Smile Empty Soul / Primer 55 - Silhouettes & Mayhem Tour at Bigs Bar Live

Primer 55 is not your average group of rock stars. The band was formed in 1997 after years of suffering through the stale music scene in Memphis, TN, dominated by death metal and cover bands. Rather than sit back and complain, the group decided to do something about it. Guitarist Bobby Burns, led by his heavy metal past, co-founded the band with vocalist J-Sin, who added a more hip-hop flavor to the mix. The two enlisted the help of friends Mike "Jr." Christopher on bass and Josh McLane on drums. They soon gained an underground following from their intense live performances and in 1999 released their self-titled debut album on the independent label Propellant Transmissions. Shortly after this release, the group was offered a contract with Island Def Jam. After they graciously accepted the offer, the group continued with their hybrid heavy metal/hip-hop style on their 2000 release Introduction to Mayhem. The album is a trip into the depths of extreme passion and music authority. With the help of DJ Chris Kilmore, (hed) p.e. frontman MCUD, and vocalist Mark Harrington, the album solidified Primer 55 as a musical force to be reckoned with. Following the release, the band toured almost nonstop and found themselves amongst the elite of hard rock. In 2001, the band replaced drummer Josh McLane, who left for personal reasons, with John Kamoosi to continue work on new material. ~ Josh Loehr, Rovi

SMILE EMPTY SOUL is a hard rock band that originated in Los Angeles, CA in the late 1990's and has stayed true to their brand of "no bullshit", "real as it gets" hard rock to this day. The band signed a major label record deal in 2003 to release their self-titled debut album in May of that year. They realized huge success at alternative radio, rock radio, and the music video channels that have since fallen by the wayside or turned into reality show networks. After 3 very successful singles/videos, and a gold record from the debut release, the band ran into trouble with their record company (which was in the midst of turmoil at the top levels) and found themselves working extra hard in the trenches, and signed to indie labels from then on.

This would become SMILE EMPTY SOUL' s destiny, as they have gone on to release many more albums on various labels, with their new single “dead inside” coming in Oct of 2025. The band has become known for its constant touring and never wavering honest sound/lyrics. They've never changed for anybody, and turned down many opportunities to "sell out" because it's not who they are. Now, with the debut release being over 22 years ago, and the band still going just as strong as ever, SMILE EMPTY SOUL seems to have established itself as one of the defining underground rock bands of its generation.

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