Music
Press
From: Maximum Ink Magazine
Author: Lane Klozier
Date: 01/08/2006
One of the newest and brightest bands in Brew-Town is Fire On Your Sleeve. With influences ranging from Muddy Waters to Sublime, this
band is carving out a sound that seemingly has no boundaries. They feature a popalicious groove and garage tendencies where structure and looseness come together for a tasty treat. Lead vocalist Ryan Matzen fronts, Bill Kern drums, and lead guitarist Misha Siegfried is a pro, showing signs of a player who has studied many styles and segued what he's learned into his own thing. He might not even know it, but his tenacity on the neck is reminiscent of the Knack's Berton Avere, whose studio work and live performance has made him a legend in the business. Bassist Sam Silver holds it down, weaving in and out with precise rhythm and counter melody. Their self-titled disc is as infectious as a social disease in Vegas. Dancing is not an option, but the effect on the body is a cross between a fit and a spasm. The boys are touring
hard (like a real rock band should) and will soon be coming to a bar or opium den near you.
(www.myspace.com/fireonyoursleeve)
- Maximum Ink Music Magazine
From: The Shepherd Express (Noize 24/7 section)
Date: 08/0706
"...local sensation Fire on Your Sleeve."
- The Shepherd Express
From: On Milwaukee Magazine
Author: Mike Sandler
Date: July 4, 2006
Fire On Your Sleeve is Milwaukee's modern blues band.
Injecting the blues of the deep South with a modern sheen, Milwaukee's Fire On Your Sleeve could be in for some national attention.
"We were offered an A&R deal about a year ago," says vocalist Ryan Matzen. "We’d just lost our guitar player. We could have signed that
deal, but we didn't know what the hell was going on. We tried some guitarists out, but everything was in limbo."
The band has already accepted an invitation to the MidPoint Music Festival in Cincinnati, and will inundate the Queen City with its gritty stylings on Sept. 21.
Before terrorizing Holiday Inns, the band is focusing on a plethora of shows in Milwaukee. "We've got about nine shows in the next month," says Kern. "So we'll know more about where we're headed soon. But right now, it looks like it's on the up and up."
Matzen lets it fly on "Coast to Coast." As the song builds, so do Matzen's vocals. Towards the end, Matzen's wail splinters the song in two,
allowing the electric guitar to freelance a bit with an impressive, yet straightforward, solo. The band's rhythm section is also worthy of praise.
Bassist Sam Silver undulates the low end and provides solid back up vocals, and Kern lays the foundation for all of the antics.
Fire On Your Sleeve plays "Anti-Fest" July 5 at Point's East Pub, with Low Lustre, Ryan Blue, and Flame Shark. Show time is 10 p.m.
- On Milwaukee Magazine
From: Maximum Ink Magazine
Author: Lane Klozier
Date: 09/01/06
Boogie. I like to boogie... As well as the occasional woogie. A good band to do this to is Milwaukee's Fire on Your Sleeve. These guys jump with a sound that is hard to put your finger on... Especially when you’re jerking about to their infectious beat. Country meets punk and swing with a very original twist, showing top notch musicianship. On record these guys are great. Live, these guys kick total ass! Want your ass kicked? Then check ‘em out at the Center St. Festival on Sept. 23rd! - Brew City Sludge
FROM: The Onion
DATE: June 14th, 2007
Fire On Your Sleeve
Highbury Pub, 10pm, 21+
...Fire On Your Sleeve adds a refreshing dose of twisted irreverence to classic sounds. Playing a particularly catchy blend of revved-up alt-country and rock, with rough-edged vocals lending a slightly Tom Waits-ian feel to soulful numbers like "Let's Dance," Fire On Your Sleeve isn't quite as dangerous as it's name suggests, but it will grab your attention. - The Onion
From: MKE Magazine "In your ear"
Author:Tim Cigelske
Date: Aug. 24, 2006
The vocalist for the rootsy rock band Fire on Your Sleeve is afflicted with tonsillitis that causes pain and swelling in the back of his throat.
Matzen's constricted airways cause him to intone in a deep, gravelly voice. The distinctive singing style is a dead ringer for early Tom Waits.
Fire on Your Sleeve recently released its debut album with a six-song self-titled EP. That's part of a busy month that includes shooting a
video at the Cactus Club, appearing on the WLUM-FM (102.1) Kramp & Adler morning show, and playing several area concerts, including
Maxfest at the Points East Pub on Sept. 3.
The band's good fortune again comes at Matzen's expense. He's been working overtime booking and promoting since he's been unemployed for the past month and a half.
Fortunately, he doesn't have to oversell the band's assets. Matzen and bassist Sam Silver solidified their lineup earlier this year with the
addition of a new drummer and guitarist. The foursome quickly jelled and formed a cohesive sound, which is clearly evident on their EP.
Fire on Your Sleeve evokes the laid-back vibe of a late-night club show that's almost bluesy in nature. Then the boogie drums and rocking
guitar kick in at the right moments to keep the joint jumping.
- MKE Magazine
Copy and paste the link below into your favorite web browser and listen to Fire on Your Sleeve getting interviewed on FM102.1's Kramp and Adler Morning show!
http://www.fm102one.com/morning/audio/fire%20on%20your%20sleeve%20intv.mp3 - The Kramp & Adler Morning Show on FM102.1
From: The Onion
Date: 9/13/2006
Fire On Your Sleeve play a particularly catchy blend of revved-up alt-country and rock, with rough-edged vocals lending a slightly Tom Waits-ian feel
to their new self-titled EP. - The Onion
From: Cinncinati City Beat
Author: DP
Date: 09/20/06
Fire on Your Sleeve (Milwaukee)
Indie
Lead signer Ryan Matzen has a voice that will intrigue, and the sounds that are produced can't be pinpointed to one particular genre. If you want to hear kick-ass guitar riffs, yell for them to play "Coast to Coast" and see what the fuss is about. Their sound is a fusion that ranges from Folk, Country, Rock and, least of all Alternative. They're a get-your-drink-on band, for sure. Perfect to start off the night.
Dig It: Tom Waits before he lost his vocal chords. (DP) - 2006 MidPoint Music Festival Guide
Discography
"Obstructed View" (Full Length Album) Norge Three Records 2006
"Coast to Coast" (Single) is featured on Shut Eye Records "Buzzlighter 12" compilation 2006
"Strike a Match" (EP) on Bicycle Thief Records 2007
Photos
Bio
Fire on Your Sleeve is a Milwaukee-based band primarily founded in the writings of Ryan Matzen. Bassist / vocalist Sam Silver and drummer Bill Kern are seasoned studio session players, writers and multi-instrumentalists with hundreds of live and impromptu sets under their belts. Lead guitarist Dylan Jones is a high-caliber player based in Chicago, IL who plays with a mastery of color, texture, voicings, effects, drive and flourishes.
The songwriting of this band is well crafted with vibrant, dynamic instrumentation and visually evoking lyrics. Matzen's raw songs are always inspired, rarely formulated and instinctively on-the-money with very little throw-away material. This combination of players serves to transform the songs into dynamic and harmonious compositions which vary from earthy to otherworldly. Influences range from Beatles, Django Reinhardt, Tom Waits, Violent Femmes, The Who, Zeppelin, and some other stuff.
What makes this band a one-in-a-zillion is the ability to create a signature sound sound amidst a stew of different approaches. Cookie cutters are for bakeries. FOYS pays homage to the great players of the past, present, and future.
- M. Bloomfargen (NYC)
The band has recently signed with NY-based indie label Howling Clue Records.
Fire on Your Sleeve currently explore something like Rock & Roll Gypsy Jazz with a Punk Rock edge:
Django Reinhardt meets The Beatles and The Clash with a tablespoon of Tom Waits and a pinch of old country and garage sounds. Have a listen to the mp3's and check out pages and pages of positive musical testimonial comments on www.myspace.com/fireonyoursleeve
Links
