NOTE[worthy]
Led II Ruin promises good time for fans
Friday, April 04, 2008
By Eric Robinette
Staff Writer
Extras
Photos
he band Led to Ruin poses for a photo near their practice space Monday, March 31, 2008 in Middletown, Ohio. The band is: L to R, guitarist Ted Hester, drummer James Treadway, guitarist Brad McGuire, vocalist Chris Schaffer and bassist Rebecca Banks make up Led II Ruin.
The band Led to Ruin poses for a photo near their practice space Monday, March 31, 2008 in Middletown, Ohio. The band is: L to R, guitarist Brad McGuire, drummer James Treadway, vocalist Chris Schaffer, guitarist Ted Hester and bassist Rebecca Banks.
Get latest headlines via RSS feedsYou know your band has a devoted following when a fan sets his hair on fire — on purpose.
During a recent show by Led II Ruin, at Barb's Pub in Middletown, a fan lit his hair ablaze, and it wasn't just a small singe. According to the band, we're talking Michael-Jackson-shooting-a-Pepsi-commercial on fire.
That example was a little extreme, of course, but Led II Ruin promises that "if you see one show of ours, you will see another," said guitarist Ted Hester.
Led II Ruin got together about two years ago, forming out of the remnants of the band Half-Diminished, which was aptly named under the circumstances.
"I had just gotten my foot in the door, and the next thing, nobody's coming to practice," Hester said.
Nevertheless, Led II Ruin got on its way, with the members finding it had a diverse mix of influences coming into play. For instance, vocalist Chris Schaeffer likes Queen, Lamb of God and classic rock. Drummer James Treadway likes Slayer and Pantera. Rebecca Banks, the bassist, favors Gojira and "old Metallica," she said.
The end result of all this music mixing together is "sort of a progressive death metal. We don't have two songs that sound like they come from the sane band.
"The vocals are the glue that holds it together," Schaeffer said.
Later this year, the band will book its first full-fledged studio sessions to cut some tracks that will show off the band's chops.
"We spend more time writing a song than anybody," Schaeffer said.
"It takes at least a month to finish a song. We might spend a month on two songs," Hester said.
As for the band's faster-paced live show, the energy doesn't just come from smoking hair. "It's very energetic, I would say," Hester said.
"We want everyone to have a good time. That's what we're all about," said guitarist Brad McGuire.
Led II Ruin
BASED: Middletown
FORMED: 2006
LINEUP: Chris Schaeffer, vocals; James Treadway, drums; Rebecca Banks, bass; Ted Hester, guitar; Brad McGuire, guitar
INFLUENCES: Queen, Metallica, Gojira, Lamb of God, Pantera, Killswitch, Slayer.
GIGS: 9 p.m. April 11 and May 17, Barb's Pub, Middletown; 9 p.m. May 31, Ozzy's, Middletown (former Grand Illusion)
ONLINE: myspace.com/ledtoruin
