HardLeft
Flower Mound, TX United States
Genres:Pop Rock, Rock - Pop Rock, Rock - Metal/Alternative Metal, Rock - Hard Rock/Classic, Rock - Experimental/Post-Rock, Rock - Alternative Rock
Bio:
A thoroughly modern rock band, HardLeft also has Brit-pop, punkish, and even electronic overtones throughout as they pay homage to their musical heroes - while defining a sound of their own.
HardLeft members Geno Medina, cousin Mario Medina, cousin Ronnie Stone, and Doug Yost had spent the latter part of the 1990s garnering critical success in a songwriting/production team, only to find that rave reviews and writing songs for other musicians wasn’t fulfilling their musical wants.
“The songs were crafted to be hits, and people enjoyed them, and that’s great, and we’re proud of that experience,” explains Geno, guitarist. “But we wanted to play our own music for ourselves. We have our own sound that, ultimately, we couldn’t ignore anymore.”
So the guys took a HardLeft, walking away from their established songwriting style and redefining themselves with their own band and sound.
Exiling themselves to the studio for more than a year, they emerged with the “Underbelly" musical direction. A collection of songs dealing with the not-so-fluffy side of life.
“We’re still basically writing about love,” Doug says. “But for us, for our own band, it’s not all ‘roses and wine, oh baby, baby.’ We’re saying what people don’t always say about relationships. It’s sort of a look at the underbelly, where we really explore the side that really you’d probably rather hide.”
Of course, the members of HardLeft have hardly abandoned a sound that appeals to wide audiences. Given their wide rock/pop influences, they have a knack for writing memorable tunes, even when that’s not their primary goal.
“We obviously still want people to dig the music,” Mario says. “It’s just that now, we’re starting from a place that’s sincere to us, not just writing a tune for someone else to sing. We’re doing these songs on our own terms.”
