Composed of lead singer Max Heinegg, guitarist Christ Blackburn, bassist Ron Riley and drummer John Farrell, The High Ceilings have carved their own niche in the current modern rock scene. Quoting a recent review, Riley describes their music as "modern classic rock".
"We're a modern rock band but we incorporate a lot of classic elements." said Riley. "We enjoy the act of writing songs, which is kind of a clich?© nowadays. Nobody really writes songs -- they write this cookie-cutter pop and put it out there."
Blackburn and Riley are local boys hailing form Brookline and New Bedford, MA, respectively. Heinegg is from Schenectady, NY and Farrell is from Hampstead, NH.
The band was started in 1999 by Heinegg and Blackburn while the pair was attending college. They released their first album, Pass Right Through, in 1999 and followed it up with Wavelength in 2000. It was after Wavelength that Riley joined the band.
"I originally was a producer and engineer working with other local bands and basically working in the music business." said Riley "I kind of gave up on playing for awhile -- hadn't been in a band in about four years. Then I met Max through an ad. I decided I wanted to start playing again, he gave me a call."
They were in the midst of recording their new album last summer when the drummer announced he was moving to New York. Fortunately they found a replacement in Farrell, who has been with the band ever since.
"Our music has a broad range, but it lies in the realm...of modern rock grunge and emo," Riley said.
Individually, the bandmates have very different influences. Farrell said as a drummer his initial influences were Motley Crue and metal bands of the '80s
"During high school it was all hip hop and rap and R&B," he said. "Now I'm more into bands like Coldplay and Dashboard Confessional." The band shares influences from U2, Jeff Buckley, Swerved River, the Smashing Pumpkins and Radiohead.
Outside their lives in the band, Heinegg is an English teacher and a published poet, Blackburn works for a company called Gensyme, and Riley designs and refurbishes furniture. Farrell admits to not doing anything out side the band.
The group seems to have a great dynamic. Riley and Farrell are constantly laughing and joking with each other, especially as Farrell talks about one particular performance at the Middle East.
"We played a great show. There's a great band in town called the Halogens, we played their CD release party in November and at the end of the very last song I'm riding out and I had my eyes closed and out of nowhere I just get blindsided and tackled," Farrell said. "Now our singer is a big man, he's not heavy in any way but he's 6'2". Anyway I get blindsided and tackled over the drum set. Chris comes flying over next, then Ron in a pigpile on me and you know the one thing I say when I get up: 'You didn't spill my beer.' It was still sitting there...That's probably my favorite time so far."
The group claims to never have had an exceptionally bad performing experience. "We have fun, regardless. I think that's the best thing. When we get up on stage it's all about having fun because we're not just a band -- we don't just get together rehearse, write songs, play and go. We hang out and do everything together," Riley said.
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