Love Fiend

Playing an upbeat blend of pop and rock that makes room for both pop-punk guitars and synth-pop keyboards and drum machines, Love Fiend are a Los Angeles-based band who celebrate rock's past while also pushing it in unexpected directions. Boasting a playful sense of humor (the bio on their record company's website mentions their music "never has curse words" and they were "all raised in small towns by parents who loved them") and an abundance of energy, Love Fiend first made their reputation with a handful of raw, lively tracks collected on 2024's Singles 2020-2023. With help from John Dwyer of Osees, the group summoned a tighter and cleaner sound on their first full-length album, 2024's Handle With Care. Love Fiend was formed in 2015 in Oakland, CA by lead vocalist and guitarist Jesse Summers, his brother Owen Summers on bass and backing vocals, and Owen Barrett on drums and percussion. First inspired by the rock & roll punch of classic bands like the Who and AC/DC, the group began writing material and making their way onto Oakland's club scene, and their first two releases appeared in 2019 – a six-song studio EP titled Universe, and an eight-song live set, Live Fiend, recorded at a show in San Francisco in February 2019. More studio material was issued in the form of digital singles, and in 2022, Love Fiend left Oakland, heading south for Los Angeles. Around the same time they relocated, the group became a four-piece with the addition of Raymond Schmidt, who played keyboards and guitar, as well as adding backing vocals. The group's popularity rose, and in 2024, they collected their digital releases on the EP Singles 2020-2023. Love Fiend got a boost when John Dwyer of Osees befriended the band, offering to produce an album for them at his Discount Mirror Studio. The LP, Handle With Care, was issued by In The Red Records in July 2024.
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