Sydney’s Heroes For Hire are bringing the pop back into punk. Their razor sharp riffs, melodies and all around feel good times have sparked life in a scene that was slowly being suffocated by every tight jean wearing screamo band that comes out. Having built a solid following and playing at Soundwave and No Sleep Til festivals, the boys packed up their gear and shipped off to the U.S to record their second full length ‘Take One For The Team’. A collection of catchy-as-all-hell-sing-along anthems for teenage boys and girls, the guys are about to hit the road with the unlikely ally Short Stack. The guys took time to tell us how that partnership came about and give us the low down on all things Heroes For Hire.
Music Feeds: First up, give the readers a bit of a history lesson on Heroes For Hire?
Heroes For Hire: The Usual story 5 guys start a band some stays some leave over time, new guys come new guys go until we are where we are now.
MF: Congrats on the new album “Take One For The Team”, it’s a great record; tell us a little bit about this one?
HFH: Thanks heaps, This time round we went into the record with the goal of writing an album that was catchy fun and a lot more upbeat as opposed to the last album which had a lot of ballads and was a lot more medium paced.
MF: You traveled to the States to record this one, how was that experience for you guys?
HFH: What we remember was great haha! Lets just say extremely cheap alcohol and Heroes For Hire go hand in hand haha. But seriously there is nothing better than traveling to the other side of the world to work on something you have worked super hard on leading into it and coming home with a new album that everyone is super stoked on
MF: What did you learn out of working with Paul Leavitt?
HFH: I personally learnt that every little detail counts, Paul really helped us take the songs that we had written and really put the final touches to them to make them the songs we wanted to release
MF: You’re about to hit the road nationally with Short Stack, which has raised a few eyebrows consider the bagging those guys get. Why did you take on that tour?
HFH: People always have opinions on bands and a lot of the time they are negative, for instance a lot of people hate our band too. We have known the Short Stack boys for years now and they are really really good friends of ours so when we got offered the tour it was more about getting to spend time with our mates on the road and we can’t wait for the tour as they are going to be awesome shows
MF: You’ve supported quite a few acts now, how do headliners generally treat you guys on tours? Whose been the best to tour with?
HFH: Every big band we have toured with has always made the effort to come say hi to us every night and hang out a little bit. Its always an awesome feeling when bands you look up to take the time to hang out with you.
I personally loved our tour with a band called Fireworks from the US. They aren’t a big band but they are amazing and we had a great time with them
MF: I’ve seen you guys play a couple of times at festivals at ridiculously early time slots, how do you best prepare for those sets? Stay drunk from the night before or start drinking at 9am?
HFH: Haha not so much before we play them time slots because I think we would all die from liver failure by now haha. Not very rockstar I know but we try to get an early night sleep before the shows like that
MF: You recently headlined Rock Lily at Star City, how much was lost on the tables that night?
HFH: I think you need to have money in the first place to lose it in a casino haha that question is more suited to our manager who loves to lose his paycheck on the tables haha
MF: If someone in the band had to “take one for the team” who would put their hand up?
HFH: Definitely Potter, I can’t say why how or when but 100% Potter haha
MF: Whats the first track you’d put onto a mix tape?
HFH: If you wanted one of our songs I’d say “Secrets, Lies and Sins” off Take One For The Team
But if you want someone else’s song you cant have a mixtape without “Dammit” by Blink 182
