There are some bands that make you think, their lyrics prompting further exploration. There are some bands that register on an emotional level, and there are some bands that just make you want to dance. Now, blend all of these elements together and you can approximate the I Hate Kate experience. The band, hailing from Huntington Beach, CA, comprised of Justin Mauriello (vocals/guitar), Scott Hayden (bass) and Jeremy Berghorst (guitar), have been bringing their brand of compelling and fun music to national and international audiences over the last three years.
Rifle through frontman Justin’s inventory of musical influences and you’ll find a long list of everyone from The Beatles to Metallica to Depeche Mode to The Cure to Fugazi, all of whom have helped shape the sound of I Hate Kate. In effect, I Hate Kate’s music skirts a specific definition by weaving together strands of dance, pop, new wave and rock, creating an infectious blend. With Justin’s magnetic stage presence and songwriting chops; Scott’s background in classical guitar, adding texture to his bass-playing skills; and Jeremy’s passion and solid rhythm; their live shows reel in guys and girls of all ages, who end up leaving exhilarated.
Since forming in 2004, the band has seen a steady rise in success with some notable landmarks along the way. Over the course of the past few years, I Hate Kate played a wave of shows with the likes of Social Distortion, Hot Hot Heat, The Bravery, The Living End, My Chemical Romance, Unwritten Law, and Shiny Toy Guns, to name a few. Their tours have taken them to different parts of the U.S. to Canada and most recently to Japan, where Mauriello had a solid fanbase from his days as the frontman of his former band, which put out two gold records.
Linus of Hollywood recorded the original eleven songs on Embrace The Curse at his home studio on a small budget in 2006. It was so low-cost, in fact, that they had to create a make-shift booth for Justin by cobbling together mic stands and throwing a comforter over his body to block out sound. The result was a CD that proved to be so dynamic and fun that it caught the attention of Nerf, the programming director at Denver’s KTCL. From January of 2007 until the present time, the single “It’s Always Better” went all the way from the buzz bin to power rotation, posting over 1,100 spins to date, and charting in the Top 5 most requested songs for May and June. Nerf comments “the song instantly appealed to my gut and then immediately reacted with our audience. The song is an obvious hit—catchy and upbeat—but their live shows hit home the point.”
With the support of KTCL, I Hate Kate played a sold out show at Denver’s Bluebird Theatre in June 2007, catching the attention of Glassnote Records CEO Daniel Glass. Glass left the Bluebird Theatre convinced that he had just witnessed the next big thing, and shortly thereafter, I Hate Kate was signed to Glassnote.
In December 2007, the band took to the studio with platinum producer Mark Trombino (Jimmy Eat World, Blink-182, Sugarcult), recorded new songs and remixed previous tracks. With all the momentum the band is building, 2008 will be the year everybody takes note of I Hate Kate.
