Hilt (band)
| Company type | Musical collective |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Founder | Alan Nelson, cEvin Key, Dwayne Goettel |
| Headquarters | Vancouver, Toronto , Canada |
| Products | Music albums, EPs, singles |
Hilt was a musical collective from Vancouver, primarily serving as a side venture for members of Skinny Puppy. The lineup featured Alan Nelson on vocals, with instrumental contributions from cEvin Key and Dwayne Goettel.
Description
The origins of Hilt trace back to experimental sessions by longtime collaborators Cevin Key and Al Nelson, who initially worked under the name "The Flu." Their earliest recordings included Nelson, Key, and several acquaintances utilizing whatever instruments were at hand. The project gained more direction once Key and fellow Skinny Puppy member Dwayne Goettel relocated to Toronto, where Nelson resided. Utilizing their temporary Skinny Puppy studio space, they explored musical ideas distinct from Skinny Puppy's usual sound.
In 1989, the Nettwerk label, associated with Key and Goettel, encouraged the group to create an album within a limited budget, reportedly around $15,000. This effort resulted in their lo-fi debut Call the Ambulance (Before I Hurt Myself), which Trouser Press characterized as a more guitar-driven variant of Skinny Puppy’s style. Subsequent releases included the 1991 EP Orange Pony and the full-length album Journey to the Center Of the Bowl.
Between 1992 and 1995, Key and Goettel concentrated on Skinny Puppy activities, putting Hilt on hold. After Skinny Puppy dissolved and following Goettel's death, Key revived Hilt in 1996 alongside Nelson, recording three new tracks. Nelson passed away in 2000 due to complications related to diabetes. Key remembered him as a highly talented and committed friend with a sharp sense of humor.
In 2003, Key issued The Worst Of the Flu, a compilation featuring unreleased and alternate versions of tracks recorded between 1985 and 1990. A similar collection titled Minoot Bowl Dropped the Ball was released in 2007. Key has indicated that approximately seven albums worth of material from this era could be made available in the future.
Discography
- The Flu, 1987, EP (as the Flu)
- Patsy: A Collection Of Absolute Insanity, 1988, LP (as the Flu)
- Get Stuck, 1989, single
- Call the Ambulance (Before I Hurt Myself), 1989, LP
- Stoneman, 1990, single
- Orange Pony, 1991, EP
- Journey to the Center Of the Bowl, 1991, LP
- The Worst Of the Flu, 2003, LP
- Minoot Bowl Dropped the Ball, 2007, LP