HEY!  I'M DEREK HAMMERSTEIN, BETTER KNOWN AS HAMMER.  I AM THE FORMER GUITARIST FOR 'SILENCE BENEATH', 'MONKEY VS. ROBOT' AND FORMER DRUMMER FOR 'THE HUMAN CONDITION' - ALL OUT OF NORTHERN INDIANA, WHERE I RESIDE. 

I MET HTL FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY FRIEND ERIC'S BASEMENT WHEN MY BANDS 'SILENCE BENEATH' AND 'MONKEY VS. ROBOT' OPENED FOR THEM.  I STILL HAVE THEIR VERY FIRST DEMO CD THAT I GOT FOR FREE FROM THEM AT 'THE POST' IN GOSHEN, IN BACK WHEN I BOOKED SOME OF THEIR FIRST SHOWS THERE.  I'VE PLAYED MANY SHOWS WITH THEM AND BOOKED THEM FOR MANY OTHERS SINCE THEN.  I HAVE SEEN THEM BLOSSOM FROM A BASEMENT PUNK ROCK BAND TO ONE OF THE BEST-OF-THE-BEST POP-ROCK GROUPS OUT THERE TODAY.  THESE GUYS NEVER CEASE TO AMAZE ME WITH THEIR POWERFUL AND CREATIVE BALLADS AND ANTHEMS OF LIFE, LOVE, HURT AND HAPPINESS.

I LOVE HIT THE LIGHTS.