Serenading the Apocalypse

A chat with LA based experimental band Health.

Music for “people with at least two monitors and a vitamin D deficiency,” Los Angeles’ punishing, violent, and gritty noise-rock band, HEALTH, transcends genres, cementing their place in the annals of experimental music with brutal apocalyptic noise and unexpected collaborations with icons like Nine Inch Nails, Lamb of God, 100 Gecs, and more.

HEALTH’s journey started in 2005 amidst the gritty noise-rock scene of L.A. How has the evolution of your sound mirrored the changes in your artistic philosophy over the years?

We’ve always tried to stay true to ourselves, evolving with the times. We’ve found ways to be less precious, to put out more music, and to experiment with new sounds—all while maintaining our identity and a level of care in everything we do.

“The HEALTH Experience”: What does that phrase mean to you? How would you describe it to someone unfamiliar with your music? How does this apocalyptic aesthetic resonate with your creative vision?

“The HEALTH Experience” is the lifestyle, the shows, the fan culture—it’s the whole bag, baby. I can’t describe it. You gotta come see it live to understand. Many fans describe your music as a soundtrack to the end of the world. We’ve been getting that ‘apocalypse rock’ label since the beginning, and back then, it was more of a Mad Max vibe. It’s definitely appropriate, though we’ve always had that dark, chaotic edge to our sound.

You’ve collaborated with a wide range of artists—from Nine Inch Nails to Lamb of God. How do you choose collaborators, and what is that creative process like? Are there any dream collaborations you haven’t tackled yet?

We choose people we genuinely like and can imagine working with. There’s no formula—it’s all case by case. And yes, we’ve got some dream collaborations in the works right now.

“The HEALTH Experience” is the lifestyle, the shows, the fan culture—it’s the whole bag, baby.”

The first time I saw you perform was in 2019 with Youth Code. How have those kinds of shared live experiences influenced HEALTH’s trajectory?

Yeah, the ‘SAD MUSIC FROM HORNY PEOPLE’ t-shirt came from Sara from Youth Code. She was wearing a Morbid Angel tee on tour that said ‘EXTREME MUSIC FOR EXTREME PEOPLE,’ which inspired ours. It’s cool how these kinds of shared moments with other bands influence us, even in unexpected ways like this one.

HEALTH’s contributions to projects like Max Payne 3, Cyberpunk 2077, and Atomic Blonde have been celebrated. How does your approach to scoring games or films differ from crafting HEALTH’s albums?

Scoring for games is different because you’re working with footage of someone playing, so you can immediately tell if it’s working or not. With albums, you never know if it sucks until it’s out.

There’s a unique duality between HEALTH’s dark and borderline punishing music and its presence in meme culture. How do you balance those two seemingly opposing sides of the band?

It’s a strange combo, but it works. It allows us to engage with the internet content game. We see them as two different departments—one’s the music, and the other’s the memes.

“Scoring for games is different because you’re working with footage of someone playing, so you can immediately tell if it’s working or not. With albums, you never know if it sucks until it’s out.”

The HEALTH Pack initiative with End Overdose is such a powerful collaboration. What inspired you to get involved with this cause?

We’re all just one degree away from someone who’s died from an accidental overdose. In my case, there’s no degrees of separation. It’s a horrifying epidemic, and I reached out to End Overdose to sponsor our tours. They keep tapping me to do more work with them, and I’m happy to help.

On a lighter note, there’s the topless Johnny HEALTH puzzle. Who came up with that idea?

That was Joe, our Creative Director. He works with me behind the scenes on all the merchandise, marketing, and social media.

Your sound continues to evolve with each release. Can you share anything about what’s next for HEALTH? Are there new announcements or projects on the horizon?

We’ve got a concert film coming out soon—it will be a free livestream. And we’ve got A LOT of new music in the works, with announcements coming very soon.

What kind of tracks can we expect to see on the next edition of Johnny HEALTH’s Top 40 Chunes Playlist?

See for yourself here!

Serenading the Apocalypse / Health

Credits:

Musician: Johnny Famiglietti / @_johnny_health_
HEALTH / @_health_
Interview: Kenzie Barrena / @kenziebarrena
Editor: Anca Macavei / @ancamacavei

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