Q&A: Frontman Axel Ellis of Ax and the Hatchetmen on Early Twenties Mayhem and Savoring the Present in “Stick & Poke”

Photos by Isaiah Pate

The universal human experience in one’s early twenties can safely be described as chaotic, impassioned and more often than not, grounds for self-improvement. Now mix that with being in two touring bands and filming an entire television series, and you’ve got Axel Ellis.

Ellis has had what could only be described as a whirlwind start to his twenties, but through it all, he’s learned the importance of not getting too caught up in the noise and savoring each moment as it comes instead. As the frontman of Chicago-based Ax and the Hatchetmen, Ellis, alongside guitarist Salvatore Defilippis, bassist Hunter Olshefke, trumpeter Phil Pistone, saxophonist Quinn Dolan, and drummer Chaandmon Croft, the group explores the messiness of growing up, falling in love and figuring yourself out in their new release, Stick and Poke.

Across its five tracks, the EP captures a series of snapshots from Ellis’ early twenties, touching on the defining moments of navigating life, love and heartbreak. While Stick & Poke carries the high-energy sound Ax and the Hatchetmen have become known for, there’s a newfound sense of vulnerability throughout the project, giving it a little more bite while still leaving room for reflection. More than anything, the EP serves as a reminder to stay present: let things happen, learn from them and keep it moving. 

Pleaser: I loved learning about how you all met. It’s really sweet that you came from similar backgrounds and shared an educational experience. During your school days, when did you first realize that you all fit together musically? And how did your friendship and early dynamic shape what would eventually become Ax and the Hatchetmen?

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Axel Ellis: It was kind of a trial-and error-thing, like everything is. Phil, our trumpet player, and I were the only ones that didn't go to the same school as everybody else. We met studying at a jazz conservatory outside of the city. I met Sal, our guitarist, on Instagram after he posted a Chainsmokers cover, and we met up a few times to play guitar together. He eventually introduced me to Hunter, his best friend and our bassist. They were all in a jazz band together in high school along with Quinn, our saxophonist. It came together over time. We kept just bringing people into my dad's garage and seeing what worked!  Our drummer Chaandmon, we met working on a film project called The Runarounds a couple years ago and he was a good fit. So, yeah, we were put together over many years but that's our current lineup.

Building off of that, and how you've formed this really great friend group “slash” band over the last few years, you’ve also experienced so much growth together — multiple years of touring, selling out shows, and touring with artists like Royel Otis among other incredible names. How has that growth changed the way you approach working together and making music as a band?

AE:  It doesn't really change our approach! We're just very lucky to have been able to have had fun tours and good opening slots, but we try not to let any of that bleed into how we write and record. It's kind of just the way it's been. Even as we’ve grown on the road, we’re still trying to write songs about personal life experiences, and bring them together in a way that works. It's always been a philosophy of “are you enjoying what you're playing? Great, let’s keep it! Does everyone enjoy it? Great.”  We try to keep it pretty democratic. Whatever seems to feel good, we go with.

Moving into talking about Stick & Poke specifically, you've previously described it as being a collection of snapshots from your 20s. You’ve seemingly had a very action-packed start to your 20s —touring in multiple bands, filming and beyond. Were there certain parts of this period that you were most interested in capturing, or was it more of a vibe-based process? Did you have an overarching narrative that you wanted to carry throughout the entire project?

AE: Honestly, it’s hard to say. With “Loser,” that’s just how I was feeling in the moment when I wrote it. I had tried to kiss somebody and they turned away, which is the first line of the song. That got me thinking, “Okay, let's look at myself. When am I waking up? What do I want to be?”

Then there's a track called “Stick and Poke,” that's a memory of a summer in high school when one of my good friends and I brought a stick-and-poke kit to a summer cabin and gave a bunch of our friends tattoos. It's really just looking back and smiling at that moment.

“Prius” is another snapshot of a moment from a couple years ago, when I was in L.A. working on The Runarounds soundtrack. I met somebody, and sometimes things work, and sometimes things don't, especially if you’re never in one place for too long. So, yeah, I guess that’s why  they’re all separate snapshots of my early 20s. It’s not too far off from what the first album was: just finding stories that inspired me enough to write about.

You touched on this a little bit when talking about “Loser” and using it as a moment to reflect a little bit. You have also described the making of the EP as therapeutic — Now that it's done, is there anything you kind of understand differently about yourself?

AE: I gotta probably start waking up earlier. Just the constant pursuit of improvement.

You get to celebrate the release at Red Rocks tomorrow! How would you describe the feeling of this past week leading up to the show and the release itself? How does it feel to finally let the project out into the world?

AE: It's almost too good to be true. Red Rocks, for me and I think for a lot of us, is our dream spot. I was like, “I'm good. This is actually my last project. I’m quitting. I'm so good after Red Rocks.” But seriously, there’s really nowhere we'd rather celebrate putting out a new batch of songs. I feel really good about these songs— it feels like there's a little bit more of a meanness to them in a way that I think is gonna be fun to play live. There's one called “Funny Valentine” that we've never played live before, so tomorrow will be the first time. We’re definitely pinching ourselves.

You mentioned you haven't played “Funny Valentine” yet. Is that the track you’re most excited to play, or is there an oldie that you're especially excited to bring back? Or is there another new track you're looking forward to bringing to the stage?

AE: There's an older song called “Utah” that I could see being really fun to play in that kind of a canyon environment. All the kind of, I don't know, road trippy songs that seem fun to play at Red Rocks — the one called “Flagstaff”. But I'm very excited to do a brand new one there. I love playing all the new ones just because it's fresh for me and I don't really have the muscle memory yet, so I'm still kind of trying to not f*** it up.

Going back to the title of the project as well as the title track—you mentioned that it’s based on a story from high school. Was there something about that moment or the phrase “Stick & Poke” that made you feel like it encompassed the project as a whole?

AE: We were between Stick & Poke and Different Songs, but Sal said it best: “Some songs stick and some songs poke.” Some stick with you, while others poke the bear a little bit—they have more angst, bite, and regret. In that abstract, kind of silly way, the name just felt like it worked.

Jumping to the end of the EP, “Dance to Different Songs” feels like the most sonically different track from the rest. Most of the project is pretty high-energy, so the mellow fingerpicking feels like a great way to close it out. Did you always know that it would be the closer, or did that come together later?

AE: It's kind of an as-it-happens thing for us. “Dance to Different Songs” just became apparent as the best way to close out five songs, and it seemed like the best way to leave it open-ended. But also, we try not to overthink things, and it felt like a nice breath of fresh air after the first four tracks. It also fits within the theme of the project — sometimes love doesn’t work out, and you have to be okay with it. You just keep moving.

Describe your ideal scenario for someone listening to this EP for the first time. What are they doing, who are they with, what's the weather like and what do you hope they take away from it?

AE: I think it’s a project that could really work if your heart’s a little broken — whether it’s fresh or you’re coming out on the other side. A lot of the project has to do with love and love going sour, so I think it’s for anyone grieving something that could’ve been wherever they may be. In the car, walking to work, wherever. I just hope it helps people see that nobody’s perfect, yourself included, but there’s still plenty of time to figure it out. 

Stick & Poke is now available for your listening pleasure across streaming and you can catch them on The Late Check Out Tour kicking off October 14th!