PAGE HAMILTON: 'HELMET Is My Band'

HELMET mainman Page Hamilton recently told East Bay Express that after four albums and near-constant touring, HELMET's nine-year run screeched to a halt when bassist Henry Bogdan and drummer John Stanier had a bitter falling-out with their frontman after a particularly grueling tour. "We were really sick of each other," Hamilton says now. "We were working so hard, y'know, doin' 22 shows in 21 days and driving around in this little van. And when you put a lot of miles on, tensions build up, and we definitely had our share of moments. We needed a break, and those guys just decided they didn't wanna do it anymore. So at that point I pretty much thought that HELMET was done, but I thought it was a shame. 'Cause I knew I wasn't done."

Hamilton says he briefly considered reaching out to Bogdan and Stanier last year, but figured there was zero chance of a happy reunion — he isn't on speaking terms with either, and besides, both are currently involved with other music projects (Bogdan is a lap-steel player, far removed from the hard-rock world, while Stanier pounds the skins for the Mike Patton-fronted TOMAHAWK). "I was so lucky to find Stanier and Bogdan back then — those guys are monster players," he says. "But HELMET is my band. I write all the music and all the lyrics, and I was the one who found those guys, and there's nothing to say I couldn't find other guys. It was a blast playing with those two and I wish them all the best, but the guys I have now, everybody is really experienced and appreciates the opportunity to do what we're doing, so there's not as much tension. These guys are amazing players, and I'm kind of a metal guy anyways, so I wanted to find some great musicians who want to make heavy music." Read more.