Even if you've never heard of Bascom Hill, chances are you've heard the music. Although the band has its own label, Arrival Records, Ltd. (now distributed through Fontana/Universal), it's already racked up constant television placements, including America's Next Top Model, Cheerleader Nation, MTV's Real World, Road Rules, Engaged and Underage, Next and True Life. Clearly the unassuming Wisconsinites know a thing or two about hooks.
Lead single "My World" may be the pair's catchiest creation yet, with its brash chorus: "If you're not living in my world / it sucks to be you!" But despite the in-your-face lyric, the tune comes from the relaxed place of blissful vacation memories, with the Sheridan and Victor families having shared many holidays over the years.
Bascom Hill's melodic, anthemic sensibilities come from a blender of influences. "My Mom used to always listen to a lot of country music-Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton-so I had a lot of that instilled in me," Victor recalls. "But then when I found out about radio, I was like, 'Hey, I can change the channel.' Then everything opened up to me. So my background is all over the place. I listened to a lot of classic rock, a lot of pop/rock, old-school hip-hop and R&B-it didn't really matter. If it had a good tune, a good beat and a good melody, it was something I gravitated toward.
"I grew up as a huge Beatles fan, and melody is always king," Sheridan adds. "So you have to make sure that the melody stands alone, then hopefully you can find a story and lyrics that connect with people. And that's really how it all comes together with a great song-first with a melody, then with powerful lyrics."
So the question is, do those songwriting skills, along with the road-tested live show, translate into a shot at the big time? That's what the producers of a reality-TV pilot, Crash Course To Stardom, aimed to find out when they offered all four band members an opportunity to come to Hollywood for a single intense week to see if they had what it took to be rock stars.
During the shoot the band did more than most acts do in a lifetime: songwriting with Mitch Allan (Daughtry, Faith Hill), mixing with Mark Needham (The Killers, Chris Isaak), laying down tracks with producer Matt Wallace (O.A.R., Maroon 5), taking voice lessons from Doc Holliday (Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake) and showcasing for major label execs. The experience was worthwhile, members say, even if it never makes the air.
"It's easy to rest on your laurels, so I think that with that experience we all had a renewed sense of, 'Oh yeah, this is what we need to do. We need to bring our A game every single time, and look the part and sound better than we've ever sounded,'" Sheridan recalls. "It was a great experience. It really energized everybody and made us have an entirely renewed sense of urgency and professionalism. "
Clearly things in Bascom Hill's world are looking up. And if you're not living it in it, well… it sucks to be you.
BascomHillMusic.com
