Heavy Step. Since forming in 1996 under the name Skavossas, the band challenged all the musical stereotypes of the Midwest.

In 1998, after two years of hard work, they exploded onto the local music scene, introducing Northeastern Indiana to third-wave ska with their independently released Commotion. The response was a good one. Selling 1900 of the 2000 copies pressed within the first four months of its debut, they gained more fans with every show. The single Footsteps received an enormous amount of airplay on 96.3FM The Extreme in Fort Wayne, Indiana, as well as on 95.7FM The Rocket in West Lafayette, Indiana. With its catchy horn line and universal lyrics, the song quickly became a regional anthem. The same year, the group opened for such notable acts as Eve 6 (RCA Records) and Foo Fighters (RCA Records). The band debuted nationwide the very next year with Pachanga being featured on the Moon Ska compilation Skarmageddon 4.

With all these accolades, who could ask for anything more? They did. It was time for the boys to take a step back and pay tribute to the roots and soul of their music. For two more years, they stripped away all the layers of rock and roll that had inundated them over the years. They began to mix ska and reggae rhythms with the sweet vocals of mid 60s Motown and Stax Soul. The result? A musical rebirth as the band Heavy Step. Produced by and featuring Vic Ruggiero of NYCs the Slackers, the Longshot transports the listener on an amazing journey through life. The album leads off with a respectful nod to Reggae with The Consequence and ends with the swing-tinged ska tune No Luck. One of the most unique and heartfelt tracks, Run to Me, blends traditional church organ with a psychedelic twist. The other eight tracks tell everymans tale of life, love, loss and triumph. And the music still plays on. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.