Joyride the Heart Attack Man Interview 

The festival we all know and love, Warped Tour is BACK for 2025 and I had the pleasure of meeting with a fan favorite, Heart Attack Man! If you know the Cleveland band, then you know Eric’s energy is top notch. In this interview we cover everything from inspirations, to crazy tour moments and the truth and meaning behind their brand new album “Joyride the Pale Horse”

(Q1): Favorite song on the album and what’s the story behind it? 

E: Lay down and die, still, it’s my favorite. It’s about my neighbor dying. It’s part of life.

(Q2): Do you have any tour essentials that you bring with you? 

E: Clothing, massage gun, my steam mask, throat spray, that's about it…books. 

INT: Books? What are you reading? 

E: I’m reading a book called “The Name of the Wind.” It’s a fantasy, like 700 pages…I’m halfway through! 

INT: You heard it here, Eric reads guys! 

E: I can read! 

(Q3): Are there people in your real life that inspired you to make this specific record? If so, who and what did they do? 

E: Well to circle back, my neighbor who passed away inspired some of it. Kinda sad but yeah him. Man, there’s plenty of people. A lot of it is very introspective too, so I mean it is like, just self reflection.

(Q4): Craziest band/tour/show experience? 

E: That's a good question! I'd say, when I was touring in my old band, we stayed at a house once that was like…I think it was a meth lab. If not that, everyone there was selling meth type of things? I don’t know if they were manufacturing but they were for sure selling. And we stayed there…when we realized what we had stumbled into, I tried to go sleep in the van but…we were locked inside. So I couldn’t leave. 

INT: how did you guys get out??

E: We left in the morning when they let us out.

INT: Wow. Wow. Well I’m glad you got out of that..that sounds scary. 

(Q5): You mentioned once you got your band name from a beastie boys song, are there any other artists that inspire you? And why choose “heart attack man”

E: Around the time where I started thinking about what would become Heart Attack Man, just sort of brainstorming the band, I saw what ended up being the last Beastie Boys concert and they played that song. So I don’t know, I thought it was good timing, it was really cool. There’s plenty I’m inspired by but that one particularly stuck with me and I always liked that beastie boys know how to have fun but know how to be serious, which is what I want to do. 

INT: for sure, and that definitely comes across too. 

(Q6): What was your initial thought process behind “Joyride the Pale Horse” and how did you think fans would perceive it? 

E: I don’t know. We like it so we figured our fans would like it too, but if not it’s all good. There’s plenty more music out there!

(Q7): How would you describe the creative direction of this album and how does it differ from your previous works? 

E: Higher energy I'd say. Also, for lack of a better word, more mature. A little more introspective. We had some shit we gotta get out, it felt good. Not taking itself too seriously but a little more serious than “Freak of Nature” I guess.

INT: So, you guys have a very special relationship with your fans

E: yes we do..

(Q8): There’s so many memes and inside jokes. Do you think that your online presence played a part in gaining new fans? 

E: yeah. For better or worse. Yeah I mean definitely. I’ve talked to plenty that are like “I found you because of twitter” or TikTok and didn’t even know we were a band at first so I mean it definitely played a hand in it all. For better or for worse! 

(Q9): Do you guys have anything specific you do before a show? like a pre show ritual? 

E: really just my vocal warm ups, not anything too crazy… I stretch.no real secrets here just boring shit. 

INT: Well that’s good! At least there are no rituals or sacrifices..

E: yeah no sacrifices… We’re past that era. 

INT: this is growth!

E: It is!

(Q10): What is one thing you live by? 

E: I don’t know. I just try to get through the day…I live by wanting to see tomorrow. Planning on being here tomorrow. That’s all I could say. 

FAN QUESTIONS!

From @etrnalascension on twitter: “What is your dream tour lineup?”

E: limp Bizkit, heart attack man. 

From @miserysequence on twitter: favorite bands from the 90s?

E: Sugar, Failure, Fugazi, Catherine Wheel, shudder to think

From @starfxkr on twitter: Do you fold or wad your toilet paper?

E: it depends on the day but most of the time wad. Sometimes if I have some extra time and I feel like folding, I’ll fold. It also depends on the toilet paper. If it’s really thin I’ll wad that shit up like crazy. But if it’s nice and thick then maybe it’s a fold moment. 

INT: and that wraps it up! anything you’d like to promote?

E: this tour that we’re on, it’s a long one. we’re going to be on tour the rest of the year! 

 Be sure grab those tickets and stream “Joyride The Pale Horse” by Heart Attack Man, available anywhere you listen to music! Get Tickets to a show near you at the Heart Attack Man website 

By Madison Loscalzo

@levantura.jpg

From the Grave Magazine