Interviews: Hypophora

In this new occasion we have had the opportunity to interview the Post-Hardcore band Hypophora, from UK. Check out this band and give them a like on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1.Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that?  

A long (ish) time ago in a place (not at all) far away, we were called a name which we are unwilling to disclose due to embarrassment. We played a few songs that we had written (circa 2013) at a Music for Youth gathering were the ‘judges’ would give each performance constructive criticism. We were the only non-classical performance so they were quite taken aback that we were playing loud music in a church, but the only comments we really got from them were that we needed to change our name! A song they particularly liked was called Hypophora, and they suggested we change our band name to that. So we did. The song was about asking and answering your own questions which is the definition of the word 'Hypophora’.  

2.Why did you want to play this genre?  

A conscious choice to play a certain genre was never made, it was more just a collection of our own tastes and styles that naturally fused and created whatever our sound is. The band is definitely evolving sound-wise too, we’re incorporating more progressive parts that complement our previous but still existing alt-rock vibe. We're getting heavier in some parts and more ambient and chill in others - it's really exciting and freeing to play in a band with no real hard-defined genre limit, we quite literally do what we feel like! All of our individual contributions to each song makes us who we are as a band and it seems to gel really well so far!  

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?  

Katie and Karum went to school together so they’ve known each other for years. Everyone else met each other at college where we all became really close. Lewis joined three or so years ago when Sam Windsor (our original bass player) left the band after we played a couple of gigs together with Lewis’ old band. Even though we’ve all been friends with James for ages, he only joined the band a few months ago but it feels like it’s been like this forever!   

4. Each band member favourite band?  

Karum: Can’t choose one, that’s not fair! Either Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Fall of Troy, CHON or Hiatus Kaiyote. 

Lewis: Again, can't do just one, but Alice in Chains is always a firm and constant choice, but Type O Negative, Tigercub and Smashing Pumpkins are always up there too. 

Katie: I’m always changing my mind! At the minute my top few are DZ Deathrays, Arcane Roots, Biffy Clyro and always Foo Fighters… I actually think Knave are going to be up there too, I can’t get over how much I love the new EP! 

James: It’s impossible to pick just one! I’ve always been a huge fan of Alexisonfire and Underoath, although more recently I’ve been mad about Circa Survive, Black Foxxes and Oathbreaker.   

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?  

Sometimes we’ll just come up with something cool at a practice session and it just goes from there, but other times we might stumble across a new band at a show and be so inspired by a meaty riff or clever songwriting techniques. Music inspires us essentially! The lyrics are either written when inspiration hits from real life, or when we need some for a new song, they tend to be based on recent personal situations which makes for an emotional and real subject matter.  

6. Where was your last gig?  

Our last gig was a Halloween party at a bar in Newquay! We managed to play our set but things got called off very quickly afterwards when a sewage pipe burst beneath the drum kit and everything got really, really shitty (literally)! We were pretty lucky with our timing but other bands didn’t get off so easily - some equipment/ cables etc has had to be replaced. Our only personal losses were Karum’s phone case and our sense of smell for a few days   

7. Where would you like to play?  

I think that we’d all love to play massive venues like the Brixton O2 Academy and all of those kinds of places, but playing in the smaller venues is so much fun too! When a small venue is packed out, there’s a special kind of vibe that you wouldn’t be able to replicate somewhere insanely massive like Wembley Stadium. But then, imagining a crowd that big singing back the lyrics you wrote in your room as a teenager is a feeling that presumably is out of this world and something to aspire to.     

8. Whom would you like to feature with?  

We’d absolutely love to play with bands like Arcane Roots and Biffy Clyro, we’ve been compared to those two bands in particular in the past due to our mix of light and heavy, so I think every member of this band would be more than stoked to play with those guys.   

9. Whom not? 

Anyone who takes themselves too seriously, racists, sexists, homophobes, people who don't like dogs, etc. Just general assholes really. We've played with a real variety of bands from all sorts of genres (from extreme metal to electro) so not playing on genre alone isn't really an issue.   

10. Any of you has ever suffered from stage fright? Any tip for beginners on how to beat that?  

Everyone gets nervous! Mostly it’s dependant on the crowd/venue/ atmosphere etc. One of the main things is practice - if you’re worried you’re going to mess up it’s just another thing to think about if you’re already nervous. If you’re well-rehearsed then at least it gets rid of that part. One thing to remember is that we’re all human. The crowd are probably there to watch you or another band you’re on the bill with, meaning they’re most likely music lovers and will appreciate the show you plan to put on for them! It used to be a lot harder, but now we’ve done so many gigs it comes more naturally. That doesn’t mean it’s easy or that the nerves have gone away, but they’re easier to deal with for sure.   

11. What bands have inspired you the most?  

Seeing bands evolve and become bigger has been a massive eye-opener for us and has given us hope! When you watch bands like Lower than Atlantis and Marmozets and Royal Blood in tiny venues ‘back in the day’ and then start to see them selling out bigger and bigger shows and playing awesome slots at festivals, it’s really exciting and drives us to continue! There are a bunch of bands under the Clue Records banner like NARCS (RIP), Allusondrugs and Forever Cult who we’re all massive fans of that have inspired us in how they do their thing in terms of touring, songwriting and being somewhere-in-between in the grand scheme of things.   

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?  

We’ve been asked for autographs a few times which is totally bizarre because we are nowhere near the level where you’d expect that!   

13. What do you think of your fans?  

They’ve all got amazing taste! (of course) - We can’t thank them enough for the support, whether that’s buying merch or music or just coming to a show and tapping their feet and having a good time! Hopefully we’re not letting them down with the new material - the new album should get some heads bobbing (when we’ve got round to doing it!)   

14. What do you think of our site? 

We love seeing the support of up and coming bands across the nation like this! Down where we’re from in cornwall the music scene is a tricky one, lots of really fantastic bands but a small amount of decent venues and even less of an enthusiasm in the general public for live music and attending local gigs, so any sites/press/publications that bring attention to a band can really benefit and help them! Its awesome to see people with an enthusiasm for supporting up and coming fresh music!