Hero The Band—a quartet of brothers each born a year apart—emerge at a sonic crossroads between arena rock, experimental alternative, and swaggering R&B. Of the EP, the band says, “Back To Myself is the soundtrack of all dreamers wanting to find their voice from within. It’s about getting back to the basics of one following in their purpose without fear or judgement of what others may think or say about them. The lyric’s messages give a feeling of positivity that further influence one with will power and intent to spread love and kindness. It’s simply about getting back to that place you always wanted to be!”
Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. It’s not what they say, but what they do or, in the case of Hero The Band, what they sing…
The Georgia quartet of blood brothers each born a year apart—Justin Barnett aka Ocean [vocals, lead guitar], Jerramy Barnett aka Goku Love [vocals, bass], DJ Barnett aka BamBam [vocals, drums], and Nick Barnett aka Nicky Jupiter [guitar, keys]—emerge at a sonic crossroads between galactic arena rock, experimental alternative, and swaggering R&B.
“We want to show the world everybody’s their own hero,” exclaims Jerramy. “We come from the same spiritual realm, but physically we’re put here on this planet equipped with different powers and special abilities. It’s about being your own unique individual and embracing who you are.”
“Our parents raised us to just do our best in whatever we do,” adds DJ. “That’s all it takes to be a hero. It’s not about getting notoriety at the end of the day; it’s about leading by example. You never know who you might be inspiring.”
“It’s also about a sense of bravery,” Nick elaborates. “You literally have four black brothers from Decatur, GA singing rock music. Everybody looked at us like we were crazy as hell when we first decided to do this. It’s simple though. We do what we love with conviction.”
They started doing so back in 2010. Growing up in a highly musical family, the boys sang in an R&B group in between playing sports. However, grandma bought them a karaoke machine, and its myriad stations caught their attention. First inspired by Coldplay’s “Clocks,” they soon fell down a rock ‘n’ roll rabbit hole, going from Queen to Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, The Beatles, Rush, and The Fray. Picking up instruments, they brought Hero The Band to life. Buckling down alongside producer Donovan Jarvis in an Atlanta studio, they honed a signature sound throughout three independent releases—Goldn Hearts [2013], Bleach [2016], and Heroshima [2017]—and logged 350-plus shows everywhere from Super Bowl Live to AfroPunk. Not to mention, mutually collaborating with the likes of Big K.R.I.T., Childish Major, Trinidad James, Jack Harlow, and many more.
As a movement quietly formed around them, LAVA Records/Republic Records signed the group in 2019. Now, they ignite their rise on the major label debut single “Back To Myself.” Produced by Pete Nappi [Meghan Trainor, Kesha, Thirty Seconds To Mars], the song pairs a steady beat with earthquaking guitars and a sweeping and soaring chant, “I’m getting back to myself.”
“It’s about arising out of a place of feeling down and suffocated or having negative thoughts in your head,” explains Justin. “You’re constantly battling yourself. So, once you move past those feelings, you come back to who you’re meant to be. It screams. It’s an anthem for anybody who feels lost, insecure, or like an outcast. Know you can overcome whatever you’re facing.”
In the end, this uplifting spirit defines the group’s upcoming project and overall message.
“We want to give people a sense of being more independent and trusting themselves. It’s also about remaining open to the world. You can spread love and use it to heal your own scars and wounds and others. Life is beautiful. It’s about constantly healing and keeping it real. That’s what we’re here to give.”
