Imagine growing up with no greater thrill than that of experiencing your favorite rock stars live in concert at your local venue, the Hammerstein Ballroom, and fantasizing about what it must be like to be performing on that stage in front of thousands of screaming fans. OK, now, imagine getting a phone call one day saying that one of your favorite bands heard your CD and wants you to open for them at that same venue. For bassist Mike Quindlen of Blind Hate Experiment, this fantasy became a reality.

Blind Hate Experiment is:
Eric Portalatin - Lead vocals
Mike Quindlen - Bass/Backing Vocals
Sean Christiansen - Percussion
Dean Nugent - Rhythm Guitar
John Farley - Lead Guitar

Harlem Live: First of all, how did the band begin?

Mike Quindlen: Eric and I started the band with two other guys who lived in the town with us. Eventually those two guys didn’t work out so we brought in my friend’s little brother Sean, who plays drums and knew our songs from coming to shows, and John and Dean because we wanted two guitarists and Dean knew all the riffs since he was managing us at the time.

HL: When did the band originate with the founding members?

MQ: September 2000.

HL: How long have you been with the final set up?

MQ: Since August 2002.

HL: I’m sure you get this question a lot, but what does the name “Blind Hate Experiment” mean?

MQ: The name is a theory how, well, you know how our whole life there have been people hating and fighting each other and causing drama because they hate each other and shit? Well the name is kinda how it seems today the only purpose of our world is like somebody’s big experiment to see what would happen if one puts all different people together. Everyone just hates each other blindly in this experiment ... so, Blind Hate Experiment.

HL: That’s an interesting outlook, who came up with it?

MQ: I did.

HL: Oh, the philosophical one of the group?

MQ: [laughs] Yeah, I think more than I should I guess.

HL: What makes Blind Hate Experiment different from other hard rock bands of today’s music world?

MQ: A lot of bands go into the writing process with the intention of trying to sound like somebody they really like, but we go in there and are like, “Let’s just write something cool.” We play a riff because we like it, not because it sounds like another band. If it sounds cool we keep it, if it sounds bad, we scrap it.

HL: So, I was at the Music as a Weapon show (http://www.harlemlive.org/arts-culture/music/musicasaweapon/index.html) where you opened which is how I first heard of the band. How did you get that gig?

MQ: Our manager Jill called up and told us Disturbed was having a contest to put a local band in the opening spot at the show in New York. She had us send over a CD but then we kinda forgot about it. Then one night Jill called up and said we got it. We were so psyched ‘cause the Hammerstein Ballroom ... I’ve been going to shows there since I was like 15!

HL: Was that the best show you’ve ever performed?

MQ: I think we played as best as we could. I mean, we’ve had some shows where the crowd was more into us but it’s tough being an opening band especially in New York where the crowds are hard to get on your side, and I think they really took to us.

HL: Did you stay for the rest of the show?

MQ: Oh yeah, we hung out the whole time!

HL: Were a Disturbed fan prior to the show?

MQ: Yeah, I have their CD, I think they’re cool. I haven’t listened to it in a while though because I got sick of it from listening to it constantly!

HL: What goes into performing the “perfect” gig? I mean, what brings the best out of you and the band?

MQ: A lot of it has to do with just being in the right mindset. If you don’t want to be there or if you don’t want to play the show, you’re not going to play well. If you go out there with the mindset that this is going to rock and you are ready to play and you can’t fucking wait to do it, you’re gonna put on an awesome show. People who play in bands, they do it ‘cause they love it. There’s no other reason. If you’re doing it for any other reason aside from the fact that you love it, you’re not gonna come across well.

HL: What kind of music has influenced Blind Hate Experiment as a band?

MQ: Well, we listen to so much stuff that I really can’t give you one band that has really influenced us, you know?

HL: What is the songwriting process? Like who does what?

MQ: Usually one of us will write a riff, which we can all do but it usually starts on the guitar. Then we’ll put a beat to it and once we have some kind of a structure to it, we will really start getting into it and decide where we should put a chorus or a verse. Once the song is done, Eric will usually write the lyrics, which is awesome. He usually comes up with something that is 150 times better than what I would have written.

HL: Is there a common theme or anything that you tend to write about the most?

MQ: A lot of the songs are about anxiety, growing up, not really fitting in, depression; you know what I mean? Like how life can walk all over you. I guess it’s kind of negative stuff but stuff we’ve all had to deal with at some point.

HL: What’s coming up in the near future of the band?

MQ: We are definitely going to record a couple of more songs and press a CD hopefully. There will definitely be some kind of CD to buy at shows with probably 10 songs. We aren’t doing any tours but we’re playing a ton of shows around here [NY/NJ area - Ed].

HL: Do you have any short term or long term goals for the band?

MQ: I think our main goal is just to be heard. We want to play for thousands of kids like at the Hammerstein Ballroom. We just want them to hear us and to get our shit out there.

HL: What do you like to do in your spare time?

MQ: We all hang out which is one thing that I think really helps the band. Besides being in a band together, we are all friends. Like if there’s a party, we’re all there.

HL: If you could describe Blind Hate Experiment in three words what would they be…? Aside from those three ...

MQ: Wow, I need to think of something good, you got me on the spot now! [laughs] Hm ... I would say Blind Hate Experiment is No Bullshit Metal.