Halestorm recently completed a multi-leg 2022 tour of North America, and are set to hit Europe and beyond beginning in November. During the band’s stop at the Louder Than Life festival last month in Louisville, Kentucky, Heavy Consequence caught up with Lzzy and Arejay Hale to discuss the band’s latest album, social activism, and their 25th anniversary as a band.
Siblings Lzzy (vocals, guitars) and Arejay (drums) formed Halestorm in 1997, when Lzzy was just 13 and Arejay was just 10. Over the past dozen years or so, they’ve become one of world’s premier hard-rock bands, landing numerous singles on the mainstream rock charts and delivering rousing shows across the globe.
When discussing the title of the band’s new album, Back From the Dead, and how it relates to the pandemic, Lzzy told us in the above video, “For me, it’s a war cry of survival. We didn’t have any other outlet when we were making this record, other than to write through it. … Arejay and I have been doing this in Halestorm since we were in middle school … and even then, we had a bowling alley gig twice a month, so it was the longest we’ve ever gone without [playing shows]. … This album … was very therapeutic.”
Lzzy has also been very vocal when it comes to sociopolitical issues, taking a strong stand against the overturning of Roe v. Wade and showing support for LGBTQ+ rights. For Lzzy, it’s important to get her message out, even if it alienates some of her fans.
“I feel like, a long time ago [I told myself that] if I ever get to the point where people are listening, for better or worse — ’cause I’m not a therapist, I’m not a doctor, I’m not a politician — I’m going to put out that positive energy and stand up for the things that I believe in.”
She continued, “And I don’t really worry about alienating people, because I feel like if you can’t love somebody, as you do yourself, if you can’t be happy for somebody who’s chasing after their own happiness, and if you are that type of person who would hate somebody just because of their political views or who they like to kiss, or because of their gender, then I don’t care whether you like our music or whether you like me.”
Arejay added, “The feeling is totally mutual on my end, as well. I find it very important to be a strong ally, because [even if] the rights that are being stripped away don’t affect me firsthand, it’s still important for people like me to voice up and be a good teammate.”
Elsewhere in the conversation, Lzzy spoke about the importance of bringing bands with other strong women out with her on tour, and she and Arejay both discussed the band’s latest single “Wicked Ways” and delved further into their 25 years as a band.
Watch our full interview with Lzzy and Arejay Hale above, and pick up Halestorm’s Back From the Dead album here.
Trouble viewing the interview in the video player above? Watch on YouTube.