Hi, Hellgrimm. Greetings from Germany! What are you up to these days?
Jerry Connor (guitarist/writer of Hellgrimm) – Greetings from the U.S.! I started writing our sixth album, ‘Resurrection’ the day after we finished recording ‘Sacrifice.’ We will be going to Puerto Rico sometime later this year to be featured in a Netflix series called “Lowie Mortem – Deadtective” – we’ve got three songs on the show’s soundtrack, including the theme song. Erica Missey (Drummer/vocalist) and I will be acting in a film called ‘Angel of Death’ and I will be recording a few songs for the film. Hellgrimm’s playing shows in the US and we’re headed to the Chaos Festival in Colombia in July – we’ve got other shows and tours in the works now – should have other dates soon. Hellgrimm.com is where you can find our tour dates, album updates - all things Hellgrimm.
Would you please introduce your band to our readers who are not aware of your music?
Jerry - To quote from our website, Hellgrimm is a power trio forged in 2018 that delves into the darkness of addictions, death, and demons with stories based in fiction and fact. Nostalgia for 1970s - 80s stadium rock weaves through this gut punch of sonic wizardry. The music conjures spells of destruction and salvation and fights and woos demons, physical and psychological. Their melodies are punctuated by haunting solos and a piercing voice gives hope that there may be paths out of the darkness. Writer/guitarist Jerry Connor and drummer/singer Erica Missey lead the charge of this sonic triumvirate. Hellgrimm has the aid of talented bassists George Ortiz, Adrian Cavazos, Joshua Pechawer, and Miriam Darnell when they hit the stage.
Could you give us a little insight into the formation of the band? When and how did it happen?
Jerry - Erica and I had a band together called Monkeysoop that we started in 2004. After years of performing and writing in the band, my style started to change and get a little darker, heavier, more lyric-oriented (Monkeysoop started as a prog instrumental band). We decided to create Hellgrimm and started officially going by this title in September of 2018. We both agree that our last Monkeysoop album, “Where the Truth Lies,” should have been our first Hellgrimm album. We often sell this with our Hellgrimm merch as a proto-type for the new band.
At what age did you guys start playing instruments, and since when have you been into metal music?
Jerry - I started on the trumpet in 6th grade - I sucked. Then I was inspired by Peter Criss of Kiss to play the drums – I sucked. Then I switched to guitar when I was fifteen after getting into Jimi Hendricks, AC/DC and Ted Nugent.
Erica – I started on trumpet in band in school. I had always wanted to play in a rock band and I started to learn bass guitar when right before I met Jerry. I was inspired by Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to try bass and I played for years when I got really inspired to change to the drums. I started singing for the band not long after the switch Truth be told, I wish I had another pair of arms – I’d do drums and bass and sing at the same time 😉.. I’ve always enjoyed some metal music but my interest in it got turbo-charged after meeting Jerry.
Jerry – I’ve always been a metal head!
Hellgrimm recently released a new album “Sacrifice”. Could you tell us something about it and walk us through all the track's lyrics and meanings?
Jerry – we spent about a year and a half writing and recording this album, which is slow for us. We had lots of ideas on what to put on this album and we had a few songs that had been recorded for other projects that we wanted to release. We also had two songs from our previous band that we’d brought into the Hellgrimm live show that we rerecorded for this album.
1. Scream Bloody Mary - This song is about Jack the Ripper’s last reported victim, Mary Jane Kelly. We tied it in with the folklore legend of Bloody Mary. This is also a Part 2 of our song “Jack of All Blades” from our previous album, “Ritual.” We’re already working on a Part 3 of this song for the new album, “Resurrection.”
2. Speed Demon - Is all about driving fast – hitting the road with awesome wheels. We were fortunate enough to get Mike Heller (Raven, Control/Resist, Malignancy) to record the drums for this track and he brought the song to a whole new level of insanity!
3. Never Say Die - A Black Sabbath cover – we originally recorded this for a Black Sabbath tribute CD.
4. Til Death Do Us Party - an homage to life on the musician’s road and a call to everyone to join the party. Don’t ever wait til it’s too late! Don’t let it be told that you’re too old!
5. Ouija - warns and entices with the idea of opening doors to other dimensions.
6. El Diablo - This song was inspired by lucha libre – Mexican wrestling.
7. Skatopia - A skateboarder’s paradise, located in Rutland, Ohio, where skaters and enthusiasts gather a few times a year for several days of total chaos.
8. Black Widow - Is about the Black Widow murders, using the spider as a metaphor.
9. Into The Darkness – our homage to vampires everywhere.
10. Rock Anthem - another homage to life on the musician’s road and a call to everyone to join the party. This song was previously “Cheesy 80s Rock Anthem” from Monkeysoop’s EP “Year of the Monkey” – the original video features our beautiful friend, Kelly Abbass, who is also the likeness for the warrior on our Hellgrimm album art.
11. N.I.B. - Another Black Sabbath cover that was recorded for a tribute CD.
How has the response been so far from listeners? Have you started working on new songs?
Jerry - This seems to be the fan favorite of our five Hellgrimm albums. We’re getting some really good reviews as well from magazines and music shows and a good amount of airplay. I couldn’t be happier. I'm always working on new songs – we’ve already begun work on the next album, “Resurrection.”
When and where did you play your first gig? How was the experience of going live for the first time?
Jerry - The first time I played live in front of people I was in a death metal band in my hometown - there was an open mic at this country bar near where I lived. We started playing - after about a minute, the manager of the bar came running up to us waving his arms for us to stop, but we kept going. People started running out the club like there was a fire! The manager cut the power and you could still hear the drums and the singer’s powerful growls. When we stopped, I looked up - the club went from being packed to completely empty. Needless to say, we were banned from ever playing there again.
According to you, what is the secret behind the band's success?
Jerry - I push our music like crazy; I am always writing new songs, putting out feelers for shows, festivals, and tours. I’m always looking for people needing soundtrack songs and music. I’m constantly pushing Hellgrimm. I drive my bandmates crazy sometimes because I’m all about Hellgrimm 24/7. All roads lead back to the band.
Have you ever had an epic fail moment during a gig?
Jerry – Epic stupidity, maybe. We had everything on stage set and were getting ready to play a show when my guitar wouldn't work. We were checked everything we could think of. After about fifteen minutes of searching for the problem, I noticed my guitar wasn't plugged in! So I had the singer stand in front of me while I plugged my guitar in!
If asked to differentiate Hellgrimm from other bands in the US, how would you respond?
Jerry - I think the main element Hellgrimm has that sets us apart from other acts is Erica.
She is an amazing singer/drummer. When the audience realizes that she is singing behind the drum kit, they freak out. We’ve tried having a drummer and letting Erica just focus on vocals, but we always come back to this arrangement – we like being a trio!
Which bands/artists do you draw your influences from, and which are your favorite local bands?
Jerry - I listen to all genres of music, but I’m influenced by everything that makes a sound. This one time my neighbors were playing basketball and I wrote a song using the bounce as a rhythm. I try to mimic anything I hear on the guitar – bird song, glass shattering, power tools, etc.
Favorite local bands - Throat Locust, TBA Texas Noise, Monolithic Magnetar, Because of You, Switchblade Jesus.
How do you guys manage your jobs and gigs, and how often do you gather altogether just for fun?
Jerry - Erica and I are both are self-employed so we can arrange our schedules to able to play and tour pretty easily. We have multiple bassists so that we can take most shows we’d like without interrupting anyone’s family and work lives too much. We get to hang out with our bandsmates once in a while outside of practice for food or drinks or shows, but we try to mostly focus on prepping for the next gig, album, tour, interview, etc. Erica and I are workaholics and we all like to work on our craft.
Hellgrimm is a very promising formation. Looking at your future, where do you see yourselves in 3 years?
Jerry - No matter where we are in three years or ten years, I will continue to practice every day and I will keep pushing the music. We want to tour more, record more, sell more merch, get our music into more soundtracks and into more people’s ears.
Well, that’s it. Thanks a lot for your time. Could you speak out to all your fans and supporters?
Jerry - Thank you Iron Backstage; It's been a pleasure. Thank you to everyone that gave our music a chance. I would like to thank our endorsers and sponsors - EMG pickups, Busuyi Guitars, Morley pedals, Lang amps, Pedaltrain, Soultone Cymbals, and Bunny’s Wonderland Designs.
Erica – Thank you to all the folks who help us do what we do – please keep listening! Hellgrimm.com is where you can find links to everything Hellgrimm 😊!