Page Hamilton Discusses Helmet’s Evolution

Transmission 087: Interview with Helmet

Helmet is an American band that emerged from New York City in 1989. The group, started by vocalist and lead guitarist Page Hamilton, has gone through several lineup changes over the years. Hamilton remains the only constant member since the band’s inception. As of 2010, Helmet consists of Hamilton, drummer Kyle Stevenson, guitarist Dan Beeman, and bassist Dave Case. Throughout their career, Helmet has released nine studio albums and two compilations. Their first album, “Strap It On” (1990), came out on Amphetamine Reptile Records.

The band then signed with Interscope Records and put out three albums for this label, including the highly successful “Meantime” (1992). Their next two albums, “Betty” (1994) and “Aftertaste” (1997), also did well, but didn’t match the critical or commercial reception of “Meantime”. After breaking up in 1998, Helmet reformed in 2004. Since then, the band has released five more albums: “Size Matters” (2004), “Monochrome” (2006), “Seeing Eye Dog” (2010), “Dead to the World” (2016), and their latest work, “Left” (2023).

What was the New York underground scene like when Helmet first started? How did the music scene in NYC influence Helmet’s sound and identity during the late 80s and early 90s?

We had a lot of places to play live, mostly downtown, in the East Village and Lower East Side. There were also a lot of bands—bigger bands like Sonic Youth, Live Skull, Swans, Foetus, and up-and-coming bands like Helmet, Cop Shoot Cop, Surgery, Prong, and Unsane. CBGB’s was punk/indie central. It was really fun to go hear bands, and we all hung out together.

You studied jazz guitar before forming Helmet. How did that background shape your approach to heavy music?

I think I applied the practice and discipline needed to become a jazz player to my writing and exploring chordal and rhythmic ideas in Helmet.

What were some of the initial challenges Helmet faced as a band in its early years?

Paying rent after taking off for 3-4 weeks in a van. It seemed like every time we went out, one of us lost his job. Henry had an awesome situation with artist Frank Stella, and they even let us store our gear in his shop.

What was the atmosphere like during the recording sessions of your debut album “Strap It On”?

We saved up money to record side A, then 4 to 6 weeks later saved up enough to do side B. Mixing with Wharton was all hands on the console. If a part needed to come up or down, Wharton and I would enlist either John, Henry, or Peter to help.

How did Helmet’s signing with Interscope Records in the early 90s change the trajectory of the band?

They had the money to promote us to a larger, international audience.

Could you describe the creative process behind the album “Meantime” and what made it a breakthrough for Helmet?

I had been continuing to write, and we were playing live a lot, so we could try new songs in front of an audience. The MTV thing helped get our music in front of more people.

How did Helmet’s music evolve between “Meantime” and “Betty”? What influenced these changes?

Our inclination was to do what we wanted rather than what we thought people wanted to hear. Henry and John became more interested in songwriting and contributed a lot to the sound of the album. We just had fun with it.

What are some of the most memorable moments you experienced while on tour with Helmet in the 90s?

I’ll always cherish our first trip to Japan, Australia, and Brazil, and the early Europe tours. We toured in the US constantly, so it was cool to travel and see different audiences.

How did Helmet’s disbandment in 1998 affect you personally and creatively?

I kinda went into a funk and became pretty unproductive. We had built the band from the ground up and worked our asses off, and all of a sudden, this creative outlet with two musicians I loved working with was gone. Not fun.

What was it like working with musicians like David Bowie and Elliot Goldenthal during Helmet’s hiatus?

It was amazing. Elliot and David are forces of nature. I consider them both to be geniuses, and I absorbed and appreciated every moment.

Could you tell us about the inspiration behind the latest album, “Left,” and its thematic elements?

Since 2015, the US has become a very divided nation. Respect, peaceful coexistence, and intelligent political discourse between people with different worldviews have ceased to exist because of an infantile, narcissistic turd who has hijacked the “Republican” party. It’s maddening and pathetic, and I feel the need to express it in our songs.

What are some of your favorite pieces of equipment that have been crucial to Helmet’s sound over the years?

Ooh, guitars made by ESP, amps by Fryette, pickups by DiMarzio, strings by D’Addario, and my favorite cables, Evidence Audio—even my guitar picks by Clayton affect the sound. I love gear, although I hung out with Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top a few times, and we agreed that sound is in our hands… I would add heart and heads too.

Are there any specific literary, artistic, or cinematic influences that inspire Helmet’s lyrics and soundscapes?

So many…not sure where to start, but Graham Greene, Cormac McCarthy, Toni Morrison, David Sedaris, Ezra Pound, William Butler Yeats, E.E. Cummings, Sylvia Plath, James Baldwin, Rita Mae Brown, Hunter S. Thompson (I was fortunate to see/hear the last two speak in person around 1980/81), and many other poets and novelists, writers have been so important for me. Steal from the best! I’ve visited Paul Cezanne’s studio in Aix twice, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam four times, The Prado five times, Louvre, Met and Modern Art museums in NYC, and I am in awe of anyone who can paint and draw and evoke so much emotion using a pencil or paintbrush and some blobs of paint on a palette. I have too many “favorite films”—“Amadeus,” “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” “The Big Lebowski,” “Bad News Bears” (the first one, not the remake), “Jungle Book” (childhood favorite), “Rear Window,” “The Third Man” (more Graham Greene!).

Can you share any details about upcoming collaborations that Helmet is working on or considering?

We are just about to head out on the road for shows in the US and Europe.

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Matteo Damiani

Matteo Damiani is an Italian photographer and author. Curator of the sites Retrofuturista.com; weirditaly.com; china-underground.com and others