Meet Jesse Hed | Lead singer of The Ragetones

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jesse Hed and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jesse, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
This question really speaks to The Ragetones as an entity, because the answer is you don’t give up. You always keep going. The Ragetones has been a band in some form or another for 12 years. When the majority of members from the original band left, and it seemed like it was time to give up, we changed. We became an acoustic band with only 2 members. Going from 7 band members to 2 felt like a huge downgrade but it was just a change in the life of the band.

And since then, there have been plenty of times that it felt like it was time to give up, but we never did.
So for The Ragetones, at least, to keep going is the only option

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
The Ragetones message comes from so many different places. Heartache, abuse, depression, friendship, gender dysphoria, love, social justice, suicide, anime, and anywhere you can think of. We write about our truth and I don’t think there’s anything to be more proud of. At the core of our music is DIY ethics and being a band that has a polished sound like we do and also trying to be accepted in the local DIY music community has also been a challenge. We grind really hard; we tour frequently, playing in a new state every night, sleeping in the van, eating junk for weeks at a time, just like a lot of these bands grinding out here but because of our pop rock style, I think a lot of bands don’t take us seriously. We’re here to overcome that and show that even though our music is more Radio friendly, that we’re serious about this band and can tour as hard as any punk/ metal band out there.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
A lot of people don’t like to give Pueblo the credit it deserves for being the cool little town that it is! For food, the Gray’s Coors Tavern slopper (cheeseburger smothered in green chile) is a must. And Pueblo’s historic downtown is also an amazing time, complete with our own little Riverwalk that is surrounded by wonderful businesses as well.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Of course a shout out to our parents and fans for always being supportive and sticking with us. And a very specific shout out to a band that had inspired us and kept us going throughout the years; The Wonder Years

Website: theragetones.com

Instagram: @theragetonesco

Twitter: @theragetonesco

Facebook: facebook.com/theragetones

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@theragetones9080

Image Credits
The Ragetones