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Nick Joyce of Our Heart's Hero CS: How did your group form? Did you start out together or did you pick up players along the way? NJ: OUR HEARTS HERO began in Ohio. Jeremy (the bass player) and myself (Nick - vocals and guitar) started the band with three other friends and we were called "Fireproof" then. We started the group because in our area, there was a huge need for that modern style of worship/Christian music. Youth groups from our home stomping grounds didn't have the luxury of multiple Christian bands to go out and see/worship with. CS: How long have you all been together? How long has the group been in existence, not counting any possible changes in members? NJ: The band began in '98 when I was a Sophomore in High School. That was 6 years ago! Man, I feel old. Several members have come and gone since then. CS: How has this affected the group? Did it take awhile to bond? What kind of relationship do you all have now? NJ: It's been humbling and mind-blowing at the same time. To think that God can use a couple of dorks from no-wheres-ville to travel all over the country and literally the world on occasion, to make in impact on kids lives....not to sound cliché, but that can only be a God-thing, you know? CS: What kind of equipment do you use? NJ: We're blessed with a great system we travel with...Mackie powered mains and powered woofers. It's a must-have in my book for a HUGE sound with little effort to set up and break down. We use the Mackie powered monitors as well...it makes for an amazing system. CS: What is the main focus in your ministry? Teens? The lost? The hurting? Why did you decide up on this as a focus? NJ: Music, quite literally to us, is second priority. If the music for some reason couldn't happen anymore, but there was still a way to travel full-time spending time with kids, then I wouldn't miss a beat. And not "30 seconds to sign a CD" time, but quality hang-out time to get to know kid's names and their families and what drives them and effects their lives and what makes them get excited or causes them pain. To share encouragement or reach out to them on an individual level in a way that they might have never been approached. That's what will change a kids life. Somebody that they can relate to and show them that Jesus has big things in store for them. Not just the President. Not just Michael W. Smith or Billy Graham. That God loves them and wants to do with them things more phenomenal than they've ever imagined. That's why we do this, not because we have some cool song to play or because we're trying to be the "next big thing". CS: What does your groups name mean? NJ: Just a "plug" for the Hero of all of our hearts. Its a declaration of who we most want to be like. CS: Where did you come up with it? NJ: Jeremy thought of it about a year ago when we wanted an "update" from our old name, Fireproof. After several other names were considered, we liked the ring of OUR HEARTS HERO. CS: Where do you see the band in five years? Ten? The future? NJ: Wherever God wants us. Yeah, I know that's kind-of a cop-out answer, right? But seriously, I think we'll still be somehow involved in the music industry if not still full-blast with the band. We're ready, well, at least willing anyway, for whatever God wants to do with us. CS: Do you ever worry about getting caught up in the world of show biz? That success will change your group? NJ: Nah, we're a bunch of goobers. Nothing will ever change that. haha. It can definitely be something to keep an eye on. Especially when you work hard to accomplish something. No matter what you do, pride has a way of creeping up on us humans. It's something God helps keep in check when you simply let him in the middle of everything. CS: What kind of relationship do you maintain with your audiences? Do you fellowship with them? Or do you remain distant as the performer? NJ: Yeah, again, the people that come out to our shows are the reason we do what we do. We try to go out and eat after the shows with anybody who wants to come, or when the situation is possible, stay in people's homes from a church we play at. We stay in touch with everyone that we can...we feel blessed to have friends all over the country. All this not to say that we don't put a lot of hard work into our shows and strive to make the best music we can. Our music and our concerts are just tools, a means to an end; but the better tools you use, the more effective the end result of whatever you're working on will be. We do want people to go home thinking "Man, that was an amazing concert". CS: How would you describe your music style? NJ: Rock/pop...our worship album has been compared to the original SonicFlood album, Switchfoot, Jeff Deyo, Crowder/Tomlin, etc. Overall our sound gets compared to secular groups like the Goo Goo Dolls, Third Eye Blind, Jimmy Eat World or Vertical Horizon (we don't necessary suggest listening to any of these bands, just a comparison in sound styles). CS: Who, or what, are your biggest musical influences? NJ: A wide variety of bands and music makes up where we come from. Production qualities are what I feel brings a song to life. From the producer all the way to the vision of what you want a song to come across as can make or break a song. CS: Are you involved in any other ministries? NJ: Each of the guys have at one point or another been directly involved with ministries from their home churches and other outreaches. As a band we get involved in as many projects as possible when we aren't on the road. One of my favorites is playing acoustic stuff for pediatric patients or at homeless shelters. We have a lot of opportunities for those kinds of outreaches coming in the near future. CS: How much time do you spend practicing as a group? How much time do you practice individually? NJ: We tour most of the time, so essentially our practices are built in to the shows. When we have a new tour or new material to prepare for after an album is recorded, etc., we'll barricade ourselves in somewhere and rehearse for a week or two. We do everything from creating loops to arranging how an evening concert will go during this time as well. CS: Does the group come together for prayer at times other than concerts and ministry opportunities? NJ: The guys say they never pray more together than when I'm driving. CS: Have you always had a desire to be in a group like this? NJ: Ever since we realized the emotional impact that music can have on people, this has been a huge passion for us. What a powerful tool to be used to make people think and cause them to be challenged. CS: What is the latest news on your group? Any new CD's to be released soon? NJ: After releasing numerous EPs in the last 5 years, OUR HEARTS HERO finally dropped it's first full-length debut album called "Can You Hear Me" in early June. We simultaneously recorded a full-length worship album simply called "Our Hearts Hero: Worship". We have a DVD available featuring 3 music videos and behind the scenes footage in the studio and of the band just goofing off on the road. Our next release is one I'm particularly excited about, OUR HEARTS HERO: LIVE in CALIFORNIA on DVD format, which was a full concert filmed live from multiple camera angles. We're looking to have that released by the end of the year. Both albums, the DVD and the soon-to-be-released LIVE DVD are and will be available on www.OurHeartsHero.com CS: What's the weirdest thing that's ever happened at one of your concerts? NJ: The weirdest? We're debating, but one time we were performing for an Ice Hockey game in Nashville, TN. The fog machines set off a fire-alarm and the hockey teams, the crowd and everyone in the rink had to be evacuated. CS: What's band could you not live without? NJ: Switchfoot's "Beautiful Letdown" is an album that deserves every bit of exposure it's received this past year and a half. CS: What are your favorite bible verses? NJ: We all have favorites, so we're gonna make you go to the website and read our bios...that way you have to visit us online. www.OurHeartsHero.com CS: Do you have any advice for the youth of today? NJ: I'm pretty sure the Bible sums it up best in I Timothy 4:12...don't let anybody look down on you because you're young...God can do phenomenal, world changing things through anybody who is willing to be used. CS: What people have influenced you (non-musicians)? NJ: All of our parents...what an understatement. Countless people we've met all over the world who give so selflessly to others...true world changers simply because they're willing, and most of the time will never receive any return or credit on this planet. That's inspiration. CS: What's one tv show you can't live without? NJ: Smallville. Superman is the best comic character out there, at any age. CS: If you were stranded on an island, and could only have five things, what would they be? NJ: #1. A huge military-style helicopter with plenty of fuel (unless we cant get the helicopter and the fuel on the same request...if this is the case, we reluctantly substitute the fuel for #4). P.S., I cant remember if we mentioned or not already, but come visit us at www.OurHeartsHero.com |
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