Richie Hevanz, lead vocalist for Hurricane Party, caught up with Room Thirteen to chat about their unnamed album and their preparation for Download.

Room Thirteen: It's only been a couple of months since R13 last interviewed you. What have you been up to?
Richie Hevanz: We've just come back from New York working with Kevin Shirley who has mixed for Aerosmith and Bon Jovi. We've been trying to finish off our first album, so we've basically been stuck in a studio for the last few months.
R13: Did you enjoy New York?
RH: Yes, it was fantastic! It's a great city for five young lads who've got nothing to do in the morning!

R13: The EP 'Get This' seemed to go down well. How did you find the reaction?
RH: Surprising is the only word, really. Normally you do an EP to test the water and it just exploded as far as we were concerned. 'Roadstar' became an anthem! When we went on tour we would play it and it seemed as if everyone knew it. We were very pleased with the outcome, as we had released it to just introduce ourselves.

R13: So with all the recording done are you all set to release the album?
RH: Just about, yes. It's still got to be mastered and a few things still need to be changed, but yeah, it's all set to go!
R13: A couple of months ago the name was under discussion. Can you tell us the name of it now?
RH: No not yet. We're still not 100% certain of the name but there is a shortlist.
R13: Can you tell us some of the names on the short list?
RH: No, sorry, I can't!
R13: So can you tell us when fans can expect it to be released?
RH: Well the plan is to release a few singles first and then release the album. So unfortunately it won't be for a while.
R13: Well would you say sometime over winter would be accurate?
RH: Yeah, it will probably be then, yes!

R13: Download is only a few days away. What have you been doing to prepare?
RH: Well that's what we're doing now. We've been rehearsing in our home from home - the studio! We're putting songs together and seeing what will fit into the set and basically getting excited about it.

R13: You have been quoted as saying that you are too big for small stages; do you think the Download stage will be big enough for you?
RH: It wasn't that we were too big, it's just we feel caged in on small stages. When you get a stage like Donington it's nice to be able to spread out and each band member to have their own space. We do prefer stages like Donington.

R13: What can we expect from your performance?
RH: Same as always really, energetic, good fun and loud!

R13: What are the three things you're taking to Download that you couldn't live without (obviously excluding musical instruments)?
RH: Firstly our tour bus, that's for definite. Some of the boys will need hairspray too; not me though as I go au natural! Finally I suppose good luck! You just hope nothing goes wrong. Last year the van broke down on the way so hopefully this year we hope to bring some luck with us!

R13: So will you get to kip on the tour bus, or will you have to share tents like the rest of us?
RH: I don't really know. We don't really think about that sort of thing. We'll just wait until someone offers us a home for the night!
R13: Well I'm sure that all of us in the R13 team won't mind sharing a tent!

R13: What have you got planned for the rest of 2005?
RH: Well we've spent the last six months in the studio, so we just want to get out there and play. That's where I personally like to be: I'm more of a "live" man than a "studio" man.

R13: If there was one sentence you could say to your fans to get them to go out and see you play what would it be?
RH: If you like good old fashioned rock and rock without a sugar-coated edge, then come and see us and start head banging!


Hurricane Party will be playing the Napster stage on Friday 10th June 2005. For more information on the Download line up please click here