Blood Red Summer was formed in Lubbock, TX in the autumn of 2006 by front man Ross Hamil. He had started writing music while working on doing some guest vocal parts for another project out of Austin, TX. After about six months of going through member after member, Ross learned that Shelby was returning to Lubbock from his ventures in Georgia. Shelby wasn’t given a chance to move back to town before being approached to try his hand at Blood Red Summer. Although his skill and talents were sought after by many musicians and bands in the area, Shelby graciously agreed to give Blood Red Summer a shot, and eventually joined the band as the second official member. About two months later, Jeremy contacted Ross about another musical venture, but, Ross had something else in mind. Knowing that Jeremy was involved in another musical group, Ross approached Jeremy about helping out in the studio laying down drums. As Jeremy’s other musical journey was coming to an end, he was asked to join Blood Red Summer. Unfortunately, Jeremy’s life had led him across the states to Pennsylvania thus making rehearsing impossible.
In the meantime, Ross had regained contact with a previous acquaintance, John Reed. After having seen John perform a reunion show with a previous band for the purpose of raising money for a benefit, Ross knew he had found another missing piece of this puzzle. “I remember watching John play and it literally gave me chills. I looked at my wife and said, ‘I think I just found my guitar player. I contacted him and asked him if he would be interested and he said he would be. After a night of listening to the music, talking, and drinking all my whiskey, John agreed to become a permanent member” Ross said.
John joined Blood Red Summer in August of 2007, nearly 1 year after the bands conception.
Although two spots had been filled with exceptional musicians, there was still an absence of the drummer. The preferred choice was still Jeremy, but, while he was in Pennsylvania, the band was at a standstill.
Ross said, “You’re familiar with the saying, ‘good things come to those who wait.’ Well, after a lot of waiting it finally came together. John and I had a pretty late night one Thursday night and I had plans to sleep my life away the next morning. But, to my surprise, fortune decided to wake me up at 6 o’clock the next morning and it came in the form of a phone call from Jeremy. He was calling me to tell me that his job contract in Pennsylvania had ended early and he had arrived in Lubbock the night before. My frustration was overpowered by excitement when what he told me finally set in. This meant that the band could finally be a band!”
About a month later, Blood Red Summer had their first performance opening for a band out of Beaumont, TX, who were good friends of theirs.
“From the first time we stepped foot [into rehearsal], it was just like we had been together for months,” says Jeremy.
When asked about playing live, John answered, “We do a lot of high energy stuff and seeing the crowd feed off that energy, it gives us something to feed off of. It’s like a giant circle of people feeding off of each other.”
About nine months after having come together, Blood Red Summer parted ways with their bass player, Shelby, after which Trace was asked to join.
After several months of behind the scenes work and some thought, Ross brought up the idea of adding a second guitar player. He brought the idea of adding Erik up to the band and everyone was keen on the idea of trying him out.
Ross and Erik met when Ross went with some friends to pick Erik from the airport, as he was flying in from Los Angeles.
As Erik was all over the world on tour with several bands (such as Static-X, Meshugga, Ministry, and many others), he and Ross kept in contact.
Ross said, "Erik and I had always talked about the music I was involved with and he was a huge personal motivation to me given his experience and knowledge with the major label music industry. Once I put Blood Red Summer together and had some music recorded and ready, Erik gave it a listen and told me that I finally had the right mix put together."
About a month after Erik completed his last tour with Static-X before retiring, Ross asked him if he knew anyone that might be interested in jumping in the second guitar position.
According to Ross, "I told him we might be looking for another guitar player and his response was, 'What about me, dude?'"
At that point it was all but a done deal. They got together and had Erik sit in on a rehearsal, and the decision was made.
In January of 2010, after nearly a year and a half with Blood Red Summer, Jeremy decided to part ways with the band and pursue a future with a previous band.
Trace said, "It was a pleasure to jam with Jeremy and we wish him the best."
After this, Wally took over the full time drum position, as he had been a fill-in previously.
Since the the beginning, they have played several shows (sharing the stage with such acts as Static-X, Bury Your Dead, Powerman 5000, Seventh Void, Dirge, Hinder, Black Stone Cherry, and Pop Evil), have had a song debut and achieve rotation on the nation’s number 1 music station, have released music on European radio stations, have done radio interviews on radio stations in different states in the U.S.
They currently have an advance copy of their debut album, "11 Miles to Misery," and will have the full CD out by March of 2010.