The Heavils
by Andrew Frey
March 2003
The Heavils on the cover of Maximum Ink for March 2003
“People are starting to sing the songs back to us and our album is not even out yet. That is weird!” The Heavils member Mossy begins. Weird it may be, but many are eagerly awaiting the March 25th release date for The HEAVILS’ self-titled release on Metalblade records. “We are excited for people to finally hear the finished product. We’re just waiting for some airplay and press to get things rolling,” Mossy remarks about the new CD.
“Recently, we auctioned off an advanced CD for $85,” Mossy mentions. “Our fans are awesome! One dude came out of a show covered in blood and said, ‘YOU GUYS ROCK!’”
Rock they do! The Heavils are featured in this month’s Guitarworld magazine showing off their amazing home-made guitars and other instruments. They’ve been dubbed ‘MEANIES’. “They are 5 string fretless tools of mass destruction!” Notes Mossy. “We have 11 of them with more on the way. Brian builds all of them. It’s real crazy seeing and hearing them for the first time he always surprises us. They sometimes sound like swarms of bees with dogs in there mouths.”
The Meanies have such fine names as The Toilet, The Clitar, Acoustic Statue, The Dragonbox, Tomicon, Motorguitar, Guitube, and The Bolt. I had to wonder how do such things come into existence.
Meanie maker Brian Carter explains, “Usually I have the idea in my head, then I draw it out on paper. I am then obsessed and have to work fast. I usually have it completed in 2 or 3 days. I do it to keep my mind busy like creating small obstacles I know I can fix and make better. It’s awesome to see it in my hands, playing it. The look on people’s faces when we bust them out is well worth the torment my brain goes through while making them.” Carter continues, “I use whatever I can. Old metal racks, chairs whatever I can get my hands on or whatever people donate to me.”
They band that has become Rockford’s The Heavils began incubation way back in 1987 when Mossy and Brian Carter met after high school both playing in different bands at the time. Brian’s band Sarkoma went on to sign with Red Light records while Mossy eventually moved to Canada and played with Caustic Thought. Sarkoma? There’s a name I haven’t heard in a while. So I dug out my Sarkoma CD (really!) and compared then with now. The music is heavy, and the voice is familiar. In fact, that voice was one of the things that made Mossy want to play with Brian again, after being separated for several years. Before they reunited, Brian was playing sax in the funk band Fluid Oz.! After getting the sound down, and the Meanies as mean as can be, they added a drumer first, and later a bassist. As it stands, The Heavils are Brian Carter on Meanies and vocals, Mossy Vaughn on Meanies, Corey Kuczynski on bass and Brian Milo on drums.
Plus, there’s more. Mossy continues, “We are on a new compilation called Gathering of the Tribes with 5 other Rockford bands.” The disc contains two tracks each from Harmony Riley, 420, Ernie Hendrickson, Mulligan Stu, as well as The Heavils. It is available from MedMan Music. This is a great sampler of some of Rockford’s most active rockers.
“We’re playing some shows at The House Of Blues April 17th with Saliva and Hed(pe),” mentions Mossy. “Adam Grayer from Jagermeister is helping out a lot we have been with Jagermeister for about 4 months or so they are a very cool company to be with. Our drummer Milo finished our new Website and he put out some great slideshows and our photo gallery dates back 2 years.”
Now that you know who THE HEAVILS are and what a Meanie is, you MUST go see them live. Hear! See! Join the Heavilution!
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