Recently, while shopping at my favourite local record store (shout out to Speed City) I picked up a 7’ inch by a local band called Heart Attack Kids. There’s a buzz around these guys and this new record sheds a light on why.
The first song “Platonic Love Bomb” comes out like two cars colliding at full speed, all crashing drums and distorted fuzz with some hooky riffing. It’s clear this band knows how to rock and roll and with the next three tracks “Shoulda Came From Japan”, “Eh OK” and “Probably Not Important” they go all Teengenerate-like – blasting out some flawless, raging, noisy rock and roll.
Did I mention Heart Attack Kids are only a two-piece? Just guitar and drums, but you’d never know it from the racket they throw down. I am looking forward to seeing a live show soon.
Guitarist/vocalist Jared answered our questionnaire.
People say we sound like…
If FIDLAR and Death From Above 1979 walked into a bar and had a love child that would be Heart Attack Kids.
We are…
We are Nathan Stock on drums and Jared Ellul on vocals/guitar
We are originally from…
We are originally from dirty old London,Ontario
How did you settle on being two-piece?
We settled on being a 2 piece after deciding it was way easier than trying to get a 4 piece band together. Nathan and I live a block away from each other so setting up practice is more like “hey what are you doing? Nothing? Okay I’m coming over.”
Who are some that have an influence on your sound?
Bands like PUP, Cage The Elephant and The Dirty Nil have a high influence; same with METZ and Brutal Youth.
The first time we all decided to get together and make some music…
Actually Nathan and I used to play in a high school rock band together for a short time about 2 years ago. After that band broke up we hopped into writing our own songs.
Tell us about your live show…
We try and bring a lot of energy into our live performance. If we aren’t dead by the end of our set we didn’t do it right.
What influences the band lyrically?
Lyrically we just write about everyday kind of things or whatever first comes to mind. We try and just feel out the writing process. We have sections of time where we write 5 songs in a week and then don’t write anything for a month. It just depends on our moods and how things are going with both of us personally.
Our craziest/most memorable gig ever was…
The best or most crazy was probably either opening up for Single Mothers or playing our own 7″ release show with Wasted Potential, Pie In The Sky and Hindsight.
If you could pick any time to travel back to for music, where would you go and what year would it be….
Nathan would want to see John Bonham play Moby dick and mine would be to see The White Stripes play their first show ever in Detroit.
Growing up, at home we listened to…..
Nathan listened to a lot of Led Zeppelin, Buddy Rich, and varieties of folk music because that’s what his dad introduced him to a lot. I listened to pretty much whatever my parents listened to as well as a lot of Danzig, Misfits, Smashing Pumpkins, and Dead Kennedys
What tunes are on heavy rotation for you…
The new Single Mothers record is playing a lot in both of our houses. Along with TV Freaks, Hollerado, and Middle Class Rut.
If you could open for any band right now who would that be and why?
PUP. Both Nathan and I are huge Fans. If we ever got the chance we’d freak out.
When you’re not playing and have some time off, where could we find you…
You could probably find us in Jared’s basement hanging out on YouTube or listening to records. If we get we get hungry you could find us at Prince Als diner or Fire Roasted in Wortley Village.
The one thing we want you to remember while you’re listening to us…
Remember its only two guys making a ton of noise.
What’s up for 2015?
Can’t say too much yet, Big Plans hopefully but lots and lots of shows, hope to see everyone’s pretty face in the New Year.
