Helmet has always been the band that sliced through the static of noise rock. Not by turning everything up or throwing more chaos at the wall, but by locking into something sharper and meaner. Those jagged, stop-start riffs paired with off-kilter grooves carved out a sound that was as precise as it was punishing. You can trace their DNA everywhere: in the elastic heaviness of Deftones, the oddball brilliance of Mike Patton, the surgical crunch of System of a Down, and even the new breed of noise like Chat Pile.
Right at the heart of that impact sits Page Hamilton, Helmet’s architect and anchor.
Hamilton’s path wasn’t the typical one. Born in Oregon, he headed to New York to study jazz guitar, only to find himself in the middle of a city where hardcore, noise, and avant-garde experimentation collided on a nightly basis. Out of that stew came Helmet, a band that would rewrite the rules of heavy music and eventually break through with game-changing records like Meantime and Betty. When the band dissolved in ’98, Hamilton didn’t sit still. He played guitar for David Bowie, scored films like Heat, and dug into production and teaching. By the time Helmet roared back in 2004, Hamilton had already proven he wasn’t just a player in heavy music, but one of its most quietly influential architects.
After a full album play of Betty, Helmet’s landmark record at Riot Fest‘s Radical Stage, Hamilton caught up with Bearded Gentlemen Music to discuss influence, timing, and the love of that swing.
Coop: So, towards the end of your set, you said that this performance of Betty at Riot Fest is the second-to-last performance of this album in full.
Page Hamilton: Yes. We have a date in Australia where we’re gonna do it after this, and that’s it.
Coop: What’s the particular reason behind that decision?
Page Hamilton: Well, because we did a 20th anniversary tour, then the 30th anniversary came around, and there was so much… I don’t want to say demand, but there were a lot of people who were like God, it’d be great if you did a 30th anniversary thing because it’s such a milestone! And I said, you know what? Sure, okay!
Coop: I completely understand the reservations about anniversaries, but it was great to hear that record in its entirety!
Page Hamilton: Oh, sure! That is a milestone, but I don’t want to become like a novelty act, you know? And we were just talking about doing a 30th anniversary Aftertaste tour because we’ve had so many requests for that, so. But we still have a few years for that one. 2027 will be the 30th anniversary of that, so yeah.
Coop: Well, I’m already stoked for that!
Page Hamilton: (laughs) Yeah! Right on, cool man!
Coop: When I was a kid and just started learning guitar, I had it in my head that Helmet would be an easy gateway into playing metal. Especially with those chunky riffs…
Page Hamilton: But it’s not as easy as you thought, right? (laughs)
Coop: Oh yeah, I found out pretty quick that it’s not as easy I was I had hoped. So, upon further investigation, I found you’re a lover of jazz?
Page Hamilton: Yes! Yes!
Coop: Did your background in that genre influence Helmet in that way?
Page Hamilton: That’s a funny thing because I’ve talked to many people who say, “Hey, I don’t hear any jazz in your music!” or “I don’t hear any AC/DC in your music!” And I’m like, well, those are my influences. I have my own voice! I’m trying to do something that is me, but those, you know, are kinda disparate interesting influences.
Coop: Yeah, there’s not an overt influence on the outside, but there’s definitely some unique time measures relating to jazz in there.
Page Hamilton: So for me, one of the things I love about jazz is first, rhythm.
Coop: Yeah, the groove for sure.
Page Hamilton: Yes, it’s about a groove. It’s like swing, that’s so important. And harmonically, jazz uses more complex chords than most rock songs, and I love, love, love that. So that helped me create sort of like my own vocabulary with drop tunings and that. I come up with chords that are like a G major 7 sharp 11 with a 13 but no third. Very simple, right? (laughs). It sounds crazy, but that’s a chord and I’ve always been into that.
Coop: Right, very simple. (laughs) But in practice, the jazz influence is totally there, and the big reason why it sounds easier on the surface on first listen. Do you go into writing with that in mind?
Page Hamilton: I write by myself 95% of the time, and I rely on the drummer to come up with a good drum arrangement. Sometimes I’ll have a specific beat in mind, like “I Know” from Betty that we played tonight! I’ll know I want this straight beat, then John was gonna turn it into something cool. So I improvise. I’d like to set up a hi-hat or a click-track. It’s going, and I’ll play for like 20 minutes just improvising rhythm.
Coop: It really is, all about the swing!
Page Hamilton: Yeah, I’ve always been fascinated by compound rhythms. I used to sit on the subway in New York City and drum with my hands like 3 against 4. Like one hand is in 4 and this here other one is in 3.
Coop: Ah, for sure!
Page Hamilton (pats on his chest with both hands) 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, or 5, you know, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 1, 2, 3, 4. So it’s still in 4 on the left hand, but the right hand’s playing in 7. So I love the way that flows, and it comes around. You know, it cycles around every, you know, depending on what time signature you’re in. There’s a freedom to it that’s really interesting that a lot of bands unfortunately don’t do. And as you know, there’s a lot of stuff that’s been done to death. I just didn’t want to be one of those bands. That swing, you know! (laughs)
Coop: Back when Meantime came out, then Betty, the Nu-Metal movement started brewing. Do you feel that some of the bands in that scene sort of hijacked what Helmet was doing with time signatures against chunky riffs?
Page Hamilton: Yeah, some definitely borrowed. And you can either be angry or flattered, and I’m just not. I have nothing against any of those bands. Some I’m friends with, and I like what they do. But I mean, if you’re kinda coming up with a vocabulary that’s… I don’t know if fresh is the right word, but if a vocabulary that hadn’t really existed necessarily, then people are gonna be turned on by it. After Meantime came out, we had like Billy Idol, Tommy Lee, Nikki Sixx, Gene Simmons, and all these people coming out to our shows. So I thought that was a really cool thing.
Coop: Are there any current or new bands out there you’ve been checking out?
Page Hamilton: There are! But you know, I get asked that question, and I can never ever think of anyone. (laughs)
Coop: To be fair, I guess I am kinda putting you on the spot! (laughs)
Page Hamilton: I still really like Nine Inch Nails, they got a new one! You know, I think Trent’s work after Downward Spiral is some of his best writing he’s ever done, in my opinion!
Coop: I’m always on about Industrial music. NIN, Ministry, and all that. Seeing as the groove is integral to Helmet’s sound, have you ever considered experimenting with Industrial?
Page Hamilton: I’m doing an album right now that’s my first solo album, and it’s this, I wouldn’t say Electronica, but there are a lot of loops and drum and bass grooves. I love drum and bass music. My old drummer, John Stanier, turned me on to The Future Sound Of London and Orbital and stuff like that. I got into Autechre and Aphex Twin, and there’s a band from Orange County called Uberzone, who I’ve worked with.
Coop: I love a lot of the Big Beat bands and Chicago House from the old days, it’s really just cleaner Industrial.
Page Hamilton: I met with Carl Hyde from Underworld about doing something together. I love that!
Coop: Speaking of various genres and the like, how do you feel about festivals like Riot Fest?
Page Hamilton: It’s great! But also a pain in the ass! (laughs) You know, because it’s not easy to go. You feel like, would 10% of the people be into you, or 90%? But Riot Fest is kinda better because they said you’re gonna be playing the Betty album. And I didn’t know that when it was booked, and I’m like, alright!
Coop: It’s kinda wild that I’m seeing The Beach Boys on the same day as Helmet.
Page Hamilton: (laughs) Right? I know! But yeah, I mean, this is a really good festival, so I’m really happy about it.
Coop: If there’s a young person out there on the field who hadn’t heard Helmet before today, what record of yours would you recommend them listen to?
Page Hamilton: Man… I’m probably most proud of my later writing. Although I understand people strapping on Meantime, Betty, and Aftertaste. But really, I think Dead To The World and Left are the best writing I’ve ever done.
Coop: I love Dead To The World so much. “Bad News” with its Raga Rock, Beatles-Revolver vibe is one of my favorite Helmet tracks! “All news is bad news” kinda rings true more than ever, yeah?
Page Hamilton: (laughs) Thank you, man! I appreciate that!
Coop: Thanks for taking the time to talk. It’s been an honor!
Page Hamilton: Well, thank you! It was nice to meet you! I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening!
All photography by Oscar De Leon