Cardiac Half, an alternative rock band from Atlanta, formed in the early summer of 2016 and played their first show not long after. 

Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.

Drew Miller- Lead Vocals, Piano, Songwriter 

Dylan Miller- Bass, Background Vocals, Marketing

Chris Spears- Electric, Acoustic, Technology Expert

For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to Cardiac Half? How long has the band been around?

All three of us went to a private school in Alabama where we were either in a traveling worship band or on staff at a church. My brother (Dylan) and I (Drew) started the band two years ago in June of 2016. Chris came on board in January of 2017. 

What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?

The name Cardiac Half actually has a couple different meanings. Dylan has a heart condition that required open heart surgery in 2011, and it continues to be an ongoing health matter. The “Half” portion of CH came because I happen to be deaf in one ear, so technically I have half my hearing. The first idea was half-Heart or something, but we decided Cardiac Half was a bit more elaborate and went with it. There’s also a quote by St. Augustine that says, “Our hearts are restless until they find rest in You.” We’ve come to realize that when we try to find value in trivial things or even other people, we end up feeling let down and hurt. We’re constantly reminded that our value isn’t found in who we are, or what we do, but rather in who Jesus is and what He’s already done for us.

Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?

I write majority of the songs with musical input from Chris and Dylan. Every now and then, Dylan pitches me an idea for a song or a chorus that he’s written, and we run with it. In fact, we cowrote our latest release, “Killing Me Slowly”.

Our songs deal with issues like romantic endeavors gone wrong, chasing dreams, growing up. You know, different events that have shaped who we are. As time goes on and we continue to grow older, I’m sure future experiences will impact the writing. Even in the past year, I feel like we’ve changed for the better. I mean our first single was a satirical love song about a lady news anchor who we’ll never even get to meet.

What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?

We will always be inspired by our childhood favorites like Relient K, The Maine, and We Shot the Moon. Our latest inspiration is coming from bands like Knox Hamilton, Coin, Cruisr, and even TwentyOne Pilots.

Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?

That’s a tough question to answer. There are actually several different bands/concerts that have led me down this path. It’s hard to pinpoint just one. But to name a few: Bebo Norman, Hawk Nelson, Underoath. The list could go on.

What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, ect …

We always try and take twenty or thirty minutes prior to the set to simply refocus and get in the right mindset. If time permits, I personally spend as much time as I can warming up the vocalizer, jumping, getting the blood pumping, stuff like that.

What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?

We’ve had some great shows and have had the opportunity to play with some incredible bands, but there are two instances that stand out to us. The first is when we opened up for Emery, one of our favorite bands growing up. It was an incredible show and certainly the biggest of our short career. The second is our EP release show we played back in August of last year. We decided to make the night a benefit concert and donated half of the proceeds to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. CHOA is the organization that supported my brother Dylan when he had open-heart surgery seven years ago. Thanks to the incredible support from our family, friends, and two other great bands, we were able to raise over $700 for Children’s Healthcare. It was a special night for us and one that we won’t forget.

If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?

If dreams came true, we’d be opening up for TwentyOne Pilots and Ed Sheeran. That’s bold, I know. And a little unrealistic. But it’s our goal in the next year or so to open up for Knox Hamilton, Colony House, or Judah and the Lion. Those guys put on a killer show and we love their tunes. 

Is there anything else you would like to add?

We do have a new single coming out in July that features a sound totally unique to us and different from anything we’ve released to date. We’re really excited about it.