Kevin Martin As frontman of his first band Candlebox, Kevin Martin sold over 5 million records. The group catapulted him to the top of the modern-rock ranks spawning the mega-hits "Far Behind" and "You". Headlining arena tours and the critically acclaimed albums, 1995's Lucy and 1998's Happy Pills followed. Now, Martin has stepped into a new realm by recording his first solo album "The Possibility of Being."
“The Possibility Of Being” is a solo album...and it isn't. Martin had several songwriting collaborators: Hole guitarist Eric Erlandson, onetime Rob Rule guitarist/Candlebox touring guitarist Robbie Allen, Colin Duchin, Bottlefly's Colin Lizzard, Mark Arnell and Danny Martin. The album resonates with that distinct band-y feel. But the project is very much Martin's: He co-wrote and arranged all 11 tracks. In fact, he co-produced them, along with Candlebox producer Kelly Gray. Martin says, "I told Kelly, "These are the songs I have. This is the direction I'm going. These are the melodies I want. This is how big I want it to sound, because this is how I feel right now, full of angst, aggression, emotion, and compassion."
The “Possibility Of Being” is pure, uncut rock 'n' roll in the truest sense of the term. But it's a textured collection, and Martin makes clear that each song is attacked and caressed in a different way, so the lyrics and the voice are what really cohere the album. "Lyrics and melody have always been important to me," says Martin. "That's one of the best ways I communicate."
Consider the lyric, "If I could decide on what I've decided/If I could confide in whom I've confided/If I could believe in all I believe in/We deny it all/There's no trust inside," from the album's first single, "If We Could." "The song moves like a wave. It surges in, crashes, and then pulls back," Martin says. "The song is about readjusted beliefs. It deals with humanity, being humane to one another. Asking yourself, "What am I doing here? What is life all about for me?"
Martin spent the better part of two years writing the songs that would become “The Possibility of Being.” The album comes complete with instant young lover's evergreens like "Walk Away" and "The Lovers" and rock anthems such as "Telepathic Rock & Roll," which pays homage to many of Martin's heroes; "Enemy," a cut that opens with Peter Fonda saying "What we need is a real uprising" into a melee of judgmental ridicule; and "Identify" which recalls Martin's punk-rock roots.
Colin Duchin Growing up in a musical family, Colin spent his childhood surrounded by diverse artistic and musical traditions. During the school year he studied pottery and the piano and on family holidays in Jamaica, he encountered the sound of calypso and reggae. Colin was pursuing an art and anthropology degree in Seattle during the emerging years of the Seattle scene before moving to Hawaii to teach ceramics at a local art school. He was also hired to dive for medicinal coral, a job that took him to some of the most remote corners of the world.
It is these diverse musical and artistic traditions that influence Colin's musical sensibility. He and Kevin met in Hawaii several years ago, where the two quickly discovered their mutual respect for art and music. From there they began collaborating on songs and immediately found a dynamic musical partnership taking hold. Colin has since rediscovered his musical roots and is playing guitar and writing songs for Kevin Martin & The Hiwatts.
Colin and Kevin are co-founders of Tympanic Records, a record company that they hope will serve as a model for independent musicians. Their belief is that art has a way of breaking down barriers and that one of the great powers of music is its ability to capture the universal human experience in sound.
Sean Hennesy Sean "The Kid" Hennesy, a native to the Antelope Valley, first started playing guitar at the age of 12. He was introduced to the guitar by his 6th grade teacher Mark Atkins. This was during the days when Nirvana and Pearl Jam were ruling the airwaves. These bands intrigued Sean, but it was Atkins who introduced him to the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page and Stevie Ray Vaughan. It was that influence and inspiration where Sean found his calling as a musician.
Sean played in numerous bands throughout his high school years, but none seemed to satisfy his need to be creative. After graduating, he spent a short time in Long Beach before moving to Tarzana where he got a job working as a runner at Can Am Recorders. This is where he met Kevin Martin and the Hiwatts.
He was instantly captured by the blues-based influences that he was hearing in the bands' songs; it was exactly what he was looking for. Now came the hard part, how to get himself in this band.
Trying to make an impression, Sean would play the band's guitars as often as he could. His jamming caught the ear of Kelly Gray, the producer of "The Possibility of Being," and was asked to play on one of the tracks.
Shortly thereafter, Sean left Can Am to pursue his own career in a band. A year had passed since that session with Kevin Martin, and feeling like the opportunity to join the Hiwatts had passed, Sean made plans to move to Seattle. One week before he was to leave Sean received a call from Kevin asking him if he'd like to play some good ole' rock n' roll. He jumped at this second opportunity and accepted the challenge. A few short sessions later after jamming with the band, he was asked to join the Hiwatts.
Mission accomplished.
Brian Burwell Brian Burwell is from a small town in Michigan (Scottville, Pop. 1,200) were his first passion in life was Marital arts. It would not be his calling. Brian's biggest influence and inspiration, his brother Scott, was given one of the greatest Christmas gifts a child could ever receive. A classic Ludwig drum set. Now, the boy's parents didn't think so; see they didn't give this gift. A local drummer and friend of the family named Denny was the one responsible for the gift that kept on giving. Denny had given Scott his prized Ludwig kit and that was the beginning of it all. Scott, having Down Syndrome, had a natural talent for the drums and was Brian's biggest influence. Brian immediately fell in love and started playing all the time. Brian promised Scott that he would make it as a musician and share in it with him. Brian started doing all he could do to become the drummer he is today. He took many private lessons and joined his High School's Jazz, Concert, Marching and Pep bands. If anyone were to ask Brian's father he would say "that that boy played all day every day period!"
A few years later a buddy had Brian come and check out a new drum set he had built and wanted to mass produce. Brian was sold. His dad gave him all the money he saved for school over the years and let him invest in this drum idea. In no time the small Company had licensed the idea to Peavey and he was off to Mississippi heading up the manufacturing of the drums. This job got Brian one step closer to his dream. He came out to Anaheim, in early 1994, to demonstrate the drums at the NAMM show. He met some great players who all said "you need to be in Los Angeles kid." That was all he needed. Brian gave his 2 weeks notice and moved to LA with nothing but his van and the beautiful drum kit he built himself.
Peavey was behind him 100%; they helped him get a job drum-teching for many of the biggest TV shows in L.A. Shortly thereafter Brian started playing in bands and was starting to move up the ladder, getting bigger and bigger sessions. He would do whatever it took to play full-time. Brian crashed on many a floor over the next year. He would play anything that anyone would throw his way.
As lady luck would have it, Brian had hooked up with a guitarist/producer that used him on every session he did, leading to his joining the Columbia Records band Neve. The band had been signed by the legendary A& R man Randy Jackson.
This gave Brian the opportunity to spend the next 3 years recording and touring the world. Brian's most memorable moment was going back to his home town with Neve to play a show benefiting his High School's music program. The peak point was bringing his brother Scott up for a double drum solo where Scott got a standing ovation.
Brian had finally achieved what he said he would do for his brother, but this is just the beginning. Brian is now the drummer for the Kevin Martin and the HIWATTS. Hey Scott, you ready for the next wave?
Admam Kury Adam Michael Kury was born in Montrose Scotland and spent most of his childhood traveling around the world as the son of a Navy brat. He lived in Scotland, Thailand and Germany, before moving to the U.S at the age of 9. Finally in the U.S he still kept mobile, living in Maryland, Alaska and Hawaii, where he graduated High School.
Adam learned to play the bass as a teenager and quickly found an obsession with playing rock music in any band he could find, which was many. His talents were greatly sought by bands, and he found himself being accepted by very seasoned players, ending up in bands with members sometimes twice his age. Within a couple of months after graduating High School, Adam found himself at one point playing in seven different bands in Hawaii. Realizing he could make a career of it, he decided quality over quantity was best and left Hawaii to pursue his musical ambition. In 1990 Adam moved to Los Angeles in hopes of becoming a successful rock musician. He played in a series of sunset strip bands, including Sister Shotgun, Boneyard and Legs Diamond, among the most notables. He worked as a guitar tech at the infamous Hollywood guitar store Nadine's to make ends meet, and picked up cover tune gigs from Hermosa Beach to Hollywood California to Las Vegas. Through his efforts he built a rep as a go to guy for recording and touring acts. As a touring musician Adam has spent time touring with many great musicians (Legs Diamond, Phil Lewis (L.A. Guns) & Brett Muscat (Faster Pussycat), Andrew Dorff (Sony/Work group artist and Last December, to name a few).
Adam's playing and songwriting has been featured on countless recording projects in the studio including music for movie soundtracks, and TV shows (Dawson's Creek, Party of Five, BH 90210).
Adam stumbled on the Hiwatts through a mutual friend and life has never been the same. Adam immediately connected with the Kevin and Hiwatt guitarist Colin Duchin. The energy that was created in the first rehearsal was immeasurable, and yet so comfortable that it felt like they had been together for years. Three months later the band took off for their first US tour, and has no plans to stop the train they are on.
