Biography

Eddie and the Defiantz is a metal band hailing from Jacksonville AR. Their mission is to entertain fans by offering well composed songs played by talented musicians who bring everything they have at each live show. With a musical background grounded in the world of thrash metal, hard rock, and hardcore influencing their writing process, they keep their songs versatile and never stale. Eddie and the Defiantz is a regional touring band with a following in Arkansas as well as surrounding states where the band travels and played shows. We also have 13 years of experience playing major local venues, having opened shows for numerous national/major label artists/statewide events.

Know yourself, that at every event they play, they want to see you there so they can provide you with a kickass time and connect with all of you. A band that doesn’t disappoint and loves playing live shows. Eddie and the Defiantz are 100% the band that you need to get a little crazy, take the edge off… and party hard.

Eddie Fletcher – Vocals

What inspired you to become a vocalist?
I picked up the mic at an early age because I liked to sing and get loud and tell people what was on my mind lmao!

Who are the main artists that you feel have had an influence on your style?
I think a lot of my influence comes from 80’s metal / old rock n roll and some heavy bands along the way as I’ve grown up and within the past few years.

What is your favorite part of playing in a band?
My favorite part of being in a band is the fact that 5 guys can become a family and do what we love …which is write music, play live shows and make people forget their problems for just a bit and rock out with us and release all that anger!!

Is there anything special about the rock and metal genres that keeps you invested in it?
I would like to think that the reason I’m still doing it is because of the metal community. Doesn’t matter where you are from. What you look like. What color you are…you can listen to heavy metal, and all be one group of people banging their heads together!

Chad Klapp – Guitar / Vocals

What inspired you to play an instrument?
EVH was a big inspiration for me to even pick up the guitar. And being a lover of multiple genres really got me into singing and wanting to do both professionally.

Who are the main artists that you feel have had an influence on your style?
I have a lot of blues and jazz roots in my background but on the metal side of things Nick Hippa from As I Lay Dying and Adam D from Killswitch Engage have always been big influences for me style and writing wise.

What is your favorite part of playing in a band?
I absolutely love playing live shows and working in the studio. The camaraderie of working with other musicians and their perspectives is very enjoyable as well.

Is there anything special about the rock and metal genres that keeps you invested in it?
I love the energy and composition of metal music. The fact that you can always be surprised and intrigued by the writing structure and endless styles that can be implemented in the genre.

Sean Hartman – Guitar / Vocals

What inspired you to play an instrument?
I picked up the guitar when I was five. My big brother was a musician at the time and seeing how much joy playing guitar brought him always made me want to play.

Who are the main artists that you feel have had an influence on your style?
My main influences have been a combination of Killswitch Engage, Lamb of God, and Avenged Sevenfold.

What is your favorite part of playing in a band?
My favorite part of playing in a band is the brotherhood. Just a bunch of dudes, hanging out jamming on stage for the people to hear. The creative process of writing is a close second, but ultimately, it’s just making music and sharing that experience with a few close friends.

Is there anything special about the rock and metal genres that keeps you invested in it?
What really keeps me invested in rock and metal as a whole is the energy the music generates. There’s something unique about the feel of a heavy metal concert. From the vibe of the crowd to the music itself, when you take the stage, you can feel it in the air. It’s a feeling like nothing I’ve ever felt before, and it’s something I’ll enjoy doing until the day I’m buried with my guitar by my side.

Eric Bittle – Bass Guitar

What inspired you to play an instrument?
Growing up, music was always one of the greatest stress releivers for me. I’d listen to entire albums on repeat while playing video games to unwind and I always felt a connection to it. When I was in high school, I had two friends that played guitar so it was a natural progression for me to get a bass. I used to sit in high school with a Guitar Center magazine drooling over the various basses that I saw until I was finally able to get my own, a black Squier P-Bass beginner pack.

Who are the main artists that you feel have had an influence on your style?
The artists that influenced me the most are definitely from the 90s grunge/post-grunge era. Bands like Soundgarden, Nirvana, Alice In Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, Tool, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Rage Against The Machine were the first steps I took on my own in discovering music. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve expanded way beyond that to include all rock from the 60s-00s. Even still, most of my time learning to play was spent jamming to a recording of those 90s bands.

What is your favorite part of playing in a band?
To me, the best moments are found in two very different settings. One is when playing live and looking out and seeing individuals in a crowd that are really into the music, singing the songs, and giving energy to the show. The other is when creating new music. When you can communicate without words and just through sound you’re able to transmit an entire mood. Even then, there are further moments when others can react to what you thought you were writing and spin it into a completely different direction that is even better than what you had planned.

Is there anything special about the rock and metal genres that keeps you invested in it?
I feel a connection to the darker, depressing and heavier sounds of the 90s as I always could relate to them in a deeper way. Historically the creative process in rock and metal was more pure or organic whearas other genres seem preoccupied by commercial interests rather than a group of like-minded musicians coming together to do more than what individuals can.

Jason Garcia – Drums

What inspired you to play an instrument?
I started playing instruments at a young age. I was very musically inclined and learned several different instruments.

Who are the main artists that you feel have had an influence on your style?
I have always had eclectic tastes in music everything from the Beatles to Black Flag to Metallica and slipknot and Lamb of God. I love music and appreciate all genres. Early in my drumming I played a lot of Jazz, funk and fusion along with rock.

What is your favorite part of playing in a band?
I love playing music, creating and watching people rock out to our creation. I love the energy on stage and entertaining a crowd.

Is there anything special about the rock and metal genres that keeps you invested in it?
I love playing metal on the drums. There is so much emotion and energy in the music.