During his appearance at the Guitar Summit in Mannheim, Germany, legendary bassist Billy Sheehan opened up about his latest project, The Fell, a modern rock supergroup. The band also features multi-platinum producer, songwriter, and guitarist Mike “K.” Krompass (known for his work with Smash Mouth, Nelly Furtado, Everybody Loves an Outlaw, and Dead Romantic) and powerhouse vocalist Toby Rand (of Rockstar: Supernova, Juke Kartel, and Ashen Moon).
Sheehan recalled how the collaboration came together, sharing: “Years ago, Mike Krompass found me on Facebook. I didn’t know him, really. And he got in touch with me [and said], ‘Hey, I got some songs I need bass on. Will you come on over and play bass?’ I said, ‘Sure.’ I lived in L.A. I drove out to his studio and we laid some bass down. I said, ‘These songs are great. Who’s the singer?’ Toby Rand. I think he won some huge televised nationwide, like ‘American Idol’ [in] Australia, I think he won that contest at one point. And he also was in line to be the INXS singer, and I think he was the number two guy. So he missed it by one. But he’s got a great voice and great lyrics and really cool. And Mike’s guitar playing is amazing. So at the end of the session, he says, ‘Well, I can pay you for the session, or do you wanna maybe start something with this?’ And I go, ‘Let’s do that.’ And that was a long time ago.” (as transcribed by blabbermouth.net)
However, the project faced delays due to contractual obligations. Sheehan explained: “Unfortunately, Toby had a contractual agreement with this manager and he couldn’t go off and do anything else. So it got put away for a while. We tried to do a couple shows with other singers, but it was never the same. Toby is awesome. So, just recently he’s out of his deal and out of his contract and he’s ready to go again. So Mike called me and said, ‘Let’s do it.’ We wrote a few more new songs, remixed some of the old ones. I redid some bass a little — after you listen to it for a while, you wanna make some changes — and I just really love the way everything sounds. Mike is also great in the studio as a producer and mixer, so he’s got it dialed in very nicely.”
Looking ahead, Sheehan revealed The Fell’s release schedule and touring plans: “We’ll put out the EP at the end of October. Then the whole record will come out the beginning of the year, and then we hope to be touring by the summer. And it’s heavy, but it’s up and it’s alive, and the vocals are great. And I’m really excited about it.”
So far, The Fell has released two singles, “Killswitch” and “Face Out”. Their next single, “Trippin'”, is set to drop on October 24, followed by a reimagined version of their earlier hit “Footprints”, now featuring Toby Rand on vocals, arriving on November 28.
The band’s sound blends Sheehan’s signature bass style, full of technical flair and energy, with Krompass’s towering guitar work and precise production. Completing the lineup is drummer Nick Chiarore (Dead Romantic), whose intense and precise drumming adds raw power. Chiarore has also recorded with high-profile artists like Slash and Steve Vai, showcasing his versatility and skill.
With new music on the way and live shows planned for next year, The Fell is poised to make a strong impact in the modern rock scene.
