ninehertz

Everyone I know in music, no matter where I am in the country, has a fond memory they're eager to tell when the name Hey Colossus arises in conversation. The first time you heard them, a spine-tingling gig of theirs, a general swell of excitable chatter when a new album is released. They're the house band for the whole UK underground, across a wide range of genres.

They're unavoidable, in the best sense of the word - yes, it's because the music they have gifted us is rich, emotional, heavy, light, interesting and visceral; yes, because they've been around for so long (when we started ninehertz 22 years ago they were already a few releases in, the type of band we created this thing to spend our spare time writing about). And yes, it is because they have created so much - between 30 and 40 releases all told.

And they're back, of course they are. Heaven Was Wild is their 15th album and as strong, inventive, emotive and as different from the last as they always manage to achieve. We have the great pleasure to bring the premiere of the album to you a day before its release of Wrong Speed Records and Learning Curve Records.

We have also had the pleasure of asking them a few questions about their new record and much more. Our Mike caught up with Paul, Chris and Roo from the band to ask the following.

With your new album you approached writing and recording with a more ‘by feel’ method, what do you think this resulted in? Were there any albums you had in mind while recording?

Paul: I used to get very hung up on what the right thing to do was in any given situation. But, as the years plough on, you get pretty good going with your gut. If you can't trust your instinct at this stage you can forget it, I think. The album I had in mind was what would become Heaven Was Wild by the Hey Colossus Keeps Them Off The Street Group.

Chris: The last album (In Blood) ended up maybe a bit more considered, or 'crafted' than normal due to the weird circumstances it was made in. Coming out of lockdown and having some line-up changes meant working differently. It was also written as a collaboration with someone who passed away before they could contribute. That was genuinely shocking and upsetting and I'm not sure we really processed that whole period very well. The new record feels like a bit of a reaction to that and an attempt to play to our strengths and try and have fun making music again. I found I was drawn more to scruffier sounding music that had some energy to it - Evergreen (Louisville), Slant 6 / Quix*o*tic, Link Wray, Wipers, Wall Of Voodoo, B52s, even the Rolling Stones came into my head when making it. But who am I kidding? We could try and make an album that sounded like Abba and it'd still come out sounding like Hey Colossus.

Roo: We took time and gigged the songs before recording them which was unusual as we usually do it the other way round. It was really enjoyable for us all to be in the room at the same time when we recorded and we did everything in just a few days. There were still a couple of surprises though. Runaway Heart and Party of Fleas came together at the last minute. I remember talking a bit about Red Medicine by Fugazi. Maybe some of the snippets between songs on HWW have a feel of that record.

What’s the state of DIY in 2026? Do you feel scenes local to you have changed? There seem to be more gigs than ever, but less venues from a lay observation so what have you seen as a band?

Paul: It depends what the distance of the timeline you refer to is. It's certainly changed since 2003. Living and doing shows in London used to be a real buzz. These days If I was asked to randomly head to a town or city and hope for the best something interesting was taking place, at a decent price, London would probably be very low down the list. That's probably a good thing?

Chris: Joe and I doing Wrong Speed has really given us both insight into the music industry and how it's basically f*cked in terms of making and selling physical records. Independent record shops can't stay afloat unless they're as bad (or worse) than the corporate retailers they're supposed to be an alternative to. And if you deal in anything broader than the UK then Brexit has utterly screwed any import/export business at the level we're at. There is just zero money in it and endless admin, which is why the only bands touring or able to devote their lives to music were rich anyway. Maybe it's always been like that?

I moved to South Shropshire from Nottingham 4 years ago so I feel a bit out of the loop in terms of regional scenes. Nottingham used to feel like every time a band played it was in a new place and it felt exciting but now it feels like there are a handful of 'proper' venues and not much opportunity between those bigger places and much smaller 50-60 person DIY venues (that often seem to just follow the same model as the bigger venues anyway). I miss the weirdness and energy of 25+ years ago but it's more than likely I just miss being young. I don't know if it's because I'm where I am but it does feel like the interesting activity is happening off the beaten track a bit. Shrewsbury is my nearest biggish town/city and there's excellent underground music happening there with gigs in interesting non-typical places (thanks to One Hand Clapping, SY Gigs and Upset The Rhythm among others). I'm always optimistic that good things find a way, they just change and adapt.

Will you ever reissue older records? Some of them had very small pressings so I imagine obsessives might find searching them out a challenge.

Paul: I won't. The last thing you want on your conscience is a satiated obsessive.

Chris: Maybe when the band is finally over and done with but there's better things to spend money on right now. Plus, just the idea of trying to find master tapes and artwork files is giving me an ulcer. Onward!

Joe wrote an excellent book in the Sleevenotes series, who would you like to see an entry written by?

Paul: Bob Davis from Hey Colossus. "How To Find Proper Chips In Europe When You Only Have Two To Three Hours Down Time On Tour."

Chris: Bob Davis from Hey Colossus. "Service station steaks I have enjoyed in secret whilst my bandmates are looking for me: 1993-2026"

What are your touring hopes for this record? Have you been to Europe in the last few years?

Paul: Bob from Hey Colossus' new book "How To Find Proper Chips In Europe When You Only Have Two To Three Hours Down Time On Tour." is very revealing in this matter.

Chris: We have had a couple of short runs over to France, Belgium and the Netherlands but touring is almost impossible at the moment so my hopes and the reality of the band are very different things unfortunately.

Crate digging, what have you found recently? Equally, any excellent record shops to recommend?

Paul: R. Dean Taylor's There's A Ghost In My House 7" on Tamla.

Chris: A copy of M-M-Mel by country singer Mel Tillis for £1 (featuring the classic Mental Revenge) and Gems Of Masochism by Antioch Arrow for a tenner from the vast warehouse at Uptown Vinyl Records in Spalding, Lincs. I strongly recommend Rob's Records in Nottingham for the best crate-digging experience imaginable (take hand sanitiser). If you're after high-end collector stuff then Mod Lang in Ludlow is an easy place to rid yourself of a lot of money.

What’s the writing dynamic like with HC these days? Are you still as spread out location wise?

Paul: Not sure we've ever gotten close to the word dynamic.

Chris: We're in Somerset, The Wirral, Watford and Shropshire so the dynamic (if there is one) is the same as ever: meet up every so often, come with as many ideas as you can, be energetic and then work it all out later. We probably worked more on the last bunch of songs than any since I joined in 2018, usually meeting in Birmingham for an afternoon (equally inconvenient for everyone). But it's still the same as always - throw it all at the wall and see what sticks.

Roo: We’re still pretty spread out so things are very on and off. When we get together we generally do a lot in short time.

Do you find it hard to create after 20+ years as a band? Have the lineup changes helped with that?

Paul: No. It's still better than most things you have to do and a few nice people seem to really need it.

Chris: If anything it's easier over time, you get better at it and less precious about ideas or things somehow representing you perfectly. The line-up changes definitely bring new challenges that keep everyone interested and stop it getting stale. You want everyone to be represented somehow so the way the band works is determined by who is in it. Though this album is the first one with the same line-up as the previous album since Radio Static High I believe. Joe can correct me there.

Roo: Things always come together very quickly and there’s never any shortage of ideas. I think having some changeover in the band helps. Having Joe and Bob as a constant means it always has the essence of HC but new people have pushed it into different places.

And finally... What’s the worst description you’ve ever heard of Hey Colossus?

Paul: Someone on a German website said that the last album had a song that sounded a bit like Placebo. I'm not sure it's possible to be more offended. You couldn't even be angry about it, completely bizarre. Or "...certainly gives Idles a run for their money." That sort of total drek from established outlets who should think and compose better.

Chris: Anything involving the words "doom" or "sludge". Or "Placebo" now Paul mentions it.

Roo: I’m never fond of terms like psych rock or psychedelic rock which don’t seem very apt for us but it’s the spellings and punctuation of the band name that usually get me. Hey! Colosus, Hey, Collosus etc.

Heaven Was Wild is out on Friday 27th February 2026 through Wrong Speed Records and Learning Curve Records.