We had the good fortune of connecting with Hess and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hess, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I would say consistency and being honest to yourself about your passion as an artist. I started referring to Of 82 as home base. Regardless of other projects or ventures that I explore, I always seem to gravitate back to home base or gravitate back to the band as my expressive outlet.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The original concept for the band originated when I visited a Houston club called Numbers. I instantly loved the retro-goth vibe of the venue and their playlist of dark wave music. Their DJ played songs from The Cure, Depeche Mode, NIN, and New Order to name a few. Then I thought “wouldn’t it be cool to start a cover band that would play these songs?” The concept eventually kicked off in 2019 when I got a few musicians onboard and we started playing small clubs in Midtown Houston under the name Of 82. Just as the band was building momentum the pandemic hit. The band felt a sense of uncertainty during those troubled times. Determined to keep some level of momentum, I decided to release original music under the band’s name. This alternate approach allowed the project to continue even if we were not booking live events.
The band now has a preference to grow and expand on our original songs and style while finding ways to preserve the original concept.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We like to hang out where there’s live music. Our current favorite spot is The Continental Club on Main St in the Midtown area. The place has a nice vintage feel that takes you back to the classic rock-n-roll era. The venue is also next to The Big Top Lounge which Of 82 plays at regularly. Both venues complement each other in that they support local bands and have a comfortable retro vibe. We also enjoy Scout Bar on the southside of town. We had the opportunity to play there earlier this year for a Goth Prom event and really loved the stage. We also hope to get our foot in the door at some other popular venues such as The House of Blue, White Oak Music Hall, and Warehouse Live.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Special shoutout to our fans. To those who follow us online, genuinely listen to our music, and come to our shows. We thank you!

Website: www.of82.com

Instagram: @of82official

Facebook: @of82official

Other: www.linktree.com/of82

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutHTX is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.