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)

Comments

[JT]

Gary is a gracious interview subject, you shouldn't have any trouble getting him to talk. Have fun! :)

[SparkyDR99]

Solid record. I had to order it online (god forbid a record store in Manhattan would have it), but it's a cool band. looking forward to M3.

[Metalboy!]

Sparky! You live in Manhattan?!

I lived there from '88 to '01 and happened to see your beloved Cherone point blank when he was in Extreme. They were playin' The Cat Club on 13th Street in support of their "classic" (to some) "Pornograffiti" album.

Yep, I saw your boy accompanied by Nuno and the rest of Extreme perform "More Than Words" and all that other stuff. Very professional. Not my cup of tea, but very professional.

My chick at the time was into it, tho, and even knew those dudes, Nuno apparently a little more than the others, I later discovered, hahaha!!!

Anyway, I'm just wonderin', since you live in Manhattan, if you used to go to the shows at The Cat Club or concerts at MSG, Radio City, Beacon Theater, Irving Plaza, Roseland, The Ritz, CBGB's, L'Amour, Life, etc., etc...

I'm pretty sure I'll be at M3, too!

Rock On!