Billy Sawilchik – guitar
Dino Kourelis - bass
Read Full Bio ↴Marty Casey - vocals
Billy Sawilchik – guitar
Dino Kourelis - bass
Bobby Kourelis - drums
LOVEHAMMERS’ triumphant new disc, HEAVY CROWN, restores faith that heartfelt rock and roll can still thrive. With an inimitable and unpretentious sound, Chicago’s homegrown heroes punch out an album of thought-provoking, hook-injected airwave contenders that are long on hooks and incendiary riffs.
“Heavy Crown is Lovehammers firing on all cylinders,” says bassist Dino Kourelis. From the explosive opening salvo “Guns” to the soaring “Honest I‘ll Wait,” Lovehammers nail a variety of approaches with expert finesse. With sonic jewels like “Your Time, My Time” and the infectious “Oh My Baby” forging a direct line to the any self-respecting rock music fan, Heavy Crown offers a refreshing respite from today’s over-compartmentalized musical climate,
Yet for all of its creative achievements, Heavy Crown carries some of the weight that its title suggests. Lovehammers have survived the blessings and curses that came their way when vocalist Marty Casey became a household name, earning the adoration of millions of television viewers as the runner-up on the 2005 reality series ‘Rockstar INXS’. Casey, guitarist Billy Sawilchik, bassist Dino Kourelis and drummer Bobby Kourelis found themselves the recipients of a major label deal that didn’t live up to its promise. As it worked to wrangle itself out of a series of unfavorable business arrangements, the foursome’s decade-plus loyalty to one another was tested.
That allegiance ultimately persevered and Lovehammers hatched a plan to remix and re-release some of its signature songs on its own terms. But before too long, Heavy Crown turned into the band’s first new studio disc in three years. “I didn't want this record to sound like anything we have done previously,” Marty explains. “Personally I wanted to challenge myself in the writing process. I wanted it to be a combination of light and dark. I wanted to break free of every song being about personal life stories. The writing of the song ‘That’s Life’ was a direct attempt at focusing the lyrics on the lives of other people and trying to make a point. Of course, in the end most of the material is a storyline of my life and I tried my best to make it as honest as possible and tell stories to get some
things off my chest.”
The exceptionally memorable “Find Your Way” was an opportunity for the band’s drummer to do the same. Says Casey, “I have no idea if it’s true or not but I always thought that Bobby wrote that song about me. He was upset with me for quite some time about some decisions I had made. It felt like he was making a statement to me like, ‘Open your eyes and figure out where you are.’ It might not be true but I like to think so as I often enjoy living in my imagination.”
That healthy exchange of ideas has been an integral part of Lovehammers’ song quality control during its dozen years as a recording unit. With a back catalog of four albums and three EPs (see discography below) and friendships that date back to their Hickory Hills Little League days, the band’s chemistry can’t help but be special. “This band is extraordinary,” says Dino, “in that we have known each other since we were 8, so we aren’t afraid to speak our minds to each other in fears of hurting feelings. In most cases, the person that has an idea for a song knows it needs work and asks the band to help develop it or make it better. In general, we just try to have fun and enjoy ourselves.” Taking song ideas, tearing them apart and reassembling them to get the most out of each track, the group’s self-professed “Lovehammers manipulation machine” can take a bare bones song and morph it from an acoustic jam to a full-on orchestration. From there it’s on to tracking–which the band did in Chicago and California with the help of producer Marti Frederickson (Buckcherry, Pink, Faith Hill, Papa Roach). From there, Anthony Focx was brought in to mix the record.
“Anthony had just finished working on mixing Aerosmith, Metallica, and Buckcherry–all bands that are definitely rock with big pop sensibilities. I thought he would be perfect for us,” Dino says. “His passion, dedication and love for this record is something I haven’t seen before from someone that was not in our band.” Or as Bobby says succinctly, “He's a rock guy that gets what we are trying to sound like, and knows what we should sound like.”
For Sawilchik, Heavy Crown was an opportunity to stretch his guitar-tistic boundaries, whether he was in the studio proper, in Dino’s basement or at Chicago Recording Company. “We never really had a serious discussion about where the album should go stylistically,” he says. “When we were arranging and writing the songs, my main goal was to avoid shying away from the tried and true chord progressions and arrangements.” That focus may be most evident on the uplifting title track. “That song means a lot to all of us but the depth and potency is the same,” Marty says of the tune. “The tone of the story came from life experience and we knew we were bold enough to make it as epic as possible. We were simply trying to make the music feel as bold as the message.” Adds Dino, “Marty has grown a lot and is not really afraid to show his emotions in his songs or leave himself vulnerable. When Marty asked me to help out with the lyrics, I know he had someone in mind while writing it. I told him that I was going to approach it as if it was a message to my 90 year old grandmother, if she was on her deathbed. She raised 12 kids, countless grandkids and she’s basically the strongest woman I know.”
“We weren’t splitting the atom when it came to chord progressions or arrangements,” Billy injects. “The trick is to convey a song with conviction and authenticity. I think that comes across in our music because we really love what we do and it is important to get that passion across to the listener.”
With Heavy Crown, Casey hopes that each song finds a home. “I want ‘Your Time, My Time’ blasting at a summer barbecue. As for ‘Oh My Baby,’ I just want to keep to myself. When you write the goodbye letter and watch someone you love walk off into the sunset, you don’t really want to mail it. You’d rather burn it.”
Now that the band has returned to Lovehammers--after being forced to alter their title to put Marty’s name in front for their lone Epic Records release--the foursome has come full circle, releasing Heavy Crown via its REEP label with distribution through Fontana/INgrooves. “We have control again and feel comfortable returning to our original name,” says the frontman.
“We’ve been together since 1988,” Casey continues. “There are not many bands that have spent nearly their entire lives together. When you stick together this long, you are bound to become your own unique thing. We just tried to write songs that we like and we would listen to. For Heavy Crown, we said ‘Let’s just put everything into these songs with no care of the synchronicity of the songs on a whole.’ It’s funny that they all seem to work well together in the end.”
Lovehammers Discography
Ultrasound, 1997, REEP Records
Demolition EP, 1999, REEP Records
How We Live EP, 2001, SLH Records
L’Strange, 2002, REEP Records
Murder on My Mind, 2003, SLH Records
Live/Raw (DVD), 2004, SLH Records
Marty Casey and Lovehammers, 2006, Epic Records
And The Rest Is History (DVD), 2006, SLH Records
Merry Christmas (All Year Long) Single, 2006, SLH Records
Heavy Crown, 2009, REEP Records/Fontana/INgrooves
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Clouds
Lovehammers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wish for more in this life
I need so much more
Lost all hideaway
You were there
To save me from everything
And everyone I could not see
You'll never find out anyhow
So sorry it's over now
Go on back home
Falling through your clouds I
Hope you can catch me
Never leave you alone
Falling through you now I
Hope you can catch me
Turn my blind eyes blue
One kiss from you
Like white light
Feel you shining through
So much more to see
But you're too scared
Trust me with everything
'Cause I'm the one
I give you strength when you're weak
So sorry she said
You'll never find out anyhow
So sorry it's over now
Go on back home
Falling through your clouds I
Hope you can catch me
Never leave you alone
Falling through you now I
Hope you can catch me
Maybe we can change
You look so scared now
Don't pull the trigger
I'll never be back here
Shoot shoot, away yeah
Shoot shoot, away yeah
Shoot shoot, blow me away
Falling through your clouds I
Hope you can catch me
Never leave you alone
Falling through you now I
Hope you can catch me
Shoot shoot, away yeah
Shoot shoot, away yeah
Never leave you alone
Shoot shoot, away yeah
Shoot shoot, away yeah
Shoot shoot, away yeah
Shoot shoot, away yeah
Never leave you alone
Shoot shoot, away yeah
Shoot shoot, away yeah
Never leave you alone
Never leave you alone
Never leave you alone
The Lovehammers song "Clouds" is a powerful love song that explores the depths of human desire and emotional vulnerability. The lyrics express the desire for more in life and the need for someone to save them from everything and everyone they cannot see. The song portrays the idea that the one you love can be the person who gives you strength when you are weak.
The lyrics begin with the statement "I am just like you," which is a clear indication that we all have the same desires and needs in life. The song then progresses to talk about the need for someone to save them from everything they cannot see. This line conveys the idea of someone being lost and in search of something that they cannot find on their own.
The chorus of the song expresses a desire to fall through their lover's clouds and hope they can catch them. This line is a powerful metaphorical image of vulnerability and the need for someone to be there when we fall. The line "never leave you alone" in the chorus further emphasizes the need for human connection and support.
In the last verse, the song explores the idea of change and the desire to turn a scared person into a confident one. The lines "don't pull the trigger" express the idea of hope and the possibility of change. The song ends with the refrain "Never leave you alone," which sums up the overall message of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
I am just like you
The singer is implying that he is no different from the listener and wishes for the same things in life.
I wish for more in this life
The singer desires more opportunities and fulfillment in his life.
I need so much more
The singer feels like he is lacking something important in his life.
Lost all hideaway
The singer has nowhere left to run or hide.
You were there
Someone has been there to support the singer through their difficult times.
To save me from everything
This person has saved the singer from all negative aspects of their life.
And everyone I could not see
The singer was not aware of the harmful people in his life, but the supportive person helped him see the truth.
So sorry she said
The supportive person apologizes for something they may have done wrong.
You'll never find out anyhow
The supportive person implies that the singer may never know what they did wrong, but they did it for his own good.
So sorry it's over now
The supportive person is letting go of the singer and moving on with their own life.
Go on back home
The supportive person instructs the singer to return to his old life without them.
Falling through your clouds I
The singer is falling through the clouds of the person they love, hoping they will catch him.
Hope you can catch me
The singer is asking the person they love to support and catch them.
Never leave you alone
The singer promises never to leave the person they love alone.
Turn my blind eyes blue
The singer wants to see things differently and gain more understanding.
One kiss from you
The person they love has the power to make the singer see things differently with just one kiss.
Like white light
The kiss from the person they love illuminates the singer's mind and brings them clarity.
Feel you shining through
The singer feels the love from the person shining through in their actions and support.
So much more to see
The singer can see a lot more in his future because of the love from the person they believe in.
But you're too scared
The supportive person is too afraid to take the singer on this journey.
Trust me with everything
The singer trusts the supportive person with everything and wants them to trust him the same way.
'Cause I'm the one
The singer is confident that he is the right person to support and love the supportive person.
I give you strength when you're weak
The singer can support the supportive person in their weak moments and give them strength.
Maybe we can change
The singer suggests that they can both change each other's lives for the better.
You look so scared now
The supportive person now looks frightened about taking risks together.
Don't pull the trigger
The singer implores the supportive person not to make a fateful mistake.
I'll never be back here
If the supportive person makes the wrong choice, the singer will never return.
Shoot shoot, away yeah
The singer is singing to the rhythm of the song's chorus and providing the listener with a catchy hook.
Never leave you alone
The singer reiterates his commitment to always stay with the supportive person.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind