Heavy The Fall

High Hopes for Heavy the Fall

By Natalie Ciesla
Issue date: 2/1/08
Section: Arts & Culture

Chicago has yet again produced another great solid rock band hailing from the North Side, calling themselves Heavy The Fall. Their music could be described as catchy with a rockdriven
background filled with distinctive guitar riffs, complimenting tight bass lines, jamming percussion, and strong vocals that belt out compassionate lyrics to the crowd.
HTF consists of Daniel Graunke (lead vocals), Erik Kikke (lead guitar, vocals) Michael V(bass, vocals) and Jason Delismon (drums, percussion).They
released their debut E.P. in 2007. Charlie Benante, from the legendary metal band Anthrax, made a special guest appearance on the E.P., playing drums on all five tracks and also producing it. Check out Heavy The Fall at
heavythefall.com or myspace.
com/heavythefall.


Wright Times: How did Heavy The Fall
get their name?
Heavy The Fall: It's actually from a
Pearl Jam lyric that hit Mike
hard. For us, it summed up a lot
of what was going on in our lives
and surrounding experiences and
the world at the time we heard
it. It screamed something to us
about the state of the world, the
country, and the way things seem
to be going. Mother Nature is not
too happy with us right now.

WT: Describe HTF's sound.
HTF: We try not to stay within
any limits. We have a broad range
of influences from music to life
experiences.

WT: Who are your musical
influences?
HTF: Collectively, Mad Season, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pink Floyd, Pearl Jam, Incubus, Leftsetter, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles,the list
can go on forever.

WT:Would you choose money or fame?
HTF:If popularity and fame is defined as doing nothing but writing and playing, then we would go with fame, however if we had the money we
could do nothing but write and play. So I guess that is a catch 22.

WT: How does it feel playing
in front of a crowd?
HTF:
energy, like sex only you still
feel good after the orgasm of playing
in front of a crowd.

WT: Where do you see the
band in five years?
HTF: Hopefully writing and
playing music for a worldwide audience.

WT: Any advice
for aspiring musicians?
HTF:Play your instrument as much as you can and don't listen to people with negative advice.
It's a given that there will be people that
never took a chance or a risk in life, so their natural response is negative. Play your heart out and forget everyone else, and remember "they" said The Beatles would never last.

WT: What was making the album like with Benante producing and playing drums?
HTF: It was great. We cut five songs in four days. Charlie is an extraordinary drummer and producer. It was unreal working with him. He had a lot of great ideas that made a huge difference in the sound.

WT: How important is it to sound amazing live as a band?
HTF: Very important however there are many factors that a band has no control over, so you try
and focus on playing the best despite any adverse conditions. Plus,people spend time and money to see you play so give them your best.

WT:
What's currently on your iPods?
HTF:
Dredg, Pink Floyd, Oversoul 13, Mindsight, Leftsetter, Cathedral, Pearl Jam, Premium, Unified
Theory, Janus, Wolfmother, Type O Negative, Terry Reid, Led Zeppelin.

WT: Can rock'n'roll save the
world?
HTF: Music can be a contributing factor in uniting people together, not just rock'n'roll. But it is up to us as the human race to group together and understand that petty differences need to be
cast aside and "real issues" need to be dealt with on this planet. We need to start putting things right in this world, reconnect as people, start using our resources wisely and redirect our energy beyond the illusion we are living in.

http://media.www.wrighttimes.net/media/storage/paper1129/news/2008/02/01/ArtsCulture/High-Hopes.For.Heavy.The.Fall-3198874.shtml


- Wright Times

By Michael Schmitt
For RedEye

August 8 2008

++++++++++++++++++++
Fate and destiny seem to guide Heavy the Fall, at least according to bassist Michael V.

He attributes fate for the many meetings that have propelled the band from an aspiration to the world-class heavy rock group they are today, including the chance connection with Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante.

Michael met Benante at his day job where they "instantly connected about music and life.

"We had known each other for a few years when I gave him early Heavy the Fall recordings to see what he thought," he said. "He called me within 20 minutes and said it was awesome,"

The band then asked Benante if he would produce their debut EP.

"He not only said yes, but offered to drum on the tracks," Michael said.

Thus was born their eponymous debut EP, with the legendary Anthrax drummer pounding away on all five songs.

"I don't think words can explain how we felt," Michael said. "Charlie brought out the best in the songs and in us. He has an exceptional ear for music."

Heavy the Fall formed through the fateful meeting of guitarist Erik Kikke and Michael outside a concert that neither of them had been able to get tickets to.

"We bonded right away," Michael said. "I really believe that Erik and I are musical soul mates."

The duo stayed together through the implosion of their first band, together building the guitar-driven Heavy the Fall, following the influences of Pearl Jam, Incubus and Dredg with lead vocalist Daniel Graunke and drummer Jason Delismon.

Delismon, a highly skilled drummer himself (scoring an endorsement from manufacturer Vic Firth), nonetheless sits out on the band's follow-up EP, due out this month, as Benante returns to record with the group.

"Charlie is playing drums and producing all five tracks again. ...We have made a commitment to Charlie, and him to us, that we will work on this together until the end," Michael said.

On Friday, Benante plays drums with Heavy The Fall in concert in Schaumburg.

Commitment and dedication of this sort, the "magic and chemistry" as Michael describes it, can only come through fate and destiny.

"The flow of it all is surreal."

[ Michael Schmitt is a RedEye special contributor. ] - Chicago Tribune Red Eye