Hurt is a silent, but powerful force in today’s music industry.  The band comprised of J. Loren on vocals and strings, Paul Spatola on guitar, John Ansley on bass and Evan Johns behind the drum kit, will honestly say that making music is not about the money.  For Loren, music is a way of life, hell, music is his lifesaver.

 

“I’m not exactly a ray of sunshine,” Loren tells us over the phone from backstage of the Last Day Saloon during the band’s Santa Rosa, CA tour stop.  “I don’t want to live without doing music,” he continues.  See Loren, used to be in the professional world.  He was a computer programmer in the aviation industry and even though he made a lot of money, he was completely miserable.  The story of Hurt begins when Loren took six months off, basically shut himself off from the rest of the world and began working on what would be the predecessor to Hurt’s first album entitled Vol I. 

 

The band found moderate success after the release of Vol 1 with tracks like, “Rapture” and “Falls Apart,” which crested the Top 15 on the radio charts.  They are the type of band, where unless you’re familiar with them, you’ve heard their music and didn’t even know it was them.  They are the band that thrives off sullen alt-metal that is both emotional and powerful.  There are no shirll screams or cliché harmonic growls, just thick and passionate music, which according to Loren will hopefully invoke purpose and hope to the people who hear it.  “Sometimes people just need to hear the right word, and it could change them,” he says.

 

In September, Hurt released Vol 1’s follow up entitled Vol II.  It was an intertwined continuation of the first album that not only picked up where the band left off, but according to Loren, dove deeper into what Hurt sounded like.  Initially, Loren had hoped to release both albums at the same time, but thinking it was too much of a gamble for a new player in the industry the band decided to hold off.  Hurt once again enlisted producer Eric Greedy (Ringo Starr, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Smashing Pumpkins) to help create the band’s second masterpiece.  Having logged four years together as a band and already a relationship with Greedy, the recording process was an example of the band’s unity.

 

In the end Hurt had put together a record that was as aggressive as it was passionate.  Vol. II is complete with multilayered compositions accented with thick harmonics, heavy undertones and vocals that range from open forceful roars to sensitive whispers.  So how difficult is it to develop the various textures heard on Vol. II?  Says Loren, “It’s not difficult to conceptualize, but to make it a reality is difficult.”  Admittedly, however, Loren likes the challenge of recording.  “If you’re just doing something easy, then what’s the point,” he concludes.

 

If there’s one thing in Loren’s voice, no matter how unhappy he sounds, it’s his sincerity.  It’s obvious that so much of himself goes into his music and according to Loren, those emotions are present in each live show.  Loren has been known to do everything on stage from break things to cry because the music just gets the best of him.  “We’re sincere and it can be a little rough on us,” Loren explains.  “It’s difficult to dig up the true feelings.”

 

Ultimately, the band has made a lot of big strides in the industry and that is exactly what Loren wants.  Not for the money, but to hopefully impact someone positively. “I want to make our music more available,” he says.  “People who don’t shut their minds off to it will be impacted.  I don’t want to be to a point where people are sick of hearing it.” 

 

Vol. II debuted at #1 on the Billboard New Artist list.  Hurt is also preparing to embark on their second tour in a row with Seether, a band that Loren says is “rock solid.”  With Hurt, just because their on bigger tours with bigger band’s, it’s not a case of selling out.  It’s an opportunity to be heard.

 

Again, it’s all about the music.  In conclusion, Loren left us with the following; “To aspiring musicians, please pursue your musical interests because I want to hear something beautiful.  Don’t stop doing what you’re doing.  You’re not going to be rich and you’re not going to be a rockstar, because this industry is really fucked up.”

 

By: Adam K. Zakroczymski III - Senior Editor / Founder

 

Photos: Jeff Xander