A Chat with Hatchma (18.07.2020)
Andreas Chatzimanolis is the Athens-based vocalist and guitarist behind Hatchma. Using a wide variety of influences, he has created a musical manifesto with his album Andy’s Game. We sat down with Hatchma to talk about his new album, his music and much more!
OSR: What made you realise that music was your path?
Hatchma: Identity. I was a problem child. A moderately privileged introverted teenager. I hated to see people scheming and conniving. Music intrigued me and I became addicted. It was real emotion. Creative minds are wired differently. I could have been a doctor a CEO and all I ended up doing was practising the guitar.
OSR: How would you describe the music that you typically create?
Hatchma: An eff you with a smile on the good guys’ team! Easy listening dad’s rock with a twist.
OSR: What was the writing and recording process for Andy’s Game?
Hatchma: The writing process started with daydreaming, then crafting, you slave away at it. After at some point, the song finishes itself and you play it to an audience. Production-wise all the arranging and recording was done by me on a MacBook with Logic Pro in my ‘project’ studio. Mixing and mastering were done in a professional studio. It is very exciting to take something that you have worked on thoroughly to someone with skills, big ears and a positive attitude. I wanted to try a lot of ideas on layering guitars and other instruments. It was a challenge to make it all audible, but I think we pulled it off.
OSR: Is there a theme to Andy’s Game?
Hatchma: Andy’s Game is a musical manifesto of sorts. It’s about giving it everything you’ve got when you have nothing left.
OSR: What is your favourite and least favourite track on the album?
Hatchma: I love all the songs because I put my heart and soul into them. There are parts that I really like, for example, the solo section to ‘Buried Lovers’ after the chorus and the feedback guitars on ‘Silver Lights’. I love the lyrics in the chorus of ‘The Battle Of Navarino’ but generally I don’t particularly like the sound of my voice. I wish I could work with a singer. If I had to choose a least favourite song it would be ‘Ditch Queen’ because I didn’t write it.
OSR: If your music was a comfort food, what food would it be?
Hatchma: Glaze doughnuts.
OSR: What has been the biggest problem in your music career thus far?
Hatchma: Finding a bass player. I’ve always had great drummers and the bass player was just some dude.
OSR: What do you enjoy most and hate most about being a musician?
Hatchma: A great live performance is elevating. Also getting to do something that you couldn’t or haven’t done before – evolving. I hate when a lot of very hard work in music goes unrewarded. With original music, you either float or sink. So many members of stellar bands have had to change profession to survive. Brainless clerks don’t have this problem, no offence.
OSR: Are you planning gigs and tours after the pandemic?
Hatchma: Some say that the pandemic has changed society, urban life, forever. Some people think it’s fake. I had a band and a gig before the quarantine to do an album launch. The club is now closing down. I plan on writing new music and playing live for sure, just waiting to see what happens like everyone else. I have been working on my internet game, YouTube channel etc. in the meantime.
OSR: If you could have your fans remember one thing about you, what would you like that to be?
Hatchma: Exactly that: One thing. If someone goes “wow, that’s cool”, then it’s mission accomplished. If someone puts one of my songs in their life, it’s a miracle. If all god’s people could be free to live in perfect harmony, it’s a miracle…
Thanks to Hatchma for chatting with us! You can find more about him on his website, Facebook and Spotify.
