Hawk Eyes interview with drummer John MacKenzie | By Morgan Y. Evans
While everyone Stateside is debating if the artistic merits of Beck vs. Beyonce, the real revolution is not being televised. With all due respect to both of those complicated artists, Hawk Eyes are the new bomb. Being from Leeds and weird (not that Beck isn’t weird), the deck is already stacked against them but this group is making some of the most incredible rock you haven’t heard yet. Sweeping melodies and undeniable riffs melt into exploratory passages (and we all know rock is about exploring your passages…Sorry, that got a little Spinal Tap). But yeah, these guys are way ahead of the curve on new release Everything Is Fine, a stew pot of math rock, “alternative” (whatever that means anymore) and social commentary. Fans of anything from For Sleeping Or Jumping, House Of Lightning, Dillinger, Muse or even Elton John should crank “The Ambassador” and STFU now cuz it’s time to dance.
Hawk Eyes. Is that slang for scoping babes? Or just about being aware of your surroundings?
Definitely the latter. We live in a dangerous world where a person is only five feet away at any given time from either having a bank dropped on their head by a CAPITALIST or being force fed a smoothie (2 of your 5 a day) by a nutritional zealot. This shit is real and you need to look out for it. We actively behave like we are not interested in babes – we were told that acting this way would make them interested in us but turns out that was bullshit.
Are you guys fans of John Garcia and Kyuss type stuff or do you identify more with different eras of rock kind of rolled into one. There seems to be a sort of modern urbanism hiding in your riffs.
It’s all rock music to us – put it into one big pot, cook it up and see what comes out.
What was the experience doing the “Die Trying” music video. Anything you’d like to have on your own bucket list before you die or that you hope the universe enlightens people to through your exploits/deeds?
It was a great experience in that we are not in it at all which makes it so much better. The one thing I would like to do before I die is achieve immortality. As for enlightening others, I think we are a pretty good example of how not to do things if you want to get on in life!
Do you guys ever hang out and listen to “Rocket Man” by Elton John or other classics? But yeah, your songs have this kind of contemplative side even when they really burn.
Elton, Abba, Madonna, Prince, The Bangles, we love all this stuff! If by ‘contemplative’ you mean nervous and anxiously over-thinking everything then we would agree, we definitely have that side – thanks for noticing!
What should compel Americans with worse music taste than all the great bands and fans I know from Europe to check out your clearly superior band?
All we ask is that is you love riffs, as we do, you can spend a few moments of your time to check us out. Hopefully it won’t be the worst thing that happens to you that day!
What do you guys make of American Super Bowl fascination? I prefer how Europe has more emphasis on big music festivals. Obviously your brand of football is also a big deal.
As I understand it, Super Bowl is a hugely popular short pop concert event with added peripheral entertainment of men wearing padded armor standing around waiting whilst everyone watches adverts for Pepsi. This is not unlike some festivals in the UK. We totally get it.
Pick up Everything Is Fine on iTunes here.
