Erik Hansen’s Seasons of the Wind III marks the culmination of a dynamic trilogy that blends hard rock, punk, and grunge roots. In this interview, Erik reflects on his inspirations, creative process, and the timeless spirit of rock music.
1. Congratulations
on the release of Seasons of the Wind III! What inspired you to venture into a
solo project after your work with Fallen Angels?
After Fallen
Angels disbanded I never really stopped writing, I kept compiling riffs and
song ideas. I did a project for around 6 years after Fallen Angels called
Sygnal but there was quite a few lineup changes and trouble securing members so
it was during that when I decided to start concentrating on a slightly
different direction that became this trilogy of EP’s entitled Seasons of the
Wind.
2. The EP
draws from influences like Thin Lizzy, Black Sabbath, and Soundgarden. How did
these bands shape the sound and themes of Seasons of the Wind III?
You know it’s
always funny to look back at all the bands and artists that influence you and
why each of them influenced you. Sometimes they come and go during different
periods in your life. After playing thrash metal for so long, I really wanted
to return to all my hard rock, punk and grunge roots. Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy)
is one of my favorite singers and writers so his inspiration is always lurking
in the background of the songs as I work on them. Black Sabbath and Soundgarden
are these heavier bands with big riffs and sounds so I’ve also wanted to expand
my playing to stuff a little slower, heavier but with lots of melody a song
like “Raven’s Wings” from the EP encapsulates that sound.
3. Can you
walk us through the creative process for this EP? Were there any moments of
breakthrough or challenges you faced during its production?
Most if not all of the songs come from a guitar riff first, then as I play I start trying to come up with vocal melodies and phrasing. Sometimes out of that certain words come about that turn into the meaning of the song. I remember most of these songs coming together pretty easy but I think Pamela Moore and I massaged “Free Me” a little bit from an arrangement standpoint but for the most part all of the songs flowed easily.
4. You
mentioned that this collection of songs aims to transport listeners back to
when rock ruled the airwaves. What aspects of that era of rock music resonate
most deeply with you?
Hooks and the
ability to take listeners on a journey. Lots of artists had different
approaches to song writing so it was cool to hear people being inspired by one
another and because it was so prevalent you were getting a pretty steady feed
of new material. There’s no be all end all approach to songwriting but I think
if you can dive into the dynamics and flow a lot of great rock music had during
the various eras you’ll be able to capture something and give it new life. I
know as a listener I want to hear melody, intensity, softness, grooves and
swing a lot of the good rock bands had the knack for those things.
5. Do you have
a favorite track on the EP, and if so, why does it stand out for you?
My favorite is
Ravens Wings, it has a good buildup, melodies and dynamics. The lyrics are all
about Valhalla and the afterlife I wanted to take the listener on a epic
journey both lyrically and musically in a Dio era Black Sabbath inspired way.
6. How does
your experience with Fallen Angels influence your solo work? Are there any key
differences in your approach to songwriting or performance?
I think with
Fallen Angels it was all about stuff that was fast and intense but that can
only take you so far as a songwriter. Over the years I was realizing that I
wanted to add more melody to the music and that if we played fast all the time,
our live sets would become a wash of sound. With this solo work I wanted to
challenge myself to write songs that had intensity but had hooks and melodies
and to see what I could grow into as a singer with something to say. In the end
I feel the process is probably always growing so I look forward to continually
trying to improve and develop my sound.
7. Rock music
has evolved significantly over the decades. What do you think makes rock music
timeless, and how does Seasons of the Wind III embody that spirit?
There’s various
types of rock out there soft rock, hard rock etc…So when I think of rock music
I think of guitars, bass, vocals, drums maybe some keyboards or synth for
atmosphere. It needs to have some sort of gutteral force behind it, a feeling
of belonging to it. You might find yourself gravitating towards certain
musicians and their styles or songwriting capabilities. The timelessness of
rock is hard for me to put into words cause I think of it more as a feeling, it
creates shivers down your spine, empowers you and lets you know you’re part of
something greater. Seasons of the Wind is my attempt at trying to capture some
of that lightning in a bottle.
8. As a rising
artist, what do you hope listeners take away from your music, especially from
this EP?
That rock music
is still alive and well out there even if it’s not at the forefront of the
music world. As a musician and lover of music I wanted to create something that
I want to be able to find and discover as I listen to new artists out there. I
think a song like Never Alone captures an athemic vibe that we are all in this
crazy world together and that united we stand divided we fall.
9. The EP
title, Seasons of the Wind III, suggests a sense of continuity or storytelling.
Is there a narrative or theme connecting the tracks?
I recorded all
three of the Seasons of the Wind EPs at the same time, we decided to break up
certain tracks and compile them in various groups and release them as though
they were all in a storytelling series. I’d say the meaning’s behind Free Me,
Take Me Home and Raven’s Wings definitely are trying to capture some sort of
escape. I look out at this world sometimes and wonder if this is the best we
can do and if it is, how can I use my imagination to go to places beyond the
usual squabbles that are happening here on earth.
10. You’re
based in Washington, a state with a rich rock history. How has your local scene
influenced your music and career?
I’ve definitely
been heavily influenced by bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains,
Nevermore and Queensryche. I like that there’s a wide variety of bands and that
I can take tidbits from each of them and create a collection of sounds
influenced by there work. Fallen Angels was never too big around here cause I
think that Seattle was never really a place for that type of music. I’m unsure
yet how this solo material will go but I’m optimistic that I’ll find the right
people.
11. With the
EP’s release on December 18th, do you have plans for live performances, tours,
or additional projects to promote Seasons of the Wind III?
I plan to finally start playing live shows next year, I’ve been working with a couple friends of mine on getting a band together. We can play most of the songs and are working over the setlist. I’d love to be able to take this on the road but we’ll have to see what comes up as far as opportunities.
12. Finally,
what’s next for Erik Hansen? Can we expect more solo projects, collaborations,
or perhaps a return to band work in the near future?
Live shows is my next big benchmark I want to start being able to do after that I’ve been working on compiling/finalizing songs for the next release. I think I’ll end up releasing this next one as a full album and trickle the songs out. Since I don’t have any label money most of this stuff is pretty DIY so because I also have an electronics background. I built a bunch of equipment that we used to record guitars, bass and vocals for Seasons of the Wind and I plan on expanding off of that for the next release as well. So I got my hands full writing, rehearsing, engineering and building but if I wasn’t passionate about playing/writing I wouldn’t be going to this extent. I want to put out a better and more polished record this next time. Thanks for the interview keep on rocking!!!!
Erik Hansen (@erikhansenmusic) • Instagram photos and videos
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