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The Haymakers, a RI band (primarily out of Cranston, with Jeff Bright hailing from Oklahoma) with an alternative-country twist, have been shaking up the local scene since they started on their musical journey in March of 2001. Their following has grown from a mere whisper to a solid roar. Their live energy and pure talent continuously bring back a steady following to every single show. If there's anything you will repeatedly read about the Haymakers, it is about their amazingly rapid growth since their formation. They break new ground in their style on a regular basis, the essential formula for keeping a band fresh.
Four members, Jeff Bright on guitar and vocals, Shaun Chevalier on the sticks, Rob Gare on bass and vocals, and Damian Puerini on guitar and vocals. They claim their biggest influences to be, in no particular order, Tom Waits, Weezer, Aerosmith, Sam Cooke, Blondie, Guns n' Roses, Bob Dylan, and of course, the three biggies in any good rock band - porno soundtracks, girls, and criminals.
Their style can be best described as heavy rock (and a dose of punk) with a mid-western twang (in the vein of Beck before he became acoustic-falsetto). They describe their style best, as "rockin' western disco music". Their fans are a wild bunch, indeed- "Loyal, loud, drunk, and crazy," as the band describes them.
When asked their preference between live shows and recording, they replied, "Playing shows is definitely more fun. Recording is necessary, but shows are a party. There's no dancing girls in tight shirts in a recording studio, unless you bring your own. That would be distracting." Their party-hard attitude, in my opinion, is a breath of fresh air in the scene. Far too many bands take themselves too seriously. And life is too short for that, my friends. Please excuse the personal aside.
The Haymakers have 2 albums under their belt (their newest release being "Okay Plus" and their previous "Pig Hearts and Cadillac Parts") and a short EP called "Spare Parts". "Boxcar Girl", off the newest album, is a fantastic song with a Doors-like guitar breakdown (at one point, you almost want to chant, "Show me the way to the next whiskey bar!") Great guitar work on this song, one of the Haymaker's fortes, without a doubt. Many of their songs take full advantage of 2 guitars layered upon each other, with one holding the rhythm and the other stealing the show at any given point. Another track of the "Ok Plus" disc, entitled "Farm Truck" is as country as it gets in the local Rhode Island scene.
Still, as out of place it is in the ears of Rhode Islanders, the Haymakers place their own twist on the song, which just so happens to be their favorite to perform live. And miraculously, they are able to make it as cool as a cucumber. They are currently working on a new record; their only comment on the new material is, "The new songs are all over the place, some are crooning love songs, most are about murder and hookers." Interesting. Although they plan on playing fewer Providence shows (they need a rest - and as they told me, "We're going to hang out and watch Spinal Tap, smoke cigarettes, spend some quality time with the illegitimate kids at the bull fights, and kick the crap out of each other"), you can be sure to catch their act in bigger and better venues as they grow musically.
Visit their site at www.thehaymakers.net for upcoming shows, downloads, and other Haymaker tidbits... |
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