HAZMAT at a Glance

by Rik Briscoe

Covers of 'Til Tuesday hit “Voices Carry” and The Police's classic “Every Breath You Take” aren't something you'd expect to hear from a band like HAZMAT, but surprises seem to be what they're all about.  HAZMAT draws on the diversity of its members for a sound that can't quite be given a cookie cutter label such as "thrash" or "metal."  Each member takes their influences from a totally different source--blues, metal, folk, and hair metal--thus keeping them playing with an intensity and ease that truly shows their talent. 

Coming from Chattanooga, TN with three CD's and three songs being slated to be included in movies, this is a band on the cusp of something big, but that wasn't always the case.  Between three and four years of shifting members, they started off like a lot of bands, but once the line-up settled into the quartet of Michael Smith on lead vocals, Bill Beck on drums, Mimi Fredrick on base, and David Tomlinson on lead guitar, things really jelled.  The most recent hurdle for them occurred during a scheduled studio session. Lead guitarist David Tomlinson was called up for active duty with the US Army in Iraq.  Luckily, David returned home safe and sound with all fingers still attached, and for that the band and his wife are very happy.

So, with one Dragon*Con under their belt, what is next on their list? Well, after one night of work they already have three engagements lined up in the Atlanta area. Ignore this HAZMAT at your own risk