Michael Thomas Beck- Vocals
A.D Adams- Drums/Vocals
Conrad Varela- Guitar/Vocals
Mike Vars- Keyboards/Vocals
Paul Williams- Bass/Vocals
ESCAPE THE HIVE is a nod to breaking free of your constraints and the experience of freedom. A 70s oriented hard rock band with emphasis on lyrics that feed your mind and music to move your feet. Born in 2021 after vocalist Michael Thomas Beck spent time on tour singing with Jake E. Lee’s Red Dragon Cartel, and fronted the critically acclaimed Kings of Dust in 2019, Beck started writing with DL Marble bassist Paul Williams. Beck says, “it was a very natural fit. Paul has a great swing to his playing that makes it easy to write to so that got us off to a great start.” The two then enlisted former Dirty Looks and Louis Prima drummer A.D Adams. “A.D is a guy I have wanted to do a record with for a long time. And he was already playing fill in shows with Paul. Besides that, he’s just a monster drummer” says Beck. For guitar duties, Alice Cooper’s Christmas Pudding winner Conrad Varela was recruited, also having played with the likes of Geoff Tate and Alice Cooper himself. Alice holds Conrad in high regard, speaking about him frequently on his radio show “Nights with Alice Cooper.” Beck says, “I’ve been fortunate in that I’ve played with some really top-notch guitar players. Conrad fills those shoes perfectly.” And what would a 70s hard rock band be without keys?! With this obviously in mind, keyboard standout Mike Vars was brought in to round out the lineup.
With their roots firmly planted in 70s arena rock, along the lines of Foreigner, Deep Purple, Journey and the like, the ESCAPE THE HIVE vibe is definitely tailored to sit alongside their new contemporaries in the “New Wave of Classic Rock” phenomenon that’s taking hold across the world. As well as the artists who influenced it to begin with. “We are definitely influenced by that era of rock but a bit more firsthand. That era of music actually formed who we are as people as well as the music we write,” confirms Beck.
Recorded at Phoenix’s Soundvision Studios, This is Gonna Sting was produced by frontman Michael Thomas Beck and shows the quintet expanding on those 70s arena rock influences with modern production values. The sonics of the record are a throwback to that sound; a very vintage approach with a modern punch. The songs are rooted in dynamics, such as the haunting “In Between” that deals with social media and the division it creates. With lyrics like “All these friends I’ve never known, but I know and their endless faces …” explains just how that division happens. The track “It’s Not Alright” looks at a person’s inner turmoil. “You never know what people are going thru in their personal lives. It’s usually more than you know.” says Beck. The first line states “and the world is at my feet, but it’s time. And the weight is killing me, and that’s fine.” People let you see what they want you to see. “Separate Lives” discusses lost love after making the decision to move on. The chorus sings “if we were living separate lives I’d be looking for you, wondering how our paths collide.” You sometimes wonder how things would have turned out says Beck. The slamming “I’ve Seen the Future” examines how history repeats itself by constantly repeating the past.
Which, when you think of it, also sums up ESCAPE THE HIVE.
