by Mitch West
Ben Helzinger (Left) Max Collins (Center) Jon Siebels (Right) of Eve 6
Photo Credit: No Smoke Management and Velocity Records
Eve 6 is an American rock band from La Crescenta-Montrose, California, best known for their hit singles "Inside Out" and "Here's to the Night". They formed in 1995 and released their debut album, "Dizzy Up the Girl", in 1998. The album was a commercial success, selling over 2 million copies in the United States. Eve 6 released their second album, "Horrorscope", in 2000. The album was also a commercial success, selling over 1 million copies in the United States. The band released their third and final album, "Speakeasy", in 2003 producing the hit single "Think Twice". Eve 6 disbanded in 2004, but eventually reunited in 2007 and have been touring and releasing new music ever since. We had the chance to talk with founding member, bass player, and lead vocalist Matt Collins of Eve 6 leading up to this year's annual Shadow Ridge Music Festival in Omaha, NE on Friday, September 9th. Their bio on the Velocity Records website is one of the best but paints a picture of what so many have dealt with and/or continue to deal with in the Music Industry. So before you read our Q&A with Max, read the band's posted bio below first:
; )
“eve6 isn’t a very good band. they got lucky and had like a hit and a half like twenty years ago and sold some records but who cares. they’ve had all the terminally predictable ups and downs of every other band thats been chewed up and spit out by the machine. their new shit is good but no one will listen or care. eve6 doesn’t really like music and thinks more often than not it’s just a distraction for the dull of mind. eve6 thinks music industry people are the worst people in the world and this includes label people, lawyers, publicists, managers, radio program directors, music supervisors etc. thanks for taking the time away from your fake slack job to read this”
- Velocity Records
What sticks out from playing the Midwest throughout the years?
"I always enjoy playing in and being in Omaha. Always enjoy playing there and finding good food. The last couple of times we’ve been there it’s been pretty nice. We’ve always enjoyed playing in the Midwest. Often people in the middle seem to appreciate Alternative Rock with greater fervor. Sometimes cities in the middle get skipped on tours. People are grateful to get shows and tours."
What was the importance of a good local music scene growing up for you guys?
"It was really important. We started out as a band when we were at the end of our freshmen year of highschool when we were really young so we were playing and going to shows that were at all ages spaces that had a lot of really good bands playing them, coming up in them and touring through them. We grew up here in LA and were really lucky to have a lot of those rooms. The Cobalt Cafe, Koos Cafe..there were tons of them. All ages venues and local scenes are vital and are difficult to preserve especially now when venues over covid keep getting bought up by corporations like Live Nation. It's a shame. Our experience as a band would have been a lot less cool without those opportunities and those rooms."
Ben Helzinger (Left) Max Collins (Center) Jon Siebels (Right) of Eve 6
Photo Credit: No Smoke Management and Velocity Records
What are the elements that bring a good bill together?
"I think it’s cool when you have bands that don’t necessarily sound like each other or aren’t necessarily from the same zeitgeist or genre. That’s how the shows used to be for us coming up in the 90s. Bills would be pretty far-ranging and eclectic. A ska band, a hardcore band, a poppier punk band, and a noise band would find themselves sharing the stage. It wasn’t a rare thing. I like it when there’s an eclectic mix of sounds and styles."
Favorite band, you’ve shared the stage with and/or tour with over the years?
"A bunch. We just did a tour with a Ska band called We Are The Union who are fantastic and a communist comedian named Jake Florez who's also fantastic in May and June. That bill was probably the most I’ve enjoyed a lineup that we’ve been on ever. We’ve shared the stage with a bunch of great bands over the years. Some we’ve become friends with and some not so much but I still think they’re great bands. What we’re doing with this current iteration of the band is putting together bills when we do tour stuff that may be a little unlikely or seem confusing but we find audiences tend to be appreciative of it even if they're not sure they will be on the onset."
What was the first band or performer that caught you off guard and blew you away?
"Well, the first show I ever saw was Korn opening for Pennywise and The Offspring. I didn’t become a Korn fan after that show but I was impressed with the force of their live show. There’s a band called "The Muffs" RIP Kim Shattuck. They were maybe the best live band I ever saw. It wasn’t a surprise to me that they would be good because I loved the records but when I saw them live it was mind-blowingly good."
Jon Siebels (Left) Max Collins (Center) Ben Helzinger (Right) of Eve 6
Photo Credit: No Smoke Management and Velocity Records
For those wanting their voice heard using music as the vehicle, what advice would you give to them?
"I think people should do what’s in their hearts and make what they want to make. I wouldn’t advise anyone to do art in any one specific way. With our newer music, we’re more political than when we made our first few records which were not at all. I don’t think you can be non-political now and feel like everything is. People that say they aren’t often are and just don’t realize it. Jon and I are pretty focal socialists and leftists. We make a lot of noise about that online and in our music. That's not to say that every artist needs to be overtly talking about politics."
What are some words of wisdom for the future rocker or person in a band just trying to make it happen?
"It’s really difficult to make a living playing music. I don’t know that it’s advice necessarily but I think the most important things for young bands to do is to do what they love, follow their true north whatever that may be artistically, make what they like, and have zero expectations when it comes to the reward or commercial aspects of the thing. There's nothing wrong with having a job and building an avant-garde world that can be subsidized by that job. That way you don’t have those expectations and don’t let the incentives of platform capitalism affect what you’re making and do it for the love."
Finishing out the year and from 2023 on, what’s next for Eve 6?
"We have a new song coming out on August 10th and kind of an announcement to go with that. I'm writing an advice column now for Input Magazine which has been kind of fun and have been taking some writing gigs here and there. We're playing a bunch of shows and just did a tour. I'm sure there will be more of that on the horizon and ya, making stuff and putting it out."
Photo Credit: Shadow Ridge Country Club
We're stoked to hear what the band will announce this week and look forward to seeing them live! Eve 6 comes back to Omaha, NE along with Tropidelic, Lit, and hometown legends 311 for this year's Shadow Ridge Music Festival hosted by Steve Rannazzisi. Keep checking back to Gallery Space as we will continue to interview some of the acts, and those behind the fest, and post photos from the show! Tickets are going quick so be sure to get yours HERE! A portion of each ticket sale will benefit the Lane Thomas Foundation.
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