The Heroes and Madmen story begins much the same as any modern day rock band’s does…four young men from a small town with a love for loud guitars and late night takeout and a general resistance to anything resembling a normal, working class life set out on a musical adventure…okay they rent a house on the outskirts of town where they can turn up the sound until the plaster falls from the ceiling, and rehearse at all hours of the day night, always playing for a random crowd of friends and family that come and go freely at this legendary address now known for it’s parties and backyard bonfires involving furniture. The adventure takes its twists and turns bringing them face to face with life’s demons. One of our heroes will fight cancer, another will battle addiction, and yet another will sustain a serious injury. In the end, the Heroes and Madmen emerge as one of the Midwest’s most promising Indie rock bands.
Our heroes (okay… our madmen) are a varied lot. Brian Martin (lead vocals/guitar) began his young musical career playing piano, but after realizing that he couldn’t cart a piano off to college, opted to steal his brother’s guitar. Both his guitar and his penchant for reflective songwriting have brought him through some tumultuous times. And let’s face it… it’s cheaper than therapy. Ian McGee (guitar) has probably been affiliated with every well-known band in the Cincinnati/Covington area. After studying guitar with Nicholas Tuttle and playing alongside CEA winners like Ry Stephenson and Jarod Menker, he has settled in with Heroes and Madmen for the long haul. Dennis Dezarn (vocals/bass) is our quintessential All-American Kentucky boy with a diverse musical background that includes both piano and drums, but it is his weakness for those deep, soothing sounds of the bass that always brings him back to the guitar. With a rather nomadic background, having traversed every continent, and studied both music and dance abroad Christopher Mueller (drums) is our well traveled Kentuckian. He has recorded with the likes of Ric Hordinski and Richard Dodd and yet the chemistry and musical ardor of Heroes and Madmen is what he has been looking for all of his life.
Heroes and Madmen have shared the stage with national touring acts such as Seether, Porcupine Tree, Rock ‘n Roll Soldiers, Strata, Lovedrug, Sick Puppies, Ra and The Churchills. Their 2007 summer tour took them through the Midwest and the East Coast, with each city broadening their fan base and bringing their music to an eager crowd. The continuation of their tour this fall will include the Midwest, Southeast and Southwest regions. Consistently re-booked at every venue they play, Heroes and Madmen have garnered a reputation for bringing a high energy live show infused with their arsenal of radio friendly rock to every city on their tour.
With three years under their belt, and the release of their exceptional debut CD ’The Natural Order of Things,’ Heroes and Madmen are making a name for themselves not only as a band, but as a label. Their aptly named label ‘Sofa Burn’ has signed two additional artists and has acquired distribution through Select-O Hits.