Humankind - Sound In The Signals Interview
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| (Left to Right: Mat Rienecker (Bass), Gerry Windus (Drums), Danny Smith (Vocals), Brad Henderson (Guitar), Sean Corcoran (Guitar)) |
I recently had the opportunity to interview Danny of Humankind. We discussed how he started the band, their EP ‘Theories of Consciousness’, the Ramones and other musical influences, favorite moments from the EP, artwork, releasing cassettes, and more. Check it out below.
First, thanks for the interview.
Of course. Thank you for your interest in Humankind.
I know you have some members from other bands. Can you tell me how you started the band for those who may be unfamiliar with it?
Humankind started pretty organically over a long period of time. I also play guitar in Victory Garden and Rule Them All. Whenever I write songs, I typically lay them down myself in GarageBand. Once I listen back, it’s usually clear which band each song belongs to. I found myself with a few songs I loved that weren’t really vibing with Rule Them All, and that didn’t fit Victory Garden’s energy either.
“It’s Where” from the Theories of Consciousness EP was really the turning point. I laid down demo vocals just to try out something new, and it opened up a whole new world for me. I’ve had some experience singing background vocals for Victory Garden and a few guest spots for other bands, so the idea of singing in something has always been there. That moment was it though, literally after one take I realized, “Shit, I could probably do this” and I didn’t want to procrastinate.
At the time, Victory Garden and Rule Them All weren’t super active, and not for any dramatic reason whatsoever. Life was just busy for everyone, but I really wanted to keep rocking out. I think the decision to start a new band came together on its own and just made sense. That's how Humankind was born. I already had a backlog of songs to pull from, and there are still plenty more in the vault. That part is really exciting to me too.
Mat Rienecker plays bass, and Gerry Windus plays drums, both are Stand Still dudes. I love how they handled the songs on the EP. Everyone from Stand Still has been close friends of mine for many years, long before that band existed. Cool story, Bryan Natole who plays guitar in Stand Still actually asked me to sing before Gerry took it on. I respectfully declined because my job at the time was demanding and I didn’t want to cramp them up, especially when it came to touring. Bryan still asked me if I wanted to write and sing a bit at the end of their song “Free My Mind” which I appreciated a lot. Gerry absolutely nails the vocals for Stand Still and I love the way he approaches their songs. It wouldn’t have been the same band with me.
How did you originally become interested in music?
I was lucky to grow up in a family where music was around all the time. My parents were always singing little jingles and making up silly songs for whatever we were doing. They always supported what we were doing creatively, and they still do. They're the best.
I also have three brothers that are all involved in music. My oldest bro, Eddie, never played in bands but he's a madman on the piano and sax, with a killer voice. It’s awesome. We want to get him singing something on the next Victory Garden release. My brother Christopher has been in punk/hardcore related bands since he was about 13, so he’s really the one who introduced all of us to it. Christopher joined Backtrack very early on at their second show back in 2008. I got to join Backtrack in 2014 to play bass for the last five years of the band. Traveling the world with my brother and Ricky & Vitalo, learning life lessons, while playing music that we love with so many friends. That was incredibly special. Shoutout to Ricky & Vitalo too, love you and those years meant a lot.
Me and Christopher still rock out together in Victory Garden, along with Johnny Bang who played drums in Backtrack, Duncan who played bass in Capital, and lately Frank Traficante from Somerset Thrower, so Victory Garden is a special unit. My little bro Michael has played in lots of bands including Victory Garden, Hangman, and now Pain of Truth. We’re all so proud of his hard work and what he's doing with Pain of Truth, it’s so sick. His drive and vision are inspiring. We all love and support each other, and I’ll always be grateful for that.
Your EP ‘Theories Of Consciousness’ came out recently. What was the recording process like for it? How does it feel to have it out now?
It feels amazing to have the songs out in the world. Admittedly, I can tend to get wrapped up in details and take my time with creative decisions. I always want to make sure I’m feeling comfortable with everything I put out.
We recorded with Joe Rom at Hilda Studios right in Amityville, which is only a 10 minute drive away from where me and Gerry live in Lindenhurst. Joe was very patient with us, especially since Stand Still was recording their LP Steps Ascending at the same time we were recording Theories of Consciousness. We had to pop in and out to lay everything down when the stars were aligned for all of us, but it worked out great.
I wrote each of the songs on guitar, and recorded the main guitar tracks myself, aside from a few extra leads. Shoutout to Joey Saccente from Capital for the solo at the end of “Out of Bounds” and Gerry for the licks on “Something Burning” and “Lost And Found”.
For Humankind, I've always envisioned the idea of running around with a mic for live sets. Besides that, I have a hard time singing and playing at the same time unless I'm throwing in a quick background vocal. We've had a rotating roster of friends filling out guitar duties, which is a really cool vibe in itself. Currently, my college buddy Brad Henderson from New Jersey, and most recently my best friend Sean Corcoran on the other guitar. Me and Brad have always wanted to jam out together since college, and me and Sean have been friends since we were babies. We grew up across the street from each other and learned how to play music together by jamming Ramones songs after middle school every day. We then started going to our first shows together. Throughout high school and college, we both played guitar in a band called Downtime, so it feels so wholesome to get him in the mix now.
The song “Living Legends” off the EP was written by me and Sean back in 2012 for Downtime, before that band broke up. We actually just got to work fleshing out the next batch of Humankind songs. It’s been awesome already hearing Sean add his creative angles to the band. I love that dude so much and I can’t describe how siked I am to make songs with him again.
You have some songs on the EP that lean into more melodic aspects and other songs that have more of a hardcore edge. What sonic influences did you draw from for the EP?
Yes, totally. To me, hardcore and music in general comes in a lot of different shapes and colors, and I have deep connections with a lot of them. The Ramones, my honest favorite, instilled melody alongside energy within me from the start in like 5th grade, and they still do. From there, I got so into bands like Dag Nasty, Descendents/All, Bad Brains, Gorilla Biscuits, Bouncing Souls, Minor Threat, 7 Seconds, HUM, Rush, Silent Majority, Quicksand, Bob Mould, Sunny Day Real Estate, Rival Schools, Grade, Ethel Meserve, and so many more.
Growing up on Long Island, we had the pleasure of watching bands like Capital, Backtrack, The Agent, Ambitions, Hostage Calm, Incendiary and so many more within a tightly knit scene. I learned early on that it's okay to blend different vibes when crafting songs. Some songs hit a little harder, some a little more melodic, and some do something new altogether. I appreciate the fact that I was exposed to such an open-minded atmosphere from the start. I still cherish that about Long Island.
Some of my favorite bands like the Ramones (looking at the progression of their discography in full), 7 Seconds (especially the Ourselves/Soulforce eras), Dag Nasty (notably the Field Day era), Quicksand, and Shift all struck that balance of feeling free to experiment, while staying true to the backbone of their sound. Not limiting themselves, while staying true to their character. So many bands were all there kicking around my brain to reinforce this idea for me while putting together the EP. I just wrote what was true to my heart and this is how it came out. Tommy Keene is also a big influence on how I write, probably most noticeable in songs like “It’s Where” and “Out of Bounds”. If you dig those songs, listen to Tommy Keene.
Do you have a favorite lyrical or musical moment from the EP? Why?
It’s a tough pick because every song means something different to me, but if I had to choose right now I’d say “Living Legends”. I love the energy in the break towards the middle, til the end of the song. The lyrics touch on my gratitude for everything I’ve learned, and continue to learn from the people I keep close to me. In certain cases there are some people I still learn from, even though they’re gone. The song is ultimately about discovering the Ramones with Sean back in 2001, and how punk continues to evolve with our own generation and beyond, but all through the same vision and purpose - that being freedom. It’s a song about appreciating the talents of the friends and inspirations around me, that have created songs to help us all connect.
This one also feels extra special because 80% of the instrumental was written over a decade ago with Sean, who is now in the band and we're rocking it together. It feels so complete now. Our shared love and respect for the Ramones shines through with lyrics tributing them like “TOO TOUGH TO DIE” and “SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN”. It’s also a more heartfelt, positive song that feels like it has a light shining on it or something, so I thought it was fitting to be the last song to round out the EP. “Something Burning” might be the runner up though because to me, I love how it feels like I’m singing over a Dag Nasty or 7 Seconds song which is a cool feeling. "Lost and Found" hits me hard because it's about a friend who was never quite right again after a few unfortunate decisions.
The EP artwork is really interesting. Who came up with that design and what is the meaning behind it?
I designed the artwork for the EP and the singles that led up to it. The name HUMANKIND is inspired by a Ramones song off the 1984 album Too Tough to Die. A lot of people tend to focus on the Ramones' early hits, which are amazing songs, but the era that resonates with me most is from 1983-1987 when Richie Ramone joined on drums. By then, the band had shifted away from chasing radio-friendly singles and leaned harder into writing the kind of songs they genuinely wanted to play. Too Tough to Die especially felt like a deliberate return to a rawer, more aggressive sound. This was also a time where hardcore music was exploding, and it was something that they had a big part in shaping early on. During the 83-87 time period, you can hear them pulling inspiration back from hardcore for their songs, and I just love the back and forth respect and appreciation between sounds that took place. It felt completely natural and full of mutual respect, and that's one of the reasons I love that era so much.
If anyone reading has never really thought about the Ramones in this light, check out the albums Too Tough to Die (1984), Animal Boy (1986), and Halfway to Sanity (1987). I literally love every single Ramones album, but these three were a big influence on what Humankind does.
The artwork lends itself to the lyrics on “Close Encounters” from the EP which is about conquering anxiety, but with the help of a greater force or internal voice guiding me, my consciousness. It's also loosely connected to psilocybin mushroom experiences, not wanting to waste time, learning about myself, and understanding that every single piece of life is a lesson in a journey. The cave drawings on the left are based on real carvings found in ancient stone. They illustrate what appear to be UFOs and giant humans walking among people. That sort of ancient mystery has always fascinated me. How we came to be what we are now, and where we are headed.
If you look closely, there is a triangular shaped UFO in the eye of the character's face. Years ago, me and my brother Christopher had a wild experience where we saw one of these triangular crafts hovering over us for an extended period of time and we’ll never forget it. But that’s a story for a different time.
Streets Of Hate is releasing cassettes for the EP. How did you end up working with them? Is having a physical release important to your band?
Alex Casey is such an awesome dude and we have bonded over the years through nerding out about bands like Shift, Stillsuit, Burn, and a bunch of others that have had a big impact on me and how I write, sing, and approach music altogether. When the concept of Humankind came up in conversation and I sent Alex the songs to check out, he was down to put out tapes through Streets of Hate and we were all stoked.
I love what Alex does with Streets of Hate and he simply keeps it real. I appreciate him for letting us do our own thing at our own pace, all while understanding our vision and believing in the sounds we’re pushing through Humankind. Having a physical release is definitely important to us. It’s great to have a physical representation of the music because it’s like a stamp in time and it’s special. I’ve always connected artwork to whatever I’m listening to, it adds a whole new layer artistically. Thank you, Alex.
Thanks for taking the time to answer the questions. Do you have anything else that you would like to add?
Thank you again for your interest and asking these cool thoughtful questions. Look out for some Humankind shows in 2025 and beyond, we've got more jams in the pipeline.
I just want to say that punk/hardcore is in an amazing place right now and I appreciate everyone’s noticeable openness to hearing different sounds and not being afraid to grasp onto it all. If you’re looking to start a band or experience another creative endeavor but have any doubts, just do it. Even if it takes time and you need to take smaller steps to make it happen. It’s not a race, and the world wants to hear what you create. Everyone’s life is better with the freedom of punk and hardcore in it.
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