Here is my interview I did with Hiroshima Vacation over email. Check out their song on the Vol. 1 comp here, download their first demo here, and like them on Facebook here.
~Andrew Lipscomb
Hiroshima Vacation?
Seven: My name is Seven "VII" Caso, and I play guitar, drums, and do vocals.
Tenor:My name is Tenor Caso, and I play Drums, Guitar, and Vocals.
You recently released a new EP, can you tell us about that?
Seven: Well, we recorded all the songs in late 2010, initially for a split with Standing on a Floor of Bodies and Grotesque Disfigurement. However due to some unfortunate circumstances it had to be postponed indefinitely. We didn't really want to just have this recording lying around forever, so we decided to release it as it's own EP. This is also our first recording as a 2-piece, and me primarily playing drums.
Seven: Well, we recorded all the songs in late 2010, initially for a split with Standing on a Floor of Bodies and Grotesque Disfigurement. However due to some unfortunate circumstances it had to be postponed indefinitely. We didn't really want to just have this recording lying around forever, so we decided to release it as it's own EP. This is also our first recording as a 2-piece, and me primarily playing drums.
Tenor: I actually found all the DVD cases and CDs in free piles around town, so it was really cheap to release.
Who did the artwork for your first demo/ep?
Seven: This artist from Cleveland named John G. He does a lot of poster art, but he's done shirts for Kill the Client and Keelhaul among others. Check out his art here
What is it like being brothers in a band?
What is it like being brothers in a band?
Seven: I think all in all it's just become an easier band experience then when we were a 3-piece. Me and Tenor have been in bands together ever since we started playing music, so we definitely have that connection. We can definitely read each other better and get more of a feel for what the other person wants when creating songs.
Tenor: It's dope. We've been playing music together for so long that we are on the same page mentally about a lot of musical stuff.
What is the writing process like for Hiroshima Vacation?
Seven: Usually one of us will come up with a riff or 2, or have an entire song written and then either me or tenor will jam it together to create structure and drum parts.
Tenor:Independent song writing, and then we just teach each other what we came up with.
What are some of your lyrical themes?
Seven: Most of our lyrics now-a-days are about social observations. Tenor mostly writes lyrics, I'm pretty lazy when it comes to that so most of my songs don't have lyrics written for them, live I just scream to the music. But that'll be changed soon!! Haha!
Tenor:I write about relationships I have with different people, self respect, calling out metal head hypocritical bullshit. I really hate the metal head mentality.
What is the music scene like in Ithaca?
Seven: The music scene is very healthy in Ithaca. Ithaca Underground really stepped things up here though, before they came around it was very hard for young bands to get shows and all-ages shows were pretty rare. Now there is a very health all ages-DIY-underground scene with a lot of very interesting bands. The heavy music scene has also grown incredibly over the last few years. We're still pretty much the only grind band in Ithaca, but a lot of grind bands to come into town to play!
Tenor: It's cool because there's a little of everything.
How often do you guys play live?
Seven:We play live maybe once a month, on average.
Tenor: hmmmmm
You guys are pretty young, how old are you?
Seven:I'm 17, but not for long.
Tenor:Im 15.
Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
Seven: I'm influenced by everything from Tom Waits to Discordance Axis, so the range is pretty big. But in terms of heavy music, Converge is one of my top bands in terms of influence in guitar riffs, Pig Destroyer, Discordance Axis of course, I really love the way Jay Randall from ANb writes lyrics and puts words together, the Melvins are definitley one of my most influence bands, Man is the Bastard/Bastard Noise of course, In Disgust. Those are what come to mind right now.
Tenor:Queens Of The Stone Age, Sufjian Stevens, In Disgust, The Beastie Boys, OFWGKTA, The Point! album, Magrudergrind, The Ink Spots, Violent Femmes.
What are some albums that you have been jamming lately?
Seven: I've been listening to a lot of music besides grind and metal recently. I've been jamming the Death Grips - "Exmilitary" mixtape literally all week. Boris - "Attention Please" is really awesome, Kill the Client - "Cleptocracy", Tyler the Creator - "Goblin" has some good songs that I love a lot, but I still haven't gotten through the whole album yet, the new Rotten Sound is dope as fuck, and the new Beirut single is beautiful.
Tenor: Dude, I can't get enough Wolf Gang. I've been listening to Earls Sweatshirts album a bunch, Bastard and Goblin by Tyler, The Creator, Rolling Papers by Domo Genesis. Age of Adz by Sufjian Stevens. Era Vulgaris By Queens of the stone age.
Aside from grind/pv, what are some other types of music/artists that you enjoy listening to?
Seven: Too many to list, I love listening to artists like Sufjan Stevens, Beirut and Neutral Milk Hotel. My love for hip-hop/rap music grew incredible over the last year, Beastie Boys are one of my favorite bands ever. I listen to a lot of metal, Torche is probably my current favorite of that genre, they play a style that I wish I had created. I basically listen to anything that I find interesting, I don't really care about genre.
Tenor: Ha!
Other than grinding our faces in, what are some other things that you enjoy doing?
Seven: I review music on my youtube channel, Yaksniffer is my profile name.
Tenor: Skateboard with Bram, lake life with Bram, walk in the woods with friends, go hard with friends. I make a lot of hip hop beats too.
Here are some questions from the readers of Operation Grindcore:
What is the meaning of life? (Daniel Duque)
Seven: I know the answer, but I'll never tell.
Tenor: If I told you I would have to let you live, and sadly I have to kill you.
How many nugs do you smoke in a week? (Mike Haner)
Seven: I smoke whole trees man, get with it!
Tenor: More then your broke ass.
Will you burn down the Westboro Baptist Church? (Daniel Duque)
Seven: Probably
Tenor: No
Who inspires you, what are your goals for HV? (Joshua Armijo)
Seven: To create the music I love and that I would want to listen to.
Tenor: Everyone I meet inspires me in some. I would love to get mad famous.
Will your music ever be available on vinyl? (Alasdair Kelly)
Seven: Yes, we're hoping to release a 7" late this year or early 2012.
Tenor: Hell yeah, brah.
Will you ever play Scotland? (David Kowalczyk)
Seven: If you pay for it, sure!
Tenor: Dude, I want to go to Scotland so bad!
Do you go to Hiroshima on vacation? (Josh Terror)
Seven: No
Tenor: Dude, I want to go to Hiroshima so bad!
Thanks for the interview, any other comments?
Tenor: Thank you for a place on your comp, and thank you for this interview!
This and is tight as hell!
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