The Heavy Performs Stripped-Down Set At CPR’s OpenAir

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17min 11sec
Photo: The Heavy At CPR's OpenAir
The Heavy

The Heavy's music has appeared in films, TV shows, video games and commercials. Their 2009 single "How You Like Me Know?" notably blasted from President Obama's headquarters as he claimed victory on Election Night in 2012.

More from OpenAir Sessions:

The quartet -- which hails from Bath, England -- in April released their fourth studio album, "Hurt & The Merciless." While the band is known for lively rock influenced by soul and funk, they performed as a stripped-down duo with vocalist Kelvin Swaby and guitarist Thomas Hunter in the CPR Performance Studio.

Swaby also spoke with Alisha Sweeney about self-producing their new album, meeting his musical hero Tom Waits and the inspiration he gets from writing music in Bath.

Stream the session above. Read interview highlights below.

Swaby on becoming more self-sufficient with recording:

"We pretty much don't trust anybody else with the sound. That's how we retain that sound. With this one, we pretty much got it to 95 percent us."

Swaby on meeting Tom Waits while opening for Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings:

"That's a pretty big rock star moment. To have one of your mentors give you props. In his way."

Songs performed:

  • "Nobody's Hero"
  • "Not The One"
  • "Goodbye Baby"