At the age of 21, Heather Maloney began her musical career performing as a jazz singer alongside Grammy nominee Hui Cox in Manhattan. Her varied musical interests over the years (Joni Mitchell, Bobby McFerrin, Billy Holiday, The Beatles, Phillip Glass, Ravi Shankhar) began to shape a sound that would become distinctly her own. After studying classical operatic vocals, classical Indian and jazz, she booked it up to the woods of Massachusetts to focus on her growing interest in meditation. Heather has been living at a meditation retreat center for the past two years, where her current album, Cozy Razor's Edge, has slowly brewed in her solitude - a compilation of folk/indie/pop-rock songs directly affected by her experiences in meditation.
Featured Track: "Let It Ache"
Click to Play
"I was sitting a week long silent meditation retreat and my heart was aching. For a couple of days I was coming up with a number of stories as to why it was aching. Then came a moment when I said to myself, 'Oh this is just heartache. I can be with this. I don't need to figure it out to make it go away.' This song serves as a reminder that suffering and pain is part of the human experience and it's OK. Not only is it OK, it's fertile ground to grow from." (Heather)
Haale (as in halle-lujah or jalepeno), is a Bronx-born woman of Iranian descent whose name means the 'halo around the moon.' Her "Psychedelic Sufi Trance Rock" songs are trance-inducing, rhythmically propulsive, and lyrically engaging tapestries that draws on both Persian mystical (including the works of Rumi) and American psychedelic musical traditions.
Haale's 2008 album No Ceiling got a slew of press and made the Boston Globe, Jambase, and Red Alert Top Album Lists of 2008. For more on Haale and to hear samples from her critically-acclaimed album be sure to visit her website and iTunes page.
Featured Track: "Off Duty Fortune Teller"
Click to Play
Lyrics Excerpt: Off duty fortune teller sitting by the side of the river / She got no beads, no crystal ball, and no umbrella / 'Cause she needs nothing but what's inside / She sees nothing but what's in front of her eyes
You may recall that several years ago guitarist Brian "Head" Welch left the Grammy Award-winning rock band Korn due in large part to his newfound faith in Jesus Christ and desire to stay off of drugs. In fact, RockOm had an interview with Head back in Februrary where he talked about his faith and new album.
Now, according to this article and interview with Beliefnet.com, "another member of the band, bassist Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu has come out publicly as a Christian and has co-authored a book, 'Got the Life: My Journey of Addiction, Faith, Recovery, and Korn.'"
As the article mentions, Fieldy has taken a different route in that his plans are to stay with the band.
"It's somewhat like peace, but it's not like you become a Christian and [your] problems go away. I still have my everyday struggles of life and situations that come my way. But I found the difference now is when difficult situations come my way, I'm on a strong foundation and I know how to handle the situation. I don't know how, but following and walking with Christ, He shows me how." (Fieldy)
Beliefnet entertainment editor Dena Ross spoke with Fieldy about "what brought him to embrace Christianity, how he plans to stay sober, and Korn's response to his conversion."
See the entire interview, "From Korn to Christ--Part 2: Interview with Fieldy," HERE at Beliefnet.com.
Music can be the glue that bonds people together from all walks of life. Even in death music can play a powerful role in celebrating life and remembering those who have passed on.
An old friend and a former band mate died a short time ago. Ralph Robinson never achieved fame and glory, yet he was quite the musician who loved music and his drums more than anything. By all accounts he was born to be a percussionist and from a very early age threw himself into his music performing in bands as a teenager, before heading off to a performing arts college to further pursue his passion. After college he went on to accomplish great things with his music, performing as a timpanist with the Salzburg Chamber Orchestra in Austria, the Berlin Philharmonic in Germany, and the New York Philharmonic.
After his stint as a classical performer he turned to the punk scene in NYC, giving up concert halls for the likes of CBGB’s and other notorious night clubs up and down the east coast. I first met him in the late 80s and we soon were playing hard-core Rock and Metal together on the road for several years.
He had requested there be no formal services or a funeral. Instead, he wanted his friends to come together and do what he loved most - play music. We did just that this past weekend in his hometown and remembered him as he wished. The nightclub hosting the reception was filled with his friends from all walks of life - black, white, young, and old came together and remembered him as he wished.
Ralph was the reason we were all there and music was the most appropriate way to celebrate. Celebrating his life in this way was far different than going to a funeral but gave closure at the same time. In fact that closure was given in a very powerful way because no one was sad - it was a celebration of his life. I think that's the way we will remember him from now on... through this celebration and his love for music.
As part of the healing process after a death we all grieve and have a strong desire to remember the most special moments in life we shared with the one(s) who have left us. We naturally gather as families and with friends and recall what we loved most about those people. Music plays an important role in all cultures and societies in not only celebrating birth, but in signifying death and transitioning. The circle is unbroken when we gather and use music as a healing source in remembering those who have gone on before us.
A Muslim music video, country-western style - "In December 2007, over 2,000 American Muslims were asked what they wished they could say to the world...." [RockOm note: Check this out - it's great!]
Stuart Davis isn’t afraid to say what he thinks, be it about his spiritual beliefs or exciting developments in his changing body.
As a longtime musician with 14 albums in his canon, he wanted to combine his passions of spirituality, sexuality, and music into a television show. The result is “Sex, God, Rock ’n' Roll,” which premièred April 26 on HDNet and also runs online.
“I wanted to make a a TV show that I would like to see,” Davis said. “It’s a specific kind of show that didn’t exist before.”
“Sex, God, Rock ’n’ Roll” takes elements from various comedy news sources. It begins with a humorous monologue, segues into a news segment, features a commercial parody, and ends with either a music video or a live performance. Davis stars in every segment. While the formula sounds familiar, the content is distinct.
“The format is a blend of ‘The Daily Show’ and [‘Saturday Night Live’], but it’s very focused on spirituality and sexuality,” Davis said. “You don’t find that in other formats.”
He said his appearance at the Mill will likely include reading, a music performance, and screening an episode of “Sex, God, Rock ’n’ Roll.”
Sunday’s broadcast, the show’s pilot, aired a monologue in which Davis described finding his first gray hair (wince alert: he’s bald) and a commercial hawking In-Shape Worm, a parasite that induces weight loss without diet or exercise.
As a long-time Zen Buddhist, Davis does not take a mainstream view of theology and spirituality, and he said the American religious landscape is often described in black and white and drawn with broad strokes.
“There’s a gap in our culture,” he said. “Either spirituality is fundamentalism or New Age — it’s very polarized. In our country, beliefs are much more nuanced.”
Instead, he said, he believes people inhabit numerous levels of spirituality during their lives.
“Why is it that when we look at education and philosophy, we know people develop, but when we look at religion, people don’t take the same idea to heart?” Davis said. He also said society typically views a certain religion as a horizontal line, but it would be more accurate to take that line and turn it vertically to create a ladder. In Christianity, for example, followers may view God as a magical deity or a mythical being, or they may use their religion as a means of fulfillment.
If such a schism exists in just one religion, Davis said, then in just one culture God can have innumerable meanings. This confusion was part of the reason he created his own language, IS, to encompass the different meanings a word may possess, he said.
“The language designates different depths to any signifier,” Davis said. “Nothing is just one single word.”
Though his worldview isn’t ambiguous, he said, he is not using his show as a means to convey any particular message. Life is a mystery, he said, and big questions can’t be decided with complete certainty.
“I don’t really have a specific agenda about spirituality or philosophy,” Davis said. “In basic terms, love is what it’s all about to me.”
House of Heroes is a Christian pop/rock band with an outstanding, critically-acclaimed album, The End is Not the End. Signed to Toby "TobyMac" McKeehan's label, Goatee Records, House of Heroes is making huge waves in the Christian and mainstream rock scenes alike.
Featured Track: "Lose Control"
"I was picturing an action film when I wrote 'Lose Control.' It's a song about the darker side of warfare and has to do with a double agent who has some intense things to do to get his job done while protecting others and his ideals. I was thinking about where the line is in God's eyes of justice and violence. When is there just violence? I think a lot of what the song deals with is that question. I don't know if it answers any questions; the question is the important part." (A.J. Babcock)
RockOm has posted a number of compelling articles and blog posts over the length of our existence that have since found their way into the inner archives. There are many new readers and users since those "early days" and so occasionally we will pull out old posts for you to read (or re-read) and meditate upon. Today's FLASHBACK is a sort of "rock n' roll motivational poem" by blogger Rick L.
"Its been a long time since I rock and rolled, Its been a long time since I did the stroll. Ooh, let me get it back, let me get it back, Let me get it back, baby, where I come from." [Plant/Page]
How long has it been
since you rock and rolled?
Has it been a while
since you did the stroll?
Perhaps your appetite for destruction
made your miss the Spotlight
and you have fallen off the stage.
Do you want to get back to where you came from?
Before the rigid rules and social conditioning began to define you,
there was the real you and your soul strutted.
Do you feel like that somehwere along the line your true-self became dazed and confused?
And you want to let your heart strut it's stuff and re-discover your inner-rock star?
Your inner- rock star is who you really are...
And you don't have to make the cover of Rolling Stone
to know you made it.
Robert Plant was a rock star long before he made it to the stage lights.
Come on, when he was four years old,
standing in front of the mirror
he held his sister's big, round, red hair brush
alone in his bedroom and
had a concert in his heart for 20,000 people.
And you don't need 20,000 adorning fans to let out your inner-rock star;
rebel against all that oppresses you soul and takes away the Divine image
in which you were created.
God is your #1 fan along with millions of angels all over heaven who stand and cheer
when you strut your into destiny.
Even if you were born in a small, hick-town in the middle of nowhere
to a poor momma and a dad who repaired small-engines
at the local lawn-mower repair shop,
you were created to PLAY LOUD.
It doesn't matter if the small-town locals think you are absurd
PLAY LOUD.
Don't allow them to stifle the sound of your soul.
Stand in front of your full-length mirror;
See yourself.
See beneath the surface of perceptions.
Imagine.
Crank up your soul's IPod
and listen to your heart.
Turn it up until it drowns out all the noises in your head.
Feel the music of your heart.
Let the music carry you back to where you Came from.
Dance.
Groove.
Stroll.
Perhaps you need to toss your TV set out the window along with all the false images
that attempt to tell you what you should be...
So that you can be who you really are...
so that you can be what you are.
Smash your Les Paul on the stage floor;
kick over your drum kit and break free
from all that holds you in bondage and
oppresses your soul.
Rebel.
Break the social rules that hold you back.
Open your arms,
open your arms,
open your arms,
let go
and let it (love) all come in...
Cuz, waaaay down inside...woman (man) you need Love…
Waaaay down inside, man, you are Love.
Dayton, Ohio's Hawthorne Heights knows something about adversity and moving beyond limits and expectations. The band's story reads like a dream come true rock odyssey complete with garnering early darling status on MTV with their song Ohio Is For Lovers and then quickly attaining Gold Record status with their 2004 debut album The Silence In Black And White. Their second album, If Only You Were Lonely, scored Victory Records' biggest ever debut, landing at #3 on the Billboard 200 in 2006. The band appeared on Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Kimmel and became magazine cover stars with sales of The Silence In Black And White going Platinum.
Yes, Hawthorne Heights seemingly attained, in a remarkably short period of time, largely everything most bands strive for. But with such heights comes a extraordinarily long way to fall. In 2006 and 2007 the band became entangled in legal struggles with both Victory Records and Wild Justice Records involving suits and counter suits and on November 24, 2007, just one day into their new tour, guitarist and vocalist Casey Calvert died due to an accidental overdose of medications prescribed by his doctor and dentist. Most bands would have succumbed to such entanglements and devastation, and the personal and musical fallout from the legal battle with the labels and Casey's death both severely strained and cast a long shadow on the band's future. Choosing to move forward was the toughest decision the band would ever have to make.
Surprisingly, the band patched up its relationship with Victory and on August 5, 2008, Hawthorne Heights returned on Victory Records with Fragile Future. Although the sound is still distinctly Hawthorne Heights, the music, as with the band, has understandably evolved. "After spending the last 2 years in a deep dark place, we decided to try to find the bright lights again with Fragile Future," noted singer J.T. Woodruff. "We, as a band, noticed that everyone has tremendous ups and downs, so we wanted this record to communicate that. We chose the title Fragile Future because it sums up the current state of our band, as well as what is going on in the outside world. We must all make good choices to create a better situation in our lives."
Cognizant of the band's very recent ups and downs, particularly with the anniversary of the death of Casey Calvert being just days before our interview (the band, in fact, had just canceled a concert one year to the day of Casey's death) and the tour's end being just days away, I didn't quite know what to expect from the interview. Guitarist Micah Carli greeted me warmly at the backstage bar and we quickly wandered over to a couple of seats by four pool tables. Carli was all smiles and soon put my doubts as to the direction of the interview to rest. I found Carli engaging and congenial - quite the opposite of what one expects from a Platinum selling musician. Soon the backstage bar was filled with all five bands performing on the Never Sleep Again Tour playing pool, joking around and listening in on our conversation.
If Hawthorne Heights has any regrets, any remorse over the past, they aren't allowing it to effect their decisions, their music and the direction they are moving. It's quite a remarkable feat for four guys from Ohio (OK, I'll amend that to read five guys as Casey Calvert is still listed on the band's roster) to achieve. But, you can hear success in their sound - in their music. 2009 very well may be a pinnacle year for Hawthorne Heights.
RockOm: What's this recent touring experience been like for you – and why the name "Never Sleep Again"?
Micah Carli: They're always fun, you get to hang out with some good friends, make new friends with some up-and-coming bands. It's been a little weird this time, just touring. In the throes of this recession that we are definitely in, you can feel it everywhere. So, some of the shows haven't been what we expected or what we thought it might be. The kids that are there are there to have a good time and that's great, so hopefully that's enough for us to get through it, but sometimes it's been a real culture shock to see how it's affecting everybody. The name, Never Sleep Again tour, we did this tour in winter '05 for the first time. There are multiple reasons for that title; the most obvious and literal is the fact that we work all the time. We pretty much take no days off and we play a show every day in a new city, a new town. So, that's a lot of traveling. That initial tour, though, we also kind of themed in Nightmare on Elm Street and there's a little a little saying from that, "One, two, Freddie's coming for you," and the last one is, "Nine, ten, never sleep again." We used that as an intro before.
RockOm: You guys watch all those movies?
Micah Carli: Oh, yeah! Big horror fans, absolutely.
RockOm: What's been the most print-worthy misadventure you wouldn't dare share with another rag?
Micah Carli: From this tour? Unfortunately, most of these bands, ourselves included - we're pretty "PG." We're not very rockstar-y with egos, we don't get crazy and throw furniture on the ceiling of the hotels or anything like that. One of the most noteworthy things I can think of is the election happened during this tour and was a big topic for all of us. We're sharing a bus with Emery and Emery is mostly republican and we are mostly democrats.
RockOm: Emery is from South Carolina... (laughs)
Micah Carli: They are – it makes sense. But, we have a good friendship nonetheless. We also play a great deal of Halo on the bus. Big video game nerds. So on the day of the elections we did four Emery guys vs. the four Hawthorne Heights guys. We were the blue team, they were the red team and the first one to 70 kills won. (laughs) So that was fun. Something silly to help enjoy the day.
RockOm: There's so much going on for Hawthorne Heights; the tragic, the ironic. It's played itself out these past couple of years. Casey Calvert, Victory Records, The Ne-Yo incident. You guys have emerged with "Fragile Future" which is a departure from your last two records in a lot of ways. What have you guys learned throughout this whole two year ordeal?
Micah Carli: I think it's really made us value the ability to do this. The first few years of our career were an unbridled, successful streak. We couldn't choose a wrong step basically. Unfortunately the last couple of years we've had quite a few missteps that weren't even our fault. And we were dealing with the music business, too, struggling. I think once we were able to green-light a new record and write it and record it, we were all just really thankful that we could all still be musicians professionally, put out a record and tour. We literally couldn't tour for a while and we didn't know if we were going to have another record. After Casey passed away, we didn't even know if we would be a band anymore. I guess it's just the pleasant relief of being able to do what you love again.
RockOm: I want to read an online review here and get your take on it. Speaking of Fragile Future it says, "Thoroughly cathartic effort. There's an obvious element of tragedy, something that the band's music always hinted at but never fully inhabited until now. Given their situation it's quite hard to criticize Hawthorne Heights for playing dark, nocturnal, emo rock songs since few of their contemporaries have such an authentic reason for sounding depressed." Is that a fair assessment of your intentions for Fragile Future? Do you take any umbrage at the reviewer's use of the phrase, "sounding depressed"? You didn't go into Fragile Future trying to sound depressed, did you?
Micah Carli: Oh, no. Actually, that's kind of half the story. Obviously, there is a somber tone to a lot of the lyrical and musical content on the record. But, we were very careful to concisely say that it was also optimistic. To get through the rough, the hard times you have to be optimistic and focus on the good and not just the bad. It's not just, "every day is worse than the last and there's no point in trying." We really learned something persevering through this hardship. And the little shit just doesn't matter. You gotta just carry on.
RockOm: What's the story behind the lyrics of the song "Rescue Me?"
Micah Carli: We were just in a quagmire of everything going bad – like how much worse could this possibly get, and then another bombshell drops. We were convinced that if we just hold on, things would get better.
RockOm: RockOm.net is the crossroads for spirituality and music and we recognize the battle that goes on inside of everybody. The yin, yang. The light and dark. Some would say that without fully embracing the darkness, we can't experience the other half – the light side. What's your take on embracing the dark side of music to discover and emerge in the light?
Micah Carli: I would fully agree with that. I've definitely studied some spiritual people and philosophers. I'm 28, I'll be 29 here soon, and I've definitely come to realize that, yeah; one cannot exist without the other. Without the darker times, the lower times, you wouldn't appreciate the good times as well. It's really all cyclical, you can't take them apart. So, the darker music – it does, it helps us get through the darker times, on to the better times.
RockOm: Regarding the creative process, you're very prolific in your songwriting. Is there a way or ritual that works better for allowing your creative juices to flow?
Micah Carli: I won't say that there's one specific way, but the one rule that is underlying is trying to remain open-minded to other people. Dealing with artistic expression, it's a very personal thing and then doing that with other people, trying to create things with other people obviously makes conflicts of interest. "This means more to you than it does to me." "I don't like that." "It's not a personal attack on you." In Hawthorne Heights, we write songs as a group very democratically. Everyone brings their ideas to [the process], and we try to make the best song we can so that everyone is as happy as they can be. That requires a lot of tolerance, really. Maybe you don't like every part of the song, but you do what's best for the band. And you have to be happy with the music too, so we try to compromise the best we can.
RockOm: How do you know when you're on to a really good song as opposed to something that needs nurturing?
Micah Carli: Sometimes you just feel it. You just hear it. It's instantaneous. The song grabs you and when you play it for people, they just perk up. It's got that snappy, hit feel to it. Other times, it is kind of a crap shoot, too. You never really know, you know? You can love a song with all your heart and then it just flops when you release it or when you bring it to A&R or a studio.
RockOm: Does the opposite ever happen – do you ever nurture a song and then three years later it's like, "God, we had that all along?"
Micah Carli: Absolutely, you're right. Sometimes over nurturing can kill a song as well. Sometimes you try to get too complex, try to factor in too many different opinions and you cloud the original intent of the song.
RockOm: What's been the biggest surprise as far as exceeding your expectations with Fragile Future?
Micah Carli: I guess that I'd just have to go back to that we even released the record. The album is selling well, not fantastic, but well considering the climate.
RockOm: It's got a pretty high benchmark, you know?
Micah Carli: Ya, we did very well with the first two records, so compared to those it's not selling well. But, overall we're just ecstatic that we are continuing on and the future does look bright and we're just optimistic about it.
Tomorrow their week is up, but before they go, here's one final word (for now). We threw a couple more questions their way and while you could call the podcast (audio) interview "Part I," today we present to you "Part II." Many, many blessings to NIAYH as they continue their evolution and the sharing of love through their music and message.
RockOm: One of the more "mysterious" songs on your album - both musically and lyrically - is the title track "Hope." What was your inspiration for this song and where were you coming from lyrically?
NIAYH: Musically, this song emerged from deep within a jam. Kenton added guitar riffs he had written years ago to a rhythm Rood and Lydian were jamming and Worth chimed in immediately with the chorus. From the beginning there was a distinct sense of confusion and loss, even anger, at the heart of the music. At the time we were all reeling from recent turmoil in our romantic relationships and it felt that these feelings were coming to the surface through this piece. Worth and Kenton built the lyrics/melody around the imagery of a stormy night in Portland; the first and last parts of the track actually include a recording we made on the front porch of a wild storm we had last winter. The final chorus is intended to be a cathartic outpouring of emotion followed by a descent into a mellow calm. On a psychological level, this song represents passage through a storm.
RockOm: Several of your tracks such as "Rock," "Break You Off," and "Gottarythmaway" features outstanding horn melodies and performances. How did you hook up with these players? Were they "studio only" or do they tour with you occasionally?
NIAYH: These were hired musicians that our Producer/Engineer Sean Norton recommended. We dubbed MIDI horns over a basement recording of the tracks and gave the ideas to Joe Millward who then made written arrangements for the hired players. Once the parts were arranged, we had an all day session and blew through the parts pretty quickly. The baritone sax solo in "Gottarhythmaway" was my (Worth) favorite moment of that session. Tim literally played the solo through twice and we could have gone with either one they were both so good. Before he played, Lydian yelled out "Heroin Sex" to describe the feel we wanted for the solo.
My (Lydian) favorite moment was the insane screeching at the end of "Rock" - it seemed difficult for these seasoned musicians to let go and just make noise. It was nice to provide them with the opportunity. Live we play mostly with a cat who moved out to Portland from New Orleans. He showed up randomly at one of our house parties last winter and asked to hop in with us. Worth said "Yeah, when we take a break we'll talk more." The gentleman replied, "I've got my horn, I'm ready to go!" The big smile on his face made it feel right to say "OK!" He pulled out an alto and blew. The basement - full of humid bodies (during Oregon's winter) - roared and bounced with bliss. From that point on Marlon began playing with us quite a bit around Portland, although we couldn't afford to pay him to go on tour with us since we can't even afford paying ourselves.
This past tour we sent out Craigslist postings in a variety of cities to see if we could scrounge up some new talent - it always mixes things up to have a new player on stage with us, usually in a good way. Dr. Sax in Colorado was the most fun to create sound with. We knew within five minutes that he could speak with his instrument, but I don't think any of us anticipated the energy he would have in front of a live crowd. The couple of shows he came out for in Colorado ended up being some of the best of the tour. Hopefully we can play with him again next time we're through Denver.
RockOm: Each member of NIAYH displays a significant mastery over his instrument and/or vocals. Would each of you individually share one or two of your musical influences that have shaped your playing style or sound?
Lydian- Heartbeats, Trip Hop low rhythms, Paul Chambers, Jaco Pastorious, Charlie Mingus, Cachao, etc...
Kenton- Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour, Charlie Hunter
Roody- street sounds of every day combined with the desires of an inspired sonic landscape artist facing war
Worth- R&B and soul singers mainly, but I like to combine that with some down-home folk simplicity and some of the rhythmic delivery of modern hip hop. Honestly, I think Jason Mraz convinced me to pick up a guitar and sing - I dug the fusion I heard in his early live performances. Currently I have a strong love affair with Etta James and Madeline Peyroux.
RockOm: Before the uber-catchy rock jam "Catie" blasts in with it's funky opening, there's a Wild West sounding 50-second prelude. How did this come about and what inspired you to begin this particular song in this way?
NIAYH: This was the original intro, when the song was just acoustic guitar and vocals; we kept this part for the record because we loved how it contrasted the groove of the rest of the song. When we play "Caitie" live we almost always drop into a 6/8 blues jam at the end in reverence to the original way we played it.
RockOm: The song "Some Part of Me" speaks to that internal tussle we often feel between who we are and who we want to be. Philosophically speaking, what do you think the realization that "now is all you have" could possibly teach us during those times where we find ourselves struggling with this issue? For example, if now IS all we have, is there any use in getting worked up worrying about who we believe we "should be"?
NIAYH: So often we are distracted from the present moment by regrets about the past or worries/dreams for the future that we are unable to act. "Now Is All You Have" is a reminder to be aware of all that is occurring around and within us. When we are aware in the present moment we see things as they are and action proceeds naturally. Real change comes from this awareness of what is, not an allegiance to some normative concept of what should be. "Some Part Of Me" examines this dynamic in us: what we have been brings us to what we are now; what we want to be is always occurring through our current actions; and so the present encompasses all of this- past and future. For a more eloquent and detailed exploration of this, check out any book by J. Krishnamurti.
RockOm: How do you see NIAYH developing musically or lyrically? Are there any new sounds or themes that you're working on in jams and rehearsals that may be something you'll want to explore on follow-up albums?
NIAYH: This first record was created entirely within our first two months as a band - it was really more of an exercise for us to figure out how to work and play together. We think of Hope as a the story of how NIAYH came to be. As far as new stuff, we're spending the winter writing new material that we will refine on tour next year. Our sound really developed on this last tour, so I think our music will sound more and more distinctive. Considering the diverse amount of experimentation we play with, it's hard to say what will come next. We're going to focus on diversifying our rhythmic and harmonic composition and really push our boundaries as players. Lyrically, we intend to work more collaboratively and write some more progressive songs. The next record will be more philosophical in nature.
by Heather Maloney
Visit Haale at...
You may recall that several years ago guitarist Brian "Head" Welch left the Grammy Award-winning rock band Korn due in large part to his newfound faith in Jesus Christ and desire to stay off of drugs. In fact, RockOm had 
By Tom Crenshaw, 
As part of the healing process after a death we all grieve and have a strong desire to remember the most special moments in life we shared with the one(s) who have left us. We naturally gather as families and with friends and recall what we loved most about those people. Music plays an important role in all cultures and societies in not only celebrating birth, but in signifying death and transitioning. The circle is unbroken when we gather and use music as a healing source in remembering those who have gone on before us.
By Tom Crenshaw, 
RockOm: What's this recent touring experience been like for you – and why the name "Never Sleep Again"?
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