Heypenny is a band from Nashville, Tennessee. Though mostly known for Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash, Nashville is a flourishing indy rock scene, which along with the neighborhood streets, the hills, and the woods make this a perfect place for Heypenny to make its indy-pop-fun-rock.
Three years ago front man Ben Elkins lived about 150 south of Nashville in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He experimented with sounds and spaces and new ways of writing songs. Through these efforts, Heypenny was born and an album called Use These Spoons was completed. The album, though never properly released, made waves in the blogosphere and garnered accolades throughout the region/country/Western hemisphere for its pop-infused balance of rhythm, harmony, and DIY brilliance.
Soon after finishing up Use These Spoons, Ben moved to Nashville where he and guitarist Kevin Bevil formed Heypenny. The band, now complete with four members who dress in tailor-made bright colored marching band uniforms, put on an explosively energetic live rock show, ignited by bassist DJ Murphy's insane dance moves. They’re becoming well known for their theatrics which most recently included opening a set by playing their first song while marching through the packed venue followed by their back up singers, four horn players and five marching band drum players.
What started out as a quiet, solitary and patient endeavor has over the last year irrupted into a staccato rock band that finds company with contemporaries, while channeling the pop-appeal of Michael Jackson, and the naivety of Sesame Street.
The new album was recorded this summer in Nashville in the legendary House of David Studio on Music Row with the help of British producer Liam Howe, and is now in the guns and ready for release in the United Kingdom by indy rock label Guerrilla Music. Two three-song EPs are scheduled for release this summer, with a full-length album following in the new year. Unlike the first album, the current effort will be live and band and big.
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