Forrest Isn’t Dead: Making Waves in Alt-Pop
One listen to the single “Here We Are,” and you’re immediately moved by the powerful melodies and passionate lyrics. As one of the first singles produced by the band Forrest Isn’t Dead, when you hear it you know that not only is Forrest not dead, he’s very much alive and producing great music.
The band gets its name in part from lead vocalist Justin Forrest Kleindienst, who’s joined by Zende’ Murdock on drums and Matt Vassy on guitar. The three have been playing together for about six years, but Forrest’s musical background goes back much further than that.
Born in Powder Springs, Georgia, under the shadows of the Goliath and the Great American Scream Machine and other roller coasters of Six Flags, Forrest was surrounded by music at an early age. When he was just four years old, he hung out with his dad’s roommates who were in a heavy metal band, and he joined in with them singing Korn songs. His mom was also into music, and shared her love for The Cure with Forrest. By the time he was 12, when he got his first guitar, Forrest’s talents were already taking off.
“I’ve always had a crazy love for music,” Forrest says. “There’s not a type of music I don’t listen to. I’m into old punk, emo, gangster rap, you name it, I love it all.”
Forrest not only listens to a lot of different types of music, but can play and write in different genres himself as well. He did his first show at age 14 with a metal band, and played with a couple of different metal bands for a few years. When he decided to go solo, he made a big change by writing music in the rap genre.
“I already knew how to produce music, from having made beats for my friends, and this gave me a good outlet to express my thoughts and find my creativity,” Forrest says.
Eventually he hooked up with show promoter and artist manager Zuko, who then became his manager, and Forrest Isn’t Dead was formed. “While our music isn’t rap, it was that experience that helped improve my ability to freestyle, and that’s what really sets our music apart,” Forrest explains.
Forrest draws on his own personal experiences and his thoughts and feelings when writing and performing music, which are really one and the same for him. “When I go to the studio, I close my eyes, pretend I’m alone, and then just sort of spill out my inner thoughts,” Forrest says. “Creating music is like a drug to me, it’s more of a subconscious stream than a planned out process.”
It’s that spilling out of emotions that helps make the music of Forrest Isn’t Dead so powerful. Forrest doesn’t hold back with his music or lyrics, laying it all out there whether in the studio or on the stage.
Recently Forrest Isn’t Dead signed with Madison Records, joining our roster of talented musicians and recording artists. “I’m excited to be working with the team at Madison Records,”
Forrest said. “They bring knowledge and experience that will help our band accomplish goals I couldn’t necessarily do on my own.”
You can find Forrest Isn’t Dead’s singles, “Here We Are” and “Idle Hands”, on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube.