Summer 2011, a new band was born near the University of Portland. The Harm, as they are now officially called, consists of Jeff Makjavich on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Joel Nightingale on lead guitar, Drew McLauchlan on bass guitar, and Brendan Rice on drums. What began as a “joke band” as the boys referred to their beginnings, has now led to new creative adventure for them all. With all of their upcoming shows this month, Jeff has decided that “April is going to be changing its name to The Harm!”
When did you start the band?
Jeff: “We started this summer, essentially as a joke rock-hip-hop collective. We started off with a joke name and appropriately made joke music and our name just evolved from one joke to the other until we eventually got to The Harm. And once we started telling people that was our name and they didn’t laugh at us, that was when I knew that that was the one.”
How would you describe your music? Any specific genre?
Joel: “I tell people rock, I don’t really know what else to say.”
Jeff: “Yeah, it’s like rock, like alternative indie rock with some edgy pop. Just throw that all in there.”
Joel: “I just call it rock and let them figure it out for themselves.”
Jeff: “I think being kind of genre-less isn’t such a bad thing. Genres are kind of binding in a way. And we’re just trying to achieve a sound.”
Why do you like writing music?
Joel: “A lot of it is like me going to my guitar for therapy basically. It’s my outlet for emotions and for things that are going on in my life. Everyone has the friend who goes to them and cries on their shoulder and wants sympathy all the time and it gets old. I don’t want to be that person.”
Jeff: “I like your idea of it being therapy and that you aren’t just throwing your emotions on people. You’re channeling your emotions and using them as like a musical conduit to come to terms with whatever emotions your feeling in a way that’s both positive to you and positive to the people hearing the music. It’s therapeutic.”
Where do you see the band in the future?
Joel: “I’d love to see us playing, like, big stuff.”
Jeff: “I would too! Some festivals. South by Southwest would be awesome. We actually are looking to play Music Fest Northwest. That’s in Portland actually. That takes place around September.”
What’s the song you’re most excited for people to hear at your April 4th show?
Joel: “1, 2, 3, (in unison) ‘Open for Business’.”
Jeff: “Smoke Out.”
Check out The Harm at their upcoming shows:
April 4th (Wednesday) – Mississippi Pizza Pub: 9:45p.m.
April 19th (Thursday) – Quadstock at the Fields/Schoenfeldt Quad: time TBA
April 20th (Friday) – Relay for Life at the Academic Quad: 7-8p.m.
April 21st (Saturday) – Benefit Show at United Churches of Olympia –
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