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Freakshow |
The Mike Hamel Interview
WM: I hear Freakshow has a new CD. What is it called? MH: It's called, "Love is Dead," and its an EP sort of. It was going to be an EP, but we ended up with seven songs so it's a few minutes longer than a normal EP. It was recorded at Danger, multi-track, where we did, "Mood Swings." It came out great. Its definitely a more raw album. WM: Is the sound different? MH: The new CD is a lot more focused. It's a lot more aggressive, but also more melodic. Like the title track, "Love is Dead," is pretty much all vocals. We're learning more and more and every song gets better and better, ya know? I'll listen to it myself when I'm on the computer because I really enjoy it. WM: Who produced it? MH: Joe Moonie, he's pretty much the sixth member of the band. We let him do what he thinks is right. It came out great. We've always been happy with him. WM: Do you have any distribution? MH: Not yet. I'm working on it pretty much every day on the computer, trying to find somebody who will pick it up. WM: So anybody who wants it should go to www.freakshowband.com? MH: Yea, freakshowband.com, you can even download the whole thing there right now. We'd prefer that you buy it, but you can hear it on-line too. WM: I also hear that you are planning a tour, is that true? MH: Yea, hopefully early January to February. I'm booking the shows myself, between bike courier jobs, and screen printing jobs. I'm looking at the East Coast, and maybe a little further out, where ever we can play. WM: How has touring been so far? MH: We just went on our first one in September and it was great. There were a couple of bummer shows, but it was still a great time. We played really well at all of the shows. WM: Have things been better the further away from September 11th we get? MH: It did play a part in a lot of those shows, but we really haven't played too much since that tour, so I'm not sure. WM: It's your first tour, but you guys have been together since like 1994 right? MH: It's probably longer than that. I joined the band in like '93 or '94, I don't even remember it was so long ago. WM: What do you think keeps it together?
MH: The friendships are strong. We have a good time together but we're all different personalities. We are all also strong personalities. We all listen to different music, but every now and then we all find a band that we like, like The Refused. Or I'll buy a record and be like, 'you guys should listen to this,' I know a couple of guys won't like it, but a few might. It can also make it hard to write songs. WM: You guys are all Rhode Islanders? MH: Pawtucket. WM: Are you shopping the EP around? MH: As much as we can, but if it's unsolicited they are using it for Frisbees or coasters. The record industry is so fickle now, they want a hit. They don't want to help develop a band. WM: Well you are smart to use the internet, and post the whole thing to get it heard. MH: I just got into computers, I hardly know what I'm doing. But I'm trying to use the tool as much as I can. I uploaded songs to garageband.com, which is cool because it lets people from like the US and Canada hear it. We're getting emails. Not everybody likes it, but the people who do seem to really like it. So everybody who was liking it I sent them a free CD, ya know. To me that's like free publicity, I don't mind returning the favor. They only heard one song, so see what you think of the whole thing. WM: What's the address people can write too if they can't email? MH: 22 Kimball Ave, Pawtucket, RI 02860. Just don't send any Anthrax, or shit ya know? |
Freakshow, Vic Thrill Review
I've known Mike Hamel from Freakshow since I moved up to Rhode Island. We both worked at the salvation Army store that used to be in North Attleboro on Route 1. It sucked, but the place was run by another young person so we all had fun. Mike was great, he had a pierced tongue and tattoos and freaked out old people. Freakshow was opening for 311 and Tree and had a kinda sloppy rap feel with some power chords. They've developed over the past 8 years into a powerhouse emo core band. I admit that I'm biased, but Freakshow delivers. They've won 2 Phoenix awards, Best Alternative (98) and Best Loud Act (01), so its not just me. The Greenroom wasn't too crowded, but it seems no place is these days. Freakshow fans did show up later on, but Vic Thrill played to a fairly open room. I feel sorry for the bands, but those of us going to shows are having a good time. Vic Thrill was ok electronic rock noise.
The lead singer used to be in the Bogmen, and it was their first show with a new drummer and keyboard/ bass player, but it was still well rehearsed and fun. The electronic/ noise factor wasn't overwhelming, it was something they built on. They did songs called, "Nobody's Watching the Radar," and "It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's a Floating Piece of Rain." They also did a song about the Williamsburg Killer who killed six women in their neighborhood in NYC. Freakshow played a really great set, even though Mike had hurt his ribs at their Thanksgiving show a few days earlier. The second vocalist, Jay more than made up for any parts Mike might have been slacking on. The drum and bass parts were also really tight. Its easy to overlook Mike and John's playing with the tow vocalists and the guitar, but they hold things down. They did some songs from the new EP like, "New Orleans," as well as some older stuff from "Mood Swings."
Check out Freakshow if you can. They'll be on tour early in 2002, or you can download songs at www.freakshowband.com. Their show sounds a little different that the CD, its stronger sounding and the energy that they put off is real.
Vic Thrill
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