Boston power trio Heavy AmericA have been described as “every genre of rock”, a description Michael T. Seguin (lead vocals, guitar), Budd Lapham (bass, vocals) & Dan Fried (drums, vocals) hold dear. The band’s diverse blend of influences & years of experience have given way to a unique & broad rock sound. Placing them in a genre they can truly call their own & out of any convenient box.
In this interview spotlight, I chat with Heavy AmericA about the latest music, challenges, technology and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)
We are Heavy AmericA, a three piece group based in Boston, Massachusetts. Our primary genre is rock but we work within all the rock sub genres. Our catalog contains everything from mellow psychedelic to hard rock. I wouldn’t go as far to call us a metal band though we do get into some pretty heavy stoner riffs sometimes. Our band’s philosophy has always been to give the song what it wants & needs to be great. Not what you want it to be. The song will tell you it’s genre when the writing process is over. Our influences are so vast & cover decades, giving us
lots of tools to work with. It would be a shame to stifle any of them.
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to keep going?
I have my father to thank for getting me involved in music. He was a guitar player as well & had a killer record collection. The first songs I was learning were classic rock greats taught to me by him. He was always very supportive in my music endevors. By the time I was 14 I had my own band & started playing gigs. In the beginning I think it was the live performances that kept me pushing forward. You can’t wait to get out on the stage & feel the energy of the crowd again. But as I’ve matured as a musician I find myself really enjoying the writing & recording process more now. Don’t get me wrong, nothing beats the rush of a crowd but in the end the music you
create & record becomes your legacy.
How is this new release different from previous ones? Were you trying to accomplish anything specific?
“Crushed” definitely appeals to a wider audience than the last two singles we’ve released this year. It’s more upbeat with a sexy vibe making it a bit more friendly. “Generation Lame” & “Tails” are both amazing songs in their own regard but have a much darker vibe & heavier feel. “Crushed” is a great example of not staying in the box & taking chances. Not just with your music but with your audience as well. You hope the fans that liked your heavier material will transition to your lighter songs & vice versa. Those are your true fans. They are into the evolution of the band, not just the songs.”
Name one or two challenges you face as an indie musician in this over saturated, digital music age? How has technology helped you (since we know it does help)?
“Right now the biggest challenge all indie musicians face is getting secured gigs. With performance restrictions & mandates constantly changing from city to city nothing is guaranteed. Unfortunately it’s scaring away a lot of the patreons as well. That leads into the second challenge. If you’re not making money playing shows, then it needs to come from streaming & as we all know, that payscale is abysmal. We need some real reform from ALL the major streaming services so artists can pay their bills. A penny a stream isn’t too much to ask, is it? It’s awesome having the tools at your disposal to gather fans from all across the globe but extremely unfair that the platforms you’re sending them to to hear your music won’t pay a fair rate for your work in bringing them there.
What was the last song you listened to?
Royal Blood’s ‘Oblivion’, such a bad ass tune. They always have such killer grooves.
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
I prefer vinyl for the enjoyment of listening to albums but still use all three. I listen to a lot of cd’s in my jeep & use them in recording our material & for merch. Some radio stations still prefer receiving music via cd as well. You can’t beat the convenience of mp3’s though, especially for file sharing but it doesn’t share the same feel as vinyl or even a cd. It tends to be a bit more sterile.
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
I actually prefer youtube if I’m discovering new music. I think we’re at a point where having a visual aspect to your music is a must for most fans & artists. They may hear you first on Spotify or another streaming service but they will ultimately seek you out on youtube to get to know you better.
Where is the best place to connect with you online and discover more music?
Our website is probably the best place, www.heavyamerica.us It has all of our available social links, music, videos, upcoming events & so much more! Please follow us at @heavyamerica.us on instagram as well to keep up with us throughout the year. We’ve got a lot more music still to release over the next year & we would love for you to join us in our journey.
Anything else before we sign off?
Yes! If you a listener to your local college radio stations, please drop them a text or call & request us. Our single “Crushed is making it’s way across the country on college radio & we could use a hand getting up the charts. It’s a very competitive scene & even tougher when you’re an unsigned band so every request counts.
Thank you so much for the interview & I hope we can do it again in the future. Now go & smash that play button!
