Hawthorne Heights
Hawthorne Heights is an American rock band from Dayton, Ohio, formed in 2001.[1] Originally called A Day in the Life, their lineup currently consists of JT Woodruff (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Matt Ridenour (bass guitar, backing vocals), Mark McMillon (lead guitar, unclean vocals), and Chris Popadak (drums, percussion).
Hawthorne Heights
A Day in the Life (2001–2003)
Dayton, Ohio, U.S.
2001–present
- Victory
- Wind-up
- Cardboard Empire
- Red River
- InVogue
- Pure Noise
- JT Woodruff
- Matt Ridenour
- Mark McMillon
- Chris Popadak
- Micah Carli
- Eron Bucciarelli
- Casey Calvert
The band found commercial success with their first two albums, The Silence in Black and White (2004), and If Only You Were Lonely (2006), both achieving an RIAA gold certification.[2] Their second album additionally peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard's Independent Albums chart and No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart.[3] They are also well known for their 2006 single "Saying Sorry", which reached gold status and peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart.[4] On November 24, 2007, guitarist Casey Calvert died, leaving the band as a four-piece.[5] Their third album and first without Calvert, Fragile Future, was released in August 2008, surprisingly through Victory Records again, after a lengthy legal battle between the two parties.[6]
The band's fourth album Skeletons (2010) peaked at No. 50 on the Billboard 200. The band's former label, Victory, released their first greatest hits album, entitled Midwesterners: The Hits, in November 2010. Shortly afterward, Hawthorne Heights left Wind-up Records to begin their own record label, Cardboard Empire. Via this new label, the band released an EP trilogy, beginning with Hate released in August 2011 and followed by Hope released in June 2012. After signing with Red River Entertainment in 2013, the band postponed the release of the third EP in the trilogy, and released a full-length concept album titled Zero in June 2013. The band played on the 2013 Vans Warped Tour.
In June 2014, original drummer Eron Bucciarelli left the band. In January 2015, it was announced that Micah Carli (lead guitar, unclean backing vocals) had left as well. Later that year, the band released Hurt, the third EP of the trilogy. The band's sixth studio album, titled Bad Frequencies followed in 2018, followed by their seventh album The Rain Just Follows Me in September 2021 via Pure Noise Records.
History[edit]
Early days (2001–2003)[edit]
A Day in the Life were formed by JT Woodruff, Jesse Blair, Andy Saunders, Josh Bethel, and Andy Lazier in Dayton, Ohio, in 2001. They took their name from the popular Beatles song "A Day in the Life".
Their first record was a demo titled Four Bullets for One Girl, which sold its 500 copy run in 2 months.[7] This brought them to the attention of Confined Records, with which they released an album titled Nine Reasons to Say Goodbye. Finally, they released a 6-song EP titled Paper Chromatography: The Fade from Dark to Light (which was later re-released as part of the compilation From Ohio With Love) in the winter of 2003.[7]
In 2003, Matt Ridenour, bassist and backing vocalist, would pass a hotel called Hawthorn Inn & Suites on his way to work. He decided to add an e and Heights to make Hawthorne Heights. The rest of the band agreed.[8]
Musical style and influences[edit]
The band has been mainly categorized as emo,[43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50] post-hardcore,[51][52][53][54] and screamo.[44][45][46][55][56][57][58][59] Likewise, Hawthorne Heights's albums have been tagged as alternative rock by iTunes.[60][61] Hawthorne Heights also have been described as indie rock,[62][63] indie emo,[64] and pop punk.[65] Eron Bucciarelli, the band's drummer, noted that the band's sound has "always been pigeon holed as emo or screamo".[66] In the same interview he said that the band prefers to be referred to simply as "a rock band".
While commenting on the band's first album, The Silence in Black and White, Eron said that the "triple guitar attack" allows them to "add a lot of layering effects and intricacies to our music along with legitimately pulling in different musical styles."[67] The album also includes feminine backing vocals provided by band member Micah Carli's sister, Graci Carli. This gave many of the songs a broader emotional spectrum not limited by gender.[68]
Hawthorne Heights began to be recognized as melodic hardcore due to the release of If Only You Were Lonely.[69] After "softening their lyrical stance, incorporating melancholy keyboards and adding upbeat melodies that were a perfect counterbalance to their screaming backup chants" their unique sound became more recognized.[70]
Even after the death of one of the guitarists, Hawthorne Heights continued to allow its sound to evolve. With the release of Fragile Future, the band used elements of power pop.[71] Hawthorne Heights' fourth album, Skeletons, stylistically reverts to "music similar to their first two albums",[72] yet is much softer.[73] The album, however, "refuses to stomp over old ground" by incorporating "electro" and "pop punk" elements into a few of the tracks.[74] The album also "broke new ground by adding a unique electronica sound."[73] In addition, various other musical styles are incorporated into Skeletons. The acclaimed blues rock track, "Gravestones," opens with "uncharacteristic western acoustics, and then delves into a more fascinating chorus, leaving the wild wild west sound and replacing it with pianos and ethereal presence."[75]
After forming their own record label, Hawthorne Heights made plans to release a trilogy of EPs. The first of the trilogy, Hate, lyrically deals with feelings of hate, anger, and solitude.[76] According to Woodruff, Hate features more "aggressive songs" that are "a lot heavier than anything we've ever done."[35] The EP has been compared to other screamo albums, such as releases by Senses Fail.[77] Screamed vocals and breakdowns are prominent features throughout the album, reflecting the musical style of the band's first two albums. One review states "this aggressive side, dormant for the past few years, has finally boiled over all at once."[78]
Hawthorne Heights' influences include Sunny Day Real Estate, The Get Up Kids,[79] Taking Back Sunday, the Beatles,[80] Foo Fighters, Death Cab for Cutie, Jimmy Eat World, and Iron Maiden.[81]
Controversy[edit]
Incident with Ne-Yo[edit]
In February 2006, as the band was readying the release of If Only You Were Lonely, Victory Records issued two statements to fans through the band's mailing lists as well as their MySpace profile, stating that "ROCK music needs your support"[82] and that "the No. 1 slot belongs to us." They also pleaded with fans to go into chain stores and make sure Hawthorne Heights CDs are in stock and to sabotage the sales count of Ne-Yo's record In My Own Words, which was being released the same day. The statement said: