My Fever
BY VICTORIA STEWART; PHOTOS BY ALLIE HINE
With a fresh mix of alternative, rock, and pop music, MyFever is on top of the popularity scale at local music venues in Panama City.
Band members are: Garret Hine on drums and vocals, Weston Hine on lead vocals and guitar, Blake Tallent on lead guitar and vocals, and Casey Morgan on bass guitar and vocals.Last fall, they performed at The Backstage Pass concert series at the Marina Civic Center. Blake was in Sydney, Australia at the time, attending a one-year college course all the while the band was collaborating with Blake on a weekly basis, keeping him informed and up-to-date on their music so that he would be up to speed when he returned. The crowd’s response to hearing their original songs was overwhelming, to say the least.Blake’s father texted his son from the audience “You need to be here!” In December 2014, Blake finally rejoined MyFever and their performances have excelled ever since at local venues such as Mosey’s and Little Village.
All band members began playing as preteens and were brought up playing music in contemporary churches. Their parents encouraged and supported their decisions to pursue music.Having previously played in local bands, each had mentors who helped them hone their skills and who they looked up to.Music and performing is their common passion and there is a brotherhood and mutual respect between the four. They value the opinions of their bandmates and discuss everything from the songs they sing to the dreams they dream.
At the time of this interview, MyFever had just completed recording a new EP at Warhorse Studios in Miramar, Florida, consisting of seven original songs. Weston does the majority of the songwriting but some of the songs are co-written by all band members. Their sound is fresh and new. Their influences come from bands such as Kings of Leon, U2, Coldplay, and even a local band from some years ago, Don’t Die Cindy. Weston states “We’re just inspired by this thing music. The power that it has, how much of a gift it is and how it improves lives. We are humbled and curious about that.”
MyFever is a band with a strong work ethic and accountability to each other. They even wrote their own business statement. They are serious, committed, driven, and eager to share their message with the world through their music. They critique each other and demand honesty. Blake said it best: “I don’t think there is anything more valuable than for your friends to say, this is how I think you can get better. I encourage that and this group encourages that.” Weston adds “Like-mindedness is the most overlooked and rare quality in a successful band.”
To paraphrase, they love art and they love people. They love life and writing about life. That is their drive. Wes summarizes, “It’s like that thing that scares you the most, but you know it’s what you aspire to do. It draws you in. That’s part of MyFever’s DNA somewhere in there.” Caring that their music connects with people is a key part of what makes this band so unique and different, yet approachable.
As they are talking about their goals, there is chemistry between the four, and the best word I can describe it with is magic. Blake is the youngest member.He is on fire and willing to do whatever it takes, like moving back from Australia, to get this band on the road to fame. Next in line in age is Weston. He is the writer, the thinker, and the planner. He is the builder of the framework, the one who sees the vision, and is mapping out the course they must travel to get there.Garrett is next, the voice of reason, the peacemaker and the band’s sounding board. He sees the big picture and offers insight from a different point of view than the rest, the light bulb if you will.Last, but certainly not least, is the oldest member, Casey. He’s the quiet one, bringing the most experience while adding a solid foundation to the group.All this reflects when they play.
The magic of MyFever isn’t really magic after all. It is the right mixture of talent with all the band members on the same page working to achieve the same goals. Catch them while you can during their local gigs, soon they are moving to Atlanta to pursue their musical careers. And even though they will be away from Panama City, they will always be a part of this community’s culture. We wish them every success and know that someday, in the not too distant future, they will put Panama City on the map.
You can find them at www.myfeverband.com.
Support their kickstarter campaign that will help fund the release of their new EP – at www.kickstarter.com search “myfever”.
[author image=”https://www.panamacityliving.com/media/2014/07/Victoria-Stewart-e1404931430894.jpg” ]Victoria has lived in Panama City for the past 40 years. She has worked as a Government Contractor for most of her working life. She is an avid fitness enthusiast and runner. Raised in a family who was immersed in music, she plays guitar and is a founding member of Music Matters. Together with husband Crook Stewart III, they host a monthly music jam at their home where musicians come to network. The venue is known as the “The Ghetto Palace” and has become a Music Mecca where local talent comes to play. Following the success of The Ghetto Palace, Victoria and Crook founded “Music Matters” an initiative that brings life and music to downtown Panama City.[/author]