Marty Casey
Encyclopedia
Martin Xavier "Marty" Casey (born September 26, 1973)
is an American
rock
musician who is the lead singer, primary songwriter
and second guitarist
of the band Lovehammers
.
After years of building a strong local following in Chicago
, Illinois
and the Midwest, Casey achieved international fame on the first season of the reality show Rock Star: INXS
. Casey made it to the final two of the competition, finishing as the runner-up
to winner J.D. Fortune
. Although he was not chosen as the new singer for INXS
, he was invited to tour as opening act, and in 2006, Marty Casey toured on the first leg of the INXS Switched On Tour. Many fans are happy that he got to stay with his band Lovehammers. Marty was a fan favorite on Rock Star: INXS, receiving the most viewer votes,
and topping the download charts with his performances of both covers and original material.
born to Marilyn and John Casey, Marty Casey was born in the Chicago suburb of Hickory Hills, Illinois
. As a child and youth, Casey was an avid sportsman, competing in both baseball
and wrestling
. When he was eight years old, while playing together on a local T-Ball
team, he met future Lovehammers bandmates Bobby and Dino Kourelis. Casey and the Kourelis brothers formed Lovehammers (initially named The Swinging Lovehammers) in 1988. During this time Casey attended Amos Alonzo Stagg High School
, in Palos Hills, Illinois
. After receiving a degree in Finance
at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
, he worked part-time as a real estate appraiser
while continuing to record and tour with his band. He was a member of Star Course, a student run organization at the University of Illinois. Marty was also a member of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity.
While touring with artists including Nickelback
, Jerry Cantrell
, Interpol
, New Found Glory
, and Cake
, Casey and Lovehammers began to build a small but fiercely loyal national following. Fans rave about the band's energetic, engaging and compelling live shows, and Casey in particular stands out due to his charisma, intensity and ability to embody the diverse moods and characters in their music.
Hollywood has taken note of the band's songs, a number of which have been included in television shows and movies. The group's DVD, "Live/Raw" charted well on the Billboard
musical DVD
charts in 2004. In addition to gaining the admiration of fans, Casey's songwriting skills have gained him accolades. He was a finalist in the annual John Lennon Songwriting Contest
, with his song "Rain on the Brain".
band members as well as the fans. His performances consistently received high marks, and he received the most votes of any contestant on the show. Near the end of the competition, he performed his original song "Trees", which became a fan favorite. Trees was played on mainstream radio.
Casey's extended family and the long-term fans (known as Hammerheads) were very supportive of his run on the show, co-hosting viewing parties for the fans at Chicago bars, and even organizing shuttle buses to get fans to the parties. Casey spoke frequently of being "humbled" and "honored" by all the support he received.
On his Rock Star: INXS
blog, Casey wrote: "I love writing music and I think performing those creations completes the cycle and helps me define my life. Writing music is the thought and performing is the action. Great thoughts must be put into action in order to exist. Action without thought can be a train wreck."
offered Casey the job of opening act on INXS's upcoming tour, which Casey accepted. During the tour, Casey and his band released their major label debut, Marty Casey and Lovehammers
(released 24 January 2006, through Epic Records
). The album could be described as a "best-of" compilation of songs from their previous, indie albums, though songs were chosen largely on the basis of accessibility and to showcase the band to a more mainstream audience. Though some of the songs were re-recorded and remixed for the major label debut, the album featured only one completely new track. There was some fan criticism that the album was sold as "Marty Casey and Lovehammers" as opposed to just "Lovehammers" but, in general, fans understood that the purpose of the album was to capitalize on Marty's exposure on the TV Show and increase their fan base.
Casey and Lovehammers continue to tour, now as headliners. As natives of Chicago
's South Side, they are avid fans of the Chicago White Sox
, and were particularly excited to be asked to play before some of the games in October 2005 and in 2006.
In January 2009, Casey conducted a two week solo acoustic tour of New Zealand, in support of charity Canteen, which supports young people living with cancer.
is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
musician who is the lead singer, primary songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and second guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
of the band Lovehammers
Lovehammers
Lovehammers is a Chicago-based, Alternative rock band. Their sound is best described as a combination of Pop-punk, and Grunge influences.Since 1997, Lovehammers have independently released five full-length albums and EPs and one major label LP. For their self-titled major label debut , they were...
.
After years of building a strong local following in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
and the Midwest, Casey achieved international fame on the first season of the reality show Rock Star: INXS
Rock Star: INXS
Rock Star: INXS is the first season of the reality television show Rock Star where 15 contestants competed to become the lead vocalist for the Australian rock band INXS....
. Casey made it to the final two of the competition, finishing as the runner-up
Runner-up
Runner-up is a term used to denote a participant which finishes in second place in any of a variety of competitive endeavors, most notably sporting events and beauty pageants; in the latter instance, the term is applied to more than one of the highest-ranked non-winning contestants, the...
to winner J.D. Fortune
J.D. Fortune
J.D. Fortune , is a Canadian rock singer and songwriter. He was the winner of the 2005 CBS reality television series Rock Star: INXS, and fronted INXS until August 2011. - Early life :...
. Although he was not chosen as the new singer for INXS
INXS
INXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...
, he was invited to tour as opening act, and in 2006, Marty Casey toured on the first leg of the INXS Switched On Tour. Many fans are happy that he got to stay with his band Lovehammers. Marty was a fan favorite on Rock Star: INXS, receiving the most viewer votes,
and topping the download charts with his performances of both covers and original material.
Early life
The youngest of six childrenborn to Marilyn and John Casey, Marty Casey was born in the Chicago suburb of Hickory Hills, Illinois
Hickory Hills, Illinois
Hickory Hills is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 13,926 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Hickory Hills is located at ....
. As a child and youth, Casey was an avid sportsman, competing in both baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
. When he was eight years old, while playing together on a local T-Ball
Tee Ball
Tee Ball or T-Ball is a sport based on baseball and is intended as an introduction for children to develop baseball skills and have fun. The name Tee Ball is a registered trademark while T-Ball is the generic name, although many sources use Tee Ball as a generic title.- Description :In T-Ball, the...
team, he met future Lovehammers bandmates Bobby and Dino Kourelis. Casey and the Kourelis brothers formed Lovehammers (initially named The Swinging Lovehammers) in 1988. During this time Casey attended Amos Alonzo Stagg High School
Amos Alonzo Stagg High School
Amos Alonzo Stagg High School, Stagg, or AAS, is a public four-year high school located at the intersection of S. Roberts Rd. and W. 111th Street in Palos Hills, Illinois, a southwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Consolidated High School District 230, which also...
, in Palos Hills, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. After receiving a degree in Finance
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
, he worked part-time as a real estate appraiser
Real estate appraisal
Real estate appraisal, property valuation or land valuation is the process of valuing real property. The value usually sought is the property's Market Value. Appraisals are needed because compared to, say, corporate stock, real estate transactions occur very infrequently...
while continuing to record and tour with his band. He was a member of Star Course, a student run organization at the University of Illinois. Marty was also a member of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity.
While touring with artists including Nickelback
Nickelback
Nickelback is a Canadian rock band from Hanna, Alberta. Since 1995 the band has included guitarist and lead vocalist Chad Kroeger, guitarist and back-up vocalist Ryan Peake and bassist Mike Kroeger.. The band's current drummer and percussionist is Daniel Adair who has been with the band since 2005....
, Jerry Cantrell
Jerry Cantrell
Jerry Fulton Cantrell Jr. is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter best known for his work with the grunge/metal band Alice in Chains, as lead guitarist, backing and co-lead vocalist, and co-lyricist. He performs lead vocals on his solo projects, and is part of Alice in Chains' harmonizing...
, Interpol
Interpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
, New Found Glory
New Found Glory
New Found Glory is an American rock band from Coral Springs, Florida. Formed in the summer of 1997, founding members were lead vocalist Jordan Pundik, guitarists Chad Gilbert and Steve Klein, bassist Ian Grushka and drummer Joe Marino...
, and Cake
Cake (band)
Cake is an American alternative rock band from Sacramento, California. Consisting of singer John McCrea, trumpeter Vince DiFiore, guitarist Xan McCurdy, bassist Gabe Nelson and drummer Paulo Baldi, the band has been noted for McCrea's sarcastic lyrics and deadpan voice, DiFiore's trumpet parts, and...
, Casey and Lovehammers began to build a small but fiercely loyal national following. Fans rave about the band's energetic, engaging and compelling live shows, and Casey in particular stands out due to his charisma, intensity and ability to embody the diverse moods and characters in their music.
Hollywood has taken note of the band's songs, a number of which have been included in television shows and movies. The group's DVD, "Live/Raw" charted well on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
musical DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
charts in 2004. In addition to gaining the admiration of fans, Casey's songwriting skills have gained him accolades. He was a finalist in the annual John Lennon Songwriting Contest
John Lennon Songwriting Contest
The John Lennon Songwriting Contest, named for the former member of The Beatles, is a songwriting competition for songwriters, open to amateurs and professionals. The contest accepts instrumental pieces as well as songs with a vocal component. Though all entries must include a CD, cassette, or...
, with his song "Rain on the Brain".
Rock Star: INXS
During the competition, Casey gained the respect of the INXSINXS
INXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...
band members as well as the fans. His performances consistently received high marks, and he received the most votes of any contestant on the show. Near the end of the competition, he performed his original song "Trees", which became a fan favorite. Trees was played on mainstream radio.
Casey's extended family and the long-term fans (known as Hammerheads) were very supportive of his run on the show, co-hosting viewing parties for the fans at Chicago bars, and even organizing shuttle buses to get fans to the parties. Casey spoke frequently of being "humbled" and "honored" by all the support he received.
On his Rock Star: INXS
Rock Star: INXS
Rock Star: INXS is the first season of the reality television show Rock Star where 15 contestants competed to become the lead vocalist for the Australian rock band INXS....
blog, Casey wrote: "I love writing music and I think performing those creations completes the cycle and helps me define my life. Writing music is the thought and performing is the action. Great thoughts must be put into action in order to exist. Action without thought can be a train wreck."
Post Rock Star: INXS
After revealing the selection of J.D. Fortune as the new INXS front man, INXS guitarist Tim FarrissTim Farriss
Timothy William Farriss is a member of the rock band :INXS.-Early life and the formation of INXS:...
offered Casey the job of opening act on INXS's upcoming tour, which Casey accepted. During the tour, Casey and his band released their major label debut, Marty Casey and Lovehammers
Marty Casey and Lovehammers (album)
Marty Casey & Lovehammers is the self-titled, major label debut album for Rock Star: INXS runner-up Marty Casey's band, Lovehammers. The album consists primarily of songs from the Lovehammers' previous three independent albums, remixed and remastered: "Hold On", "Rain on the Brain", "The Tunnel",...
(released 24 January 2006, through Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
). The album could be described as a "best-of" compilation of songs from their previous, indie albums, though songs were chosen largely on the basis of accessibility and to showcase the band to a more mainstream audience. Though some of the songs were re-recorded and remixed for the major label debut, the album featured only one completely new track. There was some fan criticism that the album was sold as "Marty Casey and Lovehammers" as opposed to just "Lovehammers" but, in general, fans understood that the purpose of the album was to capitalize on Marty's exposure on the TV Show and increase their fan base.
Casey and Lovehammers continue to tour, now as headliners. As natives of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
's South Side, they are avid fans of the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
, and were particularly excited to be asked to play before some of the games in October 2005 and in 2006.
In January 2009, Casey conducted a two week solo acoustic tour of New Zealand, in support of charity Canteen, which supports young people living with cancer.
With Lovehammers
- Ultrasound (1997)
- Demolition EP (1999)
- L'Strange (2000)
- How We Live EP (2001)
- Murder On My Mind (2003)
- Marty Casey And Lovehammers (2006)
- Heavy Crown (2009)
External links
- Official site of Marty Casey, Singer and Songwriter
- Lovehammers
- Lovehammers Fan Club
- Marty Casey bio at ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM