Me: So, I guess you should probably introduce yourself first.. I mean, I know obviously you and Jacob, but who else is in the band besides you guys and what do they play? And then also, I'm sure people are probably curious how old you guys are and where you're all from? So do you wanna just introduce yourself real quick?? haha
Grant: I'm Grant Walker, singer/guitarist/songwriter for the band Halfway to Hollywood. If you aren't already familiar with our members they are: Brenden White (bass), Jacob Owen (Lead Guitar), Joey Levesque (Keys) and Graeme Hahn (Drums). We were all born and raised in around the Vancouver area as far as I know and range in age from 19-24. Joey is the baby of the group at 19.
Me: And then, I guess the next logical question would be, how long have you guys been a band for and how did you all meet??
Grant: We've been a band for just a few months now but Brenden and I have been playing together in various projects for a few years now. He and I recorded the Speechless EP this past spring by ourselves and happened to meet Joey around that time. He volunteered to help us out by laying down some synth and one thing lead to another and he became a full member. After we released the EP and started getting a bit of a buzz going online Jacob got in touch with us and then Graeme. I'm really stoked to be playing with a group of such fun and talented people!
Grant: We've been a band for just a few months now but Brenden and I have been playing together in various projects for a few years now. He and I recorded the Speechless EP this past spring by ourselves and happened to meet Joey around that time. He volunteered to help us out by laying down some synth and one thing lead to another and he became a full member. After we released the EP and started getting a bit of a buzz going online Jacob got in touch with us and then Graeme. I'm really stoked to be playing with a group of such fun and talented people!
Me: Oh, it was just you two, or rather three, when you released the Speechless EP?? That's kinda cool though. What was that like for you guys? Was that your first actual release??
Grant: Speechless was our first release as Halfway to Hollywood. Like I said, Brenden and I have been playing together for years but HTH is the first band we've taken seriously and had a specific creative vision for. Recording the EP ourselves was great because it allowed us to take our time and think about what we were doing which isn't always a luxury you have in a professional studio.
Grant: Speechless was our first release as Halfway to Hollywood. Like I said, Brenden and I have been playing together for years but HTH is the first band we've taken seriously and had a specific creative vision for. Recording the EP ourselves was great because it allowed us to take our time and think about what we were doing which isn't always a luxury you have in a professional studio.
Me: How would you describe your music, if you had to??
Grant: As a musician that's a question I get asked a lot, and it never really gets any easier to answer. I guess I try and write songs about different life experiences I've had and to reflect on them without taking myself too seriously. We're a pop band first and foremost so I try and keep our music as fun and positive as possible, even when dealing with darker subject matter.
Grant: As a musician that's a question I get asked a lot, and it never really gets any easier to answer. I guess I try and write songs about different life experiences I've had and to reflect on them without taking myself too seriously. We're a pop band first and foremost so I try and keep our music as fun and positive as possible, even when dealing with darker subject matter.
Time for some fun stuff.. lol
Me: I'm sure people may wanna know what some of your favorite things are.. soo..
Favorite color?
Green
Book?
The Dharma Bums - Jack Karouac
Movie?
Koyaanisqatsi...its this crazy film from the 1980s about the influence mankind is having on the Earth...really trippy/beautiful to watch and has a cool message at the end. I'm also a big fan of Stanley Kubrick. If I had to pick something a bit lighter though I'd have to say I really like Disney movies or really anything from my childhood.
Food?
Pizza! I think that's everyone in our band's favourite actually.
Flavor of ice cream?
Strawberry Cheesecake...there is this awesome gelato place a few blocks away from our studio that makes icecream in pretty much every flavour imaginable but that's my favourite so far
Hobbie(s)/pasttime(s) or thing(s) to do when not making music?
I'm a 4th year psychology major so school takes up a lot of my time, but when I'm not busy with that or the band or my day job I like all the usual stuff...partying, hanging out with friends, camping, whatever. Pretty much anything as long as its with good people.
Me: And of course, I have to ask this because I used to love Pokemon, especially the original show, and I feel like it makes for some pretty great conversation.
Soo.. What's your favorite Pokemon?! If you even have one.. :P haha
Grant: I think I'd have to say Charmander...he got me out of some tough jams when I used to play the game on my gameboy, and he eventually turns into Charazard who is badass. Honourary mention goes to Metapod for being super chill and just hanging out :P
Now back to the serious stuff. :P lol
Me: So, being the songwriter, where do you get the inspiration for your songs and what are some of your biggest musical influences??
Grant: It really depends on the song. I guess I tend to write based on personal experience but that doesn't necessarily mean that every one of our songs is about some specific person or thing from my life. Sometimes I'll even write songs with narratives delivered from someone else's perspective which is fun because it allows me to approach something from a more interesting angle.
Me: What are some of your favorite bands/musicians? And then albums/songs?
Grant: I've always been a huge Beatles fan and I grew up listening to a lot of my dad's classic rock records. In high school I started listening to bands like Blink, Green Day, All Time Low, Nirvana, etc and from there got into punk and metal and stuff like that. I've always had pretty eclectic musical tastes which is great for songwriting because it allows me to incorporate ideas from all over. Big albums for me would have to be Green Day's Dookie, Blink's Enema of the State and All Time Low's So Wrong It's Right.
Me: Whats the best and worst concert you've ever been to??
Grant: I saw Green Day on the American Idiot tour in '04 and that was pretty sick, but I don't know if it was the best show I've ever seen. I go to a lot of local shows around Vancouver and those are always fun. And as for worst show ever...no comment!
Grant: I saw Green Day on the American Idiot tour in '04 and that was pretty sick, but I don't know if it was the best show I've ever seen. I go to a lot of local shows around Vancouver and those are always fun. And as for worst show ever...no comment!
Me: Was there one particular piece of music or concert or something that really influenced you or changed your life??
Grant: I can't really pick one specific moment but music has always been there for me. I didn't exactly have an easy time in high school but music played a big role in helping me figure out who I was and always gave me something to live for even when things were hard.
Me: When did you first start playing guitar and how and when did you first decide that you wanted to be in a band and that music was what you wanted to do??
Grant: I've pretty much been playing music in some capacity for my whole life so I don't think I could pick one specific thing. One of my earliest memories is dancing around my parents bedroom to Wild Thing by the Troggs but I don't know if thats where it all started haha
Moree fun!.. lol
Me: Describe each of your bandmates with one word?
Grant:
Snickers or Milky Way?
Snickers
Skittles or M n M's?
M&M's...especially Peanut M&M's :)
U2 or The Who?
The Who FTW
The Beatles or The Rolling Stones?
Beatles, hands down.
Oasis or Blur?
Blur, just because they seem like nicer guys.
Nirvana or Radiohead?
Nirvana
Do you like Coldplay and/or The Goo Goo Dolls?
Not a big Coldplay fan...love the Goos though!
What are your thoughts on Aerosmith?
Amazing band...I like their 70s stuff more than their later stuff but its all good. I'm always driving people in our band crazy by playing the "Walk This Way" riff at practice haha
Favorite kind of candy??
Screamin Sour Saucers...I think they took them off the market when they found out all that blue die was carinogenic though...
Do you like Mike n Ikes? haha
I don't think I've ever actually tried them...so sure!
Me: Okay, I'll stop with the random, probably annoying, questions now and get back to the actual interview.. haha Sorry about that..
But, umm..
Me: What are your plans for the future for Halfway to Hollywood? Are you guys gonna be releasing any new music or touring or anything like that anytime soon??
Grant: We're hoping to record an EP this winter and to release it in the Spring. In the meantime there might be a few singles though so stay tuned! Hopefully we'll be hitting the road and at least playing some shows in Western Canada before too long.
Me: And then, I guess this one's kind of the same thing but what are some of your hopes and dreams, or plans, both for the immediate future, as well as long term for the band? And where do you see, or hope to see yourself a few years from now?
Grant: If I could make a living off of music that would be amazing but I know that's a lot to ask. I guess I'd just like to see our music get to as many listeners as possible and see what happens. Apart from taking the band as far as I can I'd also like to finish my BA in Psychology and maybe apply to a few different grad schools and see what happens. But all those plans are pretty at present and the band is my top priority.
Me: And I know you guys are kind of just starting out yourselves but, do you have any advice for any other bands/musicians who may also be just starting out?
Grant: I know this is really cliched but just don't give up and keep at it no matter what anybody says. Writing and playing music are skills and anybody can learn and develop them given enough hard work. Also another cliche "believe in yourself" applies here because if you don't believe in what you're doing you can rest assured no one else will.
And that's about it! I would like to thank Grant very much for agreeing to do this interview and for taking the time out of his day(s) to answer my questions and providing such wonderful, in depth answers. I really do appreciate it. :) Also, Halfway to Hollywood is on the social media sites too so go follow and "like" them and listen to some of their music while you're at it! :)
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HalfwayToHollywood
Twitter: @HalfwaytoHolly
Follow Grant and the rest of the band too! @GrantAWalker @iuJacob @BrendenWhite and @Joeyjoyride
Thanks again Grant! :)
Grant: I've pretty much been playing music in some capacity for my whole life so I don't think I could pick one specific thing. One of my earliest memories is dancing around my parents bedroom to Wild Thing by the Troggs but I don't know if thats where it all started haha
Moree fun!.. lol
Me: Describe each of your bandmates with one word?
Grant:
Brenden: Intense
Jacob: Thoughtful
Joey: Sparkley
Me: Oh, I thought of some pretty good "ors".. haha
Mac or PC?
PC
Coke or Pepsi?
Coke
Snickers
Skittles or M n M's?
M&M's...especially Peanut M&M's :)
U2 or The Who?
The Who FTW
The Beatles or The Rolling Stones?
Beatles, hands down.
Oasis or Blur?
Blur, just because they seem like nicer guys.
Nirvana or Radiohead?
Nirvana
Do you like Coldplay and/or The Goo Goo Dolls?
Not a big Coldplay fan...love the Goos though!
What are your thoughts on Aerosmith?
Amazing band...I like their 70s stuff more than their later stuff but its all good. I'm always driving people in our band crazy by playing the "Walk This Way" riff at practice haha
Favorite kind of candy??
Screamin Sour Saucers...I think they took them off the market when they found out all that blue die was carinogenic though...
Do you like Mike n Ikes? haha
I don't think I've ever actually tried them...so sure!
Me: Okay, I'll stop with the random, probably annoying, questions now and get back to the actual interview.. haha Sorry about that..
But, umm..
Me: What are your plans for the future for Halfway to Hollywood? Are you guys gonna be releasing any new music or touring or anything like that anytime soon??
Grant: We're hoping to record an EP this winter and to release it in the Spring. In the meantime there might be a few singles though so stay tuned! Hopefully we'll be hitting the road and at least playing some shows in Western Canada before too long.
Me: And then, I guess this one's kind of the same thing but what are some of your hopes and dreams, or plans, both for the immediate future, as well as long term for the band? And where do you see, or hope to see yourself a few years from now?
Grant: If I could make a living off of music that would be amazing but I know that's a lot to ask. I guess I'd just like to see our music get to as many listeners as possible and see what happens. Apart from taking the band as far as I can I'd also like to finish my BA in Psychology and maybe apply to a few different grad schools and see what happens. But all those plans are pretty at present and the band is my top priority.
Me: And I know you guys are kind of just starting out yourselves but, do you have any advice for any other bands/musicians who may also be just starting out?
Grant: I know this is really cliched but just don't give up and keep at it no matter what anybody says. Writing and playing music are skills and anybody can learn and develop them given enough hard work. Also another cliche "believe in yourself" applies here because if you don't believe in what you're doing you can rest assured no one else will.
And that's about it! I would like to thank Grant very much for agreeing to do this interview and for taking the time out of his day(s) to answer my questions and providing such wonderful, in depth answers. I really do appreciate it. :) Also, Halfway to Hollywood is on the social media sites too so go follow and "like" them and listen to some of their music while you're at it! :)
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HalfwayToHollywood
Twitter: @HalfwaytoHolly
Follow Grant and the rest of the band too! @GrantAWalker @iuJacob @BrendenWhite and @Joeyjoyride
Thanks again Grant! :)
