Haunting Melodies: Interview with HEO
After a long week of interviews and showcases, I was able to meet up with HEO, a band that formed out of what was initially a solo project by Junhyuk Heo (hence the band name.) HEO debuted last year to strong critical acclaim with their first project together titled Structure. HEO’s music has a ghostly supernatural beauty that defies genres, pushes boundaries and instantly enthralls the listener. We met up at the Lucille before the V-Rox showcases and had a great conversation.
[It should be noted that while everyone did their best to speak in English (and I to use my mediocre Korean) , K, their guitarist/sound engineer did a great job at helping to translate more complicated answers]
Hello! Will you please introduce yourself to our readers?
HEO: I’m Heo, vocal & guitar. And mixing
Boyeong: Hi I’m Boyeong, also vocals, bass guitar and keyboard.
K: My name’s K and I’m just playing guitar, and sound engineer.
Yongjae: My name is YongJae, I am the drummer.
When did you form the band?
K: Last year.
For the new album?
K: Yeah.
When did you guys all meet?
HEO: K is my old friend, for 12 years, and Boyeong is…
K: his girlfriend, actually!
Boyeong: Ah, no!
Heo: actually, she is my university…senior?
K: yeah, senior.
[at this point we all look a little confused]
Boyeong: um, senior?
Heo: Hoobae.
So, junior, right? [I know this word in Korean, and everyone was a little surprised]
All: oooh!
Heo: Actually we meet there, somebody introduce us, we were looking for the drummer, because before that we didn’t have a drummer. And we found Yongjae lastly.
Last year you released Structure and it received instant positive reviews – and earned you a Korean Music Award for best Electronic & Dance Album, what has all of this meant to you as an artist?
K: Actually, we didn’t expect to win an award, because our album is kind of like, actually not too commercial, but we were happy.
You produce all your own music, what are your preferred tools for creating and performing your music?
HEO: For recording we use Logic Pro, and mixing and mastering, pro-tools and performing, we use Ableton Live.
