Hi/Jack

In November/December of 2019 we here at CPRA got hammered with booking/review requests. We like to treat every band that comes through our email with equality. Sometimes we have an important event/show that takes priority. Now that I’m finally getting through the queue. It appears I missed a major opportunity. Milwaukee punks, Hi/Jack released their “Rank And File” EP back on 12/06/2019.

This EP is small in number with only 4 tracks and one being a radio edit. As SLF once said, “You can’t say crap on the radio”. This EP has major potential to hit your shelf as an all-time favorite. Why you may ask? Let’s check it out! The first track is “Don’t Wanna See You Anymore”. As I started the track. I thought damn this sounds just like Fugazi.

The guitar riffs and frantic drums bring this track down to a simple old school punk rock feeling. Most of us can totally identify with the lyrical content. I’ll never forget when I dyed my hair blue and my father kicked me out the next day. Well we made up, but that memory is still there. Side note, don’t kick your gets out for expressing themselves in a peaceful manner. It only creates resentment.

The next rack up is, “That Fucking Bitch I Work With” or if you prefer the radio edit, “That Crazy Chick I Work With”. We all have a Karen we work with that drives us nuts. That Karen can indeed be non-binary. It’s that person we cannot stand. Personally for me that Karen is actually the 9-5 rat race in general. Why can’t I quit and work in the music industry full time?

Anyhow, this track is fast and a blast to sing along with. Ron’s drums are intense while Max’s vocals send the message home. The last track is, “Better Now”. The song feels similar to the Strokes. The progression is a bit slow, yet the melody is easy to fall in love with. Are you Better Now? After a traumatic event we affirm to ourselves we are better after the fact. Are we? Max’s guitar solo is epic.

In conclusion, Hi/Jack’s “Rank And File” EP is a throwback to classic punk and rock n roll. This EP is original and mastered with some real blood, sweat and tears. The only con being that it is a little small and I personally cannot wait for more tracks. Since I missed their nomination for 2019 EP of the year. I’ll add this to 2020! Check them out here, https://hijackmke.bandcamp.com/ - Colorado Punk Army

I was a pain in the arse as a kid. I always tell my dad that I was more of a challenge than my younger brother. He never disagrees (and in fairness, even in my mid-40s I am still harder work than the lad who is seven years my junior.

The phrase “I am not angry just disappointed” was often used, I can’t lie. That was my late Mother’s favourite. Dad on the other hand, was a massive fan of “Andy, why do you always live down to my worst expectations of you?”

It was all – I stress this – justified.

Whether Drummer Ron “Hi” Terrell and guitarist/vocalist Max “Jack” Liam (the pair who together are Hi/Jack) had similar parenting, I don’t know. But my childhood misdeeds were brought back to me by the opening line to “I Don’t Want to See you Anymore”, the lead song on the three tracker that is “Rank And File”, “I heard my mother say, I don’t want to see you anymore,” sings Liam (if you can call it singing?) over a punk rock swirl that doesn’t half sound like The Vines circa “Get Free”.

“TFBIWW” (listen to it to work out what it stands for) has a jokey air of something Lit might have done in the mid 1990s, but, really, there is a genius at work here (a twisted one, maybe?) but the tale of hating a day job – and in particular one of those happy people in the office – will resonate with anyone who hates their day job and hates, well, people really.

“Better Now” is as different again. Glam, kind of Ramones-ish, there is a nihilism here (“I’m better now, I won’t hurt no one”) that suggests many hours sniffing glue.

Duo’s are ace, generally speaking. Often unhinged, I’ll grant you. That fits Hi/Jack superbly, because they are rather gloriously mad.

Rating 8/10 - Maximum Volume Music

XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows or announcements?

Well, we have this compilation EP, Rank and File, coming out December 6th! Other than that we have our yet untitled record label debut coming out in 2020 with Blue Collar Records.



XS ROCK: How long has the band been together?

We are about to hit 7 years. Hard to believe sometimes.



XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for starting or being in a band?

Having a successful career as a musician has always been the main drive. We have both been in projects that went nowhere, so to be apart of something that has finally “clicked” is a huge breath of fresh air.



XS ROCK: What is your music background?

It’s pretty eclectic. For myself is all variations of rock and roll. Though I have studied Jazz and Classical guitar as well. Ron is a self taught drummer, but he grew up listening to people like Buddy Rich and Earth, Wind & Fire.



XS ROCK: What image do you think your music conveys?

I’m honestly not sure. Hopefully a good one!



XS ROCK: What are your immediate music career goals? (Next 1 to 3 years.)

Well, after the release of the EP and LP in 2020, we plan to do to a tour in the summer. So, playing new places and continuing to hit new markets would be the immediate goal. Then, of course, continuing to build a name for ourselves. On the label front, I guess we’ll see how this first release goes. A lot of this is very new.



XS ROCK: What are your long-term career goals?

To have built a career that is both satisfying and financially sustaining. Both of us work day jobs, and it would be amazing if music became our only means of income. Does that mean fame and/or mainstream success? Perhaps to some degree, but even if that isn’t achieved, the goal remains the same.



XS ROCK: Which do you prefer? Writing new songs and recording or playing for a live audience?

For me, one serves the other. Playing the same songs all the time can get boring. Having new material that people like to hear just adds life back into the live show. And with being a Rock band, the live show is what it’s all about!



XS ROCK: What are your songs about? (What specific themes do they cover?)

Anything I or Ron have experienced. Heartbreak, dreams, current events that have directly affected us or our families in some way. We pull from many places.



XS ROCK: Do you have any outrageous tour stories from the road? If so, please fill us in.

Outrageous? Not really. We still need to tour a bit more for that!



XS ROCK: What’s the strangest request that you’ve ever received from one of your fans?

Nothing too weird. But we still have time to have something happen!



XS ROCK: Were your parents supportive of your aspirations to play in a rock band?

Yes and no. They always supported playing music. I think it just took them a while to understand this dream wasn’t a fad for a teenaged kid. Now that I’m in my late twenties, I think they’re starting to accept it more.



XS ROCK: What are your favorite tracks to play live?

Better Now, Train Track Blues, and That Fucking Bitch I Work With (which is on the EP!)



XS ROCK: Which band or artist inspired you to perform? Why?

As I said earlier, Ron and I have had many. However, One-Eyed Doll was a major influence on the creation of Hi/Jack. We actually got the chance to talk with those guys when we were just starting out. We were discouraged that we couldn’t find a bassist, and they convinced us not to wait and just go for it as a two-piece. A year later, we opened for them as direct support. That was pretty awesome.



XS ROCK: If you could design a dream tour for your band, who would be on the bill?

Opening on tour for the Foo Fighters or Green Day would be a dream come true. Other than that, a co headlining tour with One Eyed Doll would also be pretty amazing.



XS ROCK: What do you consider your greatest accomplishment so far?

Honestly, just sticking with it. After our first longer tour of 2017, the band almost imploded. But we got through it, and things just keep getting better. Between Ron, myself, and our wives Kris and Kendel, we have become a very strong unit. We support each other every step of the way.



XS ROCK: If you weren’t performing in a band what kind of career do you think you would have?

I dunno. I work for Apple as a day job, so maybe I’d just keep doing that. Otherwise, I always liked Science in school…



XS ROCK: What type of equipment do you use for live shows?

Ron uses Gretsch drums, Remo heads, Zildjian and Paiste cymbals and Scorpion Percussion sticks. I use Orange amps, Marshall cabinets, a Tech21 FlyRig and Reverend, Gibson or Epiphone custom model guitars.



XS ROCK: What do you think of the current music scene?

I think the tides are turning, and Rock is making its comeback. I’m excited to be in it and a part of the change.



XS ROCK: For anyone that doesn’t know you, what would they be surprised to know about you?

I’m not sure. I wear my heart on my sleeve. I look like how I probably am.



XS ROCK: If someone had never heard you before, how would you describe your sound?

I usually just say we are a Rock band. That way people don’t have any preconceived notions of us before they hear us.



XS ROCK: Is there anything that you’d like to promote or say to your fans out there?

We love all the fans and support. Thank you truly from the bottom of our hearts. Rank and File is out December 6th, and keep an eye on our social media for news about the 2020 full-length release!



XS ROCK: Thanks again for taking the time to talk with us at XS Rock!

My absolute pleasure. Thank you for taking the time to speak with our little band. It means the world to us.



Drummer Ron “Hi” Terrell

guitarist/vocalist Max “Jack” Liam - XS Rock

Drummer Ron “Hi” Terrell and guitarist/vocalist Max “Jack” Liam met in Milwaukee’s underground music scene in 2014, becoming fast friends and a collaborators. The band released a debut full length, No Cover, in 2015, followed by a live album in 2016, Turn It To Ten in 2017 and the Sunny Side Up EP in 2018. Now preparing to put out the EP Rank and File on December 6th 2019, Hi/Jack looks forward to taking their “hi/energy” rock to the masses.

It’s certainly very energetic music Hi/Jack play. Very garage hard rock with all the bounce and groove to get the dance floors moving. Don’t Wanna See You Anymore racing away as if they’re getting paid by the riff. It’s catchy as all hell or at least as catchy as the next track TFBIWW of which there are two versions, the first the explicit version and the second, the more radio friendly.

What’s so explicit about it? Well, the acronym is actually “that fucking bitch I work with”. There’s a lot of swears which kinda does distract from the bouncy punk-rock beat but it will still get the foot tapping along. The radio edit sees all the swears replaced with more radio friendly words. So instead of “that fucking bitch I work with” we get the way more pop-rock “that crazy chick I work with”.

Finally we get Better Now, a highlight of the EP as the garage rock sound is really turned up here. The rougher edge to the guitars is welcome and the disjointed vocal style works well.

All in all, a decent EP.

Hi/Jack – Rank and File Full Track Listing:
1. Don’t Wanna See You Anymore
2. TFBIWW (Explicit)
3. TFBIWW (Radio Edit)
4. Better Now - Games, Brrraaains, & a Head-Banging Life

Rapid-firing rock duo Hi/Jack announces their upcoming EP Rank and File, hitting the streets on Dec 6th 2019. Known for hooky songs and amazing live shows, this Milwaukee outfit is a must-listen for fans of The Clash, The White Stripes, and The Strokes . The EP includes gems “Don’t Wanna See You Anymore,” “Better Now,” and explicit and clean versions of “TFBIWW.”

About Hi/Jack

Drummer Ron “Hi” Terrell and guitarist/vocalist Max “Jack” Liam met in Milwaukee’s underground music scene in 2014, becoming fast friends and a collaborators. The band released a debut full length, No Cover, in 2015, followed by a live album in 2016, Turn It To Ten in 2017 and the Sunny Side Up EP in 2018. Now preparing to put out the EP Rank and File, Hi/Jack looks forward to taking their “hi/energy” rock to the masses. - Indie Pulse Music