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The Heavy Heavy Hearts are almost ready to move from LA to Nashville and take their brand of soulful blues/rock with them. GroundSounds recently caught up with the band to discuss the move, their music, and more!
Beau: I think the goal was to just let the relationship as a band grow. I had been playing solo in Los Angeles for about two years and it started as everyone giving their input on what can make each song a party or a soul destroying story. The goal at the beginning was to just make an EP that I could use to try and get some licensing, but it turned into a band of brothers instead.
Where did the name The Heavy Heavy Hearts come from?
Anthony: We had spent a few weeks going back and forth with each other over band names and it was starting to get exhausting. It seemed that every name we would come up with was being used by some other band or some duo playing acoustic sets somewhere in the mountains of Kentucky or something. No matter what we came up with there was a problem. One night after practice we were sitting in a circle and I kind of just blurted out “The Heavy Heavy Hearts” and here we are…
Your sound has been described as the fusing of Blues/Rock with Country Soul. How would you describe the music you make and what bands/musicians have influenced and impacted the way you sound?
Ralph: I would describe us as more Blues/Rock with heavier influences and a touch of Country peppered in every now and then. We all come from vastly different influences so what you hear is really an amalgamation of 4 different genres of music.
Tell us about your EP and the inspiration for those songs? Is there a song that stands out as a favorite for you?
Clark: Well the EP was done rather interestingly. It began as Beau’s solo album. He hired Ralph, Anthony and myself to play on it because he liked how we played. Everyone coming together on the record really developed an interesting sound. Most of the inspiration for the songs came from Beau’s past experiences with girlfriends. He writes about the “Dirty Lies” that he was told which brought him to “The Bottom of The Bottle” and ending the night a “Lonely Man”. Also drinking; drinking is inspiring. For me my favorite tune is “Bottom of the Bottle”. It just hits hard, I will never forget the first time I heard it. It’s the sound that we have been working on and molding ever since.
I personally love the song “Lonely Man.” What is the story behind that song?
Beau: Lonely Man was actually written right before we went into the studio. I had just gone through a really bad breakup and was messing around with some delta licks. It was originally a lot slower. The song just described the exact opposite of the relationship I was in. When the full band came into the picture it became more of a celebration or cry out to find someone that will treat me like I feel I deserve. The song is referencing “I Put A Spell On You” but from my perspective. I want someone that mesmerizes me, just not in an evil way.
What has been the best moment for you as a band so far?
Clark: In my opinion, its whenever we step on stage, we have that “moment” when we’re all in our groove. That feeling is pure bliss. But I think if I had to narrow it down to a specific moment; the night we all got together at the house and watched the MTV movie Made 2: The Ladies Man and heard “Bottom of the Bottle” play during the montage scene. Hearing ourselves on TV for the first time was a pretty awesome moment.
Many bands form somewhere and decide to move to LA. Why are you guys planning on leaving LA?
Ralph: We feel like we have made a lot of great connections here, especially in TV and Movies, as LA is the place to be for that. We have some placements in a Sony film that is coming out in theaters soon and had a song in an MTV Movie and stuff like that, which is awesome. But the next thing we want to get going on is touring and recording. So like LA is to TV and Movies, we feel Nashville is the best place to meet labels and get on tours.
What are you most excited about in Nashville?
Beau: Honky-Tonks and biscuits!
Clark: Being able to tour more often. This band needs to go on the road for a while and learn some things the hard way, rocking peoples faces all up and down the east coast.
Anthony: Thunderstorms, rain…touring…
Ralph: Getting to relax and be myself again after 4 years of being stressed out in LA.
What will you miss most about LA?
Beau: I will miss the nostalgic energy of the historic venues on sunset. You still can feel the energy of the legends that have played the same stage you are standing on.
Clark: The scenery. Never in my life did I think I would be driving on a highway and be able to look over and see the ocean on one side and the mountains on the other. Absolutely beautiful.
Anthony: For sure it’s the friends I have spent the past 5 years with. They’ve become a part of who I consider my family. California in general is beautiful too, so I will miss our beach days in Malibu and living a mile from the ocean.
Ralph: In N Out.
What are your plans once you arrive in Nashville and what’s in store for you in 2014?
Anthony: Well, first we’ll need a place to live…but then it will be getting in touch with some connections we have made here in LA that are translating into Nashville. We want to hit the ground running there, so I think our immediate goals are to play as many shows as we can to build our fan base, including getting out on the road. Long term is going to be finding the right record deal. I say the “right” one because we have been offered a few already that were no good to anyone. Once we have a workable deal, a full length album would follow and then we get out and tour it. We would like to get on a few festivals too…
You’re putting together and headlining a dream show. What two bands/musicians would you choose to play with and what venue would you pick?
Beau: I would have to say, playing a field party or house party with Monster Truck and Blackberry Smoke would get crazy!
Clark: Van Halen (not Van Hagar) and Mr. Big (original lineup). Royal Albert Hall cause I want to go to Brit-land.
Anthony: If I have to stick to those that are still alive i.e. not Hendrix or SRV, I would have to say it would be us opening for Eric Clapton and maybe The John Mayer Trio with Steve Jordan and Pino Palladino. My dream venue would be somewhere back in Buffalo NY, be it Darien Lake Amphitheater or First Niagara Center. Playing one of those venues would be a full-circle thing for me.
Ralph: Anything involving the living members of Zeppelin and the original lineup of Journey. Venue would be Royal Albert…easy.
What is the best and worst thing about being in a band?
Beau: The best thing about being in a band is the support that you get from everyone, if you have a bad day they are there to pick you up. The worst thing about being in a band is when people disagree about something, it can get weird.
Clark: Best thing about the band is that we all have different personalities. The worst thing about the band is that we all have different personalities.
Anthony: The best thing is the brotherhood that comes with it. You triumph and fail together. The worst thing I guess, which isn’t always a bad thing, would be that bands have multiple members who each have an emotional investment in everything. Making sure there is a good balance of creative satisfaction in a band can be tough.
Ralph: The best is working together and achieving goals together. The worst would have to be disagreeing on anything.
Where can readers keep up with you guys and check out more music?
Beau: They can check us out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/theheavyheavy
