The Hate: Getting Some Major Love

Jenn Cohen | July 1, 2012 | 0 Comments

by Corey Blecha

Sometimes a band seems to explode onto the scene from out of nowhere. Whether it is a newly formed band of veterans, or a kid writing songs in his bedroom, their sound seems to be one that comes at just the right time, with the right balance of what worked in the past, and what is fresh in the current scene. In the case of Denver locals, the Hate, the creation of their edgy and unique sound came out of necessity. The members came together from previously failed projects, and a common goal to re-write the book on in-your- face, emotionally driven, punk rock music. After meeting in music school, the Hate looks to change people’s opinion on what punk rock in the 21^st century is, while holding true to the raw energy that elevated the genre to peak levels in the late 70s and early 80s. With the release of their debut album, Authors, and impending success on the horizon, we caught up with the group to get some some more details about their history and future goals, before everyone in the city knows their name!

CMB: What is the history of the band? How did it come about?

HATE: Mark and Dan were in a band called White Leather that broke up just over a year ago, and as that project was coming to an end, Austin and Dan, (who had met [while] taking classes at UCD), started talking about wanting to do a punk-rock project. Austin was playing in a project at the time called Ghost Town Banduloo, that was having a lot of the same problems that White Leather had been having, and so when the guys got together, they were all on the same page, as far as goals and aspirations for the project. Basically, as soon as White Leather got divorced, Dan and Mark knew that they wanted to keep playing together, had a couple of songs to start working on a new project with, and when Austin came by the practice space and started writing with them, the chemistry just f***ing worked. The group started rehearsing and writing three days a week, and then in September, headed into the studio to record their first record Authors, which was just released on June 15th.

CMB: What do you aim to accomplish as a group?

HATE: We want to get to a point where all we’re doing is touring, writing, and recording. Whether that means signing with a label, or trying to get a distribution deal, or signing with a publicist, or manager, or agent… We don’t know yet, but we do know that we need to find creative ways to disseminate our music and our message, because we believe in what we do and want people to hear what we’re doing.

CMB: How did the CD release party go?

HATE: It was an amazing experience. We had just over 220 of our friends, fans, and family come out for the night. All Capitals and In The Whale f***ing killed it, and the vibe in the room the whole night was just cool. Everyone was just partying and having a good time.

CMB: Who are some of your local influences? International?

HATE: We listen to everything from Tribe Called Quest, to Motorhead, to the Beatles. But for this latest record we listened to a lot of Against Me, Foo Fighters, AFI, Rancid, Billy Talent, Jay-Z, Rage Against the Machine, the Raconteurs, the Strokes, and the Ramones.

CMB: What plans do you have for the summer?

HATE: This summer, besides having our album release, we’re looking forward to playing the Underground Music Showcase, and the Higher Ground Music Festival. We’re opening up for Authority Zero at the Marquis Theater on July 18, and Dan and Mark are going to be joining our good friends Take To The Oars on stage at Red Rocks for their show on July 30, for a couple of tune. Our friends the Royal Heist are coming out from L.A. in August for a couple shows, and we’re also talking with Wire Faces and In The Whale about doing some local gigs and one offs. Other than shows, we’re doing a huge PR push, writing a bunch of new material, and going to a ton of shows!