1.) We’re super-excited to be speaking today with music chanteuse Hayley Cain who heads up the hard-charging – and at times whimsical – Hayley and the Crushers; greetings and salutations Hayley and welcome to Vents Magazine! Before we meander down the proverbial Q&A musical pathway, could you introduce our ever-inquisitive readers to the musical alchemists who comprise Hayley and the Crushers
Hayley Crusher Cain – Vocals and Guitar and Sparkles
Dr. Cain ESQ – Bass and Dad Jokes
Reid Deliso – Lead Guitar and Belly Shirts
Gabe Masek – Drums and Perfect Teeth
INTERVIEW: Hayley and the Crushers
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1.) We’re super-excited to be speaking today with music chanteuse Hayley Cain who heads up the hard-charging – and at times whimsical – Hayley and the Crushers; greetings and salutations Hayley and welcome to Vents Magazine! Before we meander down the proverbial Q&A musical pathway, could you introduce our ever-inquisitive readers to the musical alchemists who comprise Hayley and the Crushers
Hayley Crusher Cain – Vocals and Guitar and Sparkles
Dr. Cain ESQ – Bass and Dad Jokes
Reid Deliso – Lead Guitar and Belly Shirts
Gabe Masek – Drums and Perfect Teeth
2.) Major kudos and accolades on your freshly-minted new single “Blood and Treasure”! Starting at the top, what’s the VH1-Behind the Music story on what inspired this gem of a ballad?
Let me ask Chat GPT to help me write my response in the form of VH1’s Behind the Music (one of my favorite programs as a kid).
In the summer of 2024, a small-town band from the heart of the California Coast skyrocketed to fame with their breakout hit, “Blood and Treasure.” Hayley and the Crushers captivated the hearts of millions. But behind the scenes, the story was anything but glamorous … But seriously, though: I was captivated by the term “blood and treasure,” which was used quite a lot on NPR during Russia’s shameful invasion of Ukraine, Spring 2022. Not to make light of that horrific event, but sometimes a random phrase inspires me. I wrote it down. The term got me thinking about the ways relationships can build up resentment and fall apart. How there is no “blood and treasure” to be had when you are truly in love – there is only one side, the side of the team, the couple. The chorus of the song is a little like a plea for surrender. Two lovers create their own world, and when it dies, that world dies too. There will never ever be another love affair quite like the one that exists between two people. It can’t be replicated.
3.) Has working in tandem via Hayley and the Crushers only served to strengthen and solidify your deep love for your Euripedes-like bass-player (and full-time hubby) Dr. Reid Cain ESQ.?
It’s been the ten-year narrative of our story. We were always bandmates before we were together, so writing and performing this music feels natural for our relationship. We are on our ninth release together, I think. And it’s always some conversation in our house about creativity and art and what we want to put into the world. Sometimes it’s me supporting his idea – sometimes it’s vice versa. The best stuff is when we collaborate and reach a whole different perspective. We have learned to respect and support each other’s creative processes (for the most part). That is a big part of our life together. We recently came up on our ten year anniversary, which is nuts. It doesn’t feel like it’s been that long. But here we are, on our second van, our third chihuahua (don’t even ask how many chickens). Somehow we are living in Detroit, so far from the Pacific Ocean. That really makes my head spin! In a way, every time we put out a new song via the Crushers it solidifies our bond. But I wouldn’t say working together is at all romantic. The end result is romantic, sure. But work is work and it is always work. We just love to bounce off each other and probably always will.
4.) Who did the producing honors on “Blood and Treasure” and what did the collaboration between Hayley and the Crushers and said producer look like in the studio while fashioning and shaping the new tune?
Electric guitar, bass and drums for “Blood and Treasure” were tracked in our guitarist and friend’s Detroit basement! Ryan Deliso (of The Lowcocks) has been an incredible part of the latest Crushers incarnation, someone who has stepped up and maybe even helped bring us back to life. When we moved here in 2022, we had a lot of upheaval and several unexpected drummer changes. There was a general sense of disease moving cross-country. Did we do the right thing? Ryan’s home studio, The Continental, doubles as our practice space. He’s got great dogs. He made us feel at home, and in a way, welcomed us to Detroit. He did a great job on the tracking for this song, plus recording the electric guitar parts. Our pal Gabe Masek, who had only heard the demo a few times, laid down the drums like a pro. We love Gabe – he is an excellent drummer and we hope we never lose him to another band / baby / spontaneous combustion. We went back to LA to do the vocals and add in those extra sparkles. We really love to work with Paul Roessler at Kitten Robot Studio in LA (owned by Kitten Robot Records label founder and general bad ass Josie Cotton). Paul is generally known for being a founding member of iconic LA band The Screamers, and his punk rock pedigree working with 45 Grave, TSOL, among others. But he is always looking toward the future, and reaching for the magic in the moment. He is curious about art, and what makes an artist tick. We love his approach to recording, vocals especially. It is all very real. There isn’t much Frankensteining of things happening. He wants you to knock it out of the park and encourages that. Of course, we annoy Paul just enough by wanting to sugar-coat what’s “real” until it sounds a little more sparkly, shiny. That is the Crushers way. Glitter trash, right? We knew we wanted a Nashville-style acoustic guitar over the top, and that happened in LA, as well as the adorable glockenspiel – Dr. Cain ESQ performed both. Our sweet friend John Miller laid down the EPIC whistle solo and backing vocals (it makes me cry every time). John is responsible for a lot of the bells and whistles on our last album, Modern Adult Kicks. A jack of all trades! It was mixed by Paul and John. Almost forgot, but Jeremy Long out of Nashville contributed the pedal steel remotely. Sorry, but you asked. So you got the LONG answer.
5.) In your humble opinion, what differentiates “Blood and Treasure” from the distinguished competition in the 2024 music scene?
It has glockenspiel and a whistle solo on it. Pedal steel – sure. But who among our peers is saying “You know what this tune really needs? A freaking whistle solo!”?
6.) Hot on the heels of the recent release of the new single “Blood and Treasure,” Hayley and the Crushers has an EP entitled Unsubscribe from the Underground which is set to drop this coming September 10; congratulations! Can you give fans a hint or three as to what they can expect and look forward to with the new EP?
I mean, it all sounds like the Crushers. But that is where the unifying theme ends. The genres don’t walk a straight line. We blend in a little country vibe there. It’s certainly punk rock, done our way. We look at genres a little in the same way as we look at hot sauces. Our fridge is full of them, and they’re all seeing some action. We are known to sprinkle in a bit of surf sound. Sprinkle in some 80s pop. We like to play. We like to feel like we can go wild and have fun. We did this on the new EP. And the vinyl is going to have a really interesting surprise on it (just you wait!). Kitten Robot Records allows us to “get real weird with it,” as the wise Frank Reynolds says.
7.) What does the touring/performing dance card look like for Hayley and the Crushers in the wake of the release of the new single and the forthcoming EP Unsubscribe from the Underground?
We are playing select shows in the East Coast and Midwest at the moment. In October 2024 we play our first-ever southern gigs, hitting places like Nashville and New Orleans. We recently played Oh Bondage, Up Yours Vol. 2, put on by the amazing Jenny “Thunders” Manfredi. We played that one with Motor City icon Nikki Corvette and this new band we love Judy and the Jerks (go look em up!) among other rad female-fronted bands. After that awesome show I think we kind of feel satisfied! The bar is set a little bit higher, you know?
8.) Listening to “Blood and Treasure,” we get a great retro-throwback vibe to the Phil Spector ‘Wall of Sound’ from the 1960’s! Musically, who inspires Hayley and the Crushers?
You hit the nail on the head. Phil Spector was a tremendous asshole, but his ideas about production were–and remain–golden, if not totally crazy. Wall of Sound is always the goal. That said, we are still a punk band. So it’s always important that the music has that vitality, that energy that first got us all into punk music. For me, that was bands like Op Ivy, Black Flag, Agent Orange, the Adverts. I also grew up on 50s and 60s music from the oldies radio, my mom’s copy of The Go-Go’s Beauty and the Beat and all the great burned CDs my guitar teacher gave me like X (a major guitar influence for me is Billy Zoom, hence the sparkle Gretsch). Dr. Cain is inspired by outlaw country bands of the 1970s, the production styles of 90s country, and his favorite Bay Area crust bands that took a discordant and theatrical approach to sound. He also loves old soul music and indulges in mall pop like Tiffany and early Madonna (not even joking). He always wants to add an element of chaos to a song. And I always want to add some sort of whipped cream-like topping. So in that way, it works. Who knows how, but it does! Can you even imagine our record collection? Do yourself a favor and don’t…
9.) Creatively, what does it look like when you and Reid come together to create new music? Is there rhyme and reason to the glorious creative insanity?
Not really. We work separately for the most part, then come together when we have something to show the other. So that might look like a demo with scratch guitar and half the lyrics (the other half being filler mumbo jumbo), or he may bring me just the bridge for a song, and we then write something around that together. We have to have a foothold to cling onto. Sometimes I need him to finish the last 20% of the lyrics, or tell me if a chorus is bad. I do not understand how people write together simultaneously, as if from one mind. I imagine Fleetwood Mac burning sage and writing together in a circle. Sounds horrible!
10.) Unsubscribe from the Underground is being released via Kitten Robot Records. What makes Kitten Robot the perfect home for the music of Hayley and the Crushers?
I’ve already given a million reasons in this interview, but I will say it again. They let us play. They believe in us. They are eccentrics too. The label is run by musicians and passionate artists, like Josie Cotton. No one is getting rich at this game but everyone is having fun, pushing boundaries and causing a ruckus. I learn a lot from working with KR, especially label head Bruce Duff. He has such an interesting past in the LA music scene for the past several decades, and he is always reminding us of how far the musical landscape has gone askew. It’s shocking to remember that there was once a real industry there, one with certain expectations, rules and such. In some ways, it’s better now, although not when it comes to the practical stuff. These days, the industry belongs to a lot of passionate people doing it because they want to, because it feels good! That feels like home to us!
11.) Any final thoughts you might like to share with readers about your new gem of a ditty “Blood and Treasure” as well as your upcoming September 10 EP Unsubscribe from the Underground?
Journal out your thoughts before you repeat them. You will thank me later. Or, better yet, write a song!