Interview with Alex Poe of The Hate Club

July 27, 2020

Interview with Alex Poe of The Hate Club

By Mick Michaels

COSMICK VIEW: Hello, Alex! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it's greatly appreciated.

CV: So many things can define an artist; their sound, their style, their look...even their attitude. What do you think makes an artist unique, even iconic? Is it something more than just the music?
Alex Poe: I think that, ideally, it's a combination of music and lifestyle attitude. Music definitely comes first and having a signature sound is the ultimate goal of an artist, to my mind. I always thought that an artist has to possess some sort of "obliviousness", meaning that you aren't even always aware of the forces moving the world around you, it happens naturally. There are a lot of examples when music becomes second to image and people can always feel it. I think while music definitely plays the most prominent role in one's career, it's ultimately a combination of your sound, image, aura and the story you're telling.

CV: Is being a "rock star" still a relevant term in today's music industry? Is it something worth aspiring to become especially for a young, up and coming artist?
AP: I think being a "rock star" will always be relevant, not just in music but in everything you do. It's the energy that you are able to deliver to the world. You can recite poetry, walk, speak, do dishes, for Christ's sake, like a rock star! If you aren't even trying to be a rock star in everything that you do…are you even real…are you living? We all have our own appetites; it's up to you to take it to the level when you're satisfied with it. I think that, more than ever, up and coming musicians should strive towards becoming rock stars, rather than overly-sensitive and manufactured tools of what's "hot right now".

CV: From your experience, does songwriting tend to define the band or does the band inevitably define the songwriting in your opinion? Meaning, can specific songwriting styles or formulas pigeon hole a band over time, creating limitations or does that particular style create a level of freedom and uniqueness?
AP: It's a double-edged sword, sometimes by following formulas you are going to be "understood by the masses", yet, that can totally put you in a certain format.

I, personally, hate formulas. There are certain artists that I fell in love with because of their raw style and then after they started pumping out cliché songs, it makes me not want to listen to them ever again. I think that best bands define their own and unique songwriting and then keep pushing the envelope all the time

CV: Given that there has been so many major developments and changes over the last several decades, would you consider the music industry to be a viable and stable enough environment for new artists and bands to even attempt to make a successful career, or at any rate, a living, in your opinion?
AP: Definitely miles away from being stable, and miles away from being viable... Making a comfortable living with music is hard and by no means easy. There are plenty of new avenues that allow artists to become independent and grow; however, to become iconic you will need a team of pros, no matter what. I know a lot of artists who have a ton of streams but drive uber on the side. It is not easy. You're familiar with the whole 1% in modern world? I think in music it's even worse. But hey, what is life without a little bit of struggle? ;)

CV: How would you describe the difference between an artist who follows trends and one who sets them?
AP: I think that's ultimately what makes one called an icon and others, simply put, layman. Don't get me wrong, some people just want to play other people's songs, that's cool with them and there's nothing wrong with that. However, if you want to create a historical legacy that's going to move generations, following trends isn't going to cut it.

CV: Has digital technology made everyone an artist on some level in your opinion? Has such access, from a consumer standpoint, changed the game for more seasoned artists to find and maintain their audience?
AP: I don't agree that everyone is on the same level. Everyone has the same means of reaching fans, yes, but I'd hate to just give away a title of an "artist" to everyone because they can now watch a tutorial on YouTube, buy a canvas and paint using their own shit calling it art. I think art is dedication, ideology, knowledge experience. Artistic freedom is achieved after you go through 3 main academic stages of artists growth: Fundamentals, Studying The Greats and Creating Your Signature Style. Freedom is achieved after mastering the rules that you now know how to break. Everyone can now call themselves an "artist" but doesn't that kill the magic for you?

CV: Can a band truly interact with its fans and still maintain a level of individual privacy without crossing the line and giving up their “personal space” in your opinion?
AP: Hardly possible. I try talking to all of my fans…I think some of them know way more than I should be giving away. Does personal space exist today? I just disconnect whenever I need to be alone.

CV: Do you feel music still holds a place in our current culture of social media distancing and instant gratification? Does music still have the same meaning as it once did in our world?
AP: There's a lot of noise, hard to find true gems, but when you do find one you keep it close to your heart, dearly. It's hard to say whether it has the same impact on the world as it once did, things seems manufactured and strategized. I want to believe it's still possible to touch people's souls.

CV: What's one thing being in a Rock band taught you that you feel you would not have learned elsewhere?

AP: Taught me that I don't need to be in a Rock band to write my own fucking music, for now, Haha. I do wanna go back to playing in a full band, though. The Hate Club started as a solo project but feel a desperate need to be playing with a bunch of tight mother fuckers in a sweaty rehearsal, lockout and making the tightest riff on the planet.

CV: What's next for you? What can fans expect to see coming post COVID-19?
AP: SHOWS, SHOWS, SHOWS! I can't wait to go back on the road, and I feel that my listeners want it as bad. I just released my Metal EP, “Death of the Protagonist” and, even though, it happened only a week ago, I'm already thinking about my debut album. There's a lot to anticipate.

CV: Thank you again Alex for spending some time talking and sharing with our readers. It was a pleasure. I wish you all the best and continued success.
AP: I love you, too!

Check out The Hate Club at:
Official: https://www.thehateclub.xyz/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehateclub/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehateclub

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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.