What is your name and role within Hippo Campus?
Zach, aka espo, aka murder pooch, aka johnny, aka loser, aka that one guy. Bass.
How did you start?
Mother done gave birth to me.
We all met at a performing arts high school in st.paul Minnesota. Since then it’s been a free wheeling, hoot of a time.
#noparents #norules
Where are you based?
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. 55125
Please give an example of your music writing process?
Usually one person comes in with an idea and we all bang it out in a room together. It’s always the four of us in a room. Expressing. Loudly.
What are you working on right now?
Currently touring so writing is a bit secondary, but when we have the time we all work on ideas and then come together and write songs for a collection of songs to be released at some point in the future. So far they’re all hits. Undoubtedly.
What is your gear setup?
Jake (singer/guitar) – prs guitar with a custom amp built by Fear Labs audio, feat. Pedal board!
Nathan (guitar) – fender telecaster with two fender hot rods deluxe’s, also feat. Pedal board!
Whistler (drums) – pearl kit, dream cymbals, feat. Spdx drum pad!
Zach (bass) – fender jazz five string with an Ampeg svt-7 pro, again feat. Pedal board!
What do you like to do outside of music and does it affect your music?
Several of us enjoy biking and playing the classic American sport “
Softball” in which a pitcher throws a ball from a mound enclosed by a diamond shaped dirt path, segmented by pads called bases.
Nature and relationships usually find their place in our inspirations.
How would you describe your music genre?
Rationally: indie alt rock/pop
Irrationally: a pie in which the crust is made of pine wood and the fillings are composed of lavender, alcohol, sun light, doubt, love, and frustration.
Do you know any music theory?
Having gone to a music school, we’ve all been given the ol’ rub down on music theory, and use it to an extent. We mainly follow our ears through the forest of sound and use the map of theory only when lost. Lol.
What are your plans for the future?
“If you want to make god laugh, you tell him/her/it your plans.” Far as I can tell we’re gonna keep writing, recording, working on our selves and hopefully feeling the elusive satisfaction that so rarely
finds oneself.
How did you get into music?
Through the back door. Lol jk. My mom got me the red hot chili peppers greatest hit cd when I was 7. That did a number on me. Then my brother started to play guitar and I wanted to be cool like him so bing, bam, boom, my life is dramatically altered.
What are you listening to at the moment?
A whole slew of stuff. Big thief. Chuck Johnson. Phoenix. Happyness. A winged victory for the sullen. A great big pile of leaves. Jonathan boulet!
Who are your top 5 influences and icons?
When we started the band we had a go to list of influences. We’ve since strayed a little off the beaten path, but these guys still rev our engines.
Wu lyf
Last dinosaurs
Bombay bicycle club
Little comets
Way yes!
Kanye
Celine dion
The classics
When are you playing next?
June 26th summer fest in Milwaukee
Then lollapalooza in august
Then a fall tour in Europe and the states
We are single. Ready to mingle. We will beat anyone in super smash bros 64. And don’t call me Shirley.
Hippocampusband.com
@thehalocline