We spoke with The Hypnotiks about “Stone Cold Sober” and more!

Q: Hi! So let’s start simple, where were you at personally when “Stone Cold Sober” first began to take shape?

A: Well, I had reconnected with my cousin who had cleaned up after spending years on the streets of L.A., and as we talked, the lyrics for the song just started coming. And then when I presented it to Wolfgang it instantly resonated with him and together we finished it quickly.

Q: Do you remember the moment the song clicked for you, like that point where it stopped being an idea and started feeling real? 

A: Yes it was in a rehearsal with the band before a gig. We took an hour or so to work on it before rehearsing for the gig and it instantly came together. We actually played it at that gig and it just rocked. From then on, we knew we had something, and we just refined it and tweeked it a bit before going into the studio.

Q: This track feels like it lives in that space between control and chaos, what were you trying to capture emotionally?

A: Well, I have always been a fan of that very organic old-school heavy soul sound, one where you feel the soul of the street. I say heavy soul because there is rock-like drive to it. We were not going after some sort of sweet soul sound, but one with real dirt. This song was born on the streets and that is where it will always live.

Q: When you’re writing something like this, are you more focused on the story, the groove, or just chasing a feeling?

A: Personally the groove always comes first. I compose on the guitar and build up from there.

Q: How did the collaboration process play out on this one, was it a room full of ideas bouncing around or more pieced together over time?

A: I had large parts of the song written, the groove, the basic structure and many of the lyrics. I had been playing it for awhile and occassionally met with singers and tried it out. But when I met Wolfgang back in the early 2020’s I knew then, that I had found the voice for this song. The Hypnotiks are a collective in spirit and we have been working with Wolfgang on and off since we met. But it was clear from the beginning, that he was the right vocalist for this song. Not only was his voice perfect, but he instantly responded to it musically and lyrically and took it to where it needed to go.

Q: Did anything about “Stone Cold Sober” surprise you once it was finished, like something you didn’t expect going in?

A: Yeah, Valentin Couineau, our trombone player, came up with that cool break at the end of second verse. I would never have thought of it. It is surprising, but it really adds to the track.

Q: There’s a timeless vibe to the track, was that intentional, or did it just naturally land there?

A: As I said, I am a fan of that old-school heavy soul sound. Perhaps I am more like a student of it, and every time I pick up a guitar I gravitate to soul guitar. Soul music is so rich. It can go in so many directions between blues and jazz and much more. I have always been most attracted to it in its most stripped-down interpretations. I grew up outside of Chicago, which I guess is somewhere between Detroit and Memphis, but I have always been more attracted to the Memphis sound. Memphis soul with a bit of Chicago blues mixed in!

Q: When you hear the final version now, does it still feel like you, or does it take on a life of its own?

A: It’s funny because a lot of times when I hear the original mixes of song, I prefer them to the final polished versions. Too often we spend so much time adding layers during the recording and mixing process that something gets lost. But not here. During the mixing process we were careful only to add elements that worked with the spirit of the song. And there is still a live energy to our final version. I couldn’t be happier with it!

Q: How do you want people to feel when they sit with this song for the first time?

A: The name of the band is The Hypnotiks and that is for a reason. There is a trance element to our music. So I want people to be instantly drawn into it, to get lost in the groove, and then to listen to the lyrics. They are real stories, written on the streets.

Q: Has performing or sharing the track changed your relationship with it at all?

A: No, from the first note we just lock in. The song is so much fun to play, and the crowd always responds.

Q: Looking at where you are now, do you feel like this single represents a new chapter or just one piece of a bigger picture?

A: Yes, since it was finally released a few months ago, we have actually composed several new songs, and with a little luck we will produce our first full album in the next year or so.

Q: And before we wrap, what’s next for you this year? What should people be keeping an eye and ear out for?

A: We are in a great place and working with several singers to come up with additional tracks that compliment and expand on Stone Cold Sober. In the meantime we play every month in Paris, so stop on by!