Interview: THE HYBRIS and ‘What If’
Interview by: Alexie Jung
The alternative rock project of 3 friends, THE HYBRIS, just released a new track titled ‘What If’ about saving the world. Intrigued about the band and their masks, we got to speak with them to know more about the people behind the masks.
Hey THE HYBRIS! Can you introduce yourselves and tell us how the band came to be?
There are three of us, we come from Germany and have known each other for many, many years. In the past we played in different combinations in various rock bands. Then we were spread all over the world for professional or family reasons, today we live in Nice, in L.A. and in Cologne, but still – and more than ever – we make music again.
What’s your creative process like now that you all live in different countries? Is it harder to make music while physically apart from each other?
We had to get used to it. In the beginning it was more of an experiment, we didn’t know if it would work. But the more we got into it, the more we liked this way of collaboration and also the results. The most difficult part was the technical setup and getting used to not being live together in one room (anymore). But with the production, the “stress situation” in a studio is gone, everyone can be relaxed and creative whenever it suits him.
We’re all curious here… Tell us more about your masks! Where did the idea come from?
We felt like doing something “different”. At first it was a stupid idea, but meanwhile we think it’s pretty cool, we like the look. When we make music as THE HYBRIS, we do it as our “superhero alter egos” Ringo Rabbit, Beanie Bison and Malcolm Mandrill, three wannabes who aim to save the world 🙂 And who knows what the future holds for us, we would love to create some videos with these characters, maybe a comic strip. It’s fun, there’s a lot to do…
2022 seems to be such a busy year for you! After a full album in June, you’ve just released your new single ‘What If’. What’s coming next? Are you taking any breaks?
With our virtual approach, everyone takes the breaks when needed. Someone is always recording something. We also play live with other projects and when one of us is gigging, someone else is producing stuff. The next songs are already finished, a lot of ideas in the pipeline.
Who is your biggest inspiration? (Each member)
That’s not easy to answer. First of all, we are huge music fans. Mainly rock music, but also completely different stuff like hip hop, electro or even jazz. Of course, everyone has his own taste, so our songs are sometimes quite different, but we always try to create a recognizable style. Our music moves between pop, punk, indie rock and alternative rock. People quickly compare you with existing bands, I find that extremely difficult for our own music. Others have compared us to bands like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Feeder, The Killers, The Cure or The Clash – which is an incredible compliment for us.
Do you have any gigs planned soon? How does it work since you are all in different parts of the world – Do you see it as a drawback at all?
Indeed, that is the only drawback. Of course it’s great fun to stand in the rehearsal room or on stage with a beer and feel the energy. Playing live will probably not be possible. Unless we find a virtual option, we’ll see.
What are your goals for 2023?
We want to develop our style and improve our music, our sound! We want to play with different styles and try different things. I love it when a band develops its own style and doesn’t stand still. It would be great if we could say that about ourselves one day. Variable, but in a way also consistent – that would be great.
