HMTV Asia Interviews Hell Society
www.hellsocietyonline.com
www.myspace.com/hellsociety1
HMTV Asia: 1. Hi guys how are you?
Hell Society: We're great! We'll be doing better once we have secured a record deal!
HMTV Asia: 2. So when did u guys started the band?
Hell Society: The band was first formed in 1997 out of the remnants of what was "H-Hour". The original lineup was simple, comprised of one other member who is no longer in the picture, and me.
www.hellsocietyonline.com
www.myspace.com/hellsociety1
We started with a guitar, an Alesis keyboard, and a simple little Boss drum machine. I used to tape samples on a tape recorder and then dub them into our recorded music because we didn't even have a sampler back in those days!!
Anyway, we wrote a song called "Psychosis" which was eventually submitted into the 1997 Musican Magazine Best Unsigned Band competition. Sadly, we were eliminated after the semi-final round.
HMTV Asia: 3. They say choosing the name of the band is not very easy who and how did u come up with the band name?
Hell Society: The band name is a concept I (Timothy) derived from a few sources. I really liked the band Electric Hellfire Club, and I thought that the idea of combining some type of name associated with darkness and evil, coupled with a secondary word such as "group", "club", "society" etc. made for an interesting, and catchy name.
I also liked the duality that is "Hell Society", because it can have a different meaning to different people. Most people assume because it has the word "Hell" in it that we are some kind of devil worshipping, pentagram flaunting hippie group, but the truth of the matter is that our name is a statement about the world we live in. The things you see everyday out there in the world, poverty, death, drug addiction, political corruption, hypocrisy. This is what Hell Society is all about, the world we live in.
HMTV Asia: 4. Who and what inspired you when writting your songs?
Hell Society: We were inspired by the popular metal and rock bands from the 70's, 80's, and 90's. Everything from Pink Floyd to Black Sabbath, to Metallica, Slayer, Coroner, Queensryche, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, and everything else in between.
There are so many bands that have provided inspiration to us both as a group and individually that we would be here this time next week trying to name them all.
HMTV Asia: 5. Tell us about your music?
Hell Society: Our music is reality. The subject matter tackles topics ranging everything from corporate slavery to obsessive love. Life is our music, and music is our life. If you could put our music into a single word it is "Real".
We write about the things that we see, experience, and feel.
Kelly does most of the lyric writing these days, with contributions here and there from me (Timothy) and Randy. Our writing styles are very unique, but quite different from one another.
HMTV Asia: 6. Who are your current members and how did you meet?
Hell Society: Our current lineup is Kelly McGill (Vocals), Timothy Edward (Bass, backing vocals, programming), Clint Montgomery (Guitar, programming), and last but not least Randy Davis (Guitar). No, we don't have a drummer!
Clint and I (Timothy) went to school together here in the North Texas area, and while we weren't the best of friends during our school days, we discovered a mutual interest in music in 90-91, and began playing music together shortly thereafter. We've pretty much been together in bands off and on ever since.
Randy didn't come around until about 93-94, while Clint and I were working in a convenience store, he would always come in and buy cigarettes and drinks and whatnot. Eventually, we became friends and discovered that he played an instrument so we asked him to join us. That is when we formed "H-Hour".
Kelly had always been around the local music scene, going from one band to another, but then dropped out for close to a decade when he moved away. I had actually done some roadie work once for a band called "Reign Storm" that he was in shortly before dropping off the radar. That was the first time I met Kelly was at the Basement in Dallas, Texas. I was very impressed by his vocal range. He was able to sing
Queensryche tunes and sound just like Geoff Tate, and he could do Maiden tunes just like Dickenson. Anyway, I thought Kelly to be long gone.
In 2006, even I had sort of dropped off the scene while Clint and Randy continued writing material under a nameless project. They approached me about pulling front man duties and singing for them, and I agreed. At the time, they still didn't have a bass player so we were writing material sans a bass guitarist.
Prior to my re-introduction to the band, Randy had put out some flyers at a local music store, advertising the need for a vocalist. Kelly had called Randy one day inquiring about whether or not we were still looking. Randy knew that my first love was the bass guitar, and that I still had my gear, so he drops the name Kelly McGill by me and asks me if I've heard of him.
I was like "Hell Yeah"! So we bring in Kelly, and I move over into my current position, and the band finally starts taking shape. Since there was still no band name, and everyone was cool with Hell Society, we resurrected it from the ashes and it is what you see today.
HMTV Asia: 7. Any latest news?
Hell Society: We're trying to branch out and spread a buzz in other areas of the country about our band and our music.
We are hoping to start playing other states besides just Texas and Oklahoma. Recently we were approached by an investor who wants to back us, and we are debating this issue as we speak. Mainly, we just want the world to know that we are here, and have some really kick ass music to play!!
HMTV Asia: 8. Are you working on a new album and how many album have you done in the past?
Hell Society: We have completed work on our latest release "Sedate The World" and it is currently being re-mastered in Austin, Texas.
We also released a self-titled demo back in 2003. If you managed to get your hands on one of those, hang on to it because we only produced a handful of copies!!
HMTV Asia: 9. Are you guys going on tour?
Hell Society: We all have families, and day jobs right now, so music is like a secondary career for us at this point.
We want to book a U.S. Tour, but it all boils down to finances. If we end up with the right support, or some kind of deal that would provide us the necessary financial freedom, we'll be ready to go!
HMTV Asia: 10. How long have you been an hmtv band and how do u like it? Hell Society: We haven't been acquainted with HMTV very long, but like what we've seen so far!!
HMTV Asia: Thank you guys for doing this interview its such an honor We wish you the best in everything and its nice to have you on hmtv family Hell Society: Thanks, it is a pleasure to do this interview. Hope to do more later!!
Brought to you by Hollywood Music TV Asia Xniperus
Brought to you by Hollywood Music TV Asia Xniperus
