The Hospital Club Sessions: Hooded Fang Interview

- Photo by Sara Amroussi-Gilissen

When we catch up with Toronto’s Hooded Fang at Covent Garden’s The Hospital Club, they’re looking a little peaky. The band have just finished recording tracks for The Hospital Club Sessions – a series of groundbreaking videos filmed using 360 degree camera angles, allowing the viewer to select the camera and stance from which they wish to view the session – so we grab a few minutes to catch up with the group’s Daniel Lee and April Aliermo to see if everything’s ok.

“They were the biggest oysters we’d ever seen, double the size of oysters that you normally see,” comments April when enquiries are made as to why a trip to Brighton’s seafront has left the band feeling under the weather. “And they were delicious, £1 for one, and this old lady opens them for you, gives you a piece of lemon. So we all ate them, Daniel had two of them. And 24 hours later, we had violent everything…”

“Yeah, I’m not a very religious person, but I actually began thinking about God. I don’t even know what about God, just God!” adds Daniel, laughing.

A tour with Howler and a much discussed performance at Brighton’s Great Escape festival (as well as accompanying Grimes on stage as backing dancers at the same event) are listed among the highlights of the Canadian band’s year, following the release of their second album Tosta Mista through Full Time Hobby, so we fire a Q&A at the band to get to grasps with the basics, and to find out what the band have been up to.

Watch Hooded Fang play ‘Jubb’ as part of The Hospital Sessions here.

As a musician, what do try to represent?

April: Part of this little mini fame is being able to use it, for me anyway, as a forum to represent women, Filipino people and to inspire that demographic of people. When I was younger, I didn’t have that many relatable role models.

Daniel: I represent losers all over the world! I try to inspire any dead-beat person to be even more lazy

What was the first record you bought?

Daniel: I think the first record I bought was a Beatles tape – ‘When I’m 64′ or something.

April: Mine was also a cassette tape and I think it was Naughty by Nature, ‘Poverty’s Paradise’ .

And the last record you bought?

Daniel: I only listen to my friends’ records these days!

April: Well it’s interesting now, because you can buy MP3 files so you don’t think of the actual, physical copy that you’re holding…

Daniel: I bought this record by a band called Sucker Punch who were around when I was about 13 in Toronto. Then I had this CD, and there was a certain point in my life when I sold all of my CDs for a pittance, and it turns out that a friend of mine who works in a record store now knows the guys who were in that band. Every once in a while i’d search for them and think ‘I wonder where that band is?’, so she knows the guy and they still have some of their vinyl, so I bought one of their vinyls from a long time ago.

April: Mine was a Jay Reatard compilation on vinyl.

Photo by Sara Amroussi-Gilissen

Who is your musical hero?

April: Daniel’s my musical hero!

Daniel: Yeah, April’s mine.

April: M.I.A’s also one as far as musical heroes go, she’s badass.

Who is your musical villain?

April: Daniel is my musical villain!

Daniel: Frank Zappa’s my musical villain. He’s just not my bag.

April: You know who makes me want to throw up? Nickelback.

Where would your ideal home be?

Daniel: I need three – Toronto, California, and I guess somewhere in space when they get that going – a space home.

April: Or a giant, cosy nest in the woods by the sea where all of my friends could come and hang out, make art, make music and eat delicious food that we’d grow in a garden.

Daniel: Maybe in Nigella Lawson’s home, I wouldn’t mind living there…!

What’s a good fact about your current home?

Daniel: I just moved into my Dad’s basement, while we go on tour!

April: Yeah, I just moved into my friend’s office before we went on tour!

What’s your idea of happiness?

Daniel: Pizza and a cheeseburger, and maybe a vanilla milkshake.

April: Delicious food with my friends in the sun – it sounds cheesy, but it’s true. I always feel good that way.

What is your biggest wish?

Daniel: I want to feel better so I can eat some good food again after this food poisoning!

April: I have so many wishes. I feel like i’m in front of a birthday cake and i’m pressured to close my eyes and think of just one.

Daniel: World peace, man!

April: Yeah, i’m into world peace… No, i’m not going with world peace! My biggest wish would be for a society more dominated by women!

The Hospital Club Sessions are created in partnership with Amazing Radio, the Guardian and The Line of Best Fit. Find out more about the sessions here.