KickActs interviews “The Hipnotics”!
Welcome to Kick Acts. Tell us a little about Hipnotics and were you can be found online.
We are a psychedelic rock band with a new single out called “Preacher Man”. You can find us here:
www.Facebook.com/HypnoticTeamo
Who are your musical heroes and influences? Why?
Musical heroes would be bands like The Grateful Dead – defying the means of popular music and their ability to bring masses of people together in the name of peace love and madness.
Never have we seen so many people into what seems like a cult of hippies striving to dance it all out.
Do you have any advice for someone just getting started in the music business?
Make sure you’re grounded in your music, believe everything you’re putting out and don’t bullshit yourself. You can’t be something you’re not – you gotta be every embodiment of what you believe in and who you are.
What piece of advice did you ignore that you wish you hadn’t?
Things get extremely hard, people say things that don’t happen and don’t let that get you down – keep on trying and never give up. Things will get hard; let your music be your therapy.
Do you have a greatest gig story or worst gig horror story you’d like to share?
Yeah, this summer we shoved about 60 people in the smallest room possible and had strobe lights at all corners of the room. We played for about 4 hours straight and even saw some people pass out from exhaustion. It was one of the most memorable experiences of our lives – feeding off the hungry thrash heads of Los Angeles.
Do you have any other hobbies other than playing music? Collect stamps? Collect hats from off the side of the road? Draw pictures of dicks or boobs? Make sock puppets? Sit in the dark and eat Cheetos?
Matt is super into photography and photo editing which plays a big part in the art we put out, another hobby we have is collecting gear, any crazy pedal that makes the music click even harder.
What do you think about the current music scene or lack of? Care to address that?
We’ve been playing shows in Los Angeles for the majority of our band’s span. We’ve seen certain scenes that we used to be apart of that were incredibly rad, like the garage rock scene. But after a while you realize that certain collectives or groups of people control who is playing and what’s going out to the people. It seems to be a “who do you know” type deal.
Whereas, if you go up north to play in areas of Portland, you can play anywhere and people want to dance and have fun. We want to implement that everywhere. We hate the idea of elitism – like we just want to play and groove. Not be apart of a music mafia.
Do you think reality shows like American Idol, X Factor and The Voice have helped or hurt the music industry as a whole?
I don’t think that part of the industry applies to bands like ours, we play psychedelic music – we don’t need judges telling us what’s good and what isn’t. We know what we sound like and we know what we like.
What is your opinion of unauthorized music downloads?
As a band coming up in an age where no one buys music, it’s hard to form an opinion compared to dudes who’ve been present when people still bought music and are now experiencing what it’s like when they don’t.
We’ve never been apart of a scene where people buy music – we just have to find a new way to get people hooked and that’s usually giving your music out for free. We’ll sacrifice a paycheck if it means more people want to come hear us live.
Tell us something about you/each of your band members that we wouldn’t expect to hear.
Each band member has a peculiar infatuation of the planet Galatar, at this point I think we’re just waiting to go home – back to where the sandy beaches of Galatar sing in harmonious ecstasy.
Hypothetical situation. You’re on Gilligan’s Island and you get to hook up with only one of the survivors… Which one and why?
I think the best thing to do in a near death experience is stay platonic. You don’t want drama on a deserted island, that would just be silly now, wouldn’t it?
Do you know what a vinyl album is and have your ever purchased one? If so, what was it?
…This is a ridiculous question!
Yes, we own vinyl and we all have a Damn good collection, I’m not willing to explain what vinyl is.
You’re marooned on an island with Justin Bieber. Do you choke him out the first night in his sleep or what?
I think I’d just ask how deep his relationship with Usher went, like what went on behind closed doors?
What is your opinion of Miley Cyrus?
That her and Wayne Coyne have very trippy and kinky sex.
Which would you rather hear in concert? Lip-synching or real vocals?
Fuck yourself if you lip sync. (Editor’s note. Perfect answer!)
Who, or what, is the next big thing?
Death grips will transcend into the mainstream and we will all break mirrors with our face in the United States.
One artist you can’t get enough of and can’t live without is… Why?
Shuggie Otis – cuz he makes everything feel sexy and fine.
Confession time. Share a secret about yourself.
We’ve been working with the CIA on mass music brain control.
Favorite movie of all time and why?
ENTER THE VOID – because we all want to know what happens when we die.
Our last question is called “Shout It Out Loud”. It’s where you get to talk about whatever you want to talk about. So go ahead and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”!
Don’t submit to the government. Don’t submit to authority. And don’t you dare submit to Hipnotics, just dance.
