Here we are, the 7th edition of Hellfest has unleashed the dogs, and we now know all the artists who will come to set the land of Clisson (in Loire-Atlantique, a few kilometers from Nantes) ablaze. Nearly 160 bands will take turns over 3 days to offer us the best in metal music.
Therefore, on new ground, located just a few meters from the previous site, thousands of aspiring hard rockers from all walks of life will come to quench their thirst at the source of an inexhaustible musical fountain. If you have some days off or other RTT to take this summer, it’s on June 15, 16, and 17, 2012, that you need to do so. Three days of perfect communion against a backdrop of “Hard Rock,” it’s something to plan for. This year again, exceptional bands: Guns N’ Roses, Motley Crue, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ozzy Osbourne, will be at this great Rock ‘n Roll gathering. So to learn a bit more, let’s look back at what makes this festival so unique with Jeff. “Let’s talk about rock’n roll…!!!”
Nice Premium: There we have it, Hellfest is changing location, a few kilometers from the current site if I’m not mistaken, what is your assessment after these 7 years on the Clisson soil and especially how do you approach the future?
Jeff: Well, we are confident! Hellfest won’t move a few kilometers but rather a few hundred meters, and the works (even though we have new little details to settle every day) are going pretty well. After 7 years, I think the team is proud of the work accomplished. I’m not sure many people would have bet a lot on this adventure, but in the end, it’s going rather well, isn’t it? We are optimistic, and I am sure the next Hellfest will be a success… we are doing everything we can for that, anyway!
NP: What have been the highlights of Hellfest’s time in Clisson for you?
J: There have been plenty. 2007 with the bad weather, the revival in 2008, the arrival of Kiss with their heavy artillery, and of course, the sold-out status before the festival gates opened last year. There have been many good and bad moments at the festival; it’s hard to recount them all, especially since some might not resonate with the general public. But from the inside, I assure you it’s quite an adventure to live, and we are not demotivated, quite the opposite!
NP: How do you currently position yourselves in relation to other big European festivals with the well-deserved success you now enjoy? Still a bit of an outsider or a full-on contender?
J: Objectively, I think Hellfest is no longer an outsider. When you see the number of foreigners present last year, it’s evident that people talk about us outside of France and that the festival has become a reference. Careful, I’m not saying we’re better than the others, but I believe after 6 editions, we’ve managed to make a name for ourselves, and we’re no longer considered a small startup festival. With the 2012 edition, I hope we’ll confirm that even more!
NP: Are you aware of the proportion of people coming from the South of France and more specifically from Nice? And, secondly, is it conceivable for Hellfest to create itinerant festivals throughout the year in other French cities that would bring together, for example, the best local bands mixed with some prestigious mentors, why not somewhere like Nice while still maintaining the “AOC Hellfest”?
J: We roughly know where people come from, and to tell you the truth, it’s still the great west (Brittany, etc.) and Paris that bring us the most attendees. Now there are people coming from everywhere, and thus, people from the Southeast, of course! How many? We don’t know exactly, but the festival is increasingly known; I’m sure there will be even more people from the South this year! As for your second question, it isn’t currently on the agenda. We have so much work with the festival in Clisson that it would become a logistical nightmare. I think Hellfest’s strength also comes from being a singular event, and if we did too much, people would tire of it more quickly. Therefore, we prefer to put all our efforts into the Clisson adventure.
NP: After being heavily criticized by certain Christian associations and some politicians, what has been the final feeling of the local population towards the festival?
J: All that is over now, isn’t it? Already, I really feel like we hear much less from the anti-Hellfest associations. After all, the press is unanimous, and the biggest radio stations, newspapers, and TV channels speak well of us; at some point, there’s hardly anything left to say against the festival that goes extremely well every year. The most credible are the metalheads, who are respectful and respectable people. The people of Clisson have understood this quite well for some time now. Today, they even propose hosting our festival-goers in their homes, proof that there’s not much risk of seeing your house burned down by “Satanists.”
NP: When you started with Furyfest 10 years ago, could you envision such success for an extreme music festival like Hellfest in France?
J: Ben and Yoann would be the best to answer that question because I wasn’t there at the time. But I know what they think, and I believe they couldn’t have imagined it would become so huge. Now, both are people who “don’t give up,” so the result from an external/internal point of view doesn’t surprise me. When you want to see your ideas through, you often succeed. The fact that we are all music fans, first and foremost, must certainly bring something wholesome that makes it work!
NP: Finally, what are your future projects? Any new innovations in sight? And especially, which other legendary bands do you think you’ll bring? Because with Guns and Roses, Motley Crue, and especially Lynyrd Skynyrd, we’re reaching heights, not to mention the sacred monsters of previous editions.
J: The main project is to finalize the “new Hellfest.” After that, we’ll see, but for now, I think we are all 100% focused on the success of this new festival. I believe you’ll have some pleasant surprises because, in addition to the bands, there will be improvements! I won’t say more, the best way to discover all this is to come and visit us, of course.
