Rob: Where is Hauler from and how did you guys meet, how long have you been playing? How about a little background history...
Edge: We hail from mighty (and often overlooked) Vancouver, Washington. Jayson and I began writing together, with no band name, and finally had our first official practice with the other guys (under the name Hauler) in June of 2003. We actually called Nick and Joner and told them that they were in our band, without their permission and knowledge of what we were to sound like. But, it all worked out, because we all wanted the same things; to be the heaviest, loudest, and most active band in our area. Things started out with a bang, and more explosions keep happening for us. Our first cd (The Haymaker EP) is doing well, our last tour went well and because people like you, our fans, other bands and Stonnerrock.com help us out so much... we are able to keep going, keep writing and keep rockin�.
Jayson: Nick (drums) and I have been best friends for years and played in Nihilist together for 4 years. Ben (bass) was a buddy who hung out with Nihilist. I met Aaron through the local scene, and he asked me to play bass with his old more �doomy� outfit called 2 Men Dead. After 2MD and Nihilist disbanded, I went back to guitar, we asked Ben to play bass, and Nick to play drums for a new �stony-er� band.
Joner:: They didn�t even ask me, I found out I was in the band via live journal (laughs).
Edge: True, we just knew you would wanna do it! That�s fucking funny, I don�t care who you are (laughs)!
Rob: You guys have a vicious sound, what are some of your influences when you write a song?
Edge: Lyrically, whatever I am going through in life gets dumped into the songs. I am sure that we are no different than a lot of bands, as far as that goes. I can�t help but be influenced by my environment and current issues that surround me and the other guys in the band. However, I would like to say that we are not politically influenced. I know not of those things and the media makes it so difficult to really know what is fact, fiction, what have you. I know about pain, sadness and longing... those are elements of Hauler�s lyrics. Musically, I am influenced by jazz, heavy stuff and classical music. My cd player recently has spun YOB, High On Fire, Pelican, Burnt By The Sun, QOTSA, Karma To Burn, Cavity, Himsa, ISIS, Playing Enemy, Keelhaul, Lamb Of God, Mastodon, A Life Once Lost, Shamelady... but the list could go on and on. These bands move me, inspire me and piss me off, with their insane ability to do everything first and before I even think about it. they frustrate me into working harder, in order to out-do myself.
Joner:: Converge, Botch, Shamelady, Burnt By the Sun, Isis and Mastodon.
Edge: Mastodon is soo good, that name comes up a lot with us, as a band.
Jayson: My personal influences on guitar and songwriting are mainly Page Hamilton (Helmet), Dave Knudson (Botch), and Kurt Ballou (Converge).
Rob: You have the Haymaker EP out, and it�s killer...it�s sort of a tease, I want more! Do you have any future plans to record a full length?
Jayson: Thank you. Hopefully in the summertime of this year we�ll do a full length. That�s the plan anyway.
Edge: We have been talking to some labels(in both the states and Europe), no official signing news at this time though.
Rob: How often do you guys rehearse, and what is the song writing process like?
Jayson: Lately, we�ve been practicing 3 times a week. As far as writing is concerned, it just depends. Sometimes a whole song will just come from jamming at practice, and sometimes Aaron or I�ll write a whole one at home and let everyone else tweak on it at practice. Also, Aaron has like 1,381 riffs floating around at all times, so there are always ideas. The guy has a whole bank full of riffs.
Edge: It is true, I have like 1,381 riffs in my head. The problem is that almost all of them suck and never make it into our material (laughs).
Rob: What are some of the bands in the StonerRock genre that you guys like?
Joner:: Yob, Shamelady, Bongzilla, Eyehategod and Isis.
Edge: YOB, Bongzilla, Karma To Burn, Cavity, Iron Monkey, Eye Hate God, Neurosis, Grief, Sleep and Kyuss. A local band I have been turned onto lately is Bones Of Giants.
Nick:: Mastodon, Isis, Melvins.
Jayson: Personally, I�m always on the search for new stuff. Here lately I�ve been listening to Shamelady, Floor, Bongzilla, Mastodon, and Pelican. As far as everything else - I love Isis, Iron Monkey, Harkonen, Karp, Eyehategod, Qotsa, Yob, Burnt By The Sun, Botch, Melvins, and of course Slayer, Floyd, Zeppelin, and Sabbath.
Rob: What is your local scene like? (heheh...) What are some of the bands you guys enjoy playing gigs with?
Joner:: The local scene here is awesome. There`s tons of rad bands to play with. Good people, they are. Just had a great show in Eugene with Yob and Shamelady always means: �good times�. Morsecode Heartbeat, Rapid Fire Process, Quicknut?
Jayson: The local scene here is supportive as all hell. We�re lucky because we can play all-ages hardcore shows and Stoner Rock bar shows and get really good responses from both crowds. We like to play with our really good friends Shamelady, Yob, Morse Code Heartbeat, Rapid Fire Process, Iommi Stubbs, Blowupnihilist, Harkonen, and Playing Enemy. A show with any of those bands is a treat.
Edge: We have a small scene, a few all-ages venues and a few more bars. We are still a new band, so it is hard to gauge our �scene� or fan-base yet. However, hardcore kids, metal heads and stoners have all praised us for our recent activities and the recording. The only reason that people have even seen us or heard of us is because of a few great promoters like Jessica and Josh from Club Solidstate, Dan Equation, Chris and Trevor of Thrasher Presents, on line sites like nwequation.com, stonerrock.com and great bands that let us open for them: YOB, Shamelady, Harkonen, Lahar and others. There are other great bands in our �scene� too, like Shelter Red, Rapid Fire Process, Brutal Fight, Morse Code Heartbeat, Inked In Blood, Ship and others. We are so fortunate to have people helping us out along the way. I also need to mention the wonderful support from our bass players family, the Joners. They have made this band possible, without them, we would not have a place to practice and meet.
Rob: There is no band on earth heavier than______ - and why?
Nick:: For me it�s Pink Floyd�s �Dark Side of the Moon�. So heavy and not even distorted.
Edge: I would say Neurosis (if I had to pick only one). They bring in every element of heaviness, beauty and collision possible. This band amazes me more with every listen, and with every record. If you gave me a few more choices, ISIS and YOB are in the mix... so good, so smart with changes and mood structure. I can only hope that we move some people as those three bands move me.
Joner:: Yob... the bassist plays some huge sounding chords, super low guitars, pissed vocals, low-rider drums.
Jayson: That�s a hard one... but just being heavy isn�t good enough for me. A band has to have that dynamic of being able to be slow, melodic and intertwine that with epic heaviness. Isis and Yob are perfect examples.
Edge: God-damned YOB! We can�t escape their grasp, their power... I doubt they talk about us as much as we do them (laughs).
Rob: What are some of the bands that you guys listen to that would surprise people if you told them?
Jayson: I listen to Super Tramp when I�m alone (laughs). I also love Radiohead and Tori Amos.
Edge: Jay and I share the love of Radiohead. I also dig Portishead, Denali, Ornette Coleman and Fugazi. All different and influencing in many ways, and on different levels.
Joner:: The Police.
Edge: True, they influenced me a ton as a kid.
Nick:: Fiona Apple, Dave Mathews and Mr. Bungle.
Rob: If I wanted to get more information on Hauler, where would I look?
Jayson: www.HaulerRock.com
Edge: Plus, Stonerrock.com or our label�s site - www.odeum.org/wormfodder.
Rob: How do you think the internet has changed the heavy rock scene? and How often do you use the internet and for what?
Joner:: Sell your computer, buy a guitar.
Edge: Joner isn�t addicted to the web like me and Jay, I would die without the internet, just for the communication factor alone. We get people from other countries emailing us about our band and the other musical projects that we have our hands in. Without the ease of email, those contacts would never be made or continued. Also, via our band�s website, people who haven�t seen us play in their town yet, can listen and learn about us. When I first started booking bands and playing shows, you had to call people on the phone or write them letters... what? SO hard, so confusing. The internet makes that all much simpler and reduces stress for me (ask the guys about me stressing out all the time, as that is another interview in itself). The internet also lets us link and be linked to other sites (like yours) that help us get attention normally not given to us without the web. For instance, our friends in Shamelady and us link each other and often get on the same bills and offered some of the same opportunities because we are linked up. Another great thing about the internet, (and I promise I will shut up after I explain it) is that we can sell our merch on line and through distributors for people not able to see us live.
Jayson: Internet as changed all genres of music in that it�s way more accessible these days to find good bands. Before, you just had to go by word of mouth or get lucky and see some really good random band at a show. I�m an internet-nerd, and I use the Internet for everything + paying bills, staying in contact with family/friends, buying music and movies, you name it.
Rob: What are some of the things you guys do outside of �the rock?�
Jayson: Beside the normal warehouse day job that I have and Hauler, I�m in another band called SHIP with Aaron Blanchard of Shamelady and our buddy Tyson Breckinridge. Between the two bands, I have band practice 6 nights a week, so that doesn�t leave much time for anything else. But I like the outdoors and go camping as much as possible.
Joner:: I work full time framing houses: it pays pretty good but it`s brutal work. I`m into hackie sack, outdoors, hiking, fishing, hunting, kickin� it, ladies, buying shit, reading, parties. I also have a side project called Rhino in the works.
Nick:: I work in a lumber yard, play soccer and hunt.
Edge: I am the Art Director for a small design firm called Odeum (www.Odeum.org), I skate, eat ramen, like camping as well, bug Jay to hang out, chase girls, and play drums for a band called Day Of Lions (www.DayOfLions.com). I roadie for the band Himsa and others, when needed and I run a small record label. No room for anything else in my life, and I prolly don�t want anything else in my life (laughs).
Rob: Do you have anything you want to add for the viewers at StonerRock.com?
Edge: I would like to thank the kind words that have been said about our band so far. Stonerrock is such a great resource hub for heavy music, and the people that go there for information are very open-minded. Without those fans and viewers, we play to ourselves in a garage.
Jayson: Not really. Just know that we�re not fake dudes trying to make it big. We just wanna rock.
Joner:: Please download our songs...
Rob: Here is the part of the interview that we call the stupid questions... If you weren�t a rocker, what would you most like to be?
Nick:: Forest Ranger or a monster truck driver.
Jayson: Probably just some lame-o with a wife and kids... not that that is bad, it�s just not something I�m interested in right now.
Edge: A hearse driver.
Rob: What was your worst gig and why? What was your best gig and why?
Edge: We haven�t played enough to have had a worst, I don�t think, have we?
Jayson: No, can�t really think of a worst gig, they�ve all been pretty decent so far, but we�re still starting out as Hauler. My old band has had some pretty awful shows; but I won�t go in to those. I guess our best gig so far was Longview, WA on Halloween night... we played for about 250 kids I think.
Joner:: True, that was the best!
Nick:: Best - Halloween, for sure.
Edge: Yeah, that was a good night (laughs)... kids were really stoked and went ape-shit!
Joner:: Worst - back in high school, I was in a band called Stinkeye. We play our school talent show, and during our first song our singer sounded like some bird creature... it was terrible.
Rob: Top three movies, books and albums of all time?
Edge: Movies - Harold & Maude, Sleepy Hallow, Dead Poet Society. Books - Ones with pictures. Albums - Sleep �Jerusalem�, Neurosis �Sovereign�, ISIS �Oceanic�.
Jayson: Movies - Star Wars, LOTR, Scarface. Books - I don�t read much. I probably should though.
Joner:: Movies - High Plains Drifter, Platoon, Scarface. Books - Choke, Survivor, Fight Club or any others by Chuck Palahniuk. Albums - Converge �Jane Doe�, Botch �We Are the Romans� and Drowningman �Rock and Roll Killing Machine�.
Nick:: Movies - Evil Dead II, Office Space, Indiana Jones. Books - I don`t read that much, but I actually did just read Gerald`s "Game" by Stephen King. Albums - "Dark Side", Pantera`s "Far Beyond Driven", Melvin`s "Houdini".
Rob: How often do you surf the net and what do you mostly do while on line?
Joner:: Never really.
Nick:: Internet... what�s that?
Edge: Because you both have the slowest internet connections in the history of the internet. If it was faster, you would terrorize people on line more often (laughs).
Jayson: I surf everyday. Mostly to check my bank account balance, my email, and random message boards.
Edge: I am probably on line for about 5 hours a day, communicating, networking and researching... mostly music-related information. I have also slipped into live journal type sites... met some amazing people and contacted old friends from the East Coast too.
Rob: What is your favorite city and venue to play, and why?
Edge: House shows, anywhere they won�t get busted up before we are into our last song (laughs), as we play too loud.
Jayson: I like playing in Portland, always lots of friends and it just seems to always be a good time. Also playing in front of a crowd of people I know personally, inspires me to play well.
Joner:: Portland, the Twilight Cafe. Good, chill place.
Nick:: I liked the Solid State on Burnside, but I guess it�s closed up now.
Rob: What is the most rock �n� roll thing you�ve ever done?
Edge: Starred in an interesting (and quite horrible) film about Punks Vs. Straightedge. I also went home with three girls after a show once (laughs), that was pretty fuckin� rock �n� roll.
Jayson: Ummm... I�m pretty boring, nothing too exciting. I dunno... tour?
Joner:: Tour.
Nick:: Yup, tour.
Rob: What�s the most rock �n� roll thing you�ve seen someone else do?
Nick:: I watched a kid cream pie Fred Durst at Guitar Center when he was on his �find a new guitar player� tour. That was pretty rock.
Edge: YOB playing live. Period.
Jayson: I saw a band once, where a guy came out with a 5th of whisky, set it on his barstool next to his mic, and said �when this 5th is done, we�re done�. They were pretty awful, but he finished the 5th.
Rob: What�s your worst �bad trip� story?
Joner:: I broke my nose on shrooms. It was sweet though because the pool of blood on the ground was huge... Peter Jackson type of shit.
Jayson: In high school, I took mushrooms for the first time and I ate waaaaay too many for a first-timer. After a good 3 hours of frying balls (I kept watching as my hands fell off and regenerated), and drinking countless budweisers, we decided to go to a party across town. Long story short, we made the ill decision to climb in my �69 Ford Econoline and go to it. I had an anxiety attack on the road, and I ended up puking all over the steering wheel and dashboard on waterfront ave in downtown Portland. Then I stalled the van, and it wouldn�t start again... and I had just bought it for like $600 and hadn�t registered it yet, so I threw the plates and anything that had my name on it in the river and ditched it right there on waterfront with the hazards flashing. I ended up spending the night in park blocks fending off homeless crack heads and barfing my stomach out. Luckily, I never got busted. That night was PURE HELL. Now-a-days, I won�t even drink one beer, if I think I might have to get behind the wheel.
Nick:: My brother, his friend and I went to the beach and ate an 8th and half of shrooms each. It was fun at first, but then for some weird reason, I started to focus on this weird high pitch ring in my ears that just grew until it felt like super loud feedback that I just couldn�t shake. It went on for HOURS.
Edge: Gawd, how do I follow that up (laughs)? I huffed gas in the garage, �came to� about five minutes later in my room. Apparently I had walked into every wall and door on the way from the garage to my attic room in my folks house. I was bloody and confused. Then I huffed some more.
Rob: What�s the most painful thing you have ever witnessed at a rock show?
Edge: A Nazi getting his nose bashed into his face with a tightly-gripped roll of quarters. Good times. Oh, Claymore puts on a pretty fuckin� rad show, blood and all!
Jayson: My old band Nihilist played a party one time, and it was getting kind of rough during our set. Next thing I know, they�re telling us to stop because a girl had been trampled. I look down and see this poor girl crying her eyes out and screaming in pain. Her right kneecap was twisted all the way around to the right side of her leg. Paramedics came and took her away.
Nick:: It was the girl with �the knee� for sure...
Joner:: Slayer pit.
Rob: How old were you when you first realize you wanted to rock?
Nick:: My dad`s a drummer and when I was three he used to let me sit on his lap and beat the skins and he�d kick the pedals. I�ve been drumming ever since.
Edge: Probably 9 or so. My friend and I used to put on the vinyl of Michael Jackson�s tunes, dance around with tennis rackets, pretending to play guitar.
Jayson: Probably about 8 years old. My dad brought home a tape from work that belonged to a guy who got fired. That tape was Twisted Sister�s �Stay Hungry�. My brother and I used to play brooms and jump on our beds to the likes of �You�re gonna burn in Hell�.
Edge: Rad (laughs), you win.
Joner:: 14, I was listening to Soundgarden a lot, then I started playing bass at 15.
Rob: What�s the most embarrassing job you ever had?
Nick:: McDonald�s. That shit sucked (laughs).
Joner:: Burgerville.
Jayson: I was 17 and I worked as a Cashier for Shopko in Sparks, NV. They�re kinda like a Fred Meyers. It was Hell and I wanted to commit suicide everyday.
Edge: And to say that you wanted to kill yerself... that says a lot for you and how bad that job had to have been (laughs)! I once served bagels to yuppies, I guess. Not too embarrassing, but no fun.
Rob: What�s your favorite ice cream flavor?
Edge: Peanut butter / chocolate Soy Dream.
Joner:: Fudge Brownie.
Nick:: Cookie Dough/Brownie
Jayson: Vanilla.
Rob: If you could date any rock star dead or alive in the world, who would it be? Movie star?
Edge: Brodi of the Distillers and Christina Ricci.
Joner:: Christina Ricci.
Nick:: I�ve got some crazy fetish for the lead singer from the Bangels and Salma Hayek.
Jayson: Tori Amos and Demi Moore (MILF).
Rob: What would be the ultimate dream gig of all time line-up be, with your band opening? Limit to three bands please (including your own...) and where?
Jayson: Damn you and your thought provoking questions! (laughs) Ummm... I guess us, Crowbar and Eyehategod in NOLA.
Joner:: So far Yob, Shamelady and Hauler have worked out. So yeah, I`ll go with that lineup.
Nick:: Us, Mastodon, and The Dillinger Escape Plan at down stars La Luna.
Edge: Hauler, Iron Monkey & Sleep in a basement in the South: the less teeth per head (in the crowd), the better.
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