If punching pillows is not cutting it anymore, Himsa, a haunting thrash/hardcore metal band with rasping vocals and adrenaline-pumping music can help take the edge off with its show Friday at the Launchpad.
John Pettibone, the band's vocalist, took some time out to give his perspective on the band, shows and music.
Daily Lobo: What kind of audience do you play for?
John Pettibone: Anyone who likes aggressive music, you know, angry kids. Just kids who aren't the normal jock-and-mall mentality.
DL: What made you want to be in this band?
JP: I've been playing in bands for 12 years and some of the guys I've known for a long time. You know, we all knew who each other were. There's this really strong community in Seattle, and I really liked the music they were playing.
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DL: What's your favorite thing about music?
JP: The passion in it, the way it moves people.
DL: What was your best show?
JP: There's a few. The record release for Courting Tragedy and Disaster was pretty monumental. We had a huge turnout, and all our friends' bands came out and played. We played at this club I was working at so everyone from work was really involved, too.
We also just did this Christmas show, which was great. We all dressed up like evil elves and had a bunch of used stuffed animals that we tore apart, and we made a huge mess of the place. We'd tear them, up and throw them to the audience and they would tear them up even more, and we'd throw Christmas trees out and everything.
It was Christmas night and still about 400 people came - really good turnout, really good energy. We've also done a few Halloween shows with a kind of murderous Christmas theme.
DL: If you had to choose between recording albums but never performing or only performing, what would you choose and why?
JP: Performing. It's at that moment, right in the middle of everything, you don't have to do things over and over like in recording. In recording you do it once and think it's good and then the producer wants you to do it again. You can't get into it like you can at a live show.
DL: Who are your influences?
JP: Personally, vocally, I'd say Dwid from Integrity, Jim Singer from Dead Guy and No Escape, Zach DeLarocha from Inside Out and Rage Against the Machine and Thomas Lindberg from At the Gates. That's about it vocally.
For the band, probably The Haunted, Iron Maiden, Promags - east-based thrash bands.
DL: What is your favorite thing about performing?
JP: Seeing the kids singing the lyrics to my songs back at me. You can tell if he's just singing to fit in or if he's really feeling it, connecting with me and understanding what I'm saying. And the energy from the audience, you can feel it press against you and build up.
DL: What do you do to gear up for a show?
JP: Stretch, hum. I hum to loosen my throat, drink some warm liquid. I've been working the (merchandise) table recently so I have to go straight from the table to the stage. It's all right, though. Mostly I just put on my headphones and listen to some Bauhaus or Joy Division to relax. I still get really nervous, even though I've been doing this for years.
DL: How do you feel about the negative stigma attached to metal?
JP: A lot of the disgusting imagery is just shock-value to get a band noticed. But all the aggression, it's where hardcore is at. It's aggressive music for an aggressive audience. I mean, if you come to a show you see kids moshing and everything, but you also see people just standing back and enjoying the show. I don't see it as a negative thing unless people are beating the hell out of each other just because someone's expressing themself. Other than that, though, I think it's fine. It's more real.
The Who, When and Where
Who: Himsa
When: Saturday, 8 p.m.
Where: Launchpad,
Price: $10 in advance, $12 at the door
Tickets and info: 764-8887
