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"Hardnox breathes much-needed new life into the stagnating waters of hip-hop with their latest 'Just Us' release. In a fresh style that blends traditional hip-hop with rock and techno elements, Dan and Jim hit the point and give honest social commentary over and over again with raps and great beats on 'Tha Beater' and 'Are All The Ladies Gone?' but don't forget to have a good time in songs like 'Once We Drop' and 'We Don't Suck'..." "The fact that they wrote, performed, produced, engineered and mixed the entire record not only adds to the commitment and talent they bring to the project - it guarantees them a growing success in the future as they continue to explore and redefine the boundaries of hip-hop." --Gary Cirimelli (Grammy Nominated Producer & Engineer. Credits include: Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Boyz II Men, Train, Journey, Sony Theatres, Sega Music Group, CBS Televison) Meet Hardnox. That's us. Hardnox consists of Dan Kehoe age 22, and Jim Kehoe age 20. Two brothers from Concord, California. Since childhood, we have been fascinated with music, recording and the process that goes into making hit records. No, not the little bedroom studio that consists of a drum machine and a downloaded program that loops samples. We're talking the works. The same gear that has been used on countless hit records. While being DJ's on the weekends we fill our weeks with school and studio work. We have assembled a list of clients and projects ranging from the NFL, NBA, music video dancers, Channel 7 ABC, to projects such as Dan Marino's retirement halftime show held in Pro Player stadium on ESPN. All of this while operating under our own production company (Hardnox Productions). We write, produce, arrange, record, engineer, and mix all our music ourselves, at our studio appropriately named "The Head Bop Shop" in Concord, California. The current album, which is our debut, is titled "Just Us." Although we are fans of many of the artists today, our music goes against the grain. We don't feel that we fit into current trends and have a desire to hear something different. "Is Hardnox the Messiah and savior of the uninteresting trends in music?" Who knows, we're not the judges of that. We just make music, and rock crowds. Hardnox's sound is based on a hip-hop foundation but differs from conventional modern hip-hop in a few ways. We layer more electronic and rock style elements through our music creating a more "full" and "heavier sound." Our lyrical style is not as angry as much of today's hip-hop, yet it is still aggressive. Let's get something straight here. We are fans of much of the hip-hop today. We help make these records hits as DJs... we're just talking about where we differ, not necessarily disagree. Our lyrics stem from the common person's experiences, not some lavish fantasy life. Songs like "Tha Beater" take the hip-hop cliché of fancy cars and turn it around to glorify the run-down car that is the only thing most young people can afford to drive. Our lyrical messages switch from the in-your-face to the subliminal, "what exactly do they mean by that?" In 2001, a music critique on VH1 said, "Kids can't be shocked anymore. Everything has been said and done. The way to shock is to flip it back around on them." We like to base our lyrics on the practical stories, joys, pains, emotions and questions that we and many other people experience in life. Not just young people, but human beings. Our music is not set out to make someone feel, "I must do this or have this to fit in or be considered worthy of acceptance." We are about taking control of life and not letting the things that we can't control paralyze us from happiness and a feeling of success. We are being "Just Us" and hope that we can motivate others to feel confident and pleased enough with themselves to be themselves. "Just Us" is being released independently by Hardnox Productions (our label/production company) in mid summer 2002. We will not sit on the debut for long. The follow-up will be released late winter/early spring of 2003. Hardnox will not go away. www.hardnoxproductions.com Check out the artist's website: http://www.hardnoxproductions.com Track List: 1. Justa Teaze 2. Let It Bang! 3. Just Us 4. Souldier 5. Dirty 6. Tha Beater 7. We Don't Suck! 8. Bop Ur Head 9. Infected 10. Are All the Ladies Gone? 11. The Way to Ur Brain 12. Listen 13. Once We Drop 14. Unclassified Suggested CDs:Other Genres: |