By Kreig Marks, September 2023

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KM:  Hey Josh.   Congratulations on the new single "Astronomer."  It's one of those songs that a lot of us can definitely relate to.  A lot of emotions there....depression, sadness, and relationship issues.   Who wrote the lyrics?

 

JH: I wrote the lyrics to that song.  Chris [Chris Black, guitarist] helps out.  There are some spots where he helps out. For the most part, I wrote most of the lyrics.  We've all been through some shit, where we just feel like we're living, you think things are going good but they're not.  You feel like the door is opening but it's not.  You feel like you're kind of just running in place, looking for that light at the end of the tunnel, looking for better things.  But, I'm past all that now.  

 

KM:  Well, I'm glad to hear you're feeling better.  What were your thoughts when you first heard the song after it was recorded and mixed?

 

JH:  I was blown away.  It was pretty close to a finished product with what we did but then when we had it professionally mixed, we were really all blown away.  

 

KM:  Tell me a bit about the band. I know all of you have played in several different bands over the years. How did you all get together to form Horizon theory? Any interesting stories about this?

 

JH:  I was in another band here called Black Out.  A buddy of ours, Jordan, played bass and he was friends with Chris, our guitarist in Horizon Theory. I had known Chris for a while and Jordan was hanging out and he told me Chris needed someone to lay down some vocals for a track.  I was actually on my way to a gig and I told him, I don't know if I have time.  So, I called Jordan back a few minutes later and said, I'll swing in there and do it.  So, I just free-styled some vocals and they were blown away, and Chris and I hit it off.  Then Luis, our bass player lives in LA.  He and Chris were in a band called Raven Black. They're still like brothers. Luis then flew out after about a year, and we all got together and then found our drummer, Jeff.  He kind of knew Chris, too, and we asked him to lay down some drum tracks for us, and there you go.

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KM:  I understand you were in the hospital recently. While you're in the hospital the band continues to play out using your recorded vocals. That must have been pretty challenging for the guys. I know the crowd was made aware of what was going on but how did the crowd seem to react to this?

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JH:  Yeah, that was a tough time.  To keep it brief, I had a bad reaction to a combination of blood pressure medication and another medication. We had a tour scheduled with Tantric and Smile Empty Soul as co-headliners. Several Florida and Texas shows are scheduled.  And, I started to feel sick about 3 days before were to go out on tour.  I went to the ER and they told me I was having kidney issues. My blood pressure medication and diuretic combination caused major kidney issues, where I was retaining an enormous amount of fluid.  It was bad.  I gained about 45 pounds in 3 days from fluid retention.  It was horrible and scary.  I held that weight for about a month and was close to going on dialysis. I couldn't be on my feet because of the pain.  I was basically in bed for a month.  Fortunately, my girlfriend went on a search online and discovered that the 2 medications I was taking should never be taken together.  I stopped the blood pressure medication and only stayed on the diuretic and for the next 2 or 3 days I was basically in and out of the bathroom peeing and the weight came off quickly then. 

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So, while I was in the hospital and unable to tour, the guys did several shows and used my recorded vocals and played along to those and they pulled it off.  Kinda like that Dio hologram thing.  LOL  They told the audience before each show what was going on and what they were going to do and it all went great.  The audience was great at all the shows and it all worked out well. The guys pulled it off, three guys and no singer!  LOL..  

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KM:  You're in good health these days?

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JH:   Yes, thankfully, I'm past that.  

 

KM:  Where did you grow up?  When did you start singing?

 

JH:  I was shy through high school.  My dad and uncle were in bands and I grew up in the Hair Metal scene.  I did karaoke for a bit in my early 20's and when I was about 28, I found my comfort zone and sang in some bands.  

 

KM:  Do you do anything else away from the band as a profession?

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JH:  I work full-time for a company that builds log furniture.  I'm a supervisor, and was promoted about 3 weeks ago.  They're a great company and they are 100% supportive of my music.  If I have to go out on tour, they tell me to go do my tour and then come back to work. 

 

KM:  Very cool. When you're not writing and recording or performing with the band, what are you listening to?

 

JH:  I listen to Skid Row, Steve Perry, and Journey.  Basically anything.  

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KM:  Great bands. What's on the schedule for the rest of the year?  

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JH:  We're actively looking for a Fall run somewhere but we're being pretty picky with it, want to make it worth our while.  We're trying to get on a bigger circuit, even if it's a buy-on, just to get us seen and noticed.  So, we're looking for a Fall / Winter run.  We're about ready to release some videos.  We're working on some new songs, too.  As far as shows, we're looking.  We'd love to do something in Asheville.  

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KM:  Well stay in touch and let's see. TRR is working on some things. Thanks for taking the time to speak with me today, Josh.  We're looking forward to hearing more from you guys soon.

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JH:  Thanks for the conversation, Kreig.  Let's keep in touch.  

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For further information, go to Horizon Theory on Facebook. 

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