the time to speak a little bit about ourselves and our music. Please check out the Richmond bands mentioned within this interview. Many of them have Bandcamp pages or records and tapes that are available. Free Palestine!
By Steve the Filthy Dog.
HAGSTONE CONTACT:
https://www.instagram.com/hagstonerva/
https://hagstonerva.bandcamp.com/album/demo-24