Hurtsmile - 'Stillborn' and More
I'm interviewing Gary Cherone of Extreme and Hurtsmile tonight. The focus of the interview is Hurtsmile. I'm planning on asking Gary all about recording the new album and his upcoming gig at M3 rock fest this May. If you don't know about Hurtsmile, here's a press release and I also posted a video below. If you have any questions for Gary, feel free to leave them in the comments section.
(New York, NY) - Frontman extraordinaire Gary Cherone (Extreme/Van Halen) is proud to announce his latest project, Hurtsmile. The band’s self-titled debut will be released in North American on February 15th via the Italian-based Frontiers Records label and features Cherone collaborating with his brother, guitarist Mark Cherone.
Gary Cherone commented, Hurtsmile was a long time coming."I always wanted to write a record with my brother. I'm a big fan of Mark’s songwriting and snarling guitar riffs." The timing was right as Extreme was in-between their touring and record cycle, allowing Gary the freedom to start a new artistic venture. Joe Pessia was recruited for bass; Pessia is an alumnus of (Extreme guiatrist) Nuno Bettencourt’s Dramagods, as well as the guitar player for Tantric. Pessia also engineered and co-produced the record with Cherone. To round off the lineup they enlisted heavy-hitter Dana Spellman on drums. "It’s an east coast-Boston thing," states Gary. "Mark was in a band with Nuno’s brother," Joe was in Nuno’s band and Dana was a friend and student of Mike Mangini (former Extreme drummer). "we like to keep it in the family."
The lineup is not the only thing familiar about the band. In true Cherone-family fashion, the record is chock-full of swaggering guitars, soaring vocals and trademark eclecticism. HURTSMILE is a conceptually-cohesive album examining the nature of man and the human heart, with an added focus on the current state of world affairs and political commentary. Hurtsmile is Gary Cherone (vocals), Mark Cherone (guitars), Joe Pessia (bass, mandolin) and Dana Spellman (drums, percussion).
HURTSMILE track listing:
1. Just War Theory
2. Stillborn
3. Love Thy Neighbor
4. Kaffur (Infidel)
5. Painter Paint
6. Tolerance Song (Edit)
7. Set Me Free
8. Jesus Would You Meet Me
9. Slave
10. Beyond The Garden/Kicking The Goads
11. Just War Reprise
12. The Murder Of Daniel Faulkner (4699)