Artist Spotlight: Hawking
An interview with Hawking frontman Tom Vanderkam
Until last year, the members of Hawking cringed at the term “radio-friendly.” With two feet planted firmly in their math rock origins, they refused to enter the mainstream of music for the sake of artistic integrity. This year’s creation of their self-titled EP seems to have changed that mindset.
“As much as it’s considered a bad word for an indie band, we’re shooting for a more radio-friendly sound now,” says frontman Tom Vanderkam. “We had our time being hipsters and wanting to make something really artistic, but you can make something artistic without it being unlistenable to a mainstream audience. We’re trying to do that.”
Vanderkam and drummer Chartwell Kerr are original members, while bassist Chris Young and lead guitarist Saul Sitar are fresh additions to the group. Together, they’re recording Hawking’s first LP, which has yet to be titled. According to the band, the album will be a departure from their past releases for its danceability and subtle complexity.
“We are writing feverishly and working on demos right now,” says Vanderkam. “We’re about three quarters of the way done.” By summer 2016, the album should be complete and ready for marketing. Vanderkam, who writes all of the material, deems the LP “less weird” and “more streamlined” than their previous releases under Hawking and former names. He attributes it to “letting go of [their] math rock roots”, which they were all “very reluctant to do, as music nerds.” Now, they’re trying to “keep all of that in there, but in a way that doesn’t disturb the flow of the song.”
The album will also have several “indoor and dark themes,” another distinction from their past work.
“We used to have a lot of nature themes, but with the Hawking EP, everything took place indoors. There were no elements of nature, which I feel was probably a progression in songwriting for me. It’s also a lot more introverted and introspective than the stuff we’ve written before. I think I’ve become a much more self-aware person. It’s just growing up.”
Ironically, Vanderkam’s ever-changing songwriting style was what prevented Hawking from releasing an LP sooner. “We never had enough material to put together a congruent album,” he says. “It’s difficult to walk the line between having something homogenous and something that’s way too diverse. I’m excited to see how it plays out, writing-wise.”
The group will also be touring over the summer months. Details are uncertain but will be posted on their website as they’re solidified.
