Interview: Post Gig Chat with HARLOTT’s Andrew Hudson… Posted: 24/05/2018 by Philip Morrissey
“I think that is the one thing that we get away with when we play shows. They can see what we are doing, we love doing. I get up there and have an enjoyable time”.
The words of Andrew Hudson of Australian thrash metal band, HARLOTT. They have just come off stage to a ripping approval from the gathering crowd in the Voodoo Lounge on a warm Tuesday afternoon. Despite the early time of day it is, many gave been queuing for a while to get to see them. The bustling crowd on the street outside are mainly people heading home after a days work, but for HARLOTT, they are the openers, on what is a fairly well stacked evening’s entertainment. They bookend the occasion being the only thrash band other than head-line act, HAVOC. After he did his obligations at the merch desk, I sat down with him to get his opinions on a number of issues including how the current tour has progressed so far, the complications with being a touring band from down under, surviving the ‘New Thrash’ phase and looking forward.
Photo by Daragh Kenny
Many Irish fans would have had their first encounter with the band when the played support to ANNIHILATOR in Dublin just over three years ago. Speaking with a number of people on the way in, they were primarily here to see them above any other band. He was clearly delighted when I relayed this to him. “Tonight has definitely been the best night of people coming up and saying “We had to come see you again” and “We are stoked that you are here again and really hope that you come back”. There has been a couple of HARLOTT shirts sold at most dates but a lot were sold tonight. So, obviously it worked the last time we were here”. As the opener, it can often be difficult. Especially when you are on early as was the case here. “Yeah, it’s hard to get them to give a shit. A lot of them are saving themselves for the main act or the acts that they wanted to see. We really have to try and surprise them. It’s difficult to do but it’s something that we have done quite well on this tour I think. We have been making a lot of conversions at every show. No matter the size of the crowd, we have been able to get a good response”.
When the bands for this date were announced, fans were slightly puzzled. There did not seem to be the connection of acts under the same label, or those within the same genre of music. They were the only thrash band included other than the headliners. Elsewhere, you had a death/grind band and a melodic death metal outfit also. Hudson filled me in on the booking decisions behind it. “Our record label, Metal Blade, got in touch with us and said, “This tour is looking for two openers; would you be interested?” And we were like; yeah definitely. Put our name forward. CEPHALIC CARNAGE are good friends with DARKEST HOUR and HAVOK, so that’s why they got on. We were put with three other bands to decide on the other opener. HAVOK, or DARKEST HOUR, or both, listened to all the bands and picked us. So, it was pretty special to be chosen on that merit.” It is clear to see his personal pride to be selected in such a fashion. “It wasn’t like we could afford to pay the buy-on, or just knew the right people. The fact that we were selected because of our music was great. I don’t let good news like that sink in too easily and I haven’t quite acknowledged it fully yet. It was definitely the best part of it. We got the tour because they like our stuff. So, I am happy for that”.
Photo by Daragh Kenny
For any thrash band who has emerged over the past decade, the ‘New Thrash’ tag has been a bit of a blessing and a curse. It did bring the genre back into the wider attention. It did also see a proliferation of bands who came and went in the blink of an eye. Operating in Australia meant they missed out a lot of this. It was only when they arrived in Europe that such a topic began to be put to them. “We got booked on the ANNIHILATOR tour and coming overseas and people would be doing interviews like this. They were saying “Thrash is dying. Again! What are you guys going to do?” And we would be like “What?! Why do you think it’s dying?” But it is clear that what they are doing is for the love of it. “I want to write the songs that I want to hear and do the things musically that I want to do. The ‘New Thrash’ thing was… it was great that there was a resurgence but it didn’t really affect me at all. I didn’t factor it in when I was starting out. If we got a little bit more fame because of it; would be fantastic. But I am going to continue to do this and hope that people like what I do”.
Their last visit to Europe, and this current one, were both quite extensive tours. Although it allows the band to visit and play in front of many new audiences, the undertaking involved is quite exhaustive. An aspect that many fans, and indeed bands, in Europe fail to take into consideration at times. For the HARLOTT members it can be quite difficult to arrange around work and family commitments. The financial and logistical arrangements are also tough to prepare for. Hudson states explicitly what was involved. “We spent nearly ten thousand Australian dollars on flights to get there. And then we had to pay for the tour bus, the visas, and everything else. When we come, we can’t just do this tour, go back home and then do another one in two weeks. We don’t live around here. But yeah, it is very difficult to get overseas. It is also what every Australian band dreams to do. We know that the scene in Australia is great but Europe kicks the shit out of what we have going on down under”.
Their last visit to Europe, and this current one, were both quite extensive tours. Although it allows the band to visit and play in front of many new audiences, the undertaking involved is quite exhaustive. An aspect that many fans, and indeed bands, in Europe fail to take into consideration at times. For the HARLOTT members it can be quite difficult to arrange around work and family commitments. The financial and logistical arrangements are also tough to prepare for. Hudson states explicitly what was involved. “We spent nearly ten thousand Australian dollars on flights to get there. And then we had to pay for the tour bus, the visas, and everything else. When we come, we can’t just do this tour, go back home and then do another one in two weeks. We don’t live around here. But yeah, it is very difficult to get overseas. It is also what every Australian band dreams to do. We know that the scene in Australia is great but Europe kicks the shit out of what we have going on down under”.
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‘Extinction’ was released through Metal Blade last April. It has been very well received on most counts. The level of touring done in its aftermath was noticeably limited. Hudson explains this. “We weren’t getting the right offers. We held off and waited until something really good came up. And what we have here is a very good tour package and a very good deal. So, technically, this is touring the ‘Extinction’ release. Which is nice because I am quite proud of that album”. Being able to perform new and fresh material is something that is important to them. “Yeah, I probably would not have done the tour unless I had a new product to peddle. Because I didn’t want people coming to the shows and us providing the same old stuff as before. It’s easily our most evolved album. So, it’s good to be able to say, “Here’s what we are doing now”. He is anticipating what lies ahead of him once the tour dates are completed. “Five shows left! Glasgow, Birmingham, off to Belguim and two dates in Germany. And then back home. Back to the real world! Back to my job and my fucking cat!”
But there is not going to be much lazing around when they get home. The band already have plans set for the near future. “We have most of the next album written. Because we didn’t do much last year, we got stuck into writing. When we get back from this tour, we’ll finish off writing those songs. And get back into the studio. We are also in talks regarding re-recording some parts of the first album and doing a limited release of ‘Origin’. It is an album that is hard to find because we were outside of Metal Blade when we released that one. We have no-one currently licensed to sell it or publish it yet. So, hopefully we will sort that one out as well”.
All of that is for another day however. Hudson is eager to get a pint, catch up on old friends and catch the rest of the bands. Here’s hoping it will not be too long until the next visit.
