The Blue Leaf’s third EP, “Rite of Passage,” will be available on July 9 on streaming services iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music, Reverbnation, and more. For more information or to listen to their music, visit www.reverbnation.com/theblueleafs.
Created by Jenna Markins
The Blue Leaf’s performing live at Stubbs Park in Centerville.
Courtesy photo
By Sam Wildow
MIAMI VALLEY — Local rock band The Blue Leaf’s will be releasing its latest EP, “Rite of Passage,” Friday, July 9, which will include six new, original tracks.
The band members include pianist/singer Coleman Clark, his brother, guitarist/singer Adam Clark, best friend, bassist/singer Chase Heck, and Chase’s father, drummer/singer Bill Heck. Coleman, Adam, and Chase are all graduates of Bethel High School, and Bill is a Tipp City resident.
The Blue Leaf’s describes its brand of rock as “throwback rock ‘n’ roll,” with its music taking influences from classic rock artists like Queen, Billy Joel, and the Beatles, while expressing modern themes. Their songs “revive the creativity of the 60s, the soul of the 70s, and the rock edge of the 80s to create a nostalgic and energetic experience for the rock music scene,” the band says. Coleman noted the band particularly tries to emulate the intricate harmonies found in classic rock.
“I think we really do admire the harmonies first of all, and I think that’s what we try to nail for our live shows,” Coleman said. He said they have also found more modern influences, like Panic! at the Disco, in their music, as well. He is also challenging listeners to let them know on the band’s Facebook page and other social media what other influences they hear in The Blue Leaf’s music.
The Blue Leaf’s were previously known as Beatles on the Beach when they first began performing together as a classic rock cover band in 2015. They decided to change their name when they wanted to start creating their own original music, Coleman said. They debated the new band name for months, he said, when they were leaving practice one day in 2016.
“A blue leaf happened to blow past our path,” Coleman said. “That name kind of stuck around.”
The band also describes “Rite of Passage,” which features all original music, as being aimed at “youth, young adults, and everyone who remembers what it was like to be a young adult learning and taking on responsibility for the first time.”
“It sort of represents the three of us that are of the young adult age,” Adam said. “Leaving high school, going through college, and entering the adult world.”
Coleman, Adam, and Chase are also recent university graduates, and their experiences going through the Wright State University 2019 professor strike, as well as getting displaced following the 2019 Memorial Day tornado outbreak, influenced the themes behind their coming-of-age EP “Rite of Passage.”
Adam said that while they did not lose any of their things during the Memorial Day tornadoes, they had been in their apartment during that disaster, and they were still told the next day that they had two days to move out.
“That was kind of a scary time,” Adam said, adding their families were supportive and helped them during that time.
Coleman and Adam discussed the band’s new song, “Will I Make It Through The Springtime,” on this upcoming EP, referencing that tumultuous period of transition into adulthood for them in 2019, saying its themes are also relatable to challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There’s a desperation and a cluelessness at what’s coming next and a feeling you’re not going to get through a hard time,” Adam said about the track. “COVID added a whole new layer of meaning.”
Coleman described the feelings behind that new track by saying, “I know I’ve made it through things before, can I make it through this … can I make it to our next stage of life.”
The “Rite of Passage” EP will include other themes of transitioning in adulthood, such as the feeling of leaving one’s comfort stage and entering a new, unknown stage of life, Coleman said.
While the band hopes audiences will find those themes of entering adulthood and challenges related to times of transition or difficult circumstances relatable, Adam said their EP also offers feelings of hope for the future.
Thematically, Adam said, “We’re sort of trying to relate to people with our own frustrations but also offer a glimmer of hope.”
Overall, the band hopes to entertain its listeners and audiences with its music and “just give them that amount of time to really relax and enjoy themselves while listening to the music,” Adam said.
The Blue Leaf’s has been performing since 2016 with over 80 shows to date across venues like Stubbs Park, the Greene, the Troy Strawberry Festival, and many other venues in the tristate area. The Blue Leaf’s also continues to play cover songs at its lives shows in addition to its original music.
“We play a lot of covers from any sort of classic rock you can think of,” Coleman said. “Elton John, Queen. We do some Rolling Stones. We do Eagles, we do Chicago.”
“Rite of Passage” will be available on streaming services like iTunes, Spotify, and Amazon, and it will also be available for sale at their live shows. The Blue Leaf’s will also be releasing music videos for the four main tracks on this EP on the band’s YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram pages.
The Blue Leaf’s will be holding a digital launch party for its “Rite of Passage” EP on Facebook Live Friday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Visit blueleafsband.com or search for “The Blue Leaf’s” on Facebook to find its Facebook page.
For more information or to find out about the band’s upcoming shows, visit www.reverbnation.com/theblueleafs.
