[An excerpt from a Hells Hills interview conducted in late 2006 by Javier Kensky for Ethereal Streetdust Magazine.]
I caught up with the ragtag ambient/noise/improv/drone collective known as Hells Hills at a local NYC coffee shop. The quintet has been performing their strange music around the city for the better part of two years and are steadily gathering steam. I found them evocative, enigmatic and sheepishly grim--------- [JK]: Why Hells Hills? Why now?
[Casey Block]: The idea of a large group doing free soundscape type stuff was always in mind for everyone involved, plus it keeps us off the streets and out of trouble.
[JK]: Since you mention that, what about certain members of the group being associated with gangs in the past?
[William Haugh]: That was a long time ago, man. C’mon.
[JK]: A sore subject?
[William Haugh]: What’s done is done, let it go.
[JK]: Fair enough. Brent, you’ve been called the “jazzbo” of the group, how do you address that?
[Brent Cordero]: (Cordero shifts uncomfortably in chair) We all bring something to the table and have our own influences. It’s why the group has such an original sound and-
[Nick Forté]: (interrupting and annoyed) Look, we have tried every genre of music with this band; folk, techno, goddamn chamber music…
[Greg Peterson]: (sipping chai) Gospel…briefly.
[Nick Forte]: Right, I forgot that one. We can do anything with this band. If the money is good, we’re there. Period. We’re just trying to make a living as musicians.
[JK]: So, is instrumental improvised noise music all that lucrative?
[Casey Block]: Time will tell.
[JK]: About your rumored interest in the dark arts, the occult, is it true you worship Satan?
[William Haugh]: It’s actually the other way around.
[Greg Peterson]: We hear Lucifer is a huge fan of our group, which could help us down the road.
[Nick Forté]: He’s often in New York City, so hopefully he’ll turn up at one of the gigs…we’ll see.
The Green Knight- The Eternal OM CS Bong-hit noise scrapple from Jeff Rahuba (Long Legged Woman) and Doug Patterson (Better People). Abrasive tape manipulations fall down the stairs and paranoid murmurs. A longing for times past when majik and pagan rites were employed in direct communion with the forces of nature. This is folk music, a lament.
First cassette for Thor's Rubber Hammer! Edition of 100 $5 PPD.
f'real f'real: hills of hell on promise and warning tonight at 9 sunday mornin (in church) at 10, and everafter in the archives: viva-radio.com/promiseandwarning thanks for blessing us with the songs!
The bill has been announced for the 12/30 Casbah show:
CREEDLE Bunky Donald Wilson (can you believe it??) Secret Fun Club
Tix available at casbahmusic.com. We've been told they are going fast.
I've been receiving requests to play some of my fave Creedle tracks and rarities on my EVR radio show in anticipation of the reunion so I am going to dedicate this week's installment accordingly (regardless of the awkwardness of it). The show is archived for your listening convenience the next two weeks leading up to the show at:
