 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
hawk nelson
 |
'How's this for a little multi-national amalgamation: Hawk Nelson, a Canadian melodic pop-punk quartet recently portrayed British classic rockers The Who on the popular NBC television series "American Dreams.""
I got the song that we were doing ('My Generation') while we were on tour, which I heard maybe once or twice in my life before," says lead vocalist Jason Dunn. "But I listened to it the whole drive home - nine hours straight. I bought all these DVDs on The Who and [vocalist] Roger [Daltrey], and watched them for hours and hours, just to find out how he acted on stage and who he was as a person. It was like homework, but it was amazing." The studying paid off in dividends as the band's amazing appearance on "American Dreams" is just one of several exciting opportunities that the highly-motivated Ontario, Canada-based Hawk Nelson have participated in since the release of their Tooth & Nail debut, Letters to the President, in July 2004.The band consequently became fans of The Who, which shouldn't seem all that surprising, considering Hawk Nelson and The Who share a basic, common musical thread in delivering upbeat, catchy, melodic rock with striking mass appeal. And nowhere better is such showcased for Hawk Nelson than on Letters to the President, which receives a significant upgrade this October in the form of a Special Edition re-release. Letters to the President Special Edition will feature the popular 14-track album, plus the band's rendition of "My Generation" from "American Dreams," three bonus acoustic songs ("Take Me," "Letters to the President," and "Every Little Thing"), "Behind the Scenes" video footage shot over two months of the band's road journeys, the "California" music video and revised packaging. Through the "American Dreams" episode also gave the band their first opportunity to visit Hollywood, the show yielded something even greater, as it led to Hawk Nelson's debut big-screen performance in the remake of the 1968 film Yours, Mine & Ours (starring Dennis Quaid and Rene Russo) in which the band jams at a party. "We went in and wrote a song for the movie," Dunn says. "The director had heard our project and loved our song ÔRecess.' He felt that our upbeat, energetic style would be a perfect fit for the film. We're the band they bring in for a party scene and we're rockin' in their kitchen, it's totally sweet. "The "American Dreams" episode wasn't the only tube appearance for Hawk Nelson's music, as the band's hook-laden rock songs have been featured on the WB's "Smallville" and "Summerland." They also had a song that was a part of the Summer 2004 Olympics commercials on NBC. When asked why Hawk Nelson has received so much attention outside of the band's typical realm of stages and albums, Dunn notes that "the music we play is very commercial and all the songs are very catchy. Everyone likes a good pop song, and pop music and TV go well together, they go hand-in-hand."Hailing from the same locale of Three Days Grace and Thousand Foot Krutch, Hawk Nelson have always had the good fortune of being in the company of kindred spirits, launching the group while still in their teens. Many things became of the band's decision, as they toured throughout their Toronto region and spent roughly a year writing Letters to the President before signing with Seattle-based Tooth & Nail Records. Hawk Nelson headed into the studio with producers Aaron Sprinkle and TFK's Trevor McNevan in February 2004.The Tooth & Nail signing found the band transforming into a full-time venture, the guys quit their day jobs, which ranged from working at a tollbooth to serving coffee to washing cars, to focus on Hawk Nelson's ever-increasing activity. With their individual dreams merging into one committed, unified goal, Hawk Nelson hit the road extensively upon the album's release. "Originally our goal was to get shows, and then to get signed, and then to have a great first record," says bassist Daniel Biro. "We just want to make this a career and develop a great thing with fans and radio. "Helping the band (which also includes guitarist Jonathon Steingard) further their efforts was the inclusion of drummer Aaron Tosti a.k.a. Sqwid, a Southern California native, who joined Hawk Nelson in the summer of 2005. Maintaining their rapid course and positive focus, Hawk Nelson toured extensively throughout 2005, living out their dreams of hitting the road, with their upbeat, passionate attitudes in tow. "Three years ago we were playing in basements at our friends houses - little shows with like ten people," says Dunn. "Now our shows are actually drawing and we're doing this as a full-time thing. It's literally a dream come true. At the end of the day, I'm like, 'I'm doing what I love doing, I'm doing what I've dreamed since I was a kid, and it's so worth it to me.'"Despite all the activity and attention surrounding the band since the initial release of Letters to the President, Hawk Nelson haven't lost sight of what's ahead and are already looking forward to their next set of songs, most of which are interlaced with a strong message of hope and change to those in need - something the band was able to do with a recent performance in Panama."There are so many bands out there that sing about nothing," Dunn says. "They're like, 'Well, this word rhymes so I'll just use it' and it's nothing. We are a band that says something and can hopefully change lives for the better." "I think it's important that we learn how to help people, whether it's a third-world country or right here in our backyards," Biro concludes. "It's what we've always been about. People have always helped us, and we've tried to pass that on in anyway we can. We seek to create anthems to get you thinking about what it is that you want to do with your life and then give you a jump-start to go all out for it. No matter what the ambition, get out there and go do it. We are and we're having the time of our lives!" |
|  |
