This year at Fort Rock we decided to approach the festival a little differently than normal. Making time to meet up with some of our favorite band members, and a couple new favorites, was a great experience all around.
It comes as no surprise that we jumped at the opportunity to catch up with Hollywood Undead. We've been supporting this band since early Myspace days and were thrilled to catch up with them. The guys were in great spirits and getting ready to hit the stage in just over an hour. We grabbed some group shots, and then Charlie Scene took front and center to kick off the solo portraits.
left to right: Johnny 3 Tears, Danny, Charlie Scene, Funny Man, J-Dog
We were super lucky to have a few minutes with Breaking Benjamin, who just released their latest album Ember in mid-April. Originally the band had little to no time for press, but were extremely personable and happy to grab a photo with us.
left to right: Aaron Bruch (bass), Keith Wallen (guitar), Jasen Rauch (guitar), Shaun Foist (drums), Benjamin Burnley (vocals)
Texas Hippie Coalition (sans Big Dad Ritch) hung out for quite some time and were super happy to take photos and chat with everyone. The band put Denison, Texas on the map (considering the town's claim to fame is being the birthplace of Dwight D. Eisenhower) but the members we chatted with are actually transplants, ranging from other areas in Texas to all the way in Oklahoma. The band is set to release their sixth album in 2018, but we're still waiting on the details to come out.
left to right: Rado (bass), Nevada Romo (guitar), Timmy Braun (drums), Cord Pool (guitar)
Red Sun Rising recently released Thread, their follow up to 2015's Polyester Zeal. We were able to woo the band with promises of gushers and other various snacks. Luckily they all appreciate the fine art of high-fructose corn syrup as much as we do. Plus with Ricky Miller's pug shirt, we had plenty to talk about. Ricky even took control of the interview, questioning his fellow band mates, and acting as interview host. It was hilarious to watch, and it's easy to see that these guys are just as close off stage.
left to right: Ricky Miller (bass), Ryan Williams (guitar), Dave McGarry (guitar), Pat Gerasia (drums)
