| Heavy on the Ride | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Background information | ||
| Also known as | HOTR | |
| Origin | Swansea, Wales | |
| Genres | Experimental Rock, Heavy Rock | |
| Years active | 2009 - Present | |
| Associated acts | Sky Valley Mistress, Suns of Thunder, VAILS, Cybernetic Witch Cult, SAIL, Let Man Loose, MINES, Alunah | |
| Website | Heavy on the Ride Official | |
| Current members | Jordan Huxtable Michael Bale Jason Young | |
| Past members | Mathew Ham Bradley Haywood Sean Mahoney | |
| Band Logo | ||
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Heavy on the Ride are a three piece experimental heavy rock band from Swansea, Wales, UK. Drawing from the likes of Melvins, Mastodon and Queens of The Stone Age, Heavy on the Ride wear their influences on their sleeves to brew their own concoctions of what they think makes a good rock n' roll song. To date the band have released two EPs and a single, all while sharing the stage with former QOTSA members Nick Oliveri, Joey Castillo (B'LAST!), Gene Trautmann and Dave Catching (Star & Dagger) as well as Ikey Owens (RIP) of The Mars Volta, The Subways, and Japan's Electric Eel Shock.
History[]
Heavy on the Ride would form on 8 April 2009 with the founding trio of Bale, Huxtable and Ham. The band's early years would be spent honing their craft in the Welsh rock scene, eventually building up to recording their debut release. Working with engineer/producer JonathanHaines, the band went to the former Mighty Atom Studio cottage in Carmarthen to record their debut effort Delaying the Inevitable, released 25 May 2012. A release party would be hosted at Koopa's on the same day.[1] The band would perform more frequently through 2012 including an appearance at Oxjam Cardiff Takeover.[2]
The next two years would see Heavy on the Ride sharing the stage with the likes of Black Moth, Alunah,[3] Star & Dagger,[4] Komatsu[5] and BL'AST![6] among others. A follow-up EP in Different Animals would release on 13 September 2014 with a release party the same day[7] and the band's first tour of the UK surrounding it.[8]
In 2015 the band went to record their debut album at Foel studios in Welshpool. After unhappiness in the end result of the album and creative differences brewing, the band split up for a year. After initially not intending to reform at all the band regrouped with second drummer Bradley Haywood joining.
Heavy on the Ride would keep active in the Swansea scene be it supporting touring bands, sharing the stage with locals or appearing at festivals such as Red Sun, Free For All Bristol or Kings Fest to name a few. The lineup lasted for 9 months until Haywood left to pursue outside interests leading to third drummer Sean Mahoney joining the band.
April 2018 saw original drummer Mathew Ham come back to help finish out his time in the band on a better note by playing drums on a second attempt at recording the bands debut album. Drums were complete in a week and were self recorded at the bands rehearsal space.
2017 - 2018 saw the band play shows in Bristol, Cardiff, Devon, and a End of the Revenge of the World festival appearance at The Junction in Plymouth whilst continuing to work on the remainder of the album recording at their rehearsal space.
The following year the band entered Sonic One Studios to record a new single Cheshire Cat Grin which was released the on 7 June 2019, the first and only recorded appearance with Mahoney on drums. Before departing, this lineup played three hometown shows including a tenth anniversary show at The Bunkhouse, [9] a headline show at Sin City and Mahoney's final show supporting Lethargy at the famous Patti Pavillion
By early 2020 the band would complete all recording sessions for their long awaited debut album and obtain a new drummer in Jason Young, the former drummer of Screaming Eagle.
Members[]
Current Members[]
- Michael Bale - Bass, Keyboards, Vocals (2009 - Present)
- Jordan Huxtable - Guitar, Keyboards (2009 - Present)
- Jason Young - Drums (2020 - Present)
Past Members[]
- Matthew Ham - Drums, Keyboards (2009 - 2015)
- Bradley Haywood - Drums (2016 - 2017)
- Sean Mahoney - Drums (2017 - 2019)
Discography[]
- Delaying The Inevitable (EP) (2012)
- Different Animals (EP) (2014)
- Cheshire Cat Grin (Single) (2019)