Can’t Knock the Hustle: An interview with Heart Attack Man

If there is a band today that is firmly in-tune with their listeners, it’s Cleveland rock band Heart Attack Man. We chat to frontman, guitarist, and songwriter Eric Egan as they head out on the road in support of Fake Blood.

If there is a band today that is firmly in-tune with their listeners, it’s Cleveland rock band Heart Attack Man. They are millennial renaissance men, capable of shattering your musical foundation with one listen, but also intrigue, confuse, and mesmerize you with their adept use of media.

Fresh off the release of their latest album, the dizzyingly good Fake Blood, we chat to frontman, guitarist, and songwriter Eric Egan. We talk as they head out on the road across North America in support of Fake Blood and discuss social media, the new album, and what to expect from their live shows.

New album done, how does it feel?

Feelin’ good feelin’ great :-)

How did you guys get together as Heart Attack Man?

It started off as a solo studio project of mine that I originally didn’t plan on playing shows with, but it became a full band; starting off just playing locally and growing ever since then. Adam has been drumming since the beginning and we’ve gone through a couple member changes, but Ty and Seamus have been in the band for a couple years now.

I’m listening to Fake Blood and I’m thinking that sonically its like the best of Rivers Cuomo except with balls. There’s a lot of fire in the album- there’s urgency and anger. What were some of the ideas you wanted to get across with the album?

Haha I saw Weezer a few weeks ago and they were great!

Fake Blood is a frustrated and angry album. I’ve let a lot of people walk all over me and push me around my whole life. For me, this album documents a significant period of personal growth, and a lot of that growth has come through processing my anger and frustration. I’ve spent so many years hating and blaming myself for letting people toy me around and I’m done.

How did you approach the songwriting for Fake Blood- it’s a big sounding album.

We activated beast mode and made those puppies extra spicy.

The album makes me happy.

Hell yeah!

What’s “Rats In a Bucket” about?

It’s whatever you want it to be about! Music is open to interpretation, and “meaning” can change, but for me at this very moment in time it’s about a longtime friend who I don’t have time for anymore because he is a coward and beat his girlfriend.

The video for “Fake Blood” is pretty fantastic- did you guys come up with the concept? How did that video come together?

Yeah, we came up with the concept. Eric Bishop; my homie since birth; filmed and edited it all together. He and I got all the props, my friend George let us use his basement and also acted as the video camera guy, and our friends Maddy and Alex were the other two surgeon characters. The full band performance shots on the red backdrop were filmed at our practice space. We shot it in two days. A lot of running around, preparing and setting up, but I’m very happy with how it turned out.

You’re very effective with social media, generating buzz and getting people interested in your work. How does someone who is crap at social media (me) get schooled in the Heart Attack Man school of social? What do I need to do to get better?

I’d be lying if I said I know “the secrets” haha but I dunno...here’s what I do: I get creative, I’m obnoxious and in-your-face, I be myself, I’m not afraid to piss people off, and I don’t let the haters control me. Haters are normally just cowards that are salty that their lives suck and take it out on everyone else. You could die at literally any second—make the most of your time here, enjoy it at all costs, and unapologetically be your own person!!!

You guys are hitting the road through April and May with Seaway and Young Culture, what are you looking forward to being on the road?

Playing new songs off the album, playing some cities we haven’t played before, seeing friends, making new friends, doing cool shit, activating beast mode on this thing we call life.

What can we expect from a live Heart Attack Man show?

Badass energy and an unparalleled level of rawness.

How did you guys get involved with Triple Crown Records?

I sent them our debut album The Manson Family, explained to them that we are the future and that if they didn’t sign us there would be hell to pay.

Best reason why the masses need to get around Fake Blood.

I will kill all the nonbelievers.

Heart Attack Man's new album, Fake Blood, is available now via Triple Crown Records.