Half Light Music

“Half Light Music’s Cheyenne Goff has been known to music fans all over Michigan for over a decade. He and the fellas from HLM kicked off their set in full stride. The quartet, Cheyenne Goff (lead vox, rhtythm guitar), Marty Yount (lead guitar), Don Patty (bass), Bob Cook (drums) are as polished as their performance. The Half Light originals are thick with melody. Cheyenne’s writing style is classically modern and flawlessly executed by the entire band. All the while being politely and ravenously consumed by a room full of Half Light Music fans.” - Detroit Live

Hi Cheyenne, thanks for talking with me today. How are things going?



As good as they can be, I imagine…had a couple big shows these last two weeks, sold some discs and extended the Half Light family a bit. I’ve no “car rolling out of the driveway” stories to tell you about like the last time we spoke.



To start with a brief history, you started out as an Epic recording artist under the name Bliss 66. Then you went on to do a project called Paper Street Saints.

What is the story there?



Well, Bliss was something that got started up by a few of us aspiring musicians jamming on acoustic guitars at church functions, eventually becoming the ‘house’ band. We played at youth group retreats, meetings and eventually began to write, record and perform our own material. It was definitely beneficial for us to have such a ‘built-in’ audience, so to speak, as we were able to really identify what our strengths were musically and songwriting-wise as well as hone our live skills in front of a receptive audience. When I graduated high school we were already being touted by a few labels and had some buzz, especially locally where we were receiving some regular airplay. By November of that same year we had signed with Capitol Records and were leaving to record an album with the great Glen Ballard by the end of December. Working with Glen and also our co-producer/engineer, Karl Derfler was such an amazing experience. It could take a whole other interview to really divulge everything we learned and the memories we were able to take away from recording the album and living in LA as some fresh faced kids from the suburbs of Detroit and then touring, getting to play and share the stage with some of the artists we listened to and respected like Live, Fuel, Nelly Furtado and many others. Paper Street Saints came about fairly shortly after the Bliss thing had begun to dissipate. I think a few of the guys just realized that the lifestyle of a mid-level, touring musician wasn’t necessarily what they expected or wanted for their life and subsequently moved on. I continued to do a bit of regional solo touring and soon after my manager, Rick Smith, had suggested I contact this guy named Charlie Grover, whom I had known as the previous drummer for the band Sponge. The first time we got together the creative juices were flowing and I think we ended up demoing some stuff out right there. For that matter, we had basically a full album’s worth of material written and recorded prior to even putting together a proper band. The material was definitely a bit ‘heavier’ than anything I had done before, but I think I kind of liked that as I am influenced by so many different genres and I liked the idea of merging some of the heavier leanings of Charlie’s writing with the more melody conscious contributions of my own. We grinded! We did two full length albums with a couple of EP’s in a five year span, all the while playing pretty much anywhere that would have us.



How did the project Half Light Music come together? Tell me about the band.



Half Light Music came together when I had begun to become a bit frustrated with some of the politics that go with being in a band with two primary songwriters which is how PSS was set-up. I wanted to be able to put out a little more diverse material without having to subject it to the opinions of someone(s) who may have a conflict of interest. Plus, some of the material just simply would not have fit with what PSS had become at that point in time, and I had a lot of songs that were basically just sitting around. Me and my bass player, Don Patty, who had also played with bliss and later on PSS, was along for the ride and we began to have some discussions about some other musicians who we thought could add to the material. We both had been familiar with our guitar player, Marty Yount, because we had seen him play in church and were both equally impressed with the way he approached and played the instrument. In the beginning, we had a longtime acquaintance, Brett Kropog drumming with us, but as we progressed made a mutual decision to go separate ways. At that point, it just made sense for us to reach out to Bob Cook who was our drummer in Bliss 66. The material and band dynamic both began to grow considerably because I feel that everyone gets in where they fit in and all of us share the same simple goals: trim the fat, write songs people will dig and want to groove to and represent the songs with excitement and freshness live.

Coming off of a major label, do you intend on seeking out a new label or will you be doing this on your own this time?



I really wanted to have a fairly polished product before I began to really “shop” anything. After a couple solid records and a little exposure via some YouTube videos and what not, I definitely feel like the material lends itself to being on a major label. It’s a slick sound we shine our songs with and the hooks are penned w - Muen Magazine

“Detroit based Half Light Music may be a new name on the scene, but these four men know their way around the stage and studio. The band contains three-fourths of former Epic recording artist Bliss 66, who disbanded in 2003. Lead singer Cheyenne Goff has proven his vocal and lyrical talents in Bliss 66, as well as his most recent project, Paper Street Saints. His newest endeavor is more closely aligned with the sound of Bliss, even including some re-worked demos from those days of yore, such as "E_Girl" and "Yeah."

The CD kicks off on the right note with "Mayday," a song with an undeniably catchy hook and a nice melody. A couple tracks down we come across the aforementioned "E_Girl," and "Make Up Your Mind," which feature memorable and powerful choruses, respectively, and exceptional guitar work by Marty Yount. The real standout on the album is "The Gambler." It catches Goff at his lyrical best, and gives center stage to a forceful, yet wistful conclusion. Just one of many things Bliss 66 excelled at were vocal harmonies, and "The Gambler" exemplifies this. On the other hand, some of the songs like, "Yeah," the lyrics seem held back for a catchier sound overall. In lesser hands this could be disastrous, but the band more than make up for it, and it turns out to be the best ballad on the album. It's the perfect song for Goff to showcase his unique voice and excellent use of falsetto, which is not only prominent in "Yeah," but on "Second Best," and throughout the rest of the album.

Chuck Alkazian (Pop Evil, Sponge) handles the production, and it is top of the line. No instrument is overwhelming, and there's nary an off-note on the album. For good measure, Alkazian contributes musically with tambourine and additional keys.

In conclusion, while you will notice similarities with Bliss 66, Half Light Music are wholly their own band. The music is more energetic and aggressive, though it's not a CD that will absolutely blow you away. Clocking in at just over 30 minutes, the music feels over before you can fully digest it; but the good ones always leave you wanting more, don't they?”
- Melodic.net

“Half Light Music has never taken the easy road to success. Born from the ashes of Capitol / Epic Recording Artists, Bliss 66, Half Light Music picks up where Bliss 66 left off, working on this self titled debut disc for the better part of a year, this Chuck Alkazian collaboration is an incredible first effort with 9 well-crafted, radio-ready, cohesive tracks! Cheyenne Goff (Vox) clearly demonstrates his lyrical mastery along with his ability to combine rhythm and melody to create music that clearly draws on a basic rock structure, but at the same time, offers a unique, defining sound that is completely his own. Reuniting with Donny Patty and newly re-joined by Bob Cook on drums, there is a strong, solid backbeat, but the "sound" of Half Light Music is created with the unique combination of Goff's acoustic guitar layered over the infectious rock licks of Martin Yount, delivering a distinctive sound that perfectly showcases Cheyenne's eminently recognizable, yet plaintive vocals. With no shortage of hooks, this disc is certain to please fans from a huge cross-section of the rock landscape. The first track, Mayday, gets it started exactly how we at DR2 wish every band would, drop kicking a song that immediately grabs your attention, is representative of what you will hear throughout the remainder of the disc, and presents one of the strongest hooks you can muster! That's how you grab someone's attention and get them to keep listening, with its head-over-heels-in-love plea "you got me cryin' mayday!.." it has a hook that you'll find yourself singing hours later, an instant classic. Followed up by Second Best and Extraordinary Girl, this disc quickly impresses you with the emotion and lyrical strength that is prominent in every song. With arrangements and vocals that bleed emotion and suffering throughout, the tone is very nearly grunge in its desperate tone yet never approaches depressing, in fact, it is somehow hopeful and catchy. Cheyenne Goff has always been a prolific writer and with this most recent effort, has shown himself to be in top form; undoubtedly this collection of Half Light Music is sure to grab some well-deserved attention.” - DR2