Comeback Kid

Biography

COMEBACK KID INTERVIEW

We caught up exclusively with Comeback Kid guitarist Jeremy Hiebert last week to discuss the bands upcoming Australian tour, Jeremy’s thought’s on playing the large festival bills, the possibility of some new music in 2010 and much more!

While ‘False Idols Fall’ kick back as we ‘Wake the Dead’ in our one on one chat with Jeremy Hiebert!

Hey Jeremy, thanks for taking the time out to speak with us today! How ya doing mate?

I'm doing alright. Just enjoying some time off at home in our downtime.

Nice man, there’s nothing wrong with that! Mate, it was recently announced that Comeback Kid would be returning to Australia in February to play the Soundwave Festival bill! No doubt you’re excited to be returning to Oz for more shows! Next year’s Soundwave bill features some amazing acts such as Faith no More, Janes Addiction, Alexisonfire, Trivium, Taking back Sunday to name a few will you guys be putting time aside to check out some of the other artists on the bill?

Oh for sure! This bill is full of bands that I'm either very into or at least have been curious to check out at some point. To add to the bands you've already mentioned, bands like Meshuggah, AFI, Anvil, and My Chemical Romance and of course our city-mates from Winnipeg, The Weakerthans are all ones that we will be checking out through the course of the tour.

Are you a big fan of playing the large festival shows or would you much rather play the smaller club shows, no doubt both have very different advantages!

Very true, both have their advantages as well as disadvantages. I think overall we gravitate towards playing smaller club shows where we can interact with the crowd better than when there is a 3 meter barricade separating us and our audience. We're all about the sing-a-longs and stage dives but at the same time we are able to play for a much larger audience for the most part at these fests, most of whom may have never seen Comeback Kid before and chances are some may have never heard of us before so we embrace the challenge of trying to win over new fans.

There’s no doubt that when you’re playing on the large festival bills such as Soundwave, as you said it’s a fantastic way to expose the band to a lot of people who may have never heard you before … for those punters attending Soundwave who are considering checking out Comeback Kid, in a few words how would you describe the band live and what can the Australian audiences expect this time around?

Our roots are firmly grounded in hardcore and punk so we have a relatively simplistic approach to our music but at the same time we don't want to rehash what the eighties and nineties accomplished but take our influences and make our own music out of it. Simply put we have a lot of energy and aggression in our live set but also incorporate a good amount of melody too.

Jeremy what comes to mind when you look back on your last Australian visit?

Just the incredible time we had with the balance of good shows and fun at the beach, hanging out with friends and whatnot. When we're down under life seems so care free that it almost becomes a little scary and you wonder when something terrible is going to happen because life shouldn't be this simple [laughs]. I guess it also helps having that perspective when we've left our home in Winnipeg where it can very easily be -30ºC in January and February.

When you hit Australia next year, will there be any plans to do your own headlining sideshows?

At the moment I'm not aware of what exactly is going to happen but there is talk of us hooking up with some of the other bands on Soundwave and doing some sideshows which will be fun to break it up.

Mate, last year you released the live album ‘Through the Noise’ which was recorded in Germany, do you have any plans to record or film any of the Australian shows for future releases?

At the moment we don't have anything planned for that but in my opinion this band is far from over so who knows, one day it could happen.

Speaking of ‘Through the Noise’ many bands openly state that they are not big fans of recording live albums because they feel they can’t capture the sound of their live performance. What is your take on this and do you feel that ‘Through the Noise’ defines a live Comeback Kid experience?

I think it's impossible to capture any show of any band 100% because I think shows, especially Comeback Kid shows that thrive on more senses being involved like getting knocked around if you're closer to the front and of course all of those smelly dudes [laughs]. But seriously it turned out better than I thought it would. It's a huge gamble going into the situation, having planned it for some time and having everything depending on this one show to go off without a hitch but I think we got lucky and pulled it off.

While we’re on the subject of recording… it’s been two years since ‘Broadcasting’ was released, now that you have had plenty of time to digest the album is there anything you would have changed?

For sure! The more time you have to listen back to records you've done the more you see little things that you would or could have done differently. All three of our records could always have used finer tuning but I don't let it bother me because I know anyone that is part of the creative process in a band says the same thing. I'm just glad it’s just small stuff though so none of it will ever keep me up at night going 'if only...'

I would imagine that you’re gearing up to release some new material soon, what can you tell us about the current stuff you’re working on? Will it be going in the same direction that was taken with ‘Broadcasting’?

New stuff is in the works! At the moment I'd say we have music for at least have of our new record. It's really hard to say what direction it is in until you hear the master back after recording and mixing it all has been done. We really focus on individual songs rather than trying to send a whole record in one direction or another. What I can say thus far is that all three of our records sound quite different from each other but they still all sound like it's coming from one band which will be what this record will be like. Too many bands either put out the same record over and over or the other extreme which gets one band sounding like a different band every record. So what I'm trying to say is that we know our sound and who we are but still feel we have tons of creativity to play with.

Can you share any working titles with us?

We haven't gotten that far yet. The lyrics are still in their very early stages so I'm sure the ideas will start rolling around soon.

How hard is it to get the band co-coordinated & motivated to go into the studio after constant touring and taking time off from the process of writing and recording?

Usually the change of pace is welcomed. We're known to be out on the road a lot so when it comes time to get the record together it's really a nice change of pace while still be actively involved with the band. Sometimes you just feel all there is to being in a band is touring so it's nice to change it up after a long run.

Jeremy, I want to talk to you a little about life on the road… looking back can you remember the hardest time you’ve had as an opening act?

We've been very lucky and never had any rough tours where we've gotten booed off because they just wanted us off to see the headliner or anything bad like that. But when you're used to doing a lot of headlining shows and then do a long support tour for a band that is way bigger than you it can be tough playing to an audience that for the most part is unfamiliar with you. I remember we did a Rise Against tour a few years ago and that was the case for three months but at the same time it's a character building challenge to do that for a whole summer and we no doubt came out of that a better band knowing how to work with new crowds and trying to win over new fans.

As a guitarist do you have any pre-show ritual that you do to warm and prepare for a show?

I don't do anything to weird or crazy but I have my little things I do before i go on. I try to drink a lot, about 45 minutes to an hour before set time I have a highly caffeinated coffee, do some stretching and maybe a light workout with dumbbells or a resistance band if I or anybody else on tour has such things.

No doubt that over the years during the many festivals and headlining shows you’ve played; there has been some crazy shit happen onstage! What's the strangest thing that has ever happened to you whilst performing?

Nothing really crazy is coming to mind. You would think by now I should have a serious story about this but I can't think of one [laughs]. One thing that did turn me into a nervous wreck was at a huge German festival this year called With Full Force. It was our first show of the summer tour and our other guitarist Casey [Hjelmborg] had a delayed flight and missed his connection. After all of these shows we've ever done, this was the first time I had to play by myself and I was freaking out in my head. Luckily it went off just fine but the nerves leading up to that were horrible.

[Laughs] I could imagine they would be! Over the years you have shared the stage with many great artists, is there one band you have always wanted to tour with but to date the opportunity hasn’t presented itself?

We've been very lucky to have toured with many great influences like Sick of it All, Gorilla Biscuits, Madball etc but there are still a bunch of bands that would be great to go out with. Collectively I'd think we'd all agree that our five day mini tour with Propagandhi was not nearly long enough so anytime they are ready to take us on a long one we're all ready to sign up for that one!

I’m sure as time goes on it gets harder and harder to work out the set-list do you find it hard to choose the right songs, I mean there will always be fans who want to hear the old stuff & the occasional obscure song & of course you have to play some new tracks. Do you find it hard to make a set that is for fans of all eras?

We definitely right our set list with that in mind. We always play a very balanced set that will always a songs from every record. We will always mix it up though if it feels like an older crowd or we're playing to a big festival audience.

As a freelance writer / photographer I often find myself down in the pit snapping away and capturing some amazing and yet sometimes scary moments! Once the shows are over and you get to kick back and view a lot of the press and fan photographs that come through via Myspace, emails etc Do you come across those shots often where you just put your head in your hands and you say “what the F**k was I thinking / doing right there”? And of those moments what one stands out most for you?

After all of the years I find myself looking at all of the pictures and whatnot less and less but the ones where I'm shaking my head and wondering what I was doing usually come from after we play when we've had a few too many Coopers or VB.

[Laughs] yeah they are normally the one you want no one to see [laughs]. For all artists photo shoots are just as important as doing music videos, you have been involved in many shoots over the years, do you enjoy doing that side of the business and of all the shoots you have done is there any one shoot that stands out as the best for you?

For me it's just part of what we do. I don't particularly enjoying posing to look like this or like that but I don't hate it either. Depending on the person doing it, it can be a lot of fun.

Walk us through a typical day on the set of a Comeback Kid photo shoot!

I don't think we've ever had a full day devoted to a photo shoot but we've had some that have taken several hours. Depending on whether or not the photographer has done their homework or not we will look for spots that will work for us. We're usually a quiet bunch when we're shooting so nothing gets too wild.

Jeremy, we have hit the part of the interview where our readers get to find out more about the real you… what was the first concert you ever attended and how much of an impact did that have on you musically?

I was fifteen, it was at this bible school and this band from out of town was playing, I believe they were called Life Forever and I got my parents to drive my friend and I to it. It wasn't what I wanted to do musically as I was more into heavy music but just seeing the live energy of a rock band solidified what I wanted to do with my life.

What have your parents thought about the music you played?

They are not at all fans of the style of music that I play but have nevertheless been quite supportive of what I've chosen to do with my life. They know that there is positives that comes out of what I do and that for many the scene just has a bad reputation for those that do not know much about it.

Growing up was music the be all and end all for you or were your goals different?

Oh, it definitely was! I was the typical musician/student that daydreamed constantly about these big plans to be making records and touring all over the world. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have been able to live out my childhood dream for so long even though a lot of it was nothing compared to what I thought it would be. I've slept on many uncomfortable floors [laughs].

[Laughs] Mate going back to before Comeback Kid, yourself and Andrew [Neufeld] played together in Figure Four, what comes to mind when you look back on those early days, the rehearsals, those first gigs etc?

I joined this band back in 2000 so they had a record out before I got involved but thinking back it was just a much simpler time. No manager, no tour manager, no booking agents telling you which tours to take and which ones to leave, no money... It was just a different way of doing things. We were very DIY and it was great! As we grew so did everything else to a degree but for the most part it was just us doing what we loved.

What’s the craziest rumour you had ever heard about yourself and or the band?

We've been very fortunate and have been able to avoid a lot of the drama a lot of other bands seem to get drawn into, so… I can't really think of anything wild and crazy coming to mind that was completely out of left field.

Tell us something about the other guys in the band that we may not know!

Kyle [Profeta] is obsessed with his cats at home and is probably developing a taste for vegetarian cat food.

[Laughs]

Andrew has ADD so if he's talking to you and walks away while you're in mid sentence he's just doing his thing, don't be offended, Casey is the gadgets/technology guy in the band but actually his glasses may give that away, Matt the newest kid in town so I don't can't think of any surprises with him yet.

Jeremy, already there have been many highlights in your career, what would you say have been your greatest achievements to date?

I guess just the fact that I've been able to live out my childhood dream of making music and touring the world playing it and am still able to carry on with it. I think we've played close about 40 different countries now so that's huge for someone like myself who loves to see different parts of the world.

What goals have you set for yourself these days?

I'm getting older now so staying in shape and keeping fit is becoming more and more important to me. I don't really have specific goals in that area but do not want to let myself go because of laziness. It's amazing how much the back and forth of touring and then coming home over and over can kill your drive to do so much when you actually get home.

As we know the Soundwave festivals are in the immediate plans for Comeback Kid’s future, what else can the fans expect from you guys over the next 12 months, a new album no doubt, more touring plans?

At this point we fully intend on having a new record out sometime in 2010 which will no doubt be followed by a lot of touring again.

Mate, who have you been surprised to learn is a fan of you work?

I heard that Tegan and Sara [Canadian Indi/rock band] are into us but I don't know that first hand… I guess that would be cool! I'm not really sure though. I'm sure there's a hand full of notables that probably like ‘Wake the Dead’ [laughs]. I do have my suspicions though...

[Laughs] The Hardcore scene is quite amazing and there are many talented bands doing their thing not only in Canada and the States but also here in Australia, Across Europe and throughout other parts of the world, are you currently listening to any of the newer Hardcore outfits… if so who?

Maybe not the newest, but newer favourites these days are Trapped Under Ice, Rise and Fall and Devil In Me.

And lastly mate a question we ask of everyone we speak with… who is the one band you never want to hear again and why?

KISS! I know they have legions that will probably want to decapitate me but I just never got it. I'd be quite content listening to Rush's 'The Spirit of Radio' or Led Zeppelin's 'When the Levee Breaks' and never hearing another Kiss song again!

Jeremy thanks again for your time today, I look forward to seeing you guys at the Soundwave festivals, do you have any last words for our readers?

We're super excited to be coming back to Oz again this time on a completely different kind of tour. We made a lot of friends along the way on the four previous tours we've done down under so it will be good to see a lot of friends, new and old as well. Cheers!

Interview by Cameron Edney