Social Hero

Artist Information

Biography

With a sound as brash and high-octane as their native New York City, Social Hero is poised to assume the role of this generation’s foremost rock revivalists.

"Social Hero is the first band in a long time to redefine rock music."
- Jason Corsaro
http://allmusic.com/artist/jason-corsaro-p66648/credits

Founded in 1998 by singer/guitarist David Lloyd and bassist Brandon Lotti, Social Hero is a devout rocker’s ideal mix of classic, metal, alternative and progressive rock. It was a combination made tighter when guitarist Griffin Lotti returned to New York in 2007, and again in February 2009 when drummer Derek Schildkraut joined the group.

“When we all play together at a gig or even just rehearsing, it gets intense,” says Lloyd. “The audience certainly comes into play with that too. Really, anybody who’s giving off energy helps add to the total level, and that’s how we achieve Rock-Insanity at every show!”

“Social Hero exhibits the uncanny knack for anchoring a hard rock groove around the ability to reach further than your average rock band would even dream of going.”
- Mike SOS, The Deli Magazine

Instrumentation

David Lloyd - Lead Vox, Guitar
Griffin Lotti - Lead Guitar
Brandon Lotti - Bass
Derek Schildkraut - Drums
Ian Lloyd - Vox & Toys

Discography

Social Hero Demos 2000, 2002, 2003 & 2005

Debut album, "The Famous," (released 5/2009)

Links

• Facebook
• Last.fm
• Twitter
• MySpace

Audio

• Evening Gown
  Listen  
• Gone
  Listen  
• Recognized
  Listen  
• Keep Telling Yourself
  Listen  

Video

GONE

Photo Gallery

Press

• Pump your fist in the air & have a guilty-free good time - Feb 2010 [+ Show ]
  

  It wasn’t long ago that things were simpler. Some folks just wanted to hear a band tear through ... It wasn’t long ago that things were simpler. Some folks just wanted to hear a band tear through crunchy guitar riffs and sing along with the words, maybe pump their fist in the air and have a guilty-free good time. Those days are scarce in 2010, even as bands look back for inspiration. Formed in New York City in 1998, Social Hero holds fast to rock music made in a simpler, rawer fashion - rife with catchy hooks and sweet choruses. Fun and simple may be a thing of the past, and maybe it will return, but *The Famous* has one foot in the eighties and one in the nineties. Its sugary choruses and bouncing guitar lines have trouble in a world of Auto Tune and music mired in fake, displaced emotions. “Evening Gown” rips the lid off *The Famous* for better or worse, a song that most likely sounds better live and loud than confined to a CD. But “On My Own” really makes the case for the band, albeit a song which leans on AC/DC riffage and Yes-like vocals. “Recognized” follows close behind but for all of Social Hero’s catchy melodies they’re better off with the angst, notably the heavy crush of “Mosquito Attack.” It’s hard to place the band somewhere; Social Hero isn’t as varied as Living Coulour crica 1988 and *The Famous *sounds like too many things at once. It’s hard not to see the band as a nostalgia trip versus a throwback band with an identity crisis. Social Hero might be too varied in 2010, maybe too straightforward in a time when people want thin meaning in fake music. Should hard rock and actual singing make a comeback Social Hero seem ready to take charge of it.
  
  
  Brian Tucker

• Homage to the heyday of Arena Rock - Feb 2010 [+ Show ]
  

  Social Hero–The Famous: The band pays homage to the heyday of Arena Rock with their locked guitar so...Social Hero–The Famous: The band pays homage to the heyday of Arena Rock with their locked guitar solos and straightforward driving drums. They infuse their sound with undertones of today’s indie music. A musical assault, “Evening Gown,” begins the album and is radio-friendly, but recounts primal nature’s sexual lust. ”Mosquito Attack” and “Gone” are full-on anthems devoted to their Arena Rock forte. The band, however, is capable of pulling of darker tracks (“Recognized”) all the while squeezing in some uptempo bits of punk and squealing guitars. 4.0 McRiprock’s www.socialhero.com

• If you’ve ever wondered what a collaboration between America and Black Sabbath might sound like… - Feb 2010 [+ Show ]
  

  I’m always intrigued when members of an established group take on side projects or solo albums. Wha...I’m always intrigued when members of an established group take on side projects or solo albums. What drove them to it? A need for more control, a desire for change, simple boredom? After all, it must be pretty frustrating to be a creative artist working in a field where the folks with the money (labels and consumers alike) mostly demand a consistent product that satisfies pre-existing expectations.
  
  These thoughts come to mind when listening to New York quintet Social Hero, simply because these guys don’t seem to have gotten the memo, genre-pigeonholing-wise. It’s obvious enough that they’re classic rock savants, but beyond that broad description they are all over the map stylistically, evidencing equal affection for riff-heavy rock, grinding heavy metal, and complex, lilting prog.
  
  By the time you get through the first three tracks, SH has hit you with anthemic hard rock (opener “Evening Gown”), a cut that mixes a punk edge with power-pop harmonies and progressive dynamics (“Better Days”), and a riff-and-harmony-heavy workout that reminds a bit of Mott The Hoople in the way it manages to be both glammy and distinctly progressive in its shifts of tempo and tone (“Gone”).
  
  “On My Own” continues in the latter vein, adding a bit of Jet-ish grit and flash to the thundering arrangement. “Recognized” goes heavier yet, turning the proceedings in a distinctly metal direction before the guys regroup for “Mosquito Attack,” a harmonies-and-acoustics mid-tempo number with a folk-rock feel – well, until the song busts out into a bruising hard rock chorus, before falling back again. If you’ve ever wondered what a collaboration between America and Black Sabbath might sound like… well, you have a richer imagination than I do.
  
  The closing trio do nothing to resolve the stylistic ADD Social Hero exhibits on The Famous, but there are undeniably entertaining moments to be found in the guitar heroics of “Runaway,” the Guns N’ Roses opening and hyperactive tempo of “Radioactive Man,” and the dreamy, Queen-meets-Yes dynamics of closer “Keep Telling Yourself.”
  
  The band’s bio is as intriguing as its range. Brothers Griffin and Brandon Lotti hold down the lead guitar and bass slots, while lead vocalist/second guitarist David Lloyd only has to turn his head to catch up with Dad, because said parental unit is background vocalist Ian Lloyd, former lead voice of the ’70s group Stories. The drum kit was manned for this disc by Ray Odabashian, since replaced by Derek Schildkraut.
  
  This family affair forms a powerhouse unit with unlimited potential – the question is, will they find a musical focus, or continue to genre-hop like the connoisseurs they clearly are? There are good arguments to be made on either side of that dilemma; how the band resolves it may well determine their fate. For now, they’ve made an album that, for all the questions it leaves unanswered, is undeniably entertaining.
  
  by Jason Warburg

• Review "the famous" May 4th 2009 [+ Show ]
  

  Social Hero seamlessly unites throbbing hard rock, complex progressive elements, and edgy pop hooks ...Social Hero seamlessly unites throbbing hard rock, complex progressive elements, and edgy pop hooks on the 10-track debut titled The Famous. Perhaps those musical twists come naturally because of the personal bonds linking members of this New York City-based quintet. Lead guitarist Griffin Lotti is the brother of bassist
  Brandon Lotti, and vocalist/guitarist David Lloyd is the son of singer-songwriter
  Ian Lloyd. Of course, David's dad has earned some gold-plated credentials in the rock 'n' roll world: Ian sang Stories' soulful 1973 smash "Brother Louie" and he harmonized on Foreigner's chart-topping albums. Listening to father and son singing together on The Famous, it's easy to appreciate these trans-generational voices
  blending perfectly across time and musical landscapes.
  Propelled by Ray Odabashian's percussion attack, "Evening Gown" and
  "Gone" explode with power chords flowing into Anglo-pop melodies that are pierced by
  searing guitar leads. Showing the influence of Yes at their prog-rock peak, "Keep Telling Yourself" bursts with eight minutes of soaring choirboy harmonies and virtuoso instrumental passages. Equally mesmerizing is "Runaway," a
  six-minute stream of textured folk-rock and progressive rock, capped by a torrid electric guitar break. "Recognized" and "Better Day" represent the quintet's heaviest side, as Griffin Lotti unleashes more fiery guitar licks.
  For fans of hard-chiseled pop, Social Hero delivers "On My Own," which features stellar vocal harmonies and a catchy chorus. And the band reconnects glitter rock to sci-fi lyrics on "Radioactive Man," an irresistible brew of guitar
  chords, lead riffs, bass lines and power drumming. David Lloyd would be continuing his family's tradition of singing on chart-topping discs with "Radioactive Man," if today's radio stations possessed a flicker of the pop record
  sensibility that rocketed Ian Lloyd and Stories to the No. 1 spot in the 1970s.
  
  
  by Joseph Tortelli
  http://www.gemmzine.com/j/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=94:social-hero-qthe-famousq&catid=28:cd-reviews&Itemid=28

• "Something fresh has arrived in this world." June 2009 [+ Show ]
  

  SOCIAL HERO brings us The Famous – if this is heralding “in a Renaissance of Rock and Roll” bring i...SOCIAL HERO
  brings us The Famous – if this is heralding “in a Renaissance of Rock and Roll” bring it on & pass the ‘shrooms please - smooth guitars – smoother harmonies – a rhythm section mapping out dreams. Something fresh has arrived in this world. This is seriously sweet, delicious in fact. Remember Genesis?
  
  (http://www.nywaste.com/nyw_main/music/StarrTucker/June09Starr.html)

• Social Hero [+ Show ]
  

  When you're the singer of a rock band and your father wants to sing backups, what do you do? If you'...When you're the singer of a rock band and your father wants to sing backups, what do you do? If you're Social Hero frontman David Lloyd and your dad is Ian Lloyd--who sang the Stories' 1973 radio hit, 'Brother Louie'--it's not the worst problem to have. The group's new five-song demo demonstrates a taste for power-pop hooks, crunchy guitars and arty embellishments.

• the quintet mixes fat riffs with libidinous lyrics [+ Show ]
  

  Anyone up for a second helping of Warrant’s “Cherry Pie?” That’s not exactly what Social Hero serves...Anyone up for a second helping of Warrant’s “Cherry Pie?” That’s not exactly what Social Hero serves up, mind you—this is no ironic hair-metal pose—but insofar as the quintet mixes fat riffs with libidinous lyrics, its music recalls the simple pleasures of rock’s pre-grunge era. On “Evening Gown,” the best of the group’s MySpace offerings, singer David Lloyd dreams of tearing through the titular garment, while “Mosquito Attack,” a nod to ‘80s Aerosmith, finds the front man poised to spend a night nibbling on his special lady’s face.
  Lest anyone think the band is only inspired by schlock, “Keep Telling Yourself” reveals an affinity for Queen and ‘70s power pop—influences always deserving of the revivalist treatment.
  
  — Kenneth Partridge
  (Published on Thu, 15 Oct 2009)

• The band even juggles effects within songs: The 5-minute-plus opus “Better Day” comes across as a bona fide power ballad, yet with Led Zep guitar crunch. [+ Show ]
  

  By Jay N. Miller For The Patriot Ledger Posted Apr 02, 2010 @ 01:21 PM Social Hero, which ... By Jay N. Miller
  For The Patriot Ledger
  Posted Apr 02, 2010 @ 01:21 PM
  
  Social Hero, which performs at Church in Boston tonight, is the New York City quintet led by singer/songwriter David Lloyd. Helping out on vocals is father Ian Lloyd, whom rock fans may remember as the frontman for Stories, the 1970s band that had the No. 1 platinum single “Brother Louie” in 1973.
  
  Social Hero, formed in 1998 when David Lloyd and his high school buddy Brandon Lotti began jamming together, has just released its first full-length album, “The Famous,” on Machine Dream Records. Their music is built on a solid foundation of classic rock, nodding towards bands like Led Zeppelin, Cream, King Crimson and Queen. But the quintet also displays ample evidence that these young musicians grew up when punk rock and grunge were major parts of the musical landscape.
  
  Take for instance, the tune “Radioactive Man,” an arty-progressive rock melody delivered with punk fury, as if Procol Harum was pollinated with Green Day.
  
  Or consider the song “On My Own,” in which the hard-rocking drive of Aerosmith is mixed with some of the majesty of Led Zeppelin’s quieter work. How can you classify “Recognized,” which melds arena rock dynamics with grungy, punky energy, as if Eddie Vedder had joined Cream? The band even juggles effects within songs: The 5-minute-plus opus “Better Day” comes across as a bona fide power ballad, yet with Led Zep guitar crunch.
  
  “I do have a different perspective on the business, since I’ve been going to sessions with my dad from a young age,” said David Lloyd from his New York City home. “I’ve been going to studios and even gigs with my dad, as well as having the benefit of all his stories, so I guess that has to give me a leg up in experience.”
  
  Ian Lloyd, whose voice was often compared to Rod Stewart’s, still performs, and has released six solo albums, including 2009’s “In the Land of O-de-Po.” The current version of Ian Lloyd and Stories includes David Lloyd on keyboards.
  
  “My father has definitely been there supporting us since high school, when Brandon and I were best friends and began playing our own songs together,” said David Lloyd. “About a year after forming the band, we lost our drummer, who had been our singer as well, so we decided maybe we could stick my dad behind the amps and have him sing. Brandon’s younger brother Griffin Lotti joined us in 2002 on lead guitar, and we began to progress by leaps and bounds musically. Derek Schildkraut became the drummer a year ago, and we’re sounding better than ever.”
  
  The cross-generational roots of Social Hero no doubt contribute to their styles.
  
  “You can cite someone as an influence, ultimately, only if you are aware of it,” said David Lloyd. “But really, I think anything you listen to can influence you.”
  
  One reason that Social Hero’s music is such a tasty blend of styles is that all five members share the songwriting. While David Lloyd brought the bulk of the CD’s songs into the studio, the finished product is a communal effort.
  
  “The Famous” is on Machine Dream Records, a label owned by Ian and David Lloyd. In the new music business paradigm, acts can be better off on such a small, self-owned indie label than chasing after major-label stardom.
  
  Ian Lloyd, 63, still has formidable vocal chops, and the harmonies he can achieve with his son, on songs like “Better Day,” for example, are extraordinary in the way that only family harmony can be. David is happy to have his father along, and says he isn’t intimidated by singing next to him each night.
  
  Tonight’s show is a four-band bill featuring Roman Traffic, a Boston band that has become friends with Social Hero, along with The Luxury and The Lights Out. Church is at 69 Kilmarnock St. in Boston, not far from Fenway Park. All tickets are $8, and the show opens at 8:30 p.m., with Social Hero leading off. The album is available through cdbaby.com, iTunes, or through the band’s Web site, www.socialhero.com.
  
  Copyright 2010 The Patriot Ledger. Some rights reserved

Setlist

Social Hero has played hundreds of sets all over the northeast, including tours from Boston to DC and points westward as far as Chicago. A typical set list will consist mostly of original music, although they frequently throw in a cover or two.

If the occasion allows, the band will play about 2 hours of original music and cover tunes. Thus is their love for rock&roll.

Covers range from the Beatles to Spacehog, Zeppelin to Radiohead. The boys do pretty rad covers of Helter Skelter, Ziggy Stardust, ELO's Don't Bring Me Down; you name it, they rock it.

Basic Requirements

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