Interview with The Haptics

What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?

 (Cam – guitar) I’ve always been in to music. Just from the patterns of sound you hear around you. From a young age they fascinated me. Then when I was 8 or 9 my parents gave me an fm radio and I got quickly hooked on the music I came across just playing on the local stations. Later when I found my parents old records that solidified the love for me.

What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

I think all of us in the band are pretty active. Hiking and taking in all the natural surroundings and how we interact with them are a constant influence on what we create. People are endlessly fascinating.

How long has your band been around?

 We came together in early 2022 when Jin (vocals) and I, together with a few other musicians got together to casually jam. Initially we were just having fun but it started to grow. We played our first show in 2022 and then released our first album the same year.

Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?

 We are from Vancouver, BC on Canadas west coast. Vancouvers had a really good punk scene back in the day and I think that continues to resonate with us here. With the rain and dark of the winter theres no better way to get through it all then lock yourself in a room with good friends and make some noise.

How did you come up with the name of your band and what does it mean to you?

 Jin (vocals) was reading William Gibson and kind of hit on the Haptics as a name. It suggests using all your senses to help navigate and interpret the world around us.

Tell me about your most memorable shows.

 We’ve played some super fun shows over the last two years! Had a lot of fun playing the Astoria, Buddhas, Bully’s. We also got out of Vancouver this past year to play shows in Victoria, Penticton, and Kelowna. So much fun to be on the road and playing for new people every night

What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?

 I think the place we all really enjoyed playing at was the Cobalt in Vancouver. It’s a legendary venue for us and to be on the stage where countless great bands have played over the years was a dream come true.  As for places we want to play, there’s two on my list in Vancouver. The Commodore Ballroom, and the Rickshaw theatre. Hopefully we’ll get a chance to play those stages one day!

If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?

 Oh good question…a lot of the bands we idolize aren’t around anymore, Nirvana, STP. Currently there’s a few bands we’d love to play with, Oh Sees, Amyl and the Sniffers, QOTSA…. Maybe all together at an outdoor festival! That would be unbelievable.

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into playing in a band and some advice that you would give to your younger self?

 Have fun. Period. Its all about having a good time and expressing yourself. I would tell my younger self to relax and enjoy the ride. Have confidence in what you do and enjoy the hell out of the moment.

If you could go back in time and give yourselves advice, what would it be?

 Practice practice practice. Then plan your work, and work your plan.

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?

We all have a few different favourites. For me the one that means the most is one of our latest singles “biodome”. I had the rhythm in my head for a long time and when the song finally came together, something about it reminded me about a few old friends. Now it always reminds me of times hanging with them. One of them recently passed away so it gives a mixed melancholy but happy about it vibe.

Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?

 We’ve been opening our shows with “mouse” from the “zero gravity” EP released in 2023. Its an upbeat high energy punk song that always gets me into the zone right away. When we play it, a kind of satisfaction washes over like, ya we’re here to rock! Lets do this!

What is the creative process for the band, and what inspires you to write your music?

 Often myself (Cam) will bring in a riff or the bones for a song. Sometimes its Mike (bass, producer) will be the one to bring something in. Then we’ll jam on it a little and Jin will come up with a theme or an idea for lyrics and away we go. Jin never ceases to amaze with her ability to come up with the most heartfelt lyrics and incredible vocal melody.

What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?

 Jin has a variety of themes and messages in the lyrics. I’ll leave it to the listener to interpret what it means to them. Music can be so personal to people. It can mean on thing to one person and something completely different to someone else.

Do you ever have disagreements in your band, and how do you get past them?

 We’ve been lucky that we all get along so well. We’ve had some minor disagreements but nothing we haven’t been able to talk through.

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?

We’ve been working hard on recording some new material for a new album. We’ve released two singles “vows” and ‘”biodome” recently and are releasing “ghost Jan 31^st. One more single to follow before the album eventually drops mid-june.

Thanks ffor having us!