Horizon Theory, A hard hitting, high-energy heavy Rock Band from Michigan, has been creating quite a stir recently and building a massive following of fans along the way. XS ROCK spoke with vocalist Josh Harrington, who had a lot to say on the state of rock music, touring, and everything in between. Check out our interview with him below:
XS ROCK: Tell me about the latest band news? Any new projects coming out, live shows, or announcements?
Josh: We just put a single out called Transcendence featuring Morgan Rose of Sevendust! It’s off our new album Mission Control, which should be released around March 2026.
XS ROCK: How long has the band been together?
Josh: We formed in 2022, so we’re going on four years. We spent a good year writing before we started playing live.
XS ROCK: What was your main motivation for starting or being in a band?
Josh: I grew up around bands, really. My dad, uncle, and cousins all jammed in one form or another. So it was always kind of inside me wanting to get out.
XS ROCK: Which do you prefer? Writing new songs and recording or playing for a live audience?
Josh: Playing live for sure! There’s nothing better than hitting that stage and seeing everyone go nuts. I’m myself up there, but at the same time get to be a little more bad ass, Haha, I like to think that anyway. It’s definitely an incredible high.
XS ROCK: Do you have any outrageous tour stories from the road? If so, please fill us in.
Josh: Where do I even start? There’s so much, haha. We played a show in Texas while on tour with Hed Pe and during our set a couple of us noticed this girl in the front row watching like she had just immensely fell in love. Well, her boyfriend, who was next to her, saw what we saw and ended up dragging her out of there mid-set. After we got off stage, we found out this guy was in the parking lot smashing into vehicles with his truck. It was kind of funny. The cop who showed up ended up getting some of our merch.
XS ROCK: What’s the strangest request that you’ve ever received from one of your fans?
Josh: We signed a taco once at The Machine Shop in Flint, Michigan. Straight up a real taco. I heard the dude still has it in his freezer 2 years later.
XS ROCK: Were your parents, family, and friends supportive of your aspirations to play in a rock band?
Josh: Oh ye,s absolutely! That goes for all of us. We have the best support crew, that’s for sure.
XS ROCK: What are your favorite tracks to play live?
Josh: I’d have to say Right From the Start, Darkness, Nowhere to Go.
XS ROCK: Which band or artist inspired you to perform? Why?
Josh: I was the biggest Ozzy fan as a kid. Along with all of the 80s hair bands and early 90s rock. Tesla has always been one of my favorites as well. They all got me into singing.
XS ROCK: If you could design a dream tour for your band, who would be on the bill?
Josh: Horizon Theory, Alter Bridge, Creed, or for a slightly different sound, I would say Horizon Theory, Bullet For My Valentine, Killswitch.
XS ROCK: What do you consider your greatest accomplishment so far?
Josh: In music, I would say the relationships that I have built while doing this. Meeting like-minded people who share a lot of the same thoughts and feelings. How they relate to your music. It’s very rewarding, and I’m so glad that I get to do it.
XS ROCK: If you weren’t performing in a band, what kind of career do you think you would have?
Josh: Oh, I’d probably be working for a company that doesn’t give a damn about me, that offers not-so-good benefits and crap pay. Like I always have, hahaha, like a lot of us out here, I think.
XS ROCK: What type of equipment do you use for live shows?
Josh: Kempers, Shure mic, Vik Guitars, GMP bass
XS ROCK: What do you think of the current music scene?
Josh: There is so much good music out there. It’s almost like, how do you even compete? I do feel like a lot of them sound way too much alike, though. They keep pumping out these bands and songs that you can’t even tell apart. Vocally or musically, and people eat it up. I guess the formula works, and I can’t really hate on what others might like. We just want to be ourselves out there, but still be in that realm to be able to grab some of those fans. I hope that one day they can say that’s Horizon Theory right off the rip and not have to think about it.
XS ROCK: For anyone that doesn’t know you, what would they be surprised to know about you?
Josh: Oh man, I do it all. I love to fish, hunt, golf, play disc golf, watch stock car and late model racing on the weekends, and ice fish. I do a lot. Huge Boyz 2 Men fan as well. Anything old school Temptations style. 90s RnB. The good stuff
XS ROCK: If someone had never heard you before, how would you describe your sound?
Josh: Heavy with some big anthem-style choruses. Real and relatable.
XS ROCK: Is there anything that you’d like to promote or say to your fans out there?
Josh: You guys have had our backs since day one, and no matter what style or sound of jams that we put out, you’re still there pushing every song! Can’t thank you guys enough and hope to see you soon!!
XS ROCK: Thanks again for taking the time to talk with XS ROCK!
Josh: Thank you for everything you guys do, too!! You help keep this thing alive for so many, and it doesn’t go unnoticed!
For more on Horizon Theory, visit:
https://www.facebook.com/people/Horizon-Theory
https://www.instagram.com/horizontheorymusic/?igsh=bGc5a3M1YTB5OXNk&utm_source=qr
