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Hawthorne Heights Biography
How fan-friendly of a band is Hawthorne Heights? Put it this way: When we sent this list of fan-submitted questions off to Victory Records, HH drummer Eron Bucciarelli sent back his answers less than 24 hours later. Granted, this was before the release of their much-anticipated second album If Only You Were Lonely, and before they hit the road on the biggest tour of their careers with Fall Out Boy and the All-American Rejects. But still, we were pretty blown away. Most bands take 24 days to do email interviews.
Hawthorne Heights aren't your typical band in many ways. They have a sound that bleeds freely into several different genres: emo, hardcore, punk, indie. They've loyally stuck with indie label Victory Records at a stage in their career when most bands would be making the leap to the majors. And they're nice guys who vent their angst onstage instead of in trashing hotel rooms.
Here's what Eron had to say in response to some of our users' questions:
1. Myrna Foster from Troy, Ohio asked:
Where did you grow up and how did you start playing music together?
Eron: I grew up in New Jersey, JT grew up in West Virginia, Micah, Casey and Matt grew up in Ohio. JT moved to Troy, Ohio with a former band. That band eventually broke up and he joined A Day In The Life. ADITL played around Dayton and toured regionally whenever possible. When he moved from West Virginia, JT became friends with Micah. When a former guitarist quit ADITL, JT asked Micah to join.
I had moved out to Dayton to go to college at the University of Dayton. Upon finishing I played in local bands around town just for fun. Nothing serious. In those bands we shared the stage with ADITL and I met JT and Micah. When the drummer quit they asked me to join. Shortly after joining, our other guitarist quit. Our bass player at the time (Nick Testa - who is currently filling in for Bayside) knew Casey from former bands. We asked Casey to join. Then finally Nick decided he wasn't into what we were playing at the time and chose to leave to pursue other projects. Casey knew Matt from former bands and we asked him to join. It was at this time we changed our name to Hawthorne Heights.
2. Joshua from Lynchburg, VA asked:
What do you think makes you guys different from every other emo rock band out there?
We get this question a lot and its probably one of the toughest to answer. The obvious is we have three guitarists, which enables us to re-create the sounds on our CD live to more accuracy than most bands. I also think we try to draw listeners in with both musical and lyrical hooks. I think we have a dynamic which a lot of bands don't and that is that we create happy parts, sad parts, heavy and poppy parts all within the same song.
3. Yagmur Tok from Istanbul, Turkey asked:
What do you think about the whole "Emo kid" stereotype?
I think its funny and its just that, a stereotype....
4. George Cappello from Clermont, FL asked:
You guys always seem to do your best to meet and greet with every fan that goes to your shows. Has there been one fan that really stands out, in a good, bad, or crazy way?
We definitely try our hardest to meet our fans. We're super grateful to be where we are today and we wouldn't be here without them. So we always make a point to meet them and say thank you face to face as much as possible. I'm sure there are different fans that stick out in everyone's head...but for me there is a fan of ours down in Louisiana. Her mom, who's in a wheelchair, drives her all over the country to see us. She brings her dog with her sometimes, a wiener dog (if my memory serves me) and she has a HH tattoo!
5. Kelsey from Decatur, IL asked:
Have you ever played a concert for high school students?
I think all of our concerts are for high school students even though they aren't in a high school. We have a pretty young fanbase. Hehe.
6. Natasha Clayton from Haysville, NC asked:
How did you get the name?
Matt came up with it. It means nothing really. I made up a fake explanation about it relating to Nathaniel Hawthorne when we first started because I thought it would make us seem more serious.
7. Travis Kennett from Monroe, MI asked:
How do you get noticed by girls?
I personally try NOT to get noticed by girls as I'm married but if you're asking for help on how to meet girls yourself, I'd say be yourself, be confident and don't rush anything.
8. Cristal from Hollister, CA asked:
I love you guys. What bands do you guys love?
The bands I love are totally different from the bands the other guys listen to or love. We have some common loves like Death Cab For Cutie and Jimmy Eat World, but that's basically where it ends as far as bands we all love. I love Quicksand and everything Walter Schreifels has ever been a part of. Bayside is by far my favorite band that's out there right now. We've been through so much together and I love those guys like brothers. Also, the Foo Fighters are another band I love!
9. Sydney from Chandler, AZ asked:
I noticed that most of Hawthorne Heights songs are about love and girls. Who in the group is single and who's off limits?
Just because the songs might seem like they're about love, JT sometimes just uses love as a metaphor for other things in his life. It's something that most people can relate to in one way or another I suppose. We're all in relationships...sorry!
10. Ashley Smith from Talcum, KY asked:
Hey, I just wanted to say that I LOVE you guys...you ROCK!!!!! The question that I would like to ask is who is your greatest inspiration...and why.
I think my greatest inspiration from a musical perspective is Dave Grohl. He's an amazing musician, I admire his accomplishments and hope to have such a lengthy and successful musical career myself. I also admire people like Russell Simmons and others who started from nothing and have achieved great things in life.
11. Laura from South Bend, Indiana asked:
Do you guys ever fight or is it generally pretty mellow?
When you're traveling with four other people 90% of the year in close quarters, little things can get under your skin, but we've been fortunate to not have any major conflicts.
12. Kia from Keizer, Oregon asked:
What would be the most unique thing a fan has ever done for you?
We've had fans make visual interpretations of our songs on canvas, bake us cookies and paint their car with our lyrics. No two fans do the same thing for us...they're really all unique. I know that may seem like a safe answer, but its true.
Get Hawthorne Heights' new album, If Only You Were Lonely, right now in the ARTISTdirect Store at a special low price!
Hawthorne Heights aren't your typical band in many ways. They have a sound that bleeds freely into several different genres: emo, hardcore, punk, indie. They've loyally stuck with indie label Victory Records at a stage in their career when most bands would be making the leap to the majors. And they're nice guys who vent their angst onstage instead of in trashing hotel rooms.
Here's what Eron had to say in response to some of our users' questions:
1. Myrna Foster from Troy, Ohio asked:
Where did you grow up and how did you start playing music together?
Eron: I grew up in New Jersey, JT grew up in West Virginia, Micah, Casey and Matt grew up in Ohio. JT moved to Troy, Ohio with a former band. That band eventually broke up and he joined A Day In The Life. ADITL played around Dayton and toured regionally whenever possible. When he moved from West Virginia, JT became friends with Micah. When a former guitarist quit ADITL, JT asked Micah to join.
I had moved out to Dayton to go to college at the University of Dayton. Upon finishing I played in local bands around town just for fun. Nothing serious. In those bands we shared the stage with ADITL and I met JT and Micah. When the drummer quit they asked me to join. Shortly after joining, our other guitarist quit. Our bass player at the time (Nick Testa - who is currently filling in for Bayside) knew Casey from former bands. We asked Casey to join. Then finally Nick decided he wasn't into what we were playing at the time and chose to leave to pursue other projects. Casey knew Matt from former bands and we asked him to join. It was at this time we changed our name to Hawthorne Heights.
2. Joshua from Lynchburg, VA asked:
What do you think makes you guys different from every other emo rock band out there?
We get this question a lot and its probably one of the toughest to answer. The obvious is we have three guitarists, which enables us to re-create the sounds on our CD live to more accuracy than most bands. I also think we try to draw listeners in with both musical and lyrical hooks. I think we have a dynamic which a lot of bands don't and that is that we create happy parts, sad parts, heavy and poppy parts all within the same song.
3. Yagmur Tok from Istanbul, Turkey asked:
What do you think about the whole "Emo kid" stereotype?
I think its funny and its just that, a stereotype....
4. George Cappello from Clermont, FL asked:
You guys always seem to do your best to meet and greet with every fan that goes to your shows. Has there been one fan that really stands out, in a good, bad, or crazy way?
We definitely try our hardest to meet our fans. We're super grateful to be where we are today and we wouldn't be here without them. So we always make a point to meet them and say thank you face to face as much as possible. I'm sure there are different fans that stick out in everyone's head...but for me there is a fan of ours down in Louisiana. Her mom, who's in a wheelchair, drives her all over the country to see us. She brings her dog with her sometimes, a wiener dog (if my memory serves me) and she has a HH tattoo!
5. Kelsey from Decatur, IL asked:
Have you ever played a concert for high school students?
I think all of our concerts are for high school students even though they aren't in a high school. We have a pretty young fanbase. Hehe.
6. Natasha Clayton from Haysville, NC asked:
How did you get the name?
Matt came up with it. It means nothing really. I made up a fake explanation about it relating to Nathaniel Hawthorne when we first started because I thought it would make us seem more serious.
7. Travis Kennett from Monroe, MI asked:
How do you get noticed by girls?
I personally try NOT to get noticed by girls as I'm married but if you're asking for help on how to meet girls yourself, I'd say be yourself, be confident and don't rush anything.
8. Cristal from Hollister, CA asked:
I love you guys. What bands do you guys love?
The bands I love are totally different from the bands the other guys listen to or love. We have some common loves like Death Cab For Cutie and Jimmy Eat World, but that's basically where it ends as far as bands we all love. I love Quicksand and everything Walter Schreifels has ever been a part of. Bayside is by far my favorite band that's out there right now. We've been through so much together and I love those guys like brothers. Also, the Foo Fighters are another band I love!
9. Sydney from Chandler, AZ asked:
I noticed that most of Hawthorne Heights songs are about love and girls. Who in the group is single and who's off limits?
Just because the songs might seem like they're about love, JT sometimes just uses love as a metaphor for other things in his life. It's something that most people can relate to in one way or another I suppose. We're all in relationships...sorry!
10. Ashley Smith from Talcum, KY asked:
Hey, I just wanted to say that I LOVE you guys...you ROCK!!!!! The question that I would like to ask is who is your greatest inspiration...and why.
I think my greatest inspiration from a musical perspective is Dave Grohl. He's an amazing musician, I admire his accomplishments and hope to have such a lengthy and successful musical career myself. I also admire people like Russell Simmons and others who started from nothing and have achieved great things in life.
11. Laura from South Bend, Indiana asked:
Do you guys ever fight or is it generally pretty mellow?
When you're traveling with four other people 90% of the year in close quarters, little things can get under your skin, but we've been fortunate to not have any major conflicts.
12. Kia from Keizer, Oregon asked:
What would be the most unique thing a fan has ever done for you?
We've had fans make visual interpretations of our songs on canvas, bake us cookies and paint their car with our lyrics. No two fans do the same thing for us...they're really all unique. I know that may seem like a safe answer, but its true.
Get Hawthorne Heights' new album, If Only You Were Lonely, right now in the ARTISTdirect Store at a special low price!
Hawthorne Heights All Music Guide Biography
The post-hardcore/emo-pop quintet Hawthorne Heights came to life in the summer of 2001. Originally called A Day in the Life, the Dayton, Ohio-based collective saw numerous lineup changes and shifting music styles before settling on a permanent formation. Composed of drummer Eron Bucciarelli, bassist Matt Ridenour, vocalist/guitar player J.T. Woodruff, and guitarists Casey Calvert and Micah Carli, Hawthorne Heights built their fan base on a solid demo recording and a series of self-booked national tours that saw them sharing the stage with the likes of From Autumn to Ashes and the Descendents. In 2003, they signed with Chicago label Victory Records, resulting in the 2004 release of their powerful full-length debut, The Silence in Black and White. As the bandmates relentlessly toured behind it, the album became Victory's highest-selling debut, while its lead single, "Ohio Is for Lovers," slowly invaded rock radio, MTV, and teenage hearts across the country.
Hawthorne Heights' follow-up effort, If Only You Were Lonely arrived in 2006 alongside the This Is Who We Are DVD. Leading up to the album's release, Victory urged street team members to help it chart above urban singer Ne-Yo, whose own album was slated to be released the same day. Questionable promotional tactics included rearranging store displays to hide Ne-Yo's record and make Hawthorne Heights' more prominent. Lonely debuted at number three on the charts, though, unsurprisingly, more than a few eyebrows were raised in the band and label's direction. Regardless, the album continued to sell well, as its first single, "Saying Sorry," garnered airplay on many a modern rock radio station.
However, controversy came to a head in early August when Hawthorne Heights suddenly announced that they were leaving Victory Records (despite a contractual obligation of two more albums for the label) and suing the company over various issues, including unpaid royalties and tarnishing their name and relationship with fans over the aforementioned incident (the band claimed to have no knowledge of the street team letter that was issued as though personally from them). In a statement issued online, the band compared their time at the label to being in an "abusive relationship" and directly attacked "greed driven" label head Tony Brummel. As issues were sorted out behind the scenes (and Victory counter-sued the band, claiming they just wanted to jump to a major), Hawthorne Heights continued touring nationwide and served as headliners on the fall 2006 version of the popular Nintendo Fusion Tour with openers Relient K, the Sleeping, and more.
Following several court dates with their label, Hawthorne Heights returned to the road in late 2007. However, guitarist Casey Calvert died in his sleep just several hours into the tour, the victim of a lethal combination of antidepressant medications and Vicodin (Calvert had reportedly undergone a root canal prior to the band's departure, hence his need for painkillers). Soldiering on as a quartet, the bandmates resolved their issues with Victory Records and issued a third album, Fragile Future, in August 2008. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide
Hawthorne Heights' follow-up effort, If Only You Were Lonely arrived in 2006 alongside the This Is Who We Are DVD. Leading up to the album's release, Victory urged street team members to help it chart above urban singer Ne-Yo, whose own album was slated to be released the same day. Questionable promotional tactics included rearranging store displays to hide Ne-Yo's record and make Hawthorne Heights' more prominent. Lonely debuted at number three on the charts, though, unsurprisingly, more than a few eyebrows were raised in the band and label's direction. Regardless, the album continued to sell well, as its first single, "Saying Sorry," garnered airplay on many a modern rock radio station.
However, controversy came to a head in early August when Hawthorne Heights suddenly announced that they were leaving Victory Records (despite a contractual obligation of two more albums for the label) and suing the company over various issues, including unpaid royalties and tarnishing their name and relationship with fans over the aforementioned incident (the band claimed to have no knowledge of the street team letter that was issued as though personally from them). In a statement issued online, the band compared their time at the label to being in an "abusive relationship" and directly attacked "greed driven" label head Tony Brummel. As issues were sorted out behind the scenes (and Victory counter-sued the band, claiming they just wanted to jump to a major), Hawthorne Heights continued touring nationwide and served as headliners on the fall 2006 version of the popular Nintendo Fusion Tour with openers Relient K, the Sleeping, and more.
Following several court dates with their label, Hawthorne Heights returned to the road in late 2007. However, guitarist Casey Calvert died in his sleep just several hours into the tour, the victim of a lethal combination of antidepressant medications and Vicodin (Calvert had reportedly undergone a root canal prior to the band's departure, hence his need for painkillers). Soldiering on as a quartet, the bandmates resolved their issues with Victory Records and issued a third album, Fragile Future, in August 2008. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide
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