A QUICK DOZEN with ANA VIERA, HURST

A QUICK DOZEN with ANA VIERA, HURST
By Shane Pinnegar

According to a recent press release, Hurst have been jumping on stages across Australia since 2014, winning over strangers with their brand of butt shaking, foot stomping rock. In their few years, the bands energetic and engaging live act has seen them showcase at Australian Music Week, rock on festival stages, and share bills with Kingswood, and Fuel (USA).

Fans of post-punk are set to fall for their upcoming anthem “Rattle Kids”, aka the next addition to your summer playlist. Dabbling with pop melody mixed with nostalgia, “Rattle Kids” channels the feelings about the unhinging and release of falling in love, reclaiming youth, owning life and not giving a damn – all things that don’t have to end as you grow up.

1. Tell us a little about your latest single, Rattle Kids. Are there any hidden nuggets the band put in the material that only diehard fans might pick up on?

Rattle Kids is a track dabbling in nostalgia with a forward-facing sentiment about living a good life, rather than a safe one. We recorded everything ourselves in Nick’s bedroom, and it was so important that we captured our “energy” rather than obsessing over gear, cool sounds and getting things perfect. So we kept in the pitchy vocals and messy guitar parts. We want people to pick up on the vibe, be able to thrash about and not be glued down to the floor. Also fun fact, the chorus is about having messy sex… [Editor’s note: we’re not sure if Ana means physically messy or emotionally messy, but we kinda want to know, now!]

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realised you wanted to be a musician?

I grew up either singing in church or sitting on the lap of my drunk dad as he cried listening to Pavarotti, while explaining to me how I need to grow up and sing to make people feel something. I didn’t really get the sentiment of what he said until now. But it wasn’t until I discovered rock music and heard Chris Cornell and Rage Against The Machine, that I was actually like, “Woah! I wanna be like that!”. I fell in love with the catharsis of it.

3. Who would be your main five musical influences?

Paramore, Pixies, Kings Of Leon, Audioslave, Rage Against The Machine.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be?

Kanye West. I can’t tell if he’s crazy or just taking the piss. I love it.

5. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before?

When you come to one of our shows or put on one of our tunes, you gotta check your “cool” at the door and be the dork you really are. We’ve got a bit of that ’90s grit with some good ol’ pop melody mixed in. We play tunes that remind us we’re alive.

6. What’s the best thing about being a musician?

When people catch on to what you’re banging on about and want to get in on it. I want others to feel just as good as I’m feeling, not just spectate.

7. When the band are all hanging out together, who cooks; who gets the drinks in; and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

You’re in for a good night if Nick’s cooking. Nick’s ancestors were in the pizza making business, it’s almost a religious experience when he’s in the kitchen. I’d be grabbing drinks, and Ben will probably be playing the guitar, with Jake itching to take it off him. I caught the two of them singing Brown Eyed Girl one time, it got awkward when I caught them.

8. If you weren’t a musician, what would be your dream job?

I would love to own a boutique cafe-slash-music shop. We’d always unapologetically open late and have live music on. Or I’d like to be one of those sassy old Italian ladies that live in a cobble stone village and cook fresh food for my family all day. I don’t even need to make money, I’ll just need supplies and an apron.

9. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep, or you would like to be able to “do over”?

We got some pretty sweet attention when we released “Tom” back in 2015. Our problem was that we had nothing to follow it up with, and lost all the momentum we gained. I’d definitely do that again. But this music thing is one massive learning curve, so who knows?

10. If you were made ruler of the world, what would your first orders be?

This is a really hard question, and I already know I’m thinking way too deep into this. So I’ll try and just say the first things that come to mind and then that’ll be it. I think there are a few world leaders out there that need a good slappin’. So they’d get slapped. To not recycle, would be a crime. People need to stop crucifying people on the internet. If you can’t say it to their face, just shut up and live your life.

11. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

This is probably cliche, but watching The Beatles put together Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band would’ve been really cool. I would have loved to witness the songwriting process, the disagreements, the frustrations and the lightbulb moments. I’d be in the corner taking notes. They just had a real simple way about getting their message across, but in the most imaginative and colourful way… I’d love to figure out how they did it.

12. What, for you, is the meaning of life??

I don’t believe in solely seeking happiness, it can become convoluted and self-serving, there is more to it. You can’t know happiness, without knowing pain. You can’t know peace, without first experiencing tribulations. So embrace the life you have, rather than wishing for another one, and just run with what you’re passionate about. I’m passionate about creating music that makes myself and the people around me feel alive, so I’ll be doing that until I’m dead.

Rattle Kids is available now for purchase and streaming on most platforms.
Website: www.hurstofficial.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/hurstofficial/
Twitter: @hurstofficial
Instagram: @hurstofficial

LIVE

27 April – The Hideaway Bar Enmore Sydney
10 May – Frankie’s Pizza Sydney
11 May – Lass O’ Gowrie Newcastle
12 May – Ric’s Bar Brisbane
19 May – Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick (VIC)

HURST: ANA VEIRA – VOX / BEN ZAMOR – BASS / NICK ZAMMIT – DRUMS / JAKE BISOGNIN – GUITAR

Category: Interviews