Into The Stratosphere with The Flying Hasslehoffs

Into The Stratosphere with The Flying Hasslehoffs

The Flying Hasslehoffs are a dynamic singer-songwriter duo emerging from the sun-drenched shores of Southwest Florida. Breathing fresh life into the indie rock scene, they craft original melodies that captivate and resonate. With each performance, they invite listeners on a sonic journey through heartfelt lyrics and innovative arrangements. Rooted in passion and authenticity, The Flying Hasslehoffs are a testament to the vibrant musical tapestry of the Sunshine State. Highwire Daze recently interviewed The Flying Hasslehoffs to find out more about their stratospheric music, working with Stet Howland of WASP and Metal Church, whether a certain Baywatch actor has ever commented on their band moniker, and a whole lot more…

Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in The Flying Hasslehoffs, and how long the band has been together.
Timmy Johnston: Hello, thanks for taking the time to interview us. I’m Timmy Johnston, I co-wrote the songs, and played drums, acoustic guitar, and did the lead vocals for the recordings. We’ve been writing music since 2012 on and off as a band.

Johnny Hyatt: I’m Johnny Hyatt, and I also co-wrote the songs. I play guitars, bass, keyboard, and singing backup vocals on our self produced and engineered recordings.

Where is the band based out of and what is your local music scene like there?
We live in Ft Myers, FL, and we are a strong tourist destination that has a very robust cover scene, and a decent original scene, although that has dwindled since hurricane Ian struck in 2022. There’s so many talented artists in the SW Florida area, we’ve been blessed to know many of them, and our music scene has a very encouraging vibe, unlike some other more competitive areas.

Has David Hasselhoff ever heard or commented on your band name?
Not that we know of, although our team did make an effort to reach out and see what he thought.

What is the Stet Howland of WASP, Metal Church, and many other band’s connection with The Flying Hasslehoffs, and do you still keep in touch with him?
Stet Howland is a longtime friend of ours who we still play with in our other band, “10,000 Views“, as often as once or twice a month when his schedule permits. We have some long-term plans to write more originals in the heavier vein of music that is that band.

Select two songs from The Flying Hasslehoffs Music Brand album and what inspired the lyrics.
LIB (Life Is Beautiful) is a song written while we were in residence at the Plaza Casino for a show, and it’s about missing our family and loved ones.

Pieces is written about the trials of getting divorced and coming back from that ordeal. It’s a knocked down, get back up story. Positive from a negative situation.

What could one expect from a live The Flying Hasslehoffs show?
We think show business is just that, a show. In a perfect world, our show would resemble an onstage circus act, with stunning visual effects laced with death defying motorcycle tricks, and lasers piercing through smoke filled pockets of air…but until then you will have to settle for excellent renditions of our recorded music performed with energy and enthusiasm.

Has The Flying Hasslehoffs ever played in the Los Angeles / Orange County area or is that something you would like to do in future days?
No, but we’d love to book a show that way. Touring is something we’d like to do, and we’re looking forward to booking some road gigs as soon as possible.

If The Flying Hasslehoffs could open for any band either now or from the past, who would it be and why?
Timmy: I would love to open for Live or Dada. I saw Live and they were amazing, but I’ve never seen Dada in person. Dada is my favorite band, a real power trio with musicality that just hits home with songs like, “Playboy in Outer Space“, and “Beautiful Turn Back Time Machine“.

Johnny: I have no preferences, I just enjoy every aspect of musical performance, regardless of genre.

Are you involved with any other bands or projects outside of Flying Hasslehoffs?
Timmy: We are. Johnny and I are members of “10,000 Views“, as well as our cover band, “Radio Ghost“, and Johnny and Stet have an original LP out with their “Howland Hyatt” project. They both also are backing musicians for Jean Beauvoir when he goes out on tour.

What’s up next in the new year for The Flying Hasslehoffs?
We are currently in the studio recording our new single, “Hold Me“, and have several other starter ideas for more coming. We plan on adding to our repertoire as long as we are inspired to keep writing.

Any final words of wisdom?
Timmy: I really don’t give advice unless my friends ask, so I’ll just say, be nice. You definitely get what you give.

(Interview by Ken Morton)

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