Damage

In 2003, Damage was gigging at local Southern California clubs with a four-song demo in hand, when a mutual friend hooked frontman Michael Neufeld up with fellow Newport Beach resident Ronnie King, a behind the scenes industry legend who has worked with The Offspring, No Doubt, Rancid, Pennywise and Tupac. King was playing keyboards for The Offspring one night at a show in San Diego and invited Neufeld backstage to hang out. King listened to the band's demo (produced by the multi-talented Christopher Scott) and immediately reworked his schedule to work with them. "He thought we were a viable band and that we could really make some noise," Neufeld says. The diversity of the band's influences, combined with their musical sensibilities and talents, have shaped the band into one of today's hottest coming out of Southern California. Heavily influenced by everything from the rawness of grungers Alice in Chains and Stone Temple Pilots, to the complex orchestrations of Led Zeppelin, and even by the melodic structures of the Beatles, Damage's music taps into a multitude of human emotions while blowing your head through the back windshield at the very same time. "Our sound has been described as a convergence of hard rock, alternative, and metal", comments Neufeld. Music Connection Magazine compared them to Alice in Chains and went on to suggest that Damage is "more commercial". "Well that's an incredible compliment to us for sure, "says Neufeld before adding, "Alice is one of our favorite bands, to be mentioned in that league is a bit overwhelming". "TRUTH AND CONSEQUENCE", the new album from Damage, is a body of work that seeks to challenge each and every one of us to examine our place on this very complicated planet. The album is the band's second release, and follow up to their 2005 debut CD "Velocity", for which the band, along with its riveting live performances, was named Best Hard Rock Band at the 2006 Southern California Music Awards, sponsored by LA's Indie 103.1 FM. Truth and Consequence features songs like "God", "Forgive Me" and "My Point of view", which call on all individuals to look within themselves to advance personal change for the greater good of all humanity; while others like "Another Girl", "No one" and "You seeing me" highlight the difficulties associated with maintaining healthy personal relationships while pursuing our own personal agendas. "Don't wait on me" is written from two vantagepoints -- from an Iraqi child growing up in war-torn Baghdad, and from an American soldier trying to survive the conflict -- the lyrics have a duality to them as they apply equally to both the child and the soldier. The acoustic guitar and cello-based song "Raise the dead" strives to hit hard in the deepest recesses of one's failures and regrets, while leaving hope that another day will come where one can truly see again as if for the first time. "Every single day" advances the notion that within each of us there lies a desire for all things that are bad for us, consistent from generation to generation; while "The other side", the album's final song, although centered on death -- if not literally, very much in the spiritual sense, speaks to our tendencies to run away rather than face our deepest fears and challenges -- and ourselves. We are human afterall. DAMAGE toured extensively through 2009, at which point Neufeld purchased his own live music venue and restaurant -- The GASLAMP -- in Long Beach, CA, which he has operated ever since. The band went on hiatus until February 2013, at which time DAMAGE reunited to perform with Frank Hannon from TESLA at the GASLAMP. DAMAGE will be announcing new shows very soon. DAMAGE RETURNS IN 2013 after 3 year hiatus...Winner BEST HARD ROCK BAND 2006 Southern California Music Awards (103.1 FM) 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 Orange County Music Awards and LA Music Awards Nominee -- Best Hard Rock Band