The fire within them was greater than the fire surrounding them.
Lansing-based rockers Adrenachrome are set to finally release the group's latest CD, "Show This On Television," even though a January fire took out the home where several of the bandmates lived.
It was Super Bowl Sunday and lead vocalist Rocky Rodriguez had just come back from a "monster" Super Bowl party. He went to sleep and awoke to find his house on fire.
The cause of the fire has not yet been decided, but Adrenachrome members were determined not to let the music die.
"The only thing we could think about was when could we play music again," drummer Jon Kibby said. "When we did, it felt like a million bucks. We want to do this as a career."
So, instead of releasing "Show This On Television" in May, the album is now being released on Halloween, and the band is celebrating Friday with a gig at The Temple Club, 500 E. Grand River Ave. in Old Town Lansing.
Ten percent of the proceeds from the door sales will go the American Red Cross' Mid-Michigan chapter, which helped the band regain its footing after the house fire. There also will be a "Casino Night" where all lost bets will go to the Red Cross.
The hard-rock septet consists of Rodriguez, Kibby, keyboardist Eric Hansen, guitarist Brad Downs, bassist Rusty Kalso, guitarist and backing vocalist Dan Gokee and Dave Canfield on turntables.
Each song on its latest CD tells a story, Rodriguez said. He said the views of most of the album's songs are realistic, and Kibby said this release features the group's best music to date.
"We practiced a whole hell of a lot," Kibby said. "We did a complete turnaround."
When fans come to the show, group members said they can expect to see the same kind of energy as heard on the album.
"When we have all seven of our pistons going off and doing their jobs - it's like a machine of war," Rodriguez said. "We're trying to break the stage when we're on it."
Rodriguez said the show will also include visuals and a short indie horror flick, featuring the band.
The band's albums are free, because, at this time, bandmates agree they are focusing more on networking with people who can get their music out to a wider audience than on making money.
"A band at our level isn't going to make money selling CDs," Kibby said, adding that making and selling your own CDs is expensive. "They might use it as a coaster or throw it out the window."
