In an era where algorithms decide what's on your screen, it's easy to feel like people behind the glass are designed for you - but what if instead they were destined for you? For the members of Classless Act, a bright new band whose members are from all over the globe - Poland, Hawaii, Los Angeles, Argentina, and Dallas, - this seems to be the case.
Formed in 2018 and consisting of five former strangers who met via social media, Classless Act - Derek Day (vocals), Dane Pieper (guitar), Griffin Tucker (guitar), Franco Gravante (bass) and Chuck McKissock (drums) - quickly formed a brotherhood bond through a series of double-taps, DMs and comments. Their music echoes the hallmarks of previous generations - anthemic rhythms, shredding guitars, soaring vocals - but punches its way into the future with clever arrangements, sharp musicianship and proficient songwriting. Having been invited to join the line-up, 2022's The Stadium Tour headlined by Motley Crue and Def Leppard, Classless Act is well on its way to being a next-generation defining act.
Classless Act has been in the studio with world-class producers who have helped craft hits for the likes of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, The White Stripes and Soundgarden. The band landed a label deal with Better Noise Records - Billboard's #1 Rock label for 2020, and released their debut album June 2022 - Welcome To The Show. Their debut single "Give It To Me" perfectly represents the group's deft ability to take a vintage tone and inject it with new, modern energy, bringing life to a time-honored rock n roll sound.
What stands out about Classless Act is their cohesiveness as a group, despite each member having roots vastly different walks of life, both culturally and physically. On each track, their talent and honesty ring through, as does the group's respect for one another as artists, giving them space to make music that's timeless. Bonded by the unique connections of the digital age, and further connected by creating art together, the result is a singular sound that is destined to be heard by all.
MEET THE BAND
Derek Day - Vocalist
Dane Pieper - Guitarist
Griffin Tucker - Guitarist
Franco Gravante - Bassist
Chuck McKissock - Drummer
WELCOME TO THE SHOW
Having already earned over a million streams before their debut album dropped, Welcome To The Show was released in June 2022 with previously released singles - "Classless Act" featuring Vince Neil (Motley Crue), "This Is For You" featuring Justin Hawkins (The Darkness) and "Time To Bleed." While the music tells its own story, so do the members of Classless Act themselves.
Kicking off the 12-track album, you're bombarded with the true rock n roll sound - wailing guitars, thundering drums, screeching vocals and melodies to remain stuck in your head. The title track "Classless Act" carries a wave of energy that's brought on completely by the band themselves. You suddenly feel like you're losing your mind and soaring into a new wave of rock n roll. When Derek Day officially welcomes you - "Welcome to the show" - you truly have no idea where you're about to head. Throwing in Vince Neil's vocals, it's as if you're in a time machine and reliving the 80s glam metal era.
Traveling into a mid-tempo number, we're met with "This Is For You" - featuring Justin Hawkins (The Darkness). Derek states on the track and album, "Just like our song 'This is For You' says, we gave you all our blood, our sweat, our tears, our hate, our sex, our deepest, darkest fears. This is for you!"
"Time To Bleed" offers a series of catchy guitar riffs and shrieking vocals. "All That We Are" features soaring high-pitched vocals and raging guitar riffs. "'All that we are' - is it enough for us to survive?" asks Day. "This is a question, a concept we found ourselves asking after all we have been through over the past two years. Hell, the past seven or so years. We’ve been in a wee bit of a less-than-sunny time in our history. So what are we gonna do? Grow or go! Everyone needs to decide."
"Storm Before The Calm" dives into a mysterious tone with alluring vocals and melodic harmonies. "Give It To Me" is the true banger with its screeching vocals, weeping guitar riffs, and a contagious chorus that's bound to be stuck in your head for days. "Circles" slows things down and softens it up with calming acoustics and plays as an ode to Led Zeppelin's "Going To California." Adding in infectious harmonies, the track rises to become more energetic.
Closing out Welcome To The Show is "Thoughts From A Dying Man" - which switches our concept minds on. As the song gives off rock opera vibes, you're met with dramatic piano sounds, dramatic melodies, and depressing lyrics... What more could you possibly ask for? As the eerie vocals pull you in, you're me with a chorus that features chilling lyrics such as "Isn't life just a painful way/To prepare us for life after death?/These are the things I'd like to think of/With my last breath."
Classless Act also released Welcome To The Acoustic Show and most recently, Classless Act Does Bowie - featuring covers of "All The Young Dudes" and "Starman." We have insanely high hopes for Classless Act with their future and can't wait to support them every step of the way.
Listen to their music, check out merch + keep up with Classless Act below!
CLASSLESS ACT
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