Nashville, TN (Top40 Charts/ Glass Onyon PR) Hot on the heels of their new viral video, Nashville group Ferris & The Wheels will be releasing their highly anticipated debut EP 'Hollow' on December 17, 2013. The band's new anti-bullying video 'Can't By Yourself" has been garnering attention worldwide! Described as a "carnival ride of Indie-Folk-Grunge", Ferris & The Wheels new 5-song EP takes you on a ride of indie folk rock to hard rock, alternative grunge and progressive rock. Geoff Ferris, lead singer and songwriter, born in Bad Axe, MI, and former lead singer of the band 'Bad Axe', has had success in
Boston and Nashville as a musician. In 2012, Ferris and drummer Patrick Gullett formed Ferris & The Wheels.
Says Geoff Ferris, "I didn't pre-plan a concept for this EP, but as I pieced the songs together it has both a musical and story flow. The way I write is to show you can blend stories of real experiences with different styles of rock and make it flow. The only metaphor I can think of is... Imagine a bird flying through multiple environments (from a quiet sunny field on a cool spring morning, to a shady tree on a hot summer day, to a rushing and screaming waterfall on an autumn evening) all the while, whistling different melodies to go along with the experience."
The band's new video "Can't By Yourself" deals with the serious subject of bullying. Says Geoff, "The video is for our first single 'Can't By Yourself' and portrays an anti-bullying message. It's a story of three middle school kids who are being picked on by a mutual bully. Once they realize their nemesis is the same guy, they team together and get him back in an ultimate showdown on the school playground. After listening to the song, videographer, Andrew Yontz, was inspired to write something with a positive message. He wrote, directed, filmed, and edited the entire video, and I couldn't be happier. My wife is a kindergarten teacher, both my kids attend public school, and I was a public school teacher (Special Education), so I've been really proud to pass this video on to my friends who are teachers. The actors were all local middle schoolers, and it was filmed at a school just south of Nashville."
As a self-proclaimed "Rock Fanatic", Geoff has a wide range of musical tastes: classic rock, folk, progressive, grunge, alternative, pop and modern indie. His biggest influences started with oldies and Motown, but quickly moved to Bruce Springsteen, John Lennon, The Beatles,
Neil Young and The Beach Boys. By the time he was 13 in 1994, Geoff was just beginning to have his mind blown by Led Zeppelin,
Pink Floyd and Bob Dylan, while simultaneously being hit with the current movement of grunge and alternative rock, which included Nirvana, Soundgarden, The Offspring,
Pearl Jam and STP. Along with newer rock bands like the
Foo Fighters and White Stripes, he's also influenced by some hip-hop/rap artists such as Eazy-E, Tupac, Snoop Dog, Dre, and Too Short.
Says Geoff, "The new EP is definitely darker and harder compared to my previous works, but I don't mean it's depressing or woeful, it rocks, and before long you'll want to sing and scream along. It's the first time I ever recorded songs I co-wrote with someone as part of the project. When co-writing with Patrick Gullett (drummer) on the songs 'Hollow' and 'Let's Get Into Something', we explored some untouched areas deep within our existence that we both felt an insatiable urge to bring to light...or dark. I wrote 'Hold Your Tongue' and 'Allow Me' in 2008 and 'Can't By Yourself' a few months before we recorded in August 2013. So it's a blend of songs from my catalogue I felt needed to be unleashed."
"Ferris & The Wheels mounts a furious charge onto the music scene with an EP steeped in melancholy and gnawing sense of loss. Determined to reach the top - in life, love and everything in between - lead singer Geoff Ferris conveys a sense of hopefulness even when exploring dark and conflicted ideas. Whether rocking out or reining in, the impassioned arrangements serve as a fitting vehicle for his time-tested ambitions." -
Blake Boldt, M
Music & Musicians Magazine
Says Geoff, "I loved the recording process to make this EP. This project changed me forever. Andrew Bazinet (produced, recorded and mixed) emphasized pre-production on day one of our talks. From practicing to editing and remaining passionate throughout the process, he kept us grounded and made it fun. Also, we delegated responsibilities before doing anything in the studio. It's by far my best effort and I felt completely drained, both physically and emotionally, when I was done recording. Finally, it was a team effort. I had a great bunch of musicians who came together to make this possible."
Ferris & The Wheels 'Hollow' EP can be purchased at: https://www.cdbaby.com/m/cd/ferristhewheels
For more information: https://www.facebook.com/ferrisandthewheels
ReverbNation: https://www.reverbnation.com/ferrisandthewheels
Twitter: @FerrisAndWheels https://twitter.com/FerrisAndWheels
YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLxmRscOrjMCBkGwMdENwpA
