Hollywood

Dear Fanatics.

Sorry it's been awhile since my last posting...I am in the middle of an intense YMCA basketball league.

The bad news is that my team lost the other night, and I have played my final game. The good news is that we are leaving for Hollywood, California to record album 4. I'm not evening going to begin to explain what it sounds like, because people will either get it or not.

All of our lovely friends who come to this website will understand this album. I promise you that. Every song is written for a reason, whether it's good or bad. I would like to mention that there is a NEW screamer on this record, but you will have to wait and hear the record to find out who it is. I would also like to say that we have not, and will never replace Casey. There is not a new member of HH...so take that as a hint.

I'm planning a secret rendezvous for fans where I will give away some handwritten lyrics when we are in Hollywood...stay tuned. Join the mailing list, and start getting excited. We will be in California for 2 months, come say Hi.

Love xxxJT

LEGOS!!!!

Ever since I was a kid, I have LOVED Legos! Who am I kidding, I'm still a big kid and I still love Legos...although where I once was indiscriminate about my Lego selections (Castle, Pirate, Space, etc), I now have only one passion...Star Wars Legos and only the model ones. So here's where you come in to play...I am going to purchase the badass, 5,000 piece, $499 (yes that's a lot for Legos) - MILLENNIUM FALCON as my one and only personal gift for myself, if, and only if, our next record goes Gold! So you and at least 500,000 of your friends have to promise to buy our new record when it comes out...deal? I promise you the new album will blow your mind...I NEED the Millennium Falcon!!!!!! Eron

It’s all Relative

So I just did an interview discussing the relative success of our last album Fragile Future with MTV. After reading comments on various sites I've realized something: many people (including us) think its our best album to date, while to many others, its our worst. I get that. Some albums, not just FF, are more of an acquired taste and require multiple listens or an understanding of where the artist was coming from to "get it". If the album in question wasn't what you expected or wanted, you probably hate it. If you like FF great, if not, fine. We don't need everyone to like everything we release, if that was the case, we'd be bigger than The Beatles and Led Zeppelin combined (and as much as I love the music we create, that wouldn't be right in the grand scheme of things). Speaking of Led Zeppelin...this reminded me...their third album (Zeppelin III) was a very polarizing album during its time from what I've read. Many people "got it" and enjoyed it for what it was (it was no "Zeppelin II", but it was not without its great songs). On the other hand many people hated it. It was folky sounding and didn't have nearly as much raw rock energy that "II" had. As a musician I can appreciate "III" a whole lot more now because I can relate. The band had something they had to create for themselves. That's what we did with FF. After Zeppelin "III", the band took it to another level (higher than they'd ever been) with the release of "IV". That's what our intentions are with our fourth album! These songs are the best we've ever written and will blow you away...promise! Eron

Guitar Ping Pong

MTV interview

Eron sat down with MTV this week to chat about the new album, writing and demoing and signing to Wind-up. You can read the entire interview here

The Many Uses of Ping Pong Balls

Sign up for the HH mailing list for your chance to win a pair of autographed drumsticks from the band!

NYC Wrap Up!

We're in NYC wrapping up the pre-pre-production for album #4 right now. Cartel has been in the studio this week working in one of the three rooms, while JT works on the vocals in another room and Matt, Micah and I add extra guitars, keyboards and strings to the songs in yet another room. Hanging out with the Cartel guys has been a lot of fun...especially the Cartel/HH doubles ping-pong tournament. Unfortunately, we probably won't be able to finish it since we only have two more days here before we head back to Ohio for a week! Following a week of relaxation, we head out to LA to start recording...this time we're actually using Howard Benson. (note to anyone who wants to edit our Wikipedia page...Jeff Schneeweis recorded Fragile Future, not Howard). Back on topic, the songs sound amazing, we'll be watching the NBA playoffs while we record (the Cavs are going to win it all this year), and Crumbs Cupcakes taste amazing (better than Sprinkles)...lucky for us (and you) that they have Crumbs in LA too! Eron

Music From Your Childhood

Hey guys,

Micah, Eron and I are sitting in a room with a keyboard in NYC right now. Working on new songs, and trying to come up with some extra stuff for these songs if needed. Since we've been up here, I have kinda rekindled my love with some music from my child/teen years. This includes some early 90's rap, and my still undying love of 90's alternative rock. I have been rockin' some Geto Boys, Scarface, Mobb Deep, Gang Starr, etc. and it is awesome. I think that you guys should revisit something that you loved as a kid or teenager and I will guarantee it will put a smile on your face whether you remember it all or not. Post what you pulled out of the vault on the comment board, and maybe you'll find a new friend with an equally embarrassing love of C&C music factory.

-Matt

Drumstick Giveaway!

Hawthorne Heights would like to thank everyone for all the incredible support with an opportunity to enter an exclusive contest! Eight winners will receive a pair of autographed drumsticks that have been personally broken in by Eron and signed by the whole band! Simply sign-up for the Hawthorne Heights enews and enter for your chance to win! Sign-up and enter to win here. By entering this contest, you agree to the terms in the Official Rules. If you have already subscribed to the Hawthorne Heights enews, you are automatically entered. Spread the word and forward to a friend **These drumsticks are USED, Eron used them when the band was recording in the studio in NYC, so they show some wear and tear.

Don't Mess with Matt's Reds - Part 2

...or else the fart stabber will get ya!

Don't Mess with Matt's Reds!

I took some time away from the studio to head down to the local NYC television station and offer my thoughts on their Mets vs Reds pre-game show today. Check back tomorrow for the "aftermatt" of my live television experience and breaking news about the fart stabber. Matt

Waterworld 2 coming to a box office near you!!!

I just read something that made me laugh, but then again, I have a sick sense of humor. Hugh Jackman and Century Fox are actually bitching about Wolverine leaking nearly a month early online. This is the first big movie to leak, so I can understand the shock...but seriously!!? How can the movie industry actually be shocked? Were they really so naive that they thought the movie industry would be safe from the same thing that's plagued the music industry for TEN YEARS now? I guess it’s this apparent naiveté that is making me chuckle, because I don't condone this by any means. Leaks and illegal downloading are killing the music industry, leading to less and less artist development, which is leading to less and less good music. If this recession has taught us anything, CEO's don't take pay cuts when times get bad. They cut jobs and invest less in their products. Translation: your favorite artist isn't getting the money to make the best record they can and the labels don't have the staff to properly promote that album. Have you ever asked yourself: why isn't (blank) huge? That's why! The music industry was bloated and did need a good kick in the nuts for sometime, but that's a whole different blog. So back on track...the same thing that happened to the music industry is happening to the movie industry, but to hear them speak about this, it’s as if these movie companies had their collective heads in the sand for ten years or they turned a blind eye to what was happening online. Either way, it was only a matter of time. Eron

Ping Pong: Part Deux

They Have 9 Flavors!

Along with writing songs, I am in NYC trying to find out the eternal question..."does America really run on Dunkin'?". I'm much more of a chai drinker than regular coffee, but Matt persuaded me to try DD. So I did and now officially am a believer. Starbucks is still a shitload better, but DD is half the price...so I can't argue with that. In this cup is a large coffee with cream, sugar, and blueberry syrup. Delicious! Also, that's my hand holding the cup. I can't quite take a full picture of myself. I am running on Dunkin' and loving it. xxxJT

Studio Footage of a New Song!

Sign up for the Hawthorne Heights mailing list to receive more videos like this and be the first to experience our new music!