Entertainment
Get Your Head Bang On With VHS
Like so many great Pacific Northwest bands, Violent Human System (VHS) began in a basement. Some of the greatest bands that the world has ever known began practicing their music in a home basement or garage, and it was bands like those that were just focused on creating good music. The earliest origins of VHS are posted to its Facebook profile, detailing the exact moment when the band first came to be, “During the winter of 2013, in his dusty, cobweb filled basement in Reno, Nevada, Jawshua Dean Hageman spent his time with his eight-track writing and recording what would later be released as the first VHS tape.” Of course, like many famous bands, Hageman practiced to the point that he could finally leave the basement and move to Seattle, Washington, where he connected with his bandmates. Since then, all of their music careers have taken off. In addition to Hageman on vocals and guitar, the band includes bassist Chris Costalupes, drummer Gavin Tiemeyer and guitarist Morgan Travis.
It doesn’t take much listening to VHS before you realize why its sound has travelled all the way from a dusty Reno basement to the dank, damp and weird Pacific Northwest. Their full-length debut ironically titled, Gift of Life, explores themes critical of mainstream culture and society. Deep lyrics and heavy content make this album the perfect companion, especially when you have some strong cannabis at your disposal. VHS can be described as a local band that’s on its way to greatness, not just because it started in a basement, but because its unique rock and grungy flair both honors the greats and creates a niche for itself in the Washington music scene. CULTURE caught up with singer and guitarist Hageman to get the back story on VHS, what influences its sound and how cannabis affects the band.
How did VHS get started?
Jawshua Hageman: It started with me recording by myself. Eventually I moved up here [to Seattle] and started recording a couple songs with Chris. That resulted in a couple tapes, our first two tapes, Vultures & Hungry Spirits and Art Decay. After we had those tapes recorded, we found some people to play with, so we got Morgan Travis on guitar. Then we asked Gavin Tiemeyer, the drummer for Jason Clackley and The Exquisites, to be in the band, and he said yes.
Where are you guys all from?
Me, Morgan and Chris are all from Reno, Nevada. Chris has been living up here for quite a few years. Mo and I just moved up two years ago. And Gavin’s from Washington.
What bands have influenced your sounds?
Bands like the Wipers, Wire and Devo. I think you can definitely hear it when you listen to us. Nothing too out there.
Has the accessibility and acceptance of cannabis impacted VHS in anyway?
Well I don’t smoke weed, or drink alcohol or anything, so not for me. Everyone else in the band smokes. And I would definitely rather be around stoners than drunk people, or people on any other drug. So there’s that!
