We connected with HANK, a folk, rock, indie, and progressive businessman by trade from Pittsburgh, PA for an exclusive interview to discuss his new EP Grate "A", which was released January 20th, 2017.  We also discussed his single/video "Equilibrium" and the concept behind it, as well as his musical goals for 2017. After reading this Q&A, be sure to stream Grate "A" and follow HANK on Facebook. 

Tell us about your single/video "Equilibrium; is the song self-produced and how did you come up with its concept?

Equilibrium is a song that I wrote while being at home and it’s about being out of your comfort zone. At one point in the song, I say “side to side” meaning that I like to rock in and out of equilibrium and I also use the scenario of being at a bar to help reinforce that idea. And I recorded the song myself on my Macbook and sent it for mix/mastering to my cousin Nick. 

Who are some of your musical inspirations and what led you to want to become a musician/"businessman"?

I have been a musician for most of my life and I really only started branching out as a solo artist a few months ago. I was in a band for a long time but after I had a full-time suit and tie job, it changed my direction. I then embraced the businessman persona and became HANK the businessman. Some of my biggest inspirations in my writing/music include John Mayer, the instrumental group CHON, Little Barrie, Billy Joel, and Tenacious D. 

If you had to describe your music in three words, which words would you select?

Relatable (to some), Dynamic, Detailed.          

Tell us about your recently released EP Grate "A". What are you most proud of with this project?

Grate “A” was essentially my response to working a full-time suit and tie job. Some songs are more prevalent than others with aligning to the businessman persona but at the end of the day, it is my story about a corporate job. I would say just being able to write a bunch of music is the proudest thing I can think of about this project. I wrote a bunch of songs and was able to pick and choose versus having 6 songs and calling it a finished project. 

To follow up on the last question, do you plan to release another single/video off Grate "A"?

Probably not. This EP is intended to be a starting point in my solo career. I have already been actively writing for the next project but that doesn’t mean I am not focusing on getting Grate “A” out there more. I have been doing things daily to help promote it as much as possible. There’s still lots more to come from the businessman by trade….

We're midway through February; what are your musical goals for remainder of 2017?

I would like to play at least one show weekly. I also aspire to move somewhere where my music can flourish more. I also wanna release another project by the end of the year. I think this year is gonna get a lil hectic at times but I am determined to have my music listened to as much as possible.

Connect with HANK: Facebook