The Fever

Rock music to move and groove to: that’s what fans want, and that’s what THE FEVER delivers. You Might Have Noticed, the debut EP from the five-piece ensemble from Tacoma, Washington, is full of infectious tracks that pack a heavy punch, with lyrics that make your mind work hard to keep up and rhythms that keep your feet moving. The EP was released by indie label Fueled By Ramen in December 2006, and has been widely praised by music critics.

Frontman William Beckett and drummer Andy “Butcher” Mrotek grew up on the same block and attended the same elementary and middle schools, but the two never spoke until their first day at Lincoln High School, when they were seated next to one another in homeroom. While making small talk to kill time and tune out their teacher, the two figured out that they had the same taste in music. Conversations about favorite artists turned to jam sessions, and, soon enough, the two were seeking out fellow musicians to put a band together. Enter Mike Carden and Adam Siska. Like Beckett and Mrotek, the two had dreams of making rock music for a living. Siska and Beckett had been rivals all throughout middle school (over a girl, of course!) but the two buried the hatchet for the sake of the others and their potential future as a band.

With Beckett on lead vocals, Carden on guitar, Siska on bass, and Mrotek on drums, the foursome got to work on putting some tracks together with a friend’s basement studio. Johnny Minardi, a scout for Fueled By Ramen, caught a performance by the unknown band at a friend’s party during the summer and knew there was something special about them. The band (tentatively called THE INVISIBLES at the time) was relatively pleased with the sound of their demo tracks, but they weren’t satisfied. Though Mike was terrific on the guitar by himself, the band as a whole decided that a second guitarist was needed to make their sound bigger and better and their chords and riffs as solid and hard-hitting as they were in their heads. Michael Guy Chislett, formerly of the now-defunct Breakup Shakeup, was in the market for a new band to work with, and was introduced to THE INVISIBLES by Tony Marino, who was a friend of Johnny Minardi’s, and who knew Chislett from selling merch for Breakup Shakeup before the band split in 2004. Chislett’s experience, guitar skills, and passion for the music were just what THE INVISIBLES needed, and with the addition of a fifth member, the band officially changed their name to THE FEVER, and a few weeks after that summer party, the band was in the studio recording their EP. Word of mouth had quickly gotten the band’s name out, and their EP was widely anticipated by fans of other Fueled By Ramen artists, such as Fall Out Boy and Less Than Jake. After its release, You Might Have Noticed was one of the biggest-selling EPs in the history of Fueled By Ramen.

Having good material is very important, but if a band doesn’t put on an entertaining live show to perform and showcase that material, they tend to fall flat. THE FEVER need not worry about that; their live show is nonstop fun. Beckett never seems to need (or want) a break, and he, as the frontman, exerts the most energy out of all of them on stage. His sassy stage presence suits him and the band well. The band’s sound is in your face, but through Beckett’s boyish charm, it’s smooth. Beckett’s sex appeal is through the roof, and he flaunts it often, but underneath that smirk and his sometimes cocky lyrics is a boy who is opening his heart and his mind to the public in the most raw way possible. His vulnerability makes him a real person in the eyes of his fans, not just a rockstar they idolize who presents himself as larger than life.

The five members of THE FEVER get along remarkably well outside of the band, and fans really enjoy seeing the camaraderie amongst them. It makes them more appealable and relatable. Not one member of the band ever exerts seniority over the others or their fans. In an industry where so many people are out simply to make money, it’s refreshing to see an emerging band care about and put so much effort into the music and their fans.

While it’s not always easy to put your finger on it, there’s definitely something very special about the five members of THE FEVER, both individually and as a whole. Each member gives 110% on their respective instruments, and their personalities merge together almost effortlessly, as if they were meant to be in a band together all along. With a complete lineup and a whole lot of talent, passion, and heart, THE FEVER is ready and willing to, and capable of rocking the worlds of music lovers everywhere, one infectious hook and witty one-liner at a time.