Michael Hilliard
& The Working Class

Behind the Music

In the late summer of 2016, Michael Hilliard was about to go under the knife and have major surgery, he was faced with being off his feet for at least three months. He was fresh off a breakup which left him down and out and not looking forward to what would lie ahead. Living on his own in Jersey City on the second floor didn’t leave him many options on where to recover and recuperate as to stay there would be next to impossible for him. There was only one place to turn. The house he grew up in that gave him much inspiration as a child with all its sounds and scenery. Staying with his loving parents Hilliard contemplated how he’d fill his time while being out of his normal routine of work and stepping out on weekends. Dealing with a broken heart, he decided to pick up his father’s old acoustic guitar that he learned to play on as a youngster. After years of music dormancy, he found new inspiration and songs started flowing out of him. Some months later and back to work and life as he knew it, he started recording the songs he had written. From there he posted an ad looking for musicians.

  Fast forward to 2018. He auditioned Robert Payes (bass guitar) through an ad. and Louis Iacobelli (drums) through an open mic. Things clicked among the three and the band was now in place. From there they rehearsed the songs, started playing open mic’s around Jersey City and booked their first few gigs before Covid-19 shut everything down. Months went by, missing the progress that the band was making, Michael had an idea as the pandemic restrictions started to loosen up. He recalled a chance meeting outside a local pub in JC before the band was formed.  (Enter producer John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr.) equipped with recordings saved on his phone, Michael stuck his phone in John’s ear. John liked the tune but also gave some criticism. After some laughs, they exchanged social media info and went their separate ways.) So Michael shot John message and once in contact, liquidated a sizable savings account a booked time with Agnello in the fall of 2020. 

   By that time the original drummer had moved on but bassist Payes was ready to record. Michael then reached out to his friend Frank Ocasio (Frank Ocasio Brother Band) who was playing with a dynamic drummer who he really enjoyed to watch during Frank’s live shows. Frank told Michael to give him a call.  After doing so, Peter Dentico agreed to help out on the session. Pro bono! A life long goal was taking shape. Come April of 2021 Michael Hilliard and The Working Class released their debut EP Nothing Changes.

   The line-up has since changed. Newest member Rogelio “RJ” Martin is on the bass and with Seth Pacini on the kit playing drums, both add a grooviness to Michael’s rootsy progressive style. With new music in the works while continuing to play live the NYC metro area, The Working Class are sure to be busy in the studio and pleasing crowds in the months and years to come.