The Austrian band Heimwerker—a name that translates simply to "Handyman" in English—is anything but simple. This four-piece, which spans three generations in age (18, 22, 40, and 58), is a chaotic, philosophical, and brutally self-aware act of musical deconstruction. The project, led by Aki Streeter, is defined by self-hatred, surprising musicianship, and a total disregard for rock conventions.
We sat down with the band to discuss their influences, their near-disastrous international debut, and why they believe their audience shouldn't listen to them "if you love yourself."
For Aki Streeter, the commitment to "music without restriction" only solidified after he almost stumbled into studying it, looking back at that moment as "fate." The spark for the Heimwerker sound, however, was ignited by sheer metal aggression: "The first band that really got me into 'making' music and playing live was Cannibal Corpse." Specifically, seeing the video for "Frantic Disembowelment" made him think, "Man, I gotta learn songs like that!"
The project began at the end of 2020 when Aki was asked to compose a song for an online reading. Though he initially wanted to create something funky because he was a big bassist, the resulting sound became Heimwerker.
The band’s lineup is a fantastic testament to its chaotic charm, with each member bringing a contrasting background to the project:
Aki Streeter: The founder and guitarist, who confesses he is a "much better bassist" but plays guitar in the band out of self-hatred.
Kami Kaze (Vocalist): A former punk singer from a group whose members are "nobody... still alive." He still doesn't know the Heimwerker lyrics and always has his texts and sheets on stage.
Redlight Alley (Bassist): A shoemaker by trade, who is actually a classically trained Jazz pianist.
FLOP (Drummer): An actor by profession.
The formation was as unconventional as the lineup. The current vocalist joined because the former vocalist didn't want to wear a helmet on stage. The bassist, Redlight Alley, joined after a show in 2023 when he approached Aki, commenting that he liked Aki's ass and had been "watching it all the show." When Aki mentioned they needed a bassist, Redlight Alley replied, "yeah, I can play the piano, the saxophone,..." The drummer, FLOP, was recruited for a concert just one week before the show through a family friend.
Heimwerker's musical DNA is a complex helix of self-aware aggression and virtuoso chaos. Aki names Seth Putnam and AxCx as major influences on the band's core vibe and "all that self-hatred." He also points to GG Allin, admiring not only his stage presence but also his music. For a more philosophical touch, Frank Zappa is a massive influence on "everything from album concepts to lyrics." Other key figures include Les Claypool (influencing his bass playing, despite Aki playing guitar), Buckethead (an inspiration for wearing a mask), Merzbow, Drahdiwaberl, Dethklok, and Tom Waits.
This diverse palette has led to a constantly shifting sound:
Aki Streeter: "It really changed... At the beginning we made instrumental Rock. Now we make many psychedelic songs, many parodies of music genres, focus on some Grindcore and Hardcore number between that stuff and also some sarcastic love ballads."
The band thrives on extremes. Their creative process usually involves Aki writing a riff, and Kami picking up a sheet of paper to spontaneously "jam it for 20 minutes," during which he "always comes up with so damn funny texts." Sometimes, Redlight Alley provides riff ideas and FLOP supplies parts of the lyrics.
Their best gig was at a band contest in Vienna, where over 500 people were booing them and singing their songs so loud that the host couldn't interview Aki on stage—a validation that the band cherishes. Conversely, the worst gig was when an Italian punk group cancelled two days before a show that was actually listed in Rolling Stone and Metal Hammer. They decided to play solo, attempting to perform without the singer's lyric sheets. "It was a pure disaster," Aki admits, because they usually "just react to the vocalist."
The current emotional state of the band is a perfect reflection of their art: "We are in a small depression... we play in other countries, win contests, ... but we don't see anything good right now. It feels empty."
When looking to the future, the band's aspirations are as extreme as their sound:
Dream Collaboration: AxCx, because making a split with them "would be my dream."
Dream Opener: GG Allin, with Aki adding he'd try to contest him on who is "filthier."
Favourite Song to Perform: "I'm Hungry," because of their signature dances and the guitar solo.
On Stage Persona: Aki tries to channel Buckethead, whom he admires and listens to every day.
Aki notes that social media is "50/50." While it allows for promotion without a manager, he feels music used to have "more quality," and now with everyone uploading songs, "your music seems worthless often." He sums up the entire industry problem succinctly: "Better paid for online streaming! Music is work!" He learned the hard way that one has to "write to 1,000 concert locations and festivals just to get 1 or 2 answers."
For now, their biggest piece of advice is a common one: "Everyone is going at their own pace." But their final message to fans is pure Heimwerker: "Don't listen to us if you love yourself!"
What’s Next?
Heimwerker’s path is cyclical: their next step is the debut album for Geheimwerker, their spin-off project that "makes love-song-parodies." After that, they plan to release a heavy album again, and "it goes on like that!"