AX AND THE HATCHETMEN

#HAPPENS VIP Access

Let’s meet Ax And The Hatchetmen.

Band Members:  Axel Ellis (guitarist/singer), Sal Defilippis (guitar), Hunter Olshefke (bass), Nick Deputy (drums), Phil Pistone (trumpet), Quinn Dolan (saxophone).

ARTIST Ax And The Hatchetmen
SONG “Blurry Lights”
LABEL Arista
ORIGIN Chicago

 

1. Please introduce yourself and give us the backstory on how the band got started.

My name is Axel Ellis, I play guitar and sing for Ax and the Hatchetmen. The band started in 2018 after reaching out to our now guitarist Sal on social media, who luckily happened to be friends with Hunter (bass), Nick (drums), and Quinn (sax). I then met our trumpet player Phil at a jazz conservatory that we both studied at in high school. For quite a few years we played bar gigs doing classic rock/blues covers and would travel to Memphis every year to be part of the international blues challenge before beginning to write original music and getting more into the alternative scene.

2. How would you describe your music?

I feel like it’s some combination between alternative rock & pop with hints of jazz, surf rock & blues.

3. Who are your biggest influences?

As a band, some of our biggest influences would have to be Hippo Campus, The Strokes, Cage The Elephant, & The Beatles.

4. What was the inspiration behind your current single, 'Blurry Eyes' with Albert Hammond Jr?

“Blurry Lights” was about a strange experience at the Van Gogh exhibit in Chicago a few years ago, it’s about not exactly having the fun time you thought you might be in for.

5. What would surprise people most about you?

Maybe that we’re from Chicago, as many people have guessed we’re from California.

|June 4th, 2025|