Helmet (band)
Helmet is an American alternative metal band from New York City formed in 1989 by vocalist and lead guitarist Page Hamilton. Helmet has had numerous lineup changes with Hamilton as the only constant member. Since 2010, the band has consisted of Hamilton, drummer Kyle Stevenson, guitarist Dan Beeman and bassist Dave Case.
Helmet
New York City, U.S.
- 1989–1998
- 2004–present
- Amphetamine Reptile
- Interscope
- Warcon
- Work Song
- earMUSIC
- Page Hamilton
- Kyle Stevenson
- Dave Case
- Dan Beeman
See Members
Helmet has released nine studio albums and two compilation albums. After releasing their debut album, Strap It On (1990), on Amphetamine Reptile, Helmet signed to Interscope Records and released three albums for the label, including the highly successful Meantime (1992). Their next two albums ― Betty (1994) and Aftertaste (1997) ― were also successful, but did not match the critical or popular acclaim of Meantime. Helmet broke up in 1998, but reformed in 2004, and has since released five more albums ― Size Matters (2004), Monochrome (2006), Seeing Eye Dog (2010), Dead to the World (2016), and their latest, Left (2023).
History[edit]
Formation and early years (1989–1991)[edit]
Hamilton formed Helmet in early 1989 after leaving the alternative rock group Band of Susans with whom he had recorded two albums. Having originally moved to New York to study jazz guitar at the Manhattan School of Music, the Oregon born guitarist recruited bassist Henry Bogdan who was also from Oregon, Australian guitarist Peter Mengede and Floridian drummer John Stanier as the group's first official line-up.[1] Before Hamilton had settled on a name, the guitarist Peter Mengede's then-wife Reyne Cuccuro[2] suggested the Germanic name "Helmuth". Hamilton misinterpreted her and mistakenly believed that she was referring to the form of protective gear. Hamilton then thought excitedly that Helmet had "sounded like a pretty cool name for a band" and opted for the Anglicized spelling. Other names taken in consideration were "Cry Ruth" and "Poly Orchids", along with the more esoteric and obscure "Tuna Lorenzo" and "Froth Albumen".[3]
They were spotted by Tom Hazelmyer, guitarist of the band Halo of Flies, and signed to Hazelmeyer's label Amphetamine Reptile Records, releasing their first 7 inch single, "Born Annoying", later that year(Released in album form with more tracks in 1995). Amphetamine Reptile released Helmet's debut studio album Strap It On in 1990, selling over 40,000 copies soon thereafter. Hazelmyer once stated that the album kept the label going through the 1990s.[4]
Commercial successes (1992–1998)[edit]
Although Strap It On had achieved significant local success, major record labels were not interested in signing Helmet until after Nirvana achieved mainstream success in 1991, bringing the alternative music scene into the mainstream.[5] Sometime thereafter, the band began receiving major label record deals from Relativity, Warner Bros. and Interscope Records.[5] Although Hamilton wanted Helmet to sign with Warner Bros., the band ended up signing with Interscope in early 1992.[5] The band received a $1.2 million dollar advance from Interscope split between three albums ($400,000 per record) and $50,000 worth of tour support, along with an unprecedented amount of control over their work.[5][6] Their first album for Interscope, Meantime, was released in 1992 and certified gold in 1994. The album has sold over two million copies worldwide and remains Helmet's top-selling album. Helmet toured the United States, Brazil, Europe, and Asia relentlessly, generally with other AmRep recording artists. Internal tensions rose high at times.
Legacy and influences[edit]
The New York Times called Helmet "a band that made important connections between indie-rock and metal."[43] They have had a large impact on many nu metal bands.[43][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54] Musician Mike Patton has also cited Helmet as having a significant influence on his solo career; with original drummer John Stanier and Patton having played together in Tomahawk. Regarding Helmet's influence on rock, Hamilton remarked "I hear it all over the place. I've heard Helmet riffs in Evanescence. Kids today have no idea at this point, because they [first] got into, say, Korn or System of a Down. Bands like Mastodon and Norma Jean tell me, 'Oh, we ripped you guys off with this,' or 'We got turned on by that.' Some bands do cool things with it, and there's a bunch of shitty bands that have imitated us too."[16]
In 2016, a tribute album titled Meantime Redux was released. It featured covers of 1990s Helmet songs (including all 10 songs from the Meantime album) by various underground hardcore bands.[55] Deftones bassist Chi Cheng remarked "Every band should wish to aspire to the originality and genius of Helmet. An inspiration to fans and musicians-alike".[56] Norma Jean guitarist Chris Day recalled in 2006 "The first song I ever learned to play on the guitar was a Helmet song. I pretty much just tried to figure the songs out and that's how I learned to play basically. Helmet is a band that I have listened to for years and will always enjoy them because they have the sweetest riffs I have ever heard. I love to air drum to them in the car also. I wouldn't be the same without Helmet in my life."[56]
Helmet is considered a major influence on the nu metal genre,[57][58] with the band's use of Drop tuning influencing many in the genre. Hamilton, displeased with this connection, responded "it's frustrating that people write [us] off because we're affiliated with or credited with or discredited with creating nu-metal and rap metal or whatever the fuck it is, which we sound nothing like."[59] Though Hamilton would eventually go on to work with bands Linkin Park and P.O.D.[60][61]
Current
Former