https://www.facebook.com/heartforbaitband
Sounds like: Stoner/Doom Metal
From: New Jersey
1. How did you get started with music and how did you develop your sound? How did the name "Heart for Bait" come about and is there any meaning to it?
I was thrown into guitar lessons at a very young age by my parents and even though I wasn’t paying attention, I could fake my way through it, so my parents wouldn’t think they were wasting their money. My guitar teacher could see it though, so we just used to jam and have fun for a ½ hour. I lost interest for a while and then got back into it when I got to high school, to be cool, but I became obsessed and fell in love with guitar. My sound is basically still developing, I learn something new every day, and I am always discovering new gear to help me get where I want to be sound wise. Basically, I try to get extremely heavy guitar power with minimal distortion fuzz and effects.
Heart for bait is a fishing metaphor - getting the music out there, to be judged, criticized, consumed, enjoyed -- to pass or fail on its own merit. The songs come from the heart, and basically we are setting it adrift, either we can hook a monster, a trophy, or it can be picked apart by scavengers, or worse of all ignored.
2. What do you want people to take away from your music?
That we are sincere, honest, we play hard, we mean it, and we enjoy what we are doing.
3. How would you describe your sound to the average listener?
Guitar centric and riff based heavy music with melodic vocals and powerhouse rhythm section.
4. Who are three bands you’d like to tour with?
Clutch, Sleep and Crowbar.
5. What's your thoughts on AI generated music?
I think AI can be an aid to the solo songwriter and artist, there are some really nice AI powered tools that can help develop accompaniment for a solo artist and produce their music in a band context. However, I don’t want AI to do the work for me. I enjoy writing songs writing music and developing lyrics. It exercises my brain, helps me make sense of the world, and Its part of what makes me feel human, and I would never want to take a short cut and give that up.
6. What’s your take on the current state of Doom Metal?
As far as I am concerned some of the best music out there today is in the doom / stoner genre. For me, this genre captures some of the spirit of when heavy music was new, like the 60s, 70s, and early 90s.
7. What’s the current music scene like there in New Jersey?
The local music scene is pretty sparse, there is no a heck of a lot going on if you are an original band. The venues that accept original artists have dwindled down to 2 or 3 places, and most of these places require bands so sell tickets, so many original bands will decline to play rather than front the money for tickets. I would say that the market for cover bands is much better, if you are looking to see a live band there are many places locally that have live music.
8. What’s your take on the royalties that streaming services pay out to artists?
My feeling that it is very unfair to the artists. For the nominal pay the artist receives, it seems discouraging and pointless for artists.
9. What’s next for Heart for Bait?
Get back in the studio and release more singles, keep on playing live shows as much as possible.
10. Any shoutouts?
Local Promoter Tim from Tripsquad Productionz, and Dingbatz in Clifton for being one of the few venues in NJ for original music.
