“People want songs they can relate to. To me, that’s three chords and no bullshit. Wham, bam.” Those words come, with passion, from David Fisher, a 25-year-old Virginia native who fronts Big Blue Hearts, a rockin’ quartet out of San Francisco who are creating their own seismic activity in quake country.
On the strength of Fisher’s voice, the band’s Everly-style harmonies, just the right touch of twang, and some infectiously danceable and ear-perking songs, the Big Blue Hearts had a buzz going before one could manufactured by the music-biz machinery. Though they’ve been together since only the beginning of 1996, word of their appeal quickly reached a Geffen A&R rep, who signed them after seeing them perform just once at a tiny San Francisco bar. That seems to be the rapidly growing popular consensus: This is a “you-know-it-the-minute-you-hear-it” kind of band.
Though their recorded output to date consists merely of a homemade demo with two songs — one of which, “Stay Awhile”, has hit single written all over it — Big Blue Hearts have been busy playing live shows that have all the energy of a vintage Sun Records-era hootenanny. The Sun era also plays a big part in the band’s sound. Mix that with inspiration from Dwight Yoakam, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson and the Mavericks, and you’ve got a force to be reckoned with.
Aside from their talent, Fisher and bandmates Michael Donovan (guitar, vocals), Michael Anderson (bass, vocals), and Paul Zarich (drums, vocals) are probably in their current position because of their straightforward attitudes and aspirations. The three band members, who are single, live together in a South of Market district house that serves as their headquarters, rehearsal hall, and occasional barbecue and party space.
Success is something that will not plague this band, Fisher promises. “Forget all these people whining about what comes with the territory. I say bring it on. I’m not embarrassed to say we want to be on the cover of Details or Rolling Stone.”
The band is set to go into the studio in January to record their Geffen debut with producer T Bone Burnett. “He came and saw one of our shows and we immediately hit it off,” says Fisher. “We all agree on the sound we’re trying to capture, and we spent a full day working with him recently, so we’re real excited about the whole thing.”
