The Fruits are ‘berry honored’ to be featured by Chevy Detroit
When Motown alt-rock band The Fruits first got together, they didn't have any grandiose ideas about where the music could lead them.
They were just jamming with friends and having the time of their lives.
“The Fruits are really just your average neighborhood buddies, but with a dash of lime,” vocalist and Commerce Township native Drew Machak says. “We met years ago through the events industry, but it wasn't until I started performing out with drummer Sean Mallare (of Macomb) that the seeds were planted.”
At that time, the band didn't even have a name. They were performing cover songs around town. One day, a YouTube channel called “The Ferndale Set” asked to film the band for a series. The camera guy, Nick Press of Sterling Heights, ended up joining the band on bass.
“We had such a blast that night, just being our silly selves and making music,” Machak recalls. “We knew something good was happening. Then, here comes Nick, the final answer to all our ‘pears.'”
This was back in 2017. The band's first show as a trio was in January 2018 at The Crofoot Pike Room.
Today, The Fruits are one of the hottest up-and-coming rock bands on the Detroit circuit. Their single “I'm Going Away” is even featured in Chevy Detroit advertisements.
Machak says having the band's music featured by Chevy is something of a Detroit band's dream come true.
“It's so amazing to feel embraced by a company like that,” he says. “In a very noncorporate move, they asked an employee to send them local, original music from metro-Detroit acts, and somehow they narrowed it down to two songs. Funny enough, it was two of ours!”
The band also is hot on Spotify. Their song “San Francisco” has more than half a million plays on Spotify.
“We continue to be very surprised by that figure,” Machak says. “We are incredibly ‘grapeful.' Seriously, though, it means so much to us that people are enjoying these songs.”
“‘San Francisco' is based on a real couple, who are still together today — and married!” he adds. “They had this decadelong courtship that was just so genuine and sweet. You can feel something like that. Years of growth, the hardships, the love. In a way, this song is a longing for all of that. It's a love note to the dreamers in this world: There is a place for you, whether it's actually San Francisco or not. Go there. Be in love. Build yourselves a brand new life.”
When it comes to local music in Detroit, Machak says the scene is strong.
“The Motown legacy is so powerful that it's affected an entire generation of musicians that don't even realize it yet,” he says. “We think the talent pool is vast and deep! Also, working musicians here share and swap gigs. It's an incredible thing. We look out for each other instead of competing against one another.”
You can catch the band live at New Way Bar in Ferndale on Friday, Dec. 10. Doors open at 8 p.m., and there is no cover. Attendees are encouraged to bring a canned food item for those in need. Find The Fruits on Facebook via facebook. com/ the fruits music detroit.