“Rock and roll is everything,” says Throw The Fight’s Ryan Baustert. “To us, there’s nothing else.”
It’s obvious by their aptly named full-length debut, In Pursuit of Tomorrow, that Baustert and his TTF collaborators have made the single-minded sacrifice to put it all on the line. It’s a D.I.Y., take-no-prisoners, gritty plea to be heard, and a passionate pitch for massive audiences, all of which Throw The Fight utterly deserve. “At the end of the day,” says singer James Clark, “we really feel with all the work we’ve put in and the music we make that we deserve this chance.”
Thousands already agree; the Minneapolis quintet is on the brink of hugeness having built a passionate fanbase through several years of gripping live shows. They’re a gifted bunch that has it all: work ethic, energy, ambition, and chops. Put it together and you’ve got the essential ingredients for success. “It’s exciting right now,” says Baustert, “because something new is coming up for us almost every day. Putting all that work in has finally started paying dividends.”
TTF earned one of their first big breaks back in 2006 when they were voted by their fans as one of the Top 10 Unsigned Bands by Alternative Press. The accolades brought attention, and that attention bred confidence. Making AP’s list had a direct impact on the band’s approach. Suddenly, Throw The Fight was on the map.
They wrote and recorded an EP, which secured the band a deal with Cordless Recordings. During this time the band embarked on a search for one key missing ingredient: the perfect frontman, which ended when they found Clark, a Brit who had relocated Stateside to attend high school and college. Once Clark was brought into the fold, TTF’s momentum surged. His voice — pitch-perfect and powerful — was the missing element.
It almost didn’t happen. “Minneapolis producer, Matt Kirkwold, called me up. He didn’t tell me what band he was speaking for,” says Clark. “He just told me he wanted me to audition and to bring in some lyrics.” That audition and those lyrics went on to produce one of TTF’s pivotal songs, “The Wreckage.”
The band believes that Clark’s work, and specifically “The Wreckage” helped TTF develop its persona. “It really helps us stand apart, and gives you a good idea of what we’re about. It’s guitar-driven and heavy, with catchy melodies and melodic vocals. It’s not simple stuff, but when we play it, people get it.”
Yeah, people get it. TTF has the “X factor” shared by successful acts like Killswitch Engage, Story of the Year, and Rise Against. The onstage force — seen nationally on 2007’s Warped Tour — is undeniable, and so are the melodies. In Pursuit of Tomorrow roars like fire tearing across a hayfield. In addition to “The Wreckage,” other key tracks include the radio ready, “It’s For You” and “His Blood, My Hands,” at the other extreme. “We tried to cover the whole spectrum of who we are as a band,” says Baustert.
They cover that spectrum in part because everyone contributes to the songwriting. “I’m used to writing everything on my own,” Clark admits. “But in Throw The Fight everyone shares the responsibility.”
The album’s opener, “Ready for War,” busts out with a tight blast of hard rock, aggressive vocals and the classic metal influenced dueling guitars of Baustert and Joey Ulrich. “Stop Yourself” brings the noise in the form of a thrashy Metallica chord figure only to give way to a catchy vocal melody and a friendly, sing-along hook. Throughout the disc they keep it brisk while adding passages of iron-heaviness, rockin’ riffs, and dizzying breakdowns.
In Pursuit of Tomorrow is an immense listen that keeps its audience unexpectedly off balance, wrung out and satisfied. Taking square aim with their big rock hooks and searing metal riffs, Throw the Fight demands to be heard loud and clear.
Q: When are you coming to my area?
All of our confirmed shows are on our myspace as well as the other sites the band utilizes. As soon as we know something is confirmed, Myspace is the first place it is posted. So what you see on our page is the latest. A lot of our routes are based off of our demand to come to those areas. So if you want to see us, demand us using the Demand widget on our page or have a promoter in your area drop us a line.
Q: Will you guys play my show/party?
We would love to! We are always working on setting up as many shows and networking with as many people as possible. If you would like to book the band just send us a myspace message or email at throwthefight@yahoo.com. We will do our best to work something out!
Q: How do I get the radio station near me to start playing Throw The Fight?
Easy! Call them up or email them requesting they play Throw The Fight! This is a supply and demand thing. The more people that call up a station and request TTF, the better chance we have of the station playing us. Once other radio stations start seeing us getting airplay, then they will want to start playing us and so on, etc. That's how it spreads! We can't do this without the help of you guys.
Q: Is it really you guys that run your page or am I talking to a label person?
It's really us! We always write back to every single message and we will keep it that way for as long as possible. Sometimes it takes longer depending on our tour schedule, though.
Q: Are your shows all ages?
Mostly. All the age restrictions are posted in the info on our myspace page. So that is the best place to check.
Q: Can we hang out before/after a show and get your autographs?
You know it! We're always out in the crowd at shows and want to meet every person that takes the time to come see us.
Q: How can I help promote TTF?
There are tons of ways and we really appreciate the help!
Buy our merch and cds, or download our stuff from Itunes. This is what we rely on so we can keep doing what we do.
Call up your radio station and demand they start playing Throw The Fight!
Come to our shows and bring your friends!
Help us hand out flyers or stickers
Post bulletins, blogs and comments with our banners or web links for your friends
Sign up for our online street team. Just send us a message if you're interested.
Creativity is the key when it comes to good promotion and every little bit helps!
THROW THE FIGHT WALLPAPERS
KEEP YOUR COMPUTER LOOKIN' FRESH!
