THE NEXT BIG THING! THE HYDE

Talk to me about the story of the band!
We met each other in high school and started jamming at lunch time. Most of our time was spent in listening and sharing music. It was only a matter of time until we understood that listening wasn’t enough: we enrolled to different music classes, since none of us could properly play an instrument. We had two changes in our line up, and this was essentially due to different views on music.

What did you do in the last six months?
We’ve been recording Genetic Distortion, our first studio album, at Excess Studios in Turin. We also had some gigs across Italy and we’re getting ready for a show in Kiev next January: we’ll be supporting the Strife and Evergreen Terrace.

What have you got in your wallet now?
20 euro, 1 worn-out lucky dollar bill, a ticket for a Renoir exhibition and a shuriken: you never know when it comes in handy.

Why have you chosen this name for your band?
It is grand, fascinating and elegant: exactly what we expect from our music. Then, it is all over literature: of course I may relate to Stevenson’s Dr. Jackill, but it’s not the only example. One among the others, an ancient aristocratic family in the very first short novel published by H.P. Lovecraft had this name. For us, it’s like paying a tribute to what is beautiful in the history of art and literature. Pure aesthetics.

How important is the look/appearance for your band?
Being a musician or trying to be one is also a matter of attitude: we would like to make of our lives a piece of art, so yes, appearance has its relative weight in the overall picture. Of course you won’t see us casualty dressed to the teeth during rehearsal, but we do what the stage requires.

Tell us about the new LP Genetic Distortion. Are you fully satisfied with it?
Of course not: personally, there are many different changes I would make, but I think it’s part of making a record. Perfection is an endless curse. We did a good job and we’re proud of it, we could have made it better, but the LP wouldn’t ever come out eventually.

Which is the highest point of the LP?
Probably Breath Witness: according to my taste, it has everything I would like to hear in a song.

… And the lowest point?
I don’t know, Attention Whore maybe: the song itself is ok, but I hardly relate it to the others in the album.

How would you define your sound?
Powerful, elegant and sharp. A fucking scalpel.

Crossover. Describe for me this word!
Energy and melody packed into a time-bomb. Handle with care.

Which bands have influenced your style?
Born and raised in the 90ies with Deftones and Korn, my ears exploded with joy when I first listened to Too Much Happiness Makes Kids Paranoid by Linea 77, our fellow citizens.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Having our feets on the stage or spending months in a recording studio. What else?

Tell me some of the bands you admire.
During the last months we have bonded with a great band called Cry Excess: they helped us in making our record and we learnt a lot from them.

What song is in your head right now?
Staring at the Queen, Team Sleep.

Name 3 words that describe your band.
Family, elegance, energy.

Which are the best and the worst qualities of your band?
We spend a lot of time together, we’ve been friends since ever, which is great because it helps us in making music, but it also has its drawbacks. When things become stressful it’s easy to rip on each other and do or say things we normally wouldn’t. We know that and we try not to get excessively pissed off.

And of your local music scene?
We had been very lucky: in our home town there are plenty of structures in which our passion for music has grown and keeps developing. On the other hand, just outside our studio, we had to face with many bands whose only purpose is to show they’re better than everyone else, apart from very few which still work with us and became close friends. IMHO Music shouldn’t be a competition. If you want to compete with somebody, go get a fucking white collar career and leave musicians alone.

What is the most embarrassing situation you’ve ever been with The Hyde?
I accidentally blew up Ryan’s amplifier head the day before a gig and had to buy a new one without even testing it. Be careful when experimenting with sound and wire connections.

Have you got a good reason to be in Behind Magazine?
You make the right questions and I can say whatever the hell comes up in my mind. Deal!

Have you got something to add?
Please, support independent musicians and artists if you don’t want to end up listening to “products” in place of songs.

The new LP Genetic Distortion by The Hyde is out! Check http://thehyde.bigcartel.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/thehydeofficial