Hindsight Hotel’s, Jack Rising (vocals), Danny Fiacco (guitar, keyboard), Austin Butler (lead guitar), Jake Perris (bass), and Zach Lehrich (drums) describe themselves as an alt-rock band that creates atmospheric, danceable jams that are spicier than a jalapeño, zestier than a lemon peel, and creamier than New England clam chowder. With similes like that, their music is worth taking note of.
How did you all come together and start Hindsight Hotel?
Danny: I met Austin and Jack in the dorms and Jack was our RA. We’d all play together, when we’d jam. We were asking around for drummers to start a band, and Zach knew Austin from their frat. “The Millenials” was our original name, and Jack was playing bass and singing. Jack is super high energy and we wanted someone to play independent bass. Lucky enough, I met Jake in my German class. It all came together and we changed our name to something less terrible.
Jack: We started to take ourselves more seriously, we had a photo shoot on railroad tracks and included pouty faces.
Where did the name Hindsight Hotel come from?
Jack: To be honest I’ve always liked alliterations. We have a nostalgic sound. Hindsight Hotel is an objective space to be there and think about shit. I came up with the name with my dad on the way back from California.
Danny and Jake: Maybe more atmospheric.
Hindsight Hotel: The name was a hot button issue for a while.
Describe the process of writing and creating new music together:
Austin: Danny and I usually start it off with something.
Zach: Yeah, for our first new originals it came off Austin’s riff. Now it’s been more jamming.
Jake: Recently, we all throw something together. It’s all collaborative.
Danny: The guitar lines is the strongest thing we really have going for us. Austin has some insane space leads. The lyrics come last though.
What are few adjectives you’d use to describe your overall sound? What emotions are you trying to evoke through your art?
Hindsight Hotel: Lowkey we want to have the audience to have a heart attack.
Austin: *Farting noise*
Zach: When Austin, when he starts a riff and he really wants the listener to digest it and contemplate. We have a darker sound.
Jake: Our music is like when the super hero doesn’t get the girl, so he’s listening to our stuff on his way back home.
Danny: Atmospheric or anthemic. What sets us apart is our high energy. Our goal is to really pump up a crowd. We’ve been told we’ve been the most pumped up, energetic live show. All of us are so passionate. I’ve broken strings not once, but twice at a show because we go so hard.
If you were to design a music festival, where would it be and who would headline?
Jake: The Gorge is the perfect spot, but to have it in space or a cliff hanging over the ocean. Oh, without a doubt have it on Mars.
Zach: The Beatles, Led Zepplin, and Foals.
Danny: Radiohead and Tame Impala.
Hindsight Hotel: The Killers for sure.
If you could pick one artist to collaborate, who would it be?
Jake: Paul McCartney.
Zach: George Harrison.
Danny: Tame Impala.
Jack: John Frusciante.
Austin: Johnny Marr.
What does success look like for you?
Austin: To play a club gig, like at least a 1000 people would be awesome.
Danny: Success is a show by show thing, and it’s an experience. As long as the crowd are picking up the vibes we’re putting out and as long as they’re stoked, we’re pretty successful.
Jack: I want to feel that anytime big or small, somehow we’re moving forward in any capacity and continually growing.
Are you looking to be signed to a record label? If so by whom, if not, what is your value as an independent artist?
Danny and Austin: As far a music, we can do anything and we do it all ourselves, but a record label is helpful, but we have more control. All our money is ours and we have ultimate control of all of our music and logistics. I’d have to be the right deal from the right label.
Zach: As long as it’s sustainable, we would like to make money off doing something what you love.
Find Hindsight Hotel on Facebook, Instagram, Soundcloud, and Bandcamp.
For information about their upcoming gig at Old Nicks Pub on April 30th, click here