Z: There's definitely a thing like "possession" that happens when I'm playing, probably for Spencer too. I mean, I'm really not in the room most of the time. The last thing I'm thinking about is the audience, to tell you the truth. So in a way I am a slave to my drum set. One of my outlooks on things is that I don't like to take credit for anything I've ever done. Because the stuff that we write and we play, that shit already exists, it's obviously already floating around in the air and we just grab it, like we're just channeling it. It's like, I didn't choose to have that come through me. The drums play me, I don't play them.

It's neat to watch you guys. You have this weird "mind lock" when you play.

Z: That's how we communicate.
S: Yeah.

But there are no cues. You guys don't even look at each other.

Z: Well, we don't need to.

I read in an interview that the name Hella was intended as just something funny.

Z: At first, of course.

But when you think about it, the term Hella means "a lot of" or something…

Z: In abundance.
(both laugh)

I've always wondered how far into this project you were when you named the band.

Z: Not far.
S: No, we had like, two songs. Zach thought it'd be funny if we ever played out to call it that.
Z: We were just trying to think of a highly obnoxious or funky name.
S: We really didn't think about the meaning, we just thought of people getting a beer and goin' like, "Hella cool!"
Z: We live in Sacramento and we hear that word all the time, so...

The thing is, for me, your sound could not be epitomized by any other word.

(both laugh)
Z: Rad!

And it seems that just by nature of your sound and what you are doing that maybe subconsciously you were aware of the impact you would have on your listeners and predestined yourselves with the name Hella. I mean, people are just blown away when they see you! So you know, it seems so fitting that you have chosen that name.

Z: Wow, that's weird. I'm stoked that we chose it actually. Lots of people are like, "Damn, I wish I thought of that." And it's so simple, we hear it everyday. It's actually helped us stop saying it as much.

Did you guys say that a lot?

Z: Not a lot, but it slipped in.
S: Subconsciously, you know, being from that area.
Z: Now we have something to reference it to.
S: Right.
Z: And now I don't want to say it - it would be like I'm talking about myself all the time.

Spencer, what kind of guitar do you play?

S: It's a copy guitar I bought for like a hundred dollars at a used place. I just thought it was funky because of the print on it.

So you didn't put the flowers on it?

S: No, I thought about buying it just because it was so ridiculous. I've had a bunch of different guitars, but this is the best guitar that I've had.

And your amp?

S: I don't know, I didn’t really pick the set up, it's just what I had and I've kinda dialed it the way that I like it.

I know Zach has an endorsement deal. Has any company offered you anything, Spencer?

S: No, I already have an amp and if I need another one it's not that much. If someone wanted to sponsor me for strings or something that'd be cool, that's the only thing I buy really.

Zach was quoted as saying the new record is going to be heavier.

Z: It's not heavier in a louder sense. To me the songs have more weight. Like literally - not louder, not necessarily darker, not like rock.

Do you mean the riffs are heavier?

Z: No, it's like an undertone.
S: It's from us evolving.
Z: There's more substance I think, it's thicker.

Well the new stuff you played tonight is rad.

Both: Thank you.

As far as recording goes, Zach had mentioned in a previous interview how you guys were looking for the right place to record your next record. Tonight he was telling me about a guy with a studio in LA where you've decided to work. How important is the production aspect? Is there an aesthetic that you’re trying to adhere to or want to convey with your sound?

S: We know what we want it to sound like but we're not very technical. As long as we know what we want it to sound like we'll try to make it that way.
Z: Probably the most important thing about recording our next record was time. We just wanted an abundance of time that we could afford. Because not being studio minded, if we had that time we could dial in on that thing. We just didn't wanna be in a position to have to pay a lot of money and have to rush.

How long did it take you guys to record Hold Your Horse Is?

Z: Five days.
S: Three to record it.
Z: Two days to mix it.

Well, that record sounds pretty cool, the drums sound big. You guys were happy with it obviously, right?

S: Yeah, we're just going to go a lot bigger probably. (laughs) When we were recording Hold Your Horse Is, the engineer had never seen us live. He was a nice guy that we knew and we just went in to record. It was a cool experience and everything but now we know more of what we want.
Z: We just got this thing that we can't describe but I think both of us know what it is that we want to sound like. We're excited about it.
S: With that record we hadn't even been together a year yet. Those were the first songs we made up as a band.

You guys excited about the tour?
Both: Yeah.

I was telling Zach that I read this review of your show in New York for the CMJ festival where the writer had said, "It was the most amazing thing I had ever seen, music or otherwise."

S: That's weird. I mean, that's great, but I don't know how to respond to that.