"Keith Richards is haunting my guitar" - An Interview With Propter Hawk
Toronto’s rock and roll powerhouse Propter Hawk is bringing rock and roll into the modern age with their vintage-inspired sound, electrifying live shows, and an unapologetic love for analog recording.
As they gear up for the release of their new EP, Sorry!, Propter Hawk are kicking things off with their latest single, Time Won’t Wait - a fiery anthem about escaping the chaos of today’s world.
In this interview, we chat with the band about their songwriting process, the challenges of being independent artists, and the gear that fuels their signature sound.
They also share their thoughts on AI-generated music, dream collaborations, and - because we had to - what happens when rock legends start haunting their instruments. Let’s dive in!
Chris Roditis, Musicngear: Welcome, Propter Hawk! You’ve had a huge year—festival appearances, major press features, and now a brand-new single. What’s been the most rewarding part of this ride so far?
Mal: It is honestly difficult to pick one single thing but for me, one of the most rewarding parts of the entire band experience is hearing from people that what you've created has resonated with them in some way.
It means so much to me when people go out of their way to listen to our songs and come to our shows.
I am so appreciative and grateful for those people.
'Time Won’t Wait' has a powerful theme—escaping the chaos of today’s political climate. Can you take us into the songwriting process? Was there a specific moment or event that sparked the idea for this track?
Alec: Brian and I began writing this song over five years ago and revived it for Propter Hawk. We knew it was a good fit and put some new life into it with a new chorus and arrangement.
Adding Mal’s vocals put a heightened level of energy into the track and it went from an acoustic strummer to an electric rocker.
It’s amazing how the desire for people to escape modern political calamities has remained regardless of time, and given what’s going on now the timing couldn’t be more appropriate.
You recorded the harmonica part on a “bent and broken, 100-year-old family heirloom.” Can you tell us the story behind that instrument? How did it end up on this track?
Alec: The harmonica part was on the track right from the start but after bringing the song to the band we ended up changing the key.
I was looking around for a harmonica in E and found the old harmonica in a cupboard - it had been crushed in a drawer or suitcase somewhere and was almost unplayable.
It turns out it was my great-grandfather’s!
Each of you has a distinct role in the band—can you give us a quick breakdown of what gear you rely on the most, both in the studio and on stage?
Alec: I play a very heavy and road-worn Les Paul standard and kept it classic and simple for 'Time Won’t Wait'.
Gibson Les Paul into a Supro amp with a drive pedal to push it over the breaking point. I use some extra effects on stage like tremolo and a Leslie simulator, but I approach gear from the standpoint of “What gear would I have in 1970 and how can I compact it into a pedal board?”.
You recorded 'Time Won’t Wait' on tape, sticking to that warm, organic sound. What’s the biggest challenge of analog recording, and why do you keep coming back to it?
Jimmy: We used a combination of analog and digital equipment. Analog equipment fits our retro/vintage aesthetics and musical values, but editing digitally is definitely much easier than cutting tape.
That said, we are well prepared when coming into the studio, so what you hear on the tape is pretty close to how the 5 of us sound playing the song in the room.
Your upcoming EP 'Sorry!' is dropping in June. What can fans expect from it? How does it build on what you did with your debut album?
Jimmy: I think the ‘Sorry!’ EP is a nice teaser of where we are headed as a band. The EP title track, ‘Sorry!’, is our heaviest and funkiest song to date, while the two horn-laden songs ‘Days Go By’ and ‘Long Long Time’ are the most melodic songs we’ve written thus far.
The lead-off single ‘Time Won’t Wait’ connects us to our debut album’s classic/roots rock sound, but in a much more polished way, mainly due to the fact that we have greatly improved as a band and as musicians since the recording of that first album.
We’ve also got a backlog of new material that we’re very excited to share in the near future!
What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as artists, and what advice would you give to musicians dealing with the same struggles?
Brian: Building a fanbase and an online presence takes time, so it's important to keep ambitions in check and focus on incremental growth.
A band isn't just about making music, it also functions as a business. We take on multiple administrative roles which can be daunting when trying to balance work and a social life. Because of this, task allocation is essential. Each member brings their strengths, so dividing responsibilities helps everything run smoothly and prevents burnout.
To stay organized, I find that setting 1, 3, and 6-month plans makes a big difference. A 1-month plan focuses on immediate tasks like show promotion and content creation, a 3-month plan tackles larger projects like booking shows and recording, and a 6-month plan helps with long-term growth, such as festivals and music releases.
This helps us stay on the same page, and focus on what really matters - making music!
Humans crave genuine connection, and once the novelty of AI fades, people will return to the music that truly makes them feel
The music industry is constantly evolving, and self-promotion is a huge part of it. How do you promote your music? What’s worked best for you so far?
Brian: Our motto is “Don’t leave a stone unturned.” We approach every aspect of the industry from community radio, blog features, music magazines, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, Spotify playlisting, sync opportunities, to old-school guerrilla marketing with poster campaigns. After a while you start to build your own connections with reliable features.
I find a release show is also very effective in promoting music. A final celebration before you rinse, lather, and repeat for the next single.
If you could handpick one artist to jump on a track with you—past or present—who would be your dream collaborator?
Brian: Ronnie Wood and Steve Marriott.
AI-generated music is a hot topic. As a band that embraces vintage recording techniques and live instrumentation, what’s your take on AI in music?
Brian: There will always be an emotional disconnect with AI-generated music. Music is born from joy, love, and despair, emotions that can't be replicated by ones and zeros.
Humans crave genuine connection, and once the novelty of AI fades, people will return to the music that truly makes them feel. After all, “Life is a tragedy for those who do not feel.”
Now, let’s get weird…Your gear gets possessed by the ghost of a famous musician. Who’s haunting it, and what strange quirks does it suddenly have?
Brian: Keith Richards is haunting my guitar, and it dispenses cigarettes at the headstock every time I play a Chuck Berry song.
You’ve been offered the chance to headline Woodstock... in 1969. What’s the setlist, and who’s the most nervous about time-traveling?
Brian is the least nervous since he has time-traveled before. He offers rules and guidelines to make the journey less stressful, and according to him, even enjoyable.
We would copy The Who's full performance.
Connect with Propter Hawk
Facebook / Instagram / YouTube / Spotify / Website
About Chris Roditis
Chris Roditis has been an active musician since 1995 in various bands and projects across a variety of genres ranging from acoustic, electronic to nu metal, british rock and trip hop. He has extensive experience as a mixing engineer and producer and has built recording studios for most of the projects he has been involved with. His passion for music steered his entrepreneurial skills into founding MusicNGear in 2012.
Contact Chris Roditis at chrisroditis@kinkl.com
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