Interview: Hellogoodbye

Just before heading home to finish recording their new album, the guys from Hellogoodbye sat down with Alter The Press! prior to their set with New Found Glory at the Hollywood House of Blues.

The band spoke to ATP about their forthcoming album, the Hellogoodbye BBQ tour in 2008, plans for after the New Found Glory tour and more.

Alter The Press: How has the New Found Glory tour been going?
Forrest Kline (vocals/guitar): It's been great and really fun. All the bands are really fun bands to tour with.

ATP: You just recently announced you have parted way with Drive-Thru Records. Have you been in talks with different labels for your next release?
Forrest: Yeah, nothing is nailed down yet, we have a record which is about 95% done and just waiting because of the label situation.

ATP: How would you describe the new album compared to 'Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!'?
Forrest: There are a couple of songs on that record that transition well to the new stuff; there are still electronics, sequencing and stuff like that, but it's used differently. There aren’t straight up dance beats as much, but a lot of real, actual, instruments being played. I did a lot of recording on my own; did a lot of editing, tweaking and doing weird shit, so it's now we're actually doing real songs.

ATP: When do you think the new album will see the light of day?
Forrest: I would hope, no more than a couple of months, this summer.

ATP: The last time you played England was a while ago.
Forrest: It's because of not having another record, to support coming over.

Joseph Marro (keyboards): We talk about coming over all the time. It's hard to go if you're not supporting something, or if another band isn't bringing you over, but we've been pretty busy over the last couple of years in the US. We've been touring quite a bit.

Forrest: We've been sorting out our situation for a while, so it's always like, 'Let's not waste it now, let's get everything figured out; then go when it can be a little better'.

ATP: I remember you did, a few years ago, the BBQ tour. Were you barbecuing every night in the parking lots?
Forrest: We were talking about that today actually, we barely did it. What happened was, we had a whole thing planned, we had a vegi-mobile, it broke down three days in and we had to ditch it. When we got to the east coast, it was freezing. We did some veggie dogs a few times, but it didn't happen a whole lot. It was a dream that never came to reaction.

ATP: What was the fan response when it didn't happen?
Joseph: No one said really anything about it.

Forrest: People were like, “Oh well.” Maybe once in a while people were like, “Is there gonna be a BBQ?” but, if it was raining or snowing outside, they'd be like: “Meh, I'd rather not hang outside with you guys.”

ATP: What have you been up to since you wrapped up the album cycle for 'Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinousaurs!'?
Forrest: We never really had an album cycle because it wasn't as official as that; we've just been touring the whole time since our whole situation started until now. We've been writing and recording really, I've built a home studio in my garage and started writing and doing demos.

ATP: Are there any confirmed song titles, or an album title, yet?
Forrest: No album title yet, all the song titles are there; we are playing two new ones, 'Finding Something To Do' and 'When We First Met'.

ATP: How many tracks will be on there?
Forrest: I'd say eleven.

ATP: Are you in the stage of announcing a track listing yet?
Forrest: Not yet, no real order yet, but all the songs are there.

ATP: What is planned after you wrap up the NFG tour?
Forrest: To go back to the studio, finish up vocals, some shows are booked too. Then, we go on the Bamboozle Roadshow but that's two months from now.

ATP: Anything else you would like to add?
Joseph: We want to come back to the UK, we would say hopefully before the year is done.

- Jon Ableson