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1.) We’re very excited to welcome to our ever-humble pages celebrated rock and roll artist extraordinaire, Brett Hellings; greetings and salutations, Brett! Before we meander down the proverbial Q&A pathway, how has the final gasps of 2022 been treating you?
The last gasps have been quite heady to be honest! With the release of the single and an amazing new PR agency, things have been amazing for us and the band. Also, I just played for the first time in years back on the Sunset Strip at the Whisky A Go Go which was a great success. Felt so good to get back on stage and doing what I love to do. This year has been very fulfilling for us and I can’t wait to see what 2023 has in store.
2.) Congratulations on Kill Me To Keep Loving You, the brand new debut single from your newly-formed supergroup Hellings! From the top, can you introduce our readers to the honor roll of nigh legendary musicians that make up Hellings?
Hellings includes Tommy Henriksen (Alice Cooper, Hollywood Vampires) on guitars and backing vocals; Richard Fortus (Guns N’ Roses) on lead guitar; Buck Johnson (Aerosmith, Hollywood Vampires) on keyboards, organ and backing vocals; Billy Sheehan (David Lee Roth, Mr. Big, Steve Vai) on bass and backing vocals; and Kenny Aronoff (John Mellencamp, John Fogerty, Smashing Pumpkins) on drums and percussion.
3.) Can you give us the VH1-Behind the Music story on how the Hellings came into being?
It really started in the depths of Covid when many of these musicians were not playing and were open to something new. David Davidian (Tour manager for Alice Cooper, Hollywood Vampires, James Taylor, Jackson Brown, Bon Jovi) was working with me at the time. I went to him and talked about making a record. Tommy and I had already been working together, but David suggested an all-star group of musicians to round out the group. I didn’t believe him when he brought up some of the names of the bands, suggesting grabbing players from like Guns N’ Roses, Aerosmith, Hollywood Vampires and John Fogerty (CCR). These are bands I have been listening to and idolizing my whole life. David also said not only are they great musicians but also great souls. That led us to a place called El Paso, Texas where we all gathered at Sonic Ranch to begin the recording process.
4.) Were such past supergroups like The Traveling Wilburys and The Outlaws an inspiration for the formation of Hellings?
I wish we could say we thought of these two amazing all-star bands when we were forming it but not specifically. These groups though are so adored, and I have always dreamt of creating something like this one day. In this case, it’s a little different because I was doing all the lead singing, and The Outlaws and The Traveling Wilburys would spread it out amongst the band. In Hellings, these musicians are so legendary in their particular instrument(s) that you can hear every member’s distinct style, regardless. I will say it’s an honor to even be mentioned in the same sentence as these groups, and I hope what we created together here stands the test of time as well.
5.) What was the genesis behind the amazing new single from Hellings, Kill Me To Keep Loving You?
So Buck Johnson brought the song to us in its raw form that he had in his catalog for years. It was written with his friend Erik Halbig. When he first heard my voice, he thought it would really suit the song. The demo had a very poppy-country vibe, but I could hear its potential as a rock ballad. I immediately thought I could put my own twist on it. I also really related to the lyrics just like anyone trying to get out of something that you love that could potentially end you. The way Tommy and Buck produced it, with Richard Fortus’ huge lead guitar solo, made me realize that these kinds of bold power ballads are really missing from the contemporary rock coming out these days.
6.) With so many “name” musical artists comprising Hellings was it ever a problem to get equal contributions from all of this amazing talent? How did you ensure everyone got their musical five cents into the proceedings?
That happened pretty naturally, actually. Everyone was involved in every way they could or wanted to be, so it wasn’t difficult at all on that end. Because of the camaraderie and like-minded attitude towards the recording process and development of the song, the sessions were that much more enjoyable which shows in the end result.
7.) Speaking of contributions and collaborations, who was the producer on Kill Me To Keep Loving You and what did collaboration between artists and producer look like in the studio?
The producers on this record were Tommy Henriksen and Buck Johnson, although everyone brought their ideas, experience and production qualities to the record. The vocal production and overdub, which is the most important part for me in creating the completion of the song, was done in Nashville at Soul Train by Tommy, Buck and I. During those sessions the songs were truly realized.
8.) How is Kill Me To Keep Loving You different than anything else on the 2022 music scene?
It’s different because it’s recorded in real time, with real players that have been committed to Rock N’ Roll for their lifetimes. Sonically, I don’t think there’s really anything quite like it out there, but certainly reminiscent of the great rock ballads of the 70s, 80s and even the 90s, that I am certainly trying to keep alive.
9.) How much did it mean to you and Hellings to get a full-on endorsement from the legendary Alice Cooper?
There is nothing like hearing your name spoken by Alice Cooper. Sometimes I play that version of ‘Deja Nu’ on ‘Nights with Alice Cooper’ just to hear it. My leap from the underground to semi-stardom by him was so very appropriate. After his recognition, I personally started diving into his catalog and career even more. I found albums that I didn’t even know existed like the ‘Killer’ album that sounds similar to some of my older material like ‘Electric Drag’. Also, funny enough, Alice and I have a few things in common – we both play golf and love the lord. My dad is an avid golfer, and I grew up playing, but recently starting taking it more seriously which has actually made me a better frontman. I also grew up actively in the church and was a worship leader in my early teens. This was the only outlet at the time for me to play music, so it really couldn’t be a more of a perfect way for me to feel the passing of the Rock N’ Roll torch. It was one of the highlights of my career, one that for me won’t be forgotten.
10.) On the heels of the debut single release, can fans look forward to a Hellings LP in 2023?
Absolutely! We did 11 tracks at Sonic Ranch in El Paso, and 11 overdubs from vocals to sax to keys and background vocals at Soul Train in Nashville. This album has so many great tunes on it. ‘Kill Me To Keep Loving You’ is just the start. We will be releasing the album single by single, and then we are thinking about releasing an EP or full-length LP. Keep up on all the action through our website at Hellings.band; social media sites are Instagram @hellingsofficial, Facebook.com/hellingsmusic & YouTube.com/hellingsmusic, and of course, we will be releasing on all main music streaming sites worldwide.
11.) What does the Hellings touring schedule look like in the weeks and months to come?
No touring is scheduled yet, but always looking for the right tour to get the music out there more. Hopefully some network performances with this “Super-group” line-up and interviews.
12.) Any final thoughts on Kill Me To Keep Loving You and supergroup Hellings?
I think ‘Kill Me To Keep Loving You’ is real. It has a big ballad vibe that we haven’t really heard since the Crowes or GnR’s classics… not to mention Aerosmith. To have Buck Johnson and Rich Fortus on this masterpiece of those bands definitely adds to its integrity.
13.) Final – SILLY! – Question: Favorite movie about the music scene – Almost Famous, This Is Spinal Tap, The Buddy Holly Story or Oliver Stone’s The Doors?
I know every one of these movies almost by heart except for the Buddy Holly one. I’m watching that again tonight because of this interview, but I have to say ‘The Doors’ movie is what I connected to and watched endless times when I was a kid getting into Rock N’ Roll. It was just so well done, although a little over the top, I will admit. To me, the representation of Jim Morrison was more “rockstar” than singer/artist and caring soul… but I lived on and in that Sunset Strip scene for a long time, and it’s actually not too far off from what was represented in that movie. ‘Almost Famous’ is my close second.
Check out the music video for “Kill Me To Keep Loving You” HERE.
