Forming in 2018, Hot Milk has become a hot band to watch for 2023. An English pop rock band based out of Manchester England already performing with bands Foo Fighter and You Me At Six, they are already making a wave in the music scene. With an upcoming album release on the horizon (August 25, 2023), Han and Jim made time to chat with us.
1. Would you introduce yourself and share your role(s) in the band? How would you describe Hot Milk to anyone that may be unfamiliar with your music?
HELLO I AM HAN AND I AM THE ONE WHO SHOUTS AND PLAYS GUITAR. OUR BAND IS WHATEVER THE FUCK YOU WANT IT TO BE, WE'RE EVERYTHING AND NOTHING. EVERY EMOTION UNDER THE SUN OF WHICH THERE ARE MANY. I AM SUPER DRAMATIC AND SO ARE OUR SONGS. WE PUT EVERYTHING WE LOVE EVER INTO THEM, EVERY GENRE, WHATEVER WE'RE FEELING. HOT MILK IS OUR SIPHON, A PROJECT OF OUR INNER MONOLOGUES AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY THE PRIVILEGE OF OUR LIVES TO CONNECT WITH THE PEOPLE WE HAVE CONNECTED WITH THROUGHOUT THE LIFESPAN OF HOT MILK. IT'S A MOVEMENT, A FEELING AND SOMETHING THAT UNITES, IT GOES FURTHER THAN MUSIC. ROCK AT OUR CORE BUT WE FLIRT WITH EVERYTHING.. WE LOVE DANCE MUSIC TOO.
2. Tell me about your journey with creating music. How did you get started, and was it something you always knew you wanted to do?
IT'S THE BLOOD THAT KEEPS US ALIVE. THERE IS SIMPLY NO OTHER PATH AND NEVER HAS BEEN. WE NEED TO DO THIS (TOLD YOU WE WERE DRAMATIC). WE STARTED IN MANCHESTER, WHERE WE LIVE... BEST CITY IN THE FUCKIN WORLD MAN. COLD, WET N GRITTY AS FUCK.. WE BEEN ON A NIGHT OUT AFTER A MATE DIED AND NECKED A BOTTLE OF WINE AND STARTED HOT MILK. SIMPLE AS THAT. ME AND MY BEST MATE JIM, WE JUST NEEDED TO DO IT YA KNOW... AND WE DID ALL THIS TOGETHER. WE BEEN PLAYING MUSIC SINCE WE WERE KIDS AND THIS WAS JUST A NATURAL COMING TOGETHER AND BLENDING OF SOULS.
3. How was Hot Milk formed, and is there a story behind the name?
IN A FLAT IN MANCHESTER ON A WET JANUARY NIGHT, JUST AS ALL GOOD N BAD THINGS HAPPEN IN THIS CITY. WE WERE DRUNK AND A NAMES A NAME INIT, IT DOESN'T MEAN SHIT REALLY IT JUST FELT SHORT SNAPPY N LIKE AN JUXTAPOSITION WHICH IS KIND OF WHAT HOT MILK IS... TWO SIDES AND ALWAYS QUESTIONING.
4. How do you approach the songwriting process, and where do you draw inspiration?
EVERY SONG IS DIFFERENT.. SOMETIMES CAN COME FROM THE MOST RANDOM OF PLACES... VOICE MEMOS FROM WALKING HOME AFTER A NIGHT OUT (USUALLY SHITTY MUMBLES).. THE SOUND A SEAGULL HAS JUST MADE WHILST JUST EATIN CHIPS ON THE BEACH THAT WE THOUGHT WAS FUNNY... A SOUND WE FOUND ONLINE.. CHORDS WE THOUGHT WERE COOL. I AM ALWAYS LOOKING AT LIFE AS A STORYBOOK SO LYRICALLY I AM ALWAYS WRITING.. I LOVE WORDS, I LOVE POETRY.. I LOVE LANGUAGE IN GENERAL.. ALL THE WORLDS AN INSPIRATION.
5. You are releasing your debut album this year. If you had to pick out your favorite song or lyrics from the album what would they be?
YOU'RE JESUS OF NOWHERE, MISTAKEN GRANDEUR, A FUCKIN TWAT THAT STABBED MY BACK AND SCREWED ME OVER.
- OVER YOUR DEADBODY.
JUST DEAD CHEEKY INIT.
6. Can you talk about the creative process behind the upcoming album and what themes or messages you are trying to convey?
THIS RECORD WAS STARTED IN LOS ANGELES, CONTINUED IN MANCHESTER AT HOME AND FINISHED IN SWEDEN... WE'VE BLENDED EVERYTHING TOGETHER THAT WE LOVE. IT'S RAGE, HATE, LOVE... IT'S EVERYTHING YOU WOULD FEEL STANDING ON A PRECIPICE OF THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. WE HAVE DESCRIBED THE RECORD AS A MODERN DAY DICHOTOMY OF THE DARKNESS OF THE WORLD IN YOUR HEAD AND THE WORLD OUTSIDE. A CALL TO THE VOID IS TAKEN FROM THE FRENCH SAYING "L'APPEL DU VIDE".. IT'S THAT FEELING OF WANTING TO JUMP WHEN YOU SHOULDN'T... THAT LITTLE VOICE IN THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD THAT TELLS YOU YOU'RE NOTHING.
7. How do you engage with your fans both on and off stage?
ALWAYS ENGAGED WITH MY BEAUTIFUL LIL MATES, I SPEAK TO THEM CONSTANTLY.. ALWAYS MAKE TIME FOR THEM AT THE END OF THE SHOW. THEY'RE MY PEOPLE AND WE UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER, THE BLESSING OF MY LIFE TO KNOW EM.
8. What are your goals for your music career, and where do you see yourself in the next few years?
BE HAPPY TO CREATE ART THAT CONNECTS AND ART THAT CAN TAKE US THE WORLD OVER... ALSO I WANT A GOLD RETRIEVER SO IF WE COULD SELL ENOUGH RECORDS TO PAY FOR BIG GOLDEN DOGGY THEN IVE MADE IT.
9. What’s your motto or some good advice that you live by?
CHAT SHIT GET BANGED.
10. Lastly, do you have any closing messages for your fans?
YOU'RE THE BEST PEOPLE WE HAVE EVER MET. GET READY. IT'S ABOUT TO GO OFF.
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PHOTO BY FRANK FIEBER
