Chicago-based STRIVE mixes the arena-friendly style of The Fray with an inspirational message akin to U2 and Switchfoot. The band’s members are genuine in their pursuit of crafting lyrics that are heartfelt and sounds that are uplifting. <br /><br />“FIRE was written to inspire listeners to live lives which are selfless, seeking to make their communities a better place,” says STRIVE front man Derick Thompson, whose vocal resemblance could be described as akin to Josh Groban. “I’ve found that when I’m full of hope and excited about life, it spills out onto everyone around me. Same is true when I’m lost in my own self-pity, trying to make sense of the difficulty which is life. A choice had to be made whether to write a disc focused on the negatives or positives we all face. FIRE burns brightest when it’s surrounded by darkness. I hope this album burns bright.”<br /><br />Already sparking success, the band’s first radio single, “Smallest Things,” has been downloaded around the globe by over 440 TV, Radio & Other Press Outlets in 53 Countries. Broadcast outlets wishing to download a review copy of “Smallest Things” can go to <a href="http://links.imeem.com/23iLCPwrR" title="http://www.strivefans.com/st.html.">http://www.strivefans.com/st.html.</a><br /><br />In addition to its first radio single success, four additional songs from the album, “Better Way,” “Away From Here,” “Leave With Me” and “Nothing’s Impossible,” have been licensed for MTV’s The Real World and E!: Entertainment Television’s Keeping Up With the Kardashians. STRIVE’s “Nothing’s Impossible” is also a top 10 hit on the highly ranked indie outlet Our Stage in its Pop music category (www.ourstage.com). The band further placed No. 14 on the myCCM top 100 artists of 2007, and Atomic Design Laboratory has licensed STRIVE music for the company’s Tribulation Knights Christian adventure video game (LINK).<br /><br />Asked about the cross-section of interest in its music, Derick says, “We want to inspire people to find out what they are passionate about, and then use those passions to make the world a better place. If the lyrics and melodies touch you, it’s less important what musical genre it comes from.”<br /><br />Touring extensively in the US, STRIVE also travels internationally with extended tours in Brazil and Russia. Derick recounts, “The most memorable gig we have ever played was to 1,500 orphan kids in a rural city on the outskirts of Moscow. The looks on those kids’ faces are what STRIVE is all about.” The show was a part of STRIVE’s participation in a 21-day tour throughout Russia for AIDS awareness. http://www.imeem.com/strivemusic Delta 0 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss STRIVE http://www.imeem.com/strivemusic/video/YBpwZ8Y-/strive-on-our-way/ Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:44:17 -0000 <div><a href="http://www.imeem.com/strivemusic/video/YBpwZ8Y-/strive-on-our-way/"><img width="100" height="75" border="0" src="http://srv0204-02.sjc3.imeem.com/g/v/88768907aefd873728b799496b883bdd_00010.jpg" title="Click to play this video"/></a></div> 5aaYn1ONw5 STRIVE http://www.imeem.com/strivemusic/video/lUFh7riG/strive-smallest-things/ Thu, 06 Nov 2008 21:47:17 -0000 <div><a href="http://www.imeem.com/strivemusic/video/lUFh7riG/strive-smallest-things/"><img width="100" height="75" border="0" src="http://srv0204-03.sjc3.imeem.com/g/v/f2308ffae6dca4be174324418c15b364_00010.jpg" title="Click to play this video"/></a></div> 0Pr-Il0koy STRIVE http://www.imeem.com/strivemusic/video/n4QcGCbo/strive-fire-music-video/ Thu, 23 Oct 2008 19:42:12 -0000 <div><a href="http://www.imeem.com/strivemusic/video/n4QcGCbo/strive-fire-music-video/"><img width="100" height="75" border="0" src="http://srv0204-07.sjc3.imeem.com/g/v/18f485c6e3389108e208c5ec9261ea4d_00010.jpg" title="Click to play this video"/></a></div> _-Lvn3W-RV STRIVE FIRE http://www.imeem.com/strivemusic/playlist/L0nG6qbs/fire-music-playlist/ Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:32:18 -0000 gicwb5oE2u STRIVE http://www.imeem.com/strivemusic/music/nXKfAHwQ/strive-fire/ Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:19:55 -0000 <div><a href="http://www.imeem.com/strivemusic/music/nXKfAHwQ/strive-fire/"><img border="0" src="http://icons-p1.imeem.com/nXKfAHwQ.jpg" title="Click to play this song"/></a></div> k0Kv61X5CA STRIVE http://www.imeem.com/strivemusic/music/tjy5GqUh/strive-good/ Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:18:54 -0000 <div><a href="http://www.imeem.com/strivemusic/music/tjy5GqUh/strive-good/"><img border="0" src="http://icons-p1.imeem.com/tjy5GqUh.jpg" title="Click to play this song"/></a></div> sV7aSgZnAq STRIVE http://www.imeem.com/strivemusic/music/C4GkZ9tQ/strive-leave-with-me/ Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:17:48 -0000 <div><a href="http://www.imeem.com/strivemusic/music/C4GkZ9tQ/strive-leave-with-me/"><img border="0" src="http://icons-p1.imeem.com/C4GkZ9tQ.jpg" title="Click to play this song"/></a></div> v01tlwLyhz STRIVE http://www.imeem.com/strivemusic/music/JiqgjcDg/strive-better-way/ Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:17:47 -0000 <div><a href="http://www.imeem.com/strivemusic/music/JiqgjcDg/strive-better-way/"><img border="0" src="http://icons-p1.imeem.com/JiqgjcDg.jpg" title="Click to play this song"/></a></div> dbni7axc3v STRIVE http://www.imeem.com/strivemusic/music/Urdx2Xw5/strive-silent-like-a-secret/ Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:15:44 -0000 <div><a href="http://www.imeem.com/strivemusic/music/Urdx2Xw5/strive-silent-like-a-secret/"><img border="0" src="http://icons-p2.imeem.com/Urdx2Xw5.jpg" title="Click to play this song"/></a></div> 7rugYcnOaH STRIVE http://www.imeem.com/strivemusic/music/G28XkIkn/strive-away-from-here/ Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:14:32 -0000 <div><a href="http://www.imeem.com/strivemusic/music/G28XkIkn/strive-away-from-here/"><img border="0" src="http://icons-p3.imeem.com/G28XkIkn.jpg" title="Click to play this song"/></a></div> r9nNErKowP