Los Angeles rock band LoveHateHero is currently streaming America Underwater, its new release in stores September 29 on Ferret Music, all over the Worldwide Web via Myspace, Facebook, Purevolume, iLike, Last FM, as well as on Ferret’s iPhone App so you can listen while you are away from your computer.
The band’s third full length release focuses more on its well-developed vocal melodies and cleanly polished hooks, clearly showing a band that has matured and hit its stride.
“Everyone’s better at what they’re doing so we were able to get more creative,” singer Pierrick Berube explains. “The album still holds true to the band’s sound but adds so much more depth, while at the same time being a more care free album.”
Receiving 3 ½ stars from Alternative Press, the tastemaker magazine wrote of American Underwater: “Bursting with strong melodies…their choruses are the kind that can only be removed from your brain by surgery or a bullet.”
If storming the Internet with 10 brand new anthems isn’t enough, LoveHateHero has also released its brand new video for the title track off America Underwater. Shot in Lake Mohave , AZ this past summer, the clip was directed by Spence Nicholson (Hollywood Undead, Hit the Lights, The Devil Wears Prada).
A few weeks ago, I got the chance to talk to Pierrick Berube, lead vocalist of LoveHateHero. After the cut, find out about what he would be doing if he weren’t in the band, his favorite tracks off of their new album, America Underwater, and hear about the time where a drunk guy almost ran him over.
How did you get the name LoveHateHero? Is there a story behind it and did you used to go by any other name?
Well, the story behind it is, we were five guys that couldn’t really agree on anything else and we’d come up with a bunch of names that I don’t think anyone could agree on. That was the first one I threw I just kind of threw out “LoveHateHero!” and everyone kind of looked at each other and didn’t immediately disagree. I mean, I don’t think we were actually going to agree on something.
What was the inspiration for the album name America Underwater?
Well it’s the title track to our record, America Underwater, and also the first single. I mean, the song is about, like, the economy and the disasters happening and about everyone kind of helping each other out. Just, not ignoring them and helping them get back on their feet. It’s just an inspirational song I guess.
The band has a Twitter, correct? Do you think it’s helped you market yourself more?
I really have no idea; we’ve only had it for a few weeks I think. I mean, it’s pretty cool that it just helps us say something or put something out there or say what’s on our minds, it goes out to everybody who follows us.
How was the recording process for America Underwater in comparison to the recording process for White Lies?
Well, White Lies, we wrote and recorded in about a month and a half. It was like a hectic scramble to get stuff done, we got a brand new guitar. [With America Underwater] we had more time, we got to write on the road, think out our ideas a little bit more to make sure that we really liked it. We recorded complete songs instead of just parts and we went in and recorded and the process was about the same, like three weeks but it was a much more enjoyable experience this time around.
And overall, from recording Just Breathe to now, have there been any drastic changes?
Well we have new members in the band; the only original members are Paris, the bass player, and myself and the rest of them got added sometime in between then and White Lies.
Is there anything that was done differently on the album that you’re excited for people to hear?
There’s a lot done differently, I mean, our songwriting has changed so much and I think that it’s definitely more honest in the lyrics. It’s a lot more personal and everyone kind of grew as songwriters and it was more all of us than it was on the last record.
Has there been a point in your career yet where you’ve stopped and thought “wow, this is really happening”?
Not yet, I mean we’re just kind of looking to the future.
What’s been one of the most memorable, funniest or embarrassing things that have happened to you?
A most memorable moment? I mean, everything that’s happened is awesome. We were on Warped Tour and that was just crazy and amazing. As far as crazy it might have been one time when we were in Florida, I think it was in Florida we were about to go on stage. So we were setting up on stage and when all of a sudden we hear tires screeching and people screaming and a car crashes through the window. This drunk guy got into a fight with his girlfriend or something and tried to run a bunch of people over.
Do you have a favorite track on the new record?
I have a few favorite tracks. I think “Saints and Sinners” is probably one of my favorites.
What do you think you would be doing now if it weren’t for being in the band?
I’d probably be a firefighter.
So you have a tour coming up with Gwen Stacy, do you have any plans for afterward?
Yeah, we’re going to South America, to Brazil, for a month and doing a tour down there and then coming back to the states and doing another tour in December.
A few fans from Mexico were wondering as to why the two shows down there had been cancelled?
I know, this is like the third time that they’ve had to cancel. It’s a bummer that we had to. We were planning on going up until yesterday but they’d brought some other band down there and lost a bunch of money and wouldn’t be able to bring us down so they had to reschedule for December.
Interview by Clarisse Hansard
