The band Hallway is putting the ‘roll’ back into rock, according to lead singer Jeffrey Freer and bassist Brad Hale. Freer, who said “rock is bastardized now,” along with bandmates Hale and drummer Daniel McDonald are trying to bring back good classic melodies like the ones Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan and Tom Petty made.
Hallway has been going through a transformation since its beginning. Freer created the group roughly a year ago, its sound initially leaning toward the pop genre. But, with the loss of two original members, Freer reinvented the band with the addition of McDonald and Hale.
“(McDonald) is one of the best drummers I’ve ever played with in my life,” Freer said.
His life revolves around drums — being a percussion teacher, performing in plays and having been in bands previously — and this experience is very apparent in his playing.
Freer, McDonald and the former bassist played together for a little over a month before the bassist left for St. Louis. Freer recalls what a problem it was because he had a “sweet new drummer but no bass player.”
Then entered Hale, fresh off the hiatus of his band, Medium Deep Rough, and looking for new people to play with — he approached Freer one evening at the bar. At first, Freer was surprised because he had known Hale only as a guitar player, but it soon became evident Hale is a man of many skills. His skills on bass matched his unparalleled skills on the guitar.
With its new lineup, Hallway has taken an entirely new direction. The current members are incredibly good at improvising and have contributed to creating a more free-flowing environment.
Freer, who writes all of the songs, said, “Whenever I get someone new- I work with them.”
This mentality helps maintain an evolving sound, because Hallway is certainly not pop music anymore.
Freer said his songs (past and present) are mostly about society and how we interact with each other — a sort of social commentary in the form of music. “And yes I write about girls too.”
Freer puts a lot of time into the music he creates and hopes everyone who listens to the music can feel the difference.
Simply put, Hallway is a band with something to offer everyone, regardless of his or her style. The album, The Rugs, is currently available for free download at www.hallway.bandcamp.com. This album is an homage to Hallway’s pop era, made by Freer and former bandmates.
Also, the music video for “Let’s Not Talk” is featured on cactuspantry.com.
Now-a-days Hallway is cranking out the tunes in Ypsilanti, on the regular, during practice. And the new lineup really shows people who are truly having fun making music. Hale told me his only complaint is they don’t have the opportunity to practice more than they already do.
Hallways’s next show will be Jan. 14 at the Blind Pig, located at 208 South 1st St. in Ann Arbor, with the Juliets, Silver Ghosts and Ornery Little Darlings. Doors open at 9 p.m. and it costs $7 for ages 21 and up. It’s a show definitely worth seeing.