Fever 333 (or the Fever 333) is an American

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band formed in Inglewood, California, United States, in July 2017. The three-piece band was founded by former

Letlive Letlive, stylized letlive., was an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. The band's final lineup consisted of lead vocalist Jason Aalon Butler (son of Aalon Butler, vocalist and guitarist of the soul group Aalon), guitarist Jeff Sah ...

vocalist Jason Aalon Butler, former the Chariot guitarist Stephen Harrison and

Night Verses Night Verses are an American post-rock band from Fullerton, California. The group consists of guitarist Nick DePirro, bassist Reilly Herrera and drummer Aric Improta. The band has four releases to date and is currently signed to Graphic Natur ...

drummer Aric Improta. The band's debut extended play (EP), '' Made an America'', was released on March 23, 2018. The group is signed to Roadrunner Records and 333 Wreckords. Their first LP '' Strength in Numb333rs'' was released a year later and its second EP ''Wrong Generation'' was released in 2020.

Career

2017–2019: Formation, ''Made an America'' and ''Strength in Numb333rs''

Prior to the disbandment of

, Jason Aalon Butler had met

Travis Barker Travis Landon Barker (born November 14, 1975) is an American musician who serves as the drummer for the rock band Blink-182. He has also performed as a frequent collaborator with hip hop artists, is a member of the rap rock group Tran ...

by chance, and decided to spend

Super Bowl Sunday Super Bowl Sunday, officially Super Sunday in the NFL, is the day on which the Super Bowl, the National Football League (NFL)'s annual championship game, is played. Sometimes described as an unofficial national holiday, it recently occurred on t ...

with him and

John Feldmann John Feldmann (born June 29, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He serves as the lead singer/guitarist of the band Goldfinger. Early life Feldmann grew up in Saratoga, California. He started writing song ...

. The trio spent the day discussing hip hop and

afro-punk Afro-punk (sometimes spelled Afro-Punk, Afropunk or AfroPunk) refers to the participation of African Americans and other Black people in punk and alternative subcultures, especially in the United States. History The term originated from the 200 ...

, which developed into building a concept together of what Butler described as "something a little dangerous that was subservice: musically and in ethos". By the time Letlive had broken up, Butler got in contact with Stephen Harrison, whose band the Chariot had disbanded a few years prior. Butler and Harrison discussed black people's participation in rock music and the concept for a band that Butler had previously dreamed up. Fever 333 performed an impromptu pop-up show in a

U-Haul U-Haul is an American moving truck, trailer, and self-storage rental company, based in Phoenix, Arizona, that has been in operation since 1945. The company was founded by Leonard Shoen in Ridgefield, Washington, who began it in the garage ...

truck in the parking lot of the bakery

Randy's Donuts Randy's Donuts is a bakery and a landmark building in Inglewood, California which is near Los Angeles International Airport. It is built in a style that dates to a period in the early 20th century that saw a proliferation of programmatic arch ...

in Inglewood, California on July 4, 2017. The band performed three brand new unreleased tracks. Fever 333 members Jason Aalon Butler, Stephen Harrison, and Aric Improta hinted at the musical project and the show days prior to the midday performance. Butler posted a statement upon the announcement of the formation of Fever 333 in an Instagram post. "To those of you who want change, here is an offering to start that conversation. I've had a lot of people asking me what I'll be doing in the future—here is a taste of that." Butler continued, "I love art. I love being a musician. I love progress. And I am no stranger to pushing back if I feel it is necessary. This will be an exhibition of all the things I love w/ like minded people for whom I care deeply. To all the tired, frustrated, and brave, come join us." The band released its debut single, "We're Coming In", accompanied by a music video, which premiered on ''

Alternative Press Alternative press may refer to: Individual publications * ''Alternative Press'' (magazine), an American music magazine Alternative journalism * Alternative media ** Alternative media (U.S. political left) ** Alternative media (U.S. political ri ...

'' on August 25, 2017. On August 29, the band released another track, titled "Hunting Season", which features an uncredited guest appearance from

. At the band's first headlining club show on August 31, 2017, and second concert overall,

Blink-182 Blink-182 (stylized as blink-182) is an American rock band formed in Poway, California in 1992. Their current lineup consists of bassist/vocalist Mark Hoppus, guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. Though their sound has ...

drummer Travis Barker made a surprise appearance performing on the song "Hunting Season" at

The Roxy Theatre The Roxy Theatre (often just the Roxy) is a nightclub on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California, owned by Lou Adler and his son, Nic. History The Roxy was opened on September 23, 1973, by Elmer Valentine and Lou Adler, along wi ...

West Hollywood West Hollywood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Incorporated in 1984, it is home to the Sunset Strip. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, its population was 35,757. It is considered one of the most prominent gay villages ...

. On November 3, 2017, the band released the song "Walking in My Shoes". On March 23, 2018, Fever 333 released their debut extended play (EP), '' Made an America'', without any prior announcement, on Roadrunner Records. Nathan Pike, Harrison's stepbrother and manager of 333 Wreckords, assisted with the US marketing efforts of the EP. On May 23, 2018, the band released a stand-alone single, "Trigger", regarding the topic of

gun violence in the United States Gun violence in the United States results in tens of thousands of deaths and injuries annually, and was the leading cause of death for children 19 and younger in 2020. In 2018, the most recent year for which data are available as of 2021, th ...

, accompanied by its music video. On September 28, 2018, the band released an official remix to their song "Made an America", featuring Barker and rapper

Vic Mensa Vic (; es, Vic or Pancracio Celdrán (2004). Diccionario de topónimos españoles y sus gentilicios (5ª edición). Madrid: Espasa Calpe. p. 843. ISBN 978-84-670-3054-9. «Vic o Vich (viquense, vigitano, vigatán, ausense, ausetano, ausonense): ...

. A music video for the remix was also released on the band's official

YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...

channel. Directed by Brandon Dermer, the black and white video sees vocalist Jason Butler performing in a warehouse, where he is joined by Mensa and Barker. In November 2018, the band was confirmed to serve as main support to

Bring Me the Horizon Bring Me the Horizon (often abbreviated as BMTH) are a British Rock music, rock band formed in Sheffield in 2004. The group consists of lead vocalist Oliver Sykes, guitarist Lee Malia, bassist Matt Kean, drummer Matt Nicholls and keyboardis ...

on their United Kingdom and European arena tour later in the year. On November 9, 2018, the band released the single "Burn It" along with announcing details of their debut album, '' Strength in Numb333rs'', which was released on January 18, 2019. On December 7, 2018, the band received a Grammy nomination in Best Rock Performance for "Made an America". On May 29, 2019, they were featured on the song "Scary Mask", a single by

Poppy A poppy is a flowering plant in the subfamily Papaveroideae of the family Papaveraceae. Poppies are herbaceous plants, often grown for their colourful flowers. One species of poppy, '' Papaver somniferum'', is the source of the narcotic drug o ...

. Its accompanying music video was directed by

Titanic Sinclair Corey Michael Mixter (born February 12, 1987) known professionally under his pseudonym Titanic Sinclair, is an American director, producer, singer-songwriter and internet personality. He was previously one-half of the indie pop duo Mars Argo and ...

. On November 3, 2019, the band released a new song called "Kingdom" on

BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...

's Rock Show hosted by Daniel P. Carter. The song was released to stream the next day. On December 6, 2019, "Blow me", a single by

The Used The Used is an American rock band from Orem, Utah, that formed in 2001. The group consists of vocalist Bert McCracken, bassist Jeph Howard, drummer Dan Whitesides, and guitarist Joey Bradford. Former members include Quinn Allman, Branden S ...

featuring the vocalist of Fever 333 Jason Aalon Butler is published.

2020–present: ''Wrong Generation'' and departure of Harrison and Improta

Following the May 25, 2020

murder of George Floyd On , George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was murdered in the U.S. city of Minneapolis by Derek Chauvin, a 44-year-old white police officer. Floyd had been arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 bill. Chauvin knelt on Floyd's ...

, the band released ''Long Live the Innocent'' on June 3, a live political demonstration and musical performance. Proceeds were donated to the Minnesota Freedom Fund and

Black Lives Matter Black Lives Matter (abbreviated BLM) is a decentralized political and social movement that seeks to highlight racism, discrimination, and racial inequality experienced by black people. Its primary concerns are incidents of police br ...

. During the performance they debuted the unreleased song "Supremacy", which was officially released on June 8. Fever 333 released the single ''Bite Back'' on October 19, 2020. On October 23, 2020, Fever 333 released their second EP titled, ''Wrong Generation''. On October 3, 2022, drummer Improta and guitarist Harrison announced via separate Instagram posts that they would be leaving the band. Improta stated that the decision was "layered, but ultimately, I'd just rather dedicate my time to projects that operate different than that one." Harrison cited creative differences and that "things were pretty bad internally" as part of their reason for leaving.

Musical style

Their music merges elements of punk rock and hip hop, which Butler has described as both being "rooted in subversion", citing musical influences such as

Rage Against the Machine Rage Against the Machine (often abbreviated as RATM or shortened to simply Rage) is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commer ...

Public Enemy "Public enemy" is a term which was first widely used in the United States in the 1930s to describe individuals whose activities were seen as criminal and extremely damaging to society, though the phrase had been used for centuries to describe ...

and Black Flag. Their lyrics tackle politically and socially conscious themes such as racism, sexism and homophobia. Their music has been categorised as rap rock,

rapcore Rap rock is a fusion genre that fuses vocal and instrumental elements of hip hop with various forms of rock. Rap rock's most popular subgenres include rap metal and rapcore, which include heavy metal and hardcore punk-oriented influences, res ...

rap metal Rap metal is a subgenre of rap rock and alternative metal music which combines hip hop with heavy metal. It usually consists of heavy metal guitar riffs, funk metal elements, rapped vocals and sometimes turntables. History Origins and earl ...

, post-hardcore,

hardcore punk Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier p ...

, and nu metal. Some of their songs also feature elements of

trap music Trap is a subgenre of hip hop music that originated in the Southern United States during the 1990s. The genre gets its name from the Atlanta slang word "trap", a house used exclusively to sell drugs. Trap music uses synthesized drums and is ch ...

, and subsequently been categorised as

trap metal Rap metal is a subgenre of rap rock and alternative metal music which combines hip hop with heavy metal. It usually consists of heavy metal guitar riffs, funk metal elements, rapped vocals and sometimes turntables. History Origins and ea ...

. In article for

Afropunk Festival Afropunk Festival is an annual arts festival that features music, film, fashion, and art produced by alternative black artists. The Afropunk Festival began in 2005, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York. Afropunk Festivals have also been ...

's website, Butler stated that he believes "Punk rock and hip-hop are one-in-the-same. They’re always flying the flag of channeling art from discord", echoing a similar sentiment in an article for

Colorado Springs Independent The ''Colorado Springs Independent'' (commonly referred to as ''The Independent'' or simply ''The Indy'') is a newsweekly that serves the Pikes Peak region of Southern Colorado (El Paso, Teller, and Pueblo counties). It is Colorado Springs's larg ...

, by saying " ever 333's music islike the evolution of guitar-based music. Because currently, hip-hop is really pushing the envelope sonically, as well as ideologically". In a 2019 article for

Kerrang! ''Kerrang!'' is a British weekly magazine devoted to rock, punk and heavy metal music, currently published by Wasted Talent (the same company that owns electronic music publication ''Mixmag''). It was first published on 6 June 1981 as a one- ...

, writer Mischa Pearlman described their music as "a thrilling combination of post-hardcore and hip-hop with some of the catchiest melodies you’ll hear on any album from this year". In an article for Altcorner.com, writer Elizabeth Birt described them as "a riotous punk act...

hat A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...

have solidified a sturdy brand of protest punk as they take aim at the wrongs in the world but particularly in their homeland of America, not through violence but through angst-filled lyrics".

Political views and activism

The band espouse radical left-wing political views, in opposition to

social inequality Social inequality occurs when resources in a given society are distributed unevenly, typically through norms of allocation, that engender specific patterns along lines of socially defined categories of persons. It posses and creates gender c ...

capitalism Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit. Central characteristics of capitalism include capital accumulation, competitive markets, price system, priva ...

and

authoritarianism Authoritarianism is a political system characterized by the rejection of political plurality, the use of strong central power to preserve the political ''status quo'', and reductions in the rule of law, separation of powers, and democratic voti ...

in both their lyrics and activism. The "333" in their name represents the three core principles that the members view the band to stand for: community, charity and change. In 2019 interview for Guestlist.net, Butler stated: They are heavily inspired by the

anti-racist Anti-racism encompasses a range of ideas and political actions which are meant to counter racial prejudice, systemic racism, and the oppression of specific racial groups. Anti-racism is usually structured around conscious efforts and deliberate ...

anti-imperialist Anti-imperialism in political science and international relations is a term used in a variety of contexts, usually by nationalist movements who want to secede from a larger polity (usually in the form of an empire, but also in a multi-ethnic so ...

and anti-fascist views of the Black Panther Party in addition to political activists such as

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...

Angela Davis Angela Yvonne Davis (born January 26, 1944) is an American political activist, philosopher, academic, scholar, and author. She is a professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz. A feminist and a Marxist, Davis was a longtime member of ...

, James Baldwin and

Ta-Nehisi Coates Ta-Nehisi Paul Coates ( ; born September 30, 1975) is an American author and journalist. He gained a wide readership during his time as national correspondent at ''The Atlantic'', where he wrote about cultural, social, and political issues, parti ...

. In a 2019 interview for

, Butler stated that they perceive that "

hey are Hey or Hey! may refer to: Music * Hey (band), a Polish rock band Albums * ''Hey'' (Andreas Bourani album) or the title song (see below), 2014 * ''Hey!'' (Julio Iglesias album) or the title song, 1980 * ''Hey!'' (Jullie album) or the title ...

speaking with the people, not for them". They have also expressed disdain for the American electoral system, with Butler specifically stating that he doesn't believe the majority of politicians to stand for the betterment of the people in general, with voters generally only considered the effects their vote would have on themselves and disregarding those often less fortunate than them. The group perceive their status as a band provides them with a platform to support to project their views to a wider audience and combat social injustice, citing that they are "trying to write the soundtrack to the revolution that we know is about to happen". In an article for Kerrang!, Butler said that:

''Long Live the Innocent''

''Long Live the Innocent'' was a

live streamed Livestreaming is streaming media simultaneously recorded and broadcast in real-time over the internet. It is often referred to simply as streaming. Non-live media such as video-on-demand, vlogs, and YouTube videos are technically streamed, but ...

demonstration and performance by the band on June 3, 2020. It was a response to the

by police on May 25 of the same year and represented the band's condemnation of both his specific killers, as well as police brutality and

institutional racism Institutional racism, also known as systemic racism, is a form of racism that is embedded in the laws and regulations of a society or an organization. It manifests as discrimination in areas such as criminal justice, employment, housing, health ...

in general. All proceeds were donated to the Minnesota Freedom Fund and

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

described the event a representation of solidarity with the communities also protesting Floyd's murder. In one speech that Butler gave during the event, he stated that: Butler also criticised a number of high profile record labels and streaming services, including Atlantic Records,

Sony Music Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainme ...

Spotify Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...

Def Jam Recordings Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop. The l ...

Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon (company), an American multinational technolog ...

and

Apple Music Apple Music is a music, audio and video streaming service developed by Apple Inc. Users select music to stream to their device on-demand, or they can listen to existing playlists. The service also includes the Internet radio stations Apple M ...

, for not using their money to support the black community during this time, despite profiting off of black culture and music.

Imagery

The band's logo is a homage to the logo of the Black Panther Party, an American

anti-racism Anti-racism encompasses a range of ideas and political actions which are meant to counter racial prejudice, systemic racism, and the oppression of specific racial groups. Anti-racism is usually structured around conscious efforts and deliberate ...

and

revolutionary socialist Revolutionary socialism is a political philosophy, doctrine, and tradition within socialism that stresses the idea that a social revolution is necessary to bring about structural changes in society. More specifically, it is the view that revoluti ...

organisation that Butler has likened the band's practices to, as "black panthers do not strike unless they are pushed into a corner to where they have no way out". The homage was approved by the designer of the Black Panther's logo and their Minister of Culture

Emory Douglas Emory Douglas (born May 24, 1943) is an American graphic artist. He was a member of the Black Panther Party from 1967 until the Party disbanded in the 1980s. As a r''evolutionary artist'' and the ''Minister of Culture'' for the Black Panther Pa ...

. While performing live, Butler often wears a bulletproof vest with "333" across its chest. According to an article by

, this is intended to present the American police force's increasing militarisation. Butler also often performs in a

boilersuit A boilersuit (or boiler suit), also known as coveralls, is a loose fitting garment covering the whole body except for the head, hands and feet. Terminology The term ''boilersuit'' is most common in the UK, where the 1989 edition of the ''Oxfo ...

, also featuring the groups iconography, along with a bag over his head, representing the human rights abuses in prisons such as Guantanamo Bay detention camp and Abu Ghraib prison.

Band members

Current members * Jason Aalon Butler – lead vocals, guitars, bass, percussion (2017–present) Former members *Stephen Harrison – guitars, backing vocals, bass, percussion (2017–2022) *Aric Improta – drums, percussion (2017–2022) The Fever 333 - 2019159142525 2019-06-08 Rock am Ring - 0338 - AK8I8237.jpg, Jason Aalon Butler 2019 RiP Fever 333 - by 2eight - 8SC7538.jpg, Stephen Harrison 2019 RiP Fever 333 - by 2eight - 8SC7550.jpg, Aric Improta

Discography

Studio albums * '' Strength in Numb333rs'' (2019)

Accolades

Grammy Awards , - , align="center" ,

2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...

, "Made an America" ,

Best Rock Performance The Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. According to the 54th Grammy Awards description guide it is designed for s ...

, Kerrang! Awards , - , align="center" ,

, "Burn It" , Best Song ,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fever 333 2017 establishments in California African-American heavy metal musical groups Hardcore punk groups from California Musical groups established in 2017 Musicians from Inglewood, California Rap metal musical groups Rapcore groups Trap metal musicians