Know Lyfe goes to Hollywood
Local music beat: Know Lyfe goes to Hollywood
Anne Erickson | Lansing State Journal 11/29/07
Local metal band wins national contest, plays label showcase tonight
The members of Know Lyfe are not the kind of guys who would be content just resting on their laurels. The Lansing metal boys like to keep busy. They’ve played the Warped Tour - twice. They’ve opened for major metal bands like Atreyu and Lacuna Coil. They’ve toured the country too many times to keep straight. And all that hard work and dedication is paying off - in a big way. The guys just won a national battle of the bands sponsored by Ernie Ball, the guitar-string maker. That means well over $10,000 in prizes and - perhaps more important - a spot on a major-label showcase in Hollywood tonight. “This has changed our entire musical life as a band,” frontman Alfonso Civile said by phone. “It hasn’t sunk in yet. When we got the call, we were all like, ‘No way, this is not happening.’ Civile says this whole experience has been a dream come true. “This is the biggest opportunity of a lifetime,” he said. “For a good three days I could not believe it. I laughed. I cried. I yelled. I went through every emotion in the book. We’re very fortunate, very thankful and we don’t take it for granted,” he said. Earlier this year, Know Lyfe uploaded their music onto the Ernie Ball Web site. Fans across the country voted, and Know Lyfe landed in the top five bands in the nation. That scored them a spot on the Detroit leg of this year’s Warped Tour. And this is the doozy: A panel of judges - from music executives to A&R reps - checked out that Warped Tour performance. They were floored by the killer, high-energy showing and crowned Know Lyfe the grand prize winner, out of 13,000 bands. That earned Know Lyfe a never-ending list of prizes: a $10,000 shopping spree from Guitar Center, a new drum set, practice amps, a bass amp rig and a guaranteed one-week slot on next year’s Warped Tour. And, yes, Ernie Ball is flying the guys out to Hollywood to play a label showcase at Key Club on Sunset Strip. We’re not talking the kind of showcase where people send out handmade fliers to all the labels and hope a few show up. We’re talking the kind that attracts all the majors - Virgin, Epic, Warner Bros., Capitol. It’s the same showcase that launched pop-punk legend Blink-182. So tonight, A&R reps and other heavy-hitters will be watching Lansing’s metal darlings Civile, bass player Waylon Fox, lead guitarist Jerred Pruneau and drummer Matt Martens. Civile says he is humbled by the honor.“We’ve dreamed, day in and day out, about having an opportunity like this,” Civile said. “You fantasize about it, because it’s something you want to happen so badly. And now we’re on this major showcase, and Ernie Ball is paying for all of our accommodations.”Despite the excitement about simply being on the showcase, Civile says he’s also pumped to share the stage with MxPx. The legendary Christian hardcore-punk band is headlining the show. “It’s crazy, when I was a kid, that ‘Chick Magnet’ song was big,” Civile said. “It’s cool. We’re getting to play with a band that in their realm has made huge impact on the music scene, especially the punk and hard-core scene.”Even with all the excitement of the Ernie Ball contest, the guys are keeping their heads on straight. They are prepping for the release of their new full-length, titled “On Cold Hands and Dark Water,” which they will drop at a CD release party at Mac’s Bar Jan. 3.The new CD, Civile says, rocks harder than past albums. “We’re still Know Lyfe,” he said, “but we’ve gotten a lot heavier and the song structure has changed. We’re focusing now on writing songs people can remember, but we’re in no way sacrificing the metal band that we feel we are. “We’re really excited about this record and we think it’s our best yet, a lot of new things on the CD,” he added.As for tonight’s Hollywood show, I asked if there’s anything we here in Lansing could offer for support.“Just check out our new songs on MySpace (www.myspace.com/knowlyfe), and come out to shows,” Civile said. “Not just our shows. We’re talking about our entire local rock and music scene. “Go out and watch other bands you like, because that’s the only way stuff like this happens. Through the fans.”
• Show details: Know Lyfe, MXPX, more, Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands 11 Finals, doors open at 7 p.m. today, The Keyclub, 9039 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, Calif., $10.
• Save the date: Know Lyfe, more, CD release shows, 5:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Jan. 3, Mac’s Bar, 2700 E. Michigan Ave., 484-6795; $7 at the door.
Anne Erickson’s column appears Thursdays in What’s On. Have a band or a concert to promote? Contact her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..