Fiction 20 Down

When Wes Anderson left his full-time job in Chicago for Baltimore to pursue his passion for music and join Fiction 20 Down back in 2012, he knew the risks involved.

“Any aspiring artist or someone that’s pursuing a professional career in entertainment, it’s tough,” said Anderson, a 2005 Anthony Wayne graduate. “There’s a reason why almost nobody makes it because most people can’t handle it, and they quit before they even get a chance.”

While Anderson has certainly experienced a few low moments over the past two years with Fiction 20 Down, he didn’t quit. Now the collective persistence and dedication of he and his band mates to their craft is starting to pay off.

In addition to fulfilling a personal dream of being sponsored by PRS Guitars in 2013, this year Anderson and Fiction 20 Down signed with manager Jeff Rabhan of Trifecta Ltd., gained representation from Stephen Brush and IAA (International Artists Agency) and also received multiple nominations for The Maryland Music Awards.

“It’s a constant mental battle in a sense, and it really just is up to how bad you want it and what you’re willing to do to keep pursuing it,” Anderson said of trying to find stability in the music industry. “It’s really cool to see some things starting to happen and start to get some recognition.”

An international consultant, music executive and artist manager, Rabhan serves as Chair of the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. His clientele has included Kelly Clarkson, Jermaine Dupri and Michelle Branch, among others, while artists he’s represented have sold over 100 million records and received more than 12 GRAMMY awards to date.
Fiction 20 Down Halfway There 2014 tour dates.

Fiction 20 Down Halfway There 2014 tour dates.

“We were persistent,” Anderson said of courting Rabhan, a relationship the band started to pursue over a year ago. “We kept doing our thing, and six months or so later we hit him up again and we’re like, ‘Hey. We’ve been growing. We’ve got some new music. Just want to revisit this,’ and then he was just like, ‘Let’s do it.’”

IAA, meanwhile, has a roster that includes hip hop mainstays like Timbaland, Wu-Tang Clan and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.

“We kind of just had to build our own following and build our own buzz to the point where we could grab the attention of agencies like that,” Anderson said of Fiction 20 Down. Still independent, the band has built a loyal following of more than 11,000 Facebook fans and nearly 11,000 Twitter followers through national touring, YouTube music videos and constant fan interaction. “Part of the benefit of having a great manager [like Rabhan] is being able to use his network and build new relationships as a result of that, so it’s kind of a combination of that.”

Featuring Anderson (lead guitar), Jordan Lally (lead vocals, guitar), D.J. Fritzges (bass, DJ), Andre Toney (drums, emcee) and Justin Beall (sound/tech/tour manager), Fiction 20 Down will bring its fusion of rock, reggae, and hip hop back to Northwest Ohio on Sept. 26 when it performs at Martini & Nuzzi’s in Maumee as part of its “Halfway There” tour.

“They’re just as stoked, too,” Anderson said of the band’s Sept. 26 gig, Fiction 20 Down’s first show back in Northwest Ohio since playing at Howard’s Club H in Bowling Green in 2012. “It’s almost sort of like our second hometown because every time we come back it’s just like a big party and everyone’s always stoked.”

Fiction 20 Down is also stoked about the new music it has been working on, a yet-to-be-determined release to follow up the band’s 2013 debut LP “Where’s the Levity?” and March mixtape “The PM Side.”

“We have almost a whole full length of material ready to go,” Anderson said. “We are talking to some labels and things like that, so we want to make sure when we put it out it’s going to have the biggest impact possible.”

With an experienced management team, a loyal fan base that’s more like family and a band that’s more like brothers, that impact is shaping up to be a significant one for Anderson and Fiction 20 Down.

“It’s really cool to see some results starting to come out of all the work we’ve been putting in for years now,” Anderson said. “At times you ask yourself, ‘Is anybody listening? Is this really paying off?’ And then when it rains it pours, you know?”

Fiction 20 Down will perform on Sept. 26 at Martini & Nuzzi’s, located at 6023 Manley Road in Maumee. There will be a $5 cover and the show starts at 7 p.m. For more information, call (419) 865-7967. - Toledo Free Press

Coming almost a year after the release of their second full-length album Where’s The Levity, which you can buy right here, Baltimore based hip-hop, alt-rockers, Fiction 20 Down releases a FREE 5-song EP entitled The PM Side.

Once again, F20D teams up with New Orleans based producer Prospek for production, mixing and mastering, as well as front man, Jordan Lally, doing some of the production work for the mixtape. The EP features four new songs and one rendition of the song “Neighbor’s Cup” as a Prospek remix. As I’ve seen these guys progress, they have done so by trying new sounds and introducing more genres to their original work.

“We typically have hip-hop elements in all of our studio material, but we wanted to more fully realize that with the new mix-tape. We took advantage of some remix work we did with Prospek, some hip-hop productions I had done during my past studio work in Baltimore; and rounded things out with a new full-band reggae/hip-hop song we’ve recently been playing live called ‘Doubting Tom’ – we put it all together and created the ‘The PM side’ EP!”

This mix-tape will not only feature the usual suspects of Jordan Lally on vocals and guitar, DJ Fritzges on bass, and Wes Anderson on guitar, but it will also feature drummer Dre Toney on drums and vocals as well as Chris Massaro on guitar for the song “V.I.P.”

You can pick up the mix-tape EP for FREE by clicking HERE!

Track Listing
1) On & On
2) V.I.P.
3) Doubting Tom
4) Up, Up, and Away
5) Neighbor’s Cup (Prospek Remix) - The Pier

Release Date: April 30th, 2013
Website: F20D Website


Group Background:
Fiction 20 Down or F20D, is a 5 piece band from Baltimore, MD. Band members include, Jordan Lally as vocalist and guitar, D.J. Fritzges on the bass, Andre Toney drums and vocals and Wes Anderson on lead guitar. Jordan Lally writes the songs, while Andre Toney adds a hip hop flow as well as background vocals. F20D puts an emphasis on giving back and have played over 30 charitable benefit concerts. The album “Where’s the Levity” was released on April 30th; also recorded in Baltimore, MD as well as was produced by Jordan Lally and co-produced by Drew Mazurek. They have a rock/alternative sound that is upbeat and fun to groove to.


Album Review:
The album “Where’s the Levity?” starts off strong with track #1, “Down Like Hip-Hop”. This is a catchy, upbeat song with smooth vocals and hard beats bumping with a catchy chorus. You can’t help but move as Andre Toney also adds an edge with his hip hop flow, contributing to the overall good feeling of the song, making this playful tune one of my favorites off the album.

The song “Mr. Sunshine”, showcases the bands rock talents with great guitar skills shown by Wes Anderson. “Lead me on”, is the first of several slower paced songs & Jordan’s vocal skills are as lovely as the song is sultry. The transition between the slow songs were well done and you’ll feel some energy brought back with “The Goodness”

The album ends with “All Falls Down”, a sweet song, which is easy to sway to, not super energetic, but just an overall dulcet of musical elements brought by each member of the band.

As a whole, the energy level falls short of that first track “Down Like Hip-Hop” as there is a slight slump and loses some vitality. Although I spun the album several times to give it a good listen, it did start to grow on me more, with the albums catchy hooks. “Where’s the Levity”, from start to finish, showcases the range of talent that F20D is capable of incorporating with so many elements from so many genres. One of the best things about this album is that it is also available on their website for FREE! - The Pier

Baltimore band Fiction 20 Down is not any ordinary indie band. Rather they push the envelope, and do so successfully, by blending various genres like rock, pop, hip-hop and reggae, and together with their energetic live performances, the band has built a growing fan base from the northeast to the southern tip of Florida, and increasingly, across the United States.

With the recent completion of the “ideal band line-up,” and the success of their debut album, Where’s The Levity, dropped on April 30th, the stage has been set for F20D’s 15-city tour that kicks off at the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, New Jersey today, June 20th. The five-week tour will take the band as far south as Florida for a series of shows through the end of July. If you happen to be in Vero Beach for the Fourth of July, don’t miss the band’s electrifying performance at Filthy McNasty’s.

Following a string of shows throughout south Florida, from June 28th to July 9th, and a show on July 10th at Bourbon Street in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the band will take a week off before setting out to perform another series of shows in the mid-Atlantic states of Maryland and Virginia starting on July 17th. F20D will wrap up their five-week tour on July 26th with an appearance at Bill Bateman’s in Perry Hall, Maryland.

The band’s sound has been compared to popular 90′s groups like Sublime and 311, but Fiction 20 Down, are unlike any band you’ve ever heard. They take their art form a step further with a more pronounced infusion of genre-mixing, compelling songwriting, clever instrumentation, and enticing vocalizations, creating an overall original sound that is unmistakably all their own.

Baltimore band Fiction 20 Down is not any ordinary indie band. Rather they push the envelope, and do so successfully, by blending various genres like rock, pop, hip-hop and reggae, and together with their energetic live performances, the band has built a growing fan base from the northeast to the southern tip of Florida, and increasingly, across the United States.

With the recent completion of the “ideal band line-up,” and the success of their debut album, Where’s The Levity, dropped on April 30th, the stage has been set for F20D’s 15-city tour that kicks off at the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, New Jersey today, June 20th. The five-week tour will take the band as far south as Florida for a series of shows through the end of July. If you happen to be in Vero Beach for the Fourth of July, don’t miss the band’s electrifying performance at Filthy McNasty’s.

Following a string of shows throughout south Florida, from June 28th to July 9th, and a show on July 10th at Bourbon Street in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the band will take a week off before setting out to perform another series of shows in the mid-Atlantic states of Maryland and Virginia starting on July 17th. F20D will wrap up their five-week tour on July 26th with an appearance at Bill Bateman’s in Perry Hall, Maryland.

The band’s sound has been compared to popular 90′s groups like Sublime and 311, but Fiction 20 Down, are unlike any band you’ve ever heard. They take their art form a step further with a more pronounced infusion of genre-mixing, compelling songwriting, clever instrumentations, and enticing vocalizations, creating an overall original sound that is unmistakably all their own.

Front man and singer/songwriter, Jordan Lally, says that F20D aims to be more artistic, fresh and original than “just another indie band.” This sentiment is evident on Where’s The Levity. The album’s lead single, “Down Like Hip Hop,” is a perfect example of the band’s experimentation with incorporating hip-hop and other genres together not as a gimmick, but as an exploration of a new musical style. The song, which is a favorite amongst Fiction 20 Down’s growing fan base, and a crowd pleaser at live shows, was a Song of the Day last month via our Twitter feed.

“Down Like Hip-Hop” – Fiction 20 Down from Where’s The Levity – April 30th

Lally said that Where’s The Levity is the first time he has incorporated “sampled drum loops, aka, hip hop beats,” as part of the songwriting process, and infused them into songs such as “Down Like Hip-Hop,” “Money Come, Money Go,” and “Lead On Me.” Lally said that the band plans to expand even more on infusing hip-hop into their live shows.

“For the shows on the upcoming tour,” Lally said, “we plan to use a backing drum track from some of those songs and allow Dre (drummer Andre “Dre” Toney) to come out from behind the drum kit to show off his MC skills displayed on the new LP and bring a fresh and interesting edge to the live show.”

Lally’s own vocal transitions, which range from pop-influenced crooning to rhythmic emcee-style singing, are complimented by Dre’s soulful harmonies and deep vocals to create a perfect balance in the band’s overall sound that comes across nicely on their recordings and in their live performances. With the added skills of Wes Anderson‘s brilliant guitar riffs and the groove-rich bass playing of D.J. Frtizges, F20D have emerged as a band to watch in 2013.

“The band members get along great,” Lally said. “We have the same priorities, objectives, lack of ego and work ethic. We don’t have the problems that plague some other bands as far as egos, fights, drinking and drugs.”

Lally brings a unique perspective to music as a former professional producer and engineer. When he opened his own studio some years ago to work with independent bands, he had a nagging desire.

“The more I produced and engineered for bands,” Lally said, “the more I wanted to be on the other side of the glass. So, I started playing the guitar and wrote a few acoustic-based albums with a friend who was a session guitarist. And things just evolved from there.” In 2008 and 2009, Lally recorded a couple of acoustic albums, but he considers the real beginning of F20D to have started with the 2010 release of the debut EP, Let It Ride, followed a year later by their second EP, Do Not Feed The Radio.

“Say So Long” – Fiction 20 Down from Do Not Feed The Radio

Since the release this past April of Where’s The Levity, the debut LP has been warmly welcomed by the band’s loyal following of fans, and also hailed by the music press. Skope Magazine called the band’s sound “an incredibly cool brand of music” and Indie Music Review dubbed it a “delightful, upbeat rock fusion mix with pop, hip-hop, reggae, and pure rock.”

Currently, F20D are in the process of creating a number of new music videos. The music video for the crowd-pleasing “Down Like Hip-Hop,” directed by Rod Lopez of New Style Independent Pictures, was released in April to coincide with the release of the band’s debut LP. Plus, F20D are set to release another music video next month for their second single, “My Prisoner,” and are also currently in pre-production on yet another music video with Lopez for the track, “Mr. Sunshine.” The band’s second EP, Do Not Feed The Radio features the single, “Say So Long.” The music video (above) for the single has had over 165,000 views on YouTube.

“Some Beautiful Days” – Fiction 20 Down from Where’s The Levity

For music lovers craving original and unique music that combines pop and rock and reggae and hip-hop, and that is well-written, fresh, exciting, and superbly executed, Baltimore’s indie quartet Fiction 20 Down is a band that achieves all of that and more.

Download Where’s The Levity for free (until July 17th) from F20D’s official website and connect with the band on Facebook. - Indie Rock Cafe

Baltimore alt rock/hip-hop/reggae rockers Fiction 20 Down have recently announced the release of their new full length album titled "Where's The Levity?" on April 30th. What's even more special about it - they are releasing it for free! The band is doing this as a way to say thanks to their fans who have relentlessly supported them over the years, which is extremely rare in this age of crowd-funding and fan-sourcing.levity

Webster's dictionary defines levity as "lightness of mind, character, or behavior; lack of appropriate seriousness or earnestness". The word couldn't be more appropriate for the vibe of the album, and is also necessary in today's state of economic and social turmoil. The album will prove to be the band's most eclectic effort to date with styles ranging from smooth hip-hop to alternative rock to funky dancehall reggae and even some punk influence.

The album will be available for a free download directly from their website www.f20d.com. The band will also be touring up and down the East Coast this Spring and will shortly be announcing their Summer tour plans. For a full list of dates you can go to www.f20d.com/shows.

Track Listing:
1) Down Like Hip-Hop
2) My Prisoner
3) Mr. Sunshine
4) Lead Me On
5) Some Beautiful Days
6) The Goodness
7) Money Come, Money Go
8) Need You To Know
9) All Falls Down

Additional Links:
www.facebook.com/fiction20down
www.twitter.com/fiction20down
www.youtube.com/fiction20down
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXtW7oZB460 - musicbailout.net