Kostas “Gus” Hais – Thanks for Asking!

By Sara Busone.

RRX: Tell me about your most recent song, album, or video. Not a process, but a cool story that took place within the process.

I recently released my first solo two-song release, “Even For a Day / My Time Has Come.” For a while, I’d been planning to do something completely different from what my band, Blackcat Elliot, does. Along the way, I found myself with a batch of songs I’d written on my acoustic and started thinking they might become a five-song EP.

One of the songs, “My Time Has Come,” had the lyrics and chords, but I just couldn’t find the right phrasing. Then I had carpal tunnel surgery. While I was recovering, the melody and phrasing finally came to me, but I couldn’t play guitar. So I reached out to my stepdaughter, Madyson Powell, who’s an astounding musician. I handed her my guitar, showed her the chords, and together we worked through the song while I recorded it on my iPhone. You can’t control when inspiration arrives; you just have to be ready to catch it.

RRX: Let’s talk about the future. What’s coming to us?

I really enjoyed working with Dominick Campana on my most recent solo project, and I’m hoping we get the chance to collaborate again in the near future on another release.

Right now, though, my focus is on the next Blackcat Elliot record. Our original bass player, Jamie St. Denis, has rejoined the band, and we’ve been writing new material nonstop. We’re excited about these songs, and I’d love to get them out into the world soon.

At the end of the day, I’m just going to keep writing and recording until I can’t. It doesn’t matter who I’m working with or what project it’s for; I just want to keep making and releasing music.

RRX: Would you be a one-hit wonder and household name, or would you rather have all your songs be solidly received, but no chart-climbers?

One-hit wonder. Hands down.

If you’ve got one hit, you’ve got a song people will remember for decades. You can spend the rest of your career playing medium-sized venues without constantly worrying about ticket sales because there will always be people who come out just to hear that one song. Along the way, you’ll also build a loyal fanbase that sticks around for your other music. As you and your fans get older, that hit becomes something you all share.

RRX: Do you feel better when you sing about good times, or the darker times? Is there a difference you can describe?

It really depends on the project I’m working on.

With my band, Blackcat Elliot, the music is usually upbeat, high-energy, and made to get people moving. When I’m performing as my acoustic act, Gus Unplugged, I naturally gravitate toward the slower, more emotional songs. It’s a different outlet that lets me be a little more vulnerable.

My first solo release falls somewhere in the middle. It has moments of both light and darkness, but overall it’s the most personal music I’ve written. The lyrics come from real experiences, so regardless of whether the songs are happy or sad, they all reflect something genuine. I think there’s value in writing about both the good times give people something to celebrate, while the harder times help people realize they’re not alone.

RRX: What instrument would you add to the band if you could? Is there anything you are trying to do
musically that would be helped with one or more additional players?

I’ve always wondered what another guitarist could bring to Blackcat Elliot. My previous band, North Again, had that dual-guitar attack, and there was something really powerful about that dynamic. At the same time, with the style of music we play now, adding another guitar might be too much and just make everything louder without adding much.

I’ve also thought about what it would be like to step away from the guitar entirely during a live show and focus solely on singing and connecting with the crowd. That said, I think I’d miss having a guitar around my neck; it feels like a part of who I am on stage and gives me something to channel while performing.

RRX: What was your worst show like?

One show that definitely stands out was at a club in New York City called The Pussycat Lounge. Our booking agent at the time, Frank Wood, got us the gig.

Honestly, I don’t remember it as our worst performance because Blackcat Elliot actually played pretty well. What made it memorable was what happened to me.

The club was two or maybe three floors; I honestly can’t remember. The first floor looked like something straight out of The Sopranos, with what seemed like mobsters hanging around with strippers. The bands played upstairs, and by the third song of our set, I broke a guitar string.

The second it happened, it felt like someone had dumped a bucket of water over my head. It wasn’t water – it was sweat. My anxiety instantly went through the roof because we were only a few songs into the set. I looked over at Marky Balboa and Johnny Mystery, and they both yelled, “Keep going, Gus!”

So I did.

We finished the set, the crowd enjoyed it, and the club even invited us back, so it couldn’t have gone that badly. I won’t get into everything else that happened that night, but I definitely learned one important lesson: always bring a backup guitar.