Save The Hero, The Decatures

Conspiracy of Ravens

Faded Black

9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2

The Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St.

$5 cover

theslowdown.com

Local Rockers Re-Born

Cold Steel morphs into Save The Hero

 

By MarQ Manner

 

The members of newly re-launched band Save The Hero are in position that very few bands have been in. They are starting a new project with seven years of experience already under their belt, and one of the members is not even of legal drinking age yet.

Save The Hero, formally known as Cold Steel, has been playing Omaha and the surrounding area since 2005. The band has played with popular national acts, has played all of the major stages in Omaha, and has played out of town. Now the members are re-launching themselves as Save The Hero because they feel that they and their sound has evolved and matured to the point where it’s time to make a fresh push at it.

It’s an advantageous situation for the band as they can re-do with seven years of successes and mistakes to draw upon. Plus, the band is intact, and when you sit down with them you know they are friends and family first and bandmates second.

The band has done some work with  names of national note and will continue to pursue those connections and play select shows around the area and beyond. You can catch them Friday, Nov. 2 at the Slowdown with Conspiracy of Ravens, Faded Black, and the Decatures. The band will also be performing at the Waiting Room Lounge on Nov. 9 as part of the Omaha Entertainment & Arts Awards Showcase. I recently sat down with the band and talked about their re-launch.

Shout-Tell me about the Cold Steel years.

Matt DiBaise (lead guitar) -In 2005 we got together. Gage and our former bass player and another guitar player were already in Cold Steel. Me and my brother came in and got the gig as singer and guitar player. We tried to get things going as a cover band at first. We started writing music and worked with (local producer/engineer) Jim Homan and put out a CD. We evolved a little bit and put out another CD, and then we did a demo CD with Republic Records and we did another CD with Tom Tapman, who recorded the “Stone Sour” CD. Then we worked with Curtis Grubb. We then separated from our former bass player and got Garrett and it clicked. We have been talking with Beau Hill (major label producer) and will be putting out an album through Tate Music Group, which is a subsidiary of Tate Publishing.

Shout-And what is the reasoning with the name change and re-launch of the group?

Alex DiBaise-(vocals and rhythm guitar)-We have come to a conclusion that we no longer wanted to go as Cold Steel, even though we have built up that name. We are just are not happy with that anymore, and so we are now Save The Hero, and we want to push this new music. We have nearly completed the songs that we have done on this CD. It is everything that we have done in the past but more technical and still catchy. We have to keep evolving. We are trying to keep our good connections in this town and we have played with so many great people here.

Shout-How did your fans and friends react when you announced the name change?

Matt DiBaise-A lot of people were shocked and a lot of people were, “It’s about time.” Everyone has been very supportive.

Shout-Garret, you are the newest member. What brought you to this band?

Garret Loring-I always loved music and I wanted to be in a band. Gage and I have known each other since we were born. We played in jazz band and he asked if I wanted to try out. What I really loved is that everyone in this band likes each other. The chemistry of the band is amazing.

Shout-What are the benefits to the band re-launching with seven years already under your belt?

Matt- We have seen a lot of the hardships that a lot of local bands can go through on their way up, and we have figured out a way to get through those obstacles.

Alex-The past seven years have been our band school, and this is like graduating.

Matt-The big thing we want to do is to promote Save The Hero and getting our music out there in every way that we can. One of the things has been to make friends with every band in the region, since everyone is out there to help each other. That is what I am really looking for. We have been playing around the region everywhere we can.

Shout-How has the band evolved?

Matt-We went from being a metal band that screamed and we were like. “What do we want?” We came up with more catchy songs and that was good, but we wanted also to get back to the technicality of it, but with a hook on top of it. I feel that sets us apart a little bit. Usually, you see either or. We are trying to find a good middle ground where you can keep it heavy, but not too heavy.

Alex-We have learned a lot from the producers that we have worked with. Curtis was great with rearranging the songs and we were apprehensive…but in the end we were like, “You are a genius.”

Matt-We knew we wanted to be a hard rock band, but what Curt showed us was getting it appealing to the masses. We have great fans and we take their opinion over anyone else. If we can’t get our fans to like it we aren’t doing it right. They have been very supportive…and opinionated…which is what we wanted.

Garrett-Criticism…I really look forward to it.

Shout-You guys are twin brothers. What is it like being in a band with each other?

Matt-It is amazing sharing the stage with my brother, because there is no one else I would like to share every aspect of my life. My parents played music, my  grandparents played music, and it’s like we have to do this as it is in our blood. We might not be the greatest group but we are the greatest team.

Alex-It rubs off with these guys. We build a connection and we connect with them. With Gage I feel like he can write a song right off the bat and I don’t know how. I just think it is because we have been with each other so long.

Matt-Garret can show up and learn a song in a minute and have the arrangement down.

Shout-What do you like the reaction from the live crowd to be?

Matt-If we get a great reaction on stage to a song, that is the best feeling ever. I want them to tell me that we put on a amazing show. I want us to react with the crowd. They want us to talk to them and we want them to get back to us.

Alex- I want them to say that is a damn good band. Or have a certain connection with a song.

Shout-Who have you guys played with over the years?

Alex-Heart, Jackyl, Skid Row, Slaughter, Evans Blue.

Shout-What was it like playing with Heart?

Alex-I walked off stage and everyone was, “How was it?” I was like, “I don’t know.” We all did great and did our thing, but there were 5,000 people and we were opening for Heart! My mom, who is an amazing singer, went and talked to Ann and Nancy and that was the coolest thing to me. Seeing her going up to see her face light up and talk to them about us knowing she (and Nancy Wilson) both had twin boys.