For the love of music, they play; they sing; they scream. From their first performance at Faith Family, to their most recent concert at Louisville’s Vernon Club, Brought By Giants has risen in fame in less than a year.

Two months after Brought By Giants, a five piece post- hardcore band, became active they recorded their first single, “Risk You Take,” in January of 2013. With numbers climbing quickly to nearly 800 “likes” on Facebook less than a year after their start-up, the members of Brought By Giants smile widely at their small amount of fame and their generous fan base that supports them by simply listening to their music, coming to their shows and bringing friends along.

Ian Watson, music sound engineering sophomore, and his younger brother, Christian Watson, Charlestown High School sophomore, decided to start a band in June 2012. They held auditions and pulled from known sources, and by November 2012 they were up and playing. Robbie Barman, music sound engineering freshman, plays bass; Gustavo Romero, who works for Todd Reardon, on vocals; and Jeffery Brown, who works with his father building houses, on guitar. Ian Watson plays guitar and sings, and Christian Watson plays drums.

“We just kind of fell together,” Watson said of the simplicity in which the band members fell in line.

For Brought By Giants, money isn’t the goal.

“We aren’t doing it for the money or stuff like that, obviously, or we wouldn’t be doing this type of band,” Romero said, letting out a hearty laugh.

“Our main thing is that we wanted to get our music out there and be able to travel and play our music. We want it to influence people as music has influenced us,” Watson said.

Most of their lives revolve around music, holding them together like glue. It doesn’t only hold their band together, but their separate lives. Brought By Giants realize that their fans encounter heartbreak, betrayal, depression and much more. Knowing this, their music consists of songs about loss and the messages of, “Don’t give up.”

“We want something more for our fan base, for the kids growing up that don’t hear those positive messages,” Romero said. “We want them to know that there is more to life than just getting hurt.”

They hope that their listeners hear the message that they are not alone and that even when they feel they are, they shouldn’t just give up. Even the name of the band points toward their positive message.

“The name, ‘Brought By Giants’ basically means to be bigger than the things that stand in your way, to be bigger than the obstacles that life throws at you,” Brown said.

Each member nodded, agreeing with the band’s positive message.

Over the next year, the band aspires to go on tour. If that means pulling together all of their money, contacting all of the venues and traveling in a van with a small trailer, they are determined, Watson said.

More than setting up their own small tour, the members hope to be signed to a label and be able to tour with the label. For now, they are recording their extended play, or short version of an album, with Jordan Haynes at Early Grayce Studio. After the extended play, Brought By Giants will be working on their debut album, using their own money earned from selling merchandise and such activities.

“We do what we do because we love it,” Romero said. “We love the other bands that we work with. We aren’t in this for money. We aren’t in this for personal gain. It would just be nice if we could do this for our jobs which can happen if we get signed to a big enough record label.”

A table of smiling faces agreed. They have high hopes of being successful and loving what they do. So for the love of music – not money – Brought By Giants plays, sings and screams.

• Download a free version of their single, “Risk You Take.”
• You can also like their Facebook page.