HalfEarth are a post-hardcore band from Long Island, NY. I’ve been seeing them around locally for a few years but it was their recent record, On a Hiding to Nothing, that really grabbed me with an obvious level up in songwriting an production value.
They are true to form in a live setting and recently got a new bassist named, Chad Denimarck. On drums is Jerry Carbone, who also plays in the excellent Long Island melodic hardcore band, Too Many Voices.
I recently caught up with HalfEarth guitarist/vocalist Danos Ettrick to learn more abouy the band and his musical journey. Check them out and support the locals.
Tell me the story behind how HalfEarth came together and what the name represents.
So, I was without a band for about three years and started experimenting with different instruments. In that time I dabbled in funk and various other genres, trying to broaden my musical horizons. I got back into rock and started writing more rock songs. I shared some of my work with my friend Bruce, who was going to be the singer. Ivan from Too Many Voices heard it and said, "This is your drummer," referring to Jerry.
Ivan was initially going to be the bass player but both Ivan and Bruce had constraints and couldn’t do it. Jerry knew a guy named Ryan who played bass and lived near him, so we jammed in his basement for a while. We looked for a singer and finally found one, but he was a chef and found work in Costa Rica. He came back to the band, then left again. By that time, post-COVID, we had two other guys, making us a five-piece band. We had two guitars, a singer, a new bass player, and a drummer. When the singer left for the second time, our bassist suggested I try it.
I had just released an EP called Four Eyes, which I did by myself at home during COVID. He said, "I heard you singing. You're good; you should try it." I never saw myself as a singer. I used to look at singers in my band and wonder how they did it because I can't even speak in front of people. But I decided to give it a try and realized it was twice as much fun. Writing and singing made me feel more connected to the music.
I sent my recordings to friends without telling them it was me, and they were impressed. The final test was our first show. My best friend was in the front row, and when I sang the first line, he looked at me and said, "Holy shit!" That was the moment I knew I could do it.
As for the name HalfEarth, it came from a book on climate change.
The name has two meanings. When I ran it past Jerry he said “oh like giving half the Earth to animals to repopulate and rehabilitate". But the book suggested that after a certain degree of warming, half the planet would be habitable. The author wasn't a tree hugger but the book offered an interesting perspective.
How would you describe your music, your sound to somebody who has never heard you before?
I'd say it's a kind of a '90s throwback, post-hardcore grunge sound. That's my favorite era of popular music, rock, and hip-hop. Nothing compares to that era for me. My favorite bands from that time include Helmet, Quicksand, Orange 9mm, the whole Seattle scene, Soundgarden, Alice, and The Melvins being the biggest ones.
The Melvins started the whole grunge thing and never got their due. They’re are a huge influence on me to this day. They influenced everything in the grunge scene. Bad Brains and Living Colour. They are absolute legends and they changed my life. I had the privilege to opening for Living Colour years ago when I was in a band called Pillow Theory. One of the most amazing experiences I’ve had as a musician! I’m also a huge King Crimson fan. I saw them perform with Steve Vai and Danny Carey, and it was incredible. I saw them in the early 2000s as well. I regret not going to more of their shows!
I grew up with R&B and soul music, like Barry White, Earth, Wind & Fire, Quincy Jones, and Michael Jackson. Stevie Wonder was my first concert, thanks to my mom. I'm still trying to match that experience. But Prince was the reason I started playing the guitar. I always refer to him as my musical father.
Long Island, where we're from, has a deep underground music history. People often think of Billy Joel, but there's so much more. The underground hardcore scene was so dense here in the '90s. I spent a short time in the underground hardcore scene with a band called Fugue. We played a few radio shows and had a lot of fun. We played The Angle a lot.
I was also in a band called Three Feet Deep, which wasn't hardcore but just rock. We played more in the city and had some fun times. It's been a journey, but it's been great.
What are some of your biggest musical influences lyrically?
Lyrically, it's hard to pinpoint specific influences because lyrics often come to me in a strange way. I'll put a random word as a placeholder for a song title, and then the lyrics start to form. I'll come up with a melody, and a catchy phrase will pop into my head, and from there, I'll build on that. Recently, I've been thinking a lot about cult behavior and tribalism, which are prevalent in our society. It's fascinating and disturbing to see how people get divided and captured by certain ideas, leading to separation.
Outside of music, as far as hobbies go Im addicted to to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I also love archery, and becoming an airline pilot has been a dream of mine since birth. I love spending time with my wife and three cats. But I find a lot of struggle influences my lyrics. I enjoy doing difficult things. Jiu-Jitsu and becoming an airline pilot have been two of the hardest yet the most rewarding things I've ever done.
I'm a purple belt, which wasn't easy to achieve. It's a long journey, and I've just begun. The first year of Jiu Jitsu is tough; you're the nail every day, but slowly, you become the hammer. I remember my first match as a white belt against a woman who pinned me. It was humbling and taught me about victory and growth. Jiu-Jitsu is a journey that helps you learn about yourself, your grit, and your resilience.
I was listening to the recent record, On a Hiding to Nothing. The lyrics felt deeply emotional and atmospheric. Can you tell me more about that?
Absolutely. Every song has a personal meaning to me. "Hunted," the first song, is about my best friend who had cancer three years ago. He's incredibly resilient, having gone through so much, including the loss of premature twins. The song is inspired by his fight against cancer, drawing parallels to one of my favorite MMA fighters. It's about my friend's battle from a fighter's perspective.
"On a Hiding to Nothing" is about disappointing friends who use you for emotional support or other reasons. It's about the disappointment of realizing that some people aren't genuine friends.
“Intuit” is about one of my closest friends, Nicole, who I was in a band with a long time ago but had to part ways with. We reconnected and were really amped about making music again. One day she was on my mind and I kept thinking to myself that I needed to call her. A mutual friend called me the next day with the news that she passed. The song reflects the pain of losing her and the regret of not reaching out. It would have been my last chance to talk to her or maybe even save her in some way. I wrote the lyrics while I was waiting to get in the funeral parlor at her wake.
"No Answer" is about finding your own way despite others telling you what to do. It's about the journey to peace and happiness, and everyone has their own path to it. "Street Plant" is about overcoming challenges and persevering. The idea came from a bumper sticker in the studio when Matt made me rewrite the lyrics that were from a former member. It was a skating reference but it gave me the image of a plant growing through cracks in the street, representing human spirit and resilience.
How does the band collaborate? Do you write everything and show them, or is it a group effort?
I usually write the songs and then send them to Jerry without a drum track. He adds the drum tracks at home. The bass and guitar parts have less wiggle room because they need to match and create tension. '90s hardcore and post-hardcore music often have palm muting, requiring a dynamic bass to cut through and carry the undercurrent.
Sometimes, a song starts with a bassline, but often, I come up with a riff and work it out immediately. For example, an old song we had called "Smash and Grab" was inspired by a riff that popped into my head, and I had to work on it right away. The song is about being stolen from what I was doing by the song itself, like a smash and grab robbery.
I have many videos on my phone of me beatboxing and humming ideas that come to me while driving or doing other things. These spontaneous moments often lead to new songs.
Did you face any challenges making this most recent record?
No, it went smoothly. We did the basic tracks in Brooklyn at a place called Studio B. We banged those out in a day. The rest of the tracking was done at Matt Storm's studio, which is called Studio 13. I did the guitar overdubs and vocals there, and then Matt mixed it. He told me not to bother him during the mix, just to let him do his thing and then send it to me for feedback. There were minimal changes needed. We took it to Jeff Kevorkian in Brooklyn for mastering, and he did a great job. It came out beautifully.
It was my first time doing professional vocals, which was a learning experience. Matt and I didn't agree on everything initially, but I realized that trying new ideas was worth it. Most of the stuff he suggested worked out great. He changed my approach to vocals and broadened my perspective. It was a great experience working with him.
READ MORE: 5 Long Island Hardcore Bands That Changed My Life, by Vinnie Caruana
Shifting from recording to live performances, where's your favorite place to play? Who are your favorite bands to play with? Any memorable shows?
The last show at the Massapequa VFW was really cool. The sound was perfect, and everyone was on point. We played with Bedmaker, Olby, and The Great Lie. Great Lie is a fun band, and their singer, Kerry, is the only guy who can pull off pedals on vocals in hardcore and punk. He does it beautifully.
Another memorable show was The Great Lie's CD release party a few years ago. It was a fun night, but now it's harder to have shows like that because venues have become more corporate and focused on ticket sales. If I had to choose between a smaller club with great energy and a connection with other bands than a bigger place without a vibe I’d pick the smaller place.
The bands and audience really make the shows. The sound might not be perfect, but the energy and camaraderie make it worth it. But if we can get great bands with a bigger amazing sounding venue, we’ll take it!
What's your take on the current music scene and how does Halfearth fit into it?
Good question. I think we fit in a lot of ways but on others we don’t, which I used to think left us in a weird place when it comes to getting shows. But I don't mind. It’s best to not overthink it. I'll play with anybody. I just enjoy playing.
I'm 52, and I'm not aiming to be a rock star. I just want to play nice shows and have fun and make friends. Some of the coolest people sounded nothing like us. The music scene has changed a lot, especially in the city. It's more corporate now, with pay-to-play setups. But there's still a good underground scene that's more accepting and less focused on draw. Places like Mr. Beerys are great dive bars with a fun vibe.
What's next for HalfEarth? Any upcoming projects you're excited about?
We have five new songs and plan to put out another EP, hopefully by summer. We're working with a new bass player Chad Denimarck from The Rook He's an amazing player and he’s catching on quickly, which is great. I want to get back to playing shows regularly, like we used to.
We were derailed by bass player changes, but now we're ready to go. I'm excited about getting these new songs down and recording them with Matt again.
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