The Official HANKER Web Site - Interviews - Dark Tales: Interview with Pascal Cliche

Not only since last year at the Headbangers Open Air (2004) in Brande-Hörnerkirchen, the French-Canadians HANKER, from the Canadian province of Quebec, along the Saint-Laurent river stream, were in the first wave of the Power Metal underground and their albums In Our World, The Dead Ringer, Snakes And Ladders and Web Of Faith (1994/1997/2000/2004) definitively prove it. Since a band like HANKER does not come to us very often, we sent some questions to Canuck leader Pascal Cliche (vocals/guitars). He answered the questions quickly after we sent them to him. An interesting interview resulted.

Dark Tales - Pascal! Hanker started in 1985. Tell us something about the beginning of the band. Why did you decide to play metal music?

Pascal - OK... I'm not really sure why we started playing music... Maybe we knew deep inside that we had something to say... Anyway, here is the beginning of the Hanker story: We were very young when we started (Patrick and Martin and I were 12!!) and we wanted to become the next Beatles!! We did a few shows playing Beatles songs and so forth... But when the metal came out in the 80's, we went crazy about it!! We already knew that it would be the genre we would like to play!! So we found a drummer (he is dead now...) and we started playing covers from Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Metal Church, Metallica, Kiss, and so forth. At that time, we were called Cobalt and we did shows in our High school... But we knew that we had to change our drummer because he already had a problem with alcohol... Therefore, we found Jean-François Fillion and we decided to change the name of the band and we found the name HANKER. We started practicing really hard because we wanted to do a club tour. Meanwhile, we started writing our own songs and we were playing them live at the clubs we were playing even if the club owners did not want to. We had really cool reactions from people so we had to do something about that. Nevertheless, Jean-François Fillion decided to leave the band because he was not having so much fun than we had and was tired of playing every weekend in clubs. Therefore, we had auditions and we found Luc Guay (who was already a huge Hanker fan at that time!!). Then, we decided to record our first demo and started selling it in a few stores and in our shows. We sold many tapes!! So we decided to go for a CD, and the story really began...

Dark Tales - On your first two albums, Martin Jones and Jean François Fillion were still present. Why both guys did left the band, and how did you and Patrick come to Denis Cossette and Luc Guay?

Pascal - When we recorded In Our World (1994), Jean François Fillion had already left the band as I said above. Luc Guay has been there since the demo tape in 1991. Martin Jones (one of the original members) recorded In Our World the second CD The Dead Ringer (1997) and did many shows afterwards but he decided that he wanted to do something else with his life... We left him a year to decide and he finally decided to leave Hanker with no hard feeling. We then needed a new bass player and I knew one: Denis Cossette. We had an audition and he was perfect for the job!!

Dark Tales - Recently, Denis has also left the band. Laurent Imbeau is now the new young bass player. Why did Denis left the band? What are the main reasons?

Pascal - Same story here... Denis Cossette was not really interested anymore and wanted to do something else with his life. So, we all decided that it was the time for Hanker to have a new bass player to continue in our saga. Denis left the band with no hard feeling and I wish him the best of luck with the rest of his life!

Dark Tales - You played at the Headbangers Open Air 2004 and at the Headbangers Ballroom. Was that your first trip in Germany? And were you satisfied with the metal fans in Germany?

Pascal - It was our first time in Germany and we LOVED it!!!! This is the promise land for all metal bands!!!!!! Every one was really cool with us and we felt like if we were a really big band!!! We had so much fun and so many beers!! German beers are the best!!! We do want to go back there someday!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dark Tales - Many people compare your vocals to Harry Conklin from JAG PANZER! Do these comparisons disturb you or do you see them as a compliment? Or are you maybe Harry's twin brother?

Pascal - It is for sure a huge compliment!! Nevertheless, when the comparison started out, I did not know this band at all!! Furthermore, when we came out with our second CD The Dead Ringer, some critics wrote that it was very good because we had kept our Jag Panzer influences... It was really strange because we had not heard anything from Jag Panzer yet... Just before recording Snakes And Ladders (spring 1999), I heard the song Black from Jag Panzer. When I heard his voice, I could not really understand the comparison...?? But, Harry Conklin is a REALLY great singer and the comparison is really flattering!!! Moreover, we played with them in Montreal last year and we all had a good laugh about that!!! Jag Panzer guys are really cool and we wish to play again with them in a near future. The only thing which is sad about all this is that people always compare you with something else... We do know that we haven't invented a new kind of music but we are just trying to write the best songs we can!

Dark Tales - Tell us something about your albums and their artworks. Are they concept albums? On which stories are they based on? Where did you find the inspiration for all the stories? What can you tell to us about it?

Pascal - In Our World is not a concept album even if most of the themes are related together. The Dead Ringer is a concept one. The story came in my mind following a strange dream that I had. We had already started writing a few songs with the lyrics and the rest of the album came out following my strange dream. Snakes And Ladders (2000) is not a concept album but it follows the same pattern as In Our World. Web Of Faith (2004) is almost a concept CD. All the themes are joined together and we are really proud of it!! I'm the one who writes the lyrics and my inspiration comes from all the injustice, pollution, useless wars, all the questions about death... I'm asking many questions to God like, why is there so much suffering and so forth. For the artwork, every album has its own story and is linked with the global theme of the CD.

Dark Tales - How do you see your musical development from the first album up to the fourth one? Would you say that there are some differences?

Pascal - We have kept the same energy but every album has its own personality. We practise a lot and we always want to get better!! Therefore, I think that every CD is unique but is better in way than its predecessor. With years, we have been getting better musicians and I have been writing better texts. But, I think that the key of our success is that we have always been honest to ourselves and with our fans!! We have been talking about real stuff and we have been playing with our heart!! I do know that people feel all that!

Dark Tales - How important is for you to be able to have a life besides music? Could you imagine yourself without playing music?

Pascal - I cannot picture myself without music!! Sometimes, I say to myself that it is enough and I should grow older but I just can't!!! Music has been leading my life and I think it is going to haunt me till the day I die!!!

Dark Tales - How did come out your band's name Hanker? What message lies behind?

Pascal - We found it in the dictionary on a Saturday afternoon while listening to music. We read the definition and we decided that it would be perfect for our band!! Its meaning is to really yearn for something or really want someone a situation to happen.

Dark Tales - Why did you rename the band's name COBALT for HANKER? Did you have special reasons to do so?

Pascal - When we changed the first drummer, we started to practice a lot and we got much better and we were much serious than before. Therefore, we decided that it would be a good thing to change the band's name.

Dark Tales - You have just released your latest album Web Of Faith under contract with Skycraper, while Hellion Records has brought out this album as a vinyl in Germany. Have you already considered signing with Hellion for the next CD?

Pascal - As for Skyscraper, we are very pleased with this company and we will be working with it for a while!!! Stéphane (the label owner) is really great and believes in Hanker a lot!! As for Hellion Records, we like Juergen a lot and all the rest of the guys (we met them last summer 2004 and had a few beers with them!!) and it would be really cool to work with them again.

Dark Tales - On your albums, we do feel your uncontrollable energy and your joy regarding music. Do you see yourselves rather as a live band or as a studio band? What is more fun for you?

Pascal - We like both worlds!!! Nevertheless, they are both really different and each of them offers a really good feeling! But, I could say that playing live is really cool because you can feel the crowd's emotion!! This is like dynamite!!!

Dark Tales - You guys are all French Canadians. Were you born in Canada, or were you born in France? Did your parents move from France to Canada? Tell me your story!

Pascal - We were all born in Québec a French province in Canada. My ancestors came in Québec from France in 1675.

Dark Tales - If you are interested in the French Metal scene from the eighties, as for example bands like SORTILEGE, VULCAIN, DEMON EYES, OCEAN, H-BOMB, KILLER, BLASPHEME, POWER HIGH, TRUST, SATAN OF JOKER, etc. Have you been influenced by them?

Pascal - I don't know any of these bands... Sorry... Therefore, we have not been influenced by one of them.

Dark Tales - Have you already thought singing in French on your albums, or you would say that it makes no sense because, anyhow, every body wants to hear metal in English only?

Dark Tales - What is your opinion about mortal help? At the moment, there is a big discussion in the USA and other countries about Terry Chiavo... Shall we allow her to die or not? Do you believe in a life after death? Have already thought about it?

Pascal - It is a big question... Yes I believe in life after death but I think it is going to be a spiritual life. There are so many questions that are still without answers and there is a huge balance among things on this earth to not have been created by a source of power above. I think that someone came 2000 years ago and he was really different and was saying really different things... Nevertheless, all the religions took the story and adapted it and added facts with their own interpretation... I think that the kingdom is not in the skies but in ourselves. It means that we have to do good actions and we should care for one another.

Dark Tales - How do your tour activities look like in Canada? And what bands are you going to tour? And which Canadian bands are you friends... INFERNÄL MÄJESTY, EIDOLON, ANVIL, ANNIHILATOR, EXCITER, SACRED BLADE??? Or none of them?

Pascal - We once played with Anvil and it was really cool! They are all nice guys and we had a lot of fun!! We know Annihilator and Exciter but we haven't played with one of them. We know EIDOLON (they have the same record company than we do) and maybe we will play with them in a near future but nothing is set up yet. We will do shows next summer and we have started writing new songs!!

Dark Tales - In the eighties and the nineties, there was the Canadian Metal-Queen LEE AARON. Have you met her already personally? If yes, what you can tell to me about it?

Pascal - Yes! We played with her and we met her after the show! But I was a little shy so I did not talk too much... But, she is a nice girl.

Dark Tales - How do your future plans look like? When does HANKER come up with a new album? Have you already written new songs? Can you tell us something... some titles? And when do you come back in Germany?

Pascal - We will play next summer and as I said we have started writing new songs!! Our new songs kick ass!! We have a new talented bass player (Laurent Imbeau) and the band's feeling is better than ever! We hope to record a new CD next winter and go back to Germany in summer 2006!!! Sorry, I cannot give any titles yet. It is a secret.

Dark Tales - Is there a prominent person in your life, who you would be really happy to meet? And what would you say to this person?

Pascal - I know it is going to sound weird, but I really like to meet God... I would only ask him this question: What are you waiting for? You should come quickly; the world has become a real mess!!

Dark Tales - What do you do in your private life? What do you do in your spare time? Do you have hobbies, jobs, family, children, animals, groupies?

Pascal - We all have jobs besides Hanker. I'm an English teacher in high school, Patrick is a History teacher in high school, Luc works for an insurance company and Laurent, the newest member, is still studying and is working in a restaurant. Patrick likes to jog and cycling a lot. I like to read a lot and watch movies... I also like cycling but I don't cycle as much as I should... Luc has a little girl and his girlfriend is once more pregnant.

Dark Tales - Last question: Do you a have a message for our readers?

Pascal - I hope you enjoyed the interview!! We cannot wait to go back to Germany!! You can go visit our wonderful web site. Danke!!! Take care!