The Breezeway

LISBON— Packing the midway stage at the Columbiana County Fair for the sixth year in a row on Thursday night was former local band The Breezeway, now of Nashville, Tenn.

According to lead guitarist Roy Henceroth, the fair is one of their biggest shows, and they have a lot of fun while there. And fun they did have performing in front of their still-sizable fan base, for over an hour.

“I thought they were really good,” said fan Tyler Freeland. “It’s one of the many (shows) I’ve been to of theirs.”

Since their inception in 1996, The Breezeway has opened for acts The Clarks, Sponge, Winger, Days of New, and they even have performed at a political dinner for talk-show host Jerry Springer. But before they could grace the stage before these acts they had to work out all the kinks in the breezeway of founding members Roy and drummer Jesse Henceroth’s childhood home. This breezeway practice space would give the band their unusual name.

For nine years the Henceroths fielded a solid lineup, but after the departure of their original bass player they were in need of some new blood. They found it last year with Jared Lawrence. Not long after his joining the band, Roy, Jesse and Jared packed up and headed toward Nashville.

But all their time hasn’t been spent playing music to the Nashville rock crowds; instead they have been networking with others in the music industry.

They have done this through various mediums including the popular myspace.com and music promoting groups like Tinderbox, that help promote small-time bands in their quest for big-time success. Myspace.com has helped the band reach number five in the top alternative bands in Nashville.

The band members don’t stop their Internet promoting with myspace, they are also in the middle of starting a street team, which already has at least 20 members. According to Lawrence, the band plans to award one member of their street team with $100 at a big show in their area. Winners will be chosen depending upon the amount of promoting they have done for the band.

The Breezeway recently licensed 11 songs to MTV to be featured on the shows “Made” and “My Super Sweet 16.” Their 11 licensed songs made a record at MTV, as they became the first band to license that many songs off one CD.

The band is currently in the studio recording their eighth album titled “Surgery For Indie” on their own label, Prestigious Records. Their producer Chris Mara is no stranger to making great records, having produced bands like the Gin Blossoms. This new release also could feature guest vocals by former Judas Priest lead singer Tim Owens. Owens’ life was the backstory for the motion picture “Rockstar,” starring Mark Walhburg and Jennifer Aniston.

Following the release of “Surgery For Indie,” the band plans to send the album to college radio stations and take a second trip to Europe next year, touring at least three countries. During their first European tour The Breezeway played only in Nice, France, but on this upcoming tour they plan to perform in Germany and the United Kingdom, along with France.

The Breezeway is producing small up-and-coming bands, both in Nashville and the area that they still call home. Two of the local bands being produced by The Breezeway are OHM and The Professors.

The Breezeway can be heard on college radio with songs from their seventh album “The Red LP.”
- The mourning Journal (by Renee Coleman)