The Heroine

By Enrique Lopetegui
PUBLISHED: NOVEMBER 20, 2012

The Kid was livid. Two days after the San Antonio Scorpions were eliminated from the North American Soccer League's semifinals by the Minnesota Stars, the rhythm guitarist of the Heroine, SA's hardest-rocking band, was still bitching about it.

"I'm still pissed and depressed," The Kid told his friend Randy Bonillas on a late October night at Fitzgerald's Bar. He went on to describe how forward Pablo Campos blew it when he head-butted an opponent and earned a straight red card that sent him off the game, leaving the Scorpions at the mercy of the visiting team, which came from behind for a 2-1 victory.

But all I had to do to redirect the focus of this most hardcore of soccer fans was ask a simple question: How was the tour?

The Kid smiled, as did the rest of the band, with the exception of lead guitarist Dibby Disaster, who was tied up in some personal matter ("The day this band is on time in this town, the Mayan Calendar prophecies will happen," said bassist Gulie Vargulish.) The band members, who have performed together since 2005, were ecstatic to be back home after a grueling tour that kept them on the road for most of 2012. As of this writing, the Heroine has performed 93 times around the nation this year, including shows with labelmates Alien Ant Farm, showcases at South by Southwest, and festivals playing alongside Marilyn Manson and Queensryche's Geoff Tate. In the middle of it all, they found time to do some recording with producer Jay Baumgardner (Papa Roach, Death by Stereo, Ill Niño, Helmet) in Los Angeles. It is all part of a new era for the band: now with EMG (with global distribution by INGrooves Fontana) they're out to deliver in a huge way.

"We're ready," says singer Lynnwood Presley King (all of the band's members use stage names). "It's a different kind of stress now, but bring it on."

Jimmy Swan, the head of EMG and a fan of the band, had been trying to lure the quintet for years. In 2007, he even printed a pamphlet for a SXSW showcase listing the Heroine as part of his roster. "Dude, we're not on your label," King told him at the time. "We just laughed it off.

But five years later, here we are."

By the time the Heroine's deal with 1st Amendment Records expired in April, EMG had grown considerably, so King decided to call his old friend and fan.

"I told him we wanted to give Playing for Keeps another chance," said King, who was disappointed with the album's lack of distribution when it first came out in 2008. "I said, 'Please give us a chance to meet you.'"

Swan agreed, and the band went to Dallas to meet Swan and his partner Jacob Cap ("the money guy," said King). But the band didn't just want to show up: they wanted to kick ass, so King "went to Kinko's and put together the most amazing press kit you could imagine."

The mammoth press kit was made up of seven small books with photos, liners from industry professionals, bios, tour history, and a marketing strategy.
"I drove five hours alone rehearsing my pitch on the way up there," said King, who, once in Dallas, pitched the band at the meeting for seven hours. He knew Swan was sold on the band, but at the meeting/listening party for Playing for Keeps, Cap was a hard nut to crack.

"I didn't feel [Cap] liked it," said King. "I kind of felt, 'Oh, man, they're not going to sign us.'"

"I was hesitant to sign them," said Cap, matter-of-factly. "I liked their energy and I liked them as people, but I immediately knew we needed to develop their sound."

However, that night at dinner, King pulled out his final card: the press kit he had slaved over the night before and its detailed business plan.

"It was amazing, I never saw a band do something like that," Cap said. "Their business sense and overall professional attitude convinced me they were the band to sign. Very rarely you see a band that can balance their business side with their art."

EMG's first decision for the band was to comply and give Playing for Keeps another chance. The remixed new version (minus the cover of the Violent Femmes' "Kiss Off" on the original version) was released in February, and the next thing the label did was put the band in touch with Baumgardner, who was exactly what they needed: a producer who knows when to say "no." Five days in the studio resulted in the band's upcoming first single, "Coming Home," a mid-tempo song about life on the road. It took another day to mix it down.

"He was very easy to work with, but the coolest thing about it [was] we finally had someone who gave us directions," said King.

"They work really hard and are super professional," said Baumgardner, who first saw the band live after members of Cruz (a band from São Paulo, Brazil, that Baumgardner had produced) urged him to catch their act.

"I don't remember whether I saw them at the Roxy in Hollywood or at South by Southwest this year," said Baumgardner, "but I do remember that they were just awesome and I wanted to work with them. I've been busy and they've been touring, but hopefully we'll be able to meet soon and do the rest of the album."

The label is confident they can get significant radio airplay in major markets for the single and that their legendary live shows will have an even greater effect once the album is out.

"When I saw them live [at SXSW] and saw the way the crowd reacted, I knew we had something special," said Cap. "This band is destined to success because every single person in it works as a team."

Before that happens, they must perform a special concert Friday dedicated to a departed friend and mentor.

"This is another homecoming for us," said King, who said the band wants to dedicate this show to the late White Rabbit owner Rick Sciaraffa, who passed away in 2007. "He loved us, and we loved him. At times when we felt kind of stuck, he always encouraged us to keep going. Playing again at the White Rabbit, where we first got our chops, is very special for us."

They will play some of the new songs, like the single "Coming Home" and "Who Do you Love," about a woman cheating on her man. And even though they're now aiming higher, the band's attitude hasn't changed.

"Let me put it this way," King says. "One of the new songs, 'Make Your Move,' says it all." The song is a fast, upbeat rocker that describes what the band is all about.

Welcome to the show/ We are glad you made it out/ It means a lot to me and the band… / Good times, good friends, / I'm doing this for you. / You know I'm a hard working man/ So come on in and let the fun begin/ I want to see you dance/ I want to see you move/ Leave your worries behind/ your troubles at the door/ Let's make this place/ our dance floor. - SA CURRENT

Lynnwood King Backbeat Magazine Interview

........................................

Some bands define themselves with style; others prefer to use relentless touring. Still others seek notoriety with the quality of songwriting and musicianship, or with on-stage acrobatics and off-stage antics. It is rarely that a band comes along that possesses a piece of each of these “defining qualities,” yet remains defined by something else altogether: Its work ethic.

....San Antonio....’s The Heroine is one such band. Working towards lofty (but achievable) goals is a credo that each member of this hammer-swinging, five-piece rock ‘n’ roll juggernaut lives each of his days by (four of the band’s members are contractors, while one is an aircraft mechanic). Whether the band is on or off the road, The Heroine works hard, and the band’s new full-length record, Playing for Keeps, works its listeners hard in return. Started in October 2007, the disc goes to great lengths to capture the swagger of the band’s must-see live show. Guhly Vargulish’s heavy bass, and the dual guitar riffing provided by The Kid and Dibby Disaster, are equal parts Thin Lizzy and Every Time I Die. Meanwhile, the sonic tug-o-war between Johnny Lightning’s urgent drumming and Lynnwood King’s blue-collar lyrics connects with its audience in a manner that is reminiscent of soul great, James Brown.

The Heroine’s many years of toil have recently begun to pay off in a big way: In the past month, the band has scored endorsements from ....Guitar.. ..Center...., Gibson Guitars and Ernie Ball. Additionally, the band has secured a distribution deal with Best Buy stores, and will be celebrating that accomplishment by re-releasing Playing for Keeps at Limelight on November 28. Recently, I had the opportunity to talk with vocalist, King, as the band was en route to ....Las Vegas.... as part of a west coast tour. Here is what ....Lynnwood.... had to say about the past, present and future of The Heroine:

Backbeat: The Heroine began life as renowned ....San Antonio.... band, The Naos Project. Tell me a bit about TNP’s evolution into The Heroine. ....

Lynnwood King: The band formed in 2002 with me, The Kid, Guhly and our original drummer Keith. [Our first show was] a set for a small gathering in ....Temple.., ..Texas..... It felt right, and so we started our journey together. After another drummer change, we met Johnny. He nailed his first set without any rehearsals with the band and we hired him on the spot. Dibby Disaster joined the band around two years ago. Although we have worked with some talented guitarists in the past, Dibby is a perfect fit for us.

BB: How would you describe the band’s sound in the early days?....

LK: Our sound was definitely undefined when we started. We were very passionate about our music, but all over the map as far as our sound. We had influences from As I Lay Dying and Every Time I Die to greats like James Brown, Kiss, AC/DC, Thin Lizzy, Pink Floyd and Bob Marley; it was as if we had our canvas but way too many colors to choose from. There wasn’t a lack of songwriting skills, just a lack of direction. We started to grow as a family and began writing more defined songs once Dibby joined the band.

BB: What prompted the name change to The Heroine, and why that choice?....

LK: The Naos Project was touring around the country from the start. Our booking agent and sometimes manager, Mike Kelley was getting us on tour with all kinds of top-choice metal acts, like As I Lay Dying, Every Time I Die, Chiodos, Mortal Treason and Winter Solstice. Unfortunately, we were not a metal band, and what made [matters] worse was that our band’s name was always getting mispronounced. So imagine playing shows with all these metal bands, already sticking out like a sore thumb because you’re not metal, and then having your name mispronounced to top it off. We weren't about to become a metal act, so Mike said the quickest fix as far as the name confusion went would be finding another name. Changing our name to The Heroine was an idea that The Kid brought to the table, and it works on so many different levels.

BB: The new record sounds great. Where were the recording and mixing, etc. done? Would you mind sharing some details of the writing process? ....

LK: We started writing songs for this record back in October 2007, and started making demos in May of 2008. We actually wrote the chorus to “Love is a Gun” in a hotel room in ....Los Angeles.... the night before we were going to play the Roxy! [With our label’s blessing], we were able to choose when, where and with whom we recorded this record. We chose to do it in ....San Antonio.... at ....6th St..... Studios, with Spencer Ramsel at the helm. The band produced the record with Philip Gorden, and 3-time Grammy® winner Rob Burrell mixed and mastered it in ....Nashville.., ..TN.....

BB: Some of the lyrics and melodies are a bit different than they have been as part of your live show in the past. Most notably, “The Heroine” is now called “Set Me on Fire.” Why the changes?....

LK: The studio never lies. Sometimes I will write a hook that I think sounds great, but the studio will bring out the truth. Also, in the studio there is more freedom to try new things.

BB: "Hard Workin' Man" and "She's Fine" are a couple of the standout tracks on Playing for Keeps. Who wrote that killer riff in “Hard Workin’ Man?” ....

LK: “Hard Workin’ Man” was an idea that the whole band related to. We all collaborated in writing the music.

BB: What about the lyrics? Are your songs autobiographical, or do you write in character?....

LK: Lyrically, I wrote “Hard Workin’ Man” from two perspectives. First, it’s about my experiences with my own dad. Then I write more from my children’s perspective. The song is very meaningful to me. It gets very emotional in the bridge, because I think every man wants to leave a legacy for his children. Mine would be my faith in God, and love of my family.

BB: Speaking of faith in God, "Walk with Jesus" is a lovely little tune. Did you play guitar on that one?....

LK: Actually, that track wasn’t meant to make it onto the record. My dad passed away while I was tracking vocals, and it was very difficult for me to pull the "let's have a party" side of me out while my heart was so broken. The last couple of days I spent with my dad, I learned this song. I didn't write it. No one knows who did. But if you search for "A Closer Walk with Thee" on You Tube, and you will find it performed by some gospel greats. During my dad’s final hours, I whispered the chorus into his ear. In many ways, this song helped get me through that time. I did play guitar on it, by the way. It was tracked live, with one [microphone].

BB: I hate to ask, but it's inevitable: Do you consider The Heroine to be a "Christian" rock band? ....

LK: The Heroine is not a Christian band. There is no agenda. We love music and we want every person, no matter who, to have an escape and to be entertained at the highest level. I have my roots in gospel/spiritual music. That is in me, and I think it is obvious to anyone that watches the band perform.

BB: Right on. What's your take on the marriage between spirituality and rock ‘n’ roll?....

LK: My take on the marriage of spiritual music and rock ‘n’ roll is that they go hand in hand. Music is a personal expression of who you are. That is why I love The Heroine. I love that we combine all of our influences to create music that expresses a piece of every band member’s heart.

BB: You've been on far more tours than the average ....San Antonio.... band. What have your favorite and least favorite moments been so far?....

LK: My least favorite moment is definitely flipping our trailer last year on our way to ....Chicago...., not to mention the fifteen or so other van breakdowns we have endured. It’s harder to pick a favorite moment, because after each tour, I come home with more. But a few of the highlights would be Dibby trying to climb up onto a roof on our way to Vegas, and The Kid trying to get down off the same roof. Winning big at blackjack in Vegas was great. So was playing the U.S. Cellular Arena in ..Milwaukee.. and Kingston Mines in ....Chicago..... Then, there was killing the stage at the Whiskey A-Go-Go to a capacity crowd in front of Motley Crue, and Tommy Lee telling me my band kicked ass. To be honest, just the fact that we get the opportunity to tour, and share our vision as a band, does it for me.

BB: You’re also a family man. How do you balance the band with your family?....

LK: I am a blessed man. I am not going to say it has been easy. When we are on tour, the hardest part for me is being away from my family. When I am home, I try to make up for it by taking as many days off as possible. The rest of the band has families too, and between texting, e-mailing and phone calls, we do what we can to let our families know that we love and think of them all the time. ....

BB: Last question: What's coming up for The Heroine? What are the band's plans for the rest of 2009?....

LK: Well, we are always on tour. Our Warped Tour dates were incredible. We will do a few more short tours this year, and then we will prepare for and map out 2010. Damn, is it really gonna be 2010 already?
- Backbeat Magazine

By Nicole Chavez

Last year, local rock ’n’ rollers the Heroine declared themselves one of the hardest working bands in the San Antonio biz (see “Men at Work,” July 1, 2009). This year, they’re proving they damn well have the devotion to back it up. Their unrelenting gig schedule and their straight-up, sweat-soaked, kick-in-the-teeth live show guarantees survival on street cred alone. Distilling working-class musicianship into a single Facebook post on Labor Day, Heroine guitarist Dibby Disaster proclaimed: “Gauntlet week almost over. 4 days, five shows. 4 opening shifts at work, and like 6 hours of sleep, oh! And a new Les Paul! Staying on the grind!”

Enter Disaster Fest, brainchild of the Heroine frontman Lynnwood King and his bandmates. Three jam-packed days of Lone Star rock and punk stirring up audiences in three different Texas cities. Disaster Fest will hit San Angelo’s famed Deadhorse bar on Friday night before Saturday’s all-day, 13-band affair at Nightrocker Live in San Antonio. The fest concludes on Sunday with a Lone Star beer-sponsored event at the Dirty Dog Bar in Austin.

“We wanted to put a festival together that’s just filled with dirty, Texas rock ’n’ roll,” said King. “The bands [we picked] were out there working as hard as we are. We wanted to do something for our home state and the musicians that need recognition.”

King describes the lineup as classic-style rock ’n’ roll with some punk thrown in. Late ’70s and early-’80s rock has an undeniable influence on the bill, but expect sets brimming with Texas blues riffs. Though the Heroine gigs with different bands around the country while on tour, King says rock ’n’ roll never feels like it does in Texas.

Four other SA locals accompany the Heroine: feisty vocalist Tish Meeks of 3 Kisses brings the Texas party-punk vibe, while Drowning Mona’s hard-hitting rhythm section and heavy guitars back up melodic choruses by frontwoman Lisa Chapman. The Killing Floor is an eclectic blues-driven jam band, and Crash at Crush mixes rock, punk, and alternative in its ballad-free tunes.

A slew of Austin acts are also on the bill; San Angelo standouts Shotgun Rebels will play all three dates.

In addition to a good group of bands, “It’s important to get the right promoters involved in something like this,” said King. “There are a lot of snakes out there. They don’t understand what it’s like to be in a touring band, so they take advantage of anyone they can.”

A local legend in his own right, Roland “Nightrocker” Fuentes is part of the San Antonio date because he’s King’s kind of promoter. Fuentes has supported SA’s music scene since the ’90s, and his club has that old-school, homey rock vibe. With its spacious stage and booming sound system, it’s easy to picture Disaster Fest’s sweaty crowd slipping around Nightrocker Live’s Lone Star-soaked floor.

King credits Malanie Rogers, co-owner of The Deadhorse, and vocalist/guitarist Andy Escalante of the Bexar County Bastards (Austin) with helping to organize the dates in their respective cities. Though the Bastards formed in San Antonio before trekking up I-35, Escalante is now the only remaining original member. He’s well known in San Antonio circles from playing in bands like Chapstick and Pitbull Daycare.

“We originally talked about doing five cities but with less bands,” Escalante said. “When we put the word out asking for other bands to do it, we got an overwhelming response.” Both Escalante and King said their goal is to expand the festival next year to reach more markets.

The DIY, musician-planned nature of Disaster Fest stokes the performers’ enthusiasm. Many of the bands, including Austin-based New Disaster, already play with each other on smaller bills and jumped at the chance to collaborate. Singer/guitarist Natchet Taylor says that even though the rise of the internet has drastically changed the landscape of the music industry, it’s an exciting and empowering time for bands that want to be self-reliant.

“Bands have to wear all kinds of different hats these days,” said Taylor. “You have to book your own tours and create your own festivals. But being DIY seems to be necessary and kind of the best idea in a business sense.”

Welcome to the new music business. Did we mention the Heroine and Drowning Mona will be pulling triple-duty on Saturday? In addition to their Disaster Fest slots, both bands will be playing two sets at the 99.5 KISS Margarita Pour-Off at Sunken Gardens — just another day in the life for this tireless crew. •

Disaster Fest
$5 21+, $10 18+
Sat Sept 18, 1pm till 2am
Nightrocker Live
605 San Pedro
(210) 265-3573
nightrockerlive.net - The SA Current

The Heroine



“What’s up y’all,” are the first words Heroine vocalist Lynnwood King screams on Playing for Keeps, so it’s probably unnecessary for him to add (in his best metal shriek) the band is “from San Antonio Texas!”* But it’s overkill, most often in the form of gratuitous rock ’n’rollisms — the one too many “whoos,” two guitar solos where one might suffice — that seems to best define the band, separating them from countless other big-rock revivalists who’ve studied the clichés without adopting the attitude, or mastered the sneer without developing the chops. The Heroine trade almost exclusively in rocker-as-road-warrior mythology, but they’ve got the talent and drive to shape it into something personal and new. Playing for Keeps sounds old only in attitude — cock rock with a set of 21st-century balls.
“She only loves me when I’m playing rock ’n’ roll,” King complains of a fickle backstage Betty on proper opener “Love Is a Gun,” and she might as well be the same muse that’s been pushing horny young dudes onstage since the electric guitar was invented. Still, when King vows “She’s gonna be mine tonight,” you believe it, because it’s a boast backed up with some honest to god rock; each verse consummates in a multidirectional sonic assault. Better, “The Battle of Lynnwood King” rehashes the “sold our soul for rock ’n’ roll” bit, but isn’t content to let King’s hell-fired delivery (check out the unbelievable snottiness he crams into “down” in the line “I went down to the crossroads”) carry the song. Jorge "The Kid" Luevano and Dibi Disaster understand what Robert Johnson, Eric Clapton, and too few other guitarists have: If you’re claiming your shit’s fueled by Satan, you better play like a fucking demon.
The impassioned (and surprisingly acoustic and straightforward) version of traditional spiritual “Just a Closer Walk With Thee” (here titled “Walking With Jesus”)that closes the album complicates the band’s alliance, but the Heroine clearly believe most strongly in the power of rock. Playing for Keeps is ultimately redeemed, however, by the band’s willingness to meet rock more than halfway. The title track, for example, threatens “Me and the boys are back in town, and we’re gonna burn this mother down” and oversells it with plenty of guitar noodles and hells yeah, but are you really going to ridicule the lyrics when the end result sounds like AC/DC and Guns n’ Roses in a PCP-fueled knife fight?

*Also, I’m pretty positive the title track opens with a shout out to the San Antonio Spurs.
- The SA Current

Laura Singleterry

* Austin Live Music Examiner


The Heroine - San Antonio rockers - SXSW 2010

* April 7th, 2010 12:01 am CT

The Heroine
Photo: Courtesy of their myspace page

Texas Rockfest took place during SXSW Music 2010, showcasing over 100 bands at different venues for free. Wrapping up the night on Friday, March 19th at Malaia on 6th was San Antonio-based The Heroine. A packed house was ready to end the night with a bang because these guys always deliver. Fast, loud and fun the band has been inciting rocking audiences since 2007. Their tight guitars are supported by rock solid rhythm. And the singer has to have James Brown as a guardian angel because Lenny King controls the mic like nobody's business. He does more than sing, he twirls, knocks about & kicks the mic stand with perfect control all while swinging his brass knuckles.

They played "Texas Star", "Night Rockers", and "Hard Working Man" with more than enough energy to make the crowd find the nearest after party once they left the stage, and the bar closed afterward. The Heroine have played stages all over America, Warped Tour, and religiously here in Texas. They are getting ready to embark on a summer tour in support of the current album, "Playing for Keeps". Do yourself a favor: go see them and get ready to move.


http://www.myspace.com/theheroinerock


- Austin Examiner.com

So, I have decided to compile a ‘San Antonio Best Of’ list just for kicks…as in karate kicks…and maybe a judo chop…and my own amusement. This city has a pretty abundant amount of talent, some great food, and some decent people…so to commemorate my 2010 I give you:

THE NEONITES!!!…or THE NMN AWARDS…uhm I couldn’t really decide on a name, cue the crickets. (makeshift trophy and printed out certificate to follow…)


Best Band: THE HEROINE. This band is totally brutal live. They are straight up rock-n-roll, and have a way killer swagger in their sway. I know you know that I know that you know what I’m talkin’ about. Musically they are just on, and their singer is an amazing frontman; you really can't help but get into the set. If you get the chance to check them out, do yourself a favor and go. This band is flippin' good times. Like any good raunchy porn, The Heroine leaves you feeling slightly dirty and wanting more, lots more.
P.S. They remind me of Angel City Outcasts! - NO MORE NEON.

By Jeremy Martin
There are maybe 35 people crowding the Rock Bottom stage when the Heroine come on. The radio-station remote crew has gone, ditto the pretty girls handing out free beer. But the Heroine play sweaty, riff-driven rock ’n’ roll, music to chug by, so frontman Lynnwood King offers to buy a round of Lone Star for everybody over 21 anyway. Only 13 hands go up. “Daddy got paid,” he explains with a grin, though one of the band’s speakers is still visibly torn from last month when their equipment trailer flipped over in an accident.

While the beer’s being distributed, King channels the ghost of David Lee Roth onstage. Roth’s still alive, of course, but King is possessed only by the cool part, the part that died when Roth filmed the video for “Just a Gigolo/I Ain’t Got Nobody.” No spandex or scatting here, but King’s manic gesticulation and king-shit swagger are proof he’s been runnin’ with the devil. King stalks the stage through the band’s eponymous theme song while guitarists The Kid and Dibby Disaster take turns diddling the blues scale. Lenny King stomps, shakes, waves his hands in front of his face, throws the mic stand around, crawls on the floor, and several combinations and variations thereof, and the rest of the band, impossibly, keeps up with his decidedly non-hair-metal howl.

Disaster, tongue out, third-bases a solo riff while King boot scoots. The Kid buys the second round, and toasts with the crowd between solos. The band won’t waste a drop of beer, but King soaks his head in water. He christens Johnny Lightning's kit with the vile, non-alcoholic stuff, and Lightning splish-splashes through a drum roll, grinning like he’s drenching his kid sister in the community pool, grinning like he’s time-keeper for the coolest damn band in town. For about 45 minutes, in front of 35 or so witnesses, he’s probably right.
- The San Antonio Current