After Hooray for Earth played their third residency show at Pianos, I got to chat with frontman and main songwriter Noel Heroux right outside the venue next to their van. Noel had the appearance of just getting out of bed, with messy hair and a shirt from high school that his friends had written in marker on, but he’s no slacker. Having listened to his layered compositions that have led to Hooray for earth songs, I was excited to dig a little deeper into the band’s beginnings. Through several encounters with Noel’s friends passing by, he talked a little about living in a bubble, The Neverending Story and big, grand sounds.
Kelly Knapp: How did the band come together and form Hooray for Earth? And are you really excited about the planet?
Noel Heroux: (laughs) Oh, well, sort of. I guess that’s the point of the name; it’s like, Hooraaay! But yeah, this band started in 2005 or 2006, we can’t really tell, we’re not sure.
KK: you guys are from Boston, right?
NH: Yeah we started in boston, and me and the bass player played in a bunch of bands together for, you know, that high school pop punk band that you do.
KK: Like you do those battle of the bands contests…
NH: Exactly. And we were like, oh, maybe we’re Fugazi…and that wasn’t it either.
KK: Were you guys straight edge kids?
NH: No, not straight edge, but on the sound end. But that was totally inaccurate as well. So, then we put out brains back in our heads and we formed this band in 2006-ish. Then two years ago I moved here.
(Noel takes a minute to tell a guy leaning on his van “Hey, that’s my van,” jokingly. He then recalls a situation when the band was driving and had one of those flick a cigarette out the front window and then it flies back in through the back window instances…so it’s back there smoldering somewhere.)
KK: Is Fugazi one of your influences?
NH: No, Somebody was just like, “You guys going for Fugazi right now, huh?” And I was like, oh maybe, so then I started listening to Fugazi but then I was like, wait, this doesn’t work at all. So we (motions with his hands across his neck that they scrapped that idea). Then I moved here and took a little hiatus. I kinda had one of those freakouts where I was like, uhh I don’t know what we’re doing, I don’t know if I want to do this.
KK: I think everyone does when they move to New York.
NH: Yeah, typical story. But then about a year and a half ago we started recording the EP that we put out in June.
KK: What are some of your main influences? What kind of sound are you going for?
NH: I just like a big, grand sound. Not really going for trying to nail down an influence or anything, just like things that get you psyched and make you feel good. It’s supposed to feel uplifting and exciting. I mean, it’s freaky. There are a lot of scary, anxious vibes in it, but I think it’s just a natural feeling of what comes out of the human mind.
KK: Momo is your latest EP, right?
NH: Yeah, that’s the only thing that we really count. We were kind of floundering around before, just recording in the basement. When I lived in Boston I never had an internet connection, or read magazines or newspapers or anything. I literally lived in a bubble. So what we were doing then was recording music – like I was recording music – and then we would figure out how to play it as a band. It was a weird spot. Momo, the EP is the first thing that we kind of like, we were like, ok, this is what we’re doing.
KK: When I listen to that, especially “Surrounded by Your Friends,” it made me think of The Neverending Story for some reason, and it just made me think that this could be really epic. I could see you guys playing in a huge auditorium and filling a huge space.
NH: That’s awesome. I would love that.
KK: Do you guys have plans for a full length any time soon?
NH: Yeah, it’s almost done, actually. And it sounds even MORE like the Neverending Story.
KK: Yessss
NH: Yeah, I loved that. Wasn’t it Giorgio Moroder who did a lot of that soundtrack? I think so. I might be crazy. But I mean, what kid who grew up in the eighties didn’t want to be Atreyu? Maybe until that band that was called Atreyu came along. I mean, I’m sure they’re nice guys and everything, but I don’t buy their records.
KK: You guys have done a residency every week here. Have you had a different reaction every time, or do you feel at home every week?
NH: Yeah, it’s pretty similar. We have the same 10 people going, “Whoooooo!” after the songs, but there’s been a lot of people we don’t know so that’s exciting. We asked a lot of really good bands to join us, and luckily they said yes so it’s been a good crowd with different people every week. It’s cool.
KK: Do you have any plans after this? Are you touring more?
NH: Just going to master that record, and figure it out, I guess.
KK: Any large future ambitions?
NH: Don’t get a day job.
For those in the New York area, Hooray for Earth play their last residency show of the month this coming Wednesday at Pianos. There’s no release date for the new full length album yet, but I for one will be looking out for it, because the Neverending Story and songs that make you feel good never get old.
In the meantime, you can order their Momo EP here.
