Hanover Saints release a new album, look to cement their legacy in their hometown
Words by Butch Ivory

For nearly 20 years, Brian Hanover has been devouring the sights, sounds and chaos of Sacramento punk rock. The Hanover Saints have spent the most crucial chunk of that time writing, recording and improving their place in its history.

In the following interview, with a renewed sense of purpose and a brand new release in the can, Brian Hanover discusses and argues about what drives him and the band to once again climb back into the blood-stained ring of Sacramento’s underground.

After several lineup changes and a solid new record, Murdertown, The Hanover Saints seemed to vanish. Why the comeback? Why now?
I never really wanted to put it on hold. But at the time we went on hiatus I was going through a lot mentally, business- and family-wise, and just wanted to see things from a non-band perspective. I always hoped to one day get back, when it was right for me… I think at some point I was missing something inside myself that I needed to tap into and stepping away seemed to be the most honest thing to do. I started playing solo and fell in love with not having to rely on other people to make music, but it allowed me to challenge everything I was about.

How has your solo experience affected the Hanover Saints?
I needed to shake my core, and playing live by myself channeled a lot of those feelings, beliefs, and not compromising. So three years went by and Wy [Harrell], our drummer, played on some solo stuff and we always talked about it. He has stayed loyal through it all, and when asked to play a show last June, I called the three guys up. So much time had passed, and we missed being around each other and wanted to play. It was just time. The music business side has changed so much that we knew we had to do this all ourselves, and it was the truest place for us so we moved forward. The solo thing has really helped me be more focused when writing and allowed me to take more risks… I just write and what comes out just comes out. Hanover Saints material was coming out in my writing at home, and it came at a perfect time to start playing together again. Maybe not financially, but that never has been a deciding factor, but it has its challenges with releasing music these days. Anything goes in that area now. We are really enjoying the freedom of music and how creative it can be, which is making Hanover Saints a healthier situation for all of us.

Lyrically, you seem to focus more on the personal than the political. Is this a conscious decision? Or is it a reflection of the type of songwriters you most identify with?
On this EP, I left it more open-ended. We had a solid fellow produce us at a certain point, and we had a meeting to talk about the record. He said, “When I listen to your past songs, I don’t feel like I know you, but I do know you, and I know your personal story. I challenge you to dig deep.” I think at that moment it clicked for me. I hid a lot from my past because of the pain and just wanted to bury it and forget it happened. Those things have a way of resurfacing, and it helped me to become a more honest, well-rounded songwriter instead of a topical one. There are some political leanings on “Nailed to the Letter” that have to do with right-wing conservative politicians, which is so cliché. But coming from someone who believes in the Lord and can’t relate to one word they say, it puts me back into the “I don’t belong anywhere” category… I am not down with blind hatred and when a movement becomes more important than human beings.

For many of us who have followed The Hanover Saints for several years, we have witnessed an evolution of sorts, from a “Christian punk” band to a band that has members who are Christian but play to the masses and not just to the converted, so to speak. Please explain what led you personally and the band to this decision?
It’s never been a conscious decision per se. I think it’s easy for anyone to label what they are passionate about, whether it’s straight edge, or Rasta, or whatever it may be. I just felt like our actions and music spoke for themselves. I have never denied my faith and have had record offers pulled from the table because of what I believe, but I didn’t grow up in the church, and honestly still don’t fit in most so-called churches. I honestly believe with every ounce of my being that the American church is so tied up in the political power agenda that it misses everything Jesus said. But to get back on point, I hate labels. With my life and my struggles, and believe me I am a troubled human being, I need peace in my life otherwise I flip out. But I have never wanted to alienate a person who doesn’t “believe”… All I ever wanted to do is just write real songs and maybe I am longwinded, but I’m super passionate about songwriting, and it’s a gift that I don’t take for granted. I am hoping one day I can sing better though [laughs].

It is a gift, but at some point wasn’t there a decision to be made about playing with certain bands and on certain bills that made you aware of the labels that people on all sides of the coin want to place on you?
All I ever wanted to do is play music, as far back as I can remember, and when I discovered punk in late 1984/early 1985 and picked up a guitar, I never worried about what people thought. Not till I got into my mid-20s when Hanover Saints started did I see these labels define a scene. I have always played wherever to whomever, and if these certain people want to label me, so be it. I heard people’s rhetoric from stage and then I would be hanging out with them later and helping them or they would be helping us, so sometimes the whole idea of it just seems to blur the lines, and it comes from both sides. But, being misconstrued from both sides has never stopped me. I am a really caring person inside, and the thought of someone not liking us for playing with this band or that band could eat you up inside by trying to figure it out. Music is supposed to be creative, freeing, uplifting and life-changing, and if someone is worried about what I do and where I play and who I hang out with, they are missing the best part about music. I just finally recently found a huge amount of peace knowing I am never going to fit in and it’s OK.

How has being a father changed your music, your attitude, and your desire to continue to make punk rock?
Being a father has made me a better person. More patient, more forgiving, but also making music since my son was born has made me way more focused just on the fact that he comes first and all else comes later. He is a great kid. He loves me playing music and we play tunes together. It’s a part of our family. I have to be wiser about money, but we all love punk in this house. He loves everything from Madball to Kepi Ghoulie, from Youth of Today to The Clash. He likes what he likes. I remember one day a CD ejected from the car, and it turned to classic rock. It was Skynyrd, and he said, “Dad put on some real rock ‘n’ roll, this sucks.” So I said “Give me a second, I am trying to put another CD in,” but he has no time for what he doesn’t like. But he loves all the music I play. He is my biggest fan and punk will be around forever in this household.

Regarding the future, you have a new EP, Bitter Pills, coming out this month on Revolution Ink records.
We have our first release since our record Murdertown. I am releasing it on my label, Revolution Ink Records, digitally and on CD, and a local label Pleasant Screams Cassettes is doing a limited run on cassette. Hopefully we’ll have it on vinyl early next year. Money has been super tight, and we don’t play a lot, so basically we had $500 to record our EP and I am pressing it. The rest of our money has gone to rehearsal space rent. So we are excited to get back and playing live and writing even more songs.

The new songs seem to reflect a more soulful singing style. The songs still have the aggression of Murdertown but seem to have a more Iggy and the Stooges vibe in spots. What do you credit with your growth as a singer and as a songwriter?
I always feel uncomfortable singing, but I have always had this pent-up aggression within me. I just wanted to capture that with more soulful melody, but that’s always just hanging on the edge where at any moment it can just fall apart. During this session, which was five hours of vocals, I literally was grabbing the wall and just shaking and taking myself out. I found this spot where I trusted myself with being on the edge of it falling apart. But I think since the hiatus I have written about 40 songs in various styles, like Motown, straight folk almost Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie style, to Creedence sounding tunes. What I was realizing was how much of a music lover I am, and how much different stuff I listen to from Joy Division, 4 skins, Swervedriver, to Joan Baez, The Damned, to the Australian band The Saints, so I just felt free to be free and that I had nothing to lose.

If it sucks, it sucks, but I love these songs. It is just a new chapter for me. I always go into Hanover Saints recordings as the band’s biggest fan. I ask myself would I listen to this and what do I want from us?

Can we expect The Hanover Saints to disappear again after this record or are you guys back for a while?
I hope we are around for a while, but I like not ever knowing. I want it as raw and close to the edge as possible. I am hoping for more time. I don’t think it’s done!

 
 

After Two Decades of Creating Music, Brian Hanover Collects No Dust
Words Anthony Giannotti | Photo Scot Stewart

Brian Hanover is most well known for his years fronting the Sacramento-based street punk band Hanover Saints. After seven U.S. tours, two full-length records, four EPs and nearly 10 years playing together, Hanover Saints called it quits in 2005. Fast forward to 2010: the 35-year-old is about to release his second solo album, publish a book of his writings, continue running his own screen-printing business and still finds time for his family. Brian’s mindset fully embodies the D.I.Y. lifestyle, going as far as to release his solo albums on his own record label Revolution Ink Records, casually saying, “I work hard, it’s just what I do; I don’t know anything else.”

He also does something a lot of older musician don’t do. He doesn’t rely on his past successes. “I want to stay relevant,” Hanover says. “I don’t want to be the crusty old guy that doesn’t know what the kids are listening to.” I had a chance to catch up with Hanover over a few pints of Guinness at one of my favorite Sacramento dive bars, The Press Club.

Thanks for meeting up with me here; I know you’re a busy guy.
No problem, thank you. I’ve only been here a couple times. One of the first times I came to The Press Club was in the early ’90s to see U.S. Bombs. It was a crazy night; I was over there behind Townhouse smoking and some kid got stabbed at the show!

So you’ve been around the Sacramento punk scene a long time.
In 1984 I was skating a launch ramp with some friends, and someone down the street was blaring 7 Seconds Walk Together Rock Together. Later that day I made my mom drive me to the record store—back then there was Dimple, Record Factory and of course Tower. I got my first punk records that day, 7 Seconds’ The Crew, and Black Flag’s Damaged. I started going to local shows in the mid-’80s. I even met my wife at a Suicidal Tendencies show back when Big Shots was still open.

Yeah congratulations on the 10-year wedding anniversary. You just got back from a little trip?
Thanks, it’s been a good 10 years. We went up to wine country for the weekend.

What’s it like trying to balance your own business, wife, kid and being a recording/touring musician?
[Laughs] There really is no balance; I think it’s priorities for sure. My wife knew what she was getting into. This is just what I do, and I was already in a band when we got together. One thing that really strengthens us as a couple is being able to do our own thing, it allows us to grow together, really surrounds us with love and grace, [laughs] a lot of grace.

Speaking of doing your own thing, I took a listen to the new release. It’s very good, quite the departure from the Hanover Saints”¦
Yeah some of it is. For this album I wanted to strip most of the songs down so I really only used an acoustic guitar, tambourine, harmonica and on a few songs electric guitar. All accept the fourth track; it actually was a Hanover Saints song that never made it on an album. It was right toward the end of it. I had already been writing solo stuff, and I brought it to practice when we were playing as a three-piece with Chris from Killing the Dream on bass.

Some of the songs on here have a real Johnny Cash/Bob Dylan singer/songwriter vibe jumping off them.
Each song is a little bit different from the other; they may have a common thread but I tried to get a large variety. Everything I sing about is all true stories, all personal experiences, kind of a Pete Seeger thing. I wanted to do this release differently because of all the different formats everything is coming out in. So the way I’m doing this release is in three volumes, every four months four more songs come out. The next volume is going to come out with a book I wrote and a coffee mug, because it all started with coffee and late-night rants for me.

How did the book come about?
Like I said, I was always at coffee shops writing. Some of the Hanover Saints lyrics I always really liked as standalone pieces. I had been cleaning out some old papers, and I found old poetry, short stories and some other stuff. I thought I’d like to publish it; I don’t know if it’s any good. Sometimes writers can think a little too much of themselves, think they’re a little bigger than life, but I went to a bookstore and picked up a book of poetry and one of the stanzas I turned to was literally four sentences. I thought, I can totally do this. It’s ridiculous.

Do you think it was the writing that attracted you to more of the acoustic style as opposed to staying in the punk rock genre?
Most of the Hanover Saints was written on acoustic or electric. It just depended on how I heard it in my head. One day I was playing the song “Bad Man” at home, Mike Erickson happened to be doing some work for me and heard it. He talked me into putting that song on Hanover Saints record Murdertown, which Pressure Point was producing. By the end of Hanover Saints I felt I had said everything that avenue would allow me to say. I really wanted to get that one on one connection with the audience. I definitely think there is a place for the loud thing. I’m always going to be into punk, and I’ll probably play it again, it’s just if you’ve said what you need to say for that part of your life I don’t feel the need to keep dragging that dead horse around.

Have you found that one-on-one connection?
I wanted to try getting up and doing a solo show but I was too afraid. Then in 2005 Kevin Seconds talked me into being on a bill with him. I just fell in love with it. Being able to play coffee shops, small bars, garages, living rooms and really some sketchy places is an entirely different, incredible, personal experience for me. You can get to know the people and the city you are playing in instead of rushing through to the next gig like when you’re in a full band. I’ve made some great friends all over the country playing solo.

You can get personal with Brian Hanover at the Blue Lamp March 17, 2010 for his 21 and older CD release or March 19, 2010 at 16th Street Café (The old Javalounge).