10 Years Bio

"Lyrics can make or break a song," says head lyricist and 10 Years vocalist Jesse Hasek. He is right! Hasek puts heavy emotion into his lyrics, which stems from the personal issues he faced throughout his life. "We don't write about going to the mall and picking up chicks," states drummer Brian Vodinh. "The focus of our lyrics goes much deeper than that." This Knoxville, TN based quintet is driven by hard rock riffs and passionate melodies. After the conception of 10 Years in early 1999, the founding members, Brian Vodinh, Ryan Johnson, and Matt Wantland knew that they had something special. "We love creating, writing, and experimenting," says Brian. The driving force behind 10 Years is their dedication and motivation. 10 Years played on April 30, 1999, before any demo had been recorded, making it next to impossible to book a gig at any of the local rock clubs. The guys took matters into their own hands, and rented a ballroom at a local hotel. They spent weeks before building their own stage, creating their own light rigs, and promoting their show. The night of their show, 300 people turned out to see 10 Years play! Four years later, 10 Years is selling out those rock clubs that would not book them. The band officially launched their groundbreaking EP, Killing All That Holds You, in April of 2003. "What makes this EP so special, is that we were able to link our various influences together to create such powerful music," states Brian, speaking of the vast range of musicians who have influenced the members of 10 Years. "Everyone from Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin to Nirvana, The Deftones, and Metallica had a place in driving our music." With its' heavy riffs, strong melodies, and inventive lyrics, Killing All That Holds You leaves any listener aching for more!!! Aside from selling hundreds of copies of their EP in only a couple of months, the band has showcased their talent to broader audiences by sharing the stage with such headliner acts as Nonpoint, 30 Seconds to Mars, Saliva, Pacifier, shinedown, and Cave In. 10 Years is a band that feels completely at home on the stage. They have proven to audiences all over the country that their music is not to be taken lightly. Their connection with the crowd and energy shows their passion to be on stage.