INTERVIEW: HODD shares new single “Crazy”

Stephen William Hodd, better known by his moniker HODD, is an artist whose music reflects his unique cultural upbringing. Born in Scotland and immersed in Irish culture, HODD’s musical journey has taken him from the landscapes of Ireland to the arts scene of London and now to the quiet countryside of Suffolk in the UK.

Throughout his career, HODD has built a reputation as a talented singer-songwriter and guitarist, earning accolades and sharing stages with some of the most revered names in the industry, including Mark Knopfler, Bonnie Raitt and Rodrigo y Gabriela. For over two decades he’s been capturing his sound in the studio, first sharing his sound via his debut record The Words That I’ve Spoken back in 2000.

With a string of singles, EPs and albums released over the years, his upcoming full-length record Better Man, is set to open the next chapter in his enduring musical adventure. Ahead of the album, HODD’s latest single, “Crazy,” serves as a compelling distillation of his artistic evolution.

The track, recorded at Jackdaw Studios in the UK, features a collaboration with drummer Mat Hector, known for his work with Iggy Pop and Razorlight, with bassist and producer Mark Neary, whose credits include collaborations with Adele, The Rolling Stones and Noel Gallagher also adding to the track. Together, they bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the table, helping to craft a song that’s brimming with slick musicianship to bring to life HODD’s superb songwriting.

“Crazy” is a vibrant blend of rock and pop-focused melodies, underscored by HODD’s distinctive guitar work and rich, emotive vocals. Jumping straight into an indie rock groove of shuffling drums, pulsing bass lines an the intricate leads of HODD’s lightly crunchy guitar leads.

With his vocals entering, the arrangement drops back to let his poignant lyricism shine before building back up to deliver an instantly catchy chorus of charming vocal leads and danceable rhythm. Full of memorable melodic flourishes and backed by exquisite instrumental performances, “Crazy” sees HODD remain at the top of his game as he continues to share his delightful sonic output.

We caught up with HODD to find out more about his musical journey so far, his new single “Crazy” and what he’s got lined up for the future. Check out our interview with HODD below.

Hey HODD, how are things?

Very well, thank you. The sun is shining, so that’s always a good start to the day. I dare say we are all a bit tired of the state of the world these days, but taking a moment in the morning to appreciate the fact that we are being kept alive by a gigantic reactor ball of energy is always a grounding way to kick off the day.

What’s your earliest memory of making music?

I was 4 years old, and my family had taken delivery of an old piano that was brought to our door on a forklift. I sat down at it and started hashing out the melody from “Chopsticks.” My musical system had a way of telling my fingers what to do. Even to this day, my memory functions best as a receptacle for musical information. Names and faces, not so much! But chord progressions and fingerpicking patterns, absolutely.

Which artists do you draw most inspiration from?

I am forever drawn toward those who sing their truth with total commitment, whether it be a singer-songwriter with a guitar such as Glen Hansard (or any Irish singer-songwriters really. In Ireland, it is customary to first sing with heart and then to sing in tune; to raise the hackles is the gold in the goldmine), or the industrially fractious BJ Burton-produced albums by the band LOW. I love it when things happen that make us take note, whether it be with our heart or our body.

How else do you find inspiration for your music?

I find the most inspiration comes from sitting with an acoustic guitar as it straddles the heartstrings and allowing truthful words to flow forth. The greatest moments come when we least expect them, when the bird of inspiration has not yet flown away in fright. And then, down the line, we come to understand the complexity of what we were trying to say.

What’s been your highlight of the year so far?

I think it has been reconnecting with the electric guitar. I started my guitar-playing life as a shred head way back in the pre-web era, and life slowly took me away from it and turned me into an acoustic singer-songwriter. I needed the acoustic to bring the words to me as a way of healing following the death of my father. I took the acoustic guitar to a place where it became my main instrument with loopers, distortion, delays, and all kinds of mayhem. But now I am mellower with it, and the electric has found favor again. A new pathway is opening up.

What do you love about the UK music scene?

I really do believe that the scene here is the most open and loving of any in the world (maybe Ireland is neck and neck). You can play anything, and people are open to being open to it. There is a great support network of folk who show up everywhere I go, and I have made many great connections over the decades. It is a strong place to birth any kind of idea.

What would you say is the perfect setting for listeners to enjoy your sound?

I get into a bind with this question because I ultimately find that I am too loud for folk clubs and too quiet for rock clubs. So ideally, a theatre is a great place as long as people can be moved to jump up if needed. The words are the main thrust for me, so as long as I can hear what I am singing and people can flow with my output, I am happy.

How has your own style and sound evolved since you started out?

Ultimately, it has maybe become more refined as I fight the inner urge to scream loudly—not in a vocal style way, more in an emotional manner. But I still find myself yearning for the old days when I was lying on the floor under a mic stand while my guitar loudly loops! I am not sure what will happen next, to be honest.

Has your production process changed over the years too?

I feel it has changed recently because, for my latest album ‘Better Man,’ I worked with others to fine-tune the sound. My modus operandi is normally to try my best to capture a live event and call that a record, and I still stand by that as the way in which I am best. If I try to polish my edges, I end up ripping the cloth and cutting the hand of those who try, so I will embellish my live edge with some studio efforts. I love using Ableton to create on the fly, but the latest album is straight down the middle of the road, and I am not used to it yet. In an AI world, I believe that the best recordings are those when the performer is unaware of the microphone. So in my work as a musician-producer, I set up around my artists and capture them without limiting their ability to be themselves.

Who would be your dream artist to collaborate with?

The definition of artist must include producers, as they can be limitless architects when it comes to directing an unseen flow. So with this in mind, I’d say put me in Justin Vernon’s studio with BJ Burton at the helm and Alan Sparhawk of Low alongside. You wouldn’t know it listening to Crazy, really, but I am a massive fan of LOW and all things decaying. If we can get Susan O’Neill and Inni-K in for some vocals, that’d be amazing.

How did you find making your new single “Crazy”?

I loved the process of taking a back seat to engineering duties and trusting Mat Hector and Mark Neary with honing a rock sound for it. As a song, it is so straight up that I sometimes have difficulty engaging with it, but it comes from a period in my life when I needed to output such music, so I surrendered to it in the studio and enjoyed the fun I had with singing it and rocking out.

What message did you want to get across with this release?

I find it is hard to convey to a message without the vessel that holds it being present, so the main message of the album was that with the right help, one can be okay in this mad world. As an individual track, I posit the idea that one can change and just set loose into the world with abandon as long as one is able to be grateful for what they have.

What artist have you been listening to most recently?

Low, The Frames (SetList – live album), Inni-K, Seadog (a great Brighton band), KUSK!

What’s the main thing you want people to get out of listening to your music?

I make music because I need to know what the tunnels of the mind/soul/spirit contain. So I venture forth into the dark reaches of the human psyche so I can bring forth healing to the light. I want people to come on the lyrical journey and feel a sense of healing at the end of the journey. I want them to know it’s okay to feel like shit and that admitting that things aren’t great is a good step towards repair.

What’s been your favourite live performance so far?

Ah, there have been many. On a personal level, I’d likely pick a small show I played in Brighton in 2019 at the Brunswick. Everything came together at that show. We were on fire.

If I think of larger events, likely I’d pick Glastonbury Park Stage in 2005/6 with Lou Rhodes. The sun came out as we were playing, and it was superb loving vibes all around. That or Heidelberg Castle, again with Lou Rhodes. We had a standing ovation and flowers thrown on stage. Amazing place.

Who would be 3 artists to headline your dream festival? And where would it be?

There’s a little lake called ‘The Devil’s Looking Glass’ nestled right under the sharp mountain ridge between Ireland’s highest mountains Carrauntoohil and Beenkeragh. One is surrounded by a natural amphitheater that would provide the most amazing setting for a live event. Of course, the fans would need to be healthy and fit to make it, but it would be surreal. I’d have Alan Sparhawk play. I know Mimi Parker is dead and that it wouldn’t be a LOW show, but it would be special to hear how the mountain welcomes him. I’d have Inni-K sing there. Her singing is sublime! You should check out Eamonn O’Cnoic! And I’d have Jon Hopkins take us into the night.

Do you have any advice for a new artist wanting to follow in your footsteps?

Don’t let you stop you! Get out of your own way. Always make the most of what you have and keep your foot in the door. You will improve faster by doing it than by trying to perfect it before doing it. And take the music to the people. The industry can suck, but people generally love to hear what you do.

Finally, what do you have lined up for the rest of 2024?

I am currently looking at releasing a second single called ‘Eavesdropping on Your Soul’ in September, and then the album ‘Better Man’ comes out in October. It can be pre-ordered on Bandcamp. There will be further releases after that. On the gig front, I have shows at the John Peel Arts Centre and the Lewes Con Club to prepare for, and then I am eyeing a move to Spain. So it is a full-on free flow at the moment.

Listen to Crazy below