Hardy could have gotten his begin in music as a rustic songwriter, however his numerous style in music proves that he’s a real rock ‘n’ roll soul.

There’s been plenty of crossover between rock and nation during the last couple of years, and Hardy is without doubt one of the artists accountable for serving to mix the genres and collectively. He began his profession in music as a songwriter in Nashville for a few of the largest names in nation, together with Morgan Wallen and Blake Shelton.

His first EP as a musician got here out in late 2018 and he is put out three studio albums since. While his materials was typically extra country-leaning in the start, he argues that the rock ‘n’ roll spirit was at all times there.

“It’s always been in me and my stuff has always leaned a little bit more on the rock ‘n’ roll side,” Hardy tells Loudwire in an unique interview.

It wasn’t till 2020, although, that he seen his followers had been actually into the heavy bits he included into his stay units. And that is when he realized he wished to maintain injecting his love for rock and steel into his music.

Hardy’s newest album Quit!! got here out this 12 months and it is essentially the most rock-centric of all of his releases up to now. It options some pop-punk leanings, nu-metal moments and even collaborations with Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst.

Hardy, “Time to Be Dead”

We caught up with Hardy to ask about his background in rock and steel, his favourite up-and-coming bands, the form of collaboration he needs to do with Corey Taylor and extra.

Read the total dialog under.

Can you identify a few of the rock and steel bands that you just had been into rising up and what it was about them that you just cherished?

Bands similar to Creed and Nickelback, all of the bands everyone likes to make enjoyable of, 3 Doors Down — they had been a few of my favourite bands rising up. And I nonetheless suppose they’re unbelievable.

But at a younger age, though I did not perceive something about what they had been speaking about or something, I cherished System of a Down. Come Clean by Puddle of Mudd was one in all my all-time favorites. I like Linkin Park, particularly early Linkin Park.

Later in my teenage years, I began to find steel. There had been a few metalhead children at my college. One man made me a burned CD again when that was nonetheless a factor. He was identical to, “Here, listen to this and tell me what you think.” A whole lot of A Day to Remember, there was a southern steel band on there known as Maylene and the Sons of Disaster that was freaking superior.

August Burns Red, any of that stuff that was basic Warped Tour or steel tour bands. Any of these guys that had been heavy and had breakdowns and had been enjoyable. I listened to Born of Osiris… the listing goes on and on for the steel stuff. Anything that you may just about uncover on MTV from the 12 months 1999 to 2007, I used to be right here for it if it was rock ‘n’ roll.

Keith Urban lately recalled that he was in a steel band in highschool. Did you ever play with any steel musicians again then?

No, probably not. I used to be in a few little storage bands, however we by no means actually performed an actual present anyplace. There had been a couple of round city, however I used to be not sadly.

It would have been enjoyable although.

READ MORE: Keith Urban Reveals Metal Band He was in Was Named After Ace Frehley Song

How did you get entangled with nation songwriting versus possibly pursuing a extra rock-centric path again in the day?

I grew up listening to rock ‘n’ roll and steel, however I grew up nation. I hunt and fish and I’ve finished it since I used to be just a little child. I used to be always spending time exterior and catching snakes, so my way of life was at all times there.

In the early 2000s, guys similar to Eric Church and Brad Paisley had been the primary individuals in nation that I listened to.

Country in the ’90s was simply the honky tonk factor — plenty of consuming in bars and plenty of leaving songs and dishonest songs. That by no means resonated with me.

Country actually grabbed me when Brad Paisley and Eric Church and these guys began singing songs concerning the good outdated boy and the world that I grew up in. So I gravitated extra towards nation and beginning writing songs primarily based on the songs I used to be listening to and my way of life.

I grew up in a city known as Philadelphia in Mississippi and Nashville was solely about 5 hours away. That was simply the transfer I wished to make — it was simply in the playing cards to do the nation factor.

When did you begin arising with the concept you wished to make country-rock music and had been you getting pushback from anyone for that call?

It’s at all times been in me. My first EP has a music on it known as “Four by Four.” I may report that music in the present day and it might sound like one thing I might do proper now. My stuff has at all times leaned just a little bit extra on the rock ‘n’ roll facet, however there have been a couple of very pivotal moments.

I put a music out known as “Boots” again in 2020. We clearly did not tour, however “Boots” had a rustic model of a breakdown in it. It was simply very totally different, however very rock leaning for me.

About 4 months later, it was the primary present again. We performed “Boots” someplace in Florida and that music simply went bananas. I bear in mind pondering, Okay possibly I’m onto one thing right here with this complete rock factor. 

A short time after that, I wrote a music known as “Sold Out,” after which we began enjoying that stay and that began going off. The response from the followers actually gave me the braveness to leap full-on into the rock ‘n’ roll factor.

I possibly had little little bit of pushback from nation radio, however so far as my label or anyone telling me that it was a nasty concept, I’ve had nothing however assist.

Hardy, “Sold Out”

I noticed one in all your reveals again in June and it is heavy! I used to be anticipating it to be just a little extra country-leaning, regardless of having heard Quit!! at that time. But you mentioned it your self, the followers really actually loved it. It’s cool to see how artists similar to your self and Jelly Roll are mixing these audiences collectively.

It’s actually cool. The one factor that helps with that’s that even again after I was placing out “only country music,” we’d beef our stay present as much as make it appear to be a rock ‘n’ roll present it doesn’t matter what. Today, the songs are to a degree the place we simply should play them like they’re on the report as a result of they’re so much heavier.

The followers have progressively gotten used to the heavy present as a result of it is at all times been a model of that, however it’s positively the heaviest it is ever been proper now. And hopefully it’s going to proceed to be much more so. We’ll see.

As someone who blends genres and makes a wide range of music, what do you concentrate on genres and all of the totally different labels? There are so many after which there are artists who’re doing just a little mixture of all the pieces. Quit!! has pop-punk, there’s heavier songs — it is a combine.

Music has no president. There isn’t any gatekeeper.

I do not care what anyone says. Music has no guidelines. And whoever thinks that there’s, is improper.

Music is a present that we have been given and it is one thing that we must always have fun. And the truth that individuals attempt to put boundaries and borders up round music is totally ridiculous.

READ MORE: 12 Rock + Country Artist Collaborations That Go Hard

Genres are fantastic — they matter relating to advertising and radio stations. I believe that is essential. But on the finish of the day, music itself has no guidelines and anyone who needs to make music ought to be capable to do regardless of the hell they need to do with it.

Aside from your self, what are another nation artists that you just suppose rock followers and metalheads would get into in the event that they gave them a shot?

There’s a rustic duo known as Lakeview that work so much with Cody Quistad from Wage War. They’re doing a heavy factor.

Lakeview, “Home Team”

My favourite one proper now — I would not put this in the steel class — Stephen Wilson Jr. has his personal rock factor. He is a complete badass and he is bought a really cool rock ‘n’ roll kind of factor. His sound is so distinctive that it is actually onerous to pin down.

Stephen Wilson Jr., “Year To Be Young 1994”

A whole lot of mainstream artists have been experimenting with nation after which there’s artists who’re in that path however transferring towards rock. What do you suppose it might take for rock music to grow to be actually in style and mainstream once more the way in which that nation is now?

I do not know, I hope that it occurs although. I miss rock being business. I believe that it was nice.

Maybe it is going to take a technology of youth to fall in love with it once more. That is what has at all times been the gasoline for rock ‘n’ roll’s business success — a technology of youth that lifted it up and let it stand on their shoulders.

Over the previous couple of years there have been waves the place issues come again — nu-metal with Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park and now late ’90s/early ’00s onerous rock with Creed, Three Days Grace and Crossfade reuniting. It seems like there is a resurgence in 2000s rock curiosity once more. It simply by no means takes over the way in which that it did in the 2000s and we’re all simply ready for that.

Social media has changed radio. It’s an enormous on-line presence.

I even seen that there is songs on TikTookay which have blown up. Superheaven have that music “Youngest Daughter,” however there’s like little pockets the place individuals are beginning to exploit that stuff once more on a very excessive fan base degree.

It’s simply totally different as a result of it isn’t TV and radio, however I believe one thing goes to occur quickly and it’ll come again. I really feel a second quickly that rock ‘n’ roll bands are going to be on the entrance once more.

We simply bought one in all our massive bands again in Linkin Park. You talked about earlier that you are a fan of them. What do you concentrate on their comeback with Emily Armstrong and all the pieces that is occurring with them?

I noticed plenty of pushback and other people had unfavourable issues to say about her becoming a member of the band and I’m like, “The show must go on.” I believe it is nice.

If something, it is simply persevering with Chester [Bennington]’s legacy. It’s wonderful that they’ll nonetheless get to carry out as a band and other people will nonetheless get to see their reveals and have fun and sing all these nice songs.

I want them nothing however one of the best.

Are there some other newer and youthful rock bands which have caught your consideration these days?

Number one is a band known as Bilmuri. It’s Johnny Frank’s band and he used to play in Attack Attack! with Caleb Shomo. Caleb does Beartooth and Johnny has his band known as Bilmuri. Their complete catalog is sick.

I’m on the Sleep Token prepare. I do know they’re fairly polarizing among the many rock ‘n’ roll world too, however I believe their final report [Take Me Back to Eden] is fucking phenomenal. They’re big and that final report is only a murals to me, I believe it was cool as shit.

There’s a man, it is like indie rock, known as Medium Build. He’s actually good.

Number one although is Bilmuri, it’s important to verify them out. They’re tremendous totally different. They incorporate steel with pop parts, but in addition a saxophone and random nation devices similar to metal guitars and fiddles. It’s a wild sound, however it’s actually cool and positively value a hear.

Bilmuri, “Better Hell”

You’ve collaborated with Caleb Shomo. Who are another bucket listing rock and steel artists you need to collaborate with in some unspecified time in the future?

Mike Shinoda could be tremendous cool. I simply need to meet him. I really know him considerably, we have texted just a little bit.

Corey Taylor could be actually cool. I like the Stone Sour stuff. If it was even in that vein — I do not want it to be this heavy, loopy Slipknot factor. If we may write or simply have a cool music in that vein of rock ‘n’ roll, I might love that too.

I’m nonetheless simply such a sucker for all of the bands that I grew up with, so even simply doing one thing artistic with any of these bands could be wonderful too. I’m always dwelling in this nostalgia, so something to gasoline that fireplace could be superior.

Here’s another — if you happen to may put collectively the proper supergroup consisting of your favourite bassist, singer, guitarist and drummer, who could be in it?

Number on one bass is Les Claypool, Carter Beauford from Dave Matthews Band on drums, Myles Kennedy is the singer, Mark Tremonti on one guitar and Dimebag Darrell on the opposite guitar.

It would sound attention-grabbing for certain.