An Interview With Die Hard Habits
A new single release from Die Hard Habits brings out a unique and catchy pop-rock single that keeps two elements of both alternative rock and punk while delivering a rhythm that bops and has a way of wrapping itself around you and keeping you right where it wants to.
" Tell The Neighbors" is packed to the brim with character and energy that borders on a live performance feel because it gives this vibe that the players are feeding off of each other the entire track.
It's really hard not to just start shaking your ass to this song because it's got such a deep groove and still bears that edginess that you look for in genuine rock music but all the while, the track has an almost theatrical or cinematic undertone to it that makes it different.
This single is endlessly fun and has elements that make it stand out from a cookie-cutter rock song in general but it's really that persona that it gives off that makes it so damn appealing. This track has style, character, rhythm, and really great guitar hooks that have this effect on them tone-wise which shows the band's ability to be experimental while still remaining really poppy.
There's definitely a lot going on but it doesn't feel like it all the time because it's sort of straightforward but in a colorful way.
The other thing is that you get this youthful energy but this maturity in songwriting approach that gets delivered throughout the song and that's something that is sort of hard to come by.
One of my favorite things about this release is that you can clearly hear the love for the craft that this band has because the song comes through with this heart behind it and you can tell this was a damn good time.
It also makes you want to see these guys live because the energy that's captured on the recording is something that's not always easy to do so you imagine that live this would just be killer to see.
There are also elements about this track that almost give off the feeling of nostalgia at times. I'm not sure why but it may be because of that unique and youthful vibe that you get.
I would have loved this song as a teenager, but I love it now too.
Maybe it feels like a song I've been listening to for years.
Either way, this is really fun, danceable, and packs a vibrant punch along with something that I've missed in music for quite some time.
Some of the guitar sections especially stick in your head for days after the song is over.
With the release of such a fun and well-woven single we wanted to have a sit-down with Die Hard Habits to find out where this track actually came from and what might be coming up next for the band.
Here's what went down.
TSWS: Okay, let's start with "Tell The Neighbors"! This single had such a fun feel to it and had tons of swagger! How did this release come about?
Adam (Vocals) - Our guitarist Andy is also a great vocalist and song writer. He likes to put together these simple punk riffs and he and I both care about lyrics. He had this weird skeleton of a song but the vibe of it was really undeniable. When we started working on it as a band, we just kept adding layers and it went from this punk thing to a gypsy ska thing. We like to let the music sort of dictate the process. A good song will reveal itself in that way.
Paula (Bass) – Andy played this song for me soon after I joined the band. It just so happened that I was working on some guitar ideas the week before and had this lick that I was trying to write an intro around. As soon as he played the song, I realized that lick would be perfect for Neighbors. This became the “bouncy bass line” as people like to refer to it, that you hear throughout the song. Recently, after our other guitarist left the band, and we decided to move on as a 4 piece, I did my own spin on a gypsy type lick he was playing. This is where you hear the synth parts.
Steve (Drums) - I love how this song evolved. Our previous guitarist layered-in a unique melodic riff over the opening which immediately took Andy's ska upbeat rhythm to something we spontaneously dubbed as Gypsy ska. It just sounded right. When we went from a 5 piece to a 4 piece and lost our second guitarist, Paula stepped up with a synth effect on her bass to backfill the distinctive riff and maintain the song's personality. After performing the song scores of times live, we went into the studio, and it took it another soulful turn when Adam layered in his vocal stylings which I swear I heard in Fiddler on the Roof.
Andy (Guitar) - I started by trying to write a punk-ska song. Operation Ivy is a huge influence of mine and if you listen to the rhythm and even the lyrics, you’ll hear something that resembles a song influenced by them. Of course, I’m lucky enough to have some awesome musicians in this band who applied their own vision and helped shape the sonic structure of this song.
TSWS: How did this all start for you as a band?
Adam - I started writing songs by myself as a sort of natural extension to poetry but I sucked at all instruments. So, I picked up a uke and started writing these 3-4 chord songs and at a certain point I hooked up with these actual musicians and they turned those 4 chord things into songs. That’s how it started, but now we all write and compose. I still suck at playing though. I never really got better.
Paula – I joined when the band was still Uncle Momma Kitty. Since then, we have had some lineup changes and the music has evolved into something much edgier than how it started.
Andy - We started as a 6 piece band with 5 ukuleles and a guitar. Joking! (sort of). The original version of Die Hard Habits was a more acoustic/folky band called Uncle Momma Kitty. The songs still had plenty of post-punk inspiration, but a less gritty sound.
TSWS: What kind of things really inspire songs for you?
Adam - In my opinion it’s almost impossible to write a song that you don’t have a deep personal connection to. People do it, but for me if the song doesn’t make me hurt in some way it’s not worth doing.
Andy- I’m inspired by real world experiences and the emotional energy of those moments.
This track has some awesome approaches to it! Can you give us some of your biggest influences musically?
Paula – my playing has been influenced by my love of 80s hair bands, 90s grunge and Texas blues.
Andy - Like many artists, I’m largely inspired by the era of my youth. Soundgarden, Rancid, Fugazi, Pumpkins, Metallica, to name a few. There is some inspiration from the rock pioneers like Hendrix, Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Moody Blues.
TSWS: What are you all doing when you're NOT working on music?
Adam - when I’m not working in music I’m trying to pay the bills.
Paula – working my day job (Radiology), enjoying good food, wine and whiskeys.
Steve - Fortunately (or not), my time outside the band is spent at my day job pickling quinoa.
Andy - I’m a family guy, so when I’m not doing music, you can find me hanging with my wife.
TSWS: Who's in all your headphones right now?
Adam- in my headphones is a lot of 90s hip hop. Tribe, De la soul, Jurassic 5. Either that or turned down acoustic indie stuff like The Staves.
Paula - Boygenius, Foo Fighters, Inhaler, Kaleo
Steve - I've got a bunch of current post punk bands on constant repeat including Cola, Shame, Yard Act, Courting, Dick Dudley, Pardoner, Sorry and Fontaines DC, amongst a few others.
Andy - Right now I can’t stop listening to Turnstile. Those guys have an amazing sound.
TSWS: Are you doing any live performances right now?
Paula - Aug 3 – Come and Take It Live – Austin, TX
Aug 13 – Antone’s – Austin, TX
Andy - We have several booked for this month, but most of our focus is recording material for our EP.
Do you record these at a big studio or do you have a home studio set-up?
Paula - We are currently working with Omar Vallejo at 512 Studios in Austin, TX. He produced Tell the Neighbors, and we are doing our entire EP with him. We will also re-record our 3 older songs (done with a different producer/studio) that are currently on streaming (Checkin’ Me Out, Pointless Heart Attack and Kennedy) at 512 Studios.
Steve - We aren't big enough to have a home studio set-up.
Andy - I have a home set up for scratch tracks and minor mixing, but we definitely take advantage of the awesome studios in Austin .. specifically, 512 Studios.
TSWS: What can your fans expect from you in the near future?
Paula - Our EP, Hey You!, should be released by Q1 2024. It will be quite a diverse mix of music. We are also working on some videos and writing more songs.
Steve - In the not-too-distant future, our fans can expect they'll be standing a little further away from the stage than they do now.
Andy - We have an upcoming EP and are always working on new music!
TSWS: Before we go, what would you like to say to fans of the music?
Paula – We play what we love without trying to make it fit in a box, and we hope that people will enjoy that musical journey with us. Thanks so much to all of you who are listening!
Steve - I'd love to tell our fans of the music that we are humbly fortunate to have their ears.
Andy - Sincerely, thank you for the support. Thank you for introducing your friends to our music and bringing them to our shows. We truly appreciate you!