Biography

From Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain to Presidents Of The United States Of America and Sir Mix A Lot, the Jet City has a musical history as rich and storied as it is vast – now Seattle rockers Girl On Fire are emerging to write a chapter all their own.

After just one listen to “The Takedown” – the lead single from the band’s debut album Not Broken [September 3, 2013. Century Media Records] one is transported from the overcast and down-tuned landscape of the Pacific Northwest to a place where energy and enthusiasm explode at every corner. Girl On Fire aren’t inspired by what gets them down, they’re driven by what gets them through – and that is the battle-cry of Not Broken, an album that prides itself in inspired lyrics, infectious hooks, rattling breakdowns and overpowering intensity.

Produced and mixed by Jay Baumgardner [Papa Roach, Evanescence, Sevendust] and mastered by Howie Weinberg [Nirvana, Aerosmith, The White Stripes] Not Broken is a combustible combination of crisp riffs and body-shaking rhythms, a guitar driven thrill ride primed to take radio by storm and leave the world rocking in its wake. The band is proud of their influences, and with their own interpretation, they carry it in the soul of their sound.

Tracks like “Reminds Me Of You” and “Break These Chains” resonate with the depth that characterizes Not Broken; the first, a heartfelt and passionate look at the stain that lingers from a past relationship, and the latter a racing rocker that is already a staple in the band’s live shows – a powder keg of pure release and unbridled freedom. “Losing My Identity” is an anthem for anyone who’s ever felt lost, while “Ready To Fight” is the adrenaline rush that follows when one finds that missing sense of direction and purpose. Then “Run” offers a jarring acoustic finale to the album – all these tracks embrace the reoccurring spirit that flows through the album.

“Everyone experiences ups and downs in life, but the ups and downs are what make life
worth living. We have all looked broken, and we have all felt broken – but we are Not Broken.”
— Austin Held

Formed in the summer of 2007, Girl On Fire founding members Austin Held, guitarist Nick McMahan, bassist Josh Mouser and drummer Harry MacDonald made good use of their time together, developing a sound, spirit, and an undeniable live chemistry all to their own. Having been repeat winners of local Ernie Ball Battles of unsigned bands, it wasn’t until the Seattle Warped Tour when Girl On Fire’s “rst taste of the big stage came
along … thereafter, it was non-stop doing early early tours with the likes of Burn Halo, Hell Or Highwater and Get Scared – on the legs of a 5-track Revenge EP.

Leading to the release of Not Broken in Fall 2013, mass audiences had already experienced the band live on runs with power houses such as Buckcherry, Halestorm, and Pop Evil, as well as appearances at the Aftershock, Welcome To Rockville and Fort Rock festivals. It was July 2013 when touring guitarist Nicholas Wiggins (formerly of Aiden) was officially added as a full-time member of the band, giving now Girl On Fire a dual-guitar attack thus taking their already high-octane shows to an even greater level.