Pre-law to Punk Rock: A Look at Alec Sessing

EAST PEORIA — Every kid wants to be a famous rock star at some point, right? That awesome dream job and its freedoms and grandiosity definitely transcend the coolness of the astronauts, policemen and firefighters.Unfortunately many who pursue it give it up, as it is often thought unachievable. That, really, makes it so great to see musicians keep that dream alive for themselves.

Alec Sessing, 19, is a student in his first year at ICC studying political science. He hopes to transfer to a university, go to law school and become a lawyer. One probably wouldn’t guess this career choice from his passion and ethos: rock and roll. This is his true aspiration; for him, that dream hasn’t died.

Sessing is the guitarist and vocalist of The Hazards, a local three-piece pop-punk band, and a gifted singer/ songwriter on his own. He and his band have played many venues in Peoria, and recently had a gig all the way in Rockford, IL. They have a four song EP out and plan on recording a full length album in the near future. As this is the first band of his to play out of town shows and have recorded music, Sessing is getting a small feel for the successful musician life.

Sessing is no newcomer to the game, though. He has been playing the guitar since he was just nine years old, citing Billy Joe Armstrong (Green Day) and Angus Young (AC/ DC) as influences. “I love their simplistic guitar playing,” he explained, “it’s the same technique I use nowadays, actually.”

A year after he started playing guitar, Sessing met Evan Hayes, the bass player for The Hazards. The two immediately wanted to start a band after bonding on their favorite music. Specifically, an album by Green Day. “He and I were on the bus in middle school and he asked me if I wanted to listen to some music,” Sessing recalled, “and it ended up being Green Day’s American Idiot, which was my favorite album at the time. We decided to write music together right then.”

Sessing and Hayes have played throughout middle school and high school together, performing in talent shows and small venues, going through many changes in members and life.

Sessing’s inspiration came first from his father, who was a musician growing up as well. “He needed one of the kids to carry that on, and I seemed to be the most interested” Sessing said, “I haven’t gotten over it yet.”

As far as lyrical inspiration, Sessing has typically stuck to a pop-punk formula. “I write a lot of songs about girls,” he said, “but lately I’ve been writing a lot of self questioning songs, since I recently began college.” His outlet for more expressive songwriting is his other musical endeavor, a solo acoustic project.

While not rocking out with The Hazards or listening to Anti-Flag, Sessing works on a solo singer/songwriter project under his name, which he completely self-records with an acoustic guitar and his Apple computer. With subject matter of loss, frustration and broken relationships, Sessing keeps the punk angst, but applies it to an intimate, more accommodating sound. He has released four new tracks recently, which can be found on his ReverbNation.com page under “Alec Sessing.”

As stated, The Hazards are currently writing their first full length album, which they expect to be out in early 2014. While they don’t have any shows in the near future, they plan to support the full length album with a few gigs in Peoria, Rockford and Chicago with their friends in Bloody Mary. To hear Sessing’s music, visit The Hazard’s Facebook page or his personal music page at ReverbNation.com.

Sessing has continued to play music not for validation or praise, but for the love of music itself. Support musicians like that. They need it. Neil Young said rock and roll can never die, and hopefully, for Sessing and non-musicians alike, this remains true. We could all use it.