'An acoustic guitar, a kazoo and a dream': Minneapolis' Bad Bad Hats revisits roots on 4th album
The Minneapolis indie-rockers went on the road — err, in the air — in support of their fourth album, the self-titled, "Bad Bad Hats," before their show at First Ave.
Courtesy: Connor Peck
By the time I caught up with Bad Bad Hats' Kerry Alexander, the first of many potential obstacles standing in the way of her band's tour overseas had been cleared.
"We got all the bags packed, fit everything in them under 50 pounds and everyone is present at the airport, so we're feeling good!"
The Minneapolis indie-rockers went on the road — err, in the air — in support of their fourth album, the self-titled, "Bad Bad Hats," before their wheels touched back down in Minneapolis for a release show Saturday night. The weeklong stint in Europe was the first time Alexander and her other half — in band and in life — Chris Hoge, took their instruments international.
"Well, besides Canada," Alexander conceded, clarifying, "It's the first time going across that pond."
But despite never having played as a band abroad, the second leg of the duo's ongoing tour was in some ways, Alexander said, like going back to where it all began.
"When we chose our study abroad programs, we were not dating, so we chose opposite semesters," Alexander said. "It was all very... 'star-crossed lovers.'"
Alexander left Hoge back in St. Paul at Macalester College for her semester abroad in Paris before Hoge would go on to study in Denmark. Alexander said although they would spend the better part of that year apart, it was the writing and music they shared during that time that would, in the end, bring them closer than ever.
"That also led to a lot of songwriting — and the emotions. We were exchanging mixed CDs back and forth to stay in touch and I think a lot of those mixed CDs we were also sharing our influences, so that became part of the sound of the band."
Adding, "I think back on it; I feel like that was kind of what needed to happen to spark the very beginning of Bad Bad Hats."
Back to basics
Twelve years on from peak indie-sleaze days spent songwriting furiously in a Parisian dorm room, Alexander said the band's new album happened almost "accidentally," a product of days spent in quarantine together during COVID-19. It was in that isolation with Hoge and former bandmate Con Davison, that Bad Bad Hats — the band and what would become its next album — found new life.
"We have a Patreon page, and basically every month, we'd write a new, original song inspired by a prompt," Alexander said. "We did, like, a pop-punk song, country song or a surf-rock song... just kind of doing them in two days, real quick in our house, but having a ton of fun with it. There was no pressure on it; it was really easygoing."
And countless days into their COVID experiment, an epiphany: The band had recorded a quarter of its fourth LP without even realizing it.
"It's kind of got that, like, scrappy basement thing going," she said. "It's kind of funny because in some ways, I love that this album that came out was kind of like back to basics, like, making it at home."
Another full-circle moment for BBH.
"That's where 'It Hurts' began; we just made that in our apartment with an acoustic guitar, a kazoo and a dream."
The band's first record, "It Hurts," was released as a five-track EP in January 2013, but despite the similarities in albums aged more than a decade apart, Alexander said the band members' collective collaborative spirit allowed the outfit not only to improve as musicians over the years, but also gave them inspiration to fine-tune their methods.
"Playing with different musicians over the years, I just feel like I got so much better at my guitar playing," she said. "I do feel like I get better every year and keep finding my voice and my style... I definitely think we've honed in on who Bad Bad hats is."
Having one foot planted in Minnesota and the other foot floating through air, it was evident a more mature and refined version of Bad Bad Hats would not be lost in translation.
joie de vivre
"Bristol, Manchester, Glasgow, Rotterdam, Paris... "
The London show, she said, was sold out.
"Yes, we were watching videos about how to drive on the opposite side of the road," Alexander said, laughing. "In general, I'm just excited for new cities; just exploring... I mean, that's in some ways, kind of like the best thing about being a touring band — you get to travel for work."
But when they return from their tour across the big blue, something even better awaits them in First Avenue's Mainroom.
"I'm kind of excited to finally have the last show of the tour be there — like that kind of cap to the whole experience," she said. "It'll be really fun to celebrate with our friends and our fans."
The four-piece touring band, featuring friends Joe Hayes on drums and Megan Mahoney on bass, even has a few surprises in store.
"Chris is playing a synthesizer on stage for the first time, so that's pretty exciting!" she said. "[There's] gonna be some jokes, some songs, some jumping around."
But before Bad Bad Hats officially settles into its synth era, Alexander and Hoge would go back to their beginnings, paying homage to Paris and star-crossed lovers in a thrilling bout of déjà vu.
"Paris is, in some ways, is where Bad Bad Hats began; it's where I was writing the very first Bad Bad Hats songs... We're very excited to play our first show in Paris and come full circle in that way."
Tickets are still available for Saturday's album release show with special guests Rafaella and Ivers at First Avenue.
Visit the club's website for more information.
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