After hearing their debut album a couple of weeks ahead of the release date, I thought it would be great to catch up with the band, chat to them and find out a bit more about what went into the making of their first born.

Read on to see what they said when asked about songwriting, recording studios, what was left on the cutting room floor after they selected their band name, dream festival lineups, dinner menus, why the album is titled ‘Pilot’, drinks orders at the local dive bar, musical influences, favourite candy bars, festival survival tips and pretty much anything else that was worth talking about (grab a drink, it’s a great read!)

Afternoon chaps and chapess, HYOOMAN is an interesting name for a band, please tell me how it came to be?

Leng: I always liked the word “human” because it carries so many different ideas and feelings. Thematically, our songs explore the human condition and observe human behavior – so it seemed like the right word. And personally, this project was a way for me to re-discover my love for music and not be too concerned with perfection or what’s “cool.” I wanted music to feel human again and not a mechanical process. We chose an alternate spelling of the word “human” because we wanted have fun and make our name discoverable on searches.

Were there other names in the hat at the time of you choosing it?

Leng: I had to dig through the archives to find this list. I’m surprised that I still have it. Here are a few names from the it:

• Clipper

• Tightrope Runner

• Cliff

• Toon War

• I’m Retired

• Clown Makeup

• Wormuflies

Your music touches on the terrain between the lo-fi bedroom pop of Alex G and the alternative bands of the 90s/early 2000s, if push came to shove, what style do you MOST enjoy playing?

Leng: I always tell people that we play Pop music. I mean “Pop” in a general way. The songs have lyrics, verse-chorus structure, with a focus on melody or “hooks.” And I think that Hyooman thrives in this category and we enjoy it. I don’t think we’ll deviate from that in the near future – though we may dress it up differently.

You started writing the album in Dec 2019, so you had about a few months until the world stood still during the global pandemic, I’m guessing that was a very frustrating time for the band?

Leng: Actually, it was a blessing because the band didn’t manifest yet. I was still writing songs for the album. During lockdown, I had a lot of time to write, review my material, track demos, etc. because my social life was practically non-existent.

Did you manage to get some band practices completed?

Leng: We had our first band practice in late October 2020. We had to rehearse a couple songs before tracking them in the studio. We worked on the album right away after the band was formed and – I suppose we didn’t take the traditional route of playing as a band first before writing/producing an album.

Did you find the pandemic a creative time for the band or did you bury your head in the sand until it blew over?

Leng: It was creative for me. Boredom creates necessity and out of necessity you get creative. That’s how I felt anyway.

McCoy: It was good and bad creatively. Having a lot of time is a double-edged sword because sometimes it gets hard to just put a bow on something and call it done when there are no external pressures like a release date to try and hold yourself to. In the same sense it was nice to not have to rush anything and just see what comes out. For the band, it was kind of a nice incubation period. We didn't have a ton of momentum and then have to stop like some bands did because we had just started this project when the curtains started to come down.

Victor: I don’t think I was very creative during the pandemic, I just watched a lot of bad TV shows.’

Elise: For me, more time at home was great for creativity. But rock'n'roll waits for no pandemic, so we made an album.

Dillon: It was a pretty creative time for me personally as well as the band. Leng put the band together right after quarantine had lifted. We got right to work recording the songs Discourse and Don’t Want to Be on the album ‘Pilot’

You’re based in Minneapolis, I’m guessing that the competition there is pretty fierce with other bands?

Leng: Minneapolis is a small city compared to the other music hubs in the States. We only have so many venues and festivals and a lot of artists/bands/musicians. Additionally, the winters are very cold and people become selective about when and why they’d leave their homes. Competition depends on what you’re seeking as a musician. If you don’t care about when and where to play, then it is not competitive. But if you want prime slots at busy venues or festivals, or to open for a big touring act, then competition can be tough.

Let’s pretend that you have been asked to provide bands or artists (dead or alive) to appear as headline acts at your very own 3 day music festival, who would you have as the 3 headliners and why?

Leng: I would pick 2Pac, Nirvana, and then The Beatles (Abbey Road era). I’m not doing any niche picks; we’re talking about headliners after all.

McCoy: Wall of sound era Grateful Dead because I would've loved to hear/see the wall of sound in person. 80s Butthole Surfers because they were weird as hell and would freak out a festival crowd. And any era of Bjork because I like her and haven't seen her live and this is my festival god dammit.

Victor: Ummm probably like Nick Drake, Arthur Russell and S.E. Rogie

Elise: Joan Baez, Neko Case, Fleetwood Mac.

Dillon: Bill Evans Trio with Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian, the Clash and The Wailers (original lineup with Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingston).

Your new shiny debut album ‘Pilot’, is released into the world on 24 June, I’m keen to find out more about the writing process, are you all involved in this or is there one main songwriter in the band?

Leng: I primarily write the songs but the band plays a big part in writing and embellishing the music. We have talented songwriters in this band and I’d like to gradually include them in the writing process, especially when I hit a writer’s block.

What about in the studio, who did you enlist to assist with production duties and where was it recorded?

Leng: Our drummer, McCoy Seitz, is also the owner, engineer, and producer at Casino Time Recording Studio which is located in Northeast Minneapolis. He is one of my closest friends and we speak the same musical language, so it was easy for me to enlist him to help with production. We had to keep our production team pretty small because of the pandemic. So that’s about it. We had the album mastered by Anni Abigail Casella in Massachusetts. I will credit our keyboardist, Elise Bremer, with referring me to her.

Are you ‘hands on’ when it comes to being in the studio or do you tend to take a back seat and let the producer/engineer work their magic?

Leng: I consider myself to be “hands off.” I’m not savvy with the technical language or recording software, nor do I want to be. I will paint the big picture and give notes about a vibe, style, volume, etc. but then I let the engineer/producer work their magic. I’m not interested in the fine details.

How will you be celebrating this milestone in the band’s life? Special launch party? BBQ?

Leng: All of the above! We have an album release party on June 24th with Despondent and Bathtub Cig, both incredible bands in Minneapolis. Outside of the band, we hang out pretty regularly and BBQs are frequent with us.

You said in your press release, “While the songs have their own personalities and can stand on their own, they are cohesive and come together as a unit”, does this mean that listening to the album in the order the tracks are presented would give you a much richer experience?

Leng: I believe so, especially if you listen to the album for a second time and allow the album to repeat into itself. But what’s more important to me is that the songs are cohesive and they make sense as a body of work. Ideally you want the album to work in track list order or in random order.

You mentioned that the name ‘Pilot’ refers to the first episode in a television series to test audience reaction before they produce a full season. This album is your “pilot” so to speak - since this is your debut album, what reaction are you hoping for?

Leng: I hope the music attracts a variety of listeners from different demographics, genders, genres, etc.

McCoy: Gasps.

Victor: I want people to like the songs as much as I like them.

Elise: We are hoping our next album is another season of "Friends."

And that leads me nicely to my next question, I know you have only kicked this album out of the door but are you/have you been working on new material?

Leng: Yes we are working on new material! We have a second album almost fully written and we’ve played a few of the new songs live. We will begin tracking the new album in July.

If I were to put you all in a UFC style fighting cage, which band member would be the last one standing? (Please don’t do this to prove a point, just interested in your comments!)

Leng: I think McCoy would be the last one standing. He’s tenacious and I think he’s the only one in the band with real-life fighting experience.

McCoy: Probably Leng or I. Leng is scrappy and I bite.

Victor: I think McCoy would win because he would fight dirty.

Elise: Leng has watched the most wrestling on television so I think he has the upper cut, so to speak. I guarantee somebody is going to make a joke about Magic the Gathering...

Dillon: McCoy would win. He likes to climb things, so his aerial attacks would be something to contend with.

I recently chatted to a well established band and argued with their singer about them wanting to play the tracks from their 1992 album in random order (as in not the order that they were on the record), this annoyed me and I couldn’t understand why they would want to do that…..what are your views on this and did you put a lot of thought into the running order of the album?

Leng: I do believe in a proper track list order even if the songs don’t relate to each other. We put thought into ours. Listeners will always have the option to listen to the album in random order. But while you have the choice, you might as well curate an experience for listeners if they choose to listen to the album in order.

What formats will the album be available on? I’m hoping a limited edition record with each of your DNA injected into the wax and a super limited hipster cassette tape in lime green with purple spots?

Leng: Those are some very good ideas and I wish you were there during our brainstorm sessions. In addition to digital, we have the album on cassette. Circling back to our discussion about the importance of tracklist order – the cassette sort of forces that on listeners. I listened to cassettes growing up and that format is important to me. You could say that my whole motivation for making this album was to have it on cassette.

You say that “Pilot is an Alternative/Indie Rock album that draws inspiration from Alex G, The Strokes, early Weezer (Pinkerton & Blue album), among other Alternative bands”, choose just one influence and tell me more about how their music has influenced your sound?

Leng: This is tough because I was listening to a lot of different bands/artists and each song on the album has its own set of influences. But if I have to choose one, I’d say The Strokes – more specifically their first two albums. I love every song on those albums as standalones and yet I can’t separate a song from the whole. They did a really good job of creating a cohesive album without sacrificing quality to make a song “fit” with the rest. There are no fillers or long transitions. They are well-constructed, concise albums. I was trying to tap into that magic while writing this album.

Music is incredible, it can make you smile, dance, cry and even laugh, what do you hope that people will get out of YOUR music?

Leng: I hope that this album can provide a soundtrack to someone’s day even for a brief moment. I have no expectations for how they should feel.

McCoy: Maybe a little pop of nostalgia and a nice soundtrack for a few minutes or their day.

Victor: I hope people will understand what a genius Leng is.

Elise: I think the music drives at the in-between emotions and moments that make up our lives. They can be harder to define or express but Leng does a beautiful job writing to those moments.

Dillon: I like the scenarios that Leng sets up with his lyrical content. I hope listeners find it relatable as well.

I’ve been to the USA a few times on holiday but have never ventured to Minneapolis, should I venture there in the future, give me a few things that I should be checking out in your area?

Leng: Yes, you should come to Minneapolis! The 331 Club is a dive bar with generally good live music and no cover charge. You can meet a lot of eccentric characters including local musicians. I’d also recommend trying a ‘Juicy Lucy’ at Matt’s Bar and visiting one of our local breweries.

McCoy: Go to the Mall of America if you want to see peak consumption. George Floyd Square is a powerful thing to see/feel. I like wandering around Boom Island park and seeing the shirtless bros playing Spikeball and glancing over their shoulders expectantly to see if anyone is looking.

Victor: Ah jeez. Jimmy’s billiards hall is pretty sick. There’s also a pretty nice Taco Bell by my house

Elise: We have a vibrant music scene, you can see a great show any night of the week. The Spoonbridge and Cherry sculpture is a noteworthy local sight which is, disappointingly, not a giant sundae.

Dillon: Willow River Falls isn’t too far away. That place is pretty fun. If you’re just sticking around Minneapolis you’ll likely catch a good local show at Mortimer’s.

Although American chocolate (candy) is so different from what we get here in the UK, I did fall in love with ‘Three Musketeers’ and ‘Baby Ruth’ bars the last time I was Stateside, which are your favourites?

Leng: You have to try a Whatchamacallit bar. It’s like a better tasting protein bar. Besides the brilliant name, it’s got crispy rice, caramel, peanut butter, and it’s covered in chocolate.

McCoy: Milky Way Midnight. That's decadence, baby.

Victor: I’m a pretty big Reese’s peanut butter cup head.

Elise: Since I'm writing this on the summer solstice, the only candy adjacent treat worth mentioning is s'mores, served with your chocolate slab of choice.

Dillon: I don’t much care for milk chocolate. I like a few takes on dark chocolate; coffee bean, sea salt almond as well as cayenne and dried cherry. If we’re talking just ‘Big Chocolate’ though, I’d say Reese’s cups or almond joy (why don’t they make dark chocolate almond joy or mounds with almonds?)

What advice would you offer to anyone interested in starting out in the music industry today?

Leng: Start investing in clown makeup because you’re joining the circus.

McCoy: Get an eyepatch.

Victor: Yikes I don’t know. It would probably depend on how good their music is lol.

Elise: Just start. You don't need permission from anyone or a fancy instrument or space to make music. I guess the other thing after that is keep going.

Dillon: Expect to be diverse with your content and don’t go to college for music production ;)

We’re coming round to yours for dinner tomorrow night (surprise!), what will you be offering us?

Leng: Anything but Fish n’ Chips because you come from the UK; that would be hard to please!

McCoy: We eat a lot of beans and rice in our household. Maybe some lentils. I'll grill you some meat and things. I like to grill.

Victor: It would probably be a grill and chill situation with Leng or McCoy as the head griller.

Elise: Wine and something from the garden that the rabbits have left for us hyoomans.

Dillon: Beef and broccoli stir fry with Szechuan green beans

To say thank you for dinner, we’re taking you to a bar, what would you like to drink?

Leng: Vodka on the rocks. Slow sip. Long conversation.

McCoy: I'm not picky. IPA of some sort or a gin or whiskey cocktail. Make it a double.

Victor: Grain Belt Nordeast

Elise: More wine?

Dillon: Fairstate Pilsner or Bent Paddle Coffee Stout.

Where is the best place to keep up to date with your musical movements on the socials?

Leng: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, we keep it all updated. Our Linktree is available on all of our socials and it will provide links to all of our social media pages. Also, subscribe to our Youtube for future music video releases!

Lastly, I just spent 2 days at a music festival and things got rather messy, I’m keen to hear your festival survival tips…..

Leng: Stay hydrated. Bring sunscreen. Come up with a contingency plan in case your group gets separated without a charged phone.

McCoy: I'm an old man. The only way you'd see me at a festival is if I'm on stage.

Victor: I haven’t been to a proper music festival since my senior year of high school. So I don’t know, it would probably be something like don’t forget to study for your chemistry exam.

Elise: As an introvert my advice is don't go.

Dillon: Bring more jugs of water and towelettes than you think you’d need. PBJ (peanut butter & jelly) sandwiches are your friend. Don’t overeat. That’s the G rated answer.

We’d like to thank Leng, McCoy, Victor, Elise and Dillon for sparing their time to answer our questions, we wish them every success with their debut album ‘Pilot’ which is released to the world on June 24th and for future sonic endeavours. If you’re in the Minneapolis area, why not keep an eye on their socials and go check them out when they play live, if you say that Steve from musomuso.com sent you, they may even let you buy them a drink!

To keep up to date with the band’s whereabouts, visit their Linktr.ee page which can be accessed HERE

Interview by Steve Muscutt