HELIX’s BRIAN VOLLMER On GREG “FRITZ” HINZ’s Return From Injury – “He Played Great, He’s Fantastic”
June 21, 2019, 5 years ago
Canadian rockers Helix have returned with a new video from vocalist Brian Vollmer detailing the happenings of the band in a Newsletter video and comments on the return of drummer Greg “Fritz” Hinz after his injury in November 2018 where he fractured his skull after falling from the roof of his house.
Vollmer recently spoke with The London Free Press about the band's new album, Old School. Following is an excerpt from the interview.
They were a fixture on the Canadian rock scene through the 1980s, with the big hair and the power chords and arena anthems, especially after they released the hit single, "Rock You". Today, they are hoping they’ve found a little of the same magic hidden in the basement closet of Vollmer’s former London home, Planet Helix. He found tapes, demos and studio cast-offs of recordings from the ’80s that have been reworked and re-recorded to produce a new album, Old School.
"As soon as I pulled out the tapes I realized we had at least an album of material," said Vollmer, explaining there was some dubbing and do-overs and additions made to some of the songs. "I love all my music. They’re kind of like your kids. I felt that way about these songs and we had to work on them a bit to make them as good as we could."
Old School is the band’s 14th studio album, not including the 13 live and compilation albums released during the years. Vollmer, who released a solo album, Get Yer Hands Dirty, in 2017, said the songs on Old School didn’t make the cut back in the day.
"I think at the time, our manager was looking for a big hit single and back then, the problem was that the music was too heavy for radio, but today it’ll fit right in."
Read the complete interview here.
Old School, is comprised of songs written from 1981-1989, but were never released. It was produced by Helix's longtime bass player Daryl Gray and mixed by Juno award winning Siegfried Meier. Mastered by Harry Hess of Harem Scarem. Three of the tracks were recorded for the Back For Another Taste album but never released and have late guitarist Paul Hackman playing on them.
Tracklisting:
“Coming Back With Bigger Guns”
“Whiskey Bent & Hell Bound”
“If Tears Could Talk”
“Your Turn To Cry”
“Tie Me Down”
“Closer”
“Games Mother Never Taught You”
“Southern Comfort”
“Hound Dog Howlin’ Blues”
“Cheers”