HLTH NEWS

Scene Health 

The West-Texas music scene has experienced so many great bands and venues. It's not easy thriving in a location where the predominant industry and demographic is geared towards our nation's oil industry. The market here can appear to be saturated with a lot of closed mindedness, ignorance, and lack of musical interest in general. Artistic patrons (at least in Midland/Odessa) are usually those that prefer classical arts and turn their noses up at the sight of a struggling musician with tattoos and ripped jeans. There's a total clash of class and demographics/psychographics that appear to keep those of us that want to make something of ourselves with our music down in the dumps. 

It isn't the region we're in that is to blame, however; at least not in 2022. What we need is, a) the will to persevere in the face of adversity and b) the support from experience individuals that are willing to help. If we all choose to bond together as a scene and look at this place as grounds to start something unprecedented here, the health of the scene will be able to grow through the shade of excuses why bands can't make it. Those excuses are bullshit.

This had me thinking... I want us to all be successful and I think I can help. I have spent almost twenty years in the music industry around the world. I have started in South-East Asia in the pop-punk world to Los Angeles in the in the pop world as a paid session bass guitarists. I have years of experience touring through venues across both the eastern and western hemispheres. I have years worth of education; earning degrees and diplomas in music performance and music business with Berklee College of Music (Midland College, too... go chaparrals!) All of that experience and education spans across playing shows, music marketing, venue management, music writing, publishing, and band management. Why not put all of this to good use in helping a scene I see so much potential in grow up to be a musical destination in Texas?! 

We're in a great spot. West-Texas is part of a vast, desolate region that stands between national acts touring from the western states (namely Arizona and sometimes New Mexico) to the major cities here in Texas. This means we have an opportunity to capitalize on bands looking for a spot to break up their drive between cities. That opens up opportunities for efficiently run venues to draw in assertive, local promoters, to book national bands paired with prepared (performance and digitally marketed) local talent.

We can do this, and I can help. It's easier to go to someone that knows how and where to guide you, and can partner up with you, rather than searching the internet only to be taken advantage of some shady asshole that wants to sit at home and have is income roll through PayPal from unsuspecting, yet eager bands (I've been taken advantage of several times, too). I'm here for all of you. If you need help or advice, I got you. If you want to partner up, and see where the journey takes us, I'm up for that too. 

You all can always reach out to me via email (hlthtx@gmail.com), and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. If there's a lot of you, maybe I make a podcast or YouTube series (maybe I do it regardless). Either way, I want to help. We have a golden opportunity here to rise out of nowhere from nothingness. No one would know what hit 'em. Ya'll are talented and driven and you CAN turn this into more than a hobby. I believe in and love this scene. 

 

- James

 

P.S.

Pre-Save "Runaway" on Spotify HERE!

 

 

Home 

We always try to show our love of the Midland/Odessa music scene by incorporating elements that both the scene itself, and us value. Filming the video for Runaway at Cactus House helped preserve a very special weekend to us with performing there the night prior in an effort to help a friend to the scene. Seeing people come together, to support another human being while sharing a love for where we all come from is a beautiful thing. It makes me so proud to call West Texas Here Lies the Hero’s home. 

Me personally coming into West Texas as a touring musician from a totally different market overseas, was beyond exciting once I ran into the HLTH guys and went to my first show at The Pine Box in Midland. It felt like being welcomed into a family and a really special club. I’ve never felt that kind of unity and welcome in my previous scene on the other side of the world. It has been the best experience ever growing with Here Lies the Hero and being a part of West Texas’ music culture. 

In the 20 years that I have been in the music industry, Odessa is still my all-time favorite home and market. We’ve moved around a lot as a band, and have been all over the country performing, but Odessa will always be home and I know I speak for all of Here Lies the Hero when I say that we will always do whatever we can to preserve the excitement in this scene and put Odessa, TX on the map for up and coming bands in the music industry. 

I hope all of our friends and family in Midland/Odessa love this new life that we have breathed into Here Lies the Hero with new music and a focus on giving back to the place that has given us so much. Here’s to “Runaway” being just the beginning. 

All my love to you, Midessa. 

- James

P.S.

Pre-Save "Runaway" on Spotify HERE!

 

New Music - "Runaway" 

We've been eager to get back to writing and releasing music. After several months of configuring a way for all of us to work from a distance, with myself living in Houston and the rest of the guys back in Odessa, we managed to get things on track. We want to be able to release a string of singles in an effort to focus solely on each song as they stand individually. 

There is so much that we put into all of this, and we're very proud to have overcome the trials we have faced over the last couple of years to get to this point. We hope to be a lot more prominent in our beloved home of Texas and and work to frequently release the music we are so proud of. 

I want to thank Adam Paul Stone for always sticking by us throughout the years and bringing our music into a new, visual light. He is always a phone call away, and instantly down to work with us on whatever idea we come up with; no matter how laborious. I also want to make a huge shout-out to our boy Shane Gould from The Animal in Me. Shane breathed life into this song and knew exactly what we were going for in this new HLTH direction. Shane KILLED it on our Adrift EP, and he killed in on "Runaway", as well. 

I know September 1st is a long way out, but we have a lot to accomplish before this particular release comes out, so we can keep up momentum with future releases! Ya'll will be hearing from us soon!

Lots of love!

Pre-save "Runaway on Spotify!

 

- James