Henry Hall is an artist who seamlessly blends humor and hopelessness in his music, creating a unique and relatable experience for his listeners. From his early days of playing guitar and singing “dumb songs,” Henry Hall has always felt a deep connection to music. Though he can't pinpoint a singular moment when everything clicked, his journey into music has been a natural and essential part of his life.
Henry's latest single, "Like A Knife," marks a deeply personal milestone in his career. The song, part of his upcoming album "Stop Doing Funny Stuff," is a heartfelt tribute to his late friend Claire. Written and recorded with Connor Schultze and Jess Best, who also knew Claire, the process was both cathartic and meaningful, adding a significant piece to his musical catalog.
The album "Stop Doing Funny Stuff" showcases Henry Hall's ability to oscillate between extremes of emotion, capturing both laughter and dread. Henry Hall aims to connect with listeners on a profound level, providing a soundtrack for the full spectrum of human experience.
We sat down with Henry Hall for an in-depth conversation exploring the complexities of his music and the stories behind his latest album, "Stop Doing Funny Stuff." We delved into the emotional rollercoaster that inspired his songwriting, from the heart-wrenching loss that birthed "Like a Knife" to the playful absurdity of tracks like "Wikipedia-ing Poison Snakes."
To begin, we would like to review your musical career. How did you get started in music? Do you feel like there was a moment when you clicked with this, or was it a process?
That seems like a fair place to start. I’ll allow it! I’ve been playing guitar and singing dumb songs all my life, so playing/writing music just feels incredibly natural to me. I can’t really picture my life without it. I wish I had a Like Mike style moment where I put on some shoes and being a musician just clicked into place, but I don’t really have a singular moment like that. I just fell into it because it always felt like the thing I very desperately needed to be doing.
You have said that you want your music to be a combination of humorous hopelessness. Could you go deeper into this message?
Did I say that? I agree with myself there, for sure. Nice one, me! I think that’s how I walk through life generally — oscillating between being incredibly happy, full of laughs, and incredibly sad, full of dread. It’s not the easiest to operate between those two poles, but I’m working on achieving more of a balance. In the meantime, I hope my music can reflect both humor and hopelessness at the same time, so people can feel less alone in any negative feelings.
You released a very personal and deep single called "Like a Knife" and it is part of the upcoming album “Stop Doing Funny Stuff”. What is the story behind the song?
Yeah, this is really the first single I have ever put out that is about a very particular and true moment in my actual life. It’s about the day that I received the news that my friend Claire had passed away in 2016. I recorded it with my friends Jess Best and Connor Schultze who knew Claire better than I did, so it was a very cathartic experience to make this tune with them both.
How did you approach writing such a personal and emotional song?
Not any differently than I normally do — I wrote the whole thing at home and brought the demo to Jess and Connor, and they made it come to life in their studio. I’m glad it was made this way — now I have a song about Claire that’s a part of my catalog and will be there forever. I didn’t want the tune to be an outlier or anything — I like that it’s right in the thick of the songs from this album.
What was the process like for you emotionally while recording "Like a Knife"?
We recorded it really quickly for sure. When a song has this much meaning behind it, I think it kinda just flows out of you. Only a couple of takes were needed for each instrument and the vocals.
What message do you hope listeners take away from your new single, “Wikipedia-ing Poison Snakes”?
Well, “Wikipedia-ing Poison Snakes” is on the complete opposite end of the spectrum relative to “Like a Knife.” I’m definitely embracing some extreme silliness in that tune. The sentiment is real, though — I want people to know that they’re not alone in their doomscrolling habits. I’m doing it too and it’s okay. We can Wikipedia poison snakes together.
Can you elaborate on the concept behind your album, “Stop Doing Funny Stuff”? What do you hope to convey and express with this album?
There are a lot of intimately creative choices on this record. I hope how deliberate and detailed we were in its recording comes through, whether the song is ultra-serious or ultra-goofy. I guess this album is the most humorously hopeless one I have made yet because it really does oscillate between that ecstatic pole and dread pole. No matter where you are on that spectrum of emotion, I hope these tunes can soundtrack your experience.
In musical and instrumental terms, “Stop Doing Funny Stuff” maintains a very harmonious and quite cohesive line. It actually feels like each song is part of a whole. Do you perceive the songs as separate stories, or that they together convey a message?
Oh, thank you! That’s very kind. It’s not a concept album in that not every song references an ongoing motif or whatever, but I do think that the album is working towards connecting with the listener in a very holistic way. I think each tune speaks to a feeling that we all experience, and I hope that it can help people feel less isolated in those feelings. And I hope the songs get stuck in your head (in a good way)!
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