SPIKE HELLIS

Spike Hellis seems to be a new fast rising star in the Electro-Industrial universe and will play their first Belgian show at the renowned International EBM Day festival at De Casino in St-Niklaas (B). So, reason enough to ask these pleasant Americans some questions.

How did Spike Hellis come together as a band and what inspired you both to start an industrial band?

We met in the Los Angeles electronic music scene in 2017 but didn’t start making music together until late 2019. Our rehearsal space was deep in the warehouse district near Skid Row and our sound was shaped by that environment.

Can you share some of the key musical influences that have shaped the sound and style of Spike Hellis?

We often are labeled as an industrial/EBM group but we think our sound is more akin to 80s hip hop, freestyle and techno. Of course we like NIN, Nitzer Ebb and Skinny Puppy but we primarily apply those vocal stylings to our brand of pop.

What is the typical creative process like when creating new music for Spike Hellis? How do you collaborate and generate ideas?

Our EP was written in our first few sessions. We weren’t questioning ourselves and kept things very minimal. Our space was very small but our sound system was very loud. We didn’t need a lot of layers for things to feel and sound complete. When the pandemic hit us we didn’t have a need to rehearse because there weren’t any shows anyway. We set up a recording studio and began slowly collecting ideas. Instead of picking a direction for the album, we kind of let it take us to where we needed to go. Each song is very different but in the end that’s what makes it cohesive. It was complete for over a year before we released it. The waiting was due to slow turnaround from pressing plants and waiting for live events to come back.

Has Spike Hellis' music and performance evolved since you started gigging?

We haven’t changed our approach at all from the first show we played. We’re still touring our first album because we are very proud of it. We want more people to hear it first before we move on from it.

I remember a quite punky after show gig in a record store somewhere in LA. How do you approach live performances and what elements do you focus on to create a compelling stage presence for your audience?

There is no shortage of “Darkwave” duos in Los Angeles. In order to separate ourselves we knew we’d have to bring a different energy than a lot of our peers. When we started, our aim was to play late night warehouse parties, not stages. Our vertical rig came from the necessity of being mobile and compact. Lainey is usually standing on something so she can operate the top shelf when she’s not working the crowd. Our performances are very personal. We play every show like no one has ever heard of us—we have to be able to pull energy out of thin air.

Can you delve into the themes and messages behind your lyrics? How do you come up with the concepts for your songs?

Our lyrics are hardly cryptic. We write directly about our firsthand life experiences. This is our outlet and how we keep ourselves healthy.

As an industrial band, what challenges have you faced in the music industry and how have you navigated them?

There’s a lot of challenges being in any band. The success we’ve found is manifested in the work itself, that being our music and shows. We don’t have a record label, we don’t have management. We don’t have a publicist, we hardly post on social media and we don’t particularly like being interviewed either. By design, a lot of industry heads are there to take money from you. We are self-sustaining by doing almost everything ourselves. People both like and dislike us based on our attitude. We are humbled and thankful for the opportunities we’ve had but we come to your city to do a job, not make friends and take pictures. The fans we do have are very loyal because they understand us.

Do you have any personal favourite tracks that you've created, and if so, what makes them stand out for you?

We play a few songs live that we’ve recorded but never released. They haven’t really fit on anything we’ve put out yet but the energy is there on stage.

Have there been any notable collaborations with other artists or bands, and (how) have these collaborations influenced your music?

Quite a few musicians we’ve looked up to are actually now our peers or friends. Instead of them influencing us, it has given us the confidence to continue to carve out our own path and draw inspiration from within.

Soon you will be performing at the International EBM Day festival in St-Niklaas, Belgium. To what extent do you feel involved in the EBM scene and do you have any related icons in that scene?

EBM is a cornerstone of dark electronic music and a crucial part of Spike but we want to see the genre pushed further into places we haven’t seen yet, rather than mimic what we’ve heard for decades. We are drawn to primitive and minimal body music even though it might not be apparent from listening to us.

What can fans expect from Spike Hellis in the near future? Are there any upcoming projects, albums or tours you're excited about?

We don’t really know what to expect ourselves. At this point, we have an EU tour, then a Latin America tour in the spring on the books. We’ve declined any bookings for the rest of the year in order to start working on LP 2. We’re unsure how fast we will get it done but are in no hurry.

Ok, thanks for this interview and we are looking forward to see perform on International EBM Day!

SPIKE HELLIS will perform an exclusive show at INTERNATIONAL EBM DAY at De Casino in St-Niklaas, Belgium on Saturday Februay 24th! Click here for more info!

Fred GADGET
20/01/2024