Interview: The Black Halos w/ Robert & Adam Halo
by Sabine Schenk
The Black Halos are well know among the punkwhateverrockers in Germany but unfortunately they have never really toured here. So I was really looking forward to their show at the Monofaktur in Munich. Unfortunately the turnout wasn’t that big but everyone who showed up was instantly taken by their music and energy. Especially singer Billy Hopeless put on a crazy show. It’s hard to describe I guess you just have to see it yourself! After the show I had the pleasure to interview two of the Halos. Here is what they had to say about music, touring and nipples. Enjoy!
Please introduce yourselves.
Adam: That’s Robert Zgaljic the drummer in the Black Halos and I am Adam Becvare. I play the guitar.
How’s the tour going so far? How’s Germany treating you guys?
Robert: I think it’s been going really good actually. We get the same reaction almost every night. This is our first time here. So they might only know one record actually. So throughout the set they’re usually just kinda standing around. But at the end of the set they are usually always into it, you know what I mean. That’s always a surprise because when we play we always think the crowd doesn’t like us or anything. But at the end of the set everyone is like cheering and stuff. It’s pretty cool.
What’s the biggest difference between shows in Germany and in the States?
Adam: Basically the crowd just knowing the last two albums. Back home it seems like people want to here more of the old songs. The old songs are really meaningful to them. Here people just sing along to the newer stuff.
How does the new line up feel for you?
Robert: It’s like a breath of fresh air. I love it. There’s always a lot of energy playing with the new guys.
Adam, what do you think about playing with the Halos?
Adam: I was a fan first and when I met them I instantly felt like I was a Halo myself. Then I listened to their music and watched their albums progress. There had been a couple of situations when I could have joined the band but I didn’t. And when I finally joined the band I felt really good. I felt as if could add something to the band.
Musically or personally?
Adam: Basically musically… personally… there’s no big difference to hanging out with them.
Robert: When Adam joined the band it felt as if he had always been in the band, you know what I mean. I mean we have known him for years. We always kept in touch and been friends with him. It was like my best friend just walking into the band. Musically, Adam added a different style and that’s cool.
Why it the record called “Alive without Control”?
Robert: Our lives have been out of control since we broke up in 2002. First of all there had been a lot of anger in the band. We didn’t speak to each other for a long time. Slowly we got back together, talking and hanging out. Our lives have always been kinda chaotic when we were playing in this band. There has always been a struggle. We have always been fighting for something, you know what I mean. So “Alive without Control” just sums up what this band is all about.
How would you describe the sound of the new album?
Adam: We just took it up a notch. The songs have been written really easily. The recording went really fast. We got almost everything we wanted. ‘We want keyboards’ so we got keyboards. ‘We want handclaps’ so we got handclaps.
So Jack Endino did a good job?!
Adam: Jack’s the 6th Halo! He’s just one of us. He thinks the way the think.
How’s being on Liquor and Poker?
Robert: It’s pretty good. It’s a small part of a big company, you know what I mean. So you can only hope for the best. And yeah, it’s working out.
There are some pretty good bands on that label like the Bones.
Robert: Yeah, we toured with them! They are friends of us!
Adam: These guys are awesome!
How was touring the US with them?
Adam: Awesome. Those guys saw and did everything. They were the first guys up in the morning and the last guys who went to sleep and they never missed a beat.
Robert: They were like ‘we gotta go to Disneyland, we gotta do this, we gotta do that!’ and we were just like ‘whatever!’, you know what I mean.
Adam: They were fantastic. It was fun to see it through their eyes, too.
Robert: We kinda connected instantly. As soon as we saw each other we were like best friends, instantly. We constantly miss those guys!
Billy said some stuff about skating on stage?? Do you guys really skate???
Robert: I’m not a big skateboarder but I love ice skating. I am a professional figure skater, you know. I have a sequenced outfit. It’s really nice. It cuts really low, so my chest is showing.
Adam: No, here’s the story: Charly don’t surf, Adam don’t skate and skulls can’t swim.
I am basically done with my interview already.
Adam: Oh really? So, what do you really want to know? You can ask us anything!
I’m done with my questions. But you can add anything you like.
Adam: Do you want to know who sleeps with who?
You mean, who of you guys sleep with each other?!
Robert: We usually sleep together. It’s really weird actually. When we get up in the morning, and we sleep like 10 hours, we are opening our eyes and we are usually facing each other. Then we are staring at each other for quite some time. It’s kinda weird. There’s like a tension between us. It’s a rare thing to find that tension between two people.
I see, that’s probably the main reason why Adam is in the band.
Robert: Yeah, cause I knew it’s gonna be a long lasting relationship. We will be together forever! I really like it when he licks my nipples a lot. I like it when he does that with his tongue because I have really sensitive nipples.
Adam: Let me tell you this right now! Rob is a very selfish lover! He just takes. Never gives, always taking. But his ass is cherry.
Ok, I think this a nice last word for the interview. Thank you for your time and have fun on the rest of the tour.
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