Music

Protest The Hero on AUX TV's HARD Tonight at 10PM

by Theo Kapodistrias

Since the release of 2008’s critically acclaimed album Fortress, Whitby Ontario’s Protest the Hero has quickly become a staple in Canadian metal. Not only has the band maintained a steady growth in the last decade—they’ve been able to do so while maintaining their original lineup (a rare occurrence for any band). Protest the Hero headlined this year’s Snocore tour and the HARD crew was able to chat with guitarist Tim Millar the day of the tour’s Toronto date. Tim also provided us with a unique experience and took the HARD crew on one of his now infamous runs.

“We’ve known each other for far too long, most of us went to elementary school together and just kind of picked up instruments and started a band when we were 13. We started touring when we were 16 years old and we’ve just been on the road ever since we were old enough to drive,” stated Tim Millar outside of the Sound Academy when asked how PTH has maintained the same lineup since the band first formed in 1999.

“Obviously we have our issues with each other and get sick of each other and fight like brothers but it is working and we’re happy with that,” Tim continued. “I think trying to replace people can start this chain reaction. You see bands where one person is the same since the inception—sometimes it’s a whole new lineup and it’s not even the original members. At least for Protest the Hero we were trying to keep the same vibe and the same people and it has been working for us—if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Millar creatively merged his love for jogging and his interest in maintaining a good relationship with Protest’s fans by inviting them to join him on runs prior to the band’s shows. “We get here at noon, or two o’clock. We’re sitting around all day. I’m trying to get in shape and it is nice to have some company when you go for a run. So why not do something fun and invite people to join you instead of being a loner and creeping people out on the running trails with your weird haircuts and your facial hair?”

We finished off the interview by asking Tim to reflect on the band’s ambitions; “We’re getting to an age where we’re looking at being musicians for a career, how ever it may be, and you really have to stick up for yourself and educate yourself. Everyone that works for you, you should in a sense view them as your hired employees where they’re calling a lot of the shots. You really have to know and have a vision and then have people go seek that for you. At the end of the day Protest the Hero is a part of a lot of people’s business but it is not their business—and for us it is our livelihood. You have to learn how to make something you can do as a career and be smart about it if you want it to be long term. It’s nice to get fortune and fame for a year but when it is all said and done we want something that is consistent and gradual.”

You can see a full video interview with Tim Millar along with exclusive Protest tour footage on a new episode of HARD only on AUX tonight at 10PM ET followed by the HARD video flow at 10:30pm ET.

Before their interview, I met up with Tim to go jogging around the venue. Watch the video here.